[Guide] Mojave on ASUS K501UW-AB78

[cowcowpod]

Blahblab legal stuff, I am not liable for any damages that incur from the use of this guide.

Updated 04/06/19: Mojave!
Updated 04/08/19: fix DSDT, switch to AppleALC, ig-platform 0x191b -> 0x1916

This is written for the Asus K501UW-AB78:
CPU: i7-6500U
GPU: Intel 520, Nvidia GTX960M (not working)
RAM: 8GB/16GB

What works: Keyboard, trackpad, brightness controls, USB ports, Ethernet, speakers and the audio jack, HDMI
What doesn't work: Intel wifi (replaced with DW1560), Discrete Nvidia GPU.

1.
Follow Rehabman's guide on creating a clover USB.

• Clover on laptops: https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/guide-booting-the-os-x-installer-on-laptops-with-clover.148093/

You can use the provided config.plist at the bottom of this post. It is based off on Rehabman's config_hd515_520 plist. (Attached below)
Add the following kexts into the Clover kexts folder. (Attached below)

AirportBrcmFixup.kext
AppleBacklightFixup.kext
AsusNBFnKeys.kext
BrcmFirmwareRepo_Mod.kext
BrcmPatchRAM2_Mod.kext
FakeSMC.kext
FakeSMC_ACPISensors.kext
FakeSMC_CPUSensors.kext
FakeSMC_GPUSensors.kext
FakeSMC_LPCSensors.kext
FakeSMC_SMMSensors.kext
Lilu.kext
USBInjectAll.kext
AppleALC.kext
VoodooI2C.kext
VoodooI2CELAN.kext
VoodooPS2Controller.kext
WhateverGreen.kext

2.
Once macOS is installed and you're at the desktop, install clover to internal drive.
Mount USB EFI and copy over the Clover folder from the USB to the internal/macOS EFI, overwriting the existing folder. (if there's no overwrite, then you're copying the wrong folder/to the wrong location. Also, make sure you're copying the correct folder, and not the one you want to replace)

3. OPTIONAL
Now to move over the kexts from EFI to /Library/Extensions..

1. (with proper permissions) sudo cp -r /EFI/Clover/Kexts/Other/* /Library/Extensions
2. (rebuilt kext cache) sudo kextcache -i /
3. Fix VoodooI2C: Enable "disable AppleIntelLpssI2C 1/2" and 2/2 patches in provided config.plist.

Name: com.apple.driver.AppleIntelLpssI2C
Find: 494F4B69 74
Replace: 494F4B69 78
Comment: disable AppleIntelLpssI2C 1/2

Name: com.apple.driver.AppleIntelLpssI2CController
Find: 494F4B69 74
Replace: 494F4B69 78
Comment: disable AppleIntelLpssI2C 2/2

4.
Use attached SSDT ACPI files, copy into EFI/Clover/ACPI/patched/

SSDT-PNLF is for AppleBacklightFixup.kext​

SSDT-UIAC and SSDT-USBX are for USBInjectAll.kext​

SSDT-XOSI is for VoodooI2C*.kext​

5.
Read Rehabman's guide on DSDT/ACPI patching.

• ACPI patching: https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/guide-patching-laptop-dsdt-ssdts.152573/

Decompile command that you'll probably need:
iasl -fe refs.txt -dl DSDT.aml SSDT*.aml

Use the patches attached below.

00. Generic Fixes.txt - PARSEOP_ZERO
02. PRW 0x6d Fix.txt - sleep
03. IRQ Fix.txt
03. system_WAK2.txt - sleep
07. system_PNOT.txt - charger status
08. Battery Patch.txt
09. Keyboard Backlight 16 Level Patch.txt
10. Fn Key Patches.txt - fn keys
12. GPIO and ETPD fix.txt - touchpad

6. AppleALC / Audio
Uncomment config.plist Devices>Properties>(pci audio device)>layout-id
and set it's value to a codec id from below.
Realtek ALC 298 layout-ids: (3, 11, 13, 28 are likely to work..)

0x100101, 0x100103, 3, 11, 13, 28, 29, 30, 47, 66, 72, 99

If ALC298 isn't the correct codec, find it in Windows and a layout-id from https://github.com/acidanthera/AppleALC/wiki/Supported-codecs

7. Remove drive reboot into BiOS/F2. Reorder so that the clover/UEFI P0 (internal/macOS drive) is first.
Done! Sorry, this was very brief. If you need any help, just ask!

