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

[scottkendall]

I'm thinking of creating an illustrated Mini-Guide using low-cost parts so that anyone wishing to flash their cards can do so cheaply, privately, and assume all risk for themselves.

• Low-cost version is this onefrom Amazon.
  • This device can be used under Windows and also under macOS using flashrom in Terminal.

Ordered the low-cost version Hope you can get a mini guide going even without illustration... Ready to assume all risk!

 

[scottkendall]

I've completed my first ever PC build - a Hackintosh! Many thanks to everyone who's contributed to this extensive build guide. My build seems to work perfectly except I'm not sure the Thunderbolt is working. I purchased a USB-C to Lightning cable to connect my iPad/iPhones, but none of those devices show up using the cable in any of the three available USB-C ports. I read through a lot of threads re: Thunderbolt problems, but most were unrelated to my issue, many not even using the Designare board like I'm using. It sounds like it should be working natively according to everyone here. I am getting power through them, but no data. I may be missing something simple perhaps? Any help is appreciated. I was really looking forward to the Thunderbolt/USB-C feature. Thanks in advance.

Specs:

i9 9900K CPU
Radeon RX 580 GPU
64GB 3600Mhz RAM
Zalman CPU Liquid Cooler
Gigabyte Designare Z390 MB
850w EVGA Power Supply
Corsair Carbide Case
Fenvi Wifi/Bluetooth
3 Case Fans/Cables
2TB Pioneer NVMe M.2
4TB HDD

Thunderbolt and USB -C are not the samething so getting a USB-C to Lighting is not Thunderbolt 3. That said the USB C/Thunderbolt 3 ports on your board are only TB3 in per this guide. If you go back to the first page and look at the image of the back of the board you will see a note that says the USB2.0 is turned off on the USB-C ports to meet the 15 port per controller limitation. Pretty sure that iPhones/Ipads work on USB2.0.

 

[Talloth]

Thunderbolt and USB -C are not the samething so getting a USB-C to Lighting is not Thunderbolt 3. That said the USB C/Thunderbolt 3 ports on your board are only TB3 in per this guide. If you go back to the first page and look at the image of the back of the board you will see a note that says the USB2.0 is turned off on the USB-C ports to meet the 15 port per controller limitation. Pretty sure that iPhones/Ipads work on USB2.0.

Thanks for that clarification. I was looking to connect my iPad to the Hackintosh using Duet through the USB-C to Lightning cable for maximum throughput, but I see what you mean after looking into it now... Thunderbolt and USB-C are two different things. It looks like Thunderbolt is used mainly for display output, peripherals, network interfaces, etc. Appreciate the quick response! Many thanks

 

[Mightymouseuk007]

If you are not a Thunderbolt user then you aren't missing anything. However, if you are then you are missing quite a bit.

I use a Promise Pegasus R4 Tb3 storage array and a UAD quad audio interface (TB2 to TB3 adapter) and I have not had any problems. Don't really do and hot plugging

 

[CaseySJ]

Thanks Casey. Attached is my config.plist

I've attached the one using the framebuffer patch from this guide as that was my last working config before updating to Catalina.

Further to my testing: if I remove device properties (i.e. framebuffer patch), enable Graphics->Inject Intel, and (as iGPU is fully supported) leave Fake ID IntelGFX blank - then the system works fine with TB-DP monitor, however if I hot plug the HDMI cable the whole system crashes and reboots instantly. With this config the system won't boot at all either. At least if I used the framebuffer hotpluging the HDMI didn't cause a reboot!

In case it matters I'm using WEG 1.3.6 + Lilu 1.4.1

Please try the attached config.plist -- just copy serial numbers back into SMBIOS/RtVariables. Not much is different in this version, so if the problem continues, we can try adding other options such at DVMT Pre-Alloc.

• What is the make/model of your monitor?
• Are you using any video adapters or straight HDMI-to-HDMI connection?

 

[CaseySJ]

WOW! I've found the solution!
Just change the shikigva=32 to shikivga=80.
and done!

P E R F E C T!

now everything works like a charm.
Thanks guys, im very happy!

Thanks, my airplay and sidecar never worked. Changing to that value worked!!

I've added the following note to Catalina Mini-Guide:

---

 

[CaseySJ]

@CaseySJ, I’m thinking on implementing a way to remote start and login to my hackintosh (used this build guide with same mobo) and I saw you mentioned IPMI somewhere. Is this a possibility? The problem is I usually turn off the computer when I go to class but when I need to access it, it’s always off. I switched to Ethernet recently instead of my spotty WiFi card. I know I can’t use wake for network access too. Not sure a way to get around that besides Raspberry Pi to send keystrokes to wake it up... thoughts?

