Posts tagged "macOS"

Hackintosh

macOS Mojave upgrade from macOS High Sierra Hackintosh

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macOS Mojave is here for all the Mac users with supported MacBooks and Mac computers. Upgrading a Hackintosh to newer macOS Mojave is as usual not a piece of cake. I’ve been using macOS High Sierra from last year. You can watch the complete Installation here. macOS High Sierra doesn’t have compatibility for Intel UHD 630 Graphics so I was able to get my core i7 8700K working using fake ids and kexts for the graphics. In macOS Mojave, Intel UHD 630 can work without using fake IDs or Intel Injection.

macOS Mojave Upgrade

macOS Mojave can be downloaded from Appstore using your Apple ID.

Download it and open the App macOS Mojave.

Make sure to copy the “EFI Partition” to a flash drive as you may need it for booting the Installation. After the first reboot, sometimes the EFI folder from the SSD is removed. That’s why you need to boot via USB to use its EFI partition for booting up the system. Everything goes buttery smooth from there and macOS is upgraded to macOS Mojave in around 15-20 min. You’ll not lose any files during the upgrade process but it’s better to create a backup of your SSD.

Here is how you can create a bootable USB for macOS Mojave.

General Issues and Troubleshooting after Upgrade

  • Intel UHD 630 graphics acceleration wasn’t working due to injected fake Ids so I’d to change the config file. I was using Intel Graphics Fix Up in macOS High Sierra. macOS Mojave has built-in support for Intel UHD 630 graphics so you don’t need intel graphics fix up now. Delete intel graphics fixup from kext folder. and make sure you have the latest “lilu.kext” and “whatevergreen.kext” in the “kext/Other” folder.
  • You’ll be stuck at loading screen if you use wrong SM Bios. For Intel Core i7 8700K, select iMac 14,2 from the dropdown in SMBios tab.
    • Sky Lake: Select iMac 17,1 or iMac 14,2
    • Haswell: Select iMac 14,2
    • Ivy Bridge: Select iMac 14,2
  • Gigabyte / ASUS Motherboard users Only
    • Highlight Acpi on left column
    • Under fixes check FixShutdown
  • ASUS / ASRock / MSI / Motherboard users Only
    • Open config.plist with Clover Configurator
    • Highlight Boot on left column
    • Under Arguments press the drop down arrow next to darkwake
      1. Select darkwake = 1 if using an ASUS motherboard
      2. Select darkwake = 8 if using an ASROCK or MSI motherboard
    • Save config.plist
  • Magenta Tint on External Display/ Monitor
    • Open a terminal
    • Type Ruby and Drag “patch-edid.rb” next to it.
    • Press enter and this will create a new file in “Home” directory of your computer. Press Shift+Command+H to navigate to that directory.
    • Copy folder and paste in Installation SSD/System/Library/Displays/Contents/Resources/Overrides
    • Reboot your system. It will fix magenta tint.

* I’ll update this post in future with more solutions. Meanwhile, check the videos on my YouTube. And if you have any request, email me at hello@muaazahmad.com or contact me on Social Media.

Complete Installation of macOS Mojave

 

Hackintosh

macOS Mojave Hackintosh on Intel Core i7 8700K

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macOS Mojave is here with brand new Dark Mode and a lot more new tools.

macOS Mojave on Intel Core i7 8700K

MacOS High Sierra to Mojave upgrade is also possible instead of clean Installation. All you’ve to do is to download the installer from the Appstore. Download size is around 6GB. Once the Installer is downloaded. Open it and wait for a few minutes. After it restarts, installation continues if the macOS high sierra Installation kext files are there. And if Installation freezes, boot your computer using your USB with the previous installer. All you need is the EFI partition config file and kexts to boot it to continue the Installer. After installation completes, you can boot right into macOS Mojave. Dark mode is there and a lot goodies. Screenshot and screen recording app are also there. Voice memos is also possible in macOS Mojave.

macOS Mojave Installation on PC

Last week, I did some experiments with the newly macOS Mojave. I upgraded my system after downloading the update of macOS Mojave which was around 7GB in size. After playing with the config files for basic functionality of all the hardware. I made up mind to do a clean install for you people. I’ve uploaded the complete tutorial on my YouTube Channel with 2 methods for bootable USB creation.

macOS Mojave has native support for several Intel graphics. That’s why no fake IDs are required in macOS Mojave for most of Intel graphics.

