macOS Ventura / Monterey with OpenCore on Z390 Aorus Elite motherboard (AMD RX 6600 or Intel UHD 630)

Guide using OpenCore for Ventura / Monterey on Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Elite motherboard Settings for AMD dGPU as main card or iGPU as single card EFI folder available for different SMBIOS.

Hardware

What works well?

BIOS settings (version F10)

OpenCore

For the installation / update to be successful, 3 parameters related to security must be set:

• SecureBootModel=j137 or j160or Default in config.plist (Apple secure boot j137 corresponds to iMacPro1,1, j160 to MacPro7,1 and Default sets the same model as in SMBIOS)
• SIP enabled (csr-active-config=00000000 in config.plist)
• Gatekeeper enabled (sudo spctl --master-enable in Terminal).

These security options can be changed after installation as they do not are required for Monterey / Ventura to run.

SMBIOS

iMac19,1 SMBIOS requires:

• AMD dGPU as main card
• Intel 630 iGPU enabled in BIOS
• iGPU code for headless mode in config.plist.

iMacPro1,1 or MacPro7,1 SMBIOS require:

• AMD dGPU as main card
• Intel 630 iGPU disabled in BIOS (this Mac models lack integrated GPU, they have only AMD GPU)
• RestrictEvents.kext to avoid RAM misconfiguration warnings (only MacPro7,1)
• CPUFriend.kext: not mandatory but in my opinion improves CPU Power Management (only MacPro7,1).

CPUFriend.kext

Although the CPU is well detected with MacPro's SMBIOS, my guess is that it does not run at low frequency as often as it does with iMac19.1 or iMacPro1,1. For this reason, I have generated a CPUFriendDataProvider.kext extension by the CPUFriendFriend command to accompany CPUFriend.kext. Remember that this kext is specific to my CPU: i7 9700, try building your own if yours differs. With these 2 kexts (CPUFriendDataProvider.kext + CPUFriend.kext) the CPU shows correct power management and frequency drops to 800 MHz at system idle.

SSDTs, drivers and tools

SSDTs

• SSDT-AWAC-DISABLE: to fix errors with system clock on Z390, B460, Z490 motherboards
• SSDT-EC-USBX: fake Embedded Controller on Skylake and later, also fix USB power
• SSDT-PLUG: power management on Haswell and newer CPUs; to configure the plugin-type=1 parameter on the first processor
• SSDT-PMC: native NVRAM support on systems that lack it, for example Z390 chipsets
• SSDT-USBW: to wake from sleep with a single mouse or keyboard touch (this SSDT works with USBWakeFixup.kext) >> very likely not needed if USB device in DeviceProperties has acpi-wake-type=01 >> removed with OpenCore 0.8.9 release, using acpi-wake-gpe=6D in USB DeviceProperties instead.

Drivers

• HfsPlus.efi: to recognize HFS+ devices
• OpenRuntime.efi: essential driver to run macOS
• OpenCanopy.efi: graphical picker with themes
• CrScreenshotDxe.efi: Screenshots in OpenCore.

Tools

• OpenShell.efi: UEFI shell to perform command line tasks from OpenCore

config.plist

Some settings:

• DeviceProperties >> Add >> PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x14,0x0): acpi-wake-type as data=01, to improve wake from sleep
• Misc >> Boot >> PickerAttributes=144 to enable Flavours system
• NVRAM> 7C436110-AB2A-4BBB-A880-FE41995C9F82> boot-args: alcid=7 agdpmod=pikera (agdpmod=pikera not needed with RX 580 or Polaris card, only with Navi cards)
• Misc >> Security >> AllowToggleSip=True to show in the picker the ToggleSIP tool that allows to easily switch between SIP enabled and SIP disabled for the current boot.

Intel UHD 630 headless mode

• iGPU and dGPU must be enabled in BIOS with dGPU as primary
• There should be no cable between iGPU HDMI port and any type of display
• Lilu and WhatEverGreen properly installed
• SMBIOS iMac19.1.

You have to add in DeviceProperties >> Add:

<key>PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x2,0x0)</key>
<dict>
    <key>AAPL,ig-platform-id</key>
    <data>AwCRPg==</data>
    <key>device-id</key>
    <data>mz4AAA==</data>
    <key>enable-metal</key>
    <data>AQAAAA==</data>
</dict>

This code has data values in Base64, in plist editors they can be seen as hexadecimal, e.g. AwCRPg== in Base64 (AAPL,ig-platform-id) = 0300913E in hexadecimal.

