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<< Solved >> Catalina on Biostar TH55HD Socket 1156 with Sapphire Pulse RX580 - CLOVER & OC

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Given that our motherboards are not the same, it's very possible that my DSDT (for TH55HD) has critical differences that are not compatible with your motherboard (TH55B). Even the slightest memory offset differences could be a problem.

Let's try one more thing... I had forgotten that I advised you to try iMac14,2 without your Nvidia card. It's the approach that I used when I was first installing Mojave here. Remove your Nvidia graphics card and use Clover Configurator to change your SMBIOS MacModel to iMac14,2. Your test should be as follows:
  • No external GPU (we'll use the I5 IGPU for this test)
  • The last DSDT.aml that I provided here
  • In your config.plist, SMBIOS MacModel iMac14,2 (change with Clover Configurator so that the Board-ID is changed as well)
  • In your config.plist, enable "Fix USB" and "Fix USB Ownership"
  • Remove SSDT-UIAC.aml from CLOVER/ACPI/patched
  • Remove Lilu.kext, WhateverGreen.kext and AppleALC.kext from CLOVER/ACPI/kexts/Other
Before I bought the board I compared the two and everything seemed pretty close. I think you are right when mentioning the USB differences. I will try this next. I think I will try a 100% clean build of the USB install drive.

While slightly frustrating it’s definitely a process I do not mind. I consider it a learning experience only aiding in my understanding of the underpinnings of the OS. You’d be a at how building a Hackintosh has taught me stuff for my career in I.T.

Again, I appreciate the assistance
 
Given that our motherboards are not the same, it's very possible that my DSDT (for TH55HD) has critical differences that are not compatible with your motherboard (TH55B). Even the slightest memory offset differences could be a problem.

Let's try one more thing... I had forgotten that I advised you to try iMac14,2 without your Nvidia card. It's the approach that I used when I was first installing Mojave here. Remove your Nvidia graphics card and use Clover Configurator to change your SMBIOS MacModel to iMac14,2. Your test should be as follows:
  • No external GPU (we'll use the I5 IGPU for this test)
  • The last DSDT.aml that I provided here
  • In your config.plist, SMBIOS MacModel iMac14,2 (change with Clover Configurator so that the Board-ID is changed as well)
  • In your config.plist, enable "Fix USB" and "Fix USB Ownership"
  • Remove SSDT-UIAC.aml from CLOVER/ACPI/patched
  • Remove Lilu.kext, WhateverGreen.kext and AppleALC.kext from CLOVER/ACPI/kexts/Other
So I built a new USB installer from scratch and went through doing a one pass wipe of it via Terminal. Created a new Catalina installer drive via the terminal command, installed Clover via the first guide. Then removed the specified kexts, used the iMac 14,2 SMBIOS definition and added the respective changes for USB and used the DSDT.aml you provided and removed the GPU, it did not work. So I did a bit of searching on Google for "Socket 1156, Catalina". I found a link from another site that took me down a bit of a rabbit hole and found a pre-compiled Vanilla EFI folder for socket 1156 boards. I removed the GPU and started right up from the USB drive with that EFI folder. I know how others are here when mentioning other pages and sources. If you would like to know feel free to PM me here. It's currently running the install and is at the second part, first reboot. If everything is successful once it fully installs with an independent boot of the SSD I will try the DSDT you made and add the GPU. I am using the iMac14,2 SMBIOS for this install.