SYSTEM SPECS :

Intel Core i7 8700K ASUS Prime Z370P MSI LIGHTNING X 1080Ti 11GB Corsair Vengeance RGB 16GB Samsung SSD 850 EVO  Transend SSD 370 256GB Seagate Barracuda 2TB Seagate 1TBBENQ RL2755

Prerequisites

  1. Purchase a 16GB or larger USB drive.
  2. Do a full backup of your system. Use a separate HDD or SSD for installation.
Note In order to start fresh, you’ll need access to a functional computer running macOS. This is a requirement, as you need access to the Mac App Store to download macOS and create the installation drive.

STEP 1: Download macOS Mojave

The full operating system is a free download for anyone. Download the Application from the Mac App Store using your Apple ID on any Mac.

Open Mac App Store and Download macOS Mojave from the Appstore using your account.

Note The Application Install macOS Mojave will appear in /Applications.

STEP 2: Create a Bootable USB Drive with UniBeast

1. Insert the USB drive
2. Open /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility
3. Highlight the USB drive in left column
4. Click Erase button
5. For Name: type USB (You can rename it later)
6. For Format: choose OS X Extended (Journaled)
7. For Scheme: choose GUID Partition Map
8. Click Erase then Done
9. Download and run UniBeast
10. Click Continue, Continue, Continue, Continue, Agree
11. At Destination Select, choose USB and click Continue
12. At Select, OS Installation screen choose Sierra and click Continue
13. At Bootloader Options screen choose UEFI Boot Mode or Legacy Boot Mode. UEFI Boot Mode is recommended for 7/8/9/100 Series CustoMac desktops and all UEFI capable systems. Legacy Boot Mode is recommended for 5/6 Series CustoMac desktops and all BIOS based systems.
14. (Optional) At Graphics Configuration screen choose the appropriate graphics option for your system and click Continue.
15. Verify installation options, then click Continue, enter a password and click Install

UniBeast will now create the bootable USB drive. The process will only take about 10 minutes, depending on system and drive speed. Do not unplug or stop during this time.

Mount the EFI partition using Clover Configurator

Open Config file with clover and follow the on-screen options.
In Boot tab, Make sure dart=0 and Nv_disable=1 is selected.
In devices, Under USB
Select Inject, Add clock ID and Fix Ownership.

From GUI, Select your screen resolutions.

In RT Variable tab, Change CsrActiveConfig value to 0x3.

In SM Bios, Select the configuration that matches with your processor.

Save the config file.

16. Now copy all utilities in the macOS Bootable USB.

Clover Note  UniBeast delivers basic bootloader support based on our testing on recommended CustoMac systems. For further bootloader customization, download and run the official Clover package. Advanced users may also compile Clover by downloading the full source.

STEP 3: Recommended BIOS Settings

Note If you’re installing on a recommended CustoMac desktop with AMI UEFI BIOS, the options are simple. For other systems make sure to set your BIOS to Optimized Defaults, and your hard drive to AHCI mode. Here are standard MSI AMI UEFI BIOS.

To access BIOS/UEFI Setup, press and hold Delete on a USB Keyboard while the system is booting up
Load Optimized Defaults
Disable VT-d
then Disable CFG-Lock
and Disable Secure Boot Mode
Save and exit.

STEP 4: Install mac OS Mojave

You’re almost done! All you need to do is boot from the USB drive and install!

For best results, insert the USB in a USB 2.0 port.

1. Turn on the computer
2. Press the hotkey to choose boot device (F11)
3. Choose USB
4. At Clover boot screen, choose Boot Mac OS from USB
5. When you arrive at the Installer, choose a language.

If you have issues reaching the installer, first make sure you’re using a USB 2.0 port. If you’re using an NVIDIA graphics card you may need to enter the extra boot flag nv_disable=1 to reach the installer. For instructions on entering boot, flags see Clover Basics and Switching Advice.

For a new installation of macOS Mojave, you MUST erase and format the destination drive according to the following steps before continuing. Format the SSD using MacOS Extended Journaled and GUID Partition Map. When the installer asks you where to install, choose macOS Mojave, or your existing install.

The system will restart several times during installation.

