- Joined
- Sep 25, 2012
- Messages
- 123
- Motherboard
- Gigabyte Z170
- CPU
- i5 6500
- Graphics
- Nvidia GTX 960
Before you begin, if you're having this problem run through this check list:
1. Make sure you're computer is indeed on
2. Make sure you're using an iMac SMBIOS (Mac Pro System Definition doesn't have this problem)
3. If your card requires Web Drivers (GTX 9xx), make sure they're installed and boot with NvidiaWeb=true in Clover.
4. This guide is focused specifically on Nvidia GPUs, but it elements of it almost certainly pertain to AMD GPUs as well.
Advantages of this method
We don't have to modify any kexts as we are using Clover. This will survive updates without requiring re-patching.
Synopsis
When MacOS Sierra came out, it dropped support for the Mac Pro 3,1. Any hackintosh using the 3,1 SMBIOS would not boot correctly. The recommended solution was to transition to the iMac SMBIOSs. After picking the appropriate SMBIOS for your hardware (e.g. iMac 12,2 for socket 1155 Sandy Bridge CPUs, as these real Mac used this hardware), many found that they would get a black screen on boot if they had a discrete Nvidia GPU (possibly and probably AMD ones as well).
The issue we are fixing has existed for a while now, but has only showed itself after the masses started switching to iMac system profiles. When MacOS thinks it's loading on certain models of the iMac, it unloads the video card. By injecting a board-id from another Mac, we trick MacOS's check, thus preventing our card from unloading. Yay! However, this is just a solution to a problem that is preventing our cards from loading in the first place. In other words, if you have a card that isn't already supported in MacOS, this isn't going to be your solution.
What worked for me was using the iMac 12,2 SMBIOS for my Sandy Bridge system, coupled with the iMac 14,2 board-id. Your mileage may vary.
EDIT 3/3/17: I switched to iMac 17,1 as I built a new Skylake system. Still using iMac 14,2 board-id and it's rock solid
EDIT 11/14/17: Still using this configuration on High Sierra 10.13.1! Fix still works great. HS Nvidia web drivers are slow and animations lag ;(
NOTE: Some people have reported success by deleting AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy.kext (Located at /System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/). This is a hassle, as you'll need to do this with every new MacOS updated. It's recommended to experiment with the normal method(s) first.
Ok, let's begin:
1. Open your Clover config.plist
2. Go to the SMBIOS section
3. Replace the Board-ID field with ONE of these (Doesn't matter what your actual SMBIOS is; I'm using an iMac 12,2 SMBIOS with an iMac 14,2 board-id as pictured below):
(Try this first) iMac 14,2: Mac-27ADBB7B4CEE8E61
iMac 13,2: Mac-FC02E91DDD3FA6A4
Mac Pro 4,1: Mac-F221BEC8
Mac Pro 6,1: Mac-F60DEB81FF30ACF6
4. Save and reboot
Feel free to experiment with different board-ids from different models, especially if these do not work for you. If you decide to do so, keep reading.
Debugging
Perhaps your board-id isn't giving you the results you want, and you want to try a different one. But you can't get back into the OS to change it! There are two solutions:
1. Boot with the nv_disable=1 flag. This will disable Nvidia drivers and allow you to change your Clover settings, albeit with no QE/CI acceleration.
2. Change your board-id within the Clover boot menu! Do this by selecting the "options" menu at the Clover boot screen. You select the SMBIOS/system definition section (I don't remember the exact names off the top of my head). You should be able to type in one of the board-ids suggested within this post.
BIG thanks to Totti, OLDSPORT, and eradicator006 for providing info and pointing me in the right direction!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Happy hacking!
[Original question (DISREGUARD)]
Hi,
I just updated my hackintosh to MacOS Sierra from 10.11. When I try to boot to Sierra, I get greeted by a black screen from my GTX 660. However, my computer is on. I can use screen sharing on my laptop to connect to it. I can only boot to the desktop by disabling the NVIDIA drivers. I'm using the iMac12,2 SMBIOS for Sierra and El Capitan.
I had everything working fine in El Capitan. I made sure all my kexts were in order. This card should work OOB... Am I missing something? Was a change made that I was unaware of?
Thanks
EDIT 10/2/16: I converted my system to OLDSPORT's method (replacing my board-id in my SMBIOS with the iMac14,2 one), restored stock AppleGraphicsDeviceControl, and everything works great! Much cleaner and should survive system updates
I should add, I only changed the board-id of my SMBIOS, everything else says the same. I'm using an iMac 12,2 SMBIOS with an iMac 14,2 board-d.
iMac 14,2 board-id: Mac-27ADBB7B4CEE8E61
EDIT 10/1/16: BIG thanks to Totti, OLDSPORT, and eradicator006 for providing info and point me in the right direction! I solved the issue by adding my board-id from the SMBIOS section in Clover into AppleGraphicsControlPolicy.kext/Contents/Info.plist, replacing one of the existing board ids. I attempted to use a Piker's pure Clover method, but it was non-functional, as was AGDPfix.app. If you have 6xx series cards like us, then you shouldn't need Nvidia's Web Drivers.
