computers:hackintosh [Jon's Repository of Info]

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
===== What this wiki provides =====

When I've been between spells of MacBooks, or when I wanted a desktop experience with some horsepower, hackintoshing provided a way to allow me to keep using macOS while not breaking the bank. Hackintosh is a slang used to describe running macOS on non-Apple hardware. The concept revolves around essentially "emulating" the hardware as close as possible. There is a steep learning curve, but the more you understand, the easier it is to troubleshoot issues down the line.

I try to cover my research on this hobby in this Wiki page, and come across as honest as I can be. I am not an expert, but I know enough to be dangerous. My goal is to make this Wiki a resource page mainly for myself, but it should serve as a good reference for anyone not trying to sift through thousands of guides upon several web forums where things are not conveniently kept up to date in one centralized place. I found myself repeatedly having "ah-ha" moments when I discovered that what I was reading was out of date, and over here on this irrelevant page was actually the most up-to-date information on Hackintoshing as a whole. Nerds are horrible at communication, I get it ;-)

Here's my quick overview best practices for the use of running macOS on non-Apple hardware:
  * Keep it simple. I mean, really simple. Don't try and build an overly complicated system. Keep to the minimum amount of variables for your system in terms of extra hardware.
  * Use Apple-native hardware. There are Motherboards, Network Cards, Video Cards, and accessories that are either Mac-compatible, or use the same chipsets as current or former Mac machines. Being able to be modular and scalable allows you to be nearly infinite in the direction you want to take your machine. This cuts down on having to work extremely hard to get your components to work. Find the Mac device you want, and find the components that are relative to it, and make your own version. This will most likely get harder when Apple decides to make their own processors in future Macs, like they currently have with their iOS devices.
  * Use Golden-Build guides as a benchmark. Plenty of users out there have either made custom drivers for existing machines, or have already laid out the plans for a motherboard that is almost certain to work. Work smarter, not harder.

<note important>Hackintoshing is a great way to understand how the macOS operating system works. It's also a great way to use macOS for cheap. That being said, running macOS on non-Apple hardware violates the Terms of Service agreement. While I doubt Apple will come after you for anything, Apple can not support you if you screw anything up, or if there are issues with macOS outside of the normal bugs that regular Macs are encountering. I do not encourage the use of Piracy, and that I do not host any files here.</note>

==== Some ELI5 history background ====

Back when I first heard about Hackintoshing, it was 2008, and the concept was in its infancy. People had been converting their PCs to macOS, but resources were limited. The first places that garnered attention were TonyMacx86, OSx86, OSxLatitude, and InsanelyMac among others. TonyMac was the popular choice because of the all-in one platform they provided. I had ended up putting 10.6 Snow Leopard on my old Mini-Itx board, but I had no concept of fixing the issues such as no sound or ethernet. But, it was still cool to see that it was possible.

As time as progressed, some of these sites have died off, while newcomers started to see the errors of the past and specifically noted how, TonyMac for example, was using their site to profit off of the hobby, while giving users a blanket solution that caused issues further down the line, along with assuming all credit for tools developed by other users on the forums, and calling it their own and giving no financial credit to the originator for their time and work.

Tools have changed quite a bit over time. The bootloader I first came across was iBoot, then Chameleon, then Chimera, then Clover, and now recently, OpenCore. This bootloader was how you were able to boot into macOS, and it has grown leaps and bounds over time to the point where it is pretty smooth to run macOS and not have to worry about an update braking your setup.

===== What software is required? =====
  * A legally obtained copy of macOS (via the App Store on a legit Mac, or if older, a physical disk)
  * OpenCore Bootloader
  * ProperTree (for OpenCore)
  * VirtualSMC.kext
  * Any other kexts to cooperate with your installation (NIC, Audio, Bluetooth, etc)
  * A USB drive for the installer - [[https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372|The offical Apple way]], the OpenCore Guide uses a scripted method with the same code, but patches within the script.

You will also need a lot of patience, and expect some long nights understanding how everything comes together. The communities that support this hobby are very much in-line with most Linux communities where they want you to RTFM. Once you have RTFM, they want you to RTFM about five more times. Then, maybe then, you are worthy of asking a question that does not seem to resonate with your "peeon" brain. Reddit's /r/hackintosh and InsanelyMac are the two most reputable communities out there, but both still carry this mentality. Take this as a warning, have a thick skin, and be able to take some tough love. They do not cater to the needy and those who are just plain cheap and can't shell out money for a real Mac. You need to come armed with some education and knowledge about the tools you are using.

===== Resources =====

==== Installation Guides ====

  * [[https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Install-Guide//|OpenCore Install Guide.]] Use this if you are coming from Clover, and also if you're doing a vanilla installation.
  * [[https://github.com/dortania/OpenCore-Install-Guide/tree/master/clover-conversion|A companion to the OpenCore guide to convert from the older Clover bootloader installation.]]

