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@ngobach
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Idiot's guide to hackintosh. https://git.io/vhwSM

Hello

Welcome to my guide to hackintosher. Glad you are here 😄!


Resources

macOS Installer Download - FShare

Utilities

Device sets

This is my favorites set of installation devices

  • A Small USB Flash (Could be 8GB or less). It is our boot media used to boot Mac OS X Installer, and should contains:
    • GPT formated partition layout with capability of booting from UEFI.
    • EFI Partition: Clover installed with all config from Rehabman repository.
    • Secondary: H8H tools. Will be listed below.
  • A large USB Flash (at least 32GB), used to accomodate all Mac OS Installer and pre installation utility. And it must satifies following criteria:
    • GPT formated partition layout with capability of booting from UEFI.
    • EFI Partition (Min 500MiB): GRUB2 Installed with boot config: Slax/PartedMagic, Clover > OSX PE. Slax/Parted magic should be installed here.
    • OS X PE
    • Each partition for each Mac OS X Installer.

Assets downloads

  • Kexts
  • Apps
  • Others
  • Optional Essential apps

Guides

Useful articles, check it out when you faces some weird problem :)

Usually, I have latest clover with an APTIO Mem fixer, HFSPlus.EFI. All essential kexts go into kexts/Others. Must have: FakeSMC, VoodooPS2 if laptop, NullCPUPM if < ivy for PM else use -xcpm param.

Gathering information

First, we must have a full report of target device. And the report must contains at least following information, which includes:

  • CPU information & chipset: name, TDP, turbo speed. (e.g: Core i7-4720HQ, HM81).
  • Graphic information: iGPU (HDxxxx), is eDP or LVDS connector, disceret GPU, resolution.
  • Audio device chipset. (e.g: ALC892)
  • Touchpad device. (APLS, Elan, Synaptic ...)
  • Network device: Ethernet & Wifi (wish you luck).
  • USB device: EHC & XHC => USBInjectAll.kext.

Suggested application: AIDA64 Extreme.

Prepare target devices

Does it had (U)EFI support? If it doesn't, create installer support BIOS > DUET boot.

Optimize BIOS setup Do it yourown.

Prepare installation target Make sure it has disk with GPT layout, MBR will be a challenge. Make sure it have EFI/ESP partition with minimum size of 200MiB, 500MiB is considerable. Without it, Disk Utility will be very annoying. GParted (Linux) or Partition Wizard Free (Windows) will fit perfectly this job. Optionally you can create HFS+ formated with Journaling disabled and make it enabled from inside Mac OS Installer.

Here is a quick checklist for hackintosh laptops

Installation

  • Install clover EFI boot loader.
  • Install UEFI Drivers (like HFSPlus.EFI).
  • Install kexts (FakeSMC, optionally NullCPUPM).

CPU & Power management

  • Power management work? For both CPU & iGPU. Use ssdtGen or xcpm.
  • Sleep/Wake/Shutdown/Restart works.

Graphics

  • QE/CI graphic.
  • Switchable graphics.
  • Graphic External ports (HDMI, DP, VGA).
  • Fix boot glitches.
  • Retina / HiDPI scaled resolutions.

IO devices

  • USB ports.
  • Bluetooth.
  • Ethernet.
  • Wifi.
  • Webcam device.
  • Keyboard and trackpad & function keys. Use VoodooPS2 or ElanTouchPad. May need custom key binding.
  • Sata devices.
  • NVMe devices.
  • Optional Builtin cardreader and Webcam.

Audio

  • Audio work: builtin Speaker, mic & external lines.
  • Audio after sleep.

Miscellaneous

  • Battery status.
  • Screen brightness control in Display Configuratin and through keyboard function keys.
  • Keyboard backlight.
  • iMessage/FaceTime.
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ngobach commented Sep 14, 2017

Target

Product: MSI GE60 2QD

Specs

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-4720HQ with Intel HD4600
  • GPU: NVidia GTX 950M (won't work, disabled)
  • Network: Atheros
  • Audio: Realtek ALC892

OS: macOS Sierra 10.12.3

Status

  • QE/CI graphic & external ports

Except HDMI ports

  • Bluetooth work
  • Ethernet work
  • Audio work: builtin Speaker, mic & external lines

Worked, even after sleep.

  • Wifi work?

Nope ...

  • Builtin card reader and Webcam

Only webcam work

  • Sleep/Wake works

Problem with sierra.
Fixed, remove _PRW method from GLAN, EHCx, XHC

  • Keyboard and trackpad & function keys?. Use VoodooPS2 or ElanTouchPad

Laggy pointer at boot, fixed with Frambuffer patch: correct video output with framebuffer patch of Rehabman.

  • Battery status
  • Power management work, use ssdtGen or xcpm
  • Screen brightness control in OS X and through keyboard function keys

! Bad brightness step

  • USB ports working.

Problematic with MSI EPF. Fixed by disable EHC1 with DSDT patch.

  • Messages/FaceTime

Problem with Apple ID. They tell contact apple.

  • Sata devices

TODO

  • HDMI Port
  • Buying an WIfi USB or Wifi mPCI card

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