[Success] GIGABYTE Z370 Gaming 7 + Intel Core i7-8700K + RX 580 + (2x) Dell P2715Q 4k @ 60Hz

[NCMacGuy]

Since I still use Clover, I didn't have anything entered here (it's listed as blank "N/A" in the Clover parameters) and not included in my Clover config file at all. After googling, it looks like this is a 17 digit number with the first 12 being my Mac's serial number, and the last five being random. Is this correct?

I have a feeling I may be able to simply leave this blank, but I entered my Mac's serial + "12345" for the MLB.
Either that, or I could enter "Oakland Athletics" as my favorite "MLB" team.

Just wanted to check before editing this config file and testing things out.

@HackaShaq

I have found an invaluable tool for editing OpenCore config.plist files is OpenCore Configurator. I rarely use any other pliist editor because its graphical interface is so easy to use.

As shown below, one can simply select from a pop-up list (red arrow) the desired "System Product Name" desired, and the values of System Serial Number, System UUID, MLB, etc. are automatically generated and populated. Then using the "Check Coverage" button one can confirm that the generated MLB is in fact a dummy serial number and not assigned to an Apple-manufactured Mac.

As you have found, for testing purposes only, your dummy values probably have no negative consequences. I've always used the Configurator's generated values for PlatformInfo.

 

[trs96]

I have found an invaluable tool for editing OpenCore config.plist files is OpenCore Configurator. I rarely use any other pliist editor because its graphical interface is so easy to use.

Since @HackaShaq is using Clover he can't edit his Clover config.plist with this app. Only works with OC config.plist files.

 

[HackaShaq]

Since @HackaShaq is using Clover he can't edit his Clover config.plist with this app. Only works with OC config.plist files.

Very true but @NCMacGuy was just assisting me since he placed his OpenCore EFI file here in this thread with the same build, and I was asking how to edit his OpenCore config.plist with the MLB entry. So you're both completely right, and thank you both for the note.

 

[HackaShaq]

Just some random thoughts...

For me personally, I'm not an expert at Hackintosh, and this community has been an invaluable resource. This machine was built as a stop-gap measure because I wanted a Mac Pro in early 2018 and at the time, the only offering from Apple was the languishing trash can model. (no thanks.)

Now that Apple has their new Mac Pro towers released, I will probably keep this Hackintosh machine as my daily driver for the next 2-3+ years, and after that migrate to an eventual Apple M1 Mac Pro. So knowing myself, I probably won't go down the Open Core road with this build and will just stick with Clover up until Catalina. (Heck, I would have stayed with High Sierra if certain apps didn't require Mojave or later.)

Also, now that all of this Hackintosh updating/editing is fresh in my mind, I may update this machine to Catalina very soon just to not have to worry doing ti all over again due to a possible macOS system requirement down the road in a year or two.

I waver back and forth between loving getting around Apple's lack of cheap hardware offerings while I get in deep with the Hackintosh stuff, and the other side of flipping back to also not wanting to re-learn/reinvent the wheel each time I need to update macOS.

Sometimes I just want to give in to Apple, because as the wise ancient poet and philosopher Roger Murtaugh one said in Lethal Weapon, "I'm too old for this %$$."

It's a constant conflict, but times like right now when I have a machine working great, I just smile and go back to work knowing this build was the best option I could have taken back when I built it, and it has been completely worry free.

 

[trs96]

@HackaShaq you also helped many of your 342,000 + readers have a similar experience that you have had. Thanks for posting this to encourage people to take the dive into the world of hackintoshing. Even if anyone goes back to an Apple Mac again, what they learned here makes that a better experience for them as a Mac owner too. Apple Care support people are already busy enough with all the other Mac owners having issues to address.

 

[scottkendall]

Just some random thoughts...

For me personally, I'm not an expert at Hackintosh, and this community has been an invaluable resource. This machine was built as a stop-gap measure because I wanted a Mac Pro in early 2018 and at the time, the only offering from Apple was the languishing trash can model. (no thanks.)

Now that Apple has their new Mac Pro towers released, I will probably keep this Hackintosh machine as my daily driver for the next 2-3+ years, and after that migrate to an eventual Apple M1 Mac Pro. So knowing myself, I probably won't go down the Open Core road with this build and will just stick with Clover up until Catalina. (Heck, I would have stayed with High Sierra if certain apps didn't require Mojave or later.)

Also, now that all of this Hackintosh updating/editing is fresh in my mind, I may update this machine to Catalina very soon just to not have to worry doing ti all over again due to a possible macOS system requirement down the road in a year or two.

I waver back and forth between loving getting around Apple's lack of cheap hardware offerings while I get in deep with the Hackintosh stuff, and the other side of flipping back to also not wanting to re-learn/reinvent the wheel each time I need to update macOS.