To check if the VDA Decoder function is activated you can get Hackintool app (Fully Supported or Failed in the first System tab).

Notes:

• AAPL,ig-platform-id=07009B3E is mandatory to detect the iGPU as Coffee Lake
• device-id=9B3E000 to be displayed as Intel UHD Graphics 630 instead of Kabylake Unknown
• enable-metal=01 to enable Metal 3 in Ventura

Image: iGPU as secondary card

Intel UHD 630 as single GPU

If you don't have an external graphics card and need to use the iGPU as single card, you have to use iMac19,1 SMBIOS with code in config.plist to patch the framebuffer and other properties so that the iGPU is well detected:

<key>PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x2,0x0)</key>
<dict>
    <key>AAPL,ig-platform-id</key>
    <data>BwCbPg==</data>
    <key>device-id</key>
    <data>mz4AAA==</data>
    <key>device_type</key>
    <string>VGA compatible controller</string>
    <key>enable-hdmi20</key>
    <data>AQAAAA==</data>
    <key>enable-metal</key>
    <data>AQAAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-con0-busid</key>
    <data>AAAAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-con0-enable</key>
    <data>AQAAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-con0-pipe</key>
    <data>EgAAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-con1-busid</key>
    <data>AAAAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-con1-enable</key>
    <data>AQAAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-con1-pipe</key>
    <data>EgAAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-con2-busid</key>
    <data>BAAAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-con2-enable</key>
    <data>AQAAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-con2-pipe</key>
    <data>EgAAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-con2-type</key>
    <data>AAgAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-patch-enable</key>
    <data>AQAAAA==</data>
    <key>framebuffer-stolenmem</key>
    <data>AAAwAQ==</data>
    <key>hda-gfx</key>
    <string>onboard-1</string>
    <key>force-online</key>
    <data>AQAAAA==</data>
    <key>rps-control</key>
    <data>AQAAAA==</data>
</dict>

Note:

• force-online=01 to force online status on all displays (mandatory).

Image: iGPU as main card

AMD RX 6600 on Ventura with MacPro or iMacPro SMBIOS

AMD Navi cards run fine on Ventura when using iMac SMBIOS with agdpmod=pikera in boot args as the only needed setting. But when using MacPro or iMacPro SMBIOS a lot of users have reported black screen. The simplest way to fix this is to add in DeviceProperties of config.plist properties that set Henbury framebuffer for each of the 4 ports of this GPU.

By default, Radeon framebuffer (ATY,Radeon) is loaded. But, in AMDRadeonX6000Framebuffer.kext >> Contents >> Info.plist we can see that AMDRadeonNavi23Controller has ATY,Henbury and 6600 series are Navi 23. This is why this framebuffer is selected.

The patch is added in this way:

<key>DeviceProperties</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Add</key>
        <dict>
            <key>PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1,0x0)/Pci(0x0,0x0)/Pci(0x0,0x0)/Pci(0x0,0x0)</key>
            <dict>
                <key>@0,name</key>
                <string>ATY,Henbury</string>
                <key>@1,name</key>
                <string>ATY,Henbury</string>
                <key>@2,name</key>
                <string>ATY,Henbury</string>
                <key>@3,name</key>
                <string>ATY,Henbury</string>
            </dict>
        </dict>
        <key>Delete</key>
        <dict/>
    </dict>

Notes:

• PCI path to the GPU may be the same on your system but it is convenient to check it with Hackintool (app) or gfxutil (Terminal utility).
• This is not needed for Monterey.
• This is not needed for Polaris cards (RX 580).
• Henbury patch drops down significantly GeekBench 5 Metal scores.

If needed for other Navi cards, the framebuffers to be loaded are different for each family:

1. Alternative method to avoid black screen with MacPro or iMacPro SMBIOS (thanks @dreamwhite)

Using SSDT-BRG0.aml fixes black screen on Ventura with SMBIOS models lacking iGPU. This SSDT allows to define a missing pci-bridge device. With it, the Henbury patch is no longer necessary.

As noted above, the Henbury patch drops down the GeekBench 5 scores, however with SSDT-BRG0 expected scores are got, in line with those got by many users with this graphics card.

