[SUCCESS] Gigabyte Designare Z390 (Thunderbolt 3) + i7-9700K + AMD RX 580

[CaseySJ]

@CaseySJ OMG, your memory is awesome man! I can't believe you still remember that. So cool! Haha.

Anyway yeah, that's how I got it. And yeah, I really opted to be MIA for this page for awhile out of sheer disappointment and sadness when I finally read that TB1 devices (I got 2 WD Thunderbolt Duos) will never be supported when @AlexD confirmed it. Still feel frustrated thinking about it. Hate you Intel! Hehe

Anyway, I'll give your config.plist a shot as well as your reco's then update you as soon as possible. Hoping this is exactly what is needed.

Anyway, another question: I know you guys are using iMac19,1 now but is it okay for me to use it too? I'm still using UHD630 as I still don't want to get a dedicated video card as my system's working fine anyway without one. Will there be any benefit for me to use that SMBIOS too? Thanks again!

As you can see in my signature below, I switched to iMac19,1 as well -- in fact, just this past weekend. It was a much smoother experience than I expected. I switched the "right" way by creating an entirely new SMBIOS that is internally consistent rather than keep the old serial numbers.

With iMac19,1 we get Sidecar compatibility. Some applications may also run a few percent faster (typically no more than 5 or 6%). But installing and updating Catalina is faster and more streamlined compared with Mac mini 8,1.

How I switched my SMBIOS:

• Made a full bootable backup.
• Will still logged in as Mac mini 8,1 it was necessary to:
  • Turn off Find My Mac
  • Sign out of iCloud
  • In iTunes (10.14.x) or Music (10.5.x) app, I de-authorized the computer and then signed out of iTunes Store (I have separate iTunes account from iCloud account).
  • Sign out of Dropbox, Google Backup and Sync, and any other cloud sync services.
  • Revoked the license for Audirvana music app (amazing music playback app) because it explicitly has the option to deauthorize the license.
  • Determined that none of my other apps needed to be de-licensed. Pro Audio/Video apps and plug-ins may need to be explicitly de-licensed.
• Then using Clover Configurator, I selected iMac19,1 from SMBIOS section and enabled the Trust checkbox.
• Rebooted and logged back in.
  • Signed on to iCloud.
  • Signed on to Messages and FaceTime.
  • Signed on to iTunes (10.14.x) or Music (10.15.x).
    • Re-authorized the computer for DRM playback.
  • Signed in to Dropbox, Google Backup and Sync, etc.
  • Tested all of the third-party apps to identify any license-related issues -- and surpringly I didn't encounter any!
    • Just needed to re-enter the license for Audirvana.

 

[jdapolo]

Thanks for the very elaborate reply @CaseySJ

So I tried doing that just now but I have a huge problem. Either iMac19,1 or iMac19,2 makes my 4K monitor run at only 30Hz. Is that something you or any of the people here encountered upon switching? I switched back to Mac mini8,1 and 60Hz is activated again. Is there any solution we can do for this? I really want to switch these new SMBIOS especially since I have a similar processort with iMac19,1 (9900K). (Attached to show 30Hz for both) Thanks!

 

[CaseySJ]

Thanks for the very elaborate reply @CaseySJ

So I tried doing that just now but I have a huge problem. Either iMac19,1 or iMac19,2 makes my 4K monitor run at only 30Hz. Is that something you or any of the people here encountered upon switching? I switched back to Mac mini8,1 and 60Hz is activated again. Is there any solution we can do for this? I really want to switch these new SMBIOS especially since I have a similar processort with iMac19,1 (9900K). (Attached to show 30Hz for both) Thanks!

Do you have the option to select 60Hz refresh rate in System Preferences --> Displays?

If you hold the Option key down while clicking Scaled in the same Displays pane, do you see additional modes?]

(We should not use iMac19,2.)

 

[jdapolo]

@CaseySJ I am able to see more options but when I check the Graphics Info, it still says 30Hz. And the computer feels sluggish (most probably because it's 30Hz)

 

[CaseySJ]

@CaseySJ I am able to see more options but when I check the Graphics Info, it still says 30Hz. And the computer feels sluggish (most probably because it's 30Hz)

Perhaps we should first get Bluetooth working reliably...

Switching SMBIOS can be secondary. For refresh rate issues like this, it's possible to use SwitchResX. If you're using a USB-C to DisplayPort cable (no video adapters) connected directly to DP input on your Dell 32-inch monitor, and SMBIOS is iMac19,1 (not 19,2) then this problem should not happen.

