Asus Rampage IV Extreme X79 - Guide: Extract & Edit your own DSDT

[ctucker]

Update

I reformatted and reinstalled OSX. Had to use "npci=0x3000" to get into the OS after installation, nothing else.

Downloaded multibeast again and followed your recommendations to the letter. The install failed twice. Going to go through the motions again to see where I might have messed something up.

I don't know if I'm in the right place for \Extra. I couldn't find it before I installed multibeast and when I look there now I can't find anything called org.chameleon.boot.plist. I see dozens of other .plist files...

I'll update after I reinstall and try again.

Update - I reinstalled OSX. Again followed your multibeast instructions to the letter. It looked like the install got through to "validating" but soon after failed. Going to go ahead with the rest of your instructions and install your kexts and use kextbeast. If it doesn't work, I'll stop here for the night. Otherwise, I'll update in a bit.

To answer your earlier question - no I have not installed Voodoo. Should I?

 

[shilohh]

I reformatted and reinstalled OSX. Had to use "npci=0x3000" to get into the OS after installation, nothing else.

You will need to add it to org.chameleon the way I previously mentioned.

I don't know if I'm in the right place for \Extra. I couldn't find it before I installed multibeast and when I look there now I can't find anything called org.chameleon.boot.plist. I see dozens of other .plist files...

/Extra = a folder named "Extra" located at the root of your boot drive. It is generated when you install the Chameleon or Chimera bootloader. I assumed multibeast would generate a org.chameleon.boot.plist when it installed Chimera but it may not unless you choose easybeast or userDSDT/DSDTfree. Both of these install options do some things that are unnecessary for our system but won't hurt. Multibeast is pretty much an all inclusive beginner friendly tool for the TonyMac recommended Gigabyte motherboards but it is incomplete and in some cases incorrect for ours and many other Asus motherboards. TonyMac makes no secret that they only support gigabyte motherboards and all the testing they do is for and on Gigabyte boards. Allot of their tools can effectively be used for Asus builds. However, you do need to know what to use and what not to. I personally no longer use chimera or multibeast. I'm using the most current version of chameleon for my bootloader and all the most current kexts I can find (from the developers that multibeast got them from).

To answer your earlier question - no I have not installed Voodoo. Should I?

Yes you NEED voodooTSCSync (included in the zip I posted) or the flag "cpus=1" for your system to boot. cpus=1 forces the use of just 1 cpu thread. voodooTSCSync allows the system to use all cores correctly. Ever since Asus switched to the new CAP bios format, voodooTSCSync or cpus=1 has been necessary. This may have been your problem all along. This info was in MK500's thread. I have changed my recommended settings for you in my last post so please refer back to it and re-download the newer ShiKexts.zip to use with the new recommended settings.

 

[pdf5]

@shilohh

hi ,

quick question..

can i edit the bios version of the dsdt file by your method ?

if yes can you tell me what to edit ?

thanks in advance

 

[shilohh]

can i edit the bios version of the dsdt file by your method ?
if yes can you tell me what to edit ?
thanks in advance

Are you asking if you can use any BIOS version? Yes. Whatever BIOS you are using is the one that will be extracted. But, every time you update the bios you will need to re-extract and edit a new DSDT from it. Your current DSDT must match your current BIOS.

If you are asking about the part on page 1 "You can change "Name (TMAC, "R4E 3404")" to read whatever you'd like it to." , this part is not read by the system. It is only a note for yourself to see when you open it in a DSDT editor.

 

[pdf5]

Are you asking if you can use any BIOS version? Yes. Whatever BIOS you are using is the one that will be extracted. But, every time you update the bios you will need to re-extract and edit a new DSDT from it. Your current DSDT must match your current BIOS.

.

i am asking a bout this part, the part that the system is going to read

then what to edit ?

 

[shilohh]

i am asking a bout this part, the part that the system is going to read
then what to edit ?

