[Guide] Lenovo ThinkPad T440S [OpenCore 0.6.7]

[CoBrA2168]

Guys Acidanthera Updates are usually 1-5th of each month.

So i can assume that they will release their updates tomorrow, so will include the entire EFI 0.5.9 tomorrow if all goes well by plan and these are the updates scheduled for June which will come in use into the guide (removed the ones that have nothing to do with the T440S):

• OpenCore 0.5.9
• AppleALC 1.5.0
• VirtualSMC 1.1.4
• IntelMausi 1.0.3
• WhateverGreen 1.4.0
• Lilu 1.4.5
• VodooInput 1.0.6
• VoodooPS2 2.1.5

Fixes done by T440s side (non Acidanthera):

• FixedHPET and provided SSDT-IRQ (IRQ fixes) - removed the dirty workaround we used so far by blocking/delaying AppleHPET to load.
• New keyboard map with Fn buttons to work with their native functions as they did on Windows and the macOS replacement for the ones available, also FN+Spacebar HUD indicator included, all these require latest ThinkPad Assistant application to be used
• Added Method _TTS (transition to state) to save the state of Mic Mute LED F4 key even after wake from sleep.
• Also removed _WAK to ZWAK ACPI rename for LED Blink fix and now the fix is done with Method _TTS which is available on the updated SSDT-LED
• Build Sinetek-rtsx of Cholonam from source which seems to work well on macOS Catalina.
• Custom VoodooPS2 (previous version) and combined with latest VoodooInput optimizations until we have a solution for latest VoodooPS2 which broke TrackPoint and Physical Buttons.
• Corrected HP15 (TouchScreen/EMV Smart Card Reader) USB Port Type from 0 (USB2) to 2 (Internal) into USBPorts.kext

This is the changelog and schedule for Tomorrow (Monday or eventually Tuesday) if a new problem raises.
Will update this in case i forgot to list something or add something newer.

Looking forward to the big update! Nice find with using the _TTS method by the way - sounds like a cleaner solution.

Very excited about the new keyboard SSDT and Thinkpad Assistant app. I'll try to incorporate those changes into my Clover / Mojave setup (for now).

Will the latest VoodooInput / VoodooPS2 updates revert the broken Trackpoint + Physical buttons, or is that something we're going to have to deal with moving forward?

 

[Sniki]

You can replace your EFI with the OpenCore one, without a clean install or affecting anything aside the improvements that OpenCore does bring.
I can confidently say that it’s superior to Clover now since it also does have the OpenCanopy (GUI) with this release.
And also the improvements that I did with this update, system seems a lot smoother.

VoodooPS2 will be the last good working one but VoodooInput will be the latest which is still major improvements but we keep the compatibility of Trackpoint and Physical Buttons.

the issue with latest VoodooPS2 will be addressed by next update if all goes well and i will optimize the SSDT-KBD touchpad section as things have completely changed from RehabMan VoodooPS2 version.

 

[CoBrA2168]

You can replace your EFI with the OpenCore one, without a clean install or affecting anything aside the improvements that OpenCore does bring.
I can confidently say that it’s superior to Clover now since it also does have the OpenCanopy (GUI) with this release.
And also the improvements that I did with this update, system seems a lot smoother.

VoodooPS2 will be the last good working one but VoodooInput will be the latest which is still major improvements but we keep the compatibility of Trackpoint and Physical Buttons.

the issue with latest VoodooPS2 will be addressed by next update if all goes well and i will optimize the SSDT-KBD touchpad section as things have completely changed from RehabMan VoodooPS2 version.

I might give the OpenCore update a shot on my existing install if it's indeed that easy. I need to read up on how it works and how it's different than Clover, since I don't want to get my system into an unbootable state.

Do you know if there's a simple step by step guide on moving from Clover to OpenCore out there anywhere?

EDIT: Nevermind, I found a pretty good one on a user's Github.

EDIT 2: Here is also a great site for checking your config and making sure it's valid: https://opencore.slowgeek.com/

 

[raulmazda]

I might give the OpenCore update a shot on my existing install if it's indeed that easy. I need to read up on how it works and how it's different than Clover, since I don't want to get my system into an unbootable state.

I recommend getting it working on a thumb drive, then moving it to the disk when you're comfortable. You can leave clover around and flip between the two if you'd like. I sit grub in front of both of them, but you could use the builtin bios picker by adding entries with bootoption (or efibootmgr on Linux, or probably whatever the equivalent windows util is).

 

[CoBrA2168]

I recommend getting it working on a thumb drive, then moving it to the disk when you're comfortable. You can leave clover around and flip between the two if you'd like. I sit grub in front of both of them, but you could use the builtin bios picker by adding entries with bootoption (or efibootmgr on Linux, or probably whatever the equivalent windows util is).

That's a great idea/suggestion of utilizing both bootloaders, using something like grub. Also, yes I will definitely test on USB before I switch over. Would hate to get into an unbootable state.

