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Z690 Chipset Motherboards and Alder Lake CPU

@CaseySJ; @Elias64Fr
Apple has used an unknown Thunderbolt chip in the latest MacBook M2.
Zrzut ekranu 2022-07-20 o 20.13.51.png

Our dreams of a full Maple ridge launch probably won't come true.
iFixIt
 
@CaseySJ; @Elias64Fr
Apple has used an unknown Thunderbolt chip in the latest MacBook M2.
View attachment 551753
Our dreams of a full Maple ridge launch probably won't come true.
iFixIt

As we can see from the iFixit website, they meant to say redriver in the YouTube video, instead of driver. There's a big difference between those two words.

A redriver's primary task is to boost the high frequency component of a signal because that part of the signal can weaken (or attenuate) over long distances.

The Thunderbolt controller is built into the M2 SoC located on the left side of the circuit board (image below). If the Thunderbolt port is located a fair distance away from the controller, then a redriver is necessary to ensure signal integrity.

This is also why longer Thunderbolt 3 cables are significantly more expensive than short (or passive) cables. Longer Thunderbolt 3 cables -- generally longer than 24 inches -- have built-in redrivers and are called active cables. Shorter and cheaper ones don't need a redriver and are called passive cables.


Screenshot 2022-07-23 at 4.30.18 AM.png
 
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I just noticed Gigabyte dropped a BIOS update last Friday for seemingly all their Z690 boards, f20a. The only note is "Supports and powers up Intel next generation processor" whatever the heck that means.

Anyone tried it out and have any thoughts?
 
I just noticed Gigabyte dropped a BIOS update last Friday for seemingly all their Z690 boards, f20a. The only note is "Supports and powers up Intel next generation processor" whatever the heck that means.

Anyone tried it out and have any thoughts?
I would hold off installing this for the time being. I installed the new BIOS on my Gaming X motherboard, two days ago, and can no longer boot into Monterey or Ventura (Public Beta). Will wait to hear if any other users are affected, or if this is just down to my configuration. Hopefully a workaround or fix can then be found.
 
Anyone have success with the Asrock Z690M Phantom Gaming 4? Looking for a DDR4 option in MicroATX size.

 
I would hold off installing this for the time being. I installed the new BIOS on my Gaming X motherboard, two days ago, and can no longer boot into Monterey or Ventura (Public Beta). Will wait to hear if any other users are affected, or if this is just down to my configuration. Hopefully a workaround or fix can then be found.
Same report on Z690 Aero G.
I trust you've checked all BIOS settings, which may have been reset by the update. It would be worth dumping ACPI tables (SysReport) on BIOS F20a and compare with the tables from an earlier BIOS to see if Gigabyte changed something.

Follow-up: @StefanAM runs his Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Master on F20a with SetupVirtualMap enabled.
 
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@etorix and @StefanAM - I thank you both greatly for your help. Enabling SetupVirtualMap in config.plist (found under Booter -> Quirks), has let me boot into Monterey again (will try Ventura later - but I see no reason why it won't also work here).
 
@etorix and @StefanAM - I thank you both greatly for your help. Enabling SetupVirtualMap in config.plist (found under Booter -> Quirks), has let me boot into Monterey again (will try Ventura later - but I see no reason why it won't also work here).
For Ventura use OC 0.83 and latest develop kexts.
 
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