Z690 Chipset Motherboards and Alder Lake CPU

[energy23]

Thanks. On Tuesday, the processor will be at the latest. Today I found out that all the cooling of the processor I ordered, do not have attachment to LGA 1700. They have to do it to me to make a set.

Today I managed to rip ROM with GC-Maple Ridge.

Z490 & Z590 - Will Z590 ever have macOS Support ?

There is a dimple on the chip that indicates Pin 1. The blue dot happens to be on that dimple so the orientation is correct. Which reader/writer are you using? Raspberry Pi 4. Using the instructions here which works well for Titan Ridge card. EDIT: I have a GC-Titan Ridge V1 laying on the...

www.tonymacx86.com

Does the CPU you ordered come with a stock cooler you can use temporarily?

 

[ori69]

Does the CPU you ordered come with a stock cooler you can use temporarily?

Not. All Lake version K is without cooling.

 

[etorix]

Attached is a preliminary OpenCore 0.7.5 EFI for the Gigabyte Z690 Gaming X. It's based on the Gigabyte Z490 Vision D, but with numerous modifications. Some notes:

Thanks. I'm impressed by the extensiveness of the comments, less so by the number of items, many of which are actually disabled. This style is possibly convenient when using configurators, but not so much when directly editing config.plist. As I only use ProperTree (built as standalone app), looking up for "Enabled" flags is complicated and error-prone. I prefer to keep it simple: What's in the EFI folder is "on"; what's "off" is not there. I begin with an almost minimal EFI and add kexts as may be needed to overcome issues, snapshotting anew with ProperTree as required. So here's my take on it:

Note:
SSDT-CPUR-Z690.aml is not complete and not usable. We need to look at your FACP.aml in order to finish it. How to get this?

Since it is already compiled, I've changed the name to SSDT-CPUR-Z690 rather than SSDT-Z690-CPUR so that it sorts alphabetically and automatically before SSDT-PLUG.

• Option 1:
  • Install Clover boot loader into the EFI partition of a USB flash disk and boot. At the Clover boot menu, press F4 and all the ACPI tables will be stored in the EFI/CLOVER/ACPI/origin folder in EFI partition of USB flash disk.
• Option 2:
  • Install Windows and run acpidump.exe. Download location.

• Option 3 (my favourite):
  • Use the DEBUG version of OpenCore, with Misc>Debug>SysReport:True. After the first boot attempt, recover the SysReport folder in the EFI partition, alongside the bootlog opencore-[TIMESTAMP].txt; please post both of them for our prying eyes.

The BIOS manual for the Z690 shows there's an option for unlocking CFGLock (MSR 0xE2).

PlatformInfo:

• I would suggest using MacPro7,1 to start with. Can be changed.

My favourite would be iMacPro1,1, to avoid memory issues and the requirement for RestrictEvent.kext, as occurs with MacPro7,1. But either of the iGPU-less SMBIOS is a good choice. Add serial numbers accordingly.

NVRAM
Added boot-arg -v (we want to see those error messages and kernel panics!) and -wegnoigpu, for safety. Removed shiki (we're not there yet…) and agdpmod=pikera in case @ori69 uses his RX560 or another Polaris GPU in his experiments; if using a Navi GPU, put back agdpmod=pikera.
prev-lang:kbd changed to (empty) string for international convenience.

USB Ports:
USB ports have not been mapped so only the first 15 will be enabled. All USB 2.0 ports should be okay along with a few USB 3.0 ports.

I've enabled UsbInjectAll.kext for use with Big Sur 11.3 and newer.
If using Catalina or Big Sur 11.2.3 or older, disable UsbInjectAll.kext and enable Kernel>Quirks>XhciPortLimit.
In any case, it's genrally safer to use USB 2.0 ports to boot, or USB 3 ports which come from a supported additional controller (not available here), as those typically come up below the 15-port limit.

