Thread: Dual Socket 12C on Z8PE-D12X working!!!!

Hey all,

After reading about an install on insanely mac I've built a dual 6 core xeon system on an Asus Z8PE-D12X board.
This was not an easy build and you require a running mac/hackintosh to use this method.

Components [those marked with * are optional and are installed solely for the future use of this machine as an audio workstation]:


Asus Z8PE-D12X
2 x Intel 6 core xeon 2.26Ghz processors
2x Noctua U9DX coolers (regular Dynatron G666 coolers can be used)
8 x kingston 2GB 1333Mhz Ram
1 x Nvidia GEfore 8800GTX
1 x Genereic miniPCIe to PCie adaptor
1 x Genuine Apple MiniPcie Airport card
1 x Samsung Bluray RW SATA drive (you need roxio toast to author bluray in osx)
1 x Startech PCI firewire 800 card*
1 x Protools PCIX core card*
1 x 600mm 19" 4 U rack case IMPORTANT - the Z8PE D12 is a very big board and will not fit in a standard ATX case and struggles in shorter eATX cases
1 x 800Watt ATX Dual PCI powersupply
1 x 8GB+ USB stick
1 x 1TB Sata drive
1 x Apple mouse & Keyboard
1 x New Snow leopard original Installation DVD

I bought the final 3 items from the apple store. I know their drives are expensive but the EULA does stipulate to run the OS ON apple hardware and as an OS runs ON a drive [in this case apple branded] and THROUGH a bus I like to think that I am being a little more legit this way.

METHOD ONE: Tried and tested

Step one install:

Note All modifications must be done only on the new drive and not the drive you are currently running osx on. If you make changes to your current system by accident it could render it unusable
Pre download the following tools and files on to a working mac/hackintosh:
Kextutility (x86_64 achetecture version)
EFI studio
DSDT.aml for Asus Z8PE-D12X
Empire EFI/ Kakewalk/MacLoader_SL. [Kakewalk only if using a supported Mobo hackintosh]
OSX 10.6.5 combo update
sleepenabler.kext for 10.6.5 [previous versions cause kernel panic]
Latest Chameleon Release

Using your running machine install OSX 10.6.3 or 10.6.0 on to your SATA drive through whatever means you can.

My method for this was to use the kakewalk method on another build I have on a GA X58A UD5. This method involves partitioning your USB drive into a small EFI and bootloader partition (around 100MB) and a large partition on to which you restore an image of you Original Mac OSX install DVD. Many other methods will work (empire EFI, Macloader SL, Nawcom, tonymac to name a few) or if you have the luxury of an intel mac pro you can simply install the drive in ur machine and away you go!!!

Once you have OSX on the drive you must update it using the 10.6.5 combo update (available from apple.com)

Having updated to 10.6.5 you must install a bootloader/efi that works. I used MacLoader_SL and the following steps to fix the system.
Download Mac Loader SL and the latest chameleon release (chameleon 2 RC5 637 in my case) on to your working machine.
Ignore the readme.pdf for macloader!
On your working machine locate and open the MacLoader folder.
Inside you will see a folder named "1_DSDT_Patcher" - remember were it is
Download from this website [kexts.com] the Z8PE-D12X DSDT (named DSDT.aml)
Move the newly downloaded file "dsdt.aml" from your downloads folder to the folder"1_DSDT_Patcher" you located earlier
Now go up one level of folder to the main MacLoader_SL folder and double click the file "3_Macloader"
Terminal will open and run the script. it will ask you if you wish to install on the EFI partiton say Yes.
It will then ask you which volume you wish to install to which you answer the drive that your are going to migrate to the new machine. IMPORTANT: DO NOT INSTALL TO ANY DRIVE EXCEPT THE ONE TO BE MIGRATED.
Once it has installed you must install the latest release of chameleon. Using the chameleon installer install chameleon to the drive to be migrated.
Next we need to fix "sleepenabler.kext". To do so delete the two copies of "extensions.mkext" now found on you new drive. One is located in the "/Extra" folder, the other in the "/System/Library/Extensions" folder. Once deleted locate on the new drive "sleepenabler.kext". It should be in the "/Extra/Extensions" folder. Delete this file and replace it with the version downloaded from kexts.com that is compatible with 10.6.5.
Now drag each of the each of the extensions folders (one in "/Extra" the other in "/System/Library" on to the icon for kext utility. This will create new caches in the correct locations for each extensions folder.
As a final good measure (though not essential at this stage) we can edit the boot on the drive to ensure that the machine boots in 64 bit. To do so locate the file "com.apple.Boot.plist" on your new drive. It should be in the "/Extra" folder. open this file in text edit and locate the line "<key>Kernel Flags</key>". Below this line is the instructions that will load at the initiation of the kernel by Chameleon. The next line should read "<String>********</String>" where **** is any chain of boot commands. to ensure 64 bit mode add the following string between the <Sting></String> markers "busratio=17 cpus=2 arch=x86_64". this essentially informs the boot that you ration to you 133 buss is 17 (note yours may be different and you should check your bios to confirm), the number of cpus you have is 2 and you wish to run on x86 archetecture in 64 bit mode).

