[Success] ASUS Prime Z370-A+i9-9900k Pro Audio Build

[kolyasapphire]

You're welcome @kolyasapphire! Glad you dig it. I've made the full switch. My back up boot drive is even an OpenCore booter. I do keep a copy of my working Clover Config on Dropbox as a safety net.

First, may I suggest getting the Rev 2 version of the Z370-A Prime. It's pretty much all the same but can handle a 9900K and likely more in the future for the socket type. Mine can handle a 9900 non K or not overclocked 9900K. Just a thought! Though I see you have a Z390 Des in your signature. Switching boards or a new build? The built in TB3 is a plus on the Z390 Designware!

I've got CPU management handled by XCPM.aml and GPU by dAGPM.kext. Also SSDT-EC.am. I'm realizing as I type this that you probably do too and were simply wondering if it performs the same but there's a point to stress here. OpenCore is suppose to be ran without using Name Change Patches or at least as few as possible. This made me tear through my setup and realize how many outdated or useless patches I had. I slimmed it WAY down. That's the goal anyways right? To be as functional as possible with the least amount of patching. I have zero patches.

That being said, I love it and you're welcome to what I've learned about it so far. I've attached my OC EFI already if you want to look through the config file. Also read away!

Thanks a lot! That makes a lot of sense, I think I'll completely switch to OC once I finish the documentation.

I actually reverted back to Prime because it has a Thunderbolt header, otherwise my LG 5K won't work properly.

Your OC EFI will save me a lot of time!

 

[NorthAmTransAm]

@kolyasapphire Fair enough! I'm not the most knowledgeable person here but I can help out for sure.

 

[cnsilvan]

Ah, removing Hide Pre boot for you to see if this helps.

Attached. Replace your config with this.

The strange thing is my Z370-A BIOS only recognizes my flash drive in USB3.0 port.

 

[NorthAmTransAm]

The strange thing is my Z370-A BIOS only recognizes my flash drive in USB3.0 port.

I seem to remember this happening to someone else as well. Are you up and running?

 

[cnsilvan]

I seem to remember this happening to someone else as well. Are you up and running?

Sleep problems when use UHD 630.

 

[KingBfire]

Hi @NorthAmTransAm. First of all: Great user guide! I am thinking about modernising my pro audio build with a new graphics card and a cleaner SMBIOS/Drivers/KEXT setup as yours after finishing my current production projects.

The part of "undervolting" the CPU immediately caught my intention because I face huge issues with the painful AAE9173 Pro Tools error. I was hoping that it maybe can make it a bit better.

In my BIOS settings in the advance mode I can only find following under the "My Favorites" tab:
CPU Core Ratio: Auto
DRAM Odd Ratio Mode: Enabled
Extreme Over-voltage: Disabled (greyed out)
CPU Core/Cache Voltage: 1.040V (Auto)
Fast Boot: Enabled

Under CPU Core/Cache Voltage I can change Auto to Offset but cannot enter a negative "CPU Core Voltage Offset" - just a positive one as 0.075. The 1.040V listed before the dropdown menu cannot be edited. Is this the right place to edit those values, or am I completely wrong?

Edit:
BIOS Version 2.17.1246

 

[NorthAmTransAm]

Hi @NorthAmTransAm. First of all: Great user guide! I am thinking about modernising my pro audio build with a new graphics card and a cleaner SMBIOS/Drivers/KEXT setup as yours after finishing my current production projects.

The part of "undervolting" the CPU immediately caught my intention because I face huge issues with the painful AAE9173 Pro Tools error. I was hoping that it maybe can make it a bit better.

In my BIOS settings in the advance mode I can only find following under the "My Favorites" tab:
CPU Core Ratio: Auto
DRAM Odd Ratio Mode: Enabled
Extreme Over-voltage: Disabled (greyed out)
CPU Core/Cache Voltage: 1.040V (Auto)
Fast Boot: Enabled

Under CPU Core/Cache Voltage I can change Auto to Offset but cannot enter a negative "CPU Core Voltage Offset" - just a positive one as 0.075. The 1.040V listed before the dropdown menu cannot be edited. Is this the right place to edit those values, or am I completely wrong?

Edit:
BIOS Version 2.17.1246

Yeah that error is quite the battle. I still print out my big Virtual Instruments and Acustica plugins. I don't know what machine can wrangle those in. Also I use a lot of UAD.

Ok! So if memory serves, by selecting Offset and a positive number such as 0.075 you're telling the computer to apply 0.075 less volts. In other words, ya did it!

The best way to see the difference is to pull up Cinebench and Intel Power Gadget and keep an eye on when the throttling starts to happen. That number allowed me to go all the way through Cinebench's test without throttle. Good luck!

 

[KingBfire]

I tested it, and I could not recognise the improvement of the performance when testing it with Cinebech & Intel Power Gadget. The overall test score slightly decreased as well as the Utilisation (%) and the Frequency (GHz) by using Offset of 0.075.

Yes, I use a lot of UAD as well, and the AAE issue is so frustrating. I mean we have far more powerful systems right now than lots of devices in apple's product range...