 

[Sniki]

That's a great idea/suggestion of utilizing both bootloaders, using something like grub. Also, yes I will definitely test on USB before I switch over. Would hate to get into an unbootable state.

If you only boot macOS and have no other OS installed, then you are good to go, (aside from adding/porting clover smbios values for iMessage and any wifi card specific patches if your card requires any) other than that, you should be fine.

test it on usb first then if it boots your current installation fine, a sleep and wake cycle works fine, replace your EFI, backup old clover

 

[Sniki]

Open Core 0.5.9 EFI for Lenovo ThinkPad T440S is released and updated in post #1​

Acidanthera Changelog:

• OpenCore 0.5.9
• AppleALC 1.5.0
• VirtualSMC 1.1.4
• IntelMausi 1.0.3
• WhateverGreen 1.4.0
• Lilu 1.4.5
• VodooInput 1.0.6
• VoodooPS2 2.1.5 (skipped, using 2.1.3 bundled with VoodooInput 1.0.6)

Sniki Changelog:

Provided Acidanthera June Updates

• Open Core 0.5.9
• Above mentioned kexts
• Latest Drivers

Fixed IRQ Flags (HPET)

• Removed the barbaric workaround to block which delayed AppleHPET to load for audio fix with Config.plist > Kernel > Block > com.apple.AppleHPET
• Added SSDT-IRQ which includes the T440S patched HPET with IRQNoFlags included
• Added the ACPI patch to disable native HPET in Darwin so the patched one loads

Updated SSDT-LED

• Added Method _TTS (transition to state) which is missing from T440S native ACPI and tells state transitions
• Removed _WAK to ZWAK rename
• Removed Patched WAK from SSDT-LED in favor of _TTS
• Patched LED Blink fix with _TTS method which is the natural way in compliance with ACPISpec
• Added Mic Mute (F4) LED state to _TTS Method so the LED saves the state even after wake from sleep.

Updated SSDT-KBD (must be used with latest Thinkpad Assistant)

• F4/Fn+F4 - is now Microphone Mute toggle like it is on Windows with working HUD and LED light
• F8/Fn+F8 - is now Wifi On/Off like on Windows, Shift+F8/Shift+Fn+F8 is Bluetooth On/Off toggle
• F9/Fn+F9 - is now SysPrefs and works natively without the need to assign it on SysPrefs > Keyboard > Shortcuts
• F10/Fn+F10 - is now Spotlight Search without the need to assign it on SysPrefs > Keyboard > Shortcuts
• F11/Fn+F11 - is now Mission Control without the need to assign it on SysPrefs > Keyboard > Shortcuts
• F12/Fn+F12 - is now LaunchPad without the need to assign it on SysPrefs > Keyboard > Shortcuts
• Fn+Spacebar - shows Backlight HUD with the 3 levels: Off, Level 1 (dim), Level 2 (Bright)

OpenCanopy (OpenCore GUI)

• OpenCanopy is now enabled by default instead of the classic boot picker
• Updated OpenCanopy files

DeviceProperties

• Removed -igfxnohdmi boot-arg
• Added disable-hdmi-patches as IGPU device property instead of the boot-arg

Card Reader

• Added latest Cholonam / Sinetek-rtsx build from source (Mojave users should download the Mojave version from his repository as it is build with SDK10.15).
• Now enabled by default as the problems were mostly other configuration problems.

Enjoy !

 

[aznaux]

Hi Sniki,

I got Catalina running with OpenCore on a Thinkpad x240 with a combination of your repositories and wanted to express my gratitude for the continued effort you are putting into this!

 

[KhoGao]

Hi @Sniki
I did OPtion 1 and then the Option 2, things go very good and the machine is much smoother than before, Ram reported correctly 12GB, not 16GB as before. Will comeback to you as soon as anything arise. this machine is my daily driver dualboot . I will try Option 3 if I have time.

p/s I ran PikerAlpha's ssdtPRgen.sh to make my SSDT.aml and added it into my config.plist aswellas my E/O/ACPI folder. The machine feels like 2x faster )

 

[Sniki]

Hi Sniki,

I got Catalina running with OpenCore on a Thinkpad x240 with a combination of your repositories and wanted to express my gratitude for the continued effort you are putting into this!

Nice, it’s almost identical to T440S, just some small changes and now that it’s stable and even better than Clover i will update all other ThinkPads as well.
T440s was pilot project for OpenCore due to higher user base.

Hi @Sniki
I did OPtion 1 and then the Option 2, things go very good and the machine is much smoother than before, Ram reported correctly 12GB, not 16GB as before. Will comeback to you as soon as anything arise. this machine is my daily driver dualboot . I will try Option 3 if I have time.

p/s I ran PikerAlpha's ssdtPRgen.sh to make my SSDT.aml and added it into my config.plist aswellas my E/O/ACPI folder. The machine feels like 2x faster )

Why did you add SSDT.aml ?
Power Management is already implemented.
System does use native OEM power management SSDTs and only needs the injected PluginType=1.

Is there really such difference because as far as i know and that i have tested nothing did change. Maybe that changed now.