You don't need to edit anything. If you want to update your BIOS, remove your current DSDT from /Extra. Shut down. Update the BIOS. Follow this guide again to create a new DSDT that matches your new BIOS. You will need to do this after every time you update your BIOS.

 

[ctucker]

Shilohh is freakin awesome!

IT WORKED!!!

SHILOHH, THANK YOU SO MUCH! You should've seen it! I was dancing around singing songs and replacing people's names in them with yours - don't ask.. My wife nearly fell over laughing...

Thank you! Thank you! I really appreciate your help and your patience!

I had to run Easybeast before I could get the Extra folder to install so I could make the Kernel Flag edits you were talking about.For some reason Extra didn't install with the UserDSDT or DSDT-Free Installation, maybe that's how it's supposed to work...I dunno. I selected everything you had suggested in your last uploaded jpg for multibeast. I left out the PCI Root ID Fix this time. The one other thing I did differently was to change System Definitions to 3,1 not 5,1. I was able to see before installation that my system ids itself as 3,1. I used your Shikexts (thanks for that, as well) From there I used your KF String when I couldn't get into the OS after reboot without ncpi=0x300. Shut down, removed the USB and booted from the pci card with no issues.

Thank you very much indeed, sir!

NOW...let's get that second 680 running and the audio, too.

My experience is that you want to install all your PCI-E cards before extracting your DSDT.

So, if I understand you right, the next steps would be
Shut down
Turn the power back on to the second 680 from the switch on the MB.
Maybe plug in my HDDs and the rest of my DDR3s?
Boot up, extract a new DSDT and follow your guide...

But what would the procedure be if I wanted to RAID my HDDs together? Would I do it before or after extracting the DSDT? Or both?!

I use a EFI string in my Extra/org.chameleon.boot.plist but I have also successfully accomplished dual card injection in the DSDT. I'll get you my EFI string stuff once you've got everything else running right. I prefer the EFI string method so I can boot with both cards without a DSDT if I need to. I needed to use my EFI string to boot so that I could extract a DSDT that would work.

So, It's vital that you get your PCI hardware set up properly before extracting your DSDT and know that you'll probably need to re-extract and edit a new DSDT if you change it around.

...you'll probably need to re-extract and edit a new one after getting your dual GPUs running right.

So i guess that makes my questions above irrelevant?

 

[shilohh]

@ctucker You're very welcome. I got the help from many generous users when I needed it. Now I just try to pay it forward when I can.

The one other thing I did differently was to change System Definitions to 3,1 not 5,1. I was able to see before installation that my system ids itself as 3,1.

That option just changes your smbios.plist to indicate 5,1. Your system did not identify itself as 3,1. The smbios.plist (default 3,1) in your unibeast installer told your system to identify itself as 3,1. Your system will identify itself as whatever you tell it to. In addition your system definition enables and disables functionality in OS X. 3,1 should work just fine but when the new OS comes out we'll all probably change our IDs to the not yet released new gen mac pro tubular thingy. For now if you want to change to Mac Pro 5,1 just open /Extra/smbios.plist in text edit and change 3,1 to 5,1 and save. When you reboot, your system will ID itself as 5,1. You could make it a Mac Mini if you wanted to but I wouldn't recommend it.

NOW...let's get that second 680 running and the audio, too.

First shut down and switch on your 2nd card. If you can boot and everything works then you won't need and EFI String. I did with my firmi cards. If you can't boot your in for some more complex work but I'm sure you'll figure it out. If you need it, I'll provide all my notes for you. Not many people use EFI Strings these days but I feel it is the most elegant solution to the dual GPU problem. You could use a DSDT edit but then you wouldn't be able to boot without the DSDT. Audio will work once you've installed your edited DSDT and rebooted.

But what would the procedure be if I wanted to RAID my HDDs together? Would I do it before or after extracting the DSDT? Or both?!