 

[pinoli]

Hello @NorthAmTransAm thank you very much for the guide and the folders.
I have already started porting your settings into my build with OpenCore.
I am using an i7-8700K with iGPU UHD 630 plus a Vega 56 as dGPU, and currently using iMac18,3 in Clover
I have the ASUS EX3 TB card, but I am not using it at the moment.

I am wondering about a couple of things before I go forward:

1. I don't see IntelMausiEthernet.kext and I am wondering if you use the integrated Ethernet at all (I see you use a WiFi card pulled from a genuine Mac). I think I need it, since it's been working flawlessly in Clover until now.
2. I own but am not using the ASUS EX3 TB expansion, so I removed SSDT-DTPG.aml and SSDT-Z370-TB3HP.aml SSDTs from config.plist and ACPI folder. Is this correct?
3. I see NVRAM, PlatformInfo and UEFI sections are missing from your OC config.plist. PlatformInfo is understandable, but still contains important settings. UEFI section also is important, so I am wondering if you could share those sections as well.
4. What is the reason you are not using VBoxHfs.efi? No HFS drives at all?
5. I own a BCM943602CS, still native but different from yours. Do you think I will still benefit from AirportBrcmFixup.kext? I ask because I have never used it.
6. I have never heard about dAGPM.kext. I looked into it and it seems a pretty old hack. Can you tell me more? Is this necessary? I have a Vega 56 that is working flawlessly in Mojave (latest update with Clover), and I did not have to do anything to make it work.
7. Also, I would like to know if you are still using iMac19,2 as SystemProductName

Ultimately, I kindly ask you to share your latest OC EFI folder, with every section of the config.plist except for:

• PlatformInfo --> Generic --> MLB
• PlatformInfo --> Generic --> SystemUUID
• PlatformInfo --> Generic --> SystemSerialNumber

Thanks again for the amazing work, hope to fix my rig soon...

 

[NorthAmTransAm]

Hello @NorthAmTransAm thank you very much for the guide and the folders.
I have already started porting your settings into my build with OpenCore.
I am using an i7-8700K with iGPU UHD 630 plus a Vega 56 as dGPU, and currently using iMac18,3 in Clover
I have the ASUS EX3 TB card, but I am not using it at the moment.

I am wondering about a couple of things before I go forward:

1. I don't see IntelMausiEthernet.kext and I am wondering if you use the integrated Ethernet at all (I see you use a WiFi card pulled from a genuine Mac). I think I need it, since it's been working flawlessly in Clover until now.
2. I own but am not using the ASUS EX3 TB expansion, so I removed SSDT-DTPG.aml and SSDT-Z370-TB3HP.aml SSDTs from config.plist and ACPI folder. Is this correct?
3. I see NVRAM, PlatformInfo and UEFI sections are missing from your OC config.plist. PlatformInfo is understandable, but still contains important settings. UEFI section also is important, so I am wondering if you could share those sections as well.
4. What is the reason you are not using VBoxHfs.efi? No HFS drives at all?
5. I own a BCM943602CS, still native but different from yours. Do you think I will still benefit from AirportBrcmFixup.kext? I ask because I have never used it.
6. I have never heard about dAGPM.kext. I looked into it and it seems a pretty old hack. Can you tell me more? Is this necessary? I have a Vega 56 that is working flawlessly in Mojave (latest update with Clover), and I did not have to do anything to make it work.
7. Also, I would like to know if you are still using iMac19,2 as SystemProductName

Ultimately, I kindly ask you to share your latest OC EFI folder, with every section of the config.plist except for:

• PlatformInfo --> Generic --> MLB
• PlatformInfo --> Generic --> SystemUUID
• PlatformInfo --> Generic --> SystemSerialNumber

Thanks again for the amazing work, hope to fix my rig soon...

Thank you!

For the OC plist I started with the generic on 0.4.0 and then copied the new entries for 0.5.0. I'll have to brush up on my knowledge on this so bare with me if my answers aren't terrific.

1) IntelMausi. You know, I'm not sure why I don't have it other than I don't use my ethernet port. My ethernet does show up in System Report however. I have a feeling WEG took care of it but cannot confirm that.

2) EX3 - It won't hurt to keep those in there but for less loading (negligible however) you can remove it and your card.

3) NVRAM, etc... - Strange they should all be in there. I've attached my current "everything works" EFI folder with the requested blank info. For filling out the Platform Info I strongly suggested using the most recent version of Hackintool. It gives to you clearly and quick. On NVRAM, this board has native NVRAM (why I like the 370 so much) so not much effort is needed.

4) Vbox - Yep, no HFS. Even so, I seem to remember it working fine without such patches (older versions) on HS. It's been awhile though so that could be false. I didn't start digging in until Mojave.

5) BRCM - Yes! This gave me the Handoff option in Settings>General and in IOreg the card showed up appropriately as ARPT. Using IOreg to make sure everything is working correctly has been instrumental in understanding this whole thing.

6) AGPM - Im guessing at this point WEG takes care of a lot of it. If you're looking like this (attached) then you're doing fine without it. If you're using native graphics then ignore AGPM. You do however need x86 platform. You're probably aware of this.

7) 19,2 - Yep and I'm sticking with it. Works fine for me.

EFI and IOreg is attached. Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.