<< Solved >> Comet Lake 10900k: can't enable iGPU for headless mode

[10tacle]

Hi there,

hopefully this counts as "graphics".
As the title says I'm having trouble making the iGPU work in headless mode. I have a 6900 XT as the main display output, but I need the iGPU in headless mode in order to make sidecar work. I followed Dortania's guide and added the entries exactly as shown here https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Install-Guide/config.plist/comet-lake.html#deviceproperties

So as for the path I added PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x2,0x0) and according to the guide the only key I need is AAPL,ig-platform-id with 0300C89B. It says "Used when the Desktop iGPU is only used for computing tasks and doesn't drive a display". It also says "Headless framebuffers (where the dGPU is the display out) do not need framebuffer-patch-enable and framebuffer-stolenmem" so I left them out (tested with them too, but that didn't do either).

I enabled both GPUs in the BIOS, while the dGPU remains as the primary output. The iGPU is set to 64 MB.

And yet macOS doesn't recognize my iGPU at all and the iPad is only showing a black screen when trying to use sidecar. I don't see the iGPU in my system report either. I have absolutely no idea why it isn't working because with my old setup (Z370 + 8700k) I had no trouble enabling the iGPU at all and it was the exact same procedure.

Any ideas?

iMac 20,2
6900 XT
MSI Z590 Torpedo
Intel 10900k Comet Lake
macOS Monterey 12.5
OpenCore 0.8.3

Here's my config file (with removed serial numbers and stuff) if anyone bothers to look into it. It would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Edhawk]

The IGPU doesn't show in System Information > Graphics/Displays when it is set in Headless mode, i.e. with an empty framebuffer. Only the discrete GPU is shown, along with the display(s) connected.

You might want to try using a different framebuffer, the one you are using is the 'Default' empty framebuffer, it is not the only headless Desktop framebuffer you can use.

0x9BC50003 would be the most logical to use, as your i9-10900K IGPU has the device ID 0x9BC5.

When entering this framebuffer you have to do the reverse-pair swap so you use 0300C59B in the config.plist.

You could also try 0x9BC40003 - 0300C49B, as that is another Comet Lake empty framebuffer for a Desktop system.

 

[c-o-pr]

My experience with a similar config (i9-10900K, z590, W5700 Pro, iMac20,2) was to use:

PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x2,0x0)
framebuffer-patch-enable Data <01000000>
AAPL,ig-platform-id Data <07009B3E>

And bootarg:

agdpmod=pikera

But no other WEG config.

The UHD 630 appeared in System Report alongside the Radeon and was usable via VDA.

I never tried Sidecar.

 

[10tacle]

Oh I had no idea there are other framebuffers that work for this CPU as my search results always referred to 0300C89B.
Thank you guys, will try and report back!

Update:
0300C59B didn't work either, but 7009B3E did! Sidecar is working now!

I haven't changed anything else. I still left out the framebuffer patch, so apparently not needed after all.

My UHD 630 still isn't showing in system report, but I think it's due to what Edhawk said.
Maybe it was different for c-o-pr because he used the framebuffer patch?
Not that it matters though.

Anyway, it's flawless. I finally get to use my iPad as a drawing tablet when working from home just like in the office.
Thank you guys!

 

[Middleman]

Oh I had no idea there are other framebuffers that work for this CPU as my search results always referred to 0300C89B.
Thank you guys, will try and report back!

Update:
0300C59B didn't work either, but 7009B3E did! Sidecar is working now!

I haven't changed anything else. I still left out the framebuffer patch, so apparently not needed after all.

My UHD 630 still isn't showing in system report, but I think it's due to what Edhawk said.
Maybe it was different for c-o-pr because he used the framebuffer patch?
Not that it matters though.

Anyway, it's flawless. I finally get to use my iPad as a drawing tablet when working from home just like in the office.
Thank you guys!

Good work on the IGPU! When setting up the Comet Lake chipset on macOS unfortunately it’s a little more complex. That’s because depending on the OS and CPU you are using, the settings differ. On High Sierra up to Catalina I generally set it to spoof Coffee Lake CPUID and IGPU. On Big Sur onwards I disable CPUID spoofing ie. leave it blank but use either 07009BC8 for i5 or 07009BC5 for the i9 10900K.

 

[10tacle]

Guys, another question. When the iGPU is in headless mode, is it normal that macOS needs almost a minute to boot up? Not sure if it's literally a minute, but it's definitely much much longer than before. I'd say it takes twice as long now.

 

[GeraldB]

Guys, another question. When the iGPU is in headless mode, is it normal that macOS needs almost a minute to boot up? Not sure if it's literally a minute, but it's definitely much much longer than before. I'd say it takes twice as long now.

add agdpmod=pikera to NVRAM as bootstring as @c-o-pr stated will make it faster.

 

[c-o-pr]

Sry, to be clear,
agdpmod=pikera
gets AMD eGPU working

MacOS / Whatevergreen knows what to do with the Comet Lake iGPU regarding VDA/Quicksync (headless) without additional config, assuming a compatible SMBIOS e.g., iMac20,2

As to delays re GPU, I've never had anything to say about that, and I am not an expert on hack config at all.

I do have experience using z590 + 10900K so that's why I know that iGPU works natively.

Hth

 

[Middleman]

Guys, another question. When the iGPU is in headless mode, is it normal that macOS needs almost a minute to boot up? Not sure if it's literally a minute, but it's definitely much much longer than before. I'd say it takes twice as long now.

To reduce the delay for the 6900XT we need to add in SSDT-BRG.aml & SSDT-XSPI.aml. We also need to add:

Key: CFG,CFG_USE_AGDC
Value: 01000000
Type: DATA

and

agdpmod=pikera swd_panic=1 forceRenderStandby=0
for the boot-arg. This will reduce the delay.

 

[10tacle]

Thank you guys, will try and report back!