[Guide] Gigabyte Z68MA-D2H-B3

[swinte]

10.15.6 installed just fine. Updated Whatevergreen, Lilu, Clover, and AppleALC to latest versions prior to installation.

 

[Nodarkthings]

Hi! Just a quick note about USB3 on Z68 (although my mobo is not the exact same as yours): you can read everywhere that it's not working any more past 10.9 and I have been using it very partially and had issues with my trials on 10.13 and 10.14... until very recently, when I accidentally found a fix!
I have not tested speed, but at least ports are working without any error and not only with devices connected at boot, as it was before.
While I keep using GenericUSBXHCI.kext in 10.11, CalDigitFastIO.kext + CalDigitUSBxHCI.kext are best suited for 10.13/10.14 (and maybe 10.15?)
What fixed my issues: adding EmuVariableUefi.efi in Clover drivers (no more error message) and checking ACPI/DSDT/Fixes/FixShutdown (that you already checked).
I can't try it on 10.15, though, but if you want to try... ;-)

Side note based on my trials:
- ACPI XHC patches are useless
- I'm not absolutely sure, but I seem to remember that the External Icons Patch is useless in 10.14 and maybe 10.13 too (but still needed in 10.11)
- removing AudioDxe.efi, DataHubDxe.efi, and SMCHelper.efi gains a considerable amount of boot time without any side effect here
- I had a very long boot time with recent versions of AppleALC.kext (post 1.2.8) until I found a fix recently too.

Hope this might help/inspire you.

 

[Nodarkthings]

Thank you very much for your prompt responses friends, I am trying to get a cheap card to give this hackintosh a little more life.

Although I initially put together this hacktintosh with a GTX 650.
Is it too outdated for Catalina?


Good luck.

You might try https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...der-nvidia-graphics-in-macos-catalina.290488/
It worked perfectly for my GT210 on Mojave.

 

[ars.2015]

You might try https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...der-nvidia-graphics-in-macos-catalina.290488/
It worked perfectly for my GT210 on Mojave.

I will try it, for sure.
Thanks.

 

[negotiator50]

Anyone able to update this system to Big Sur? What system definition did you use since the system definition provided here does not work.

 

[trs96]

Anyone able to update this system to Big Sur? What system definition did you use since the system definition provided here does not work.

I haven't upgraded my trusty old Z68MA-D2H-B3 board yet. What you can use is iMac 15,1. iMac Pro 1,1 if you don't want the iGPU enabled and only have dedicated graphics. Some people use iMac 19,1.

 

[Nodarkthings]

I haven't upgraded my trusty old Z68MA-D2H-B3 board yet. What you can use is iMac 15,1. iMac Pro 1,1 if you don't want the iGPU enabled and only have dedicated graphics. Some people use iMac 19,1.

I thought the Sys Def was more about CPU generation and whether it's an i3, i5 or i7, and maybe what GC it uses...
So it rather depends on the OS or is it specific for Big Sur?
I'm about to upgrade my 10.11 system to 10.14 and for the time being iMac13,1 or iMac13,2 seem ok, have you got a better suggestion? — and and on what criterion must I decide? (I've also tried Macmini6,1 and iMac14,2 with no apparent issue)
My build: GA-Z68XP-UD3 | i7 3770 | GeForce GT 210

 

[trs96]

So it rather depends on the OS or is it specific for Big Sur?

Apple dropped Big Sur support for the 2012 iMacs and the Mac mini so you cant use the SMBIOS of either for Big Sur installs.

I'm about to upgrade my 10.11 system to 10.14 and for the time being iMac13,1 or iMac13,2 seem ok, have you got a better suggestion?

Those are good choices for Mojave/Catalina but you don't have the Metal 2 capable graphics that Mojave requires for full graphics acceleraton. You could upgrade to the GT 710 for Metal 2 capable graphics.

 

[Nodarkthings]

you don't have the Metal 2 capable graphics that Mojave requires for full graphics acceleraton.

I've already fixed that thanks to https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...der-nvidia-graphics-in-macos-catalina.290488/ Works perfectly! I don't think I'll upgrade this build above Mojave anyway, as it looks harder and harder to tinker down into the OS...
Thanks.