How to build your own iMac Pro [Successful Build/Extended Guide]

[kgp]

Are you referring to the VI Apex ?
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813119015

@trs96, I guess @AnaktuvGod refers to https://www.asus.com/de/Motherboards/ROG-RAMPAGE-VI-EXTREME/. There are indeed some posts of users along this thread, who apparently have been able to successfully run this board with my guide. I doubt that the 10G-Network can be implemented under 10.13 at present. Still, you have the possibility for implement 3x M.2 instead of two. However, also the onboard WIFI won't work for sure.. In any case, I really recommend to search for the respective posts and directly ask the users about their personal experience. I am sure that they can provide you with useful help and suggestions..

Update:
You see, @AnaktuvGod just provided a similar link above just at the same time like me..

 

[kgp]

And FYI I do know this an ASUS PRIME thread but just figured I would inquire about it since you did upgrade your processor at the beginning to current. It's just this is the most informative thread I've been able to discover with the most valuable X299 information you can find. Thanks in advance.

I guess your choice of the thread was totally adequate and I am very positive that you will be able to use my guide with this board, despite a few OSX Hardware related limitations. See my recommendations and comments in post #1911. It is true that the base of my guide is the ASUS Prime X299 Deluxe, but I try to keep my guide as general as possible for it's use with any X299 mainboard on the market.

 

[AnaktuvGod]

Thanks for the reply, I will do further skimming through the forums regarding this. I was just worried mainly about DIMM.2 technology located on this and the APEX but I presume it's not an issue if some folks were able to get all 3x M.2 working. Thanks again.

 

[kgp]

Guys, is there any of you who has C3 as supported in their bios? I get no C3 states on AppleIntelInfo, and get NotSupported in bios.

But in this document:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...rs/core/6th-gen-x-series-datasheet-vol-1.html
It is stated that C3 IS supported.

Concerning the C3 states, please see me point 4.) in post #1871. I guess this is still a BIOS issue, which I already transmitted to ASUS US few weeks ago. I really hope that they are currently investigating the C3 issue as well as all other issues raised in my report.

@interferenc, thanks to your awesome investigation, help and contribution and the brilliant and extremely sophisticated ACPI Table and SSDT-X299.aml implementation by @apfelnico, this build and guide really further dramatically increases it's impact and sophistication. That's absolutely awesome, guys! I am extremely grateful to all of you!

However, Section E.9) seems still to require some kind of lifting and modification to have all things properly described and implemented. I already received some first private feedback from @apfelnico. Gorgeous!
But the sleep/wake performance of my system is indeed already simply amazing Even with the TBEX 3 Adapter fully implemented

 

[kgp]

Well, I appreciate you positive thinking, but I wouldn't hold my breath

Also, what is this BIOS settings txt dump you mentioned? How can I get this?

Well, I appreciate you positive thinking, but I wouldn't hold my breath

Also, what is this BIOS settings txt dump you mentioned? How can I get this?

I don't want you to hold your breath , the opposite!

Alright here we go:

1.) Insert a formatted USB Stick.

2.) Boot into BIOS

3.) Go to /Advanced/Tool/Overclocking Settings/

4.) Select Load/Save Profile from/to USB Drive

5.) Press once Enter and then Ctrl+F2 Save the current BIOS Settings

6.) Now enter the name of the textile to which you want to dump your BIOS seetings, e.g. "SettingsDump" and select Ok.

7.) You will get a notification that your BIOS settings have been saved successfully and you will se where the setting.txt dumb has been saved to.

Yet you cannot see the new file in the BIOS file manager -> exit BIOS (F7,F10), boot into OSX and inspect the content of your USB Drive. Voila!

By the way, in the same way you can save/restore your BIOS settings into/from a cmo.file on your USB Stick.

To do so, just select F2 or Enter instead of Ctrl+F2

Note that you can restore your Settings only within the same BIOS version.

Please find attached my most actual settings dump. Search for this:

Well I just notice that in fact it does not say C3, C6, C7, C8 enabled but rather C3 Report, C6 Report, C7 Report, C8 Report enabled.

Anyway ... Compare with the info in /Advanced/CPU Configuration

Cheers,

KGP

 

[kgp]

Oh and one more thing, regarding the guide:

For x299, ssdtprgen is only needed to create an ssdt with plugin-type: 1 for the first cpu. That will make sure IOPlatformPluginFamily loads, and AICPUPM does not. All the other values you provide to the script are ignored (frequencies, turbos, xcpm enable/disable).