STEP 5: Post Installation

Download clover from this website. Install clover in your SSD where you’ve installed macOS Mojave.

After installation is complete. Open the EFI partition of your SSD and copy files from the USB to EFI folder of macOS SSD.

Open Config file

Boot Options, Inject Nvidia and dart=0.

In SM Bios select 14,2 for Haswell and coffelake, Select iMac 17,1 for Skylake

If using a NVIDIA ‘Maxwell’ GeForce GTX 750, 750 Ti, 950, 960, 970, 980, 980 Ti, or TITAN X graphics card, mac OS graphics drivers are not natively supported. Alternate NVIDIA drivers are required. Newer Nvidia cards are not supported with full graphic acceleration.

12. (Optional) Download and install Alternate NVIDIA Graphics Drivers
13. Reboot

*Also download Nvidia Kext and copy all to other Kext folders.

FAQS

You can check your audio and Ethernet controller from the detailed specification of your Motherboard.
Google it or visit official product website. For Example

MSI SPECIFICATIONS

Install and Enable Nvidia Web Driver in Hackintosh

NVIDIA WEB DRIVER

 

You now have a fully updated bootable version of mac OS Moajve on your CustoMac! And a USB rescue drive if something goes wrong.

Hackintosh

macOS High Sierra Hackintosh Issues and Solutions

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macOS High Sierra Hackintosh Issues and Solutions

macOS High Sierra Hackintosh Issues and Solutions

macOS High Sierra Hackintosh Issues and Solutions

As you know there are a lot of hardware configuration out there. So the solution might be different in your case. Although, you can always check forums to find the best Mac compatible hardware. Many users are facing issues while using 1060 in Hackintosh. In my first Hackintosh, I used a GTX 970 with Intel Core i7 4790K. I upgraded this build to macOS High Sierra and it was working fine. No graphics or sound issues. I only switched to 3rd party Wifi Adapter to connect to the internet.

When you plug in the USB and boot from it, you’ll get a black screen. That happens because of your motherboard compatibility. While creating bootable USB you have two options to choose from. You can either select UEFI BOOT MODE or LEGACY BOOT MODE. Whenever you face this issue, try to swap between the boot modes. Also, make sure to change the required settings from Bios. You have to disable VT-d, CFG Lock from Bios. Also, enable support for other OS.

Another issue is getting Stop or Prohibitory sign after loading completes.

You get this sign when you’re installing macOS on your old installation of macOS. I fixed it by formatting the SSD before getting into the installer. By doing this all config files were removed from the SSD.

Sometime you’ll be stuck at loading screen. You’ll either have loading stopped at halfway or sometimes you get a circular loading animation below loading bar and Apple Logo. This issue is due to your GPU. There is another case when you get a black screen after the loading is completed. That is also because of your GPU. In some cases, your system restarts after loading completes.

So how to fix it.

Here is the quick fix. That worked for my hardware configuration.

Disable your Nvidia Graphic Card using Clover boot flags. Inject Nvidia if you haven’t done this before. If you’re using latest clover version there are some other options in graphics menu, check them all and you’ll be able to boot into macOS Installer.

Some of you might be unable to format the partition after getting into macOS, the solution is simple, select the view mode from the top and show all devices. Now format the drive, not the partition.

Another issue is that Multibeast installation fails. You can resolve this by exiting the installer. Mount the EFI partitions using clover configurator and then do post installation using Multibeast.

If your system is not booting properly after reboot and you’re facing one of the already mentioned issues, then your graphics are not enabled properly. Or you have selected wrong SM Bios settings.

If you’re getting no sound from HDMI, you have to run a script to enable HDMI audio. It takes few minutes to install. I’ll put the link in the description.

If you’re having blurry graphics or stuttering, you should install and enable proper Nvidia drivers to run your graphics card at full potential.

If your Graphics memory 0MB in “about this mac” section, then you don’t have proper drivers installed. Or you haven’t enabled Nvidia drivers from clover configurator.

 

Hackintosh

macOS High Sierra Hackintosh – MSI Motherboard

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macOS High Sierra Installation on PC using Unibeast, multibeast and Clover Configurator

macOS High Sierra hasn’t had a massive interface overhaul like the one Yosemite bought in 2014, and despite the fact that many of the features gained by its bundled apps feel a little like it is playing catch up with iOS, this version of macOS actually has a lot going on behind the scenes.

