[Guide] Dell XPS 9360 Ventura OpenCore

[InsaneCultist]

Release and Updates

• 4/11/23 - Initial Release - v0.1
  • Note - posted, but main page in process. Initial release is rudimentary, but stable, missing some features such as Realtek SD Card Reader, VoltageShift, etc. These will be added and this post cleaned up in the future.

This is an forked copy of my guide for my XPS 9560 based on various compilations for the XPS 9360, but with an updated EFI to support the changes needed for macOS Ventura.

This machine fell into my lap, almost literally, and was an ideal replacement for my partner's aging 2011 13" MacBook Pro. Its hardware is very, very similar to the XPS 9560 I use on a daily basis, and many of the patches, kexts, and other tweaks here come straight from that guide.

As always, I would prefer if you did not simply copy/paste this EFI. Please read the guide thoroughly, even make your own EFI, and use this as a reference point. Hardware, BIOS revisions, and settings differ from computer to computer, and this is not nor will it ever be a one click solution to install macOS on your XPS 9360. Please use this guide as a reference to learn something - you should understand how OpenCore works before even attempting this.

Hardware in My XPS 9360

• i5-7200U
• 1080p FDH Display
• Intel HD 620
• SK Hynix 256GB NVMe SSD
• Dell DW1560 (Broadcom BCM94352Z M.2)

Overview

This guide is based off of the previous Monterey guide located HERE. A copy of this EFI is located on my GitHub for future references.
This laptop is a daily driver for my partner, so stability is at the forefront of this config. There may be improvements or other tweaks - please feel free to share them here. There are also optional features outlined below that can be enabled and disabled based on your needs.

What Works

• CPU Power Management
• Native NVRAM
• Battery Support
• Sleep and Wake with Lid
• Intel HD 620 iGPU
• USB-C to HDMI 2.0 @ 4K60Hz
• ALC298 Audio
• Headphone Jack/Combo Jack (headphone / headset(w/mic) support)
  • Script updated for Big Sur & Later by @blazinsmokey, originally by KNNSpeed
• Brightness Adjustment with Native Keys
• Keyboard
• Trackpad with Gestures
• Webcam
• WiFi & Bluetooth (With DW1560)
• iCloud Services
• FileVault2 Encryption
• Realtek microSD Card Reader
  • To be added in a future release.

What Doesn't Work

• Finger Print Sensor
  • (If your machine has one - mine does not.)

BIOS Configuration

Plug in the USB installer before you boot and start to change these settings.
If I didn't list the section or option it is likely you can choose what you want.

• Advanced Boot Option - enable Legacy Option ROMs (we'll need these for some handy tools at boot)
• Boot Sequence
  • as of OC 0.6.6, you can boot OpenCore.efi directly as a UEFI application
• SATA Operation set to AHCI
• USB Configuration - enable both options
• Dell Type-C Dock Configuration - Always Allow
• Thunderbolt Adapter Configuration - Enable Tech Support and no security
• Secure Boot - Disabled
• Intel Software Guard Extensions
• Intel SGX - Software Controlled
• AC Behavior - Wake on AC- disable
• USB Wake Support USB Wake Support - Disabled
  • Wake on Dell USB-C Dock - Enabled
• Wake on WLAN - Disabled
• POST Behavior - Fastboot - Thorough
• You can leave all the virtualization stuff enabled

Note that no BIOS changes were made to this machine using ModGrubShell, and all related config.plist changes are present in the sample.

BootCamp Notes:
OpenCore will apply patches/etc to the ACPI even if you boot Windows. Some users have reported instability or other issues while booting Windows from OpenCore, though personally, I have not had issues. Use this at your own risk. To avoid booting Windows or other OS's with OpenCore, use the F12 Boot Menu and another boot option in BIOS to bypass OpenCore entirely.

Installing Options

• Format install partition to APFS
• A Note to 4K Screen Users:
  • On the XPS 9560, changes are necessary to support the higher resolution display. I do not have that model here, so please test at your own risk. If changes are necessary, please provide them and I will add to the guide.

Setup your own SMBIOS, as the provided config.plist files have variables stripped. This config uses MacBookPro14,1 with USB ports defined via USBMap.kext.

