[Success] First Build, Core i5-8400, GA Z370N WIFI, i630, Airport card

b.kind · Aug 21, 2018

b.kind’s small white box mini-ITX build:
Core i5-8400 - GA-Z370N-WIFI - i630 - Airport

a small white box

Goal

Simple config, easy build, smooth install.
Using recommended modern components.
For home-office use. Replacing a dead 2011 macMini.
HD 630 integrated graphics. No external GPU.
Using stock intel cooler.

Because the ifixit.com repair site gives recent MBPs a repairability rating of 1 out of 10.
Because Apple (the hardware company) no longer releases the best HW. Just the smallest.
Because of the Mac Mini HW update schedule. Because of the Apple Tax.

I talked myself out of building a hackintosh half a dozen times, but I kept reading.
The documentation, tools & support community are persuasive.

Wireless

The MB’s integrated intel wireless chip does not speak Apple wireless. Gnashing of teeth. Planned to swap the intel wireless chip with an Airport chip, so macOS wireless can run ‘native’. (Hoping that this added complexity in the build will make for a cleaner install later on.)

While waiting for the hardware to arrive:

I read the manuals for the MB, PSU & Case. Short reading.
Looked at build videos online.
Read the MultiBeast manual at: http://www.multibeast.com
Looked at other people’s Z370N builds. Same motherboard, many different builds, each with different config choices.

https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...lent-ga-z370n-i5-8400-16gb-500gb-nvme.247619/
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/success-itx-gamer-ga-z370n-wifi-i5-8400-gtx-970.252483/
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/success-coffee-lake-i7-8700k-ga-z370n-wifi.240887/
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/success-gb-z370n-wifi-coffee-lake-i5-overclocked-gtx-1060.250342/
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...70n-wifi-evga-1060-sc-6gb-high-sierra.254876/
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/tiptoe-macmini-z370n-wifi-i5-8400.248443/

The Build

The case is a Mini ITX Cube Case - 10.9” x 10.2” x 12.4”.

Swap out the integrated intel wireless card for an Airport card First. (see Wireless below)
PSU —> Case - fan facing down.
CPU —> MB
Cooler —> CPU / MB
RAM —> MB
MB —> Case
Drive —> Case

Connect the case cables to the system panel connector.
(Power and Reset buttons, Power and HD lights.
2 Front USB 3.0 headers. 2 Front audio headers.)
Power to MB & SSD. Data Cable from MB to SSD.

Wireless

Airport card —> M.2 adapter card
M.2 adapter card —> MB

See: [Guide] Installing an Airport card into a GA-Z370N-WIFI motherboard
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...card-into-a-ga-z370n-wifi-motherboard.259300/

Nothing else about the build was remarkable. Went fast. The case was easy and fun to work with.
It does resemble something from these guys: https://www.cuisinart.com/shopping/appliances

The huge 200mm case fan has a 3-pin head. “All the fan headers on the MB have 4 pins.”
The 3-pin head fits nicely in the 4-pin header. It never shuts off, or makes noise.

Now is the time to attach the antenna. WIFI works without attaching the antenna. BT does not.

The Installation - UniBeast, Clover, macOS High Sierra, MultiBeast, a few drivers.

Jump down to message #4 of this thread, perform the instructions, and jump back here.

https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...n-wifi-i630-airport-card.258728/#post-1797792

Everything should be working except USB 3.0 and Audio.

Fixing USB 3.0

Jump down to message #26 of this thread, perform the instructions, and jump back here.

https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...-i630-airport-card.258728/page-3#post-1824177

Fixing Audio

Jump down to message #29 of this thread, perform the instructions, and jump back here.

https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...-i630-airport-card.258728/page-3#post-1824975

That's it, everything should be working.

First impressions

Zippy. Benchmarks aside, it just feels fast.
Quiet. Big slow case fan. Stock intel cooler. PSU fan doesn't need to run. (Probably drawing 120 watts.)
Cool. Not putting out much heat. (We live in the tropics, and our place gets warm.)