 

[Feartech]

Okay, first off I installed this on a a second drive (yes, the K501UW has a 2.5", 7mm expansion slot), and not on the SSD. I am yet to find a working driver/kext for the Toshiba SSD that is inside. (I may be wrong here, with the SSD manufacturer)

!! I may have wrongdoings, if so please let me know, also I am in no way liable for any damages that may occur, blah blah legal stuff. Basically, you're on your own not to screw up your device.
Sorry, I had to say that.

Status: Keyboard works, trackpad works, display works (duh) but brightness controls don't, all USB ports work, Ethernet works, speakers and the audio jack works, and so far I get a battery but the DSDT needs to be patched. Power management is via the clover config.

This guide is written for the Asus K501uw-ab78:
CPU: i7-6500U
GPU: Intel 520, Nvidia GTX960M (not working)
RAM: 8GB/16GB
Intel Wireless/Bluetooth (doesn't work)

Needed kext list:
FakeSMC, GenericUSBXHCI, IntelGraphicsFixup, Lilu, SATA-100-series-unsupported, VoodooI2C(Sierra), VoodooPS2Controller, ACPIBatteryManager

Needed software:
Clover installer, Kext Wizard, MacIASL

Needed hardware:
A Mac, a 8GB+ USB stick, a second, empty hard drive in your pc.
BIOS settings:
Default, otherwise; disable Vt-d, set DVMT-prealloc to anything above 128M (I set mine to 512M), disable Secure Boot, enable Launch CSM (which will disable fast boot as they do not work together).

1. On a Mac, make sure that all peripherals are removed.
Create a usb installer, following this guide.
Make sure to select "Install for UEFI booting only"
Make sure to select the following from Drivers64UEFI: OsxAptioFix2Drv-64, DataHubDxe-64, for install.

2. Mount the EFI partition of the USB stick, if not already mounted. Type in terminal; "diskutil mount /dev/disk1s1"
After clover is installed, download HFSPlus.efi, available here, to the /Volumes/EFI/EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI folder (where the .efi files from above are located).
Copy(or move) SATA-100-series-unsupported, VoodooI2C, VoodooPS2Controller, FakeSMC, GenericUSBXHCI, IntelGraphicsFixup, and Lilu, to /Volumes/EFI/EFI/CLOVER/Kexts/Other. (You can delete all the 10.x folders, including 10.12)
Download and extract the clover config that I have attached below, and replace the config.plist in /Volumes/EFI/EFI/CLOVER.
Copy the clover installer (previously used), MacIASL, DSL_For_power_mgmt this (save/download as anything.dsl), HFSPlus.efi, FakeSMC, GenericUSBXHCI, IntelGraphicsFixup, Lilu, SATA-100-series-unsupported, VoodooI2C(Sierra), VoodooPS2Controller, ACPIBatteryManager, KextWizard, and the Clover config (previously used for /Volumes/EFI/EFI/CLOVER)

3. Plug in the drive with Clover and the files that were copied, and boot up your computer while holding the F2 key. When the BIOS screen appears, go to the last entry on the right, and scroll down to you see UEFI: (drive model/manufacturer etc, depends on drive).
You will know you have selected the correct drive when "CLOVER"/etc appears on screen, with multiple boot options. Select "Install macOS Sierra", when you get to language selection, continue until/and select "Disk Utility".
In disk utility, select your second drive, and erase it as HFS+Journaled.
Please note that if you erase the wrong drive (really it shouldn't happen, as it doesn't have a label for me), you are
"completely facced (sic)".

4. Now go back, and select "Install macOS Sierra", most likely on the top of the list. Go through, and select the newly erased drive. It should continue, and reboot.

5. Hold F2, and select the external UEFI partition again, NOT the hard drive in your computer. In clover, select "Install macOS Sierra"
If you come to disk utilities, you selected the wrong one. Don't worry, just reboot (menu bar), and select the other "Install macOS Sierra" entry.
It should now say something like "16 minutes remaining". If you receive an "unable to unmount" or "invalid" or "not enough space", then you did not erase your drive properly, or the drive simply won't work.
When it's done, it will reboot.

6. Hold F2 (again again), and enter the UEFI partition (again again, again?). Boot into the "macOS Sierra", NOT the installer. If you go into the installer, you can as before just reboot and select the other option.