BIOS Setup:

• Because you have DDR4, enabling XMP 2.0 Memory Profile 1 should be okay.
• It's okay to enable or disable VT-d, but I have checked-on DisableIOMapper and unchecked SSDT-DMAR, which means AppleVTD is intentionally disabled to be safe.
• If BIOS contains CFG-Lock, set it to Disabled.
• Set Internal Graphics to Disabled. The Intel UHD 770 iGPU is not supported in macOS. It's based on Xe graphics.
• Look for an option to disable E-Cores. Disable them all.
• Look for XHC Handoff and be sure to Enable it.
• If there's anything resembling Super IO Configuration or Serial Port, immediately Disable it.
• Also look for an option to enable AVX-512. Try setting it to Enabled.

E-cores off should be the safest option, but it would be interesting to also try with all cores on and see what happens.
Enabling AVX-512, if allowed (from the manual it seems so), requires that E-cores are off. Testing AVX options can be saved for later, as this should not matter for boot.

So here is a modified and stripped down EFI with OpenCore 0.7.5 DEBUG. No bells and whistles, no GUI, verbose. Ready to go on an unsupported platform where no hackintosher has ever set foot (Admittedly SSDT-PLUG and -SBUS as well as AppleALC are not required to boot, so there's still some extra weight.)
After the first boot, one may disable Misc>Debug>SysReport. Once OpenCore successfully completes its work and hands it over to the kernel, one may dial down Misc>Debug>Target and switch to the release version (replace BOOTx64.efi, OpenCore.efi and OpenRuntime.efi with the RELEASE binaries).

I've stripped down drivers and tools, but added Memtool 9.3 (free version). A good night of running Memtool is a nice way to check hardware.

There are two sample.plist. Sample-short.plist is how I would use it, with only what's present in the EFI/OC folder. Sample-long.plist matches CaseySJ 's style, with many disabled items. @ori69, please pick the one which best fits your habits, add serial numbers and rename to 'config.plist'.
If using the 'long' plist, add OpenCanopy in Drivers and merge in the contents of the ACPI, Kexts and Resources folders from CaseySJ's EFI to get the missing items back. These are all disabled in sample-long.plist but can now hopefully be enabled by flipping a switch in the configurator.

Make sure any NVMe device is well-supported by OS X, or use SATA devices for safety. If booting an installer fails, try booting a complete OS X installation made on another computer.

I've looked at the DSDTs of a semi-random selection of boards (Asus ProArt Z690 Creator, AsRock Phantom Gaming 4, MSI Z690 Carbon) and found an identical code base in the relevant places (processors, clocks, EC). It looks like manufacturers had little or no time for customisation. CaseySJ's EFI folder and mine are possibly a reasonable starting point for experimentation with any of the early Z690 boards.

 

[CaseySJ]

@etorix : Good idea to use Debug version of OpenCore.
@ori69 : Here is a consolidated guide.

---

Changes:
Attached is OC-075DBG-Z690-V2.zip with the following changes:

• Changed memcheck to memtest.

• Enabled Show Picker. Without this, a boot picker will not appear.

• The file sample-short.plist should be used first. Simply rename it to config.plist and add serial numbers. This is a very bare bones configuration, which is better for first-time tests.
• The file sample-long.plist has been modified as follows:

Recommendation:

• Start with sample-short.plist.
• Rename it to config.plist and add serial numbers.
  • Use iMacPro1,1 because RestrictEvents.kext is not included in the short plist.
• Let's see how far we can get with sample-short.plist.

Reminders:

1. With sample-short.plist you will not get a graphical OpenCore picker. It will be text mode.
2. Each time you boot the system with this file, OpenCore will create a Sys Report in the EFI partition. We only need one Sys Report, so be sure to turn this off after the first boot, like this:
   
   
3. After first boot, please compress and post the entire Sys Report from the EFI partition of your USB flash disk. We will need to modify SSDT-CPUR-Z690.aml before you can install macOS.
4. Configure BIOS parameters as shown below.