In High Sierra Apple has replaced the primary file system of MacOS. Apple File System (APFS) is the successor to the old Hierarchical File System (HFS+), which has been around since the beginning of 1998, so it’s pretty ancient.

That’s not the only way that Apple’s switch to APFS will benefit you. When it comes to copying large files the process will be faster. We ran our usual file transfer speed test before and after the update to High Sierra. This involved copying a 4GB file. Before we updated the 4GB file copy took 8.41 seconds. Afterwards it was instantaneous. You will never see a Duplicating file window again.

HEVC stands for high efficiency video codec, and it’s another name for H.265, the successor to H.264. The new codec is necessary because video sizes are now so much larger thanks to 4K and HDR. HEVC compresses these extremely high resolution files so they don’t take up take up as much space (which is good news if you are shooting lots of video in 4K on your iPhone 8 Plus).

A couple of years ago Apple introduced Metal, a framework that bypassed OpenGL and allowed developers to tap in to the computational power of the graphics processor. Metal 2 is the successor to Metal and it will increase GPU performance and gain support for VR.

This is great news for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in VR gaming – but note that your Mac may not be able to take advantage of this as it depends on your processor and your GPU (but it will add support for external GPUs in the future).

SYSTEM SPECS :

Intel Core i7 4790K MSI Z97S Krait SLI Gigabyte GTX 970 G1 Gaming Corsair 16GB DDR3 Intel SSD 128GB  Transend SSD 370 256GB Seagate Barracuda 2TB Seagate 1TBBENQ RL2755

Pre requisites

1. Register at tonymacx86! If you don’t have a user account, create one!
2. Get latest UniBeast and MultiBeast tools from the downloads section.
3. Purchase a 16GB or larger USB drive.
4. Do a full backup of your system. Use a separate HDD or SSD for installation.

UniBeast is a tool that creates a bootable installer out of your downloaded version of macOS.

Note In order to start fresh, you’ll need access to a functional computer running OS X Lion 10.7.5 or later. This is a requirement, as you need access to the Mac App Store to download macOS and create the installation drive.

STEP 1: Download macOS High Sierra

The full operating system is a free download for anyone who has purchased Mac OS X Snow Leopard, Lion, or Mountain Lion or has a Mac preloaded with OS X Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, or macOS High Sierra. Download the Application from the Mac App Store using your Apple ID on any Mac or functional computer running OS X 10.7.5 or later.
1. Open Mac App Store
2. Log in with your Apple ID
3. Download macOS High Sierra

Note The Application Install macOS High Sierra will appear in /Applications.

STEP 2: Create a Bootable USB Drive with UniBeast

1. Insert the USB drive
2. Open /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility
3. Highlight the USB drive in left column
4. Click Erase button
5. For Name: type USB (You can rename it later)
6. For Format: choose OS X Extended (Journaled)
7. For Scheme: choose GUID Partition Map
8. Click Erase then Done
9. Download and run UniBeast
10. Click Continue, Continue, Continue, Continue, Agree
11. At Destination Select, choose USB and click Continue
12. At Select OS Installation screen choose Sierra and click Continue
13. At Bootloader Options screen choose UEFI Boot Mode or Legacy Boot Mode. UEFI Boot Mode is recommended for 7/8/9/100 Series CustoMac desktops and all UEFI capable systems. Legacy Boot Mode is recommended for 5/6 Series CustoMac desktops and all BIOS based systems.
14. (Optional) At Graphics Configuration screen choose the appropriate graphics option for your system and click Continue.
15. Verify installation options, then click Continue, enter password and click Install

UniBeast will now create the bootable USB drive. The process will only take about 10 minutes, depending on system and drive speed. Do not unplug or stop during this time.

Mount the EFI partition using Clover Configurator

Now open clover configurator and mount the EFI partition.
Go to Kext Copy apfs.efi to “Other” Kext folder.

Also copy apfs.efi to drivers folder.

Open Config file with clover and follow the on-screen options.
In Boot tab, Make sure dart=0 and Nv_disable=1 is selected.
In devices, Under USB
Select Inject, Add clock ID and Fix Ownership.

From GUI, Select your screen resolutions.

In RT Variable tab, Change CsrActiveConfig value to 0x67.

