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- Jul 22, 2018
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GIGABYTE Z790 AERO G - Intel Core i9-13900KF - 64GB DDR5 RAM - AMD RX 6800XT - WiFi/BT - OpenCore
Overview
GIGABYTE Z790 AERO G Guide featuring Intel Core i9-13900KF, new DDR5 5600MHz, and AMD RX 6800XT GPU using OpenCore. This guide can be used as a reference for any Z790 Motherboard chipset with very few changes.
Components
- GIGABYTE Z790 AERO G LGA 1200 Motherboard
- Intel Core i9-13900KF 13th Gen Rocket Lake Desktop Processor 12MB Cache 2.9 GHz
- Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR5 5600MHz 64GB RAM (4x16GB)
Already Owned
- WD SN850 1TB PCIe 4.0 Gen4 NVMe - M.2 Internal SSD
- Corsair 5000D Airflow
- LG 49" Full WQHD IPS Monitor with HDMI, Display Port and Type-C (LG 22MP58VQ-P)
- Antec Signature 1000W Platinum Power Supply
- Apple Wireless Keyboard & Mouse Combo
Comments
The Build
As we tested the 13900K/KF which turned out to be very powerful and outperforms the X299/X299X series paired with 10980XE, we decided to get a different motherboard that matches the case style and has more NVMe slots. Ultimately, our choice was from GIGABYTE again Z790 AERO G. A full ATX Motherboard featuring a total of 5 NVMe drives, 3 PCIe Slots, and 4 SATA ports and supports 12th/13th and 14th Gen CPUs. The idea of this build is maximum performance keeping the budget in mind, paired with an i9 13900KF running @ 5.8GHz stock speed (Turbo), having an AMD RX 6800XT 16GB from Sapphire, good power supply with 1000W, normal power consumption, and a solid performance packed in Mid Tower Case which ensures a proper airflow.
We already have a build featuring GIGABYTE Z790 UD, however, it had only 3 NVMe slots. The motherboard offers a built-in Type-C Display, 2.5Gb/s LAN, and PCIe 4.0 support for a faster data transfer rate. Moreover, it has a 5.0 PCIe Slot and an option for M.2 PCIe WiFi for which BCM94352NG is a perfect fit, which allows one to take advantage of a native WiFi/BT. Along with all these, the motherboard supports various features.
Summary
| Features | Status |
|---|---|
| Graphics | YES |
| Built-in Audio | YES |
| DP/HDMI | YES |
| DP/HDMI Audio | YES |
| Ethernet | YES |
| WiFi/BT | YES |
| AirDrop | YES |
| Handoff | YES |
| Power Management | YES |
| App Store | YES |
| iMessage | YES |
| FaceTime | YES |
| iCloud | YES |
| USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1 and USB Type-C Ports | YES |
Not working
Everything works like a charm.
Bootable Media Creation
To create a Bootable USB for macOS Ventura, follow the steps below:
1. Download macOS Ventura from the App Store.
2. Plug the USB into your system.
3. Open Disk Utility and erase the USB Flash Drive with the following parameters
4. Close Disk Utility.
5. Open Terminal and type:
Code:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/USB7. Press (Y) to confirm and then press the enter key and it will start to erase the disk and will create a macOS Bootable USB.
Once the process completes, close the terminal. The USB Flash Drive will be renamed as Install macOS Ventura
Note :
- At this point, the bootable USB can be only used to boot Mac only. In order to boot the computer using the USB, follow the steps below.
To prepare OpenCore boot loader, you need to download OpenCore.
Download the Release folder followed by the release version.
