Gigabyte X299X - Catalina Support

[oli.mathieu]

@Loloflatsix and @oli.mathieu having trouble with the ASRock X299 creator, have you tried unlocking MSR? This is the code needed for your boards with BIOS X29CTR1.30 (see .txt).

You would only need GRUB Shell and just follow the steps in the image attached:
View attachment 453752

Bear in mind the code used, you have a different code, this tut was made for a Gigabyte board.
Link to the original post, and many thanks to @CaseySJ for his marvellous work .

Seems quite tricky ...
I will give a shot
Big thanks

 

[Loloflatsix]

Seems quite tricky ...
I will give a shot
Big thanks

Nice job: i can not wait to see your shot !

 

[canyondust]

Seems quite tricky ...
I will give a shot
Big thanks

It seems tricky, but when you've done it once you'll understand and be able to do it again very easily.
This is important because resetting the bios or upgrading the bios will lock it again, and you'll have to be able to do it agian in order to boot. Once you figure out the CFG Offset for your bios version, keep it written down in a safe place, and always check it in newer bios versions before updating, so you can then update, repatch the CFG Lock, then boot.

more info here:

https://khronokernel-2.gitbook.io/opencore-vanilla-desktop-guide/extras/msr-lock

 

[oli.mathieu]

It seems tricky, but when you've done it once you'll understand and be able to do it again very easily.
This is important because resetting the bios or upgrading the bios will lock it again, and you'll have to be able to do it agian in order to boot. Once you figure out the CFG Offset for your bios version, keep it written down in a safe place, and always check it in newer bios versions before updating, so you can then update, repatch the CFG Lock, then boot.

more info here:

https://khronokernel-2.gitbook.io/opencore-vanilla-desktop-guide/extras/msr-lock

Thanks

 

[dolgarrenan]

It seems tricky, but when you've done it once you'll understand and be able to do it again very easily.
This is important because resetting the bios or upgrading the bios will lock it again, and you'll have to be able to do it agian in order to boot. Once you figure out the CFG Offset for your bios version, keep it written down in a safe place, and always check it in newer bios versions before updating, so you can then update, repatch the CFG Lock, then boot.

more info here:

https://khronokernel-2.gitbook.io/opencore-vanilla-desktop-guide/extras/msr-lock

Great guide from the OC people, thanks for pointing that out too! I might just append the guide to the initial post for other board vendors. You might be more experienced than me (since you have a dreaded Z170X, what a nightmare of a board hahaha) in the matter, but how would we go about "unlocking" certain firmware features like more Thunderbolt options etc?? There must be some way of doing so! I have read from other users doing so, but can't remember who or where.

 

[goldorac]

Hello @dolgarrenan,

Could you please share me your EFI with Thunderbolt Hotplug ?
You confirm me that first you go on Windows to install Thunderbolt to wake up ports ?
For BIOS you said that the F3B is more stable, are you now actually with it or still on the F3C ?
You Think that with -no_compat_check flag, I can run your EFI with everything working under Mojave ?

Thank you su much.

 

[canyondust]

Great guide from the OC people, thanks for pointing that out too! I might just append the guide to the initial post for other board vendors. You might be more experienced than me (since you have a dreaded Z170X, what a nightmare of a board hahaha) in the matter, but how would we go about "unlocking" certain firmware features like more Thunderbolt options etc?? There must be some way of doing so! I have read from other users doing so, but can't remember who or where.

Absolutely! In that link that describes how to search for BIOS options there is a step that converts the bin file to text. You can search that text file for any BIOS option and it will list the offset, and what options for each offset are available. It’s very handy.

for the record, my Z170 has been wonderful, and I’ve been using it in a professional setting for 4 years, and it hasn’t unexpectedly gone down once or lost any data. I’m hanging out here because my next build will be x299/10980xe

 

[Marius]

NEW YEAR -----> New Build
I decided to choose a Gigabyte mobo and I just finished the setup of a new build:
- Mobo : Gigabyte X299 AORUS Ultra Gaming Pro / new bios PCIe Bifurcation and upcoming Cascade Lake-X 10 000 series
- Processor : i9 9940x (expecting soon delivery of an i9-10980 XE)
- Ram : 64 GB 8x8 GB Corsair Dominator Platinum
- PSU : 1000 W EVGA G3
- Vega 56 x2
- Asus Hyper M2 V2 PCIe Card
- Gigabyte Alpine Ridge Thunderbolt ( Titan Ridge unavailable actually here)
- Custom Alphacool watercooling ( 1 x 240 XT 60 + 1 x 240 XT 45 + 755 VPP waterpump on 5" bay station with 8 Noctua fans )


Everything works perfectly ( thanks @Ellybz for perfect OC EFI Folder)
Even Thunderbolt hut plug
( no exactly a X299X but almost the same...)


PCIe config:
- PCIE 16_1 Vega 56 running at 16X
- PCIE 16_2 Asus Hyper M2 V2 ( PCIe bifurcation 4x4)
- PCIE 4_2 GC Alpine Ridge
- PCIE 16_3 Vega 56 running at 16X

Happy New Year all the best

Lolo


View attachment 442928

Hi,

Could you share your EFI folder?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dolgarrenan]

Could you please share me your EFI with Thunderbolt Hotplug ?

My EFI is in the end of first post, I'm not sharing my Thunderbolt SSDT since I believe it no to be perfect yet.

You confirm me that first you go on Windows to install Thunderbolt to wake up ports ?

I have not done such thing, it might have been a necessary step on KGP's build but I have found no gain by doing so.

For BIOS you said that the F3B is more stable, are you now actually with it or still on the F3C ?

I am on F3b, I don't think I'll swap BIOS until there is a stable release (without "letters" at the end like F3b or F3c) F4 might prove to be worth it since they are really making changes.

You Think that with -no_compat_check flag, I can run your EFI with everything working under Mojave ?

I'm not sure since I have no need to trick the system, but why stay on Mojave when you can use a system that is more compatible with SMBIOS MacPro7,1? Just for the deprecated 32Bit compatibility I assume, for apps and such.. I don't support such methods.
At any rate, I don't see why you would want this files if you are on an X99 build¿? I don't even assume them to be compatible, there are tons of differences..

 

[dolgarrenan]

absolutely! In that link that describes how to search for bios options there is a step that converts the bin file to text. You can search that text file for any bios option and it will list the offset, and what options for each offset are available. It’s very handy.

I will certainly check it out, I just haven't seen anything beyond CFG Lock... Perhaps I'm looking at it wrong

for the record, my z170 has been wonderful and I’ve been using it in a professional setting for 4 years, and it hasn’t unexpectedly gone down once or lost any data. I’m hanging out here because my next build will be x299/10980xe

I had three of those die on me! I hated the thing but it was the only viable board to use TB at the time, glad yours holds