tonymacx86's Skylake Thunderbolt 3 Test Build: GA-Z170X-UD5-TH - i5-6600K

[Alexilgatto]

Hi all just to share my experience. I updated my MB to Firmware 22a and updated the TB drivers using Windows 10 on another boot drive. All seem to work well. I use an apple adapter from TB3-TB2 to use my Lexar HUB and works fine. Also the speed is similar to the speed I have on my iMac 27 late 2015. Am I wrong or the Z170X TH is one of the few Mobo that supports TB3? I saw a less support of it in the latest MB from Gigabyte and none from other vendors. I'm looking for TB3 in the Z370 for Coffee Lake, but still nothing.
Anyway, thanks for this guide!

 

[joevt]

If a motherboard doesn't have built in Thunderbolt 3 support then check if it has a Thunderbolt add-in card connector (or add-on card connector). An add-in card is better because you can choose not to include it, and it can take DisplayPort input from any graphics output because the add-in card has a DisplayPort input. Get an add-in card that has two DisplayPort inputs to support 5K or two 4K.

Motherboards that support Thunderbolt 3:
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GC-ALPINE-RIDGE-rev-10#ov
https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboard-Accessory/ThunderboltEX-3/specifications/ (no information beyond 170, maybe different searches )
http://asrock.pc.cdn.bitgravity.com/Manual/Thunderbolt 3 AIC.pdf (no information beyond 270, maybe try https://www.asrock.com/mb/ )

 

[Alexilgatto]

Seems that I've spoken too early. I've decided to move to Sierra 10.12.6 from El Capitain and now my thunderbolt is gone.
Tried many things but I can't figure out where is the problem. Maybe I have to patch an SSDT or a DSDT?

 

[jdlux]

Hi all,

I wanted to take these steps as I have a presonus quantum I just bought that isn't getting recognized (I have z170 also). My apollo quad worked fine so the guy who built the hack is telling me not to do anything with updating firmware etc. and that I have the latest bios. My machine is about 2 mos. old. Anyone have experience with the quantum?

 

[WALLBANGER3]

Seems that I've spoken too early. I've decided to move to Sierra 10.12.6 from El Capitain and now my Thunderbolt is gone.
Tried many things but I can't figure out where is the problem. Maybe I have to patch an SSDT or a DSDT?

Is it possible to have Thunderbolt on 10.12.6? I just completed my first install, and I do not know yet if this is possible? I would also like to know if it is with the ASUS Thunderbolt 3 PCIe, and then use the Apple TB to TB2 so I can use my Apollo 8.

 

[jdlux]

I bought the Startech Tb2-3 adapter (used Apple adapter with my UAD Apollo). Now the Quantum is recognized on the Windows 10 side, but not Sierra side. Pretty bummed.

 

[joevt]

Is it possible to have thunderbolt on 10.12.6? I just completed my first install and I do not know yet if this is possible? I would also like to know if it is with the asus thunderbolt 3 PCIE and then use the apple TB to TB2 so I can use my Apollo 8

Since Thunderbolt drivers don't really work on Hackintosh, it doesn't matter what OS version it is. What happens is, The EFI enables Thunderbolt and enumerates the PCI bus including the devices connected by Thunderbolt, then macOS should see those devices.

I bought the Startech Tb2-3 adapter (used Apple adapter with my UAD Apollo). Now the Quantum is recognized on the Windows 10 side, but not Sierra side. Pretty bummed.

Shouldn't matter what adapter you use. Check the pci devices in EFI Shell. They should also be listed in the Clover boot log. If they are not listed in EFI then they won't appear in macOS.

 

[zipb]

Turns out I'm running NVM firmware version 21 and have been the whole time. So that doesn't play into why the apple dongle doesn't work for me.

Where did you get version 21 of the thunderbolt firmware? Last time I checked, version 16 was still the latest via the Gigabyte product page for my Z170x-UD5-TH...

 

[jdlux]

Shouldn't matter what adapter you use. Check the pci devices in EFI Shell. They should also be listed in the Clover boot log. If they are not listed in EFI then they won't appear in macOS.

Thanks. Is there something I can do if they're not showing up? I wonder why the apollo showed up but the quantum won't...

 

[joevt]

Where did you get version 21 of the thunderbolt firmware? Last time I checked, version 16 was still the latest via the Gigabyte product page for my Z170x-UD5-TH...

Looks like Gigabyte has updated the Thunderbolt firmwares for Z170x motherboards? There's a 21 for the UD5 and my Gaming 7. I'll try that out today.