What works

Airport! WIFI and Bluetooth. (Remember to hook up the antennas.)
Gigabit Ethernet
HDMI video, with two monitors.
sleep / restart works great (Had a complete power failure in sleep mode. System came back up perfectly.).
Audio from the front and rear headphone jacks. (Sounds better in back.)
2 front USB 3.0 ports and 6 back USB 3.0 ports - all charge an iPhone, and transfer data at USB 3.0 speeds.
Time Machine, App Store, iCloud, Notes, iMessages can send and receive.

What does not work

Nothing I know of.

Known Issues

Installing flux caused the system to be unbootable. (Restored from backup.)
Installing MS Office 365 causes the system to be unstable. (Restored from backup.)

Somewhat amazed that all this stuff just works, as installed, with very little configuration on my part.
This is a hell of an accomplishment. Hats off to the gurus who did this and documented it.

Summary

My lovely wife now has a new hackintosh to replace her dead, 2011 macMini.
A small white box.
All for a few weeks of careful reading.

For the money we have saved, we have made a contribution to tonymacx86.

======
Benchmarks

No fine tuning done at all. Other system definitions (18,2 or 18,3) may work better.
I would welcome any suggestions in the matter.

b.kind · Aug 21, 2018

I am so close.

If I boot Clover from the local drive's EFI partition, I get rolling boots:
(BIOS to Clover to Apple logo and crawling line, very slow, then blank and repeat).
But if I boot Clover from the USB's EFI partition, the computer just boots macOS.

Just copy the EFI folder from the USB to the local EFI partition?
Could it be that simple?
I better understand the files first.

Need to learn Multi-Beast.
Might need to learn Clover Configurator.
=========

Edit:
Later, when I re-installed the OS (starting at Step 4 of the Installation Guide),
it booted from the HD with no problems.
So I must have messed up the first time.

P1LGRIM · Aug 21, 2018

b.kind said:
But if I boot Clover from the USB's EFI partition, the computer just boots macOS.

Start with the computer powered off.
Insert your USB installer.
Power on the computer and press your boot menu key - Usually F12 but YMMV.
At the boot menu screen select your USB flash drive as the boot device and boot.
At the Clover menu screen select your hard drive and boot.
When you get to the desktop download and run EFI Mounter and mount the EFI partition of your USB.
Copy the entire /EFI folder from the EFI partition of your USB to the desktop.
Eject the USB.
Run EFI Mounter again and mount the EFI partition of your HDD.
Delete the entire /EFI folder from the EFI partition of your HDD.
Copy the /EFI folder from your desktop to the EFI partition of your HDD.
Restart

You should now be able to boot from your HDD in the same way that you could previously boot from your USB.

b.kind · Aug 21, 2018

The Installation

These instructions are for macOS High Sierra only.

I followed the installation guide:
UniBeast: Install macOS High Sierra on Any Supported Intel-based PC
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...ierra-on-any-supported-intel-based-pc.235474/

The guide breaks the install down into 5 steps.
Step 1 - Download the OS, UniBeast, MultiBeast.
Step 2 - Create a bootable USB with UniBeast.
Step 3 - Recommended BIOS settings.
Step 4 - Install MacOS High Sierra
Step 5 - Post Installation with MultiBeast.

Step 1 - Download the OS, UniBeast, MultiBeast and EFI Mounter v3.

(Note to other newbies: do not ever run MultiBeast on a Mac. You can brick it.)

Step 2 - Create a bootable USB with UniBeast.

UniBeast Took 30 minutes to complete on a 2011 MBP.
Copied MultiBeast and EFI Mounter over to the “Install MacOS High Sierra” partition.
(Note to other newbies: do not ever use this USB drive to boot a genuine Apple computer. You can brick it.)

Step 3 - Recommended BIOS settings

Restart, DELETE key into BIOS.
>Save and Exit>Load Optimized Defaults
>Chipset/VT-d = Disabled
>Peripherals>USB…>XHCI Handoff = Enabled
>Peripherals>Integrated Display Output = IGFX
>Chipset>Integrated Graphics = Enabled
>Chipset>DVMT Pre-Allocated = 128
>Save and Exit.

