[Guide 2018] Z820 - HIGH SIERRA, The great guide (Sucess)

[rina]

Last week I have successfully installed Mojave on a Z820 E5-2687W v2 with the help of your guide! Thanks so much for the awesome documentation! At first I had problems with kernel panic, but to enable „drop OEM“ worked like a charm. Thanks a lot for your remark, glow9!

Now I need to fix USB3 and audio and later on power management. Could you give me an advide where to find updated kext-files for Mojave?

 

[z820ed]

Dear experts! I was trying to apply the guide to my box (z820) which is equipped with 2 x E5-2687W v2 CPU's. As described I also provided the updated SSDT.aml to Clover (which helped user nanim). But unfortunately it doesn't help in my case, I'm getting stuck in the inital boot from USB stick with 'BSD process name corresponding to current thread Unknown ... ' issue. I did also store my system files in Clover (using F4) and patched the SSDT-1.aml like describe in the thread using MacIASL. But still no different behaviour. Any ideas what I could try? (I attached my orriginal SSDT and my patched one). Your help is really appreciated

SSDT-1-CpuDef.aml

SSDT-1.aml

Edited June 15, 2019 by z820ed

[glow9]

to z820ed

To avoid kernel panic enable "drop OEM" in the Acpi/SSDT Section of your config.plist.

[z820ed]

to glow9.

I reverted back to the SSDT-1.aml that is provided by 'bilbo' and enabled "drop OEM' ... works. Booting now successfully into installer.

Thanks very much for the hint. [tried the same with my self modified SSDT without success... will check that somewhen later]

[amadeusex]

On 6/16/2019 at 10:19 AM, z820ed said:

to glow9.

I reverted back to the SSDT-1.aml that is provided by 'bilbo' and enabled "drop OEM' ... works. Booting now successfully into installer.

Thanks very much for the hint. [tried the same with my self modified SSDT without success... will check that somewhen later]

 

Sounds good.

 

Since I Just got my new z820 v2 with the same CPUs i'm going to try myself to get the machine to run properly ... there will be blood (  not really but a lot of hours wasted i guess).

[arkieboy72472]

I got stuck on my Z620 here:

 

28- First part. The original instructions for 10.13 are here: I think that all of this is unchanged since El Capitan days. Anyway, just in case, follow it exactly as is:

 

When I followed the perl command I had no output. I followed the guide up to this point to the letter and it went well. No matter how many times I did this, I got no output. I have no way or not of knowing if this work or took. Maybe there is a permissions issue or ownership issue, i don't know. As thorough as this guide is, this surprised me.

 

After this, I got to the Legacyx86PlattformPlugin.kext part and I had a hard time finding a suitable program that rebuilds permissions and cache. Now, your folders for the extra stuff is spot on, but maybe add a tool that will fix this in high sierra. I tried using Onyx for High Sierra and I think it worked.

 

Lastly I got to

9-Last Step!!. Generate the SSDT with ssdtPRGen.sh

 

I couldn't get it to work in the Z620 because my processor is a E5-1650 v2 and I am sure some of the commands are slightly different. I tried to use common sense and make changes based on my processor but this didn't work.

 

Since I didn't have dual processors and since I have a compatible k4000 graphics, i didn't enable any other settings.

 

I don't have power management and my processors stay the same speed. I am not sure what all works and what doesn't but I DO know that the computer boots and works. The guide has some moments where you go back and forth and it is a little tedious, but it is a great guide and the files are laid out great. I used these files because I had no internet access on the Z620 this got installed on.

 

There is room for improvement, but all in all this is a good guide. I don't think I got anything done after and including point 28.

[arkieboy72472]

UPDATE: The reason I was stuck was because of some typographical errors and lacking information in the guide. If anyone with my issues read this, here is how I resolved some parts where he made a typo or something was lacking. 

 

The location for the AICPMP patch was broken but luckily his file folders has a copy in there. I placed the file needed in the Documents folder (Desktop probably works also). After running the perl script once and then again with sudo, I got all of the desired outputs.

 

When downloading ssdPRGen, make sure and first enable hidden files and folders. After you download it, change the folder name (after unzipping it) to ssdtPRGen and save. After you cd to the folder with the program, you may have to change the

chmod +x

command to the proper location taking into account the actual files location. You are giving the script the ability to run as a program (to execute, that is). For the script, place a space between the -c and the number, change the processor to yours making sure to not introduce unnecessary spaces, and then change the -cpus and -l to your number of cpus and cores. I believe mine was 1 and 6 (or maybe it is 12 idk.) I still have no idea if my stuff works. I am sure I made more mistakes. Anyhow, watch what you copy and paste and just pay attention. If you read this, you are already halfway there in understanding, but not everyone understands terminal and linux type stuff and can work their way through these things. Knowing the hows and whys really help out and this guide does a good job of that. p.s. don't try this on little sleep or late at night either. 