[[https://hackintosh-multiboot.gitbook.io/hackintosh-multiboot/|Dual/Multibooting OSes]]

[[https://dortania.github.io/Wireless-Buyers-Guide/|Wireless Buyers Guide]]

[[https://github.com/ITzTravelInTime/TINU|GUI USB Drive Creator]]

===== Things that have changed =====

==== Since macOS 14 - Sonoma ====

Major droppage of older Intel CPUs, Broadcom WiFi Chipsets (Apple native hardware for Handoff capabilities). For myself at least, this is where the road ends. I can certainly build a newer hack, but we're now on the last round of Intel-released Macs that are left compatible.

==== Since macOS 13 - Ventura ====

Mostly just compatibility dropping of older GPUs and CPUs.

==== Since announcement of Apple moving to ARM architecture Apple processors ====

Apple announced in 2020 at WWDC that they will be moving future Mac devices over to their own Apple processors based on the ARM architecture.

=== What does this mean for Hackintoshing??? ===

Chill.. first off. It means that we may be seeing the end of Hackintoshing, but that is going to be roughly a decade down the line. Apple is not going to give up on Intel completely. As long as there are Macs that are being supported that use Intel-based processors, this will be around. This is also not to say that devs can spoof the CPU by that point either.. Many a hackintosh builds are using the ever-popular AMD Ryzen processors (Ryzentoshes) currently. If you notice, original Mac Pros are still being supported (albeit just MacPro 5,1, but still) and countless other models will be for some time, especially the new models that have just come out using Intel's processors. Apple will not alienate their customer base overnight. So, if you're looking to start fresh, use a latest gen Intel processor! Or, if you're feeling adventurous, check out the AMD builds.

==== Since macOS 12 - Monterey ====

https://dortania-github-io.thrrip.space/OpenCore-Install-Guide/extras/monterey.html#table-of-contents
Dropped GPU support for NVidia Kepler-based 6xx-7xx GPUs

=== Secure Boot ===

OTA Updates are a little restricted if your SMBIOS is supposed to have a T2 secure chip in it. You must have secure boot enabled, and set an additional setting in config. TL:DR don't use an SMBIOS that expects a T2 chip from a real mac.
==== Since macOS 11 - Big Sur ====

https://dortania.github.io/hackintosh/updates/2020/11/12/bigsur-new.html
==== Since Catalina 10.15 ====

https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/den28t/whats_new_in_macos_catalina/

=== End of x86 based software support ===
The most notable change which also affects normal macOS users is the end of x86 support for any apps. Most notably for a lot of us "techie" people, using Wine, or MacPorts or the like to get vintage Windows apps running on Mac. I have personally held off from updating to Catalina for this reason. As a ham radio operator, I have quite a few converted apps that I would like to keep running that would stop upon updating.

== Wine Compatibility ==

Essentially, Wine is dead going forward. Not much progress has been made to keep it going. Now, on the other hand, Crossover is going strong, and they have established a way to keep things working. There are also several forks that utilize PlayonMac, or another service to run x86 programs in Catalina. In short, pay to use CrossOver, or use an alternative. There is a fork of Wineskin (WineskinServer), and as mentioned, PlayOnMac works. There are several other alternatives out there.

https://www.reddit.com/r/wine_gaming/comments/kc6grp/catalina_big_sur_support/
https://github.com/Gcenx/WineskinServer

=== GPU changes after incremental updates ===
 
After watching the [[https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Post-Install/universal/update.html#updating-macos|notes on the changes between each update]] of Catalina, it's very imperative to note what adjustments you'll need to make to ensure your GPU will play nice. Mostly it deals with DRM-related issues, and making sure your kexts are up to date. Do read it before making the switch.

=== OpenCore Min/Max versions in config for APFS ===

I have to pin down the exact version change, but under UEFI → APFS, MinVersion and MinDate need to be set, otherwise your partitions won't be found.

I set mine to -1 for now, as I don't know when I'd need to boot into an earlier OS now that I am full APFS. It is once again a reminder that once you go APFS, you're really locked in going forward. There is that line of delineation that starts at High Sierra.

https://dortania-github-io.thrrip.space/OpenCore-Install-Guide/config.plist/kaby-lake.html#apfs

==== Since Mojave 10.14 ====

=== New Bootloader ===

There is a new bootloader on the horizon, and its name is OpenCore. OpenCore is a community sourced alternative to Clover that aims to be a cleaner patch to macOS (such as not breaking on OS updates, etc). A vanilla install guide is [[https://desktop.dortania.ml/|here]]. I've switched over to OpenCore already. There was minimal issues to fix, which were verbose on boot. In summary, [[https://github.com/dortania/OpenCore-Install-Guide/blob/master/clover-conversion/Clover-config.md|while I found the conversion guide helpful]], it was easier to start from scratch in adding the right ssdt files and use [[https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Install-Guide/clover-conversion/|the official guide]] to get a better grasp on making the conversion happen. When in doubt, start from scratch with a Vanilla installation.