In SM Bios, Select the configuration that matches with your processor.

Save the config file.

16. Now copy all utilities in the macOS Bootable USB.

Clover Note  UniBeast delivers basic bootloader support based on our testing on recommended CustoMac systems. For further bootloader customization, download and run the official Clover package. Advanced users may also compile Clover by downloading the full source.

STEP 3: Recommended BIOS Settings

Note If you’re installing on a recommended CustoMac desktop with AMI UEFI BIOS, the options are simple. For other systems make sure to set your BIOS to Optimized Defaults, and your hard drive to AHCI mode. Here are standard MSI AMI UEFI BIOS.

To access BIOS/UEFI Setup, press and hold Delete on a USB Keyboard while the system is booting up
Load Optimized Defaults
Disable VT-d
Disable CFG-Lock
Disable Secure Boot Mode
Save and exit.

STEP 4: Install mac OS Sierra

You’re almost done! All you need to do is boot from the USB drive and install!

For best results, insert the USB in a USB 2.0 port.

1. Turn on the computer
2. Press the hotkey to choose boot device (F11)
3. Choose USB
4. At Clover boot screen, choose Boot Mac OS from USB
5. When you arrive at the Installer, choose language.

If you have issues reaching the installer, first make sure you’re using a USB 2.0 port. If you’re using a NVIDIA graphics card you may need to enter the extra boot flag nv_disable=1 to reach the installer. For instructions on entering boot flags see Clover Basics and Switching Advice.

6. For a new installation of mac OS Sierra, you MUST erase and format the destination drive according to the following steps before continuing.

a. In the top menu bar choose Utilities, and open Disk Utility
b. Highlight your target drive for the macOS High Sierra installation in left column.
c. Click Erase button
d. For Name: type macOS High Sierra (You can rename it later)
e. For Format: choose mac OS Extended (Journaled)
f. For Scheme: choose GUID Partition Map
g. Click Erase
h. Close Disk Utility
​
7. When the installer asks you where to install, choose macOS High Sierra, or your existing install.
8. The system will restart several times during installation.

STEP 5: Post Installation with MultiBeast

MultiBeast is an all-in-one post-installation tool designed to enable boot from hard drive, and install support for Audio, Network, and Graphics. The installation is complete, but the drive isn’t bootable yet. Boot from the USB again, this time choosing macOS High Sierra.

1. Turn on the computer
2. Press the hotkey to choose boot device
3. Choose USB
4. At the Boot Screen, choose your new macOS High Sierra installation.
5. Complete mac OS Sierra setup
6. Open and run MultiBeast. If your system requires installing Clover to the root of the drive, such as Gigabyte 6 Series and X58 systems, skip to STEP 6.
7. If this is a fresh installation, click Quick Start. UEFI Boot Mode is recommended for 7/8/9+ Series CustoMac desktops and all UEFI capable systems. Legacy Boot Mode is recommended for 5/6 Series CustoMac desktops and all BIOS based systems.
8. Choose the appropriate audio and network options for your system: (Check FAQS)
9. Click Customize for further options
10. Click Print or Save to back up your configuration
11. Click Build then Install

If using a NVIDIA ‘Maxwell’ GeForce GTX 750, 750 Ti, 950, 960, 970, 980, 980 Ti, or TITAN X graphics card, mac OS graphics drivers are not natively supported. Alternate NVIDIA drivers are required.

12. (Optional) Download and install Alternate NVIDIA Graphics Drivers
13. Reboot

Open clover configurator from flash drive and mount the EFI Partitions.
Now copy everything from EFI partition of flash drive to EFI partition of macOS installation SSD.

*Also download Nvidia Kext and copy all to other Kext folders.

FAQS

You can check your audio and Ethernet controller from the detailed specification of your Motherboard.
Google it or visit official product website. For Example

MSI SPECIFICATIONS

Install and Enable Nvidia Web Driver in Hackintosh

NVIDIA WEB DRIVER

Enable HDMI Audio in Hackintosh

DOWNLOAD

 

 

You now have a fully updated bootable version of mac OS High Sierra on your CustoMac! And a USB rescue drive if something goes wrong.

 

 

Apple Hackintosh Microsoft

5 reasons to build hackintosh

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I’m using macOS Sierra as an alternate operating system. Mostly i use windows as a number of softwares and games are available only on Windows. Anyhow when I think of doing work instead of playing games, I usually boot into macOS Sierra for video and photo editing.

