Contribute
Register

Gigabyte B550 Vision D (Thunderbolt 3) + AMD Ryzen 7 3700X + AMD RX 5600 XT

CaseySJ

Moderator
Joined
Nov 11, 2018
Messages
22,040
Motherboard
Asus ProArt Z690-Creator
CPU
i7-12700K
Graphics
RX 6800 XT
Mac
  1. MacBook Air
  2. MacBook Pro
  3. Mac Pro
Classic Mac
  1. Quadra
Mobile Phone
  1. iOS
CaseySJ's Ryzen 7 3700X in Open Air Test Bench:
Gigabyte B550 Vision D - Ryzen 7 3700X - AMD RX 5600 XT

(Please do not quote this guide in its entirely. Post a link instead.)
(See
this post for how to refer to a Guide or Mini-Guide.)

BeQuiet Cooler.jpg


This thread continues where the Ongoing Progress thread left off.
This build guide starts with macOS 11 Big Sur.
It is only fitting that we inaugurate AMD Ryzen with Apple's latest operating system.

Please avoid the B550 Vision D-P board because of Thunderbolt problems in macOS.

Adobe Photoshop and other Creative Cloud apps are working! Refer to What Works.
18 October 2020: Sleep/Wake now works with all USB ports activated!

15 Jan 2021: The old AMD R9 380X GPU on this system has now been replaced with a RX 5600 XT. System stability has improved in some significant ways. Please see this post for details.

Updated list of NVMe SSDs to avoid.

Monterey Users: Refer to this post for workarounds to known problems (credit: @macleap).

18 Mar 2022:
Monterey 12.3 users, please see this post to fix GPU issues.

If using or planning to use Samsung 950 Pro, 960 Evo/Pro, or 970 Evo/Pro NVMe SSDs it may be necessary to disable TRIM. Refer to this post by Vit9696.​


NOTE 1: Please refer to the following threads for a wealth of information about troubleshooting, component compatibility, and customization.
NOTE 2: The following devices/drivers may cause problems and should be avoided:
  • The MQUPIN Fenvi T919 may cause wake-from-sleep and other issues. It should be avoided if possible. Refer to this post for more information. An alternative is the YOUBO.
  • BIOSTAR NVMe SSDs can conflict with NVMeFix.kext.
  • SK Hynix P31 Gold NVMe SSDs are currently not compatible with macOS. Details here.
  • In Windows, do not install Intel Optane drivers (which are part of Intel Rapid Storage). These drivers can change BIOS SATA port configuration from AHCI to Intel Octane. macOS requires "AHCI".
  • Samsung 970 EVO (not Plus) with manufacturing date of 2020.10 or later must be avoided. Refer to this post for details.
  • Corsair devices with an internal USB header cable will cause sleep problems if the USB cable is connected. We strongly advise against the use of any Corsair 'smart' devices unless those devices can operate without the USB cable connected.
NOTE 3: Minimize the use of Safari. Use Firefox or Chrome exclusively for the time being. In the public beta version of Big Sur, the Safari web browser is somewhat unstable and can freeze the system from time to time. 17 Jan 2021: Safari works reliably with AMD RX 4xx, RX 5xx, and RX 5xxxx GPUs. With the original AMD R9 380X, however, Safari was unstable.

NOTE 4: In macOS Big Sur, the boot chime is enabled by default on real Macs. For this reason the boot chime in OpenCore has also been enabled by default. The chime will be heard through the rear headphone jack and the front panel audio jack. The volume is set to a moderate level. If you are wearing headphones, move the ear cups slightly away from your ears to judge the loudness. Boot chime can be disabled. Refer to the Tech Talk section OpenCore EFI Configuration for details.

NOTE 5: 12 July 2021: There have been some new developments in the effort to run Adobe apps on AMD Ryzen systems! Please see this post by @Ploddles.

NOTE 6:

Components: New

Gigabyte B550 Vision D Motherboard with Built-In Thunderbolt 3 (Titan Ridge) Controller
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08C9GJ49M/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/gigabyte-b550-vision-d/p/N82E16813145231

AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core 16-Thread Processor

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SXMZLPK/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/amd-ryzen-7-3700x/p/N82E16819113567

ASRock Challenger Pro AMD RX 5600 XT GPU
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MWZB5LM/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/asrock-radeon-rx-5600-xt-rx5600xt-clp-6go/p/N82E16814930043

Fenvi BCM94360NG WiFi/BT NGFF M.2 Card
This module replaces the on-board Intel AX200 WiFi/BT module and provides full native support in macOS. Please see Tech Talk: Install BCM94360NG for important installation details.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083YXS7VF/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/fenvi-bcm94360ng-pcie-half-mini-card-m-2/p/0XM-00JK-00083

Silicon Power 512GB NVMe SSD
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZGJYLNL/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/silicon-power-p34a60-512gb/p/N82E16820301427

BeQuiet! Shadow Rock 3 Air Cooler
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084XYKDF4/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/p/13C-001F-00003

Test Bench (Open Air)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZGJP6ZF/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/p/2AM-0059-00009 (Nearest Alternative)

USB 9-Pin to Type A Cable (for WiFi/BT PCIe card)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q4QZW57/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

Components: Already Owned

OLOy 32GB 3600MHz AMD-Compatible DIMMs
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B1FBNR7/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/g-skill-32gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820232861 (G.Skill alternative)

MSI Armor RX 580 8GB GPU
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZR3RMN5/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/msi-radeon-rx-580-rx-580-armor-8g-oc/p/N82E16814137118

EVGA SuperNova G3 750W Power Supply
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005BE058W/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/evga-supernova-750-g3-220-g3-0750-x1-750w/p/N82E16817438093

Fenvi FV-T919 WiFi / Bluetooth Wireless Card
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VCCZS54/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/fenvi-fv-t919-pci-express/p/0XM-00JK-00033

Logitech K780 Wireless USB Mac/Win/iOS Keyboard
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZAK8MM/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/logitech-k780-920-008149-usb-bluetooth-wireless/p/N82E16823126476

Logitech M510 Wireless USB Mouse - connected to same USB receiver as keyboard
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01694XMF0/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/logitech-910-004554/p/0TP-000C-00869

Samsung Bar Plus 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Disk (for installation)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BPHML28/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/samsung-model-muf-32be3-am-32gb/p/N82E16820147698

Asus MX27UC 4K Monitor with ICEPower Speakers
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPJYVF2/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/asus-mx27uc-27/p/N82E16824236808

Arctic MX-4 Thermal Paste (2019 Edition)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LDJXWC8/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/arctic-cooling-mx-2/p/2MB-000S-00028

Components: Bootable Backup

128GB or 256GB SATA SSD (any 128GB or 256GB SATA SSD is okay)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RJS55D/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/silicon-power-ace-a55-256gb/p/N82E16820301380

External USB 3 Enclosure for SATA SSD
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/sabrent-ec-uasp-others/p/2WA-001J-00010

Carbon Copy Cloner by Bombich Software

Comments:

Why B550 Vision D?
The B550 Vision D is Gigabyte's latest entry in the Vision series. It includes a Titan Ridge Thunderbolt 3 controller with two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports on the rear IO panel. In fact it has a fairly packed feature set that includes Intel AX200 WiFi 6/BT 5, dual Intel i211 gigabit Ethernet ports, Realtek ALC 1220VB audio codec, plenty of USB ports, two NVMe SSDs, PCIe 4.0 support, two temperature probes, POST code LED, and more. This board will support upcoming Zen 3 processors from AMD. However, there is no front-panel USB-C header.