OLDSPORT'S method looks like the cleanest way to get it done. Try his approach first. It should survive updates and is easily reversible; everything I like about a traditional Clover approach to patching anything. See post #8
If you have any questions, please ask! I wish someone had explained the pertinent changes... Apparently this issue and ones like it originated in El Capitan?? I expected my card to work out of the box as it always has. Silly me, hackintoshing is never that simple
[/Original question]
1. Make sure you're computer is indeed on
2. Make sure you're using an iMac SMBIOS (Mac Pro System Definition doesn't have this problem)
3. If your card requires Web Drivers (GTX 9xx), make sure they're installed and boot with NvidiaWeb=true in Clover.
4. This guide is focused specifically on Nvidia GPUs, but it elements of it almost certainly pertain to AMD GPUs as well.
Advantages of this method
We don't have to modify any kexts as we are using Clover. This will survive updates without requiring re-patching.
Synopsis
When MacOS Sierra came out, it dropped support for the Mac Pro 3,1. Any hackintosh using the 3,1 SMBIOS would not boot correctly. The recommended solution was to transition to the iMac SMBIOSs. After picking the appropriate SMBIOS for your hardware (e.g. iMac 12,2 for socket 1155 Sandy Bridge CPUs, as these real Mac used this hardware), many found that they would get a black screen on boot if they had a discrete Nvidia GPU (possibly and probably AMD ones as well).
The issue we are fixing has existed for a while now, but has only showed itself after the masses started switching to iMac system profiles. When MacOS thinks it's loading on certain models of the iMac, it unloads the video card. By injecting a board-id from another Mac, we trick MacOS's check, thus preventing our card from unloading. Yay! However, this is just a solution to a problem that is preventing our cards from loading in the first place. In other words, if you have a card that isn't already supported in MacOS, this isn't going to be your solution.
What worked for me was using the iMac 12,2 SMBIOS for my Sandy Bridge system, coupled with the iMac 14,2 board-id. Your mileage may vary.
EDIT 3/3/17: I switched to iMac 17,1 as I built a new Skylake system. Still using iMac 14,2 board-id and it's rock solid
EDIT 11/14/17: Still using this configuration on High Sierra 10.13.1! Fix still works great. HS Nvidia web drivers are slow and animations lag ;(
NOTE: Some people have reported success by deleting AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy.kext (Located at /System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/). This is a hassle, as you'll need to do this with every new MacOS updated. It's recommended to experiment with the normal method(s) first.
Ok, let's begin:
1. Open your Clover config.plist
2. Go to the SMBIOS section
3. Replace the Board-ID field with ONE of these (Doesn't matter what your actual SMBIOS is; I'm using an iMac 12,2 SMBIOS with an iMac 14,2 board-id as pictured below):
(Try this first) iMac 14,2: Mac-27ADBB7B4CEE8E61
iMac 13,2: Mac-FC02E91DDD3FA6A4
Mac Pro 4,1: Mac-F221BEC8
Mac Pro 6,1: Mac-F60DEB81FF30ACF6
4. Save and reboot
Feel free to experiment with different board-ids from different models, especially if these do not work for you. If you decide to do so, keep reading.
Debugging
Perhaps your board-id isn't giving you the results you want, and you want to try a different one. But you can't get back into the OS to change it! There are two solutions:
1. Boot with the nv_disable=1 flag. This will disable Nvidia drivers and allow you to change your Clover settings, albeit with no QE/CI acceleration.
2. Change your board-id within the Clover boot menu! Do this by selecting the "options" menu at the Clover boot screen. You select the SMBIOS/system definition section (I don't remember the exact names off the top of my head). You should be able to type in one of the board-ids suggested within this post.
BIG thanks to Totti, OLDSPORT, and eradicator006 for providing info and pointing me in the right direction!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Happy hacking!
[Original question (DISREGUARD)]
Hi,
I just updated my hackintosh to MacOS Sierra from 10.11. When I try to boot to Sierra, I get greeted by a black screen from my GTX 660. However, my computer is on. I can use screen sharing on my laptop to connect to it. I can only boot to the desktop by disabling the NVIDIA drivers. I'm using the iMac12,2 SMBIOS for Sierra and El Capitan.
I had everything working fine in El Capitan. I made sure all my kexts were in order. This card should work OOB... Am I missing something? Was a change made that I was unaware of?
Thanks
EDIT 10/2/16: I converted my system to OLDSPORT's method (replacing my board-id in my SMBIOS with the iMac14,2 one), restored stock AppleGraphicsDeviceControl, and everything works great! Much cleaner and should survive system updates
I should add, I only changed the board-id of my SMBIOS, everything else says the same. I'm using an iMac 12,2 SMBIOS with an iMac 14,2 board-d.
iMac 14,2 board-id: Mac-27ADBB7B4CEE8E61
EDIT 10/1/16: BIG thanks to Totti, OLDSPORT, and eradicator006 for providing info and point me in the right direction! I solved the issue by adding my board-id from the SMBIOS section in Clover into AppleGraphicsControlPolicy.kext/Contents/Info.plist, replacing one of the existing board ids. I attempted to use a Piker's pure Clover method, but it was non-functional, as was AGDPfix.app. If you have 6xx series cards like us, then you shouldn't need Nvidia's Web Drivers.
OLDSPORT'S method looks like the cleanest way to get it done. Try his approach first. It should survive updates and is easily reversible; everything I like about a traditional Clover approach to patching anything. See post #8
If you have any questions, please ask! I wish someone had explained the pertinent changes... Apparently this issue and ones like it originated in El Capitan?? I expected my card to work out of the box as it always has. Silly me, hackintoshing is never that simple
[/Original question]
Last edited:
