Success installing OSX Sierra on the Asus Z10PE16WS with 2x E5 2683 v3 processors!
I am documenting this setup here mainly for my own reference if I ever need to reinstall, but also in the hopes it will be helpful to others facing the same challenges of getting their hackintosh OSX Sierra setup on this motherboard.
My current specs:
ASUS Z0PE16WS motherboard
2x Zeon E5 2683 v3 (SR1XH) processors
2x Noctua NH-9 CPU Coolers
4x 16gb Samsung M393A2G40DB0-CPB memory chips (64gb total)
nVidia GTX1080ti video card
Corsair Axi1500 1500w PSU
Cougar Panzer case (I removed the CD drive bay to fit the 12x13 board)
First, some of the infos of this board and other info flying around regarding it:
1. Many older (circa 2015-2016) posts on here state it is impossible to install hackintosh on a dual CPU system. While this may be true for the older OSX versions (pre 10.12 Sierra), I did not have this issue using the latest Unibeast 7 and Sierra 10.12.5 from Apple.
2. This motherboard supports both v3 and v4 processors. However, there is very little information on determining which ones. I, like many others had issues with using my first set of CPUs which were 2x E5 2695 v3 (QCSD code) processors. Which was an A0 core stepping CPU. It did not even boot into POST or BIOS. Just beep codes and B0 error Q-code. So, I got 2x QS 2683 v3 (SR1XH) processors instead and these worked fine. I used valuable information regarding ES and QS Zeon processors from these two web sites below to realize
this mobo requires the C0 or above core stepping v3 or v4 chips (C0,C1, M0,M1, etc.).
The A0 core stepping chips WILL NOT WORK! There are likely many others including v4 ES chips that MAY NOT WORK in this mobo. Rule of thumb here is to avoid ES processors and stick with the QS ones instead, or just go retail and not worry about it. Here are the two helpful info sites:
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/es-xeon-discussion.5031/page-16
http://www.cpu-world.com/sspec/QG/QGN4.html#specs
3. As many have pointed out, this motherboard takes awhile to boot up. You may just see a blank screen for about 20 seconds or more before it shows any BIOS loading text (if using a PCI video card). Be patient and do not restart the PC. It may also run the BIOS loading text twice. When the text comes up, hit the 'Delete' key to get into BIOS Setup. Once in there...
The BIOS Settings:
You'll need to make some changes to your BIOS first. Here are the settings I changed from the default settings:
1. Under IntelRCSetup>IIO Configuration>Intel VT for Directed I/O (vTD) set this to Disabled.
2. Under the PCH sSATA setting choose AHCI.
3. Under Security>Secure Boot Mode set to Disabled.
4. I am using HyperThreading enabled (Under Processor Configuration). Some say not to use it though.
The Install:
After creating the Unibeast 7 USB stick (I used a 16gb Sandisk and created it from another El Capitan hackintosh I have), I was able to get through the USB install process using these boot options (I found from another post here:
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...ono-and-2-x-intel-xeon-e5-2650v3-help.178531/).
Booting with
-v npci=0x2000 nv_disable=1 kext-dev-mode=1
I use the Clover '
Options->Boot Args' to set the boot option string above, then I also select the
Graphics Injector->InjectEDID checkbox. Click '
Return', then
select the USB drive icon with arrow keys, then
press the space bar, scroll down and then
check the 'Use XNU CPUPM (-xcpm)' checkbox. Then I
select 'Boot macOS with options selected'.
You don't have to use the -v (verbose), but it will help if you are having issues to see where the hangup is.
This should get the USB installer booting. Just follow the install and it will reboot. When this occurs, hold the Delete key again to get into BIOS Setup, then go to the exit screen and select your USB drive (as UEFI) and boot to that (the USB Installer again). When this comes up, perform the same task again except this time selecting the SSD or HDD you installed OSX to:
Booting with
-v npci=0x2000 nv_disable=1 kext-dev-mode=1
I use the Clover '
Options->Boot Args' to set the boot option string above, then I also select the
Graphics Injector->InjectEDID checkbox. Click '
Return', then
select the SSD or HDD drive icon with arrow keys, then
press the space bar, scroll down and then
check the 'Use XNU CPUPM (-xcpm)' checkbox. Then I
select 'Boot macOS with options selected'.
You should now have a working version of OSX Sierra, without any of the peripherals setup yet (video, audio, LAN, etc). It is now time to install MultiBeast (for Sierra), and get your Clover setup on the SSD or HDD so you can now boot from the SSD/HDD itself. I will post my config.plist settings once that part is done so others can use it for a quick start. I'll also try getting the latest nVidia web drivers for the 1080ti next.
Hope this information is helpful to others facing the same issues.
@gilly, maybe you have some more details regarding the nVidia web drivers you used, and possibly other kexts that are useful nd/or compatible with this motherboard?
@lordstar I will post my config.plist once I have it fully working. I am at the post install stage ATM. Getting ready to run Multibeast and then Clover configs till I get it booting on it's own. The info above should be helpful for you to get the USB installer running though.