A Hackintosh, in my view, is not a sufficient alternative to a modern Mac unless it includes Thunderbolt 3, whose USB Type C ports also support USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds of 10 Gbps. Thunderbolt extends and externalizes the PCIe bus, allowing both Thunderbolt devices and additional PCIe slots to be added to the system.

Real Macs are also whisper quiet, which is a significant ergonomic benefit for prolonged use. Unlike X570 boards with active cooling fans on the chipset, B550 chipsets are passively cooled. With the right CPU cooler, a B550 system can be whisper quiet even under load. The Shadow Rock 3 by BeQuiet! works exceptionally well in this build.

Why AMD Ryzen?
AMD's Ryzen processors have been outselling Intel processors among enthusiasts. They are manufactured at the most advanced semiconductor nodes and deliver better performance per watt. AMD shook up the industry by delivering what many thought was impossible or at least implausible: very high core counts at relatively low prices with virtually no compromises. The Ryzen 3 generation will launch on October 8, 2020 and promises to beat the best Intel desktop processors in both single core and multi core performance. The 8-core 16-thread Ryzen 7 3700X used in this build is available for only $294 at Amazon at this time.

Cores a Plenty.png

Installation Notes:
This guide uses OpenCore to install macOS 11 Big Sur and requires the use of an AMD GPU because Ryzen desktop processors such as the Ryzen 7 3700X do not contain an on-board iGPU. AMD does offer a lineup of APUs that do contain on-board GPUs, but those APUs are not compatible with macOS.

Starting with macOS 11 Big Sur Public Beta #6 (build number 20A5395g), sleep/wake works properly with all USB ports activated, including the previously problematic USB 2.0 ports PO9, PO10, and PO11. This October Miracle means we can finally enjoy a no-compromise system, namely:
  • We can use the two internal USB 2.0 ports
  • We can use the two external USB 2.0 ports on the rear IO panel
  • We can use the on-board WiFi/BT module (replace the Intel module with Broadcom BCM94360NG)
  • We can use RGB Fusion 2.0 with liquidctl. Refer to this post for details on setting up liquidctl. It is necessary to download and install Xcode Command Line Tools manually from here. Be sure to select the version that matches the version of Xcode that is installed on the computer.
The EFI zip file to download is: EFI-074-B550-VISION-D.zip.
AMD Ryzen Hackintoshes, or Ryzentoshes, have historically suffered from sleep/wake issues. Fortunately, macOS Big Sur enables full sleep and wake capability if we disable the dedicated USB 2.0 ports. Because the internal WiFi/BT module uses one of these USB 2.0 ports to carry the Bluetooth data, it presents us with a key decision:
  1. Should we enable on-board USB 2.0 ports at the expense of sleep/wake? And use the M.2 WiFi/BT card?
  2. Should we disable on-board USB 2.0 ports and enjoy the benefits of sleep/wake? And use a PCIe WiFi/BT card instead?
At this time option #2 has been adopted. This build guide disables USB 2.0 ports and requires a PCIe WiFi/BT card such as the Fenvi FV-T919 to provide WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities while still allowing full sleep and wake behavior.

Update: 09 Oct 2020:
If you wish (a) to make full use of all USB 2.0 ports, (b) use RGB Fusion 2.0, and (c) use on-board WiFi/BT module (Broadcom BCM94360NG is recommended), but you can sacrifice sleep/wake, then please use this OpenCore ZIP file attached to this post: EFI-062-GA-B550-VISION-D-NO-SLEEP.zip.
Component Choices:
This motherboard comes with a pre-installed Intel AX200 WiFi 6 / Bluetooth 5 NGFF M.2 (Key A/E) card. Although OpenIntelWireless drivers on GitHub can drive this card, those drivers are (a) too slow, (b) do not support all Handoff/Continuity functions, (c) may not work properly after wake from sleep. For these reasons, it is strongly recommended to replace that module with a Broadcom BCM94360NG such as the Fenvi model in the Components: New section. Refer to Tech Talk: Install BCM94360NG for important installation details.
51BSkluefXL._AC_.jpgFenvi BCM94360NG-Sm.jpg

This motherboard also supports RGB Fusion 2.0 and features two 12V RGB headers and two 5V Addressable-RGB headers. Lighting devices connected to these headers may be controlled via liquidctl. See Tech Talk: RGB Fusion 2.0 for details.
Special consideration must be given to internal and external component choices because all of the dedicated USB 2 ports are disabled in macOS. This affects the two USB 2 headers on the motherboard, the RGB Fusion 2.0 controller, and the two black USB 2 ports on the rear IO panel. USB 2 devices can still be connected to and used on USB 3.x ports. Consequently:
  • All-in-one liquid coolers that require USB 2 connections should be avoided. However, they will still work under Windows and Linux.
  • RGB fans, light strips, controllers, and other devices that require USB 2 connections should be avoided. However, they will still work under Windows and Linux.
  • If the computer case contains front panel USB 2 ports, those ports will not work under macOS. However, if the computer case contains front panel USB 3 ports, those ports will work properly when connected to the on-board USB 3 header (blue).
Thunderbolt:
The OpenCore EFI for this system will enable Thunderbolt hot-plug capability. However, there is one known issue: Thunderbolt devices will not connect automatically on warm-boot, but they will connect on (a) cold start, (b) shutdown and restart without flipping power switch, (c) wake from sleep, and (d) hot-plug. More information on Thunderbolt can be found in the Tech Talk section.

OpenCore EFI Configuration Notes:
This guide uses OpenCore to install macOS 11 Big Sur. All users are encouraged to review the config.plist settings by opening it in OpenCore Configurator and examining the settings on each page. Additional information can be found in the Tech Talk section.

Because macOS lacks native support for AMD Ryzen processors, it becomes necessary to patch the macOS kernel in several places. These types of patches are familiar to those with Intel X99 and X299 systems, so the methodology of kernel patching has been in use for some time.

The specific list of kernel patches for AMD Ryzen are maintained in a GitHub repository located here. We must select the experimental-opencore branch and apply the patches from the 17h directory. This has already been done in the attached EFI zip. When newer patches are released, they can be obtained from this location.
AMD 17h - 1.pngAMD 17h - 2.pngAMD 17h - 3.png

CFG-Lock (MSR 0xE2) / Native NVRAM:
Fortunately AMD B550 and X570 motherboards do not have a CFG-Lock option and it is not needed. Native NVRAM is automatically available to macOS.

Ryzen CPU Power Management:
MacOS does not support CPU power management for Ryzen processors. Fortuantely there is an alternative called AMDRyzenCPUPowerManagement.kext developed by GitHub user trulyspinach. This kext is accompanied by two siblings:
  • SMCAMDProcessor.kext - this is a plug-in for VirtualSMC that exports sensor reading to other applications.
  • AMD Power Gadget - this is a GUI that provides many of the same visualizations of temperature and power as Intel Power Gadget.
The two kexts are preinstalled and activated in the EFI zip, but AMD Power Gadget must be downloaded from GitHub and copied to the Applications folder.

Recommendations for Windows Dual Boot:
If this system is intended to be a dual boot system with Windows, then Windows should be installed first. The presence of a macOS disk may confuse the Windows installer. If Windows is to be installed on an NVMe SSD, it should be installed into the NVMe slot closest to the CPU. This will prevent future Windows Feature Updates from interfering with the EFI partition on the macOS SSD. Broadcom drivers for a Fenvi FV-T919 or other Mac-compatible Broadcom WiFi/BT module should not be installed in Windows. This allows Windows to use the Intel AX200 WiFi 6 / Bluetooth 5 module instead. Refer to Tips for Installing Windows 10 in the Tech Talk section.