The /r/hackintosh community has essentially stopped updating any content related to Clover, and have focused all attention on the new hotness in OpenCore. This means, you will have to dig for more info on specific Clover issues, or use the OpenCore guides as a reference. Inherently, nothing has changed about how the operating system is being patched, but the ways of doing it now are much, much more effective as it was in the past. I found myself cleaning up my Clover config.plist and updating things that have provided a better solution where applicable.

=== USB Mapping ===

[[https://dortania.github.io/USB-Map-Guide/|USB Mapping Guide]], [[https://github.com/corpnewt/USBMap|USB Mapping tool]], [[https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/aox8at/a_simple_way_to_see_which_usb_ports_have_been/|Post showing how you can view injected ports from terminal]]

While not new, mapping your USB ports have gotten a little more granular than before. After macOS Yosemite, port limit patches (under the Kext Patches section) were needed in Clover to allow your USB ports to be enabled. The alternative was catch-all kext for USB 2.0 and one for USB 3.0. I fell prey to the catch-all kexts in my early days. With the advent of Mojave, there is a firm limit baked in of 15 USB ports max. They probably figure, most real Macs aren't going to have more than that. Here's where that makes more sense((https://usb-map.gitbook.io/project/terms-of-endearment)): macOS counts USB 2.0 ports as a single port, but USB 3.0 ports as two, since the USB 3 port actually has two sets of pins, one that is USB 2.0 only, and then the additional pins to make it USB 3.0 capable (this goes along with the backwards compatibility, and the increased bus speeds between both specs). There are two options to map your USB ports: [[https://github.com/corpnewt/USBMap|CorpNewt's Script]] which is preferred, and using [[https://github.com/headkaze/Hackintool|Hackintool]] to edit your config. Hackintool [[https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/fknup7/question_about_corpnewts_usbmap/fkuufj2/|gets a little messy and kludgy]], plus has a [[https://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&sl=auto&tl=en&u=https://blog.daliansky.net/Intel-FB-Patcher-tutorial-and-insertion-pose.html|high learning curve]], so it's not my first choice.
[[https://youtu.be/j3V7szXZZTc|This video gives a really great explaination of how the USB mapping works]] I found this browsing through another guide. ((https://github.com/macfanatic77/hackintosh/blob/master/07_Troubleshooting.md)) It takes a while to find good vetted guides, so feel free to prod around.

<note tip>One extra step that is documented in CorpNewt's guide that you should do to help your power management is to be sure to mark which ports are 2, 3, or a header. Be sure to only mark headers as devices that are truly internal, and not a front port USB, the main reasoning is for showing a drive as external vs internal when mounted.
<code>When you've mapped out all the ports you'll use, you can press q and enter to leave discovery. We then want to choose P. Edit Plist & Create SSDT/Kext which takes us to a menu where we can enable/disable ports (based on our discovery above), and change port types. The available port types are as follows:

0: Type A connector
1: Mini-AB connector
2: ExpressCard
3: USB 3 Standard-A connector
4: USB 3 Standard-B connector
5: USB 3 Micro-B connector
6: USB 3 Micro-AB connector
7: USB 3 Power-B connector
8: Type C connector - USB2-only
9: Type C connector - USB2 and SS with Switch
10: Type C connector - USB2 and SS without Switch
11 - 254: Reserved
255: Proprietary connector
With common types falling into 3 categories:

0: USB 2.0
3: USB 3.0
255: Internal Header
</code>
</note>

<note warning>After doing some more searching, because asking for help on the /r/hackintosh Discord can be like talking to a brick wall, I read the [[https://reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/fn05sm/hackintosh_waking_up_constantly_already_changed/|following thread]] that discusses that **using the SSDT-UIAC.aml and USBInjectAll.kext is legacy, and that users should use the USBMap.kext** to avoid issues.</note>

<note important>When you have made your USBMap.kext, open up an editor,[[https://dortania.github.io/USB-Map-Guide/intel-mapping/intel.html|and fix the rename lines]]. In my case I had to rename XHC to XHC1 again, which is what was used in the Clover Vanilla guide to get up up and running before patching. This means once you have renamed the parts in the kext, you need to go to the ACPI section and uncheck the XHC1 to XHC patches, and in the case of the USBMap text, EHC1/2 to EHC if you were using USB 2 based controllers which were primarily older systems. You have essentially superseded the ACPI patches with the Kext.

[[https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/g4cr8x/how_i_learned_to_stop_worrying_and_embrace/|Here's another post detailing that issue, and the end result]]</note>

Another tip if you change your SMBIOS, [[https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/bsev76/imac_192_smbios_now_best_for_i78700k_cpu_rx580/eopl69n/|you will need to adjust]] it on the USBKext as well if you use the CorpNewt tool

=== Nvidia GPU Support dropped ===

Nvidia stopped making Web Drivers for macOS in Mojave. Bickering aside, you now need to use an AMD GPU or an onboard Intel/AMD GPU for native support. There are ways to patch macOS to use the Nvidia GPU still, but save yourself a headache and get natively supported GPUs.

