Sorry for this newb question: What are the pros and cons of the two ACPI approaches? SSDT Vs. Patching in the config?
It seems like the OC preferred approach is to use the SSDT but I don't know what benefits they bring.
On Big Sur... I am trying to download it but boy... the apple server seems to be hammered... Seems like it will take me another day.
I didn't mean to say or imply that your solution was wrong - if it works, it's right. And it's perfectly ok (and encouraged) to have more than one solution floating around. It just might be less confusing (and save us all work) if we minimize the amount of conversion that needs to take place between EFI versions as we propose fixes and enhancements. If we're posting EFIs that resemble each other, they will be much easier for each of us to adopt.
I can only provide you with my personal preferences - there isn't one "right" way to do this. There are many in this forum who know WAY more about this stuff than I do. My goal with each hack is to make it look to macOS like a real Mac. I find that the hack is much more likely to be compatible with new releases of MacOS. For example, I had a Device (EC) in my Dell E6410 Laptop DSDT patches before it was actually required in Catalina. As a result, upgrade to Catalina was simple. My ACPI patches (SSDTs) are intended to mimic a real MacMini (based on my review of a real MacMini ACPI extraction and my review of a real MacMini IORegistry dump).
I'm new to the OC config.plist, so I am open to the very likely possibility that I did something wrong in the config.plist. I have a lot to learn about Quirks and other elements of the OC config.plist.
Some points about my ACPI patches (SSDTs)
- Some of my SSDTs inject Devices from a real MacMini (XSPI, PPMC, USBX)
- There are "generic" SSDTs floating around that are not specific to the MacMini and may actually inject incorrect values (e.g. taking a USBX with higher USB power properties from a desktop may not be "healthy" for our HackMini's which are more like a laptop than a desktop. My USBX is extracted from a real MacMini. I'm not sure where the other USBX's came from).
- SSDT-XOSI and SSDT-HPET are based on patching techniques that I've adopted from many ACPI patching trials. They're based on best practices that have worked for me and that have resulted in very stable / reliable builds.
- MCHC, SBUS and PLUG are standard patches. SSDT-MCHC is equivalent to CLOVER's "Add MCHC." SSDT-PLUG is equivalent to CLOVERs "PluginType." Device (MCHC) is present in a real MacMini DSDT. The SBUS patch is as old as hackintoshing.
- SSDT-AWAC is new for me - I only adopted it after reading about it in the Dortania guide. I'm not even sure our hacks need it.
- Since our HP EliteDesk Mini's are designed for Windows, there are branches in the DSDT that are only executed when the appropriate Windows OS version is running. I've seen comments that SSDT-XOSI is a kluge that should be avoided. I don't agree and believe SSDT-XOSI is necessary. In my previous hacks (where I manually patched the DSDT and didn't use the bootloader's "on-the-fly patching), I have modified the DSDT to mimic a specific Windows version when MacOS was running (just like others have done). This is my first hack that uses on-the-fly DSDT patching. I've asked for advice here and didn't get feedback, so I currently have no reason to believe that my SSDT-XOSI is wrong.
Since all of this is my opinion, I'm open to constructive criticism and suggested changes. We're all here to learn!