Installation Overview:
Before we start, let's get acquainted with the big picture. These steps will unfold as we proceed through the installation procedure. While macOS is installing, do not walk away from the system because there can be one or two sudden reboots, which will require attention.
  1. Create USB install disk on a Mac or existing Hackintosh.
  2. Boot Hackintosh from USB install disk by pressing F12 at BIOS splash screen and select USB disk
  3. OpenCore boot picker will appear.
  4. Choose Install MacOS and wait for macOS installer to load and run.
  5. When the installer appears, choose your language and then run Disk Utility to format the internal macOS SSD.
  6. Then begin macOS installation on the newly formatted SSD.
  7. This begins Phase 1 and a progress bar will appear, stating X Minutes Remaining. This is usually 5 minutes.
  8. macOS installer will suddenly reboot in order to begin Phase 2.
  9. When machine reboots, press F12 at BIOS splash screen and again select USB disk.
  10. OpenCore boot picker will again appear.
  11. This time the internal macOS SSD must be selected (it should have been auto-selected for you).
  12. This begins Phase 2 and will take the bulk of the time.
  13. At the completion of this phase the system should gracefully reboot.
  14. When machine reboots, press F12 at BIOS splash screen and again select USB disk.
  15. OpenCore boot picker will again appear.
  16. Again pick the internal macOS SSD in order to complete the installation. The MacOS Welcome screen should appear.
  17. During the Welcome process it's okay to:
    • Enter WiFi password and login to WiFi network
    • Enable Location Services
    • Create user account and set password
    • Sign in to iCloud and App Store
    • Enable Siri
  18. After logging in to macOS, the EFI folder from USB install disk is copied to the EFI partition on the macOS SSD to make it bootable; this is the only real post-installation step
  19. Safely eject USB install disk from macOS
  20. Reboot and allow system to boot from the internal macOS SSD
  21. Congratulations, you are now up and running!
Make a Backup:
Having a functional baseline is essential for future troubleshooting and peace of mind. This single investment can make the difference between a happy Hackintosh experience and a miserable one. Components needed for the backup are listed above in Components: Bootable Backup. The size of the backup disk only needs to be as large as the amount of data to be backed up. If the original disk is 1TB, for example, but it contains only 60GB of data then the backup disk can be as small as 64GB (if available) or 96GB. A relatively small backup disk can be used at the beginning and replaced with a higher capacity disk in the future as the need arises. Backup procedure is presented below in Step 11.


Installation Procedure

A picture paints a thousand words, so the following diagram may be a useful visual aid to understanding the flow:
Install and Post Install Disks.png


Create USB Install Disk:
We begin by creating a USB install disk containing (a) the macOS installer and (b) an EFI partition with the OpenCore boot loader, as shown on the left side of the figure above. A fast and reliable USB 3.x flash disk such as the Samsung Bar Plus listed in Components will speed up the process. It should be at least 16GB.

Step 1: Open the spoiler below and download macOS.
  1. Click here to visit the gibMacOS site on GitHub.
  2. Click the large green button labeled Code, and select Download ZIP.
    GibMacOS-1a.png
  3. Unzip the file if it does not unzip automatically. The files will be in your Downloads directory in a folder called gibMacOS-master.
  4. In Finder, double-click gibMacOS.command from the gibMacOS-master folder. If macOS complains that the file was downloaded from the Internet and cannot be run, open System Preferences --> Security & Privacy --> General and click Open Anyway from the bottom of the window. Repeat this for any other downloaded application as needed.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions in the screenshots below to download the full Big Sur public beta installer. gibMacOS-1.pnggibMacOS-2.pnggibMacOS-3.pnggibMacOS-4.pnggibMacOS-5.png
  6. A number of files will now be downloaded and stored in the same gibMacOS-master directory, but in a new folder called macOS Downloads/publicrelease/xxx-xxxxxx...., where "xxx-xxxxxx..." will vary depending on the version of macOS that was selected.
  7. Depending on the size of the macOS installer (generally about 8GB) and network download speed, wait an appropriate amount of time for the download to complete.
  8. When download is complete, all files will be present in the "xxx-xxxxxx..." folder. Press Q to quit.
  9. Big Sur Users: Now look inside the newly created "xxx-xxxxxx..." sub-folder in the gibMacOS-master/macOS Downloads/publicrelease folder. Here you will find a file called InstallAssistant.pkg. Launch this application and grant it permission from System Preferences --> Security & Privacy if it does not launch the first time. This will create Install macOS Big Sur in your Applications folder. Skip the remaining steps in this section.
  10. Catalina Users: Back in the gibMacOS-master folder double-click the file BuildmacOSInstallApp.command and once again click Open Anyway from System Preferences --> Security & Privacy if the command does not run.
  11. A single prompt will appear as follows:
    gibMacOS-6.png
  12. Select the "xxx-xxxxxx..." folder or any file inside that folder, and drag-and-drop it into the Terminal window.
  13. In a few seconds the macOS installer will appear inside the "xxx-xxxxxx..." folder, and it will be called Install macOS Big Sur.
  14. Move this file to the Applications folder. The next step assumes that this file has been moved to Applications.
Step 2: Open the spoiler to install macOS Installer onto USB disk
  • Format the USB disk with Disk Utility.
  • Select View --> Show all Devices then click the parent name of the USB flash disk on the left sidebar. This is critical.
  • Select Erase and ensure that three items appear. Then enter the following as shown in green:
    • Name: Big Sur-USB (use this exact name)
    • Format: MacOS Extended (Journaled) -- do not use APFS here
    • Scheme: GUID Partition Map
      View attachment 472951
  • Open a Terminal window and type:
  • sudo "/Applications/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia" --volume /Volumes/Big\ Sur-USB
  • Enter your Mac password when requested.
  • It will take a few minutes for this task to complete. Afterwards the USB install disk will be renamed to Install macOS Big Sur.
  • Open the USB flash disk in Finder and confirm that a file called Install macOS Big Sur exists.
Step 3: Download essential utilities
The following applications should be downloaded to the Mac or Hack that will be used to begin the installation process and create the USB install disk:
Step 4: Open the spoiler to prepare OpenCore configuration
OpenCore is the essential boot loader. Although it's in public beta at this time, it is highly configurable and modern. The configuration for Gigabyte B550 Vision D has largely been done in advance. It's only necessary to specify serial numbers, ROM, and UUID. We proceed as follows:
  • Download and unzip one of the following files from here.
    • If using BIOS F10, download EFI-074-B550-VISION-D.zip. The unzipped files will be inside a folder called EFI-074-B550-VISION-D
    • If using BIOS F13, download EFI-074-BIOS-F13-B550-VISION-D. The unzipped files will be inside a folder called EFI-074-BIOS-F13-B550-VISION-D
  • Rename this top folder to EFI
  • Inside will be two sub-folders: (a) BOOT and (b) OC
  • Inside the OC sub-folder will be a file called config.plist
    • Open this file using OpenCore Configurator and proceed to the Kernel --> Patch section.
    • In the Kernel --> Patch section, replace CC with the real physical Core Count, as follows:
      • 6 cores --> use 06
      • 8 cores --> use 08
      • 10 cores --> use 0A
      • 12 cores --> use 0C
      • 16 cores --> use 10
    • System will not boot without this change.
      Screen Shot 2021-10-04 at 11.13.41 AM.png
  • Now click PlatformInfo on the left side.
  • Then click DataHub - Generic - PlatformNVRAM and choose iMacPro1,1 from the pop-up menu at the bottom as shown below. Optionally, click "Check Coverage" as shown to ensure that the newly generated serial number is not already in use by someone else.
    Platform Info.png
  • Press CMD-S to save the modified OpenCore config file.
  • Mount the EFI partition of the USB install disk. This can be done using either (a) EFI Agent or (b) Hackintool or (c) Clover Configurator.
    • The EFI partition will appear as a new disk on the desktop or in Finder.
      USB Disk Icons.png
  • Copy the entire EFI folder that you've just worked on to the EFI partition of the USB flash disk. This is essential and makes the USB flash disk bootable.
Safely eject the USB install disk. It is ready to be inserted into the Z490 Vision-D.

Prepare B550 Vision D:
The remaining steps take place on the Gigabyte B550 Vision D.

Step 5: Open the spoiler and ensure that the system has been assembled properly.
  • Minimum power supply rating is 550 watts. Depending on the CPU and GPU, 650W or larger (fully modular) power supply should be used.
  • Ensure that 8-pin CPU power cable is attached (top left of motherboard: ATX_12V).
  • Ensure that thermal paste has been applied properly and CPU cooler is functional and connected to motherboard.
  • Ensure that the (empty) macOS internal SSD has been installed. It does not need to be formatted at this time.
If using a Broadcom BCM94360NG NGFF M.2 module, follow the procedure in Tech Talk: Install BCM94360NG now. Otherwise, if using Fenvi FV-T919, Fenvi FV-HB1200, or similar WiFi/BT PCIe add-in-card, connect the Bluetooth data cable to either of the internal USB 2.0 headers.
Do not connect the included USB cable to a USB 2 header on the motherboard!
USB port for Bluetooth.png
Step 6: Open the spoiler and configure BIOS/Firmware parameters on B550 Vision D
The latest firmware (BIOS) should be downloaded from the Gigabyte website and installed according to the instructions in the Vision D user manual. As of the date of this guide, the latest version is F10.

Start the system and press DEL or F2 to enter BIOS Setup. Now we configure firmware parameters listed below. It is necessary to start with Save & Exit --> Load Optimized Defaults because this pre-configures a set of parameters for us, and we make a few additional changes on top of those.
  • Press F2 if necessary to toggle into Advanced Mode
  • Press F7 or Save & Exit → Load Optimized Defaults (pressing F7 loads optimized defaults in one keystroke)
  • Tweaker
    • Extreme Memory Profile(X.M.P) → Profile1
    • System Memory Multiplier → Auto (default)
  • Settings IOPorts
    • Initial Display Output → PCIe 1 Slot (default); change if necessary to slot containing GPU
    • HD Audio Controller → Enabled (default)
    • Above 4G Decoding → Enabled
  • Settings → IOPorts → USB Type-C with Titan Ridge Configuration(this is Thunderbolt)
    • USB Type-C with Titan Ridge Support → Enabled
    • Security Level → No Security
  • Settings → IOPorts → Super IO Configuration
    • Serial Port 1 → Disabled
  • Settings → IOPorts → USB Configuration
    • XHCI Hand-off → Enabled (defualt)
  • Settings → IOPorts → SATA Configuration
    • SATA Mode AHCI (default)
  • Boot → Fast Boot → Disabled (default)
  • Boot → CSM Support → Disabled
  • Save & Exit → Save Profiles
    • Save your settings into one of eight available profile slots (see screenshot)
    • Also save settings into a file on USB disk (see screenshot). The USB install disk can be used for this purpose
We strongly recommend installing only BIOS F10 and nothing newer. Newer BIOS files exhibit a number of problems related to Resizeable BAR Support, Thunderbolt, etc.

BIOS - Tweaker.jpg BIOS - Settings.jpg BIOS - Thunderbolt.jpg BIOS - SuperIO Configuration.jpg BIOS - USB Handoff.jpg BIOS - SATA.jpg BIOS - Network Stack.jpg BIOS - Boot.jpg BIOS - Secure Boot.jpg BIOS - Save Profile.jpg

Begin macOS Installation:
Now we begin the process of installing macOS.

Step 7: Open the spoiler to begin macOS Installation
Insert the USB flash disk into any USB 3 port on the rear IO panel or front of the PC case. A USB 3 port will speed up the overall process. Proceed as follows:
  • Reboot the system with the USB flash disk already inserted.
  • When the Gigabyte splash screen appears, press F12 to open the BIOS Boot Menu. This is different from the OpenCore boot pickerthat will appear in the next step.
    • Select the USB flash disk from the list and press Enter.
  • The OpenCore Boot Pickerwill appear.
    • Choose the option Install MacOS Big Sur.
    • This option from the boot picker is never selected again.
  • MacOS installer will take a few moments to load and run. If successful, it will ask for language preference and present a set of options, one of which will be Disk Utility.
    • Run Disk Utility and select View --> Show All Devices. This is critical.
    • Select the parent or top-level name of the macOS internal SSD and select Erase.
    • Three fields should appear, and the following entries should be made:
      • Name: Big Sur (this can be changed any time after installation is completed)
      • Format: APFS
      • Scheme: GUID Partition Map
    • Double-check selections and settings, then click Erase to format the internal macOS SSD.
    • Then quit from Disk Utility.
  • Now select the option to begin macOS installation.
    • Accept the license terms.
    • Select the just-formatted internal macOS SSD as the target location.
  • This begins Phase 1.
  • WARNING: Do not leave the computer unattended during installation. The system can reboot suddenly once or twice, and will require manual intervention.
  • Within 5 minutes the system will auto reboot. Press F12 when the Gigabyte splash screen appears and select the USB install disk from the BIOS Boot Menu.
  • At the OpenCore boot picker there should be a new entry called simply MacOS or Preboot.
    • Select MacOS or Preboot from the OpenCore boot picker. However, it should already be selected.
  • This begins Phase 2, which can take 30-50 minutes. A sudden reboot is possible, so it's advisable to remain with the system.
    • Should a reboot occur, press F12 at the Gigabyte splash screen and select the USB install disk from the BIOS Boot Menu.
    • Then at the OpenCore boot picker, select MacOS or Preboot once again. However, it should already be selected.
  • When installation completes, the familiar Welcome screen will appear and will guide the rest of the setup.
    • It is advisable to perform the following steps during the Welcomeprocess:
      • Enter WiFi password and login to WiFi network
      • Enable Location Services
      • Create user account and set password
      • Sign in to iCloud and App Store
      • Enable Siri
  • At the completion of the Welcome process, the macOS desktop will appear. All of the hard work is now done! But final touches remain.
Post Installation:
The macOS internal SSD is not bootable at this time because its EFI partition is empty. A boot loader (OpenCore) must be installed into the EFI partition. On the USB install disk are a number of essential utilities that were copied back at Step 3. Copy all of these utilities to the Applications folder on the macOS SSD.

Step 8: Copy EFI folder from USB flash disk to EFI partition of internal macOS SSD
  • Using EFI Agent, Hackintool, or OpenCore Configurator (Tools --> Mount EFI) mount the EFI partitions of both (a) USB flash disk and (b) macOS internal SSD.
  • Using Finder, copy the entire EFI folder from EFI partition of USB disk to EFI partition of macOS SSD.
    • This completes post-installation.
  • Safely eject the USB install disk and reboot the system.
  • When system reboots, do not press any key (i.e. do not press F12), but wait for the OpenCore boot picker to appear automatically.
  • Then select Big Sur and ensure that the system boots up.
Step 9: Final Adjustments
  • Disable Wake for Network Access in System Preferences --> Energy Saver
  • Enable Location Services in System Preferences --> Security & Privacy --> Privacy
Installation Verification:
Step 10:
Open the spoiler to check configuration of various system devices and verify installation.
A selected set of system devices can be checked/verified using System Information which can be invoked by holding OPTION key and clicking the Apple menu on the top left. The first menu item will be System Information. Audio, Bluetooth, Ethernet, WiFi, and PCI devices can be checked right away. Thunderbolt is checked by examining the PCI page instead of the Thunderbolt page. (The Thunderbolt page will say No drivers are loaded because Thunderbolt Bus is not activated until the firmware is flashed. This is an optional and potentially risky step.)
Post - Audio.png Post - Bluetooth.png Post - Ethernet.png Post - Thunderbolt.png Post - WiFi.png
Create Backup:
A Hackintosh is not a real Macintosh. Apple does not test its operating system on Hackintosh. Apple does not provide assurance that macOS will work today or tomorrow on Hackintosh. When we decide to build a Hackintosh and entrust our digital lives to it, we must have the wisdom (a) to know that significant problems may occur and (b) to take proactive measures to guard against digital disaster. This build process will not be considered complete until a full bootable backup is made.