BIOS Setup:

• Because you have DDR4, enabling XMP 2.0 Memory Profile 1 should be okay.
• It's okay to enable or disable VT-d, but I have checked-on DisableIOMapper and unchecked SSDT-DMAR, which means AppleVTD is intentionally disabled to be safe.
• Your BIOS contains CFG-Lock so set it to Disabled.
• Set Internal Graphics to Disabled. The Intel UHD 770 iGPU is not supported in macOS. It's based on Xe graphics.
• Look for an option to disable E-Cores. Disable them all.
• Look for XHC Handoff and be sure to Enable it.
• If there's anything resembling Super IO Configuration or Serial Port, Disable it.
• Resizable BAR Support can be Enabled.
• Optional: Also look for an option to enable AVX-512. Try setting it to Enabled.

 

[etorix]

@CaseySJ Thanks for your corrections and the suggestion to actually use both variants in succession.
The goal on the first attempt is to get the full SysReport and a log to see how OpenCore is doing (report on slides, MAT support, etc.); with an unsupported system, anything beyond that is a bonus.

 

[CaseySJ]

All of the Z690 motherboards that feature WiFi 6E use an Intel AX210 or AX211 module. Support for these modules is available to a limited degree ("alpha" quality) at this time. What's more important is that these modules should be better supported soon when AirportItlwm 2.1.0 stable is released.

Standard WiFi 6 (not 6E) is provided by AX200 and AX201. AirportItlwm recognizes these modules.

Note, however, that AirportItlwm does not appear to support 802.11ax connections at this time, but it will connect at 802.11n and 802.11ac. Additionally, it does not appear to support WPA3 security at this time. WPA2 is supported.

 

[DJ4MC]

I just read this post from the beginning and feel like I am inside a spy novel. Awesome work on this. I have a M1Max 14" arriving tomorrow (hopefully) and my Hack is still running strong. I'm gonna stay glued to this thread and others. I see another build a year or so from now. My Z390 marches onward at 3 years old. I'm glad I maxed it out at the time.

 

[c-o-pr]

To help develop expectations for Alder Lake hacks, the Architecture changes are a big deal at an OS level. If it can work at all, it will be prolly be crippled without Apple support. There are support changes in required for key devices, not the least of which is the allocation of the CPU itself (what under Windows is called 'thread director') new RAM and bus operational factor esp related to bugaboo power, new instruction schemas associated with top performance traits (eg AVX). There are so many compatibility facets that while it wouldn't be astonishing to see it boot, the performance and functional caveats will be hobbling to the point of being useless to ordinary hackintosh users.

I apologize if I come across as negative, but expectations that there's a hot new option for hacks that will track the PC industry on a large scale without Apple's support is absurd. At this point no announcement from Apple is forthcoming. There's every reason to expect that Mac Pro will also go ASi.

The writing is on the wall. Apple has proven it owes Intel nothing, and can stand on its own.

Even if Apple releases support for new Intel they are clearly moving to put all software under crypto lock-and-key.

Apple has no interest in PC enthusiasts. They never have. Jobs used to pretend he did, with his smug grin and jaw set for the long game. If you want to understand how Apple feels about its users look at the evolution of iTunes and the pivotal moment a decade ago when you woke up to find that you ripped CDs had all been helpfully replaced with crypto-keyed iTunes cloud references that would die with you.

It pains me to write this, but Apple doesn't like you and doesn't want you. You are tolerated as a consumer. Apple's goodwill goes no farther than this. To think Apple is great because of your wowie hack is an understandable form crazytown derangement.

As uncomfortable as it is to acknowledge the brevity of life, it must be faced.

It's a fair plan for old birds to age-out and die running z490 and take their old apps to the grave.

But enthusiast forums thrive on the energy of the young, not the wisdom of the old.

The future for this scene belongs with Linux. Do it now, or do it later; that's what's to come. Gotta face it.

As to Windows, Apple is teaching old Gates that he had his sights set too low!

 

[CaseySJ]

@c-o-pr

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Someone once said, it’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. We can try and fail, but often it’s the journey that matters.

You have decided to quit without even trying. That’s your choice.

 

[eos1d3]

Just a guess and may be wrong. It seems Windows 10 can run Alder Lake without new processor driver. And Intel only releases Alder Lake graphics driver for Windows 10.

So it can mean Alder Lake chipsets may be compatible with previous generations. So there is still a chance.