How to build your own iMac Pro [Successful Build/Extended Guide]

[kgp]

Following a re-install os the OS 10.13 it worked as intended, exactly as KGP described. I don't know what happened.
All installed nicely till the point of GPU drivers. I followed both guide A and B for Nvidia driver installation in KGP's original post. In both cases during the final restart before a working Nvidia Pascal GPU the system restarts during boot. I tried to capture the exact point where it restarts (attached)View attachment 287345

Do you also have NVWebDriverLibValFix.kext v1.0.0 in your EFI-Folder apart from NvidiaGraphicsFixup.kext v1.2.0 and + Lilu.kext v1.2.0 when applying Method b.)?

You know that when performing Method a.) not even NvidiaGraphicsFixup.kext v1.2.0 should be in your EFI-Folder?

 

[lucatze]

Dear kgp,
thanks a lot for your guide. I was able to set up my X299 build successfully. Only my gpu and ram differ from your setup. However, some thoughts:

1. Multi Core Enhancement works for me
2. I get lower benching results with "Sync all Cores" turned on
3. My geekbench score is 48500, what do you do to get 50000?
4. Would be nice if you could go more into details concerning overclocking if you have any experience to share. Maybe in a dedicated thread?
5. Although your guide is really detailed, it misses some sort of organisation. Especially people who have already setup several hacks might loose information as they don't always read every line. For example, I forgot to install VoodooTSCSync.kext which really frustrated me. Of course, you clearly point out its necessitie, but its easy to not notice that. If , one day, you find the energy, maybe you can summarise the essential steps on a few lines, so experienced users have a rough overview.

Anyway, I'm really happy with my hack, thanks to you and all participants making this possible.

 

[TheOfficialGypsy]

I don't want you to rush either.. But one thing are sleep/wake issues and the other thing is the proper implementation of our devices (graphics, audio, etc..) which apparently already works fine. One can implement at present your ACPI Table and SSDT-X299.aml with the clear message and warning that sleep/wake functionality is not provided yet! Later on we can stepwise improve your implementation, likely also thanks to the estimated feedback of our users. In my opinion for now we would just need a comprehensive description of your implementation, which also allows users of mainboards different from the ASUS Prime X299 Deluxe to adopt your approach. Otherwise, your testing might go to infinity and the approach will be never implemented. Do you understand what I mean?

Cheers,

KGP

I have been waiting on resolving sleep issues before giving the go ahead to the SSDT. The SSDT is ready to be released now.

I have discovered that having thunderbolt enabled is causing sleep issues for my build. With thunderbolt disabled my system is able to sleep and wakeup successfully multiple times in a row (Power Nap is enabled, build is using either the darkwake=0 or 1 flag).

With thunderbolt enabled the system will sleep once and then when trying to put the system to sleep again, the computer attempts to sleep and after some time simply reboots.
I now have to examine which TB Bios setting is causing the issue with sleep, will report back soon

I have also noticed the MB led code displaying 30 with TB disabled and bC with TB enabled.

I would appreciate someone confirming this

 

[kgp]

I have been waiting on resolving sleep issues before giving the go ahead to the SSDT. The SSDT is ready to be released now.

I have discovered that having thunderbolt enabled is causing sleep issues for my build. With thunderbolt disabled my system is able to sleep and wakeup successfully multiple times in a row (Power Nap is enabled, build is using either the darkwake=0 or 1 flag).

With thunderbolt enabled the system will sleep once and then when trying to put the system to sleep again, the computer attempts to sleep and after some time simply reboots.
I now have to examine which TB Bios setting is causing the issue with sleep, will report back soon

I have also noticed the MB led code displaying 30 with TB disabled and bC with TB enabled.

I would appreciate someone confirming this

Gorgeous! At which step the MB led code displays 30 with TB disabled and bC with TB enabled? Before entering the BIOS screen?
If so, I can confirm bC also for my system with TB enabled...