Step 11: Open the spoiler below to make a full bootable backup. Components needed for this are listed at the top of this guide in the section Components: Bootable Backup.
Preparation:
  • Install the backup SATA SSD into the USB 3 SSD enclosure and connect it to an available USB 3.x port.
  • Run Disk Utilityand format the SSD as follows:
    • Select View --> Show all devices
    • Select parent or top-level name of the external SATA SSD on the left sidebar
    • Click Eraseand specify three parameters:
      • Name: Catalina Backup (give it any name that is different from the internal macOS SSD)
      • Format: APFS
      • Scheme: GUID Partition Map
    • Click Erase once again to complete the process
  • Download EFIClone.sh or the newer EFIClone_v2 from @byteminer's GitHub repository by clicking here.
    • Click the green button on the right side of the web page: Clone or download, then choose to download the ZIP
    • It should then appear in the Downloads folder under EFIClone-master. Because of security precautions in macOS, run Terminaland clear the 'quarantine' flag as follows:
      • xattr -d com.apple.quarantine ~/Downloads/EFIClone-master/EFIClone.sh
      • If the command succeeds, there will be no reply (it will run silently)
    • The EFIClone.sh script will be set to Test Mode by default. This allows the script to be test-run to confirm that it works properly. Leave it in Test Mode at this time.
  • Run Carbon Copy Cloner. If it's being run for the first time, pull down the Carbon Copy Cloner menu bar item (right next to Apple menu at the top left of the screen) and select Grant Full Disk Access to CCC... Follow the on-screen instructions.
  • Now select the Utilities menu on the menu bar and choose Reveal CCC's Scripts folder
    • A Finder window will open and the last item in the window will be a folder called Scripts
    • Copy EFIClone.sh (or EFIClone_v2.sh) from the Downloads/EFICLone-master folder to this Scripts folder, but hold down the OPTION key while dragging so that the file is 'copied' instead of 'moved'.
    • Now there will be two exact copies of EFIClone.sh (or EFIClone_v2): one in the original location and the other in the Scripts folder.
    • Select the same Utilities menu on the menu bar and notice that the last option in the menu has changed to Secure CCC's Scripts folder
      • Select this option to secure the Scripts folder
      • Now the script is capable of running
    • To create the backup task, we select the SOURCE disk and the DESTINATION disk. These are clearly labeled in the Carbon Copy Cloner main window.
    • Click SOURCE and select the macOS internal SSD
    • Click DESTINATION and select the external SATA SSD
    • Double check that the names of the SOURCE and DESTINATION disks are different
  • Just below the SOURCE and DESTINATION disks is an option called ADVANCED SETTINGS.
    • Click the adjacent chevron to expand ADVANCED SETTINGS
    • Three subsections will be revealed:
      • BEFORE COPYING FILES
      • WHILE COPYING FILES
      • AFTER COPYING FILES
    • Leave the first two alone and click Run a Shell Script under AFTER COPYING FILES
      • A file selection window will appear that will point to the Scripts folder
      • Select EFIClone.sh (or EFIClone_v2) from the list
  • The backup job has now been configured. Save it by pressing CMD-S or File --> Save
  • Because the EFIClone script is in Test Mode, click Clone on the bottom right of the Carbon Copy Cloner window to perform a Test Run.
  • This will generate an activity log. Examine the log in Terminalby typing:
    • cd /System/Volumes/Data/Users/Shared
    • more EFIClone.log
  • Check that the list of Source Files looks correct. Press <spacebar> to page forward and <q> to quit the log.
  • If the log looks correct, the Test Mode flag must be set to N for No as follows:
    • Locate EFIClone.sh (or EFIClone_v2.sh) in the Downloads/EFIClone-master folder and edit the file with a text editor.
    • Somewhere in the first few lines we will see this: TEST_SWITCH="Y"
    • Change only this line to: TEST_SWITCH="N"
    • Save the file
  • From Carbon Copy Cloner, select Utilities --> Reveal CCC's Scripts folder once again
  • Drag and drop the modified EFIClone.sh to the Scripts folder
  • From Carbon Copy Cloner, select Utilities --> Secure CCC's Scripts folder once again
  • Press CMD-S or File --> Save to save the modified task
  • Now Carbon Copy Cloner is fully set up to clone both the SOURCE macOS partition and the SOURCE EFI partition to the DESTINATION
CCC configured view.png
CCC reveal scripts folder.png CCC secure scripts folder.png

Congratulations, you made it!
Welcome to Hackintosh. Enjoy the new system and explore the wealth of information available on this forum and the Internet in general.


Tech Talk

On-Board Devices:
The diagrams below describe the USB, Ethernet, and Audio ports enabled under macOS. As with most AMD-based motherboards, the B550 Vision D contains more than one on-board USB host controller. There are in fact two USB host controllers whose native ACPI names are XHC0 and PTXH. Two SSDTs are used to rename and redefine these controllers as follows:
  • XHC0 is renamed to XHC by SSDT-B550-XHC0-TO-XHC.aml. This SSDT is also responsible for properly defining PRT4 and PRT8 as shown in the diagram below.
  • PTXH is renamed to XHC2 by SSDT-B550-PTXH-TO-XHC2.aml. This SSDT enables all USB 2 and USB 3 ports.
  • OUTDATED: SSDT-B550-PTXH-TO-XHC2-NO-PO9-10-11.aml. This SSDT is responsible for disabling the dedicated USB 2 ports, which are PO9, PO10, and PO11. This SSDT is no longer needed, but is retained in the EFI zip file for the time being.
Although the motherboard contains a RGB Fusion 2 controller at PO11, that controller has been disabled because it's on a dedicated USB 2 port.

The two Gigabit Ethernet ports are both Intel i211 controllers that are managed by SmallTreeIntel82576_mod.kext. The audio ports (Realtek ALC 1220VB) are managed by AppleALC.kext with Layout ID 1.

B550 Rear IO Panel.png
B550 Main Board-v2.png


Thunderbolt Bus Activation:
Thunderbolt with hot-plug functionality works properly just by following the build guide. However, because Apple and Intel jointly developed Thunderbolt, Apple has created a more thorough implementation compared to Windows and Linux. We can think of Thunderbolt as operating in two modes:
  • Standard Mode, also known as ICM or Internal Connection Manager mode.
  • Extended Mode, in which macOS implements a number of extended capabilities.
Switching from Standard Mode to Extended Mode is purely optional, but it brings the system closer to a real Mac. Extended Mode provides these additional capabilities:
  • Thunderbolt Bus and Local Node
  • Thunderbolt Ethernet bridge to connect two Macs over Thunderbolt cable
  • Target Disk Mode in which a Hackintosh can connect to a real Mac's hard drives when the real Mac is placed into Target Disk Mode
  • eGPU support. This allows eGPUs to connect and disconnect. Additionally, a menu bar icon allows the eGPU to be disconnected safely.
  • QNAP, OWC, and possibly other Thunderbolt NAS support.
  • Support for some Thunderbolt 1 legacy devices such as Apple Thunderbolt Display.
For a more complete list, refer to this post.

