[SUCCESS] Gigabyte Designare Z390 (Thunderbolt 3) + i7-9700K + AMD RX 580

[FriFlo]

By "experiment" I simply meant to try and see whether it works. AptioMemoryFix works only under specific circumstances.

I have been using OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000 since the very beginning (Nov/Dec of 2018) and my system has never failed. Despite the doom and gloom painted by its author, it is the only memory driver that allows this system to boot with just about any configuration of IGFX and PCIe cards.

If OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000 did not exist, then this build guide would also not exist. Consider that for a moment. This is the only driver that works for me. Did I install Catalina with this driver? Of course.

We can champion the use of AptioMemoryFix from here to eternity, but it simply does NOT work for a lot of people, including me (even with IGPU disabled). And in fact the authors of AptioMemoryFix have explicitly admittedly that they don't care to fix it for Z390 firmware. They claim they have more important things to do.

It wasn't meant as an offence and I am sorry if it came across like that! I just found a lot of people warning to use this driver, including moderators. I was asking, if you still use this driver, if you were just using it to get macOS installed. But now I know, that you really use it for a long time without any problem. That is just something, I wanted to know.
As you can see, I just found a way, how it works for me without free2000thanks to digumos help. I will test this for a few days and stick with it for now, if I cannot see a problem.
Anyway, thanks for all the help so far! You wouldn't have this install without free2000 - me, I wouldn't have this Hackintosh without CaseySJ! ;-) Cheers!

 

[MuffinCrumbs]

I managed to get mine working. Was some stupid minor bugs and a few things I changed. I like to figure it out myself but then compare to what others have done and see what I can improve on mine. I'll look at this for comparison but I went off the assumption that since I need emulated nvram on Clover I'd need it on OpenCore.

I can see if mine works without emulated nvram but it seems from reading this thread most people do need it especially for iMessage, which I use. Do you use iMessage on your Hackintosh?

I can boot my USB SSD backup now, so the next step after tweaking/testing more is to try my main drive.




About my RAM question. It's no problem, and now my RAM works as expected instead of me tricking the system with SMBIOS edits in Clover. So that's just a Clover bug. I confirm 32GB DIMMs are fine in Clover.

Hi, yes I use iMessages. I got real Mac's as well, and iPhone. So I use the ecosystem extensively.

 

[totototo]

By "experiment" I simply meant to try and see whether it works. AptioMemoryFix works only under specific circumstances.

I have been using OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000 since the very beginning (Nov/Dec of 2018) and my system has never failed. Despite the doom and gloom painted by its author, it is the only memory driver that allows this system to boot with just about any configuration of IGFX and PCIe cards.

If OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000 did not exist, then this build guide would also not exist. Consider that for a moment. This is the only driver that works for me. Did I install Catalina with this driver? Of course.

We can champion the use of AptioMemoryFix from here to eternity, but it simply does NOT work for a lot of people, including me (even with IGPU disabled). And in fact the authors of AptioMemoryFix have explicitly admittedly that they don't care to fix it for Z390 firmware. They claim they have more important things to do.

Do we even know a single case of failure attributed to OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000?

That being said I wanted to explore all my options. For now I can run iMacPro1,1 without the need for OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000. So that is one valid option. I will also play with MuffinCrumbs' OC EFI folder to see if iMac19,1 with active iGPU can run. He has it configured for iMacPro1,1 so I have to get DeviceProperties for PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x2,0x0) in there to run headless UHD 630. Has anybody tried that? Muffin said he tried iMac19,1 and iGPU on but did not say if he was able to run in headless mode. With the release of macOS Catalina I'd like to figure out the best way possible to run SMBIOS iMac19,1. I feel it is best suited for our mobo with working sidecar and no T2 chip.

 

[MuffinCrumbs]

By "experiment" I simply meant to try and see whether it works. AptioMemoryFix works only under specific circumstances.

I have been using OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000 since the very beginning (Nov/Dec of 2018) and my system has never failed. Despite the doom and gloom painted by its author, it is the only memory driver that allows this system to boot with just about any configuration of IGFX and PCIe cards.

If OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000 did not exist, then this build guide would also not exist. Consider that for a moment. This is the only driver that works for me. Did I install Catalina with this driver? Of course.

We can champion the use of AptioMemoryFix from here to eternity, but it simply does NOT work for a lot of people, including me (even with IGPU disabled). And in fact the authors of AptioMemoryFix have explicitly admittedly that they don't care to fix it for Z390 firmware. They claim they have more important things to do.

Hi,

I admire how you've kept this thread going. I got no issues with AptioFix2Drv-Free2000. However, it is still thought of as a driver that one should be warned about. I am not sure if you've researched about it, other than reading what the creator of free2000 said.You can find several posts informing on why this driver should not be used, by several of the developers who've made solutions for memory allocation. Developers such as Download-Fritz, Apianti, Vit and so on. I am not sure if I am allowed to refer to their words, here on TonyMacX86. Apianti has also written his statement and warns not to use it.

Regardless of you having no problem with the driver, certain processes might not be wanted even to the most minuscule level. In the most laymen, the driver forces the use of the memory, regardless of it not being able to allocate correctly.

I can understand that it is probably frustrating to find posts talking about the "fear" of using this driver, however. Especially when you got a working hackintosh with this controversial driver, and you see no macroscopic issues arising.

I just wanted to address the fact that this driver should be warned against, regardless of any experience. But that is my opinion. And I am not forcing it.

I apologise beforehand, if this comment sounds out of line, or sounds bothersome in any way.

 

[CaseySJ]

My view on memory drivers has been consistent:

1. Use an alternative like AptioMemoryFix if it works.
2. Otherwise go ahead and use OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000.
3. But we should not categorically demonize this driver like some satanic monster. Quite the contrary, in fact. Has there been an actual bricked system because of this?

 

[MuffinCrumbs]

My view on memory drivers has been consistent:

1. Use an alternative like AptioMemoryFix if it works.
2. Otherwise go ahead and use OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000.
3. But we should not categorically demonize this driver like some satanic monster. Quite the contrary, in fact. Has there been an actual bricked system because of this?

So far I know of one system failing/"bricking". But we were never sure of it. And I have spoken to Download-Fritz about it. This was back in the SkyLake days.Memory allocation issues started diehard back then. And Free2000 was a "solution". People even used two memory allocation drivers, AptioFix2Drv + AptioFix2Drv-Free2000. Which was a bad combo.

So there was one particular user who got his Asus Z170 motherboard non functional, after toying a lot with the driver. But we were never sure if it was the Free2000 that did it. However, the theory is out, it is documented to not use it, by people I'd at least call experts.

One might not find any big issues macroscopically, but just knowing the laymen fact, there is something wrong happening microscopically. You might or might not face the consequences, till a given time.

A way I think of it, is that people would defend their use of things. Defend how they use the driver. I am not saying anyone is doing that here.

If I had the problem. I would perhaps start with AptioFix3Drv, knowing it is implemented with certain NVRAM fixes from AptioMemoryFix (AptioFix3Drv = AptioFix2Drv + a method for avoiding runtime defragmentation). After that, perhaps I would try some random logical slide values. Then I would extract memory map, and calculate correct slide.

 

[digumo]

My view on memory drivers has been consistent:

1. Use an alternative like AptioMemoryFix if it works.
2. Otherwise go ahead and use OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000.
3. But we should not categorically demonize this driver like some satanic monster. Quite the contrary, in fact. Has there been an actual bricked system because of this?

Not to throw fuel on the fire here, but I sorta see it in simple terms. Hope this isn't too crude...

It's like Apianti is a doctor and he gives you a warning. He says don't go sleeping around cause you could catch something. Then you decide to repeat the mantra of "Ah, it'll never happen to me" every time you do the deed. Then, in an instant, that one time happens and you're like "Aw crap!" as your real-world "normal" becomes a jumble of pain. - Don't get offended anyone, it's just my personal perspective.