 

[amadeusex]

26 minutes ago, arkieboy72472 said:

don't try this on little sleep or late at night either.

But why? That's my favourite way to do it and even more fun

 

All Jokes aside though - Bilbo did (and still does) a great Job with this guide and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't even get my z820 in the first place!

[bgold04]

Thanks to this guide I am getting the boot screen of High Sierra on a Z820 with 2 E5-2650 8 cores.  However, I cannot see the Hard Drive for the installation.  I am stuck using terminal to mess around with the volume "OS X Base System" and the other volume "Image Volume".  What commands can I use or settings shall I change or kexts I should include in order to get the HDD to mount?  For the record, I have also tried hanging an old Lacie 100 Gb that is formatted for MS-DOS from another USB port in the front of the box, to no avail.  I have formatted the internal HDD in HFS+ (journaled).  Shall I change the formatting?  So far nothing seems to help, although I have tried many things.  Somewhere I read that I need to wire the box differently to bypass a board... 

 

Does anyone know the solution?

[MrSteveMosher]

We used this method and files here in our lab on an HP Z620.  All we did was add a Highpoint card for SAS (We dont have an LSI card here) . 

 

Everything works great!!   THANK YOU

[bilbo]

Hi everybody again: !!!

 

Again, as many other times, sorry for my absence this last weeks. No time for anything. Just to login and read the questions, but no time for answer appropriately.

 

Some comments.

 

For@glow9 , @z820ed ... I've just fixed the guide and added the note about "drop oem" option. Thanks for the report!!!

 

For @glow9and@arkieboy72472   , about typo in ssdtprgen command example, keep in mind that the command was only an example of mine one. Anyway, sorry if it made some of you get in troubles with PM. Fixed to avoid further misunderstandings. Thanks also!

 

@bgold04 , did you check AHCI mode in bios options?

 

 

Edited July 22, 2019 by bilbo

[PhreaKwenCi]

Haven't had a hackintosh in 5 years and am attempting my hand at it again but having some problems.

 

My wife's old 2008 macbook pro died and I wanted to see if I could dual boot windows and mac on my custom built hp z820.

We installed a new 1 TB Crucial SSD as her new hard drive a year ago and I wanted to use that same SSD to create the Hackintosh main Drive, however when running the installer, I get to the disk utility screen and the SSD doesn't show up. It's listed as EFI and it's already got a legit copy of Sierra on it.

 

My z820 specs are:

Dual 8-Core 2.7GHz Intel Xeon Broadwell E5-2680 [16-cores / 32-threads]

64GB (8x 8GB) of 1600MHz DDR3 ECC Registered RAM

500GB Solid-State Drive

NVIDIA GTX 1080 8GB

 

What do I need to do to make the mac SSD show up so I can use it for the project?

Edited July 22, 2019 by PhreaKwenCi
grammar

[bilbo]

Be sure that you have plugged your internal sata drive to one of the two internal achi sata controller (grey connectors) and achi mode activated in bios

[PhreaKwenCi]

11 hours ago, bilbo said:

Be sure that you have plugged your internal sata drive to one of the two internal achi sata controller (grey connectors) and achi mode activated in bios

Does it need to specifically be ACHI or can it be ACHI+Raid?

 

Ok, so I got it to read the old mac SSD and since my wife already had  a copy of El Capitan on the drive, I didn’t format it. However when I got to the install screen for high Sierra it gets about 2 minutes from completion and gives me this screen that’s attached. 

 

What do I need to do to fix it?

Edited July 25, 2019 by PhreaKwenCi

[bilbo]

only ACHI.

 

Sorry, I don't understand you. When exactly it happens?

[gawdemmet]

I used this guide to install mojave. It didn't work out that way at first. I wanted to used high sierra to migrate from a macpro 5,1 (running sierra) to a z620 that only has protools (windows version). Cloning some bits over like user space and apps and leaving anything else intact. Not sure if the bits will copy over going from hfs+ to afps. and in this case from high sierra to mojave. I hope nothing is too dissimilar in the file hierarchy that I would waste too much time troubleshooting non-working apps.

 

Anyhow, to make a story short. High sierra only worked with one cpu. To the point that using cpus=1 flag wasn't enough. I had to physically remove the 2nd cpu to get anything done. It was nothing but crash after crash. So in my sleep-deprived state of mind (I had been up for over a day trying to get this to work), I decided to take the plunge and install mojave instead. I wiped clean the efi partition, installed the latest version of clover (v2.5k_r5033) in it. And installed mojave. Halfway through the installation progress I noticed I had left the 2nd cpu installed in the system, the system was also in uefi only (no legacy). The installer goes without a hitch with two cpus in it. No crashes, no stuttering, no drunken mouse syndrome. I also upgraded to 10.14.6 via combo update. No probs whatsover updating from the update partition via clover.