Unfortunately, to enable Extended Mode it is necessary to flash the Thunderbolt firmware chip located on the back side of the motherboard. This incurs risk of physical and electrical damage, so extreme caution must be taken. The choice to pursue Extended Mode should also be carefully considered.

We assume no responsibility or liability for any damage that may occur.

Based on the table below, the recommended firmware to flash is NVM 33 from Designare Z390. It is available for download from the Repository.

Original Firmware
Flashed NVM 56/50 Firmware
Flashed NVM 33 (Designare)
Thunderbolt Bus
No
Yes
Yes
USB-C Connected Before Boot
Yes
Yes
Yes
USB-C Hot Plug
YES
No
YES
Thunderbolt Connected on Apple Menu --> Restart
No
No
No
Thunderbolt Connected on Shutdown --> Power Button Start
YES
No
YES
Thunderbolt Hot Plug
Yes
Yes
Yes


Details of flashing the Thunderbolt chip are located in these posts. Do not skip any of the links. (Following the Thunderbolt DROM Micro-Guide is also necessary.)
For full control over Thunderbolt DROM (view, edit, verify, export), refer to this Mini-Guide.
Thunderbolt Bus 1.png
Thunderbolt Bus 2.png

OpenCore EFI Configuration
The spoiler below examines the various settings in the OpenCore config.plist and specifies those that should be modified to suit the specific hardware in your system. This section is important for these reasons:
  • If your AMD GPU is not R9 380X, specify its name in Device Properties as described in the gallery.
  • If your NVMe SSD is not Silicon Power 512GB, specify its name in Device Properties as described in the gallery.
  • If you wish to enable or disable verbose mode, look at Boot Arguments in the NVRAM section of the gallery.
  • If you wish to change the default 10 second timeout in OpenCore Picker GUI, see the Boot section in the gallery.
  • If your WiFi / BT PCIe card is not in the middle slot, look at the Device Properties section in the gallery.
  • The macOS Boot Chime is enabled by default in macOS Big Sur, so it has also been enabled by default in the OpenCore configuration. To disable the Boot Chime (through the green headphone jack on the rear IO panel or the front panel audio jack), look at the UEFI --> Audio section in the gallery.
OC - ACPI.pngOC - BOOTER.pngOC - DP - i211 Num 1.pngOC - DP - i211 Num 2.pngOC - DP - Radeon Audio.pngOC - DP - Realtek ALC 1220.pngOC - DP - AMD GPU.pngOC - DP - NVMe Top Slot.pngOC - DP - USB Controller Num 1.pngOC - DP - USB Controller Num 2.pngOC - DP - WiFI BT PCIe Card Middle Slot.pngOC - Kernel Kexts.pngOC - Kernel - Patches.pngOC - Misc - Boot.pngOC - Misc - Debug.pngOC - Misc - Security.pngOC - Misc - Tools.pngOC - NVRAM - Boot Args.pngOC - PlatformInfo - Datahub.pngOC - UEFI - APFS.pngOC - UEFI - Audio.pngOC - UEFI - Drivers.pngOC - UEFI - Input.pngOC - UEFI - Output.png

Tips for Installing Windows 10:
  • Format the Windows NVMe SSD (not the USB install disk) on a Mac (yes, a Mac) using Disk Utility:
    • Name: Windows
    • Format: FAT32
    • Scheme: GUID Partition Map
  • It's important to set the Scheme to GUID Partition Map. This creates an EFI partition on the Windows NVMe (or SATA) SSD.
  • Download Microsoft's Media Creation Tool for Windows 10 (this must be done on a Windows machine) and then use that tool to create the USB install disk.
  • Now physically disconnect all macOS drives from the system. If you fail to do this, the Windows installer will abort.
  • When the Windows installer starts and you reach the screen to Format the destination disk, select the large FAT32 partition on the Windows NVMe SSD (not the smaller EFI partition).
    • Then delete that FAT32 partition.
    • Now it will change to "Unallocated space".
    • Highlight that row.
    • And click Install. Windows will be installed into the "Unallocated space".
  • When Windows is fully installed, you may shut down the system and reinstall the macOS SSDs.
    • At the OpenCore Picker menu you should now see an option to boot Windows.

RGB Fusion 2.0:
The B550 Vision D supports Gigabyte's RGB Fusion 2.0 via the ITE Tech 0x5702 controller attached to USB port PO11. This allows macOS to configure LED colors and effects on both the 12V RGB and 5V Addressable-RGB headers on the motherboard using liquidctl by Jonas Malaco.
B550 Vision D board.png

Complete instructions for downloading and installing liquidctl are posted here. It is necessary to download and install Xcode Command Line Tools manually from here. Be sure to select the version that matches the version of Xcode that is installed on the computer.

Install BCM94360NG:
The B550 Vision D comes with a preinstalled Intel AX200 NGFF M.2 card (Key A/E) that is not natively supported by macOS. Fortunately it can be replaced with a Broadcom BCM94360NG module, which is a plug-and-play replacement. It is natively supported by macOS.

Steps to Replace Internal WiFi/BT Module:
  • Ensure system is powered off and PSU is turned off as well (or pull power cable from the wall).
  • Without removing the black plastic cover or the antenna connectors, gently unscrew the existing M.2 module from the motherboard.
  • The antenna cables are relatively short, so don't move the M.2 card far away.
  • With the M.2 card in your hand, gently slip off the black plastic that covers the two antenna connectors. Remember the orientation of the plastic cover because you'll need to reinstall it later.
  • Then gently pop off the two Mhf4 antenna wires from the M.2 card.
  • Set the Intel AX200 module aside.
  • Hold the Broadcom BCM94360NG in your hand and bring it close to the two antenna wires near the M.2 slot, but do not insert the Broadcom card into the M.2 slot at this time.
  • While holding the card in your hand, gently line up and connect each of the two tiny Mhf4 antennas.
  • Then carefully slip on the black plastic cover.
  • Now insert the Broadcom module into the M.2 slot and screw it in place. Do not over-tighten the screw.
If Bluetooth Does Not Work:
  • In some rare cases, Bluetooth may not work. Fortunately, this problem can be solved by resetting the Bluetooth module as follows:
  • Press SHIFT-Option while clicking the Bluetooth icon in the Menu Bar.
  • Then select Reset the Bluetooth module as shown:
    Screen Shot 2020-10-18 at 8.49.33 AM.png

Configuring OpenIntelWireless drivers with OpenCore:
Refer to this mini-guide.


Troubleshooting / FAQs
This is a collection of troubleshooting hints and frequently asked questions (FAQ). Also refer to the larger list in the Z490 Vision D thread.
WARNING! Make a full bootable backup of Big Sur before attempting this.
The procedure for mounting root filesystem with read/write permissions is quite different in Big Sur compared to Catalina. The procedure is detailed in the following places:

Credit: @jabjabjab
To use the UAD Apollo Firewire audio interface on this system, it is necessary to activate Thunderbolt Bus. Please see this post for more information.

Credit: @anthera93
Whenever we change some internal components such as NVMe SSDs and GPUs, it's an excellent idea to perform a CMOS Reset. This forces the system to rescan for all connected devices and rebuild all of the internal EFI tables.

In addition, whenever we experience "strange" problems that seem intermittent, occasional, or erratic, we should perform a CMOS Reset first, then see if the issue persists.

After a CMOS Reset it is necessary to configure all BIOS parameters once again, starting always with F7 (Load Optimized Defaults).
A brief look at OpenCanopy 0.6.8.
AMD RX 6000 series GPUs tend to work best when the System Product Name is MacPro7,1. Unfortunately, this often produces a series of annoying memory notifications. We can finally avoid this problem by configuring memory modules properly in OpenCore config.plist as described in this post.