Finally you should be ready to transport your preprepared drive to the new machine.

Step 2 Building and Booting:

On the new machine (see method 2 for a halfassed guide on how to build a machine) enter the BIOS and make the following adjustments:

Change the IDE mode to AHCI
Go to the "Advanced" tab and locate "PCIPnP Configuration" and Select "Enabled"
Next Location in the "Advanced" Tab "ACPI Settings" and change in the "General ACPI" settings the "Suspend mode" to "S3 Only".
Next go to the "Advance ACPI" Tab and set all Except "Headless mode" to enabled. This helps with hardware recognition.
Next the "Chipset" tag and adjust the "APIC ACPI SCI IRQ" to disabled unless you're going to dual boot with microsoft or redhat.
"USB Device Wakeup from S3/S4" > "Enabled"
"WHEA" > "Disabled" unless intending to dual boot windows


Now you should be ready to boot.

All being well you should boot in to OSX 10.6.5 (as I did) straight away with a slight pause until the graphics update.

Next its time to do some tweaking so I suggest you place "KextUtility", "Disk Utility" and "EFI Studio" in your dock.

Step 3: Graphics tweak

Install EFI studio on your working machine
Locate the string for your relevant graphics card and add it to the bootlist using EFI studio.
Once rebooted you should have cool working graphics. ATI card will differ and please look online for specifics relating to your graphics card.

Step 4: Ethernet Tweak.

Luckily the z8PE-D12 and D12X have the same on board Intel ethernet controller (Intel 82574L) as the mac pro 4 and 5s. Only difference is the Device ID (Intel make the mac ones just for mac). The vendor ID for the standard Intel ones is the same (8086). On the 3 Z8 mobos I have encountered they all have a combined DeviceVendor ID of 10D38086.
All Background aside here is how you get it to work:
1. Locate the folder "/System/Library/Extensions"
2. Locate the kextfolder "IONetworkingFamily" and CtrlClick "Show Contents"
3. In the kextfolder locate "/Contents/Plugins/Intel82574L/Contents"
4. Open "info.plist" in textedit
5. Save As "info.plist" in your documents directory. You have to do this as you are easy editing not using terminal and sudo and hence are not root.
6. Locate the following:

<integer>6000</integer>
</dict>
<key>IOClass</key>
<string>Intel82574L</string>
<key>IOPCIPrimaryMatch</key>
<string>0x104b8086 0x10f68086</string>
<key>IOPCISecondaryMatch</key>
<string>0x00008086 0x00000000</string>
<key>IOProviderClass</key>
<string>IOPCIDevice</string>
<key>IOResourceMatch</key>
<string>IOKit</string>


7. Substitute for this:

<integer>6000</integer>
</dict>
<key>IOClass</key>
<string>Intel82574L</string>
<key>IOPCIMatch</key>
<string>0x104b8086 0x10f68086 0x10d38086</string>

<key>IOProviderClass</key>
<string>IOPCIDevice</string>
<key>IOResourceMatch</key>
<string>IOKit</string>


Note there is no secondary match and hence primary match is now simply "IOPCIMatch". In addition the match string now has the standard Intel82574L ID in it
8. Save the file and relocate the original "info.plist" in the "/IONetworkingFamily.kext/contents/plugins/Intel82574L.kext/contents/" folder and replace it (by dragging the edited one from the desktop in to its place and "Authenticating")
9. Cache the Extensions folder by dragging the "/System/Library/Extensions" folder on to the "KextUtility" icon. this will create a new Extensions.mkext in the relevant place and restore permissions.