Could not locate CFG-Lock, SecureBoot Mode, OS Type, or IO Serial Port.
My BIOS is version F3. There is an F4 and F5 out there. Perhaps later.
They appear to deal with exotic HW configurations.

Step 4 - Install MacOS High Sierra.

Put the USB drive in the slot.
Restart, F12 into BIOS. Boot from the USB's UEFI partition.
Clover starts. Select: External - Boot MacOS Install from Install MacOS High Sierra
Apple Installer loads …
Language = English.

Disk Utility
Show all devices
Format the target drive (not the volume or the container) (I named my local drive "SSD".)
Exit disk utility

Install macOS as usual. The computer will restart.

Leave the USB drive in the slot.
At Restart, F12 into BIOS. Boot from the USB's UEFI partition
Clover starts. Select: Boot macOS Install from SSD
Apple Logo, progress line, Installing on SSD … and the computer restarts.

Step 5 - Post Installation with MultiBeast.

Leave the USB drive in the slot.
At Restart, F12 into BIOS. Boot from the USB's UEFI partition.
Clover starts. Select: Boot macOS Install from SSD (or whatever you named it in disk utility, in step 4 above)
The macOS installer loads & runs.

Do not sign into WIFI, or sign into Apple ID, or other distractions.
“Don’t transfer any information now”.
Just finish the install.

*poof* macOS Desktop!

This machine is now running macOS, but it still can not boot from the local drive, only from the USB drive.
Let's fix that first.

copy MultiBeast and EFI Mounter v3 from the USB thumb drive to Applications

Mount the EFI partition.
(You may need to visit System Preferences>Security and Privacy to "Allow" it to run the first time.)

Notes on MultiBeast
1) MultiBeast can add files to the EFI folder, but it can not subtract them.
2) The changes made by MultiBeast do not take effect until the next restart.
3) When you run MultiBeast the first time, do not select ANY USB or Audio device drivers.
(Why? USB and Audio requires special preparation and drivers. Wait. Get the machine up and running first.)

MultiBeast

Quick Start > UEFI Boot Mode
Drivers > Network > Intel > IntelMausiEthernet v2.4.0
Customize >Graphics > Intel HD 6xx

Build - shows your selections, and adds 3 more.

Note that Default system configuration is "iMac 14,2".
Make sure you select the correct installation drive. (The SSD, not the USB drive.)

Install … “Install succeeded.” MultiBeast has updated the files in the EFI partition.
Quit MultiBeast

The system can now boot macOS from the SSD, without the USB drive.
(If there is a problem, boot from the USB and fix it or go back to an earlier EFI config.)

Eject the USB. Wait for it to disappear from the system, before pulling it from the socket.

Restart.

You should see: BIOS --> EFI partition/Clover --> Boot macOS on SSD --> macOS boots from the SSD.

Most things should be working right now, except USB 3.0 and Audio.

Return to the main post, or continue with USB 3.0, below:
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...-i630-airport-card.258728/page-3#post-1824177

b.kind · Aug 25, 2018

Small update to the build above.
Logged onto iCloud. Notes works.
iMessages can send and receive messages.
What else to test?

Have not done anything on the system in days.
Hurricane Lane is right outside my window, distracting the work on the build.
Expecting 12”+ rain, soon. One brief power outage so far.
Stop that.

Returning to the build:
Most things work, including WIFI.
Audio and BT do not work yet.
Logged onto iCloud. Notes works.
iMessages send and can receive messages.

Backed up the EFI folder, but I’ve done nothing else to the system.
Not sure what to do first.
Is there a list of important recommended Post-post-install maintenance tasks?

============
Guess I will start with the Audio issue.

System Preferences > Sound > Output is empty
About This Mac > System Report > Audio is empty

There may be subtle distinctions in audio functionality which are not obvious to me.
This is not a home theater PC. Don’t need super hi-def audio.
Just want to listen to iTunes & such through the headphone jack.