Sometimes I just want to give in to Apple, because as the wise ancient poet and philosopher Roger Murtaugh one said in Lethal Weapon, "I'm too old for this %$$."

It's a constant conflict, but times like right now when I have a machine working great, I just smile and go back to work knowing this build was the best option I could have taken back when I built it, and it has been completely worry free.

If you want a slight boost in performance you can yank your 8700k CPU and pop in a 9900k CPU. That would get you up to the base model specs of the 2019 Mac Pro. It would not be a Xeon chip but it still would be 8 core 16 threads and I think it benches higher.

 

[mrfatcatt]

Does someone have a working OpenCore 0.6.6 EFI folder they can share to be used on a 370 gaming-7 with latest BIOS Big Sur 11.2.2 with the build-in Intel iGPU, no AMD, as I only have a NVidia card I use with Windows (not hackinosh partion).

thanks in advance

 

[HackaShaq]

I upgraded this build to Catalina last night.

I could do another write up if necessary. It didn't go as smoothly as I thought. I did the standard kext patch for USB devices/ports for Catalina, but after the initial install reboot, the Catalina install got about half way I got nothing but a black screen. (Computer was working fine, just no video out at all.) The good news was that this appears to be a common issue.

The good news is that after a bit of googling and searching here last night, I found a solution. The solution was the following:

1. Download the latest version of WhateverGreen.kext and simply drop it in the "Other" folder insider of your CLOVER EFI from your boot drive (the location where all the other kexts for this build reside inside "Other").

WhateverGreen.kext download here

2. Inject ATI and add the following "agdpmod=pikera" bootflag to your config.plist file with Clover Configurator.
Solution and how to, was thanks to users like @peanutismint here from this thread/post.

That was it, but it was a tough nut to crack when you can't see anything. LOL

Moral of the story is to ALWAYS have a quality bootable backup drive.

After fixing this issue, I've tested out Catalina for a whopping 2-3 hours max, and so far so good. No sleep/wake issues. And in fact the machine wakes up almost instantly now.

I currently just need to figure out a solution to playing DRM content in the new tv.app. (All the movies I purchased in iTunes/AppStore previously won't play. Screen starts to go black, and then it instantly bounces back out to the menu and doesn't play. Has to be a DRM issue I'm sure. No worries, I'll figure it out.)

But all in all, I now have this build running the absolute latest version of Catalina. So fear not, anyone thinking about upgrading.

I think I'll rest the machine on Catalina here for a while, and don't plan on upgrading to Big Sure anytime soon. This Catalina upgrade should fight off any apps that require a more modern OS than High Sierra for a few years.

Feels new, snappy, and man, that background photo of Catalina island as a new desktop background is simply gorgeous.

 

[HackaShaq]

If you want a slight boost in performance you can yank your 8700k CPU and pop in a 9900k CPU. That would get you up to the base model specs of the 2019 Mac Pro. It would not be a Xeon chip but it still would be 8 core 16 threads and I think it benches higher.

Thanks for your reply, @scottkendall and that's a great option.

Is it really as easy as just popping in the new CPU? I would assume you'd need to possibly update the BIOS or some info in the config.plist, but I could (and probably am) totally wrong. If it really is as easy as just popping in the new 9900k CPU, that's definitely something I'd consider to extend the life of this beast. Thanks.

 

[scottkendall]

I currently just need to figure out a solution to playing DRM content in the new tv.app. (All the movies I purchased in iTunes/AppStore previously won't play. Screen starts to go black, and then it instantly bounces back out to the menu and doesn't play. Has to be a DRM issue I'm sure. No worries, I'll figure it out.)

There are some boot arguments that fix DRM. However, they do not work in Big Sur, and last I read there are no intentions of fixing it. There is another solution and that is to use iMac Pro 1,1 system definition.

Thanks for your reply, @scottkendall and that's a great option.

Is it really as easy as just popping in the new CPU? I would assume you'd need to possibly update the BIOS or some info in the config.plist, but I could (and probably am) totally wrong. If it really is as easy as just popping in the new 9900k CPU, that's definitely something I'd consider to extend the life of this beast. Thanks.

You will need to update the BIOS, if you have not already updated the BIOS, to one that supports the 9900K. But, other then that, you do not need to do anything to the EFI folder.

EDIT:
I just remembered you will need to add a fix to your config.

FIX for boot hangs after BIOS update (ACPI PATCH)

This is an ACPI Patch for the people who update to the last bios and can't boot. My board is the MSI B360A-Pro and has the latest bios 7B22v27. First add the patch (the blue line from the picture) to clover config, then apply the Bios update. To easily add the patch using terminal, read post #48

www.tonymacx86.com