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The New Beginner's Guide to USB Port Configuration

Hi. I'm taking the plunge and creating a USB kext for my Cube, I got this far, a map. Fortunately my board only has 6 ports, well within Apples 15 port limit. Not fully understanding the next part, creating the map.

Screen Shot 2022-05-12 at 10.33.57 PM.png
Screen Shot 2022-05-12 at 10.38.07 PM.png
 
First you need to plugin the sixth USB, because in the print screen because it shows only 5 USB connected.
After that it will show up in the mackintosh tool.
Select all the other not connected USB in the Mackintosh tool and deleted by clicking the - button in the hackintoosh tool at the bottom.
Then click in the export button (first button on the. bottom right).
Now, you will have a USBports.kext on your desktop.
Copy this kext and paste it in your EFI - Kexts folder.
And load it in the config.plist file in kernel section
Make sure to remove USB Injectall.kext
Reboot
 
@craighazan your motherboard has the following USB connectors/ports.
  1. 1 x USB Type-C port onboard, with USB 3.0 support (1 or 2 ports depending on whether 'Type-c+sw' or 'Type-c')
  2. 3 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (2 ports on the back panel, 1 port onboard) (total 6 ports all should be set as 'USB3')
  3. 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports available through the internal USB header (total 2 ports both should be set as 'Internal')
Notes in Red on image below for your attention.

Screen Shot 2022-05-12 at 10.33.57 PM.png

Your board ports are using a very strange numbering system. I didn't see any USB rename patches in your config.plist that would cause this. What is even more strange is that you have the HS11, HS12 HS13 & HS14 ports in the middle of the list of ports. These 4 x ports will not be USB3 ports. They may be phantom/unavailable ports, like the USR1 and USR2 ports.

I would recommend you use the comment column on the Hackintool USB tab to record which port is activated by you installing a USB pen drive/device.

This is an example of the Hackintool USB tab for my iMac 1 system in my signature.

Screenshot 2022-05-13 at 17.28.57.png example of comment usage.

Hope this helps.
 
@craighazan your motherboard has the following USB connectors/ports.
  1. 1 x USB Type-C port onboard, with USB 3.0 support (1 or 2 ports depending on whether 'Type-c+sw' or 'Type-c')
  2. 3 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (2 ports on the back panel, 1 port onboard) (total 6 ports all should be set as 'USB3')
  3. 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports available through the internal USB header (total 2 ports both should be set as 'Internal')
Notes in Red on image below for your attention.

View attachment 547618

Your board ports are using a very strange numbering system. I didn't see any USB rename patches in your config.plist that would cause this. What is even more strange is that you have the HS11, HS12 HS13 & HS14 ports in the middle of the list of ports. These 4 x ports will not be USB3 ports. They may be phantom/unavailable ports, like the USR1 and USR2 ports.

I would recommend you use the comment column on the Hackintool USB tab to record which port is activated by you installing a USB pen drive/device.

This is an example of the Hackintool USB tab for my iMac 1 system in my signature.

View attachment 547620 example of comment usage.

Hope this helps.
Just to clarify I’m using the M.2 Wi-Fi slot to connect my RX 560. But does it need to show up in USB?.
 
No, it doesn't need to show.

You just need to be aware that there will be a USB port associated with the connector, which you will be disabling as part of your USB configuration.
 
@msh sure, see below for my observations.

Your motherboard has the following USB ports.
  1. 6 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (4 ports on the back panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB header)
  2. 8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports on the back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB headers)
This means your board has a total of 20 USB ports. So you need to drop 5 x ports to keep within the 15 port limit.

You have 4 x USB3 and 4 x USB2 ports on the Rear I/O plate, as shown below.

Z97X-UD3H - Rear plate.png
These account for 12 of the possible 20 ports on your motherboard, as each USB3 port needs to be counted as 2 ports, as they have both a USB2 (virtual) and USB3 (Physical) port. Meaning the 4 x USB3 ports are in fact 8 x USB ports.
  • The 4 x USB2 ports need to be set with the connector type 'USB2' in the Hackintool USB window.
  • The 8 ports served by the USB3 ports need to be set with the connector type 'USB3' in the Hackintool USB window.
Your motherboard layout has been highlighted to show the 2 x USB2 header ports and 1 x USB3 header port.

Z97X-UD3H - MB layout.png Z97X-UD3H motherboard with USB headers highlighted
  • Each USB2 header can provide 2 x USB2 ports. These are the only ports that should be set with the connector type 'Internal' in the Hackintool USB window.
  • The USB3 header can provide 4 ports, 2 x USB3 and 2 x USB2 ports. All of the ports served by this header should be set with the connector type 'USB3', not internal as is the case of the USB2 headers. I don't know why this is the case but this has been what works on my Haswell boards.

The Hackintool USB window screenshot you provided contains the following:
  1. 6 x USB2 ports, when there are only a maximum of 4 x ports that can and should be set with this connector type.
  2. 2 x USB2 ports have been set as USB3, when there could be a maximum of 8 x USB2 (virtual) ports that could be set with this connector type.
  3. You have all the SSxx ports set as USB3, which is correct.
  4. You do not have any ports set as internal, when there could be a maximum of 4 x ports served from the USB2 headers that could and should be set with the 'Internal' connector type.
The above is based on all the ports being identified, it does not take in to account the 5 ports you need to drop to keep within the 15 port limit.