Credit: @rj510
To change CPU name in About this Mac, please follow the procedure described here.
Sometimes it is necessary to disable a GPU -- particularly a Nvidia GPU -- in Slot 2. This can be done by adding a SSDT to the OpenCore configuration.
  • For B550 Vision D, refer to this post for details.
  • For X570S Aero G, refer to this post for details.


Summary

What Works
  • Shutdown, restart
  • iCloud, App Store
  • Handoff / Continuity, Unlock with Apple Watch, AirDrop
  • FaceTime, Messages
  • Sleep and wake
  • WiFi / Bluetooth with Fenvi BCM94360NG internal module or FV-T919 PCIe add-in-card.
  • Both Ethernet ports.
  • Quick Look, Preview
  • AppleTV
  • Thunderbolt hot plug
  • USB-C hot plug
  • RGB Fusion 2.0
  • VirtualBox 6.1 and later works!! Thanks to @rbmanian75 for letting us know.
A common question is whether Adobe Creative Cloud applications will work on a Ryzentosh. The following have been tested successfully:
  • Adobe Photoshop
    • Standard MMXCore, FastCore, TextModel patches
    • Must specify MKL_DEBUG_CPU_TYPE=2
    • See this post for details on patching Photoshop setting up an Automator script
  • Adobe Lightroom
    • Standard MMXCore, FastCore, TextModel patches
    • Do not specify MKL_DEBUG_CPU_TYPE
  • Adobe Premiere Pro
    • Standard MMXCore, FastCore, TextModel patches
    • Do not specify MKL_DEBUG_CPU_TYPE
  • Adobe Illustrator
    • Standard MMXCore, FastCore, TextModel patches
    • Must specify MKL_DEBUG_CPU_TYPE=2
    • See Posts 6 and 7 below for details
  • Adobe InDesign
    • Standard MMXCore, FastCore, TextModel patches
    • Must specify MKL_DEBUG_CPU_TYPE=2
    • See Posts 6 and 7 below for details
  • Adobe After Effects
    • Standard MMXCore, FastCore, TextModel patches
    • Do not specify MKL_DEBUG_CPU_TYPE
    • See this post for details
12 July 2021: There have been some new developments in the effort to run Adobe apps on AMD Ryzen systems! Please see this post by @Ploddles.

Streaming Services:

  • Netflix (reference)
  • Amazon Prime Video
  • AppleTV
Thunderbolt and FireWire Devices:
  • Universal Audio Devices (UAD) Apollo via Thunderbolt 3 (reference)
  • Apple TB-to-FireWire adapter (reference) connected via Apple TB3-to-TB adapter
  • UAD Satellite via Apple TB-to-FireWire adapter (reference)
  • Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Pro
  • OWC 14-Port Thunderbolt 3 Dock
  • PowerColor Gaming Station eGPU (reference)
    • However, safely disconnecting eGPU may crash Big Sur at this time

What Doesn't Work
  • Thunderbolt devices do not connect on Apple Menu --> Restart, but they will connect under these conditions:
    • Cold boot.
    • Shutdown and restart computer (without flipping power switch).
    • Wake from sleep.
    • Hot plug.
  • Some virtualization applications will not work (VMWare Fusion, Parallels). However, VirtualBox 6.1+ does work.
What May or May Not Work
The following have not been tested so no statements can be made regarding their status.
  • Hulu (I'm not a subscriber, hence unable to test)
  • Thunderbolt monitors
    • Waiting for owners of such devices to test them if they own this motherboard

Benchmarks
Screen Shot 2021-01-21 at 8.26.57 AM.png



Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the following:

Edit / Updates
  • 03 Oct 2020: Work in progress.
  • 04 Oct 2020: First usable edition.
  • 05 Oct 2020: Added information about Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, and InDesign. See What Works and What Doesn't Work.
  • 07 Oct 2020: Added OpenCore 0.6.2 EFI ZIP.
  • 08 Oct 2020: Those wanting to use all USB 2.0 ports, the internal WiFi/BT socket with BCM94360NG card, and RGB Fusion 2.0 at the expense of sleep/wake (i.e. sleep/wake will not work, but everything else will work) may use the file EFI-062-GA-B550-VISION-D-NO-SLEEP.zip.
  • 18-Oct-2020: Big Sur Public Beta 6 fixes sleep/wake issue when USB 2.0 ports are activated. This means no more compromises! Guide has been updated accordingly and new EFI ZIP file has been posted (EFI-062-B550-VISION-D-ALL-PORTS-WITH-SLEEP.zip).
  • 18-Oct-2020: Added RGB Fusion 2.0 to Tech Talk.
  • 03-Nov-2020: Added OpenCore 0.6.3 EFI ZIP.
  • 07-Dec-2020: Added OpenCore 0.6.4 EFI ZIP.
  • 04-Jan-2021: Added OpenCore 0.6.5 EFI ZIP.
  • 02-Feb-2021: Added OpenCore 0.6.6 EFI ZIP.
  • 04-Feb-2021: Modified the OpenCore 0.6.6 EFI file to use HfsPlus.efi instead of OpenHfsPlus.efi after a serious problem was found in OpenHfsPlus.efi.
  • 06-Feb-2021: Modified the OpenCore 0.6.6 EFI with latest AMD-OSX kernel patches that support macOS 11.3.
  • 04-Mar-2021: Added OpenCore 0.6.7 EFI ZIP.
  • 05-Apr-2021: Added OpenCore 0.6.8 EFI ZIP.
  • 03-May-2021: Added OpenCore 0.6.9 EFI ZIP.
  • 07-Jun-2021: Added OpenCore 0.7.0 EFI ZIP.
  • 05-Jul-2021: Added OpenCore 0.7.1 EFI ZIP.
  • 02-Aug-2021: Added OpenCore 0.7.2 EFI ZIP.
  • 07-Sep-2021: Added OpenCore 0.7.3 EFI ZIP.
  • 04-Oct-2021: Added OpenCore 0.7.4 EFI Instructions.
 

Attachments

  • EFI-061-GA-B550-VISION-D-V2C.zip
    6.4 MB · Views: 453
  • Photoshop-Patches.zip
    932 bytes · Views: 273
  • EFI-062-GA-B550-VISION-D.zip
    6.5 MB · Views: 354
  • EFI-062-GA-B550-VISION-D-NO-SLEEP.zip
    6.5 MB · Views: 362
  • EFI-062-B550-VISION-D-ALL-PORTS-WITH-SLEEP.zip
    6.5 MB · Views: 336
  • OC-063-B550-VISION-D.zip
    6.5 MB · Views: 398
  • EFI-064-B550-VISION-D.zip
    6.5 MB · Views: 334
  • EFI-065-B550-VISION-D.zip
    6.6 MB · Views: 266
  • EFI-066-B550-VISION-D.zip
    7.4 MB · Views: 243
  • EFI-067-B550-VISION-D.zip
    7.2 MB · Views: 219
  • EFI-068-B550-VISION-D.zip
    6.7 MB · Views: 296
  • EFI-069-B550-VISION-D.zip
    6.8 MB · Views: 256
  • EFI-070-B550-VISION-D.zip
    6.8 MB · Views: 251
  • EFI-071-B550-VISION-D.zip
    6.7 MB · Views: 241
  • EFI-072-B550-VISION-D.zip
    6.9 MB · Views: 509
Last edited:
** Mini-Guide: Thunderbolt DROM Customization for Gigabyte B550 Vision D **
Please do not quote this guide in its entirety. Post a link instead.