Hackintosh are upgradeable and are cost-effective as compared to Mac Pro or iMac. Hackintosh is the best option if you’re concerned about the physical appearance of your machine as well as the hardware selection. Although there are some compatibility issues and installing Hackintosh requires a lot of patience and energy. Anyhow there are some forums related to Hackintosh.

Forums can help you build a decent Hackintosh and you may avoid the issues that may occur during installation. Users share the details of their hardware and installation procedure with recommended settings. I also installed Hackintosh in my system an year ago. It’s specs were Intel Devil’s Canyon 4790K, MSI z97S Krait SLI and Nvidia GTX 970. I was able to run it at full potential and this build scored the 16266 points on Geekbench 4. OpenCL score was around 101469 Points using GTX 970 and macOS Sierra.

It is acceptable score considering the release date of this CPU and GPU, almost 3-years-old.

Hackintosh

When Apple began to shift onto Intel processors, almost a decade ago. Mac hardware lost it’s uniqueness which used to set it apart from stock PCs: an incompatible architecture. Today, Macs aren’t that different from Windows machines, something that Apple itself takes advantage of is Boot Camp. It’s the official way to boot Windows in Mac environment. Apple never supported other hardwares in the beginning (installing macOS on non-Apple hardware). But nowadays many PCs have almost same specs as Macs as a reason macOS can be installed on them.

1- Outdated Expensive Apple Products

Apple hasn’t released any Mac Pro in recent years. The latest Mac Pro is around 3000$ boasting an Intel Xeon E3 6 core processor with 15MB cache and clocked at 2.7 Ghz. It also features Dual AMD FirePro D500 graphics processors with 3GB of GDDR5 VRAM each and 16GB DDR3 Memory. So at a high price point, you’re getting a 3-year-old Mac pro which you can’t customize apart from some limited expansion options. At this point, Hackintosh is a preferred choice. You have the latest Intel processors and Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti support. So you can build a powerful Mac operated computer, which will save you a fortune as compared to apple.

Although one can’t deny the quality and compatibility of Apple products. As the hardware used is completely synchronized with macOS, so there is no chance of bottlenecking. In Hackintosh, you may have some issue while connecting to Wifi, as your wireless adapter will not be supported. Consequently, you won’t be able to listen to music as your sound drivers will not be working. In my Hackintosh, I’d to replace my Wireless adapter to get an access to the internet. Only plus point was it had cost me around 8$. It is always fun to play with the custom build as you’re in charge of selecting hardware whether it is GPU or CPU.

2- Freedom of choice

As discussed earlier, Mac computer has very limited configurations available. So as a hardware enthusiast, you’ll feel robbed or inferior while performing various rendering tasks. In Hackintosh, you can pick your favorite component. Not only the freedom of choice but it’s also budget friendly. So buy the hardware which has better performance to cost ratio.

3- Upgradeability

Hackintosh is very easy to upgrade and it also gives a wide range of options at hand. You’ll comparatively get a decent buyer of your hardware as the market has high demand for those components in contrast with Mac computers. Nvidia recently released drivers for 10 series GPUs so you can even upgrade to 1080Ti in near future if you’re low on budget.

4-  Better Graphics and Visual Experience

As compared to windows macOS has better graphics and CUDA support for GeForce graphics. You can push your graphic card to limits while rendering a video in Premiere Pro or After Effects. MacOS also has finely tuned icons and visual experience. Minimalistic design helps it to outperform various tasks on macOS and also provides a premium and professional feel. Although there is not a lot of game released for macOS as compared to Windows. Windows is still considered ahead if you’re comparing gaming scenarios of both operating systems.

5- Windows vs macOS

MacOS Sierra is available for free while you have to purchase a copy of windows. Moreover, you’ll get performance upper hand while running CPU and GPU benchmarks on the same computers running macOS and Windows. In the test 4790K at 4.0Ghz on windows scored 13376 points on Geekbench while on macOS it scored 16266 points. Windows platform scored 113758 points on openCL while macOS scored around 101649 points.

