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[Success] ROG Maximus XI Hero + i9-9900K + Radeon VII + Dual boot Windows/macOS

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Joined
May 19, 2011
Messages
45
Motherboard
ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero Z390 (WiFi)
CPU
i9-9900K
Graphics
Radeon VII
Mac
  1. MacBook Pro
Mobile Phone
  1. Android
  2. iOS
TKhaldi's RGB Open-Air Build
ROG Maximus XI Hero (Wi-Fi), - i9-9900K - AMD Radeon VII
20190524_020655.jpg

Components

ASUS ROG Maximus XI HERO (WI-Fi) Motherboard [Amazon]

Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB 16GB 3200 MHz C16 RAM [Amazon]

Intel Core i9-9900K Processor [Amazon]

Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360R RGB All-in-one 360mm CPU cooler [Amazon]

AMD Radeon VII 16GB Graphics Card [Amazon] (currently being only sold by 3rd party scalpers who ask > $800 for it) [Alternative link with better prices]

Intel 760p 1 TB NVMe SSD (Boot drive for Windows 10) [Amazon]

Western Digital Caviar Blue 1 TB HDD (macOS) [Amazon]

Western Digital Caviar Green 1 TB HDD (shared storage) [Amazon]

TP-LINK Archer T4U V2 AC1300 Wi-Fi 802.11ac Adapter (EU) [Amazon (link to newer? V3 adapter)]

Seasonic Focus+ Gold 1000W PSU [Amazon]

Thermaltake Core P90 Tempered Glass ATX Open Frame Tower [Amazon]

HP ENVY 32" 2560x1440 60Hz FreeSync Monitor [Discontinued; unavailable on Amazon/Newegg]

ASUS ROG Claymore Mechanical Keyboard Cherry MX Red [Amazon]

About this mac.png

(For some reason, the i9-9900K is showing up as an "i7")​

Comments

I've had the same PC from all the way back in 2012, and it was able to run the latest version of OS X pretty much out of the box without extra config until the whole NVIDIA driver problem when macOS High Sierra was launched. I saved up a bit and splurged it all on a fancy-schmancy PC. Due to work, I'm forced to use Windows as a daily driver, but I can't quit running macOS on my PC for something as silly as work constraints.

For setup, I wasn't able to boot up Clover straight out of the USB drive with Unibeast. I had to edit and backup config.plist, install Clover v.4920 and manually select the kexts and drivers to boot macOS Installer. Here are the drivers I chose for the successful bootup (Some may not have been necessary but that's what made it boot up finally):
  • ApfsDriverLoader-64.efi
  • AppleImageCodec-64.efi
  • AppleKeyAggregator-64.efi
  • AppleKeyFeeder-64.efi
  • AptioMemoryFix-64.efi
  • AudioDxe-64.efi
  • DataHubDxe-64.efi
  • EmuVariableUefi-64.efi
  • FSInject-64.efi
  • NvmExpressDxe-64.efi
  • PartitionDxe-64.efi
  • SMCHelper-64.efi
  • VBoxHfs-64.efi
As for the kexts, I downloaded the latest FakeSMC.kext, Lilu.kext and WhateverGreen.kext and installed them to EFI/CLOVER/kexts/Other.

I kept the same config.plist from the Unibeast installation and only edited a single field. Under Boot, I set Debug to false. Otherwise, Clover would load slower than molasses in January.

plist.png

* BIOS

I followed the usual recommendations set out in the basic guide on this website. After setting the system back to factory settings, I placed the following settings:
  • Overclocker Tuner -> X.M.P I
  • Xtreme Tweaking -> Enabled
  • USB Config > Legacy USB Support -> Enabled
  • USB Config > EHCI Hands Off -> Enabled
  • Advanced > System Agent (SA) Config > Primary Display > PCIE
  • VT-d -> Disabled
  • Secure Boot -> Disabled
  • OS Type -> Other OS
  • Launch CSM -> Disabled
  • Fast Boot -> Enabled
  • Boot Logo Display -> Enabled
* Installation

This part is easy enough. Resetting and jumping into the installation, I mashed F8 until the boot override menu appeared. I selected the USB drive and booted with the following boot args:

dart=0 -v nv_disable=1

This way I could see what's going on as the installer loaded. A few seconds later, I was greeted with the Installer GUI. It's all standard fare here; I formatted a hard drive to APFS and named it "Macintosh HD". The installation process was quick. I had to be nearby and override the boot to the USB a couple times or it would boot into Windows. (I was too lazy to set the boot priority in BIOS, whatever lol). Make sure to select the HDD when in Clover, not the USB installer.