Purpose:
This guide applies only to those who have flashed their Thunderbolt controller to enable Thunderbolt Bus. If System Information --> Thunderbolt states that No drivers are loaded then this guide does not apply.

Why Customize Thunderbolt DROM:
Every Thunderbolt Bus should be assigned a unique identifier (UID) so that multiple Macs connecting over Thunderbolt keep their identities unique. This applies to Thunderbolt Ethernet Bridge and Target Disk Mode where two Macs are connected directly over a Thunderbolt cable. Additionally, if the system contains two or more Thunderbolt controllers, each controller must be assigned a different Bus ID.

Procedure:
@Inqnuam's HackinDROM will be used to fully customize the DROM and generate a usable Thunderbolt SSDT.

Step 1:
Using a web browser, proceed to this site: https://hackindrom.zapto.org/

Step 2:
Open the predefined SSDT for B550 Vision D as shown in the following series of screenshots. Select Gigabyte B550 Vision D from the Thunderbolt Controllers pop-up menu, then click INSERT.
HackinDROM 1.pngHackinDROM 2.pngHackinDROM 3.pngHackinDROM 4.png
Step 3:
Customize the UID and BusID. Most users will not need to change Bus ID; this is only necessary when the system has two or more Thunderbolt controllers. After making the changes shown in the screenshots, click COMPILE.
HackinDROM 5.pngHackinDROM 6.png
In the screenshot below, HackinDROM will randomly generate a 6-part UID. Although the screenshot states Step 1: Replace these six hex numbers with six random hex numbers from 00 to FF, this is optional. The values you will see on screen are already randomized. So simply click COMPILE.
HackinDROM 7.png
Step 4:
Download the new SSDT in .aml format. Save the file in the Downloads folder. The default name will be CustomSSDT.aml.
HackinDROM 8.pngHackinDROM 9.png
Step 5:
Rename the SSDT (optional).
  • By default, the new SSDT will be called customSSDT.aml, but this should be renamed to something more consistent and appropriate such as:
    • SSDT-B550-VISION-D-TB3-HOTPLUG.aml
Step 6:
Update OpenCore config.plist
  • Mount EFI partition of the macOS SSDT and copy the new Thunderbolt SSDT into the OC/ACPI folder.
  • Open config.plist in OpenCore Configurator and make these changes:
TB config change.png

  • Save the modified config.plist and reboot.
Step 7:
Verification of Thunderbolt Configuration
  • After the reboot, run IORegistryExplorer and scroll down to PT02.PT20 as shown.
  • Then click on IOThunderboltPort@7 as shown.
  • If the right side of the window is not empty, then Thunderbolt has been setup correctly.
Thunderbolt Bus Verification.png
 
Last edited:
Hello, sir!
TB UID is already randomized by default so we can skip Step 1.
If there's no need to change Bus ID, all we need to do is just click to Insert then Download .aml.
If you're not happy with the default random UID, you can simply re-Insert the concerned Thunderbolt SSDT, then you'll get a fresh new UID.


Step 5:
Rename the SSDT (optional).
  • By default, the new SSDT will be called customSSDT.aml, but this should be renamed to something more consistent and appropriate such as:
    • SSDT-B550-VISION-D-TB3-HOTPLUG.aml

I'll fix this in next update, default name will be the same as in the Thunderbolt Controller list
 
Last edited:
Hello, sir!
TB UID is already randomized by default so we can skip Step 1.
If there's no need to change Bus ID, all we need to do is just click to Insert then Download .aml.
If you're not happy with the default random UID, you can simply re-Insert the concerned Thunderbolt SSDT, then you'll get a fresh new UID.
Thanks for clarifying. I'll revise the DROM mini-guide.
I'll fix this in next update, default name will be the same as in the Thunderbolt Controller list
Good decision!
 
CaseySJ,

Did you use this?


From the post there, you may try to change the script with this:

Code:
MKL_DEBUG_CPU_TYPE=2
I ran both parts of that guide yesterday. The first part set MKL_DEBUG_CPU_TYPE to 5, however. Can certainly modify the script to use 2. Will provide an update shortly since I have 6 days remaining in my 7-day Creative Cloud trial.
 
@eos1d3,

After running the fix for Adobe products, I created Automator applications for Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator that set MKL_DEBUG_CPU_TYPE to 2 before launching the respective app. This seems to work reliably for InDesign and Illustrator, but Photoshop continues to lock the system.

I'm re-installing Photoshop now and will apply the fix once again.

Currently working:
  • InDesign
  • Illustrator
  • Lightroom
  • Premiere Pro
Still being investigated:
  • Photoshop


Automator Apps:
Screen Shot 2020-10-06 at 6.55.42 AM.pngScreen Shot 2020-10-06 at 6.56.03 AM.png


Adobe Apps Currently Being Tested:
(all screenshots taken on B550 Vision D with AMD Ryzen 7 3700X)
Screen Shot 2020-10-06 at 6.13.34 AM.pngScreen Shot 2020-10-06 at 6.14.33 AM.pngScreen Shot 2020-10-06 at 6.40.17 AM.pngScreen Shot 2020-10-05 at 10.21.06 AM.pngScreen Shot 2020-10-05 at 10.21.22 AM.pngScreen Shot 2020-10-10 at 9.57.40 AM.png
 
Last edited:
@CaseySJ

For information:

I have a three year old LG 34UM88-P display which has two Thunderbolt 2 input ports. I connected a DisplayPort cable between one of the DP ports on my Sapphire RX 580 and the DP In port on the B550 Vision D.

Thunderbolt on this board has not been flashed. This was tested with the latest public beta of Big Sur.

I connected an Apple TB3 -> TB2 adapter to one TB3 port on the B550 Vision D and connected a TB2 cable from the adapter to the TB2 input on the display.

The display worked properly over TB from the BIOS screen through the desktop, from both a cold boot and a warm boot.

Sound also worked through TB to the display's speakers.

RX 580 -> LG.png

I have not made the suggested modifications to get sleep to work, but tested what would happen when I initiated sleep. The system apparently kernel panicked as usual. On reboot there was no video signal sent to the display. I had to do a cold boot to regain video over TB.
 
@CaseySJ

For information:

I have a three year old LG 34UM88-P display which has two Thunderbolt 2 input ports. I connected a DisplayPort cable between one of the DP ports on my Sapphire RX 580 and the DP In port on the B550 Vision D.

Thunderbolt on this board has not been flashed. This was tested with the latest public beta of Big Sur.

I connected an Apple TB3 -> TB2 adapter to one TB3 port on the B550 Vision D and connected a TB2 cable from the adapter to the TB2 input on the display.

The display worked properly over TB from the BIOS screen through the desktop, from both a cold boot and a warm boot.

Sound also worked through TB to the display's speakers.

View attachment 490804
I have not made the suggested modifications to get sleep to work, but tested what would happen when I initiated sleep. The system apparently kernel panicked as usual. On reboot there was no video signal sent to the display. I had to do a cold boot to regain video over TB.
It is good to see that the Thunderbolt display works even with warm boot. However, the video and the sound that you see and hear are transmitted over the DisplayPort wires of the Thunderbolt connector! I would be interested to see if a Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 2 device connects automatically on warm boot (i.e. a device that uses the PCIe lanes of Thunderbolt instead of the USB and DisplayPort lanes).
 
@CaseySJ " NOTE 3: Minimize the use of Safari. Use Firefox or Chrome exclusively for the time being. In the public beta version of Big Sur, the Safari web browser is somewhat unstable and can freeze the system from time to time. "

Shortly after I updated to 10.15.7 I stared getting random instant reboots due to KP (very non-descript at that) and I realized after reading your guide that maybe it's Safari that's the culprit. Hopefully switching to Chrome solves the issues.
 
Back
Top