As of now we have a successful install, moved the EFI folder for the install to the EFI folder with a successful startup with the MacPro 5,1 SMBIOS.
It is now stopping on the "'gIOScreenLockState 3" error when adding the geForce 710. Without the GPU it stops. I think it may be the geForce 710, but I've tried it with a 2nd one I have and I get the same results. This seems to be pointing at the GPU issue. Is there a way to disable the iGPU on this board?
After almost trying everything and doing a ton of research on the error I thought "well, let's try the DSDT you provided? I've tried everything else". IT WORKED!!! Many thanks!!! My Sawtooth build is alive again :)
 
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So I built a new USB installer from scratch and went through doing a one pass wipe of it via Terminal. Created a new Catalina installer drive via the terminal command, installed Clover via the first guide. Then removed the specified kexts, used the iMac 14,2 SMBIOS definition and added the respective changes for USB and used the DSDT.aml you provided and removed the GPU, it did not work. So I did a bit of searching on Google for "Socket 1156, Catalina". I found a link from another site that took me down a bit of a rabbit hole and found a pre-compiled Vanilla EFI folder for socket 1156 boards. I removed the GPU and started right up from the USB drive with that EFI folder. I know how others are here when mentioning other pages and sources. If you would like to know feel free to PM me here. It's currently running the install and is at the second part, first reboot. If everything is successful once it fully installs with an independent boot of the SSD I will try the DSDT you made and add the GPU. I am using the iMac14,2 SMBIOS for this install.

As of now we have a successful install, moved the EFI folder for the install to the EFI folder with a successful startup with the MacPro 5,1 SMBIOS.
It is now stopping on the "'gIOScreenLockState 3" error when adding the geForce 710. Without the GPU it stops. I think it may be the geForce 710, but I've tried it with a 2nd one I have and I get the same results. This seems to be pointing at the GPU issue. Is there a way to disable the iGPU on this board?
After almost trying everything and doing a ton of research on the error I thought "well, let's try the DSDT you provided? I've tried everything else". IT WORKED!!! Many thanks!!! My Sawtooth build is alive again :)
Wow! Your persistence has definitely paid off. Well done!
 
Wow! Your persistence has definitely paid off. Well done!
I’m not sure if it is persistence or if it is being stubborn. I was super close to scrapping it and getting a brand new modern board and processor. Right now DDR4 RAM is way more than it should be.
I’m going to reuse the H55 MSI board in another build using the same EFI configuration. In theory it should work.
 
Wow! Your persistence has definitely paid off. Well done!
I’m not sure if it is persistence or if it is being stubborn. I was super close to scrapping it and getting a brand new modern board and processor.
 
When attempting to use the DVI port on my Sapphire Pulse RX580, the DVI display would boot to black screen. This fix from @foxbox does the trick! I haven't updated the EFI attached to Post #1 in this thread, but I am now running WITHOUT WhateverGreen (only DSDT property patches for the RX580).

EDIT: My HackPro5,1 triple-boots High Sierra 10.13.6, Mojave 10.14.6 and Catalina 10.15.5. This solution works for all three OSes. I am running without WEG on all three OSes and the Sapphire Pulse RX580 runs "natively" on all three.
 