When extracting, you'll get 4 folders which has been listed below.
| Directories | Description |
|---|---|
| Docs | Contains documentation, change log, a sample config.plist, and ACPI Samples for OpenCore. |
| IA32 | Contains OpenCore EFI, 32-bit OpenCore Boot Loader. |
| Utilities | Contains several utilities. |
| X64 | Contains OpenCore EFI, 64-bit OpenCore Boot Loader. |
1. Copy X64 to your working directory and follow the steps below
Adding Required SSDTs
SSDTs are mandatory which allows several important fixes and is required to boot the system.
| SSDT Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| SSDT-AWAC |
|
| SSDT-EC-USBX |
|
| SSDT-PLUG-ALT |
|
2. From the Docs/Acpi Samples/Binaries directory, copy the above SSDTs to EFI/OC/ACPI.
Adding Required Drivers
Drivers are mandatory which allows several important functions and is required to boot the system.
| Driver Name | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OpenRuntime.efi | YES |
|
| OpenHfsPlus.efi | YES |
|
| OpenCanopy.efi | Optional |
|
| AudioDxe.efi | Optional |
|
3. From the EFI/OC directory, just keep the above drivers and delete rest of the drivers.
Notes :
- All the drivers can be found at: X64/EFI/OC/Drivers
Adding Required Kexts
In order to boot into the installation, you need to add the necessary kexts. Follow the steps below to place the necessary kexts.
| Kext Name | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lilu | YES |
|
| VirtualSMC | YES |
|
| WhateverGreen | YES |
|
| AppleALC | YES |
|
| USBInjectAll | YES |
|
| XHCI-unsupported.kext | YES |
|
1. Download the above kexts.
2. Extract the kexts from the RELEASE folder.
3. Copy the kexts to: /EFI/OC/Kexts
Notes:
- Do not download the project files. The pre-built binaries/downloads are available in the README.md section. Make sure you read it carefully.
- Download the latest version for better support.
- Use the kext from RELEASE folder and RELEASE.zip file.
- Do not place unnecessary kexts here. It might prevent booting the installer.
- Only use basic kexts which is required to boot off the installer. You can install the rest required kexts at the time of post-installation.
- The VirtualSMC package includes Battery and Sensors plugins (SMCBatteryManager.kext, SMCDellSensors.kext, SMCLightSensor.kext, SMCProcessor.kext, and SMCSuperIO.kext). You do not need these kexts for booting the installer.
Creating OpenCore config.plist
To create config.plist, follow the steps below:
Copy sample.plist from Docs to your working directory and rename it to config.plist. The only changes to the config.plist has been described below. The rest will remain completely untouched.
ACPI>Add
This section is for adding the DSDT and SSDT files for your system. The following changes are needed.
| SSDT Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| SSDT-AWAC |
|
| SSDT-EC-USBX |
|
| SSDT-PLUG-ALT |
|
ACPI>Patch
This section is used for device renames such as USB, Graphics and Audio. The following changes are needed.
| Table Signature* | Find | Replace | Comment | Enabled | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSDT | 50454750 | 47465830 | Rename PEGP to GFX0 (Graphics) | YES |
|
| DSDT | 48454349 | 494D4549 | Rename HECI to IMEI (PAVP)* | YES |
|
| DSDT | 4D45495F | 494D4549 | Rename MEI to IMEI (PAVP)* | YES |
|
| DSDT | 48444153 | 48444546 | Rename HDAS to HDEF (Audio) | YES |
|
Booter>Quirks
This section allows to apply certain Booter quirks. The following changes are needed.
| Quirks | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AvoidRunTimeDefrag | YES |
|
| DevirtualiseMmio | YES |
|
| EnableSafeModeSlide | YES |
|
| ProvideCustomSlide | YES |
|
| RebuildAppleMemoryMap | YES |
|
| SyncRuntimePermissions | YES |
|
| ProvideMaxSlide | 0 |
|
Note:
- The values which have been not discussed above, that will remain disabled.
DeviceProperties
This section is used for adding device properties. This includes PCI Devices information such as Graphics, Audio, WiFi, Ethernet and other controllers. The following changes are needed.