 

So far I'm at the post-boot phase and my z620 is stabler than I thought it would be. The fw800/400 card in it works without any issues with a digirack 003 interface and logic pro. So does a broadcom bcm943602cs wifi/bt 4.0 card. Airdrop works as intended. I can send files to my iphone via bt without issues. I haven't done any extensive tests, but these are encouraging results being I have done jack sh*t to make it any better. And the system has been up for hours without crashes or reboots. The config file I'm using currently is the same I used for the install. And is the one used at install phase in this guide.

 

The culprit for this not working with high sierra could well be due to a combo of a late (windows 8 pro) revision motherboard(with v03.95 bios released july 1 2019) and dual e5-2650 v2 2.6ghz cpus. I'm going through the rest of the guide once I finish through cloning this install. So far my entire user space from the macpro works fine after fixing file permissions. Btw the geekbench score is actually higher if I quit all the apps I'm using. i just wanted to show everything that so far works in one screenshot. I'm including the origin folder generated via clover f4 with the acpi tables just in case anyone wants to compare the tables from the new bios against the older versions

 

HP_Z620 dual e5-2650_V2_BIOS.03.95.origin.zip

Edited July 31, 2019 by gawdemmet
forgot to attach stuff, duh!

[bilbo]

Interesting warning about 3.95. I'll take a look. The problem with the second cpu doesn't make sense at all. Specially thinking in It's a problem with HighSierra but not with Mojave.

 

As a side note, I don't fully understand your cloning processes, but I would recommend clean installs, with hackintoshs or native systems , or any SO. The headache and wasted time is not worthy comparing to a clean install (no more than 20 min) and a a couple oh hours (or a whole day, it doesn't matter), installing and setting up the system. To follow the guide, I would recommend search for last updates for certain kexts, but I'm sure that the main process should work.

 

Sorry for the lack of a guide for Mojave. For me, the hackintosh is in a dead road. No Nvidia, no party. Just to say I have to stay in Sierra. Damn Apple and its crappy policy with Nvidia.

[gawdemmet]

8 hours ago, bilbo said:

As a side note, I don't fully understand your cloning processes, but I would recommend clean installs, with hackintoshs or native systems , or any SO.

 

I do clean installs. Then afterwards, when I end up with a stable hackintosh, I make an extra back-up of it to be safe. Then I copy my programs over with carbon copy cloner. I don't reinstall them. I clone some specific folders. /Users/. I usually stick with the same username and UID across machines to keep things more consistent. I also copy /Library/Audio, and specific Audio applications in /Applications.

In most cases the licenses/registration copy over after copying the /User space. But a few that rely on hardware check licensing schemes fail. But that's ok. In that case I still don't reinstall them, just re-register them. Yeah, I don't recommend it. But I've been doing this since 2007 with hackintoshes and real macs without any major issues. And no I don't trust macOS migration helpers to do the job right

 

I just copied everything over from my macpro 2010 drive, ran permissions on my /User/ home folder and also ran first aid from the recovery boot to fix permissions of other folders I've cloned at root level. So far everything works fine.

 

I game on windows only. And I haven't done any production work (audio or video) on a mac for a living in almost a decade. But I feel for hackintosh/mac users who were looking forward for future nvidia support. It sucks

 

Anyhow... I'm now moving to the cpu power management section of your guide.

Edited August 1, 2019 by gawdemmet

[amadeusex]

Hi guys ..

 

I finally took the plunge and went ahead to install High Sierra on my z820 with the 2687w v2 ...

 

What's the problem here ? The sensors ?

 

Is Power management working ? 

 

My EFI folder

 

ssdtPRGen:

 

./ssdtPRGen.sh -cpus 2 -c 1  -l 32 -target 1 -mode custom -p 'E5-2687W v2'

 

Output:

 

 

 

 

 

Clover Log.rtf

Edited August 1, 2019 by amadeusex

[amadeusex]

@bilbo

 

About the cloning process. 

 

It's a matter of time savings - in fact, huge time savings.

If I had to set up a working System with all the related software needed it would take me around a week to do so. (I'm just talking about the bought software here).

The migration assistant really works great mostly because of the way macOS handles applications (they are essentially Folders with everything needed inside vs Windows with Dll's, registry entries and whatnot)

 

The worst thing that can happen is to have to re-authorize some of them. Other than that max 1-2 hours and You're good to go.

[gawdemmet]

Interesting. I thought You'd have a higher benchmark score with your 3.4ghz CPUs. Mine clock at 2.60ghz

 

Another thing, I noticed that the registers on the output of the AICPMPatch.pl don't match the same on my AICPM kext binary. I Mean I can't boot without the AICPM patch in clover. I assume the patching in clover is the same as the one in the perl script.

