[Success] Mini-ITX build GIGABYTE Z390 I AORUS PRO WiFi + i9 9900K

[asleb]

Did this work for you? Did you have to apply any kexts?

Here is the reason I am selling this motherboard and buying the ASrock Phantom ITX. The Wifi/BT slot only accepts the CNVi Intel card (or compatible). Any other NGFF cards have different pins and will fit in the slot but will not be registered (even in Windows).

I look forward to your good news.

Sorry, but no good news for this ITX board that could have been a dream build. I usually favor Gigabyte. Gigabyte Support confirms the slot only accepts CNVi Intel cards. That explains why Windows did not detect any other card. Strangely (or not?) Bluetooth works great on OS X, just no wifi.

The reason I always buy mini-ITX motherboard with WiFi is of course to use the slot for WiFi! So now we can agree on this, and please no more confusing posts about how someone used another card, etc.

For Aorus Z390 i Pro WIFI - built-in WIFI slot will not work in OS X with any card. If you must use this motherboard, you must use a USB wifi adapter!

For me, at least, BT works though, so it would mean you only need a USB WiFi adapter. USB WiFi adapters are expensive if you want 802.11b/n/AC speed.

 

[alkex]

Hi Folks, I followed this guide to a T but I get random reboots.
Sometimes it will run for 2 days without rebooting, but this morning it happened 3x within the hour.
Is there a way to tell what is causing this? It is otherwise working beautifully.
I can't say it is caused by a CPU load because it can happen when at idle.
Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks !
Alex

 

[markoskz]

Here is the reason I am selling this motherboard and buying the ASrock Phantom ITX. The Wifi/BT slot only accepts the CNVi Intel card (or compatible). Any other NGFF cards have different pins and will fit in the slot but will not be registered (even in Windows).

For me, at least, BT works though, so it would mean you only need a USB WiFi adapter. USB WiFi adapters are expensive if you want 802.11b/n/AC speed.

Hello @asleb, sorry for bothering about this issue. I am also interested in selling the board and go for the ASRock or Asus. You say that your Bluetooth works in Aorus ITX, but with which card? Or is it a USB dongle?

 

[asleb]

Hello @asleb, sorry for bothering about this issue. I am also interested in selling the board and go for the ASRock or Asus. You say that your Bluetooth works in Aorus ITX, but with which card? Or is it a USB dongle?

No problem @markoskz , no question is too much. It is easy to get lost in long threads and ask again. I got Bluetooth working straight away with the Intel CNVi card. BT works perfect. I have experienced this with most standard Intel WiFi/BT cards. It is WiFi that does not work. So if you can add a WiFi USB adapter you would be ready to go I think. Not sure how HandOff works with USB WiFi. Someone else have experience?

I am a big fan of Gigabyte and ASUS, but I have had more problems with Asrock and mostly MSI and other. But, I have read so many great reviews of the Asrock Phantom. But, of course, that is Windows reviews, not Hacintosh. I would go for ASUS Z390 (only mini-ITX for me!) but here it is $70 more expensive than the Asrock Phantom. Don't know if I will ever use the Thunderbolt on the Phantom but the option is appealing. And I want the built-in WiFi/BT card to work so I am waiting for a Dell DW1560. Just can't fit a MB Air WiFi card with adapter anyway in my tight case (Loque Ghost S1). Otherwise that is the preferred solution.
##Update - just sold the motherboard today for the same price I paid for it (on sale). Ordered a Asrock Phantom! ##

 

[luckyal]

I got Bluetooth working straight away with the Intel CNVi card. BT works perfect. I have experienced this with most standard Intel WiFi/BT cards. It is WiFi that does not work.

@asleb Can you please share the details on how you got the Bluetooth to work? Multiple reports that Intel CNVi doesn't work under any conditions. I happen to only care about Bluetooth and not wifi. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[asleb]

@asleb Can you please share the details on how you got the Bluetooth to work? Multiple reports that Intel CNVi doesn't work under any conditions. I happen to only care about Bluetooth and not wifi. Any help would be appreciated.

I really did not do much special config. I installed these kexts in

EFI/CLOVER/kexts/other/
-FakePCIID.kext (this is the only kext I have here in my setup)

I put these in
/Library/Extensions/
- FakePCIID_Broadcom_WiFi.kext
- BrcmFirmwareData.kext
- BrcmPatchRAM2.kext
- BrcmNonPatchRAM2.kext

Now I am aware that placement of these kexts are very confusing since some say to put everything in EFI/CLOVER/kexts/other/ (should be safer since you then have a chance of a safer boot from USB in case things go wrong and even Clover Config puts them there) and some write to put everything in /Library/Extensions/. I have success with BT on unsupported cards with both placements. This is really confusing! I read this:

"Having issues?
Some may have issues putting these kexts in the Other folder where the Kexts wont always work or maybe Wifi is working, but bluetooth isn't. With Clover some kexts can fail to properly initiate so you can try migrating BrcmPatchRAM to /Library/Extensions:
Move BrcmPatchRAM2.kext & BrcmNonPatchRAM2.kext to /Library/Extensions
Delete BrcmFirewareData.kext from EFI/CLOVER/kexts/Other
Copy BrcmFirmwareRepo.kext from Release folder
Paste BrcmFirmwareRepo.kext in /Library/Extensions"


On my latest build I used a GB Aorus Z390-i WIFI ITX. I just sold it because of the CNVi card. A few days ago, I got a ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ac. This had the same CNVi card like the Aorus Z390. I replaced it with a Dell DW1560. I was so glad that this worked out of the box. Both WIFI ac and BT 4! I was a little worried since the notch was the same but the pins were very different. I know the CNVi card is super fast with BT 5. It works fantastic in Windows. So, it is a shame there is no solution for macOS. I have not tested but read that also the ASUS Z390 ITX has this card but can also accept M.2 cards. The Aorus is locked to the CNVi format which Gigabyte support confirmed for me.

I have very good experience with Gigabyte mobos and like the BIOS setup. The ASUS boards are even better I think but often much more expensive. I definitely avoid MSI and always experience more fuss with ASRock but the Phantom seems to be a good mobo. I just never get to like the BIOS setup, a little confusing I think, specially the overclock setups. The GB and ASUS mobos I found easier to understand. Just my opinion though.

Sorry, I got carried away with this long post but hope you got some help

 

[asleb]

Hello @asleb, sorry for bothering about this issue. I am also interested in selling the board and go for the ASRock or Asus. You say that your Bluetooth works in Aorus ITX, but with which card? Or is it a USB dongle?

Just to confirm this. I got the ASRock Phantom and replaced the WiFi/BT card with a Dell DW1560. Everything working. No extra config. Pretty nice mobo. I was afraid it would not work since the DW1560 has the same notch but different pins. But, it says in the manual that it is a M.2 slot and the Aorus manual writes it is a CNVi slot, even if it looks like the same slot.

Just wondering now why my CPU temps have gone up compared to the Aorus Z390 Pro ITX. I just reinstalled the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 rev.B with a Noctua NF 12x15mm fan. I used Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut. Maybe I used too little thermal. Testing some more.

 

[luckyal]

I really did not do much special config. I installed these kexts in

EFI/CLOVER/kexts/other/
-FakePCIID.kext (this is the only kext I have here in my setup)

I put these in
/Library/Extensions/
- FakePCIID_Broadcom_WiFi.kext
- BrcmFirmwareData.kext
- BrcmPatchRAM2.kext
- BrcmNonPatchRAM2.kext

Now I am aware that placement of these kexts are very confusing since some say to put everything in EFI/CLOVER/kexts/other/ (should be safer since you then have a chance of a safer boot from USB in case things go wrong and even Clover Config puts them there) and some write to put everything in /Library/Extensions/. I have success with BT on unsupported cards with both placements. This is really confusing! I read this:

"Having issues?
Some may have issues putting these kexts in the Other folder where the Kexts wont always work or maybe Wifi is working, but bluetooth isn't. With Clover some kexts can fail to properly initiate so you can try migrating BrcmPatchRAM to /Library/Extensions:
Move BrcmPatchRAM2.kext & BrcmNonPatchRAM2.kext to /Library/Extensions
Delete BrcmFirewareData.kext from EFI/CLOVER/kexts/Other
Copy BrcmFirmwareRepo.kext from Release folder
Paste BrcmFirmwareRepo.kext in /Library/Extensions"


On my latest build I used a GB Aorus Z390-i WIFI ITX. I just sold it because of the CNVi card. A few days ago, I got a ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ac. This had the same CNVi card like the Aorus Z390. I replaced it with a Dell DW1560. I was so glad that this worked out of the box. Both WIFI ac and BT 4! I was a little worried since the notch was the same but the pins were very different. I know the CNVi card is super fast with BT 5. It works fantastic in Windows. So, it is a shame there is no solution for macOS. I have not tested but read that also the ASUS Z390 ITX has this card but can also accept M.2 cards. The Aorus is locked to the CNVi format which Gigabyte support confirmed for me.

I have very good experience with Gigabyte mobos and like the BIOS setup. The ASUS boards are even better I think but often much more expensive. I definitely avoid MSI and always experience more fuss with ASRock but the Phantom seems to be a good mobo. I just never get to like the BIOS setup, a little confusing I think, specially the overclock setups. The GB and ASUS mobos I found easier to understand. Just my opinion though.

Sorry, I got carried away with this long post but hope you got some help

Thanks for the explanation. Since I'm only pursuing Bluetooth functionality are FakePCIID kexts necessary? In this readme @RehabMan makes no mention of either.

 

[asleb]

Nope you dont need them.

 

[luckyal]

Nope you dont need them.

Interesting. Followed your steps and I have no Bluetooth. Not sure why. You didn't have to add any entries into the config.plist?