==== Since High Sierra 10.13 ====
<note warning>The main change to keep in mind is: APFS

If you are running an SSD on your Hackintosh, running the later versions of High Sierra, and (more strictly enforced in) Mojave will force your partition to move from Mac OS Journaled (HFS+) to the Apple File System (APFS).</note> 

If you are running a clean installation of High Sierra, you might be able to prolong the migration using a modifier on the createInstallMedia command when creating your USB installer, but it is not worth fighting the fight. Thankfully, using the Clover bootloader and the Clover Configurator, there are tools in place to help alleviate the issue. You can use Clover Configurator to install the driver ApfsDriverLoader to allow for use of APFS in the Clover bootloader. You'll need to choose your flavor (UEFI or Legacy) based on your installation.

https://hackintosher.com/guides/mac-os-mojave-hackintosh-clover-walkthrough-10-14-install/

<note important>If doing a clean install, be sure to not format your EFI partition to APFS! Clover will not boot. When starting your installation, format your whole drive as Mac OS Journaled in Disk Utility. Let the installation convert your main Macintosh partition to APFS.</note>

How the conversion to APFS is decided.. If you have a local SSD attached by SATA, it will convert to APFS. If you are booting with an external SATA to USB adapter with an SSD, it treats it like a storage device and will not convert the filesystem. Additionally, if you are booting with a USB drive, it will also not convert. 

Previous to High Sierra, I had been implementing older techniques with catch-all kexts (HDMIAudio patchers), or very specific kexts (one for a Realtek 8169 NIC). There is now a central median kext called Lilu. This kext technically does not do anything, but it acts as a bridge to a growing list of open source kexts that patch in to your setup via Lilu, and some are in-line updatable through Clover Configurator. What makes this setup great is the auto-patching done. Each kext loads only what is necessary to function. This is a great alternative to Multibeast, [[https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/anerk3/why_we_dont_support_tonymacx86_tools_and_how_to/|which is not preferred by many due to the carpet-bomb approach of loading a bunch of catch-all kexts and hoping it doesn't fail upon boot..]] When something goes wrong, it's much harder to decipher where to start. 

Installation of these kexts has seemed to vary over the years. It used to be for the old-school guys that you needed to put your kexts in System/Level/Extensions, but [[https://1revenger1.gitbook.io/laptop-guide/useful-skills-terminology/what-about-kexts|that is a terrible idea past 10.11]], but what makes the most sense is using EFI/CLOVER/kexts/Other. The reasoning is that the individual OS version folders in the kext folder are meant for OS version-specific kexts. The Other folder is OS-agnostic, and will take precedence over the OS-specific folders when loading upon boot.

https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/an-idiots-guide-to-lilu-and-its-plug-ins.260063/

Two kexts that stick out are WhateverGreen (GPU patcher), and ALCAudio (On-board Audio patcher).

Lilu Plugin list
https://github.com/acidanthera/Lilu/blob/master/KnownPlugins.md

https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/solved-is-lilu-kext-required.244136/

===== Upgrading your OpenCore installation =====

Probably the toughest part about Hackintoshing is upgrading. Not because it's difficult, but because you forget about how you did everything once it's up and going. You can keep up with the updates, but you may run into headaches every time when something changes. Instead of keeping up with the latest updates, what I suggest is create your Hackintosh on the final version of the previous macOS. So, in this case, build on Catalina, since Big Sur is current and actively changing. The reason is, things will break on updates. There's no need to be on bleeding edge here unless you like punishment.

How does this relate to upgrading OpenCore?

Don't touch OpenCore until you are ready to update to the next OS build. There will be more of a learning curve on the changes, but it's one slightly larger headache every year, not once smaller every month. That is why I am writing this to help myself, but also to help you out.

==== Prepping for the upgrade ==== 

  * Use git to download the tools you'll use to update/compare configs. Reason being is, you can save time by just running a git pull in the directory to refresh the latest files.
  * Block out a weekend afternoon, or plan to work two nights in a row. Just to give yourself the ample time needed.
  * Grab yourself a copy of the latest version of OpenCore that the sanity checker has up to date on its website. Alternatively, you can rely on just the validator I will mention, but the sanity checker does a great job of its namesake.
  * Run a backup however you please. Time Machine, or a full clone via Carbon Copy Cloner.
  * Make a copy of your current config.plist. Name it config.plist.old
  * Boot in and mount your EFI
  * Copy over the essential files per this guide -
  * Open up propertree. Open your config.plist, and the sample plist (In the OpenCore docs folder) side by side.
  * Run the OCValidate tool. Use the sample plist as your source to check against.
  * Compare the differences listed in the first group. Go line by line, and add what is missing to your config.plist
  * Compare the differences listed in the second group. Go line by line, and remove what is listed in your conflig.plist
  * Once done, save your config.plist. Go to the sanity checker, and run it based on your CPU and OpenCore version.
  * Make any corrections as needed, while using the guide for help on any changes you are confused on.
  * Once validated, reboot!
  * Note any issues on boot. If you can't boot, use your Vanilla disk as the bootloader and boot into your main disk.
  * If you can boot in, Mount the EFI. Check to see if there are any text files. Read the latest one for errors.