Kernel>Add
This section is for adding and blocking kexts. This also defines the order of the kexts and the architecture of each kext. The following changes are needed.
| Arch | BundlePath* | ExecutablePath | PlistPath | Enabled | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any | Lilu.kext** | Contents/MacOS/Lilu | Contents/Info.plist | YES |
|
| Any | VirtualSMC.kext** | Contents/MacOS/VirtualSMC | Contents/Info.plist | YES |
|
| Any | WhateverGreen.kext** | Contents/MacOS/WhateverGreen | Contents/Info.plist | YES |
|
| Any | AppleALC.kext** | Contents/MacOS/AppleALC | Contents/Info.plist | YES |
|
| Any | USBInjectAll.kext | Contents/MacOS/USBInjectAll | Contents/Info.plist | YES |
|
| Any | XHCI-unsupported.kext | Contents/Info.plist | YES |
| |
| Any | FakePCIID.kext | Contents/MacOS/FakePCIID | Contents/Info.plist | YES |
|
| Any | FakePCIID_Intel_I225-V.kext | Contents/Info.plist | YES |
|
Notes:
- All the plugins must load after loading it's dependencies otherwise the kext will no longer function even when loaded in OS X/macOS.
- The mandatory kexts must be loaded in sorted order as shown in the above table.
- *Indicates BundlePath i.e. Name of the Kext
- **Indicates mandatory kexts.
- All the added kexts must exists in the EFI/OC/Kexts directory.
- The options which have been not discussed above, that will remain untouched.
Kernel>Scheme
This section allows settings related to Kernel. The following changes are needed.
| Options | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FuzzyMatch | YES |
|
| KernelArch | Auto |
|
| KernelCache | Auto |
|
Kernel>Quirks
This section allows to apply certain Kernel quirks. It provides settings related to Kernel and several other options related to BIOS/UEFI and USB ports. The following changes are needed.
| Quirks | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AppleCpuPmCfgLock | YES |
|
| AppleXcpmCfgLock | YES |
|
| DisableIoMapper | YES |
|
| PanicKNoextDump | YES |
|
| PowerTimeoutKernelPanic | YES |
|
| XhciPortLimit | YES |
|
| DisableRtcChecksum | NO |
|
| DisableLinkeditJettison | YES |
|
Note:
- The values which have been not discussed above, that will remain disabled.
NVRAM>Add
This section is for adding NVRAM properties, boot args and configuring SIP. The following changes are needed.
| UUID | Key | Value | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7C436110-AB2A-4BBB-A880-FE41995C9F82 | boot-args |
| STRING |
|
| csr-active-config |
| DATA |
| |
| prev-lang:kbd | en-US:0 | STRING |
|
PlatformInfo
This section allows to set SMBIOS. It's an important section and has various impact on your system. The following changes are needed.
Suggested SMBIOS
| SMBIOS | CPU |
|---|---|
| iMacPro1,1 | Intel Raptor Lake i3/i5/i7/i9 |
Using OpenCore Configurator, generate an SMBIOS under the PlatformInfo section and configure the options as outlined below.
Platform Info>DatHub - Generic - PlatformNVRAM
DataHub
| Option | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Add this section in config.plist | YES | Adds DataHub field |
Generic
| Options | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Add this section in config.plist | YES | Adds Generic field |
| from SMBIOS | YES | |
| ProcessorType | 0 |
|
| SystemMemoryStatus | Auto |
|
| SpoofVendor | YES | Sets SMBIOS vendor fields to Acidanthera |
PlatformNVRAM
| Option | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Add this section in config.plist | YES | Adds PlatformNVRAM field |
For more information on Comet Lake config.plist, check the post linked below.