IPMI is generally implemented on servers and provides a really effective means of remote control and diagnostics. It is not, however, available on consumer boards like the Designer Z390. However, you should be able to use Wake for Network Access. Because you've removed the WiFi card, it means you won't suffer from degraded WiFi speeds after the system wakes -- you will have exactly 0 Mbps WiFi all the time!

Have you already tried Wake for Network Access?

 

[CaseySJ]

I've completed my first ever PC build - a Hackintosh! Many thanks to everyone who's contributed to this extensive build guide. My build seems to work perfectly except I'm not sure the Thunderbolt is working. I purchased a USB-C to Lightning cable to connect my iPad/iPhones, but none of those devices show up using the cable in any of the three available USB-C ports. I read through a lot of threads re: Thunderbolt problems, but most were unrelated to my issue, many not even using the Designare board like I'm using. It sounds like it should be working natively according to everyone here. I am getting power through them, but no data. I may be missing something simple perhaps? Any help is appreciated. I was really looking forward to the Thunderbolt/USB-C feature. Thanks in advance.

Specs:

i9 9900K CPU
Radeon RX 580 GPU
64GB 3600Mhz RAM
Zalman CPU Liquid Cooler
Gigabyte Designare Z390 MB
850w EVGA Power Supply
Corsair Carbide Case
Fenvi Wifi/Bluetooth
3 Case Fans/Cables
2TB Pioneer NVMe M.2
4TB HDD

Unfortunately, there are two issues with this:

• First, as has been mentioned by Scott, we have intentionally disabled USB 2.0 protocol from all USB-C ports in order to stay within the limit of 15 USB ports.
• Second, iOS devices only support USB 2.0 protocol over their Lightning connectors with the exception of 2018 iPad Pros, which support USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. But to use USB 3.0, we need a third-party USB-C cable that specifically supports USB 3.0, such as this one.
  • We can, however, use Lightning to USB-A cables as well.

 

[CaseySJ]

Hello,

I have followed the site for years but just never the right time. I saw this post and success with a focusrite Thunderbolt 2pre. I have the Focusrite 8pre
TB1. Killer latency on my old ass Mb pro but I’ve just about had it w Apple locking us in a cage with limited choices and the gaping void between prosumer and pro in price. My goals are to run Logic X and have a decent 4K editing system for video. Sorry for the blind post CaseyJ can you direct me to your build instructions I’m grabbing up the parts for this build over the weekend. Not concerned about WiFi or anything other than Logic and the 8-pre focusrite at first. I’ll try to work out the 4K edit side on the PC w premier. Anyways sorry for the rambling I just blew 4 hours getting OBS working on a Dell G7 with a horrible conflicts between 630 intel and the GTX. This throttling issue makes this laptop unreliable and frankly a POS joke. Disabled one GPU in the DM and presto. I was like ahh my old girlfriend the PC I had literally left it behind running XP, pro fools and an AMD yes that long ago. Ancient stuff but believe it my old rack DAW still boots and runs 32 tracks of pro tools and waves stuff easy. The kicker though is all AAX 32 bit stuff I paid for light years ago. Can’t justify a MacBook Pro, or an Icrap and frankly the stock logic plug ins and the workflow of Logic tickles my fancy over the clunky pro tools 12 and all of the nightmares that go along with it. So here I go guys I’m back on the wagon after 10 years of no PC but before that I built my first daw in 1998 and literally hundreds after that so my old hands are scared from cheap new egg Lian Li edges and old Intel 865 chipsets with Zalmans. Lol My how time fly’s and we are still needing to do this ultra tweak stuff just to get what we want? Anyways I appreciate all the hard work and effort that goes into a site like this. I’m looking forward to this challenge. 8-Cores w 32g of ram hoping more than enough juice. I can still do 32 tracks full plug ins on the MacBook with 16x inputs low latency but it stalls on the heavier instruments with high sample polyphony.

Hello @Blindfaith71,

If you need to continue to use your 32-bit plug-ins, then Mojave is the only choice. The build guide for that is, of course, in Post #1. It's a really good idea to read through the build guide once or twice up to but not including Going the Extra Mile. The Extra Mile sections can and should be visited subsequent to the build.

The build guide for Catalina, should you need it, is located here.

 

[CaseySJ]

Ordered the low-cost version Hope you can get a mini guide going even without illustration... Ready to assume all risk!

Do you have a multimeter? I'll include instructions for checking the voltage across output pins 4 (GND) and 8 (Vcc). That voltage needs to be 3.3V.