MSI 9 Series Motherboards - OS X Setup and Configuration

[tonymacx86]

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Over the past few weeks we've been testing some 9 Series MSI motherboards. Since there aren't too many people in the community using MSI, this post should allow users to configure and boot OS X using any 9 Series MSI motherboard. We'll be adding a list of them to this month's Buyer's Guide.

MSI Z97-GAMING 7


MSI Z97-GAMING 9 AC

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BIOS Settings
Firstly, it's a good idea to grab the latest BIOS and set BIOS according to the screenshots below. For simplicity, here are the main things to set:

1. Load Optimized Defaults
2. Set Overclocking/CPU Features/CFG Lock to Disabled
3. Set Overclocking/CPU Features/VT-d to Disabled
4. Save configuration and reset

Load Optimized Defaults

OC/CPU Features

Overclocking/CPU Features/CFG Lock Disabled

CFG lock Disabled

Overclocking/CPU Features/VT-d Disabled


Save configuration and reset

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Board Explorer​

Installation
Installation is done using the default UniBeast guide. It's exactly the same as any other board.

MultiBeast Settings
Post-installation is done using MultiBeast, as with many other boards it can vary based on Audio/Network/Graphics. Here's an example configuration for the Z97-Gaming 9 AC using Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics. Please note, until Apple releases a new Mac with 9-series chipset, temporary fixes will be necessary for both Audio and HD 4600 on any 9 series motherboard.

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Notes
We tested the MSI Z97-GAMING 7 and the MSI Z97-GAMING 9 AC. The wifi card in the MSI Z97-GAMING 9 AC is a Broadcom BCM94352 HMB/AzureWave AW-CE123H which supports both Airport and Bluetooth 4.0 with SSDT or kext injection. See toleda's mini-PCIe network card thread for details.

MSI Z97-GAMING 7
http://us.msi.com/product/mb/Z97_GAMING_7.html#hero-overview

MSI Z97-GAMING 9
http://us.msi.com/product/mb/Z97_GAMING_9_AC.html#hero-overview

 

[DarfWeder]

View attachment 106381 View attachment 106382

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Over the past few weeks we've been testing some 9 Series MSI motherboards. Since there aren't too many people in the community using MSI, this post should allow users to configure and boot OS X using any 9 Series MSI motherboard. We'll be adding a list of them to this month's Buyer's Guide.

SWEEEEET!!!! Oh man, you don't know how nice it is to FINALLY see you guys check out a MSI board!!! WOOHOO!!!

I may have had bad luck for myself with Gigabyte as PCs I built for others with Gigabyte are fine and ran forever. But I have found sort of like my soul mate in MSI and from a technical point of view with solid caps etc. I think they're ranking amongst the top.

My MSI builds are all rock solid for what I use them (graphics and video). Thanks a lot for confirming once more, you can really do these things on MSI as well. I figure there is no more need for an updated BIOS like on my Z77A-G45 then... sweeter!

Moreover, in Europe at least, MSI warrants their motherboards and graphics cards for 3 years. wow. Now THAT is a statement.

Well I know what to buy next time I have a need then!!! Thanks Tony!

 

[sneitzel]

So the M.2 slot on this board works/is Mac compatible as well?

 

[trs96]

So the M.2 slot on this board works/is Mac compatible as well?

Depends on whether the motherboard's bios allows it. That is, if you are trying to boot from that ssd.
If it's just used for storage then it should work with any motherboard.

Hopefully we will have some M.2 SSD choices that work in the Buyer's Guide.

 

[ERSCreeper]

SWEEEEET!!!! Oh man, you don't know how nice it is to FINALLY see you guys check out a MSI board!!! WOOHOO!!!

I may have had bad luck for myself with Gigabyte as PCs I built for others with Gigabyte are fine and ran forever. But I have found sort of like my soul mate in MSI and from a technical point of view with solid caps etc. I think they're ranking amongst the top.

My MSI builds are all rock solid for what I use them (graphics and video). Thanks a lot for confirming once more, you can really do these things on MSI as well. I figure there is no more need for an updated BIOS like on my Z77A-G45 then... sweeter!

Moreover, in Europe at least, MSI warrants their motherboards and graphics cards for 3 years. wow. Now THAT is a statement.

Well I know what to buy next time I have a need then!!! Thanks Tony!

I have to agree that it is nice to see MSI boards being looked at. I am running a Z77A-GD55 on stock 1.11 Bios. You shouldn't need to patch the bios to get power management.

 

[sneitzel]

Depends on whether the motherboard's bios allows it. That is, if you are trying to boot from that ssd.