So for example I am using this SSDT, with no cpu specific information at all:

DefinitionBlock ("", "SSDT", 1, "APPLE ", "CpuPm", 0x00021500)
{
    External (_SB_.SCK0.CP00, DeviceObj)    // (from opcode)

    Scope (\_SB.SCK0.CP00)
    {
        Method (_DSM, 4, NotSerialized)  // _DSM: Device-Specific Method
        {
            If (LEqual (Arg2, Zero))
            {
                Return (Buffer (One)
                {
                     0x03                                       
                })
            }

            Return (Package (0x02)
            {
                "plugin-type",
                One
            })
        }
    }
}

And this is enough to load IOPPF in XCPM mode.

Also, EIST and turbo can both be disabled, XCPM will do it's magic on it's own.

But does it harm if I compile ssdtPRGen.sh just with e.g. boot flag "-turbo 4400" and without "-cpus 1"?

I mean does it harm if you inject the plugin type for all cores?

I used "-cpus 1" just in the beginning... After the first hundred ssdt.amls, I was too lazy to always add the -cpus bootflag, but XCPM always worked flawless for me. Now I don't even remember, if "-cpus 1" was the correct command just to address cpu (core) 1. Does anybody else remember?

 

[kgp]

I don't think the p states (from min to turbo value) harm, they are just ignored. -cpus 1 is new to me, but I think that will be ignored as well. Also, even ssdtprgen do not inject plugin type to all cpus, only the first one.

So all I am saying is that you do need one thing for IOPPF: XCPM mode, and that is one ssdt with plugin type 1. You can use a ssdtprgen generated ssdt as well, because it does have this, but all the other stuff it has is not needed. So for your guide, to simplify things, it would make sense to recommend this, more simple method.

But this is up to you, it is your guide afterall.

hahaha, alright

I would not change too much in the entire approach anymore. iMacPro should be already "ante portas" And than we shall have a new SMBIOS and full native support.

 

[kgp]

@interferenc ,

can you briefly estimate until when you will be able to fix the 8 core CPU sensor problem? I would like to officially implement your approach in my guide, but I would rather prefer to wait for until you find a solution.

 

[paulotex]

I have spent more than 3000 euros to update the hardware and it works fatally.
[...]
It becomes inadmissible with this hardware.

Pedro, I think the problem was your tone. The above sentences lead to people thinking that the whole HighSierra in X299 is flawed. Of course @kgp would react like he did, because actually it is working great for most of us here.

Perhaps you were able to find the problem? If yes, please post here the solution, so others can learn from it.

Otherwise, it will be helpful if you debug a bit. For example, you could post some CPU benchmarks, like Cinebench, and have "Intel Power Gadget" running in the background. That can help to narrow down the problem. If you have full performance in the benchmarks, than it seems the problem is with the specific music hardware you are using. If you don't have full performance, then there is something wrong with the configuration. And so on.

And FYI I do know this an ASUS PRIME thread ...

Wait wait wait! KGP clearly states in the beginning this is a "HighSierra in X299" thread, for all Don't exclude my (cheap, but very capable) MSI SLI Mobo. It has been running beautifully since September.

 

[AnaktuvGod]

Pedro, I think the problem was your tone. The above sentences lead to people thinking that the whole HighSierra in X299 is flawed. Of course @kgp would react like he did, because actually it is working great for most of us here.

Perhaps you were able to find the problem? If yes, please post here the solution, so others can learn from it.

Otherwise, it will be helpful if you debug a bit. For example, you could post some CPU benchmarks, like Cinebench, and have "Intel Power Gadget" running in the background. That can help to narrow down the problem. If you have full performance in the benchmarks, than it seems the problem is with the specific music hardware you are using. If you don't have full performance, then there is something wrong with the configuration. And so on.


Wait wait wait! KGP clearly states in the beginning this is a "HighSierra in X299" thread, for all Don't exclude my (cheap, but very capable) MSI SLI Mobo. It has been running beautifully since September.

Never will I exclude your beloved MSI. I'm down with the budget too now don't get things twisted as I too have a MSI Raider mb. I was just wondering if @kgp was gonna shed light on the Page VI Ex due to that DIMM.2 tech. I just recently got it as an upgrade to my raider board. Just got the board and just got back to tonymac as I've stepped away from Hackintoshing for a few years. Still trying to catch up as to all the new stuff and guides there is since snow leopard and lion back when I was heavy into it. So don't feel bad or appalled, that was just something I was curious about as thats the most obvious difference from the other X299 outside of the APEX which is also Asus. But @kgp already had mentioned to me some users in the thread also have it as well and got I to run so I assume the DIMM.2 is not a big deal at all to have it operate normally. All in grown folks business ... lmao jk.