• config.plist @ PlatformInfo/Generic
  • MLB
  • ROM
  • SystemProductName
  • SystemSerialNumber
  • SystemUUID

After install, copy your USB EFI over to your hard drive and setup BIOS boot sequence to point at the hard disk version.

Post Install
Fixing KNNSpeed's ComboJack Installer

• Installing the ComboJack
  • VerbStub.kext is already included in config.plist and kext folder
  • CD into the combojack folder and run install.sh and follow the directions
    • Special thanks to @blazinsmokey for fixing the original install.sh script to install to usr/local/bin for security purposes.

CPUFriendDataProvider.kext

• After you have your SMBIOS setup, head to the https://github.com/corpnewt/CPUFriendFriend and follow the directions
• The SMBIOS you are using is linked to the data provider, this is why you should always make your own. Plus you get the benefit of tailoring power/performance to your own needs.
• Included kext is only valid for the i5-7200U.

Undervolting

• Undervolting is not covered here, but is likely possible. Please read the related post in my XPS 9560 guide should you desire to attempt an undervolt.

Booting Windows with OpenCore

• config.plist/Booter/Quirks/SyncRuntimePermissions set to true
  • https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/guide-dell-xps-9560-big-sur-opencore.307163/post-2205882

ACPI Breakdown
This info comes direct from the previous guide.

Spoiler

• SSDT-BCKM.aml
• SSDT-EC-USBX.aml
• SSDT-GPI0.aml
• SSDT-GPRW.aml
• SSDT-HPET.aml
• SSDT-PLUG.aml
  • May no longer be necessary, per Dortania guide.
• SSDT-PNLF.aml
  • backlight, brightness keys
• SSDT-SBUS-MCHC.aml
• SSDT-TPDX.aml
  • Trackpad definitions
• SSDT-TYPC.aml
• SSDT-YTBT.aml
  • Rudimentary Thunderbolt config, not tested extensively.
  • Works with Amazon Basics Type-C breakout hub for display out, USB, SD, etc.

Kext Info

Spoiler

Everything is pretty self explanatory but I will list some key information

• AirportBrcmFixup.kext
  • In Big Sur & Later AirPortBrcm4360_Injector.kext needs to be disabled or set with Max Kernel 19.9.9
• AppleALC.kext
• BlueToolFixup.kext
• BrcmFirmwareData.kext
• BrcmPatchRAM3.kext
• CPUFriend.kext
  • Finer tuned CPU power management
• CPUFriendDataProvider.kext
  • This should be technically be created by you, can be auto populated instructions in Post Install
  • The included is for i5-7200U
• CtlnaAHCIPort.kext
  • Requied for SATA operation
• Lilu.kext
• RealtekCardReader.kext
• RealtekCardReaderFriend.kext
  • Enables Realtek microSD Card Reader, coming in next release.
• SMCBatteryManager.kext
• SMCDellSensors.kext
  • Replaces SMCSuperIO.kext
• SMCProcessor.kext
• USBMap.kext
• VerbStub.kext
  • Same from KNNSpeed, but the rest of the combo jack has been modified to work in Big Sur discussed below
• VirtualSMC.kext
• VoodooI2C.kext
• VoodooI2CHID.kext
• VoodooPS2Controller.kext
• WhateverGreen.kext

 

[yandex2013]

What are the changes I will need to make for the XPS 9360 model with I7-8550U CPU and 4k screen? What ACPI patches and specific kexts from Darkvoid and Quert's EFIs are still relevant with Opencore 9.1.
Thank you!

 

[InsaneCultist]

What are the changes I will need to make for the XPS 9360 model with I7-8550U CPU and 4k screen? What ACPI patches and specific kexts from Darkvoid and Quert's EFIs are still relevant with Opencore 9.1.
Thank you!

As I don't have a system with those specs, I'm afraid I can't answer those questions. You could use this EFI as a jumping off point to get your model working.

All the ACPI patches and kexts are still relevant - upgrades to OpenCore do not change the need for patches/kexts.

 

[lly451725563]

I am also using equipment with the same configuration, and I have found that the DP protocol cannot output audio when connecting to the display. Could you please guide me on how to fix this issue?