MY z620 simply reboots at boot up if I don't enable it in clover. Is it safe to apply the .pl patch to the kext?

 

Bilbo's Z820:

delta: 1

0000000000009efd    movl   $0x000000e2,%ecx

0000000000009f02   wrmsr

My Z620:

delta: 1
00000000000090e2    movl    $0x000000e2,%ecx
00000000000090e7    wrmsr

 

 

 

 

[amadeusex]

@gawdemmet

 

Yeah the benchmarks don't look that good but they're just that - benchmarks. 

 

With win 10 I get a single core mark around 3700 and 36-38 K multi-core.

 

What's more important though is the performance gain in applications which is around plus 30% compared to my 2670v1 (in win10).

 

I don't believe the clock readings (2147THz  !) I get here are accurate so there's either some more tinkering to be done to get power management working or it stays the way it is.

 

To be honest all the applications I need are also available for Win 10 which runs just fine.

 

At this point the macOs environment is a nice 'add-on' but not essential anymore.

 

The OCD in me wants to make it work but I guess the fact that the 2687w is a special case is going to prevent a perfect working power management.

Edited August 2, 2019 by amadeusex

[theroadw]

Ok finally decided to migrate from El Capitan to High Sierra and as usual my dual E5-2667 V2 configuration was a bit of a challenge, especially for PM but got it working!

I mostly used Bilbos files from this guide, but found that the included SSDT-1.aml file had the wrong sequence for CPU's, and while the Z820 booted, the CPU's would appear in the wrong order for the OS, and PM would never work.
The error in the sequence is after core 13. So I fixed this and deleted all the extra unused CPU's from my SSDT-1.aml

 

I also separated (and grouped) the cores into CPU packages, using C000-C00F for CPU package 1, and C100-C10F for CPU package 2.

Then it's easier to tweak the SSDT file later on.

 

Next the ssdtPRGen script can't see that this is a dual CPU config, and tries to make it work with only one CPU, and fails, So I had to edit the SSDT.aml file by manually adding the cores the script wouldn't see. Also, the clock of the first core of the second CPU package needs to reference the first CPU's clock, so I added a couple extra lines to take care of that.

 

 

Everything else is done as this great guide explains, and works perfectly.

 

It should work (perhaps with some minor tweaks) with other dual 26x7 and 26x3 setups.

 

My patched ACPI files for reference.

 

GB4

 

 

GB3

 

 

HW Info

 

SSDT-1.aml

SSDT.aml

DSDT.aml

[gawdemmet]

19 hours ago, hugodlc said:

I mostly used Bilbos files from this guide, but found that the included SSDT-1.aml file had the wrong sequence for CPU's, and while the Z820 booted, the CPU's would appear in the wrong order for the OS, and PM would never work.

 

Mine load out of sequence too. I assumed this didn't matter at all. Just like I assumed the excessive amount of processor entries (128) in the clover extracted SSDT-1 to be normal as well. I'm not using bilbo's files though. I’m using dual e5-2650 v2 cpus on a z620 with latest bios. Not 26x7 and 26x3 CPUs on a z820 like you do.

My clover extracted SSDT-1 however, looks very similar to bilbo's:

 

[theroadw]

8 hours ago, gawdemmet said:

Mine load out of sequence too

Weird, I just saw that, but it is not an issue for boot or PM right?

(APIC Id is jumbled but UID is sequential)

 

The problem that affects 26x7 and 26x3 CPUs is that the SSDT reports the cores in a very weird order with those CPU's, like 80, 1, 3, 81, 13, etc... and because of this, OSX throws a tantrum and KP. (If the Kernel allowed for 120 CPU Cores, then this wouldn't be an issue I think)

Bilbo's edited file partially corrects this, but after core 13, there's 5 or 6 CPU cores that are left empty (the ones with numbering in the 80's) followed by the rest in sequence, so the ACPI tables are ok to boot (as the High Sierra Kernel can apparently use more than 20 cores) but the problem is more with Power management, and also because the ssdtPRGen doesn't really recognize and/or use all the cores available, and because of this combo, it didn't work at all.

With my edited files, the CPU's are in order and populate ACPI tables correctly, and my edited SSDT makes use of all the cores and then PM works.

Only issues I have left with this machine are sleep (not a problem) and that the S.M.A.R.T. status of the SAS connected disks doesn't show up. I used SAT SMART Driver for El Capitan before but it doesn't seem to be working on HS.

 

Edit - https://github.com/kasbert/OS-X-SAT-SMART-Driver/blob/master/SATSMARTDriver-0.10.dmg

This one seems to be working.

I hate when HDD fail, and I prefer to be warned by the OS that there's something wrong with the disk before catastrophic failure, and SMART is built just for that.

I'll keep looking for a solution, but if anyone has any ideas?

Edited August 12, 2019 by hugodlc