Some builds with the same motherboard have implied that Audio “just works” if you check the right boxes in MultiBeast.

Working my way through High Sierra - MultiBeast Audio
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/high-sierra-multibeast-audio.246618/

----------
Edit: BT worked as soon as I plugged in the antenna.
WIFI worked with it, but BT would not.

b.kind · Aug 25, 2018

Updates:

Last night, I formatted the hard-drive and repeated the whole install.
This time, I had no trouble booting from the computer's EFI.
I will amend the instructions in the build.

Solved Bluetooth by plugging in the antenna. (Doh! Slaps forehead).
WIFI worked without the antenna, and I assumed BT would too.
I was wrong. I will amend the instructions in the build.

Not hard to be humble
when you got so much to be humble about.

Getting closer!

b.kind · Aug 25, 2018

Audio

(This was written as part of the debugging process, included for completeness. The actual solution is found in message number 1 of this thread.)

Audio is now the only remaining issue.

Did a clean install last night.
copied SSD/EFI-Partition/EFI Folder/ to USB/EFI1-Fresh/

Ran MultiBeast w/ no audio selected.

Build, Save as EFI2.mb, Install, Success, Quit.
copied SSD/EFI-Partition/EFI Folder/ to USB/EFI2-PreAudio/
Copied EFI2.mb to USB/EFI2-PreAudio/

EFI1, EFI2, ... all get copied to the USB drive.

Now, I am ready to really screw things up.
I can always go back to these folders.

========

The Installation Guide has a Troubleshooting And Optimization section with this link:
Before you install Audio
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...p-realtek-applehda-guide.219810/#post-1492288

"MultiBeast
Before You Install Audio: MultiBeast/Desktop/Realtek
All macOS versions, 10.11 and newer

1. Remove previous installed methods (skip, if clean install). SKIPPED

1. AppleHDA Realtek Audio/Post #1/X. Uninstall AppleHDA Realtek Audio

2. Native AppleHDA required (skip, if clean install). SKIPPED

1. Restore native AppleHDA [Guide].pdf

3. Disable SIP (10.11 and newer, if enabled).

1. Explaining OS X El Capitan Security Changes
2. Clover: config.plist/RtVariables/CsrActiveConfig/0x3 or 0x67
3. Restart. DONE. (Mine was 0x3 by default.)

4. Mount EFI partition (Clover only)

1. Community Software/EFI Mounter v3. DONE

5. IOReg/HDEF   ..."

Open IORegistryExplorer.
Search for HDEF, found nothing.
Search for HDAS, found this:

"if HDAS present, install one HDAS > HDEF method (A or B, below)
A: MultiBeast: √ 100/200 Series Audio (disables HDMI audio)"

Made the suggested change in MultiBeast.
MultiBeast> Drivers > Audio > Realtek ALCxxx > √ 100 / 200 / 300 Series Audio Support
Build, Save as MB3.mb, Install, Success, Quit, copy EFI partition to USB, Restart, Mount EFI.

Open IORegistryExplorer.
Search for HDEF, found this:

Step 5 concluded. Continuing instructions above with:

6. IOReg/CodecDevice

1. Supported: AppleHDAController. (Is this an instruction?)
2. Searched for "CodecDevice", found nothing.
3. If no CodecDevice ... Z370/200/X299 Series motherboards

MultiBeast > Drivers > Audio > RealtekALCxxx > √ 200 / 300 Series /X299 Audio Device ID Patch
Quick Fix: Z370/200/X299/ Series Kaby Lake Audio

4. Install the fix. (For me, the Quick Fix is the same driver as above.)

Build, Save as MB4.mb, Install, Success, Quit.

5. Restart.

Mount the EFI partition.
copy SSD/EFI-Partition/EFI Folder/ to USB/EFI4-Audio2/

Continuing with ...

6. Return to 3. Mount EFI partition

(Typo? I think this should be "Return to 4.".)

