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[Guide] Dell XPS 15 9560 MacOS 10.14.1 (all models)

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Apr 19, 2014
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Motherboard
XPS 15 9560
CPU
i5 7300HQ
Graphics
GTX 1050, Intel HD630, 1080p
Mac
  1. MacBook Pro
Mobile Phone
  1. iOS
Welcome to my XPS 15 9560 guide. This guide should work for most hardware configurations, but here is my configuration:​

  • CPU: i5-7300HQ @ 2.5GHz
  • 8GB RAM
  • Nvidia GTX 1050 / Intel HD 630
  • 1080p IPS display (See edit in pre-install for 4k display)
  • 1TB Samsung NVMe SSD
  • Broadcom BCM94352Z Dell DW1560 Wifi + BT card

What should works:
  • Audio
  • Brightness + volume controls
  • HDMI + Thunderbolt 3 (TB3 at least works as a display output, not sure about other functionality)
What doesn't work:
  • SD card reader
  • Fingerrprint reader
  • Some trackpad gestures
  • dGPU (Nvidia Optimus not supported on MacOS)

Let's get started!

EDIT 06/02: My files had issues, but another user referenced me to another set of files that should work, you can download the CLOVER folder below. Only download the older 1080p/4k zips as a last resort.

Pre-install:


First make sure your BIOS settings are in good shape. There are guides all over on correct BIOS settings to use.

Next, you will need the latest Download of MacOS Mojave. I suggest waiting for the official release of Mojave for inexperienced users but this will work with beta Mojave as well.

You will also need a minimum 8gb flash drive formatted in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) on GPT format.

You can use this command to format your drive:

Code:
diskutil partitionDisk /dev/*YOUR DISK* GPT JHFS+ MojaveInstallUSB 0b

Next you will need to install the Installer to the drive. For the Mojave is:
Code:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MojaveInstallUSB --nointeraction

Next, download and install the latest version of clover from SourceForge.
  • Make sure you choose to install it to the USB!
  • Install for UEFI booting only
  • Install Clover to the ESP

Now you will need to install your kexts on the USB drive. The ones necessary for booting are located in the EFI folder. Just drag my EFI folder into the EFI partition on the USB drive and you should be good.

Update: Just drag the CLOVER folder to replace the one that the clover installer made, it has all of the files in it.

Go ahead and place everything in the zip on the non-EFI USB partition, including the EFI folder. You will use this to make your laptop bootable without the drive.

Now you are ready to install! Boot into the drive using f12 while booting. Select the UEFI version of the USB if available.

Installation:

Boot into the install at the clover panel.

At the installer screen, open up disk utility in the top right bar. This is where you will format your drive as APFS

WARNING: If you intend to dual/triple/whatever boot your system, I would create the partitions in Windows FIRST, and then just using Disk Utility to format the partition you want to install on. This is how I successfully Dual-booted with my existing Win10 install. If you don't have windows installed already or want to wipe it you can format and partition from DU.

Once you are formatted as APFS, go back to the installer screen and install to the drive.

After that is done, reboot and select "Boot *drive name* from USB" or whatever your equivalent is. Complete installation as normal.

Post-installation:

Now that you are on the desktop, open the USB and drag the .zip files onto the Desktop.

Move Clover Configurator and KextBeast to your Applications folder.

Launch Clover installer and install Clover to your main drive.

Next, open Clover Configurator and use it to mount your main drive's & USB drive's EFI partitions. Drag your CLOVER folder from within the EFI folder on your USB installer to the EFI folder on your main drive.

At this point, your should have a fully-functioning hackintosh! If there is an issue with this guide or files I attached HMU and I'll do my best to fix them. Before commenting though, make sure you read the Common Problems with Mojave thread.

- If the Dell dock does not work, try changing the SMBIOS to Macbook 9,1.

- If your audio still isn't working, run the ALCPlugFix script in the folder in a terminal window. Hopefully this will resolve any issues.

- If your graphics aren't working properly, try changing your intelGFX deviceID to 0x59120000.

- For Wifi/BT issues, try disabling Power Nap,`System Preferences` -> `Energy Saver` disable all `Power Nap` options, and disabling `Wake for Wi-Fi network access` option and also try disabling Wake for Bluetooth, `System Preferences` -> `Bluetooth` -> `Advanced` disable all options.

If none of the above work, download my old zip folder and use that clover.config file instead and see if that works.
 

Attachments

  • 4k XPS9560 install.zip
    15.9 MB · Views: 2,861
  • 1080p XPS9560 install.zip
    15.9 MB · Views: 2,511
  • Newest CLOVER.zip
    7.2 MB · Views: 2,160
Last edited:
Thanks for the guide, I've been looking for a guide for the XPS 15 9560 for a bit now as all of the ones I have found have so far not worked for me. I've tried going barebones with it and still to no avail (my current issue is hitting the gIOscreenlockstate 3 error). I found your guide in an effort to get the most up-to-date tutorial but it seems that our hardware configurations are different. I was wondering if you knew what to change for my version of the 9560 (specs in profile, I essentially just have the 4k edition here is the link if needed). I'm not so much computer illiterate but I'm not fully versed in the world of Hackintosh, I've learned a lot in the last couple of days but not enough to answer a question like this. I'm still going to attempt this guide when I get home, I will update this thread with any results I receive.

