How to build your own iMac Pro [Successful Build/Extended Guide]

[izo1]

Try this:

This didn't work. My modified one works though.

I'm going to give the X299USB.kext another shot to double check if everything is correct.

Basically my front 2 ports (top on my case) don't work if I remove this kext and even enable the USB Port limit patch.

My current patch (see attached) works fine with USB 3.0 on the front ports.

If I attach USB 2.0 in front ports they don't show up at all. It only works in the rear port.

 

[izo1]

A question for the designare ex if anyone could help..

What should I use to go from SL05 > GFX0?

Currently the Vega is at PCIe slot 6 in SysInfo.

 

[RuleBreaker01]

A question for the designare ex if anyone could help..

What should I use to go from SL05 > GFX0?

Currently the Vega is at PCIe slot 6 in SysInfo.

Open IORegistry Explorer, search for AMD and look at the ACPI path.
There should be SL01. So that's what it is.

But otherwise, it serves no purpose at all. There's no need for this renaming

 

[izo1]

Open IORegistry Explorer, search for AMD and look at the ACPI path.
There should be SL01. So that's what it is.

But otherwise, it serves no purpose at all. There's no need for this renaming

It's SL05, which is PCIe slot 1.

In System Information it shows the Vega to be in Slot 6.

 

[RuleBreaker01]

It's SL05, which is PCIe slot 1.

In System Information it shows the Vega to be in Slot 6.

Because Apple decided that slot 6 sounded better than slot 1 and don't give a damn about @kgp guide?

Its all cosmetic, if you want to make it appears like it's slot 1 for whatever reason, then add a DSM method for this device.

 

[izo1]

I'm having some major issues with the X299USB.kext native macOS XHCI kext. If anyone could help that would be great.

Basically I have for the last 2 weeks have tried to make this work so I don't run the more buggy USB limit patch.

I've attached the kext and under iMac Pro 1,1 the following don't work:

HS13 - Bluetooth (internal on Broadcom Wifi/BT card) set to Usb-Connector 255
SSP3 (USB 3.0 Port) set to Usb-Connector 3
SSP4 (USB 3.0 Port) set to Usb-Connector 3
SSP5 (USB 3.0 Port) set to Usb-Connector 3

I have double and triple checked over the last few weeks to make sure these are the proper ports in IoReg.

If I remove this kext and inject the USB port limit patch, it works fine, however that solution is not good in the long run and it's buggy for my Bluetooth (it drops packets if it doesn't know what kind of port it is).

Basically ALL USB 2.0 ports work this way, including running USB2.0 devices in USB 3.0 ports.

Any help appreciated

 

[izo1]

Because Apple decided that slot 6 sounded better than slot 1 and don't give a damn about @kgp guide?

Its all cosmetic, if you want to make it appears like it's slot 1 for whatever reason, then add a DSM method for this device.

macOS doesn't know what the hell to do because that's the way macOS works.

Even if it's cosmetic, it'd be nice to have some kind of utility to take care of all this stuff. You would think Multibeast (even though I don't use it) is out there but not an IoReg tool

 

[izo1]

I'm having some major issues with the X299USB.kext native macOS XHCI kext. If anyone could help that would be great.

Basically I have for the last 2 weeks have tried to make this work so I don't run the more buggy USB limit patch.

I've attached the kext and under iMac Pro 1,1 the following don't work:

HS13 - Bluetooth (internal on Broadcom Wifi/BT card) set to Usb-Connector 255
SSP3 (USB 3.0 Port) set to Usb-Connector 3
SSP4 (USB 3.0 Port) set to Usb-Connector 3
SSP5 (USB 3.0 Port) set to Usb-Connector 3

I have double and triple checked over the last few weeks to make sure these are the proper ports in IoReg.

If I remove this kext and inject the USB port limit patch, it works fine, however that solution is not good in the long run and it's buggy for my Bluetooth (it drops packets if it doesn't know what kind of port it is).

Basically ALL USB 2.0 ports work this way, including running USB2.0 devices in USB 3.0 ports.

Any help appreciated

Ignore this. I got it to work by changing certain ports to the proper ones.

Once I get the USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 ports working I will add it to the kext and attach it here if anyone wants to use it.

Basically the front 2 USB3 ports (one of the onboard Designare EX ports on the mobo) works 100% now.

This is a modification from DSM2 and it's working PERFECT now (sans USB-C since I don't have any devices to test at this moment).