You would need to explain how many case front ports are used in your system.
  • Are the case front ports a mix of USB2 and USB3, which headers they are served by?
  • Do you have a USB card reader connected to a USB2 header port?
  • Do you have a Bluetooth module connected to a USB2 header port?
If you compare your Hackintool USB screenshot with mine, you can see there is a bit of a difference in the setup. We are both using 9-series boards, with the same Device ID. But importantly we are not activating the same ports. This may be due to choice, case ports or additional devices being connected (BT module and card reader on my setup).

Which case are you using?
Do you have a Bluetooth device connected?
Do you have any additional devices connected, other than mouse and keyboard?

Capture d’écran 2022-05-11 à 17.13.20.png Screenshot 2022-05-13 at 17.28.09.png

You would be advised when identifying the USB ports to add a comment to the Hackintool USB window, so you and we can tell when something doesn't look correct. To add a comment, simply right-click in the comment area adjacent to the port you want to add the comment for.

Hope this helps.
 
@msh sure, see below for my observations.

Your motherboard has the following USB ports.
  1. 6 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (4 ports on the back panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB header)
  2. 8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports on the back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB headers)
This means your board has a total of 20 USB ports. So you need to drop 5 x ports to keep within the 15 port limit.

You have 4 x USB3 and 4 x USB2 ports on the Rear I/O plate, as shown below.

View attachment 547632
These account for 12 of the possible 20 ports on your motherboard, as each USB3 port needs to be counted as 2 ports, as they have both a USB2 (virtual) and USB3 (Physical) port. Meaning the 4 x USB3 ports are in fact 8 x USB ports.
  • The 4 x USB2 ports need to be set with the connector type 'USB2' in the Hackintool USB window.
  • The 8 ports served by the USB3 ports need to be set with the connector type 'USB3' in the Hackintool USB window.
Your motherboard layout has been highlighted to show the 2 x USB2 header ports and 1 x USB3 header port.

View attachment 547633 Z97X-UD3H motherboard with USB headers highlighted
  • Each USB2 header can provide 2 x USB2 ports. These are the only ports that should be set with the connector type 'Internal' in the Hackintool USB window.
  • The USB3 header can provide 4 ports, 2 x USB3 and 2 x USB2 ports. All of the ports served by this header should be set with the connector type 'USB3', not internal as is the case of the USB2 headers. I don't know why this is the case but this has been what works on my Haswell boards.

The Hackintool USB window screenshot you provided contains the following:
  1. 6 x USB2 ports, when there are only a maximum of 4 x ports that can and should be set with this connector type.
  2. 2 x USB2 ports have been set as USB3, when there could be a maximum of 8 x USB2 (virtual) ports that could be set with this connector type.
  3. You have all the SSxx ports set as USB3, which is correct.
  4. You do not have any ports set as internal, when there could be a maximum of 4 x ports served from the USB2 headers that could and should be set with the 'Internal' connector type.
The above is based on all the ports being identified, it does not take in to account the 5 ports you need to drop to keep within the 15 port limit.

You would need to explain how many case front ports are used in your system.
  • Are the case front ports a mix of USB2 and USB3, which headers they are served by?
  • Do you have a USB card reader connected to a USB2 header port?
  • Do you have a Bluetooth module connected to a USB2 header port?
If you compare your Hackintool USB screenshot with mine, you can see there is a bit of a difference in the setup. We are both using 9-series boards, with the same Device ID. But importantly we are not activating the same ports. This may be due to choice, case ports or additional devices being connected (BT module and card reader on my setup).

Which case are you using?
Do you have a Bluetooth device connected?
Do you have any additional devices connected, other than mouse and keyboard?

View attachment 547634 View attachment 547635

You would be advised when identifying the USB ports to add a comment to the Hackintool USB window, so you and we can tell when something doesn't look correct. To add a comment, simply right-click in the comment area adjacent to the port you want to add the comment for.

Hope this helps.
thanks Edhawk, I am looking to understand and do what you advise to me.
 
thanks Edhawk, I am looking to understand and do what you advise to me.
I am using this Zalman case for my tow boards.
I have have no Bluetooth module connected to a USB2 header port and I have no USB card reader connected to a USB2 header port. No wifi card at this time.
20220513_214653.jpg
 
Last edited:
So with that Zalman case.

You would want to include the 2 x USB2 and 2 x USB3 ports in your USBPorts.kext, as I assume these are the most easily accessed ports on your case.

That being the case, then the 2 x USB2 ports will be served via one of the Internal USB3 header connectors. Both ports would need to be set with the connector type 'Internal'.

The 2 x USB3 ports would provide 4 ports, 2 x USB2 and 2 x USB3. These would be served from the USB3 header and should all be set with the connector type 'USB3'.

This would mean 6 of the 15 ports available are already accounted for, just from the case front ports.

You don't have a USB card reader, as I have and as shown in the photo below.

IMG_4338.JPG Front case card reader and additional USB2 port

The photo is from one of my AMD Hack's, but they are all built the same, using DVD RW, Icy Dock Express Cage and Akasa USB2 card readers.

You would then have to limit your selection of the ports on the Rear I/O plate, to a mix of 9 virtual or physical ports. Remember all of the ports on the rear of the motherboard amount for 12 ports; 4 x USB2 and 4 x USB3 (these 4 x USB3 ports also have 4 x USB2 ports).

Might I suggest you enable the following (example):
  1. 4 x USB3 (physical ports) which might show as SS01, SS02 etc. which would be set with connector type USB3
  2. 4 x USB2 ports, which might show as HS07, HS08 etc, which would be set with connector type USB2
  3. 1 x USB2 port, from one of the more accessible USB3 ports (one of the two above the row of USB2 ports), which would be set with connector type USB3
 
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