===== Tips/Fixes I've run into =====

==== Give yourself a "Vanilla" boot disk as an emergency ====

Once you get macOS installed, and tune your OpenCore configuration to have no errors, make a backup!

Download Carbon Copy Cloner, and grab a USB 3.0 drive (minimum size of 32GB) and back it up to there. This ensures that if your working installation breaks when you test something, you have a working clean reference to come back to. After you run Carbon Copy Cloner, copy over the EFI folders to the new drive. 

==== Getting iMessage to work ====

=== New hotness, but really just updated for current macOS issues ===

[[https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Desktop-Guide/post-install/iservices.html|The OpenCore Guide references a few more steps that you would need to take.]] Most of it carries over into Clover land. The biggest thing to watch out for is that your AppleID is integrated more. You may run the chance of blacklisting your account if you goof up too many times. I've never run into issues, but I've always started with a clean slate when I re-do my hack builds and have to change the serial number.

The recommended clean out when running into iServices activation issues:
<code>sudo rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.iCloudHelper* \
            ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Messages* \
            ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.imfoundation.IMRemoteURLConnectionAgent* \
            ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iChat* \
            ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.icloud* \
            ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.imagent* \
            ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.imessage* \
            ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.imservice* \
            ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.ids.service* \
            ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.madrid.plist* \
            ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.imessage.bag.plist* \
            ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.identityserviced* \
            ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.ids.service* \
            ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.security* \
            ~/Library/Messages</code>

=== Outdated but useful ===
Open the Terminal on your guest and run
uuidgen
It will give you an unique number as output.
Open the previosuly saved config.plist in Clover Configurator and navigate to the SMBIOS section. And copy the output to the SmUUID field.
Go to the Rt Variables section and copy the last 12 (Hex) values from the uuidgen output to the ROM field (1). Save and hit calculate (2). Note the MLB and the ROM (from before) for further use (3).

https://github.com/toshmatik/VMWare-iMessage/blob/master/instructions.md

Snippet from Reddit:

If you have made it to this guide, you are probably trying to get your iMessage working. I applaud you for getting your hackintosh running thus far. While some say iMessage is the hardest to get working, I disagree. All the builds I have worked on tend to get up and running rather easily. I would like to thank /u/johnnyfortune and /u/cobo10201 for making their guides. Let’s get started!
  - Open Clover Configurator and mount your EFI partition.
  - Import your config.plist
  - Navigate to the SMBIOS settings. Click on the magical wand.
  - Choosing a mac to fake can be tricky, but commonly used desktop builds are: MacPro3,1 and iMac15,1. Shake the Week of manufacture and unit number.
  - Copy the serial number that you just created and go to https://checkcoverage.apple.com Enter serial number and enter the code. If the checker comes back with “We're sorry, but this serial number is not valid. Please check your information and try again.” or something similiar, you are golden! However, if it comes up with purchase date and coverage, you need to shake the two variables in step 4.
  - Assuming you have an invalid SN, copy that and paste it into “Board Serial Number” Now, while still in the same text box (with caps locks on) type 5 random letters and numbers.
  - Open terminal and paste “uuidgen" (Without quotation marks), then hit enter.
  - Copy the results of the terminal command you ran and paste it in the "SmUUID" field in the SMBIOS settings.
  - Save/export your config.plist
  - Open terminal once again and run the following list of commands on at a time:
<code>• cd ~/Library/Caches/
• rm -R com.apple.Messages*
• rm -R com.apple.imfoundation*
• cd ~/Library/Preferences/
• rm com.apple.iChat*
• rm com.apple.imagent*
• rm com.apple.imessage*
• rm com.apple.imservice*
• rm -R ~/Library/Messages/</code>
  - Optional: Open up Disk Utility, select your OSX partition, and rebuild the permissions. Reboot when this is completed. (Sometimes this is needed and others it is not.)
  - Open iMessage and sign in! Bingo, you are now a step ahead of most other hackintoshers.
  - If this does not work a simple mistake is having your primary network setup wrong. You can check this by opening up System Profiler, clicking on either Ethernet or Wifi and making sure that your internet network is listed as en0. If it is not, reset your network preferences by going to /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration and deleting "NetworkInterfaces.plist" and "preferences.plist".
Good luck!

Note: If you are having trouble signing in and get a popup saying you need to contact apple, please do. Give them a bunch of fakeness and they sometimes will fall for it. Unblacklisting your Apple ID. For other errors, please repeat steps and try again.
This error
Edit: Formatting. Thanks /u/corpnewt

https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/how-to-fix-imessage.110471

==== (Legacy) Removing the PreBoot volumes from the Clover Bootloader (APFS volumes only) ====
https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/326527-create-custom-entries-to-hide-preboot-and-recovery-apfs-volumes-fusion-drive-installation-with-clover-configurator/

==== Framebuffer Patching (Setting up your iGPU/dGPU) ====

[[https://github.com/acidanthera/WhateverGreen/tree/master/Manual|The WhateverGreen manual]]. This is great detail on how WhateverGreen works, which is essentially framebuffer patching. Gives you great understanding on how your GPUs will be set up. Where you need to pay attention is if you are [[https://hackintosh.gitbook.io/-r-hackintosh-vanilla-desktop-guide/config.plist-per-hardware/kaby-lake#explanation-2|using an SMBIOS that uses a dGPU alongside an iGPU]]. In Mojave, it is necessary to have it working 100%, otherwise some of the features [[https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/aj54yg/preview_wont_open_jpgs_mojave/eet5w4j/|such as Sidecar, & Quick Preview will not work, and your display will act funky]].

