dreaded result for 1st timer

[wstrohm]

No expert here for sure, but you might want to read this article. The "SSDT-EC.aml" file was written, as you can see, for a very early version of Catalina. By 10.15.4 this problem may have gone away. Up to you if you want to try removing it from CLOVER/ACPI/patched and see if anything gets better.

I noticed your "ApfsDriverLoader.efi" UEFI driver is only 8 KB. I downloaded the latest version ("AppleSupport-2.1.6") from Acidanthera and see that it is 25 KB in length. Attached below is a zip of that download; you might want to replace your UEFI driver(s) with the contents of its "Drivers" folder to see if that helps. It's attached below.

[Edit: I notice that in the "ACPI" window of your config.plist that you need to check the "Plugin Type" box way over on the lower right of that window. Also in the "Boot" window, since your motherboard uses an AMI UEFI firmware, you probably need to add "slide=0" from the pop-up context menu. (I don't know whether you need "dart=0" or not; none of my computers need that).

FYI, in "CLOVER/drivers/UEFI" that "AudioDxe.efi" file is for the purpose of enabling the "BLING" sound during startup on a Mac (or so I have read) and on a Hackintosh it is not needed unless you have implemented that feature.]

 

[sch576]

This is excellent intel. I will attempt with the new drivers. Given the nature of my hang, the prospect of an updated ApfsDriverLoader is encouraging. I'm really confused on the ACPI/patches/SSDT-EC.aml file. Is this going to be motherboard specific? Do I need to find help getting one prepared for my motherboard?

I redid the Clover F4 command to repopulate my ACPI/origin, but I've grown confused by what to do with it.

Some threads recommend the procedure using SSDTTime-master. I've done this, but it didn't help.
Another tells me to use the IASL program. With this I get a segmentation fault error after it reports progress, but I don't see any modified files. I attach that output, just in case it is relevant.

Thank you for the advice and patience. I really don't want this hardware to be a paper weight.

 

[wstrohm]

I'm really confused on the ACPI/patches/SSDT-EC.aml file. Is this going to be motherboard specific?

Yes, since the file looks as though it should be derived from your DSDT file in EFI/CLOVER/ACPI/origin, it would have to be specific to your motherboard. I've only used my DSDT to create an SSDT for the XHC USB ports; I have no experience with "SSDT-EC.aml." Afraid you are over my head here, sorry. If you know (from the article I linked) how to do that, go for it. Since I have your DSDT, I could try it (from that article) if you like, but I guarantee nothing!

I redid the Clover F4 command to repopulate my ACPI/origin, but I've grown confused by what to do with it.

If you copy the particular SSDT from your DSDT in "origin" to your desktop and open it as a ".dsl" file in "MaciASL.app", then you can edit the file as required, check it by compiling it in that app, and if there are no errors (that can be tricky), then saving it as an ".aml" file (machine language binary) and put it in your CLOVER/ACPI/patched folder. As I wrote, I have only done this for my USB port selection and have no idea if I could help here. But I would try if you feel lost.

The "segmentation error" might be one or more compilation errors from the attempt to save from the .dsl format to the .aml format, which is what I meant above as "tricky."

There is a version 1.1.2 of VirtualSMC (you have 1.1.1) which I have attached below.

[Edit: I opened your DSDT and went through the process in my link above and got results. Since you have the "automerge" box checked in your config.plist, putting the "SSDT-EC.aml" file I generated into your "CLOVER/ACPI/patched" folder should result in a good "EC" item in your IORegistryExplorer window. if not, then this didn't fix the issue. I attached both the ".dsl" and ".aml" files in the zip folder below.

Also I am sending your CLOVER folder back to you with the SSDT I made, the ACPI BIOS update patch installed, and VirtualSMC.kext v1.1.2. Give it a try first!]

 

[sch576]

Yes, since the file looks as though it should be derived from your DSDT file in EFI/CLOVER/ACPI/origin, it would have to be specific to your motherboard. I've only used my DSDT to create an SSDT for the XHC USB ports; I have no experience with "SSDT-EC.aml." Afraid you are over my head here, sorry. If you know (from the article I linked) how to do that, go for it. Since I have your DSDT, I could try it (from that article) if you like, but I guarantee nothing!


If you copy the particular SSDT from your DSDT in "origin" to your desktop and open it as a ".dsl" file in "MaciASL.app", then you can edit the file as required, check it by compiling it in that app, and if there are no errors (that can be tricky), then saving it as an ".aml" file (machine language binary) and put it in your CLOVER/ACPI/patched folder. As I wrote, I have only done this for my USB port selection and have no idea if I could help here. But I would try if you feel lost.

The "segmentation error" might be one or more compilation errors from the attempt to save from the .dsl format to the .aml format, which is what I meant above as "tricky."

There is a version 1.1.2 of VirtualSMC (you have 1.1.1) which I have attached below.

[Edit: I opened your DSDT and went through the process in my link above and got results. Since you have the "automerge" box checked in your config.plist, putting the "SSDT-EC.aml" file I generated into your "CLOVER/ACPI/patched" folder should result in a good "EC" item in your IORegistryExplorer window. if not, then this didn't fix the issue. I attached both the ".dsl" and ".aml" files in the zip folder below.

Also I am sending your CLOVER folder back to you with the SSDT I made, the ACPI BIOS update patch installed, and VirtualSMC.kext v1.1.2. Give it a try first!]

Exciting! I'm very grateful for this help.
I have a question. How will I know if the patched SSDT-EC has resulted in a good "EC" item? You suggest that it will show up in the IORegistryExplorer (I'm going to look for this) and if it does, this suggests the file is valid, right? It doesn't necessarily guarantee that it works on the hardware?

I'll report on this shortly.

 

[wstrohm]

How will I know if the patched SSDT-EC has resulted in a good "EC" item?

Open IORegistryExplorer.app and scroll down until you find "EC" as one item in the list under "AppleACPIPlatformExpert." (I think that is shown in the link above to the SSDT creation procedure.) If it still says "EC0", then the SSDT didn't "take."

[Edit: If still not working, this article is supposed to be very good, although it applies to using an ASUS X299-type mobo on Mojave, not Catalina... but maybe worth a read.]
[Edit 2: Here is another, follow-up X299 support thread (more recent). These motherboards are far beyond my knowledge; I think you need to address questions to these folks.]