[Success] Gigabyte Z170MX Gaming 5 | Sierra

Components

Intel i5-7600k Processor
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015VPX2EO/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=2MN-0004-00002

Pure Rock Slim Processor Cooler
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KVNCEIG/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA68V2326642

Gigabyte Z170MX Gaming 5
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014W200G0/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128844

2x 8Gb - Crucial Sport LT 2400MHz Memory
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UFF7Y4A/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148985

Bitfenix Prodigy M White Case
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GVAQ2T6/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4M53XU0737


Already Owned

MSI Nvidia 750Ti 1GB Graphics Card

Samsung 850 EVO 250GB SSD
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OAJ412U/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA2W02CZ2241

Corsair CX750M PSU (Yes, overkill, but it's a spare)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ALK3KEM/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139051

Noctua and Pure Wings Fans


Comments

The Build

I built this machine for working with audio and various tasks. Went for a Gigabyte board for the easy installation and support (and hopefully working Thunderbolt).

Overclock to 4.6GHz, temps are around 30-50 Celcius.

Use Stork's guide for my 750Ti GPU - added EmuVariableUefi64

Thunderbolt 2:
The Gigabyte GC-2 card is working successfully with the Apple Thunderbolt - Firewire Adapter. It's also working with Thunderbolt2 - Thunderbolt2 connection, I've tested it with a Thunderbolt2 two disk RAID Western Digital dock;

No issues with Firewire. The Firewire adapter has to be connected when you turn on/boot your OS. Because it needs to be identified as IEEE1394 device/bus, as you connect Firewire devices. Same in Windows 10. I can hotswap (eject it/plug it in), tested with a harddrive and soundcard.

Regarding Thunderbolt2-Thunderbolt2, it also needs to be connected when you boot/start the OS. This is also true in Windows 10. In Windows10, I can hotswap, as long as it was connected at startup. In OSX Sierra, I can not.

I wonder if you have Thunderbolt2 dock/hub, this would not been an issue, just speculation.

Thunderbolt 3:
This motherboard also has the ability to upgrade the Firmware on the USB 3.1 Alpine Ridge controller to Thunderbolt. Which I havn't been successful with under Windows 10. Just keeps saying it needs to "Reboot twice" every time I try to upgrade it, and support seems very limited from Gigabyte.

Havn't tested the speed on the network but it says 1000 (1Gb).

Haven't tested iTunes video (DRM issue).

BIOS Settings

Installation
Installation was a breeze, just followed: Tonymac's guide

Post Install / MultiBeast
Used "Quick start"
and added:

What Does Work
Audio, Network, USB3, USB3.1 (half speed), sleep/wake, iMessage.

What doesn't work
Thunderbolt (TB2 - see comments), iCloud (can't autorize through my iphone with code)

-

EDIT:
Switched to a i5-7600K, had to fake the cpuid through Clover, 0x0506E3. Removed all *Sensors* kexts in /Library/Extentions/.

Interesting to see you've had no problem with F21 BIOS and sleep/wake (unlike me).

Made me wonder, is it's the choice of network/ethernet driver? We both have the same motherboard but I'm using the Atheros E2200 version 2.2.0 driver from MultiBeast. You're on 2.0.1 etc.

My motherboard is a version 1.0 variant. Might be worth me checking - when I'm feeling reckless!

Glad your own build is rock-solid, anyway

Did you install the latest Sierra 10.12?

UtterDisbelief said:

Interesting to see you've had no problem with F21 BIOS and sleep/wake (unlike me).

Made me wonder, is it's the choice of network/ethernet driver? We both have the same motherboard but I'm using the Atheros E2200 version 2.2.0 driver from MultiBeast. You're on 2.0.1 etc.

My motherboard is a version 1.0 variant. Might be worth me checking - when I'm feeling reckless!

Glad your own build is rock-solid, anyway

Click to expand...

Mine is also 1.0 atleast the package says so, could open the case just to make 100% sure

I have no problem puting it to sleep or wake, or using a settings/timer. But usuallay it's either on or off. Give the network driver a spin.

DavidStLouis said:

Did you install the latest Sierra 10.12?

Click to expand...

No, 10.12.1, havn't updated to .4 yet.

Hi i'm under the F21 and no pb with sleep or wake. GTX970 with webdrivers.

yellocab said:

Hi i'm under the F21 and no pb with sleep or wake. GTX970 with webdrivers.

Click to expand...

Weird, isn't it? True I was only testing F20 and had sleep problems - could be USB, Ethernet or GPU. Now I'm back at F4 I'll need to allocate a good chunk of time to try F21 - just in case anything goes wrong again

You can see my clover configuration here

Updated.
Switched to an i5-7600k (Kaby Lake) processor.

Thunderbolt update.