Conclusion

MacOS Sierra can be installed in your PC and it won’t cost you a single penny.  It is also customizable. Moreover, you can dual boot it with Windows. You can use it as primary OS if you’re concerned about limited apps. Hackintosh is difficult to build in terms of installation and hardware selection. As there are only a few successful combinations. The most important components of a Hackintosh are the motherboard and graphics card: if they aren’t fully compatible with macOS, Installing macOS will be an impossible task. As there will be bottlenecking issues. Any processor compatible with that motherboard will work. So in case of intel you can get either a Core i3 or Core i7 depending on your performance requirements. After that, selecting RAM, storage (SATA), and other components is pretty straightforward.

Before building always visit forums related to Hackintosh and check the specifications of successful builds. You can configure your own macOS machine based on your budget and performance priorities.

Is HACKINTOSH illegal? – Yes, macOS is supposed to install on Apple branded computers only. The currently preferred method of creating a hackintosh uses a bootloader to make a legally-purchased copy of macOS think it’s running on actual Apple hardware. In those circumstances, Apple’s software isn’t being pirated or modified, which would seem to make hackintosh projects immune from suits under the DMCA.

Hackintosh

macOS Sierra Hackintosh – MSI Motherboard

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Here is the main  reason for building a hackintosh; You can save money as high end mac computer are very costly and do not  provide any hardware customizations. You can use your windows computer for Mac softwares by installing mac OS in a separate SSD. I just wanted to check the rendering times on Premier Pro for Mac vs the Windows. I was surprised that the usage was more fluent on the mac OS Sierra. I’m using last generation Nvidia GTX 970  which is entry level GPU for 4K Gaming. After few addons, I was able to get it to work with all softwares. Siri was also working in mac OS sierra hackintosh. My 2 year old computer was able to score a close score to latest Macbook Pro and I was too happy about that.

Here is the complete guide to install macOS Sierra on your computer. I’ve specified all my hardware details here. I faced some difficulties while installing OS X but there was no hurdle in installing the macOS sierra as I already knew all the required Bios settings. Moreover I’ve been experimenting on Hackintosh for more than 1 year now so that experience somehow helped. I was able to get everything working within 2 hours of the installation process. To unable Nvidia Drivers, you have to install nvidia web driver at a latter stage. Same is the case with HDMI audio as it is not enable automatically so you have to run a script to enable it. I’ve added everything in my YouTube video for macOS Sierra installation.

SYSTEM SPECS :

Intel Core i7 4790K MSI Z97S Krait SLI Gigabyte GTX 970 G1 Gaming Corsair 16GB DDR3 Intel SSD 128GB  Transend SSD 370 256GB Seagate Barracuda 2TB Seagate 1TBBENQ RL2755

Pre requisites

1. Register at tonymacx86! If you don’t have a user account, create one!
2. Get latest UniBeast and MultiBeast tools from the downloads section.
3. Purchase a 16GB or larger USB drive.
4. Do a full backup of your system. Use a separate HDD or SSD for installation.

UniBeast is a tool that creates a bootable installer out of your downloaded version of macOS.

Note In order to start fresh, you’ll need access to a functional computer running OS X Lion 10.7.5 or later. This is a requirement, as you need access to the Mac App Store to download macOS and create the installation drive.

STEP 1: Download macOS Sierra

The full operating system is a free download for anyone who has purchased Mac OS X Snow Leopard, Lion, or Mountain Lion or has a Mac preloaded with OS X Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, or macOS Sierra. Download the Application from the Mac App Store using your Apple ID on any Mac or functional computer running OS X 10.7.5 or later.
1. Open Mac App Store
2. Log in with your Apple ID
3. Download macOS Sierra

Note The Application Install macOS Sierra will appear in /Applications.

STEP 2: Create a Bootable USB Drive with UniBeast

1. Insert the USB drive
2. Open /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility
3. Highlight the USB drive in left column
4. Click Erase button
5. For Name: type USB (You can rename it later)
6. For Format: choose OS X Extended (Journaled)
7. For Scheme: choose GUID Partition Map
8. Click Erase then Done
9. Download and run UniBeast
10. Click Continue, Continue, Continue, Continue, Agree
11. At Destination Select, choose USB and click Continue
12. At Select OS Installation screen choose Sierra and click Continue
13. At Bootloader Options screen choose UEFI Boot Mode or Legacy Boot Mode. UEFI Boot Mode is recommended for 7/8/9/100 Series CustoMac desktops and all UEFI capable systems. Legacy Boot Mode is recommended for 5/6 Series CustoMac desktops and all BIOS based systems.
14. (Optional) At Graphics Configuration screen choose the appropriate graphics option for your system and click Continue.
15. Verify installation options, then click Continue, enter password and click Install

UniBeast will now create the bootable USB drive. The process will only take about 10 minutes, depending on system and drive speed. Do not unplug or stop during this time.