 

[TheOfficialGypsy]

Code 30 is displayed with TB disabled once system wakes up from sleep in MacOS, otherwise normal boot into MacOS displays AA
Code bC is displayed with TB enabled once system wakes up from sleep in MacOS, otherwise normal boot into MacOS displays AA

I still have to test extended sleep overnight with TB disabled to confirm if TB is the source of the sleep issues or not
I am testing various ASPM combinations and TB settings but more testing is required

EDIT: I have enabled all ASPM bios settings and the system appears to sleep for now, 5 times in a row and counting.
In Bios:
Advanced\Platform Misc Configuration
-PCI Express Native Power Management: Enabled
-Native ASPM: Enabled
-PCH DMI ASPM: Enabled
-ASPM: L1
-DMI Link ASPM Control: L1
PEG - ASMP: ASPM L1

No more reboots after sleep!
Now working on figuring out why the system take a significant amount of time to actually enter sleep, between 1 - 4 minutes to enter sleep :/

 

[kgp]

Code 30 is displayed with TB disabled once system wakes up from sleep in MacOS, otherwise normal boot into MacOS displays AA
Code bC is displayed with TB enabled once system wakes up from sleep in MacOS, otherwise normal boot into MacOS displays AA

I still have to test extended sleep overnight with TB disabled to confirm if TB is the source of the sleep issues or not
I am testing various ASPM combinations and TB settings but more testing is required

EDIT: I have enabled all ASPM bios settings and the system appears to sleep for now, 5 times in a row and counting.
In Bios:
Advanced\Platform Misc Configuration
-PCI Express Native Power Management: Enabled
-Native ASPM: Enabled
-PCH DMI ASPM: Enabled
-ASPM: L1
-DMI Link ASPM Control: L1
PEG - ASMP: ASPM L1

No more reboots after sleep!
Now working on figuring out why the system take a significant amount of time to actually enter sleep ~50 seconds for me

Warning to @ALL!!! Don't perform the tests @TheOfficialGypsy is performing at present! Your system might become totally unbootable..

I can confirm that with TB enabled the system goes to sleep, but never comes back from sleep -> cB -> 03 -> sleep, -> cB -> 03 -> sleep infinitely!

Now!! After reboot I get a instant reboot as soon I select my 10.13 system disk on the clover boot screen

The same happens when I intent to boot from the 10.13 USB Flash Drive...

No way to get up my system or reinstall my system by any means...

Also a complete BIOS reset did not help at all...

I also removed the TBEX 3...

No way to boot at all...

My system is dead...

 

[TheOfficialGypsy]

This is extremely weird, I have a friend which has tried the same settings with no issue

Please try put 802 bios file onto USB and insert the USB into Bios flashback USB port
Then enter bios and reflash latest bios

 

[kgp]

This is extremely weird, I have a friend which has tried the same settings with no issue

Please try put 802 bios file onto USB and insert the USB into Bios flashback USB port
Then enter bios and reflash latest bios

uff I am back! managed to boot 10.12.6 somehow in between.

In any case, I think the darkwake=0 boot flag is fundamental if one intents to test sleep/wake functionality!

Update: now without TB EX 3 sleep/wake seems to work (although no long term tests yet) and the system returns from sleep in "30" and remains on "30" instead of "AA"... Is that correct?

 

[TheOfficialGypsy]

uff I am back! managed to boot 10.12.6 somehow in between.

In any case, I think the darkwake=0 boot flag is fundamental if one intents to test sleep/wake functionality!

Update: now without TB EX 3 sleep/wake seems to work (although no long term tests yet) and the system returns from sleep in "30" and remains on "30" instead of "AA"... Is that correct?

I have not tested without Darkwake=0 or 1 flag as I found that without it I have to press keyboard / mouse twice after sleep to wake up monitor.

Yes that is correct, after sleep system will remain on 30 code when TB EX 3 is disabled
With TB enabled and the above entries in post 917, the system after sleep displays the code bC
This is the case after sleep with both MacOS and Windows 10

I am currently working on figuring out which settings are required for working sleep without the 4 minute delay it takes to get the system to sleep when the TB EX 3 card is enabled.

Currently the system takes between 3 - 5 minutes before it goes to sleep

 

[kgp]

I have not tested without Darkwake=0 or 1 flag as I found that without it I have to press keyboard / mouse twice after sleep to wake up monitor.

Yes that is correct, after sleep system will remain on 30 code when TB EX 3 is disabled
With TB enabled and the above entries in post 917, the system after sleep displays the code bC
This is the case after sleep with both MacOS and Windows 10

I am currently working on figuring out which settings are required for working sleep without the 4 minute delay it takes to get the system to sleep when the TB EX 3 card is enabled.

Currently the system takes between 3 - 5 minutes before it goes to sleep

O.k. fully forced sleep/wake functionality without TB EX 3 confirmed !!!

Question: one can also check "Enable Power Nap" and uncheck "prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off"??