Update 9/19/2018:
So I tried your EFI folder assuming that it would break. I also was trying it for High Sierra due to how my current iMac setup is. However, your EFI folder got me the closest and I am now stuck on the "Not Permitted" sign popping up. I've searched the forums for help on this but haven't been able to figure out the problem just yet. Some of the solutions I tried include: USB2, USB2 Hub, USB2 Port, adding -f as a Launch Option, enabling USB Injection. None of those have helped as of yet.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the guide, I've been looking for a guide for the XPS 15 9560 for a bit now as all of the ones I have found have so far not worked for me. I've tried going barebones with it and still to no avail (my current issue is hitting the gIOscreenlockstate 3 error). I found your guide in an effort to get the most up-to-date tutorial but it seems that our hardware configurations are different. I was wondering if you knew what to change for my version of the 9560 (specs in profile, I essentially just have the 4k edition here is the link if needed). I'm not so much computer illiterate but I'm not fully versed in the world of Hackintosh, I've learned a lot in the last couple of days but not enough to answer a question like this. I'm still going to attempt this guide when I get home, I will update this thread with any results I receive.

Update 9/19/2018:
So I tried your EFI folder assuming that it would break. I also was trying it for High Sierra due to how my current iMac setup is. However, your EFI folder got me the closest and I am now stuck on the "Not Permitted" sign popping up. I've searched the forums for help on this but haven't been able to figure out the problem just yet. Some of the solutions I tried include: USB2, USB2 Hub, USB2 Port, adding -f as a Launch Option, enabling USB Injection. None of those have helped as of yet.

Hey man! So there is actually a difference in how to hackintosh a 1080p XPS 15 and a 4k XPS 15. The problem is I can't find the correct patch that you are supposed to apply...

It used to be through nvidiafixup.kext and intelgraphicsfixup.kext (I believe, it was one of the two at least) and both of these along with many others have been consolidated into WhateverGreen.kext, which is included with my EFI Folder. There should be a bootflag specific to WhateverGreen that should allow the 4k screen to function normally but I can't find it atm (school and stuff haha). If you can find it before I have time to look for it power to you. If you can't I can try to look for it tomorrow night. A good place to start looking would be older guides for 4k machines and see the differences in the config.plist's. Good luck!
 
Hey man! So there is actually a difference in how to hackintosh a 1080p XPS 15 and a 4k XPS 15. The problem is I can't find the correct patch that you are supposed to apply...

It used to be through nvidiafixup.kext and intelgraphicsfixup.kext (I believe, it was one of the two at least) and both of these along with many others have been consolidated into WhateverGreen.kext, which is included with my EFI Folder. There should be a bootflag specific to WhateverGreen that should allow the 4k screen to function normally but I can't find it atm (school and stuff haha). If you can find it before I have time to look for it power to you. If you can't I can try to look for it tomorrow night. A good place to start looking would be older guides for 4k machines and see the differences in the config.plist's. Good luck!

Thanks for the help! I will do some digging tonight and see if I can't figure it out. I'll let you know!
 
Thanks for the help! I will do some digging tonight and see if I can't figure it out. I'll let you know!
Hey, I don't know if you found it yet, but the flag is "-cdfon". It was originally part of CoreDisplayFixup.kext which is why I was confused. Since it is built into whateverGreen you only need to add the bootflag through Clover Configurator. Hope this helps!
 
Hey, I don't know if you found it yet, but the flag is "-cdfon". It was originally part of CoreDisplayFixup.kext which is why I was confused. Since it is built into whateverGreen you only need to add the bootflag through Clover Configurator. Hope this helps!

Hey so I attempted that and still got the “prohibited” image. I attached a photo have you seen something like this? It’s just a giant circle with a like through it on the screen
 

Attachments

  • 56763E28-431F-492C-9DA8-603C82DC0ED0.jpeg
    56763E28-431F-492C-9DA8-603C82DC0ED0.jpeg
    2.3 MB · Views: 2,218
Hey so I attempted that and still got the “prohibited” image. I attached a photo have you seen something like this? It’s just a giant circle with a like through it on the screen

if you press spacebar on the boot option and select the options for keeping symbols and to not restart on crash, does your crash appear any clearer? That picture as you could guess isn't very readable haha.
 
if you press spacebar on the boot option and select the options for keeping symbols and to not restart on crash, does your crash appear any clearer? That picture as you could guess isn't very readable haha.
Oh my god. You have no idea how happy I am. I got it to get to the install page! It was solved by getting the USBInjectAll kext and just placing it in other.
Unfortunately I ordered the wrong Wi-Fi card and it doesn't fit in my computer so I can't actually proceed with the installation but none the less I got there! It's been a literal 2 week battle with getting it to boot. I can't thank you enough!

Thank you so much for your EFI folder, I guarantee I wouldn't be this far without you!

EDIT: Is there a reason why I can't just select "Install macOS High Sierra" in the past I feel like I could. My only option is to "Reinstall macOS" which requires an internet connection.
 
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Oh my god. You have no idea how happy I am. I got it to get to the install page! It was solved by getting the USBInjectAll kext and just placing it in other.
Unfortunately I ordered the wrong Wi-Fi card and it doesn't fit in my computer so I can't actually proceed with the installation but none the less I got there! It's been a literal 2 week battle with getting it to boot. I can't thank you enough!

Thank you so much for your EFI folder, I guarantee I wouldn't be this far without you!

EDIT: Is there a reason why I can't just select "Install macOS High Sierra" in the past I feel like I could. My only option is to "Reinstall macOS" which requires an internet connection.

You definitely should be able to install it without internet. Were you able to format your drive using disk utility? Unless something changed with Mojave you shouldn't have an issue with it. Glad your issue was resolved though!
 
You definitely should be able to install it without internet. Were you able to format your drive using disk utility? Unless something changed with Mojave you shouldn't have an issue with it. Glad your issue was resolved though!

Yeah I was able to format it. It appears as if it's taking the history from the machine I created the install media from. It's giving me these options:
  1. Restore from Time Machine backup
  2. Reinstall macOS
  3. Search the web for issues
  4. Disk Utility
I clicked through all of them and none of them would give me the option to install. Is there away to make the bootable install media "fresh"?
 
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