After the last reboot, I was able to set up my new macOS. I had Multibeast and the Wi-Fi dongle drivers on the USB installer, so I loaded both. For Multibeast I selected the following settings:

Code:
>Drivers
  >Audio
    >AppleALC
  >Misc
    >FakeSMC
    >FakeSMC Plugins
    >FakeSMC HWMonitor Application
  >Network
    >Intel
      >IntelMausiEthernet v2.4.0
  >USB
    >Remove XHCI USB Port Limit
>Bootloaders
  (nothing here. I had to install Clover similarly to how I created the USB installer to use the latest version)
>Customize
  >System Definitions
    >iMac
      >iMac 19,1

Note that I haven't installed Clover, Lilu or WhateverGreen just yet. I downloaded the latest versions from Clover's homepage and tonymacx86's Downloads/Kexts tab. I also grabbed KextBeast and slapped the kexts to Desktop. Using KextBeast, I installed Lilu and WhateverGreen.kext to /Library/Extensions. I also copied the following kexts to EFI/CLOVER/kexts/Other on the EFI partition:
  • AppleALC.kext
  • FakeSMC.kext
  • Lilu.kext
  • WhateverGreen.kext
And I installed the following drivers using Clover installer:
  • ApfsDriverLoader-64.efi
  • AptioMemoryFix-64.efi
  • AudioDxe-64.efi
  • DataHubDxe-64.efi
  • FSInject-64.efi
  • PartitionDxe-64.efi
  • SMCHelper-64.efi
  • VBoxHfs-64.efi
After all of that, I installed the Wi-Fi dongle driver, which is just a .pkg installer that loads itself and restarts the computer.

Shut down was still not working at this point. To fix that, I downloaded Clover Configurator, loaded config.plist and enabled ACPI > Fix Shutdown.

Benchmarks
cinebench.png
Cinebench
geekbench.png
Geekbench (click here to see the full results page)​

I do get better results on Windows for some reason. I think it's because of better optimization and drivers. I don't know if there is a way to increase performance on macOS. :/

What Works

Graphics acceleration (monitor is detected at native res/refresh rate), Audio, stability and basically everything I tried so far. iCloud and iMessage work fine.

What Doesn't Work

Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are not supported by macOS, so I use dongles instead.
So far nothing has manifested itself yet. If I do run into a problem, I'll update this section and add whatever workaround I used to fix the issue.

EDIT: Image Preview doesn't work right out of the box. To fix this issue, I downloaded the latest version of NoVPAJpeg, a Lilu plugin kext and installed it to Library/Extensions using KextBeast. I also copied it to the kexts folder in Clover but I think that wasn't necessary per se.

Pictures

Putting together this gizmo was fun but a bit time-consuming. The case was ridiculously heavy (~50 pounds empty) and it arrived disassembled so this felt like putting together an IKEA table. Other than the wacky case, it's a standard PC building procedure. Just follow the manuals, take your time and don't hurt your back by hunching all the time as I did :p
60600093_10156675103887599_9063614801225187328_n.jpg60617547_10156675103957599_3836383351359406080_n.jpg
61182401_10156675104017599_2281196992220626944_n.jpg254117.b6e36c06345759347d5c000a8a86dab0.1600.jpg
bonkers.jpg60556892_10156675104077599_8755569039402598400_n.jpg
Wrapping Up

This PC is bonkers. I wanted a computer that looks nothing like the usual rectangular boxes. The case is more form than function but it's fully featured and looks stunning. Performance on both macOS and Windows is a dream. Coming from a 7-year old machine, this is a huge shift.
Thanks to this community, I wouldn't have had the resources nor help to install macOS on my PC. I've been here for just under eight years and I've been making my computers into Hackintoshes since Mac OS X Tiger went Intel, so I think it's proper to thank everyone here for taking the time to post all the tips and guides that helped me along since then. :)
 
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I am considering to buy a Maximus XI Hero (Wi-fi) paired with an i7-9700K. How do you like this motherboard when running Mojave. Were you able to unscrew the m.2 slots. Do you have any other recommendations. Thanks in advance.
 