Are you by chance using the original config.plist with Mac mini 8,1 and the modified config.plist with iMac19,1?

 

[oopsmybad]

As you can see in my signature below, I switched to iMac19,1 as well -- in fact, just this past weekend.

Although I thought I followed your guide 100% completely, I realized the other day that I made a couple of errors. Some were easy fixes - like I had two different versions of WEG in Clover and /L/E, both of them being old. I updated both. But I also noticed that I'm running 10.14.6 with the "pro apps" configuration for 10.14.4 - you know, all the config mentioned in the "not recommended for 10.14.5 or later" part of the guide - an SMBIOS of iMac 18,3, the framebuffer patch / Orinoco, etc.

As it stands, everything seems to work great - the iGPU is enabled for compute tasks, VideoProc / VDADecoderChecker shows hardware acceleration for h264/265, my bruceX test with an RX580 blows my mind (8-9 seconds?!?). But I'm wondering if I should bite the bullet and switch to iMac 19,1.

If I decide to do that, should I do everything in your previous (quoted) post, plus -- delete the PCI device (in Devices), null out the Orinoco frame buffer (in Graphics), and run Hackintool to generate the corresponding platform id patch (0x3E980003)?

I'm a little hesitant to poke a sleeping bear, but it's kinda something I'll have to do eventually, probably?

 

[jdapolo]

Yeah, Bluetooth is my number 1 priority. And I shall update you about it in a few days. I'm hopeful the fixes you gave solved it.

What I do is I open the current config.plist I have (with Mac mini8,1), back it up and then in Clover Config, I choose iMac19,1 and save. Did I do it wrong?

And yup, it's a direct DP USB-C cable between my monitor and the TB3 port of the motherboard.

Perhaps we should first get Bluetooth working reliably...

Switching SMBIOS can be secondary. For refresh rate issues like this, it's possible to use SwitchResX. If you're using a USB-C to DisplayPort cable (no video adapters) connected directly to DP input on your Dell 32-inch monitor, and SMBIOS is iMac19,1 (not 19,2) then this problem should not happen.

Are you by chance using the original config.plist with Mac mini 8,1 and the modified config.plist with iMac19,1?

 

[luxuspur]

I have uploaded my EFI-OC folders here before. But I feel it takes the learning experience from people. Not only that, it might divert the attention from the main things mentioned in this thread.

Thanks,
I remember we already met in a German discord some month ago. (OpenCore 0.3 was the newest version that time.)
I tried 2-3 evenings already even with help... I'm not able to get past the memory trouble...
I just blindly tried your EFI folder, and it didn't work too.
Maybe we have different BIOS versions or configurations. But I don't get OpenCore working. Clover runs pretty stable. But I wan t to get rid of the bad 2000 fix, and I like the adventure,

Did you update to OpenCore 0.5.3 already? Do you mind sharing aa updated EFI folder, and maybe a BIOS setting export?
My explanation is that it runs on yourr board that you have rainbow unicorn version of the Designare.

 

[mikeydanger]

Hi, everyone! I want to install High Sierra because I have Nvidia GTX 1060. If I follow this guide, will it will install successfully?
Note that I have an Apollo Twin Thunderbolt.
Z390 Designare, i9-9900K.
Thanks.

I got the Apollo Twin Thunderbolt up & running on my new build with your MB & CPU just last night. Just in time for an audio mix session today using powered speakers driven by the Apollo.

(Wasn't getting any life from my TB3 ports a week after the build, after believing I had followed CaseySJ's instrux to the letter. So I started from top of this guide and went step-by-step through BIOS settings, and sure enough... found ONE that I had missed. Peripherals / Thunderbolt Configuration / Security Level → No Security !! ) RTFM indeed.

 

[mikeydanger]

Please explain steps involved in a "simple power pull." Trying to get my new system to see Apollo Twin but I've tried every Mojave-compatible UAD installer and none will make Apollo Twin appear. [Also, Mojave is not asking for the 4 security/permissions approvals that UAD said it would.]

Problem solved by RTFM:
Thunderbolt3 ports came alive (for Apollo & a TB drive) once I actually applied ALL CaseySJ-designated BIOS modifications for the Designare. I had missed setting for Peripherals/Thunderbolt Configuration/Security Level.