GUIDE - How to Create OpenCore Config.plist file for booting macOS on Intel Desktops
How to Create OpenCore Config.plist file for booting macOS on Intel Desktops An EliteMacx86 Exclusive Guide - This guide covers creation of config.plist for booting macOS on Intel Desktops for OpenCore as a bootloader. Overview The config.plist is a system configuration file for the...
elitemacx86.com
SMBIOS
| Option | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Add this section in config.plist | YES | Add SMBIOS field. |
Installing OpenCore EFI
Now, as the EFI is completely prepared, it's time for the installation of OpenCore on the Bootable USB Flash Drive.
1. Mount the EFI partition of your Bootable USB Flash Drive.
2. Copy the EFI from your working directory to the EFI partition of your Bootable USB Flash Drive.
Now you’ve successfully installed OpenCore, the required drivers, kexts and config.plist and the USB Flash drive is ready to boot off your computer.
UEFI Settings
The next step is to configure the BIOS. To access your BIOS/UEFI, press and hold Delete key on your Keyboard and then set the following.
- Set Optimized Defaults.
- Set X.M.P. Memory Profile to Profile 1.
- Set Fast Boot to Disabled.
- Set Windows 8/10 Features to Other OS.
- Set Intel Platform Trust Technology (PTT) to Disabled.
- Set Network Stack to Disabled.
- Set XHCI Hand-Off to Enabled.
- Set SATA Mode to AHCI.
- Set the VT-d option to Enabled.
- Save & Exit Setup.
Installation
The installation step is simple.
1. Plug your Bootable USB Flash Drive to the target system.
2. Power on your system.
3. Boot to Boot Menu using F12
4. Select your USB Flash Drive with the UEFI prefix and press enter to boot.
5. Reset NVRAM twice.
6. When at the OpenCore menu, boot using Install macOS Ventura. It will take a couple of minutes to boot into the installer screen. Once you reach the installer, select your preferred language and continue.
7. On top, click on Utilities and then select Disk Utility.
8. When at Disk Utility, click on View and select Show all Devices.
9. Select your target SSD. Do not select the partition
10. Click on the Erase button and erase the drive with the following parameters:
Name: Macintosh HD
Format: APFS
Scheme: GUID Partition Map
11. Close Disk Utility.
12. Select Install macOS and continue with the options.
13. Select Macintosh HD and click on Install.
This will take a couple of minutes and will restart at "Less than a minute is remaining". Upon completion, the system will automatically restart. The System will restart to complete the installation. Here it ends the first phase of the installation.
After installation, boot it using USB, but this time select Macintosh HD.
The first boot may be slower as the caches are not built yet. Once the caches are built, it will boot normally.
When you're at the welcome screen, continue with the basics options such as Keyboard setup, Network, Computer Account, and Privacy settings.
Now the installation is complete, but the drive isn't bootable yet. You need to complete the Post Installation
Post Installation
Now, configure the Post Installation. There is not much to do for the post-installation except for booting from the system drive and USB port mapping. Everything rest is fully functional.
Boot from System Drive
This is one of the most important part as it allows to boot it using the system drive without any need of installation USB.1. Mount the EFI Partition of your System drive and the Bootable USB. Both the EFI partition of your Hard Drive and USB Flash Drive will be mounted on your Desktop.
2. Assuming that you’ve mounted your EFI Partition, continue the following.
3. Open the EFI Partition of your Hard Drive.
4. Select the EFI folder and then move to Trash.
5. Open your EFI Partition of your macOS Bootable USB.
6. Copy the EFI folder from your macOS Bootable USB to the EFI Partition of your Hard Drive.
By using this method, you’ll be easily able to install OpenCore Boot loader on your System Drive.
USB Ports Mapping
To Map the USB Ports, simply follow the steps from the guide linked below:
GUIDE - How to Map your USB Ports on macOS
How to Map your USB Ports on macOS An EliteMacx86 Exclusive Guide - This guide covers the mapping of USB Ports on macOS. By following this guide, you'll be able to map your USB ports and can also achieve a proper speed for your USB ports. I. Overview Often, the USB ports are not well...
elitemacx86.com
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