You should now have a working machine.




METHOD 2: Apparently works according to someone on another forum

Pre download the following tools on to a working mac/ hackintosh:

Kextutility (x86_64 achetecture version)
EFI studio
DSDT.aml for Asus Z8PE-D12X
Empire EFI/ Kakewalk/MacLoader_SL. [Kakewalk only if using a supported Mobo hackintosh]
OSX 10.6.5 combo update
sleepenabler.kext for 10.6.5 [previous versions cause kernel panic]
Latest Chameleon Release

Step One:

Fully build your machine: ??? processors into board, paste on processors, coolers on paste and screwed in, ram in relevant slots (see Asus manual for relevant configuration), assembled board in to case, Power supply in to case, all power attatched to board, HDDs in to slots, DVD/CD/BR drive in to slot, attatch switches and LED to headers, disable on board VGA using relevant jumper, correct fan settings using relative jumper, attach SATA and any in case USB/audio sockets, install MIO ALC888 audio card if required, power to SATA. install graphics card in to Blue PCIe slot, install Wifi Card in PCI slot, Put pcie power to graphics card, close case, sip coffee, attach monitor, attach keyboard and mouse, attach power leads. Do not power on yet.


On a working machine Make a dmg of your OSX install DVD.
Locate the "Macloader_SL" directory
In another finder window locate the "DSDT.aml" you have downloaded for the Z3PE D12X motherboard. This is a hardware table for the Z8PE mother board
Place the "DSDT.aml" file in to the "/Macloader_SL_x.x/1_DSDT_Patcher" directory
Follow the install instructions from "Phase 1.2" section of the file "/Macloader_SL_x.x/readme.pdf". Wait before "Phase 2"
Transplant the USB stick to the new build
Turn on the machine and enter bios (press Del key).
Change the IDE mode to AHCI
Go to the "Advanced" tab and locate "PCIPnP Configuration" and Select "Enabled"
Next Location in the "Advanced" Tab "ACPI Settings" and change in the "General ACPI" settings the "Suspend mode" to "S3 Only.
Next go to the "Advance ACPI" Tab and set all Except "Headless mode" to enabled. This helps with hardware recognition.
Next the "Chipset" tag and adjust the "APIC ACPI SCI IRQ" to disabled unless you're going to dual boot with microsoft or redhat.
"USB Device Wakeup from S3/S4" > "Enabled"
"WHEA" > "Disabled" unless intending to dual boot windows
In the "Boot menu" change the Hard disk priorities so the ur USB install stick is first. Then make sure the boot preference puts this device first. Annoyingly the AMI bios is pretty basic in terms of boot options so I don tthink you can create a boot menu. Finally check the bus ratio found in "Advanced" "CPU Configuration" menu. You'll need this shortly
Once these settings are made in the BIOS, process with "Phase 2" and "Phase 3" of the MacLoader install.

Next we need to update... this method is transfered from the many 10.6.3-10.6.5 update instructions online. To update place the combo update on a portable device. on the same device have "kextutility" and "sleepenabler.kext" for 10.6.5. Do this in the following steps order if not you may crash and get a kernel panic.

1. remove the old sleep enabler kext located in "/Extra/Extensions" replace the with the new version downloaded from kexts.com
2. delete the "extensions.mkext" from the "/Extra" folder
3. drag the folder "/Extra/Extensions/" on to the icon for Kextutility
4. open 10.6.5 combo update and install

All being well on reboot you should find urself in a stable copy of 10.6.5.