These helped me figure out my iMac 18,3 setup.
https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/9m4lle/is_everyone_using_framebuffer_patching_for_igpu/
https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/8tyll5/what_does_for_a_connectorless_igplatformid_use/
https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/334881-how-to-fix-quicklook-and-preview-loading-issues-in-mojave/

For Hackintool users: https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/guide-general-framebuffer-patching-guide-hdmi-black-screen-problem.269149/

==== Getting Sleep / Power Management to work correctly ====

I admit, I am still learning this as I go, but there are two guides I am working with to help nail things down.

You used to have to create a custom SSDT to really hone in your CPU settings. With the more recent processors, (I believe Skylake and up, need to find that documentation again) you just need to flag PluginType=yes under the SSDT section in the ACPI portion of Clover. This will take advantage of your CPU power management, so long as you have it enabled in your BIOS.

[[https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/bnimcj/power_management_101/|Power Management 101]]

[[https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/342002-darkwake-on-macos-catalina-boot-args-darkwake8-darkwake10-are-obsolete/|Darkwake Defined]]

The main goal is to have nothing hindering your computer going to sleep. I am currently struggling with what I think is misconfigured USB ports. When doing the USB mapping, you need to clearly define which ports are USB 2, 3, and header style.

==== Using the Mac Boot Chime upon startup of Clover ====

This is just bonus points here, but it is worth it. 

Here's the instructions via [[https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/apple-chime-at-startup-added-to-clover.277362/post-2036328|this post on Tonymacx86]] (ugh, yes, I loathe that forum..) with some cleaned up text:

<note>1) Install AudioDxe.efi on Clover's driver folder (and also install the UEFI version as well, use Clover Configurator, it saves time!) and install your audio file of choice inside your Clover theme's folder (Clover->themes->themefoldername).

2) Insert this line in your config.plist in the GUI section:
<code>
    <key>GUI</key>
    <dict>
        <key>PlayAsync</key>
        <true/>
    </dict>
</code>

In Clover Configurator, check the box for PlayAsync

3) Restart your Hackintosh
4) At the Clover boot GUI, press O to access Options menu.

5) Go to Startup Sound Output.

6) Select an audio device (use spacebar) and press F7 key to test:

– If you hear a glitched sound, great!!! Proceed to step 7.

– If you hear nothing, select another audio device and test again.

- Bonus points, set your volume to 0060, or 60%. This seemed to be the happy medium

7) Restart again and you're done!</note>
===== Builds that I have completed =====

==== Gigabyte Z270-HD3 ====

Current Machine
macOS 10.14.6
MSI AMD RX 580 8GB dGPU


=== USB Mapping ===

  * HS01 - Motherboard USB 3 Header
  * HS02 - Motherboard USB 3 Header
  * HS03 - Rear USB 3 Right Lower
  * HS04 - Rear USB 3 Right Upper
  * HS05 - Unknown
  * HS06 - Unknown
  * HS07 - Rear USB 3 Left Lower
  * HS08 - Rear USB 3 Left Upper
  * HS09 - Rear USB 2 Upper
  * HS10 - Rear USB 2 Bottom
  * HS11 - Unknown
  * HS12 - Motherboard USB 2 Header
  * HS13 - Motherboard USB 2 Header
  * HS14 - Motherboard USB 2 Header
  * USR1 - Unknown
  * USR2 - Used when USB 3 device is plugged in
  * SS01 - Motherboard USB 3 Header
  * SS02 - Motherboard USB 3 Header
  * SS03 - Rear USB 3 Right Lower
  * SS04 - Rear USB 3 Right Upper
  * SS05 - Unknown
  * SS06 - Unknown
  * SS07 - Rear USB 3 Left Lower
  * SS08 - Rear USB 3 Left Upper
  * SS09 - Unknown
  * SS10 - Unknown

=== Disable CFG-Lock ===

Using both Apple config lock Quirks still did not unlock my CPUs, it resulted in a 'BORKED' setup where there was partial unlocking of cores. I followed the UEFITool steps outlined by the guide, and found the CFG Lock string in the latest BIOS. Using the modified grub EFI tool, run this string to unlock the CPUs:

<code>setup_var_cv Setup 0x502 0x01 0x00</code>
==== Dell T3500 ====
http://t3500.mcdonnelltech.com/
http://forum.osxlatitude.com/index.php?/topic/6742-clover-on-dell-t3500/