SSDT-BRG0:

/*
 * This table provides an example of creating a missing ACPI device
 * to ensure early DeviceProperty application. In this example
 * a GPU device is created for a platform having an extra PCI
 * bridge in the path - PCI0.PEG0.PEGP.BRG0.GFX0:
 * PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1,0x0)/Pci(0x0,0x0)/Pci(0x0,0x0)/Pci(0x0,0x0)
 * Such tables are particularly relevant for macOS 11.0 and newer.
 */

DefinitionBlock ("", "SSDT", 2, "ACDT", "BRG0", 0x00000000)
{
    External (_SB_.PCI0.PEG0.PEGP, DeviceObj)

    Scope (\_SB.PCI0.PEG0.PEGP)
    {
        /*
         * This is a PCI bridge device present on PEGP.
         * Normally seen as pci-bridge in I/O Registry.
         */
        Device (BRG0)
        {
            Name (_ADR, Zero)
            Method (_STA, 0, NotSerialized)  // _STA: Status
            {
                If (_OSI ("Darwin"))
                {
                    Return (0x0F)
                }
                Else
                {
                    Return (Zero)
                }
            }

            /*
             * This is an actual GPU device present on the bridge.
             * Normally seen as display in I/O Registry.
             */
            Device (GFX0)
            {
                Name (_ADR, Zero)  // _ADR: Address
            }
        }
    }
}

Be sure of the PCI path to your dGPU, mine is /PCI0@0/PEG0@1/PEGP@0/GFX0@0 so the SSDT has these lines:

External (_SB_.PCI0.PEG0.PEGP, DeviceObj)

Scope (\_SB.PCI0.PEG0.PEGP)

Modify the SSDT (if needed) to be set within your system. How to chek the PCI path?

• gfxutil utility in Terminal, look for the line containing GFX0 at the end
• Hackintool >> PCIe tab >> pointer over Navi 23 line >> copy IOReg patch.

2. Alternative method to avoid black screen with MacPro or iMacPro SMBIOS

There are some more advanced SSDT configurations such as SSDT-VEGA.aml which, in addition to creating devices, does so by mimicking the way real Macs are configured (EGP0 and EGP1 devices instead of BRG0).

SSDT-VEGA has the same benefits as SSDT-BRG0: Henbury patch not needed and good GeekBench 5 scores.

It also requires checking the PCI path to your graphics card. In the example code I keep the same path as in the previous SSDT-BRG0.

DefinitionBlock ("", "SSDT", 2, "HACK", "VEGA", 0x00000000)
{
    External (_SB_.PCI0, DeviceObj)
    External (_SB_.PCI0.PEG0, DeviceObj)
    External (_SB_.PCI0.PEG0.PEGP, DeviceObj)

    Scope (\_SB)
    {
        Scope (PCI0)
        {
            Scope (PEG0)
            {
                Scope (PEGP)
                {
                    Method (_STA, 0, NotSerialized)  // _STA: Status
                    {
                        If (_OSI ("Darwin"))
                        {
                            Return (Zero)
                        }
                        Else
                        {
                            Return (0x0F)
                        }
                    }
                }

                Device (EGP0)
                {
                    Name (_ADR, Zero)  // _ADR: Address
                    Method (_STA, 0, NotSerialized)  // _STA: Status
                    {
                        If (_OSI ("Darwin"))
                        {
                            Return (0x0F)
                        }
                        Else
                        {
                            Return (Zero)
                        }
                    }

                    Device (EGP1)
                    {
                        Name (_ADR, Zero)  // _ADR: Address
                        Device (GFX0)
                        {
                            Name (_ADR, Zero)  // _ADR: Address
                        }

                        Device (HDAU)
                        {
                            Name (_ADR, One)  // _ADR: Address
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}  

Installing Monterey / Ventura

The process is almost the same for installation and for update:

• You need a working EFI folder
• Download macOS from Software Update or create USB installer; I don't comment about creating USB installer because there are a lot of sites with this info
• Run Install macOS Monterey / Ventura app or the setup program from the booted USB
• The process has 2 reboots booting from Install macOS disk and a third reboot booting from the target disk with Monterey / Ventura.

SMBIOS and config.plist files

• rename selected config file to config.plist
• current GPU is AMD RX 6600 XT; for RX 580 and other Polaris cards remove agdpmod=pikera from boot-args and don't use the framebuffer patch
• add serial numbers for the SMBIOS model
• USB ports map is specific for muy motherboard: Z390 Aorus Elite.

Important!

1. Don't forget to rename the selected config file to config.plist.
2. Do ResetNVRAM the first time you boot a new EFI.
3. Press spacebar to show auxiliary entries in the picker.

Credits