Now we need to adjust the boot for sound sync.
Locate the file "com.apple.Boot.plist" in the "/Extra" folder and add the following bold strings in the relevant places:

<key>Kernel</key>
<string>mach_kernel</string>
<key>Kernel Flags</key>
<string>arch=x86_64 busratio=XX cpus=2 </string>

"XX" is the ratio you located earlier in the BIOS.

This should ensure you are booting in the correct mode

Open disk utility and repair permissions on you drive then reboot.

You should now have a working machine in 64 bit mode

Next its time to do some tweaking so I suggest you place "KextUtility", "Disk Utility" and "EFI Studio" in your dock.

Step 2: Graphics tweak

Install EFI studio on your working machine
Locate the string for your relevant graphics card and add it to the bootlist using EFI studio.
Once rebooted you should have cool working graphics.

Step 3: Ethernet Tweak.

Luckily the z8PE-D12 and D12X have the same on board Intel ethernet controller (Intel 82574L) as the mac pro 4 and 5s. Only difference is the Device ID (Intel make the mac ones just for mac). The vendor ID for the standard Intel ones is the same (8086). On the 3 Z8 mobos I have encountered they all have a combined DeviceVendor ID of 10D38086. Background aside here is how you get it to work:
1. Locate the folder "/System/Library/Extensions"
2. Locate the kextfolder "IONetworkingFamily" and CtrlClick "Show Contents"
3. In the kextfolder locate "/Contents/Plugins/Intel82574L/Contents"
4. Open "info.plist" in textedit
5. Save As "info.plist" in your documents directory. You have to do this as you are easy editing not using terminal and sudo and hence are not root.
6. Locate the following:

<integer>6000</integer>
</dict>
<key>IOClass</key>
<string>Intel82574L</string>
<key>IOPCIPrimaryMatch</key>
<string>0x104b8086 0x10f68086</string>
<key>IOPCISecondaryMatch</key>
<string>0x00008086 0x00000000</string>
<key>IOProviderClass</key>
<string>IOPCIDevice</string>
<key>IOResourceMatch</key>
<string>IOKit</string>


7. Substitute this:

<integer>6000</integer>
</dict>
<key>IOClass</key>
<string>Intel82574L</string>
<key>IOPCIMatch</key>
<string>0x104b8086 0x10f68086 0x10d38086</string>

<key>IOProviderClass</key>
<string>IOPCIDevice</string>
<key>IOResourceMatch</key>
<string>IOKit</string>


Note there is no secondary match and hence primary match is now simply "IOMatch". In addition the match string now has the standard Intel82574L ID in it
8. Save the file and relocate the original "info.plist" in the "/IONetworkingFamily.kext/contents/plugins/Intel82574L.kext/contents/" folder and replace it (by dragging the edited one from the desktop in to its place and "Authenticating")
9. Cache the Extensions folder by dragging the "/System/Library/Extensions" folder on to the "KextUtility" icon. this will create a new Extensions.mkext in the relevant place and restore permissions.


I currently have my machine running Protools 8 fine. I am aware there will be more tweaking to be done to fix the time it takes to fully boot but one loaded it serves its purpose.

Any questions just reply or PM

Happy Hacking

Thanks for the guide, very useful!

I might order this motherboard myself, interesting to use as a server for example!

Interest in your build. Were you able to get the firewire card working on OSX?

Thanks

I read the main post with interest. I've tried to get my dual xeon Asus Z8PE-D12X system working (with a Lion 10.7.2) and have not succeeded. Piecing together a variety of instructions managed to get OSX to install but then the reboot would fail (presumably because I did not have an opportunity to install the DSDT.

I've managed to use just chameleon and the OSX lion dmg, installed on a USB to get this far. I could not figure out how one was to use the MacLoader SL against the USB install. The MacLoader SL by default tries to create /Volumes/MacLoader. I redirected to the USB, but did not seem to have the desired effect.

Are there any polished installers (like multi beast) that could be used with this motherboard OR alternatively, does someone have directions for someone doing a new install? I have a mac pro, so can do the preinstall setup there. Ideally would like to do against a USB (though I found I needed to write to the target disk directly in my fumbled approach).

Thanks for any pointers