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MacOsX on the Surface Pro 3


LonelyTV
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Update (23/02/15):

gkarg has gotten the Type Cover to work in Yosemite. I'm working on an updated tutorial that will cover installing 10.10 on the machine. But for now, here is the link the KEXT needed to get the Type Cover working.

 

Thank you Gkarg and everyone else for all of your hard work on getting this to work.

 

 

Type Cover 3 KEXT

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------

 

This is the current status of what is and what isn't working:

 

Type cover -> works

Touch screen -> in progress

Wi-Fi -> not working

Bluetooth -> not working

Sound -> works

Graphics -> works with QE/CI + HiDPI Mode with minor graphic glitches

SD Card -> works

USB 3.0 -> works

 

----------------------------------------------

 

Seeing as the Surface Pro 3 and Surface Pro 2 share similar hardware I made an attempt to install 10.9.2 on to it. Following JahStories' tutorial I was able to get the machine to boot into the installer.

However, because of the new screen it seemed to hang at a black screen. To fix this I had to adjust some of the flags given to Clover. 

 

Here is a fixed "config.plist" that will let the installer and OS boot past the black screen:

 

 Surface Pro 3 Clover Config.zip

 

I added to DSDT fixes: INTELGFX as well as GRAPHICS to the plist, changed the "Intel Injection" to true, changed the SMBIOS to a full Macbook Air SMBIOS, and removed the custom EDID since we have a new panel. 

 

Once in the OS the UI has some serious artifacts on the menu bar as well as the dock. I attribute this to the new screen and with time I'm sure we can figure out how to fix it. 

 

Here is the HEX for the EDID if you want to try out a custom EDID for the panel. I haven't had the chance to input it.

00FFFFFFFFFFFF004CA342350000000000170101951911780AEE95A3544C99260F505400000001010101010101010101010101010101785070A080A0295030203A00FEA9000000196A4070A080A0295030203A00FEA900000019000000FE0053414D53554E470A2020202020000000FE00313230514C30312D3030310A200069

This is just a start and I hope others will contribute so we can get it up and running.

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Hey, do you have a short guide of what you've done so far?

 

So far all I have done is trying to get the OS to install. In doing so I followed the first set of tutorials on the Surface Pro 2 thread (under the header: "Surface Pro 2 Gen Steps"). The only modifications I needed to do was to utilize the config.plist that I have posted above in place of the one the tutorial tells us to use. This got me into the installer and into the OS. 

 

I haven't had time to toy with anything else but as I said there isn't much left to try and fix. We need to get the Type Cover to work and iron out the graphical artifacts the screen has when in the OS. I'm thinking that the artifacts can be taken care of if we can get the right DSDT, any DSDT Modifications, as well as an adjusted conflg.plist. The type cover currently isn't working in Linux either so I'm suspecting it's due to a unsupported USB chipset. Something I'm sure that can be fixed with the right KEXT. 

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its still not ready for daily use...

 

but you can always test & try installing it as Lonelytv posted...

 

btw i find more interesting installing and fixing everything, than actually use my hackintoshes 

 

it's the insanely part :D

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I too have "artifacts" on the menu bar and dock, even on SP2. Maybe they are 4300U caused? I will post again about them on SFPro2 thread "soon".

 

 

By the way, AvastarFwLoader won't work on SP3, but the fix should be trivial (add a new personality for the new PCI IDs and mix in the new USB8897 firmware image from http://git.marvell.com/?p=mwifiex-firmware.git;a=tree;f=mrvl

 

I will try to build a version that should work on all Surface models, but as usual, it may be some time until my next freetime slot.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've had to stop work on trying to get OS X to run on my device recently. I've been having some issues with LCDs and I will be on my third Surface Pro 3 next week. However, I did figure a few things out:

 

  • Sound does work when you use VoodooHDA and remove the AppleHDA kext. This is no surprise since it worked on the Surface Pro 2, I just never got around to working with it.

 

  • The graphic artifacts go away when you boot into OS X with a resolution lower than native. I found the "1600x1066" resolution to be close enough to native.. I don't know what causes the artifacts just yet, but the fix currently is to set the resolution to lower than native, and reboot. Changing it back to native WILL cause the artifacts to show up again. Also, the brightness is fixed and can not be changed, yet.

 

  • I still have had NO success with the type cover or touch screen. No amount of KEXT I throw at it I can not make the type cover work. The touch screen, on the other hand, uses the N-Trig DuoSense (DS-4196) digitizer which is currently unsupported by Touch-Base (VID: 1B96 PID: 0001). I did not get the chance to check the other drivers listed on the Touch-Base site, but I figure it will be a no go since the one in the Surface Pro 3 is listed as unsupported.
  • Bluetooth is the only thing I did not attempt to fix. I'm certain the fix on JahStories' tutorial will work... but I'm uncertain.

That is it for now. Hopefully we can figure this stuff out.

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Can you try switching color profiles. On my laptop with an HD4600 this sort of resolves the graphic artifacts.

Right you are! I tried the built in "sRGB IEC61966-2.1" and it eliminated nearly all of the graphical artifacts. The only ones I noticed on a reboot was on the desktop the two "hidden" files were garbled. I attribute this to the transparency they have. I'll test more shortly.

 

EDIT: Turns out it's not just the transparent files, I have two files and a folder on my desktop that become garbled when I reboot. I suspect it's just leftovers from the boot process before the device corrects the color profile. 

I've noticed with the type cover that the backlight turns off and then back on as if the device is trying to "initialize" it. I still don't know how to fix this, but it shouldn't be too hard. 