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I upgraded from 10.15.5 to 10.15.6 by doing the following:
  1. Backup your Catalina volume (use CarbonCopy or your favorite backup utility)
  2. Upgrade Clover on your SSD (your Catalina disk) to r5119
  3. Upgrade Lilu.kext, AppleALC.kext and WhateverGreen.kext (if you are using WhateverGreen.kext) to the latest versions
  4. Create "vanilla" Catalina 10.15.6 installer USB thumb drive
  5. Install Clover (Legacy) r5119 on the USB thumb drive and configure the thumb drive's EFI as per Post #1 in this thread with two exceptions: place all 3rd-party kexts in E/C/k/O in the thumb drive's EFI, change the SMBIOS MacModel to MacPro6,1 (use Clover Configurator to make the SMBIOS change or manually change the Board-ID to 'Mac-F60DEB81FF30ACF6' - a valid MacPro6,1 Board-ID) (Catalina won't install on MacPro5,1 and unlike 10.15.4 and earlier, 10.15.6 installer checks for a valid Board-ID in addition to the MacModel)
  6. Boot from the USB installer and select the Catalina installer on the USB
  7. When the first phase of the 10.15.6 install finishes, ignore the error "An error occurred while preparing the installation" and reboot from the USB
  8. At the Clover boot screen, select the Catalina installer on your Catalina Data volume (not on the USB)
  9. After the Catalina 10.15.6 installer reboots, boot from the USB and select the Catalina installer on your Catalina Data volume for a second time (not the installer on the USB)
  10. When the second phase of the 10.15.6 install finishes, ignore the error "The bless tool was unable to set the current boot disk" and reboot from the USB.
  11. At the Clover boot screen, select the upgraded Catalina volume (not the Catalina Installer which is left because of the error in Step 10)
  12. Follow the prompts to configure Catalina 10.15.6
  13. Remove /System/Volumes/Data/'macOS Install Data' which is left because of the error in Step #10
  14. Eject the USB thumb drive and reboot
  15. Welcome to Catalina 10.15.6! Catalina 10.15.6 will run fine on your MacPro5,1 with the -no_compat_check boot arg.
Potential Issues and their solutions
  • Catalina 10.15.6 installer does not recognize a suitable volume to upgrade (all volumes are grayed-out): you forgot to temporarily modify the SMBIOS MacModel (changing to MacPro6,1) and Board-ID (changing to a Board-ID for MacPro6,1)
  • Catalina 10.15.6 installer boots to a black screen when display is connected to RX580 DVI port: For the 10.15.6 update, use a DP->DVI adapter on one of the RX580 DP ports (do not use the RX580 DVI port for the update).
  • I did not have to disable the DVI kext patch during my Catalina update; however, if you still experiencing a blackscreen during Catalina install/update after switching to DP->DVI adapter, you may need to disable the kext patch. After the install/update is complete, restore your RX580 DVI port connection and enable your DVI kext patch.
 

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The USBMap tool indicates that the Catalina 10.15.6 IOUSBHostFamily.kext still includes USB power properties for the MacPro5,1 (even though MacPro5,1 is no longer officially supported by Catalina).

Screen Shot 2020-07-16 at 1.13.33 PM.png
 
I upgraded to Catalina 10.15.7 by following my 10.15.6 steps here. No issues - functionality appears to be unchanged.

Note that I have upgraded to CLOVER r5122.
 

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Upgrading to Catalina 10.15.X from Mojave 10.14.6 or from Catalina 10.15.X-1 is easily achieved with a vanilla USB Installer that has the target version of Catalina.

Before you perform the upgrade, BACKUP the partition that you're upgrading.

After you create the vanilla USB installer, insert the USB installer and boot your hack from your boot drive (where your Clover config.plist specifies SMBIOS MacModel MacPro5,1). At the Clover launch screen, move the cursor to Options and change the Clover SMBIOS MacModel to MacPro6,1 (Catalina installer will not install on a MP5,1). Then select and launch the macOS installer on the USB. When the Catalina installer is loaded, select the target partition (with your old version of macOS) and start the install. The Catalina installer will upgrade the target partition while retaining all of your data/programs. If all partitions are grayed-out (unselectable), you forgot to change the MacModel to MP6,1.

Until the upgrade is complete, you will need to change the Clover SMBIOS MacModel to MacPro6,1 before launching the next phase of the Catalina installer (after each Catalina installer reboot). If you don't want to change the MacModel each time, install Clover on your USB installer and edit the config.plist on the USB (changing the MacModel to MP6,1). Then boot from the USB before each phase of the Catalina install.

After the upgrade process is complete, remove the USB and boot from your upgraded boot drive (with SMBIOS MacModel MacPro5,1). With the Clover boot flag -no_compat_check, Catalina will run fine on the MP5,1 after installation/upgrade.
Hello,

I have a similar P55 MB (GA-P55-UD2) and following your guide I have been able to make it through most of the upgrade from Mojave. I am currently stuck on the last part of the upgrade; every time I select the "Boot macOS from HDD" option in Clover, I briefly get the Apple logo before the system beeps once and then reboots. Every time. Any ideas what I could be doing wrong? I posted my files in the thread below:


Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Bruno
 
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