7. Once on the desktop (past setting up your Mac), install Clover (installer is on the USB drive, remember?)

8. Now extract/unzip the clover config from the USB drive, and place it in /Volumes/EFI/EFI/CLOVER/, replacing clover.plist (the old plist simply won't work).
Copy HFSPlus.efi into /Volumes/EFI/EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI/.
!!! This is a different "EFI". The one you are setting up now is the one that is going to boot up macOS in the future, and is a partition on your second drive.

9. You have two options here. Personally, I used #1.
#1. Use Kext Wizard to install all the kexts. Open Kext Wizard, select "Installation", and drag'n'drop them into the blank square under "select kexts to install". Now click the blue "install" button. You may need your password.
#2. Copy all the kexts into /Volumes/EFI/EFI/CLOVER/kexts/Other.

10. Open the anything.dsl in MacIASL, (either MacIASL>>File>Open, or 'open with'>MacIASL), and click File>Save As, and select "ACPI Machine Language Binary" under "File Format". Save or copy to /Volumes/EFI/EFI/CLOVER/APCI/patched

11. Select "Maintenence" in Kext Wizard, and select "Rebuild Cache", and select "Execute". Do this two times, and then reboot.

12. You can now remove your USB drive. Go to F2 again, and this time select "Boot" in BIOS. Go to the first Boot entry, (probably "Windows Boot Manager"), and select it. Now select the UEFI drive as the main one. If it doesn't work, try a different entry, one of them will boot up clover that is on your second drive.

Done! I will double check this post as soon as I can, however this is still fresh in my mind, so it should be correct. Also, you can now partition the second drive (that has macOS) within macOS via Disk Utility, for the installation of something else (e.g Linux), or simply data storage for windows/macOS/both.

Edited; made more clear (2x)

doesn't need buying advice, moved to laptop guide

 

[cowcowpod]

doesn't need buying advice, moved to laptop guide

thanks!

 

[cowcowpod]

Thnks for the tutorial, I work everything except the touchpad and the brightness, I paste files on /CLOVER/ACPI/Patched. Can you help me solve it

For audio, you'll need VoodooHDA. For the keyboard, you'll need VoodooPS2(controller), and for the trackpad you'll need VoodooI2C. (DSDT patches are not required for this)
Don't forget to run "sudo kextcache -i" or "rebuild cache" and "repair permissions" in KextWizard!

 

[Feartech]

For audio, you'll need VoodooHDA. For the keyboard, you'll need VoodooPS2(controller), and for the trackpad you'll need VoodooI2C. (DSDT patches are not required for this)
Don't forget to run "sudo kextcache -i" or "rebuild cache" and "repair permissions" in KextWizard!

sudo kextcache -i /

 

[th5312]

First of all, thank you! Ive been looking for this forever! I was following this guide, and had trouble here and there. I have noticed that if I put all the kexts in USB boot folder before installation, the performance and compatibility are way better.
Here is my config including kexts and patched DSDT&SSDT.
#Update 1
One of the problem that irritates me the most is my laptop lag and slow after 2 hours uptime. After a fresh restart, it went smooth and lag still happened after 2 hours. Does anyone know how to fix it?

 

[cowcowpod]

What tutorial did you follow for the brightness? I have seen one where it is patched directly to the dsdt and another one where a secondary dsdt is generated.
With voodoohda the audio works for me, voodoops2controller for the keyboard but with voodooi2c the touchpad does not work (use the most recent v1.0.1s or do you need a specific version?). By the way what wifi card do you use? I have been recommended to put a wifi dell card, I was looking for prices yesterday.
I forgot, the function keys do not work except f10 (mute) f11 (lower volume) f12 (volume up), I need some other configuration for the keyboard?

You will need to delete AppleLpssI2C and AppleLpssI2CController from /System/Library/Extensions. Post updated, step 9.1
Edit: if VoodooI2C* goes into /L/E, put back AppleIntelLpssI2C*, rebuild kext cache.

 

[olebiri]

Please share your EFI folder.

 

[cowcowpod]

Please share your EFI folder.

Sorry, I no longer have this computer, or the related files - would you mind sharing why you'd like them, so that I can help?
P.S happy new year!

 

[ianbogue]

Sorry, I no longer have this computer, or the related files - would you mind sharing why you'd like them, so that I can help?
P.S happy new year!

Does this still work with High Sierra or Mojave? Or do you not know because you don’t have the machine anymore? It’s a shame that Intel WiFi cards don’t work but it would work with an adapter, right? Only asking because i have this exact machine and I’ve been wanting to triple boot macOS, Windows, and Ubuntu for a while now. I already dual boot but I need another drive for macOS. Which one did you use?