Ok. GOTO step 4:

4. Mount EFI Partition. Done.
5. IOReg/HDEF   ..."

Open IORegistryExplorer.
Search for HDEF, found this:

"IOReg/Search: HDEF (if HDEF present, proceed to ... 6. IOReg/CodecDevice)
Ok, GOTO step 6.

6. IOReg/CodecDevice

1. Supported: AppleHDAController. (Is this a setting? Just FYI?)
2. IOReg/Search: CodecDevice (if CodecDevice present, proceed to 7. Realtek Codec)

User IOReg to search for "CodecDevice". Not found.

3. If no CodecDevice:

MultiBeast 10.2 and newer:
1. MultiBeast > Drivers > Audio > RealtekALCxxx >√ 200 / 300 Series /X299 Audio Device ID Patch
2. Quick Fix: Z370/200/X299/ Series Kaby Lake Audio

4. Install fix.
5. Restart.
6. Return to Mount EFI partition.

I think this is now a loop.

01 Restart, Mount EFI, Search IOReg for "CodecDevice".
02 If not found apply this patch: (200 / 300 Series /X299 Audio Device ID Patch).
03 Goto 01.

I must be misunderstanding something fundamental.

I never get to conclude step 6 IOReg/CodecDevice, and move on to step 7.

==============================
8-28-2018

I gave up and asked Toleda.

>MultiBeast ... 200 / 300 Series /X299 Audio Device ID Patch

Toleda replied:

"Not working, remove Edit config.plist/KernelAndKextPatches/KextsToPatch/Item 1, (Unsupported_Audio_Device_ID_Kaby_Lake patch only)
Restart, reply with new files"

==================
I deleted the text in blue.

copied the EFI to EFI5-Audio3

Restart.
=============
Later - Toleda says Run the patch, method two, the RehabMan Patch, install two kexts.
*poof* new audio devices in DCPIManager.

Before the patches

After the patches

=======================

Going back to
MultiBeast - Before You Install Audio: MultiBeast/Desktop/Realtek
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...p-realtek-applehda-guide.219810/#post-1492288

5. IOReg/HDEF - Searched IOReg tor “HDEF”, found one entry.
6. IO/Reg / Codec Devices. - Searched IOReg for “CodecDevice”, found two entries.

1F,3,0. IOHDAVendorID = 0x1ec1220. <— Realtek.
1F,3,2 IOHDAVendorID = 0x8086280b

7. Install the Realtek Codec
1220

MultiBeast > Drivers > Audio > Realtek ALCxxx > ALC1220
Build, Save to mb7.mb, Install, Succeed, Quit, Backup the EFI folder, Restart.

*poof* now I have audio from the headphone jack. Yay!

Not done yet.

Novito · Aug 26, 2018

Hi b.kind

Can I ask you how did you fix your graphic acceleration?

I have realised in your first screenshot about system info you have "Intel UHD Graphics 630 7 MB" and in the second one "Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB". In mine does not appear any information (screenshot) and I am suffering a lot of flickering.

I have downloaded your EFI, checked and copy your Graphics set up from your config.plist with Clover Configurator. Nothing. I am getting crazy trying to fix it. It is my first hackintosh and everything works well less this.

My motherboard is the ASUS Rog Strix H370i-gaming and the same processor, I guess the parameters in terms of graphics should be the same/similar.

Thx

b.kind · Aug 26, 2018

Check out the pertinent BIOS settings.
(Your ASUS BIOS may be different than my GIGABYTE BIOS, ver F3.)

I set mine to:
>Peripherals>Integrated Display Output = IGFX
>Chipset>Integrated Graphics = Enabled
>Chipset>DVMT Pre-Allocated = 128

I copied these settings from this build:
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...lent-ga-z370n-i5-8400-16gb-500gb-nvme.247619/

Then, in MultiBeast, select:
>Customize > Graphics > Intel HD 6xx

Hope this helps!

Novito · Aug 26, 2018

I got the graphic card name Intel UHD 630 in system info but not graphic acceleration (7MB) yet and a lot of flickering

Thank you for your help, I am now one step closer...

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[Success] First Build, Core i5-8400, GA Z370N WIFI, i630, Airport card

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