 

[pspracers]

I updated my XPS13 9360 i7 7500u 4K to MacOS 13.5 using your howto and files. Thanks a lot! What I don't get to work is the line-in microphone. I tried all the possible layouts for ALC256/ALC3246 from here: https://github.com/acidanthera/AppleALC/wiki/Supported-codecs
And at least I get Audio on my USB-C Monitor, internal Speakers and audio jack headphones using either layout-id 33 or 17. These 2 layout also list my Line-in microphone in the MacOS settings, but there is no input detected (input bar is not moving). Mic input from the internal microphone works.

And: before the update I was at MacOS 12.0.1, and with your files, I got Bluetooth working, but after the update to 13.5, Bluetooth is dead again. I updated all kexts, and also OpenCore to 0.9.3.

 

[Feartech]

I updated my XPS13 9360 i7 7500u 4K to MacOS 13.5 using your howto and files. Thanks a lot! What I don't get to work is the line-in microphone. I tried all the possible layouts for ALC256/ALC3246 from here: https://github.com/acidanthera/AppleALC/wiki/Supported-codecs
And at least I get Audio on my USB-C Monitor, internal Speakers and audio jack headphones using either layout-id 33 or 17. These 2 layout also list my Line-in microphone in the MacOS settings, but there is no input detected (input bar is not moving). Mic input from the internal microphone works.

And: before the update I was at MacOS 12.0.1, and with your files, I got Bluetooth working, but after the update to 13.5, Bluetooth is dead again. I updated all kexts, and also OpenCore to 0.9.3.

you can create your own layout ID:

AppleALC-Guides/AppleALC_Layout-ID at main · 5T33Z0/AppleALC-Guides

Guides for working with the AppleALC source code to get audio working on Wintel machines running macOS. - 5T33Z0/AppleALC-Guides

github.com

 

[InsaneCultist]

I am also using equipment with the same configuration, and I have found that the DP protocol cannot output audio when connecting to the display. Could you please guide me on how to fix this issue?

This could be a fault in your adapter. I have only ever output Type-C to HDMI with an Amazon Basics Type-C hub and have had no issue with audio out over HDMI, but I have not tried with Type-C, nor do I have a DP monitor with built in speakers to test. Do you have the issue over HDMI as well?

I updated my XPS13 9360 i7 7500u 4K to MacOS 13.5 using your howto and files. Thanks a lot! What I don't get to work is the line-in microphone. I tried all the possible layouts for ALC256/ALC3246 from here: https://github.com/acidanthera/AppleALC/wiki/Supported-codecs
And at least I get Audio on my USB-C Monitor, internal Speakers and audio jack headphones using either layout-id 33 or 17. These 2 layout also list my Line-in microphone in the MacOS settings, but there is no input detected (input bar is not moving). Mic input from the internal microphone works.

And: before the update I was at MacOS 12.0.1, and with your files, I got Bluetooth working, but after the update to 13.5, Bluetooth is dead again. I updated all kexts, and also OpenCore to 0.9.3.

I have not used "Line-In" with the Combo Jack installer, so I'm afraid I can't assist there. Regarding your Bluetooth issues, if you are using a DW1820 vs a 1560, the updated kext that fixes issues on 13.5 drops on Monday, or you can use a pre-release nightly from BrcmPatchRAM.

 

[pspracers]

Thanks a lot for you input. I will have a look on the line in audio later on. And also have a look into a custom layout as mentioned from @Feartech

For Bluetooth, I got it working by modifying NVRAM entries in config.plist

<key>NVRAM</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Add</key>
        <dict>
            <key>7C436110-AB2A-4BBB-A880-FE41995C9F82</key>
            <dict>
                <key>bluetoothExternalDongleFailed</key>
                <data>AA==</data>
                <key>bluetoothInternalControllerInfo</key>
                <data>AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=</data>
            </dict>
        </dict>
        <key>Delete</key>
        <dict>
            <key>7C436110-AB2A-4BBB-A880-FE41995C9F82</key>
            <array>
                <string>bluetoothExternalDongleFailed</string>
                <string>bluetoothInternalControllerInfo</string>
            </array>
    </dict>

 

[InsaneCultist]

I have purchased myself an XPS 9360 containing an updated i5-8250U. An updated bootpack will be posted in the near future supporting the latest version of macOS Ventura. The i5-7200U is still in use by my partner and will continue to receive update reports.