 

[izo1]

Update for anyone that has a NGFF module like Intel on their board.

The Gigabyte Designare EX that I have has an Intel WiFi/BT module.
The Gigabyte AORUS Gaming 9 that I had before had a Qualcomm Atheros Wifi/BT module. (returned this and no longer have it)
They both are NGFF style modules.

So I purchased a Broadcom BCM94352Z from eBay (making sure it's brand new, I don't like used ones) for about $28.

I received it and swapped out the Intel module. I was careful with removing the heatsink shrouds and the motherboard backplates making sure all the screws were put back the same way as it came from the factory. If I ever need to send this mobo back to Gigabyte for any repairs (hopefully not) I will put the Intel one back in before I do that.

Overall very happy. I just need to change Wifi and BT to en1 and en2 respectively because I left the OSXwifi in there by accident and the new Wifi/BT module took those spots. I took that WiFi/BT PCIe card out now I have an extra PCIe slot and a much cleaner system. All works.

Results are attached. Bluetooth/Wifi both work perfectly along with handoff (I will do more tests in the coming days).
I have also attached what kexts to put into the EFI/Other folder. There is no modification needed at all to the config.plist.

Hey guys, just wanted to update people here if they are wanting to swap their onboard (usually Intel nowadays) NGFF WiFi/BT card with the BCM94352Z and have native support with Continuity/AirDrop/Etc with macOS.

I am kind of focused in this area because I have real Macs and these Continuity/Handoff features via Bluetooth/Wifi are super important to me on a daily basis and I really got used to them over the years and can't live without them. I just wanted to get them working all properly without stability issues under macOS.

Honestly not having Continuity/Handoff with a Hackintosh would be a deal killer for me, even though I could potentially live without it but it's so good to have these features working well.

I am now 100% confident it is the best that it could be with a Hackintosh. Everything acts like a real Mac (I have a 2017 MacBook Pro as well). Now I can go between my iOS, MacBook Pro and iMac Pro (Hackintosh) without any issues.

Now I have ZERO dropouts with Bluetooth headphones (AirPods, Sony and Bose). Wifi also works 100% as well.
Also Bluetooth distance has increased to normal (before it was much less).

I will verify the following works perfectly for Continuity/Etc:

1. Continuity

• a. You can handoff a call from an iPhone and click the speaker and send to the iMac Pro. If you have Bluetooth headphones on that has a Mic and is connected to your iMac Pro Hackintosh, you can continue talking on your desktop just like a real Mac.
• b. You can make calls from desktop FaceTime to any phone number number and your iPhone will be used to make that call stability issues. Also if you have a Bluetooth headphones on that has a Mic and is connected to your iMac Pro Hackintosh, you can continue talking normally and it will work like a real Mac.
• c. You can pickup where you left off from your phone on your desktop, ie browsing via Safari.

2. AirDrop

• a. Easily send AND receive from iOS devices. Works fast and connects quickly like a real Mac.

3. Copy and Paste from AND to iOS and macOS devices (Make sure Continuity/Handoff is enabled in System Pref > General)

• a. Easily copy something from your iOS device (in my case an iPhone X) and then you can just paste it in any document such as TextEdit or Keynote.
• b. You can also copy from your Mac and paste in iOS device.

4. Apple Watch unlock

• (Have not tested as I do not have one yet)

So I finally have a 100% version working on the Designare EX (this should also work for other boards, not just X299 or Gigabyte specific). I had to dump the firmware from Broadcom and find the correct firmware and compress it via zlib.

Also I highly recommend you do USB port discovery to make sure the NGFF card is recognized as an internal card (Usb-Connector 255). So in this case I use the X299USB.kext without any 30 port patches (which makes things unstable).

You can run without proper usb-port discovery with the Broadcom kexts below. Such as the USB Limit Patch by PMheart I just haven't tested it too much as I always found port limit patches a bit unstable for my taste. You have to tell macOS which port is what so it knows what to do with it.

Hope this helps people.

 

[canyondust]

There is no need for the arbitrary insert with either @maleorderbride SSDT or the one @kgp provided in the first post.
The PCI arbitrary insert only adds the PCI-Thunderbolt property to the root UPSB device. The SSDTs do that already.

Is the DeviceObj SLT5 in that SSDT actually necessary? It doesn't seem called/referenced at all...