I have the same motherboard and CPU, and I couldn't be happier! It truly is a powerhouse of a setup! Congratz on the successful build! :)

-Kyle

Hey, thanks :D I agree this combination of motherboard and CPU is a dream to work on.

I am considering to buy a Maximus XI Hero (Wi-fi) paired with an i7-9700K. How do you like this motherboard when running Mojave. Were you able to unscrew the m.2 slots. Do you have any other recommendations. Thanks in advance.

The Maxiums XI Hero wasn't my first choice tbh. I wanted a Gigabyte Aorus Master for its better VRM, but it was out of stock. ASUS's board is a very solid motherboard nonetheless. The BIOS has very detailed settings and even AI-enabled overclocking. I was able to unscrew the M.2 slots just fine with a small Phillips #0 screwdriver, but the bottom M.2 slot gave me a bit of a headache because the screws were snugger than I would've liked. Now that you mention it, I just noticed that I placed the top M.2 heatsink backwards. :O I didn't notice until I really looked at it so it doesn't seem like a huge deal.
 
Wow, you are so amazing, can you share your EFI?
 
@TKhaldi
Can I pretty please have your EFI please?
Hi.
Sorry for the late reply. Here's the EFI folder I'm using for my computer at the moment.

[/B], post: 1968646, member: 2150284"]
Hello, @TKhaldi

Where did you get the driver for AMD 16GB GPU?

Does Sierra get installed on this config?

What Z390 series is best for Sierra or High Sierra according to you. (I want z390 series and i7 9th gen).
AMD Radeon VII is natively supported by macOS Mojave 10.14.5 and up, no drivers required. As for Sierra, the Radeon VII is not supported and will be problematic to run on older versions.
I would recommend the GIGABYTE Z390 Aorus Master for its superior hardware and Voltage Regulation Module (VRM). It is also easy to run macOS on it. GIGABYTE Z390 Aorus Ultra is another good choice. My current motherboard (ASUS ROG M11H) is also a solid choice but its VRM can get hot really fast since it's a 4-phase. All those motherboards I mentioned are examples of good high-end Z390 boards that can handily run an i7-9700K and macOS, so pick the one that has the best set of features and price point for your needs.
 

Attachments

  • CLOVER.zip
    7.4 MB · Views: 532
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Excuse me. Whether XFX Radeon VII requires a fan patch.
Whether the native support fan automatically stops.
 
Sorry to bug you again, what BIOS version are you running?
I have a Maximus XI Z390 Extreme, and Ijust realised you have Maximus XI Hero. I am having DSDT failures at boot. I am on 1005 BIOS.
 
Excuse me. Whether XFX Radeon VII requires a fan patch.
Whether the native support fan automatically stops.

I don't have a fan patch for that card. It's running on the default curve and I don't know how to change it. :/

Sorry to bug you again, what BIOS version are you running?
I have a Maximus XI Z390 Extreme, and Ijust realised you have Maximus XI Hero. I am having DSDT failures at boot. I am on 1005 BIOS.
I updated to 1105 recently and my RAM timings got all tripped up and I get lockups all the time whether I was running Windows or macOS. I reverted back to 1005 and that got fixed. I feel that's just the case with M11H, not the Extreme.
As for DSDT failures, I had those as well. Try to delete DSDT.aml in your Clover folder then open config.plist using Clover Configurator. Remove all the preinstalled ACPI patches and save, then try booting again. If all fails, try to download Clover on its own and install it to the USB stick and see what happens.
 
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