Being that I'm just a TOTAL newb to the whole hardware scene (although I am a software developer) I have to defer to what the doctor says and go off the notion that he knows more about what he's talking about. Since, I know I don't know what I'm talking about when it comes to hardware and memory allocation.

Having said that, I am TOTALLY INDEBTED to @CaseySJ for his ever helpful interaction and resources here. His guide got me up and running! All this with having gotten the notion I would even try a hackintosh from some other source (now realizing how morgo nuts that is) I can only say that I wouldn't be typing this on this dual boot pc without this forum and your help Casey!

Totally looking forward to testing out OpenCore with 19,1 iGPU and dGPU enabled. So thanks to @MuffinCrumbs for the contribution!

 

[CaseySJ]

Yes, THB_C is connected, 2x PCIe Pwer is connected, Thunderbolt is Enabled in Bios, actually i cannot boot in WIN10, but i already installed drivers in WIN10

Path is: IOACPIPlane:/_SB/PCI0@0/RP21@1b0004

Bios:
Discrete Thunderbolt(™)Support - Enabled
TBT Vt-d base security - Disabled
Thunderbolt Boot Support - Boot once
Wake From Thunderbolt(™) Devices - Enabled
Security Level - No Security

Discrete Thunderbolt(™) Configuration
Thunderbolt USB Support - Disabled
GPIO3 Force Pwr - Disabled

As you can see, there's nothing registered on RP21.

Please try these changes to BIOS and upload IOReg file again...

• Discrete Thunderbolt(™)Support - Enabled
  • TBT Vt-d base security - Disabled
  • Thunderbolt Boot Support - Boot once --> Change to Disabled
  • Wake From Thunderbolt(™) Devices - Enabled
  • Security Level - No Security
• Discrete Thunderbolt(™) Configuration
  • Thunderbolt USB Support - Disabled --> Change to Enabled
  • GPIO3 Force Pwr - Disabled --> Change to Enabled

 

[CaseySJ]

@FriFlo @MuffinCrumbs @totototo @digumo

These are all good arguments and I think we are all in agreement on the essential points.

• We should use an alternative memory driver if it works. The Build Guide will continue to recommend OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000 for the time being because it allows everyone to come on board with a working system. Later they can and should switch to something else if it works.
• If I remove my WiFi/BT card, I can use AptioMemoryFix. If others disable their iGPU, they can use AptioMemoryFix. So this type of tradeoff should also be considered. If you're okay without iGPU (e.g. SMBIOS iMacPro1,1) then this is a valid tradeoff.
• As development of OpenCore and FwFirmwareServices proceeds, we may have a truly viable alternative to both AptioMemoryFix and OsxAptioFix2Drv-free2000. Thanks to @MuffinCrumbs and @rj510 for raising awareness of this coming alternative to Clover.
  • My experiments with alpha builds of OpenCore, unfortunately, ended in boot failures 100% of the time (specifically, errors involving some missing biometric device). Will try again as OC matures; I understand it's at public beta stage now.

A couple more comments and I'll leave it at that...

• @MuffinCrumbs is right, "that people would defend their use of things. Defend how they use the driver." I use the driver because I have no alternative and because there have not been any ill effects so far. This does not ensure long-term safety by any means. Even a future bug in AptioMemoryFix or FwFirmwareServices could brick your system. FwFirmwareServices have just entered Beta, so you're putting yourself at extra risk.
  • Regular full backups are the single most effective guarantor of our long-term computational well-being. Nothing else comes close.
    • Memory modules can fail (and they have).
    • CPUs can burn out from overheating and overclocking.
    • Motherboards can get bricked from a firmware update gone wrong.
    • Power surges and spikes can burn out power supplies.
    • An EFI memory driver can brick the motherboard.
    • Even a bug in a "safe" memory driver can brick the motherboard.
• All of these are valid risks. We face these risks every day. And the "protection" we use is Carbon Copy Cloner -- to use @digumo's analogy of an STD.

 

[igadgetry]

OSD? On Screen Display?

I meant to say OCD....