Treat like a MacPro5.1

=== Clover Config settings ===
== Boot Flags ==
dart=0
kext-dev-move=1

=== Kext List ===
Clover Installation

Kexts needed (according to install guides):
Drivers -> Disk -> 3rd Party SATA
Drivers -> Misc -> ElliottForceLegacyRTC
Drivers -> Misc -> EvOreboot
Drivers -> Misc -> FakeSMC v6.18.1394
Drivers -> Misc -> NullCPUPowerManagement

(Config.plist.. Boot flag?) Customize -> Boot Options -> Basic Boot Options Customize -> Boot Options -> Kext Dev Mode
Customize -> Boot Options -> Use KernelCache
Customize -> System Definition -> Mac Pro -> Mac Pro 3,1 (Use SMBIOS tab on Clover Configurator to make this happen at HW level)

VoodooHDA.kext (2.8.4) Audio
BCM5722D.kext (2.3.5) Network

Additional info on Clover install:
http://forum.osxlatitude.com/index.php?/topic/7930-dell-t3500-yosemite/page-2#entry49902
http://forum.osxlatitude.com/index.php?/topic/6742-clover-on-dell-t3500/#entry41087

=== Components Used ===

==== ASUS P5G41T-M LX ====

https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/P5G41TM_LX_PLUS/specifications/

http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/HCL_10.9.0#Asus

<del>Works with Multibeast - DSDT-Free (Not needing audio or network)
</del> <-- only for reference
Kexts Needed: None specific. Just use FakeSMC. Add on EvOreboot, NullCPU, and Elliot if needed.

Clover install notes:
Use standard installation for legacy.
When using GT 610 to boot, needs GraphicsEnabler=No if no video. Remove nv_disable=1 and nvda_drv=1!!
Just use the Nvidia injector on the Graphics options.

When using the GTX 950 (Web Drivers):
make sure Inject NVIDIA is disabled and nvda_drv=1 is enabled

Sleep tips:
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/asus-p5g41t-m-lx-guide-tips.13098/page-2
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/90-success-p5g41t-m-lx-plus.62999/page-2
==== Intel D945GCLF2 ====
This board makes a great 10.6 Snow Leopard box.

Use these guides to get the gist of installation:
(Main Guide to reference) https://sites.google.com/site/nozyczek/home/hackintosh/how-to-install-snow-leopard-10-6-8-on-intel-d945gclf2-atom-330
(Awesome troubleshooting tips & config) http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/183637-d945gclf2-snow-leopard/?pid=1269199
(A possible alternative, depends if the 10.6.3 installer plays nice with the Atom proc: http://www.tonymacx86.com/snow-leopard-laptop-support/13217-iboot-2-7-kernel-panic-ioatafamily.html)

Linky to iBoot - http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com/2010/04/iboot-multibeast-install-mac-os-x-on.html?m=1

BIOS settings are correct between both. BIOS must be updated if not already. 

This happened to me, and was key to getting by kernel panics getting the Retail disc to boot:
**Kernel panic with "... IOATAFamily ..." & "Secondary IDE channel is disabled":
a. you can set Use Automatic Mode to <Disable> under Drive Configuration section in BIOS, then Primary Channel option will be enabled and you should set it to <Disable>. Warning! Disabling primary channel in BIOS will disable any device attached to IDE port - use it only if you have SATA optical drive or you are installing from USB.** Theoretically, this can be turned on after updating to 10.6.8 as it was fixed in 10.6.3. I mean, who uses IDE anymore anyways? ;-)

Use iBoot from TonyMacx86, and be sure to burn the legacy version. The original version will still kernel panic. Could probably try the legacy boot from the Empire team too.. worth a shot, but the regular version had memory issues on boot to disc.

Once booted into retail disc, format disk to OSX Journaled (par for the course). Let it run. Like the instructions state, it will error out. Reboot with iBoot, this time run the Snow Leopard Hard Drive you just installed the OS to. Follow the instructions in order, install 10.6.8 combo update first and install the kext/driver pack from terminal after before clicking reboot. One thing noticed, I could not repair disk permissions afterwards, everything was still fine.
==== Lenovo T420 ====

T420 Installation Guide (READ CAREFULLY!!)
http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/285678-lenovo-thinkpad-t420-with-uefi-only/page-25#entry1952283

T420 Follow Up Posts:
https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/5kbnc8/thinkpad_t420s/

T420 BIOS update (Whitelist WiFi cards)
http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/285678-lenovo-thinkpad-t420-with-uefi-only/page-58#entry2036738
you are welcome! i just used my own guide this week, as I bought a 2nd T420 (used from ebay) for my son.
 
and then in about 5 minutes, I replaced the intel wifi with a Atheros AR9280 (AR5BHB92). these are the same cards used in a number of Dell (DW1515) or HP Pavilion laptops. i bought it used for about $6 US.  
 
from the windows install it came with, i flashed it up to original bios v1.46 and then flashed it with the modded bios. got the bits with the 2 items here. (see sovem's post for the rar file on mediafire)
 
there may be other cards, but this worked for me now on both systems. 
==== Lenovo x220 ====
This machine is now depreciated as of Mojave due to the chipset being dropped by Apple.
http://x220.mcdonnelltech.com
===== Recommended Components =====
These items would be to compliment your motherboard of choice.
==== Video Cards ====

As of this writing, use this link for the up to date buyers guide: https://khronokernel-3.gitbook.io/catalina-gpu-buyers-guide/

In short, prior to 10.14, Nvidia cards work great with their web drivers. The 700 series will also work OOB without issue since they were native to MacOS in previous hardware builds. Going forward, Nvidia has no driver support, and Apple switched to AMD for their graphics on their hardware.

