View attachment 228759
Being frustrated about the present Customac Pro build configuration proposed by Tonymacx's Buyer's guide, I decided to go for a new
Customac Pro Built based on the Broadwell-E CPU, X99 chipset and LGA2011-v3 socket with Mac OS Sierra beating records, running like hell and behaving absolutely stable.
Mainboard:
Asus X99-A II
CPU:
I7-6800K (6-core);
I7-6850K (6-core),
I7-6900K (8 core),
I7-6950X(10-core) are further options
RAM:
2x Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 64 GB Kit (128GB)
Startup Disk:
Samsung 850 EVO 1TB (SSD)
RAID: 3x
Western Digital Red Pro 6TB (18TB)
Graphics:
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 TI (used below 400$)
Wifi:
TP-Link PCI Express WIFI Adapter 802.11N (N900)
Bluetooth:
IOGear Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter
Power Supply:
Corsair AX860
CPU Cooler:
Corsair H80i v2
Webcam:
Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920
Monitor:
Asus MX299Q, 29", ultra-wide, 21:9, 2560x1080 pix
Case:
Corsair CC600TWM-WHT, Graphite Series 600T, Mid Tower
Keyboard:
Logitech K811
Mouse:
Logitech Ultra-Thin Touch Mouse T631
External Blu-Ray Writer:
Buffalo MediaStation BRXL-16U3
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BIOS Configuration Guide
Just follow the instructions provided by Giacomoleopardo in
"STEP 2 - BIOS Configuration", which I basically summarize below. His instructions for the BIOS configuration are complete and result in a stable Mac OS Sierra system configuration.
View attachment 228923
1.) go to Exit\
a) Load Optimized Defaults
2.) go to Ai Tweaker\
a) ASUS Multicore Enhancement: "Disabled"
b) CPU Core Ratio: "Auto"
c) Internal PLL Overvoltage: "Disabled"
3.) go to Advanced\CPU Configuration\CPU Power Management Configuration\
a) Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology: "Disabled"
b) Turbo mode: "Enabled"
c) CPU C-State: "Auto"
4.) go to Advanced\USB Configuration\
a) Intel xHCI Mode: "Enabled"
b) EHCI Legacy Support: "Enabled"
c) xHCI Hand-off: "Enabled"
d) EHCI Hand-off: "Disabled"
5.) go to Advanced\Onboard Devices Configuration\
a) SPDIF Out Type: "HDMI"
b) PCIEX16_2 Slot Bandwidth: "X4 Mode"
NOTE: If you want to use the Wifi PCI Express Card choose the "Standard Mode" instead, otherwhise the WIFI PCI Express Card will not be recognized.
c) Serial Port: "Off"
6.) go to \Boot\
a.) Fast Boot: "Disabled"
b) Setup Mode: "Advanced"
7.) go to \Boot\CSM (Compatibility Support Module)\
a) Launch CSM: "Disabled"
8.) go to \Boot\Secure Boot\
a) OS Type: "Other OS"
b) Define the harddrive BBS priorities
10.) Press F10 key to Save and Reboot
Bootable USB Drive Creation and MacOS Sierra Installation Guide
If you do not poccess an already pre-installed MacOS Sierra 10.12 distribution on your new hackintosh, you will have to create now a bootable USB installation medium on any Macintosh or Hackintosh you already have at your disposal and subsequently install MacOs Sierra 10.12 on your new system by means of the respective USB installation medium you created before. Please strictly follow this "Bootable USB Drive creation and MacOS Sierra Installation Guide" and DO NOT use UNIBEAST instead! Unibeast will create files in the /EFI/CLOVER/ directory of your USB installation medium you do not want to have there. If you already created a USB installation medium with unibeast before, delete the "config.plist" file and "/drivers64UEFI/" and "/kexts/10.12/" directories in the /EFI/CLOVER/ directory of your USB installation medium and proceed with this "Bootable USB Drive creation and MacOS Sierra Installation Guide". If you do already have a pre-installed MacOS Sierra 10.12 distribution on your new hackintosh, directly jump to my "System Disk Post-Installation Guide" below.
1.) Download the latest version of MacOS Sierra by performing the following actions:
a) Delete any version of the MacOS Sierra installer from your "Applications" folder if older versions of the installer exist.
b) Go to the App-Store, and download Sierra.
2.) Prepare an USB thumb drive with Disk Utility with the following options:
a) GUID Partition Table
b) Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
c) Use the name “USB”
3.) Type in a Terminal the following command:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/USB --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app --no interaction
This will take some time
4.)
Download and install the latest Clover distribution on your USB-DISK by verifying the proper Install-location (USB-DISK) and customizing (dont press "Install" but "Customize" instead) the following options:
a) Install for UEFI booting only
b) Install Clover in the ESP
c) Select the Bootloader Themes you want to install
e) !Do not enable any of the options in the Drivers64UEFI menue! The required files and directories will be copied in the next step below.
During installation, Clover will automatically create and mount the EFI drive of the USB installation medium.