16. Drag MultiBeast to your completed USB drive.

 

Clover Note  UniBeast delivers basic bootloader support based on our testing on recommended CustoMac systems. For further bootloader customization, download and run the official Clover package. Advanced users may also compile Clover by downloading the full source.

STEP 3: Recommended BIOS Settings

Note If you’re installing on a recommended CustoMac desktop with AMI UEFI BIOS, the options are simple. For other systems make sure to set your BIOS to Optimized Defaults, and your hard drive to AHCI mode. Here are standard MSI AMI UEFI BIOS.

To access BIOS/UEFI Setup, press and hold Delete on a USB Keyboard while the system is booting up
Load Optimized Defaults
Disable VT-d
Disable CFG-Lock
Disable Secure Boot Mode
Save and exit.

STEP 4: Install mac OS Sierra

You’re almost done! All you need to do is boot from the USB drive and install!

For best results, insert the USB in a USB 2.0 port.

1. Turn on the computer
2. Press the hotkey to choose boot device (F11)
3. Choose USB
4. At Clover boot screen, choose Boot Mac OS from USB
5. When you arrive at the Installer, choose language.

If you have issues reaching the installer, first make sure you’re using a USB 2.0 port. If you’re using a NVIDIA graphics card you may need to enter the extra boot flag nv_disable=1 to reach the installer. For instructions on entering boot flags see Clover Basics and Switching Advice.

6. For a new installation of mac OS Sierra, you MUST erase and format the destination drive according to the following steps before continuing.

a. In the top menu bar choose Utilities, and open Disk Utility
b. Highlight your target drive for the El Capitan installation in left column.
c. Click Erase button
d. For Name: type El Capitan (You can rename it later)
e. For Format: choose mac OS Extended (Journaled)
f. For Scheme: choose GUID Partition Map
g. Click Erase
h. Close Disk Utility
​
7. When the installer asks you where to install, choose El Capitan, or your existing install.
8. Upon completion, the system will automatically restart.

STEP 5: Post Installation with MultiBeast

MultiBeast is an all-in-one post-installation tool designed to enable boot from hard drive, and install support for Audio, Network, and Graphics. The installation is complete, but the drive isn’t bootable yet. Boot from the USB again, this time choosing El Capitan.

1. Turn on the computer
2. Press the hotkey to choose boot device
3. Choose USB
4. At the Boot Screen, choose your new El Capitan installation.
5. Complete mac OS Sierra setup
6. Open and run MultiBeast. If your system requires installing Clover to the root of the drive, such as Gigabyte 6 Series and X58 systems, skip to STEP 6.
7. If this is a fresh installation, click Quick Start. UEFI Boot Mode is recommended for 7/8/9+ Series CustoMac desktops and all UEFI capable systems. Legacy Boot Mode is recommended for 5/6 Series CustoMac desktops and all BIOS based systems.
8. Choose the appropriate audio and network options for your system: (Check FAQS)
9. Click Customize for further options
10. Click Print or Save to back up your configuration
11. Click Build then Install

If using a NVIDIA ‘Maxwell’ GeForce GTX 750, 750 Ti, 950, 960, 970, 980, 980 Ti, or TITAN X graphics card, mac OS graphics drivers are not natively supported. Alternate NVIDIA drivers are required.

12. (Optional) Download and install Alternate NVIDIA Graphics Drivers
13. Reboot

FAQS

You can check your audio and Ethernet controller from the detailed specification of your Motherboard.
Google it or visit official product website. For Example

MSI SPECIFICATIONS

Install and Enable Nvidia Web Driver in Hackintosh

NVIDIA WEB DRIVER

Enable HDMI Audio in Hackintosh

DOWNLOAD

 

 

You now have a fully updated bootable version of mac OS Sierra on your CustoMac! And a USB rescue drive if something goes wrong.