My notes from a few years back:
Nvidia Cards that work OOB:
GT 610, 740, 760
'Kepler' GTX 640, 650, 650 Ti, 660, 660 Ti, 670, 680
Nividia cards that work OOB, but require web drivers (http://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/nvidia-releases-alternate-graphics-drivers-for-os-x-10-11-4-346-03-06.188837/):
GTX 750, 750 Ti, 950, 960, 970, 980, 980 Ti, and TITAN X 'Maxwell' graphics cards
Hierarchy List - http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html
==== Audio Cards ====

I find that cheap USB audio cards are very effective if you can not get AppleALC to patch your onboard audio.

==== Network Cards ====

Intel 82574L PCI-e NIC
(Legacy now)Realtek RTL8169 PCI NIC

==== WLAN/BT Combo Cards ====

[[https://dortania.github.io/Wireless-Buyers-Guide/|The bible from which to use for your wireless card shopping]]

Once again, the best thing to do is go native. Thankfully, there are quite a few Apple Wireless+Bluetooth cards out in the wild from working Apple machines that will work. The pure benefit is being able to use [[https://www.apple.com/macos/continuity/|Continuity, Handoff, AirDrop, Sidecar, and much more]]. You will need a PCI adapter that mates to the card, in which there are two different types, depending on what type of Apple card you buy: desktop (U.FL antenna port, mPCIe format), or laptop (MHF4 antenna port, M.2 format). 

There are also 3rd party PCI cards that have a card with the same chipset built in by a company called Fenvi. These are also natively supported, as they use the compatible chipsets. The reason I do not use them is, when that chipset is EOLed, that card is now useless to me. If I use an actual Apple card and an adapter, I can just replace the card with one that is compatible. It is best to be as modular as possible.

=== Quirks to continuity ===

Upon booting once the card is installed, there are a few things that can be done to help shake out the cobwebs. Continuity is very fickle, even on real Macs. If anything, doing the first step below will resolve most of the issues.
  * Sign out of, and sign back in to iCloud (on top of that, once signed out, remove the extra instances of your device on iCloud, worst case just remove all), then reboot.
  * If you have paired your phone via bluetooth, remove, and re-add
  * Reboot your iPhone/iPad
  * sudo rm /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist
==== USB Interfaces ====

Inateck - KT4006 and KT4004 - OOB work
Orico PVU3-2O2I <del>Subsequently, here's the kexts for them: https://bitbucket.org/RehabMan/os-x-generic-usb3/downloads</del> Superceeded by new USB patching in Clover.
==== Storage Interfaces ====

=== PCI Storage Cards ===
AS Media ASM1061 - http://www.ebay.com/itm/PCI-E-PCI-Express-To-SATA-3-0-6Gbps-Esata-SATA-III-2-Port-Card-Adapter-ASM1061-/331201230455?hash=item4d1d21b677:g:0DsAAOxyeglTcG-e
Marvell 
88SE912x
88SE9172
88SE9230 (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Marvell+88SE9230)
Use ACHI_3rdParty_SATA.kext!!

Highpoint Rocketraid Marvell Cards
- 88SX7042
Sonnet Tempo e4i
LSI1068 SAS card
See more here: http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/271286-marvell-88sx7042-4-port-sata-ii-support-digitus-30104-pci-e-card/
==== Other Peripherals ====

=== DIY Apple IR Remote Receiver ===
Use an AppleTV Remote, either the old plastic, or less older aluminum, to use media functions on your Mac! This also works with real Macs too.

Compatible P/Ns:
	• 922-7195
	• 922-8355
	• 820-1935A
	• 820-2155
	• 922-9146

Wiring schemes for each:
  * Main Thread - http://www.tonymacx86.com/customization/8180-apple-ir-usb-header.html
  * 922-7195: http://www.tonymacx86.com/customization/8180-apple-ir-usb-header.html#post53868
  * 922-8355: http://www.tonymacx86.com/customization/8180-apple-ir-usb-header-4.html#post81708
  * 820-1935: http://www.tonymacx86.com/customization/48992-ir-board-isight-camera-pinouts.html

===== Using Existing Mac Hardware =====

==== Repurpose an Xserve or Mac Pro ====

http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2006-2007-mac-pro-1-1-2-1-and-os-x-el-capitan.1890435/
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/archives/jun13/062113.html#xserveCPUupgrade
https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/1rsp3q/install_mavericks_on_older_mac_pro_11_21_20062007/