5.) When Clover Installation completes, copy the "config.plist" file and the "/drivers64UEFI/" and "/kexts/10.12/" directories of ptzulu into the "CLOVER" directory of the EFI partition of your USB installation medium. No other files will be needed! Therfore, before performing this step, delete the "config.plist" file and /drivers64UEFI/ and /kexts/10.12/ directories in the /EFI/Clover/ directory of your USB installation medium if previously installed, e.g. by unibeast or a previous Clover installation! Note that also kext files like the "VoodooTSCSync.kext" (to enable CPUs with a higher number of cores), the "NullCPUPowerManagement.kext", the "BrcmBluetoothInjector.kext" or the "AppleIntelE1000e.kext" apparently are not required anymore.
!!You are done!!
6.) Before installing MacOS Sierra on your new system, don't forget to apply the BIOS configuration as detailed by Giacomoleopardo in
"STEP 2 - BIOS Configuration".
7.) Boot the USB Installation Medium with the following boot options: -v npci=0x2000 nv_disable=1 kext-dev-mode=1
8.) Install MacOS Sierra onto your system
9.) Now perform the Post-Installation procedure described below
System Disk Post-Installation Guide
and install the latest Clover distrubution on your Sierra system disk by verifying the proper Install-Location (Sierra System Disk) and customizing (dont press "Install" but "Customize" instead) the following options:
a) Install for UEFI booting only
b) Install Clover in the ESP
c) Select the Bootloader Themes you want to install
d) Enable Install RC scripts on target volume
e) !Do not enable any of the options in the Drivers64UEFI menue! The required files and directories will be copied in the next step below.
During installation, Clover will automatically create and mount the EFI drive of your Sierra system disk.
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Clover Configuration
1.) Download the following configuration files of ptzulu (
for further details see the post of ptzulu on insanelymac), which I attach once more at the end of my post:
a) "config.plist.zip" -> unzip and copy the "config-plist" file to the "/EFI/CLOVER" directory of the "EFI" partition of your Sierra system disk.
b) "drivers64UEFI.zip" -> unzip and copy the "drivers64UEFI" directory to the "/EFI/CLOVER" directory of the "EFI" partition of your Sierra system disk.
c) "kexts.zip" -> unzip and copy the "kexts" directory to the "/EFI/CLOVER" directory of the "EFI" partition of your Sierra system disk.
No other configuration files will be needed! Before performing a), b), c), delete any "config.plist" file and /drivers64UEFI/ and /kexts/10.12/ directories from the "/EFI/CLOVER" directory of your Sierra system disk if previously installed, e.g. by Multibeast or any previous Clover Installation!! Don't use Multibeast in general! Note that also kext files like the "VoodooTSCSync.kext" (to enable CPUs with a higher number of cores), the "NullCPUPowerManagement.kext", the "BrcmBluetoothInjector.kext" or the "AppleIntelE1000e.kext" are apparently not required anymore.
2.) Download the latest Version of the
Clover Configurator and open ptzulu's "config.plist" file in the /EFI/CLOVER/ directory on the EFI-Paritition of your Sierra system disk.
View attachment 228920
a.) Implement the correct "RT Variables" and "SMBIOS" entries (ROM, MLB, Product Name, Family, Manufacturer, Bios Version, Bios Release Date, Bios Vendor, Board Type, Board ID, Board Manufacturer, Board Serial Number, Serial Number) with the "calculate" or "magic stick function" of the Clover Configurator, respectively, to subsequently enable iMessage and Facetime on MacOS Sierra. You just need to complete in addition the ROM and MLB entries under "RT Variables", while the BooterConfig (0x28) and CsrActiveConfig (0x67) entries remain unchanged.
b.) Select the following "BOOT" options: npci=0x2000 nvda_drv=1 kext-dev-mode=1
c.) Save the modified config.plist configuration
Optional Audio Configuration
The "kexts" folder of ptzulu contains the VodooHDA.kext which is fully working but apparently results in a low audio gain signal.
If one prefers to change to an audio_cloverALC configuration instead, the following steps have to be considered:
1.) Remove the VodooHDA.kext from the "/clover/kexts/10.12/" folder of the EFI partition of your Sierra system disk.
2.) Download and install "
audio_cloverALC-120_v1.0d.command" and "
audio_cloverHDMI-120_v1.0d.command".
With both the VodooHDA and Audio_Clover configuration, the volume of the HDMI output of your Geforce graphic card cannot be directly controlled. I solved the problem by installing some 3rd-party software like
Audio Hijack from Rogue Amoeba, which unfortunately does not come for free.
Additional Requirements:
1.) Download and apply the
AGDPfix.
View attachment 228921
This is a simple Applescript app that will back up the AppleGraphicsControl.kex to your desktop in a folder called KextBackUp. It will then patch the /System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy.kext/Contents/Info.plist for the MacPro6,1 board ID. This ensures that your GPU will not be effected by the MacPro6,1's AMD FirePro device policy that causes your GPU not to send a signal to your monitor at boot. This app is only useful if you are using the MacPro6,1 system definition.
2.) Download and install the
latest NVIDIA Web-drivers and reboot.
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You are done - you now have a splendid and perfect x99/LGA2011-v3 MacOS Sierra Customac Pro Built
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!! Good Luck !!
. Instead of complaining, like sleep is not working at all, or USB 3.1 runs at USB 3, you should be happy that some people commit the effort to provide build suggestions and specific guides to help people like you who apparently just mirror