That's really what I was asking I guess, if booting from M.2 works with OSX. Wondering if that has been tested on the gaming 9? I have had my eye on the MSI Gaming 9 MB for a while and was really just waiting to see how OSX compatible it was. That, and for the M.2 SSD prices to become more reasonable...

 

[dingl3]

Hi

I was ecstatic to see this board been tested and supported as i got one about 4 months ago and have nothing but issues getting it to run smoothly. Im not new to customacs i been building them for about 4 years.

So i have a few questions, im running the latest firmware from MSI website 1.60. First i do not see any option in cpu features for Intel VT-d, i see the option for Intel Visualization Tech but not the VT-d. I notice from your screen that you have both options available, so im unsure what to do here.

I downgraded the bios to 1.50 to see if the option is there and still it is not, i have the AC version of the MB same as yourself. Funnily though when i went to 1.50 the CFG Lock option is not there.

Also this tutorial was written for Mavericks, currently im trying to install Yosemite but seem to be havign a few issues. Have you tried and tested this with Yosemite?

It seemed to all install first time great upon installation i do the MultiBeast settings. The only setting that i dont see as per your post is the Series 9 fix for Audio but i just assumed that had been inbuilt into the ALC 1150 Codec for new multibeast for Yosemite. Anyway the issue i have is after installing all the Multuibeast codecs and settigns it indeed boots straight from the HD no problems. But then after one reboot it fails to start it doesnt seem to KP at all it just hangs on the Apple loading logo at boot. If i do -x safe mode it boots in ok. -v it seems to hang on some Audio error ill get a screen of this over shortly.

Hardware im using so you clear on the setup

MSI Z97 Gaming 9 AC
i7 4770k
32 GB Hyper X 2400 MHz
2 x ASUS GTX 780 3GB
Crucial MX100 512GB SSD

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[baby007]

I suggest you go with clover. I was having a whole lot of issues with chimera/chameleon but very few (or not really) with clover.
I have Gaming 7 and 4790k btw

 

[wfj]

Hi

I was ecstatic to see this board been tested and supported as i got one about 4 months ago and have nothing but issues getting it to run smoothly. Im not new to customacs i been building them for about 4 years.

So i have a few questions, im running the latest firmware from MSI website 1.60. First i do not see any option in cpu features for Intel VT-d, i see the option for Intel Visualization Tech but not the VT-d. I notice from your screen that you have both options available, so im unsure what to do here.

I downgraded the bios to 1.50 to see if the option is there and still it is not, i have the AC version of the MB same as yourself. Funnily though when i went to 1.50 the CFG Lock option is not there.

Also this tutorial was written for Mavericks, currently im trying to install Yosemite but seem to be havign a few issues. Have you tried and tested this with Yosemite?

It seemed to all install first time great upon installation i do the MultiBeast settings. The only setting that i dont see as per your post is the Series 9 fix for Audio but i just assumed that had been inbuilt into the ALC 1150 Codec for new multibeast for Yosemite. Anyway the issue i have is after installing all the Multuibeast codecs and settigns it indeed boots straight from the HD no problems. But then after one reboot it fails to start it doesnt seem to KP at all it just hangs on the Apple loading logo at boot. If i do -x safe mode it boots in ok. -v it seems to hang on some Audio error ill get a screen of this over shortly.

Hardware im using so you clear on the setup

MSI Z97 Gaming 9 AC
i7 4770k
32 GB Hyper X 2400 MHz
2 x ASUS GTX 780 3GB
Crucial MX100 512GB SSD

Thanks in advance for any help

Were you able to get your system up and running? I just built a new rig with the MSI Z97 Gaming 5 and it's working flawlessly with Yosemite. I'm using BIOS version 1.7 and both of the options listed above are available. The installation didn't require any boot flags, FYI.

 

[oger]

Trouble reaching the installer
I can reach the Chimera boot screen
In the bios I only changed boot order. And the VT-d Disabled .
In my version of bios v2.2 I cant disable CFG-Lock, as it is not listed anymore. Is that bad?
Is there anything else i need to change?

Boot and boot ignore caches restarts the system a second after the apple logo appears

Boot Verbose and boot single user loads all the files for a while but then the sytem reboots again

I tried all the boot flags recommended:
-x,
GraphicsEnabler=Yes / No , PCIRootUID=1, maxmem=4096, maxmem=8192, and npci=0x2000

but nothing helped

Is this a video problem?
I have an old Monitor connected through VGA
but I have the same issue, when my imac is connected as a screen through the Displayport.

Bios version on the board shows V2.2
I installed a Seagate Video 3.5 HDD ST3000VM002 3Tb drive

I don't think it is 4k

I just found someone who had a similar problem.
It seems I need to disable cfg lock, but it is simply not present in my bios settings.
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