If you're using a PCI-E raid controller then yes, I'd install it and try to get it working before extracting. If you're just doing software raid and the drives are connected to the motherboard's SATA plugs then you can extract the DSDT first. I don't think it matters if your ram or SATA drives change but I would plug in all the ram and get every possible thing working first. The thing that miffs the DSDT is changes in the PCI-E cards.

 

[ctucker]

First shut down and switch on your 2nd card. If you can boot and everything works then you won't need an EFI String. I did with my firmi cards.

Okay, so something weird happened with this...maybe you'll have a thought, Shilohh? I turned the power back on to the 2nd GPU, but couldn't get my second monitor up and running. I don't know if overclocking before working on the DSDT is important or not, but I went ahead and did it because, TO ME, because the Bios helps create the DSDT, it would be best to have the Bios as ready as it can be before you start. Anyway, so I did get to OC the CPU - only 4.0. But the weird part is after I got the OC done and got the OS back up, the 2nd monitor/GPU was being read by the computer - weird....any thoughts on that? Also, my G. SKill DDR3, which is supposed to be 2133 was being read by the OS as 1066....not sure what that's about...maybe I have a bad ram pulling the others frequencies down?

If you need it, I'll provide all my notes for you. Not many people use EFI Strings these days but I feel it is the most elegant solution to the dual GPU problem. You could use a DSDT edit but then you wouldn't be able to boot without the DSDT. Audio will work once you've installed your edited DSDT and rebooted.

I'm about to redo the DSDT with your patches. I thought, since a few things have changed since I did the first one (hard drives installed, Blue-ray/DVD/CD burner/reader installed, OC'd CPU, etc.) it couldn't hurt to have the correct info on the DSDT. I have no issue if you think it'd be better to use the EFI string, but since I'm pretty seriously ADD I have to see if I can get audio up and running first. I'll let you know.

If you're using a PCI-E raid controller then yes, I'd install it and try to get it working before extracting. If you're just doing software raid and the drives are connected to the motherboard's SATA plugs then you can extract the DSDT first. I don't think it matters if your ram or SATA drives change but I would plug in all the ram and get every possible thing working first. The thing that miffs the DSDT is changes in the PCI-E cards.

No. I'm just planning on doing it through the OS, but then again I might not bother. All the drives are being read fine so far. If I have any kind of issue with Adobe, Maya, or any of the other software I'm planning on using for my work, i'll look into it. But I can't see a reason why that would be.

 

[shilohh]

I turned the power back on to the 2nd GPU, but couldn't get my second monitor up and running. I don't know if overclocking before working on the DSDT is important or not, but I went ahead and did it because, TO ME, because the Bios helps create the DSDT, it would be best to have the Bios as ready as it can be before you start. Anyway, so I did get to OC the CPU - only 4.0. But the weird part is after I got the OC done and got the OS back up, the 2nd monitor/GPU was being read by the computer - weird....any thoughts on that?

OC shouldn't change anything GPU wise. Not sure about why it didn't work the first time unless it was using a older kernel cache. I would do some benchmarks and make sure that both cards are fully accelerated and that OpenCL and Quarts Extreme are running. Apps I use: CudaZ, Heaven (Open GL), LuxMark (OpenCL), and Cinebench even though it's not accurate on NVidia.

Also, my G. SKill DDR3, which is supposed to be 2133 was being read by the OS as 1066....not sure what that's about...maybe I have a bad ram pulling the others frequencies down?

You have to set your BIOS xmp mode correctly: http://www.gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=10842

I'm about to redo the DSDT with your patches. I thought, since a few things have changed since I did the first one (hard drives installed, Blue-ray/DVD/CD burner/reader installed, OC'd CPU, etc.) it couldn't hurt to have the correct info on the DSDT. I have no issue if you think it'd be better to use the EFI string, but since I'm pretty seriously ADD I have to see if I can get audio up and running first. I'll let you know.

If both cards are working and fully accelerated, there is no need for EFI String.

No. I'm just planning on doing it through the OS, but then again I might not bother.

Software raid within the OS shouldn't effect anything DSDT wise.