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Right you are! I tried the built in "sRGB IEC61966-2.1" and it eliminated nearly all of the graphical artifacts. The only ones I noticed on a reboot was on the desktop the two "hidden" files were garbled. I attribute this to the transparency they have. I'll test more shortly.

I've noticed with the type cover that the backlight turns off and then back on as if the device is trying to "initialize" it. I still don't know how to fix this, but it shouldn't be too hard. 

 

Great work you're doing on the Surface Pro 3. I'm looking forward to some awesome OSX support and you're one of the people putting in the work to make that happen. Why is wifi support impossible on these units? See I'm perfectly ok if we don't get touch support....OSX really doesn't have any support for it anyway.

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Great work you're doing on the Surface Pro 3. I'm looking forward to some awesome OSX support and you're one of the people putting in the work to make that happen. Why is wifi support impossible on these units? See I'm perfectly ok if we don't get touch support....OSX really doesn't have any support for it anyway.

OS X does not have Kernel Extensions, KEXT, that support Marvell’s Avastar 88W8897 or really any Avastar at that. Until either Apple or someone else writes a KEXT that supports it we are out of luck. In most cases you would just swap out the WiFi module for something that is compatible, but seeing as this is a SoC that is soldered onto the board we will have to make use of external dongles for it to work. I'm currently using the Edimax EW-7811Un USB dongle. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Any updates with the i7 model and the HD5000 graphics?

Unfortunately, I don't have an i7 Surface Pro 3 so I can't test it. If you have one you can follow the steps in the tutorial I've linked and use the config.plist I've attached to my first post to see if it works for you.

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Unfortunately, I don't have an i7 Surface Pro 3 so I can't test it. If you have one you can follow the steps in the tutorial I've linked and use the config.plist I've attached to my first post to see if it works for you.

I don't have any Macs that I can use to create a bootable usb drive though. 

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Hi guys!

 

New to non-Apple products, owning a Surface Pro 3. Always used Mac since 10.3 Panther.

 

From what i have red, OSX for SP3 still lacks features such as the touschscreen, wifi, etc. Do you guys think that it will be ever be compatible with OSX (I know wifi will be difficult)?

 

Thanks!

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the surface pro 3 is already compatible with OS X, there are missing drivers yet, but the system boots...

its just a matter of time...

 

for ex. in Italy and in many other countries it's not out yet, just announced.

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New to insanelymac, but are you guys able to boot OS X on the SP3 with OS X installed on the microSD slot/card? I also want to confirm that Bluetooth is working on the SP3 with OS X.

I haven't tried installing Os X on a MicroSD card so I can't say. I am able to boot it from the SSD. Bluetooth SHOULD work following the fix on JahStories' tutorial. I never had the chance to try it out though.

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Hello guys

 

I got my Surface Pro 3 a couple of weeks ago and decided to have a go at installing OS X on my device. Having learned that the touchscreen is N-Trig based and that touch-base doesn't currently provide driver support, I decided to contact them to see if we can work out a solution to get driver support for the Pro 3.

 

After a few email exchanges we found out that Microsoft had switched from using an USB HID interface to an I2C HID interface for the Pro 3. Since this is the case, unfortunately, developing a proper driver for the Pro 3 will be a lot more involved.

 

Due to the more involved process, touch-base would need to be loaned a Pro 3 for a couple of months to develop a proper driver. With that said, is there anyone willing to take the plunge? :lol:  :)

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I suppose it would ideally be someone from the UK lending their SP to avoid the overhead of shipping. I would consider it otherwise! It's too bad there is so much to be done to get up and running on SP3 compared to older versions. This was the first generation where i really liked the hardware. You actually get a 2nd USB port on the power adapter, not sure yet if it is for charging only though. 

 

I have modified my iPad to the point where it behaves a lot like a normal computer, with working BT trackpad and keyboard, mouse if needed, but otherwise trackpad buttons and slide area, universal display out to HDMI or VGA, USB to most devices via connection kit and USB hub, file system nav, upload/download anything, email attachments, torrents, basically anything you would expect to be able to do with a regular computer. But at the end of the day it's still iOS, it's no Mac OS, and the lack of Mac software is the biggest downside of all.

 

But with SP it's theoretically possible to get the ideal touchscreen Mac OS. I was already talking with touch-base about a driver for my HP All-in-One so maybe there's some value to them to have a device lent to them so they can develop a driver? I'm also looking at getting one of those really large touch screen displays and having a driver for Mac OS for that too would def. seal the deal. If I got three free drivers that would definitely be enough to consider lending an SP3 for a couple of months.

 

Hopefully touch-base is willing to make some kind of a deal so everyone wins, whether it was with me or someone living closer to them to avoid shipping issues.

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About the usb port on the power brick, it was already there since the first gen. , but it's only for charging...

 

I personally like the surface pro 3 a lot, but i don't think it could really be an ideal OS X touchscreen device,

we will get such thing only when Apple decides to; The Finder, the on-screen keyboard and most things needs a be correctly modified and restyled.

 

I think that this Sp3 is really too big, the old form factor is still better for me not only for it's size but it's design too.

 

Since there are some rumors about a 12.9inch iPad, i hope that Apple is not doing something big like that, it would just be a bad idea...

 

And right now the prices of the first gen° of surface pros dropped crazily, so maybe today its time to get a first gen° instead of a "new" bigger and yet not "optimized" Sp3

 

But this is just my opinion. 

 

:)

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New to insanelymac, but are you guys able to boot OS X on the SP3 with OS X installed on the microSD slot/card? I also want to confirm that Bluetooth is working on the SP3 with OS X.

 

can't answer for the SP3, but I am running OSX off the microSDXC on the SP2

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