ASUS G750JX / OSX Mavericks INSTALL GUIDE

[Bozzified]

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NEW INSTRUCTIONS FOR 10.9.2:
I posted new instructions and all the stuff you need for 10.9.2 pretty much vanilla install here
http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?39406-ASUS-G750JX-OSX-Mavericks-INSTALL-GUIDE/page20

PREFACE:

This is not 100% final installation as I'm still working with audio and wireless radios and I'm trying to get the Chameleon bootloader to show up from the BIOS when I boot so I don't have to use USB stick to get boot loader.
THIS IS FIXED and working - SEE UPDATE

A great thing about installing on ASUS G750JX is that almost all things that were in previous installation guides here on TonyMac forums under Laptop Mountain lion support > G750JX are unnecessary. This is as close to vanilla installation as I could get.

Touchpad also works. You will however need to hook up ethernet cable to laptop so you have ethernet until I figure out how to get wireless radios working.

One thing to note is that you will need to have on one of the hard drives Windows 8 installed and on that installation of Windows 8 you will need to download some kind of NFS+ support for Windows 8 (I use bundle from Paragon with NFS+ and NTFS support so I can have NTFS support in OSX and NFS+ in Windows 😎 but I think since that's a paid product you can use anything else that will just read NFS+ partitions in Windows 8.

ASUS G750JX I have flashed a bios 208

So without much writing here's what I did.

BIOS SETTINGS
go to ADVANCED and disable VT-d
go to BOOT and disable Fast Boot
Underneath Fast Boot, enable Launch CSM
You should now see a new option: Launch PXE OpROM policy. Enable this option. This allows your computer to boot via Legacy BIOS not UEFI.

INSTALLATION:

Standard Unibeast preparation:

1. On a mac download the Mavericks installation from App Store
2. Follow the steps for Unibeast and create a USB stick - Select Laptop support in addition to OSX 10.9 Mavericks App Store install
3. Once you have created and finished Unibeast USB stick preparation make sure you download the patched 10.9 kernel from step 13 and replace the mach_kernel on the USB stick with the one you download (you might have to show all files in OSX you are working on to see mach_kernel file on the root of USB drive), put the USB stick into your ASUS 750JX and boot from it
4. On bootloader screen, pick Unibeast Installer (no flags needed) and hit enter
5. It will take a bit, so be patient and OSX installer will show up
6. Go to Disk Utility > Do the standard Create Partition on a second drive > Make it GUID Partition > MacOS Extended Journaled and call it Mavericks
7. Exit Disk Utility and continue with installation



8. Once the installation finishes you will get a message how OSX Mavericks can't set the startup disc. This is FINE! Don't worry.
9. Now, restart and boot back into Windows 8
10. Install in Windows 8 NFS+ support
11. Restart and boot again into Windows 8
12. Once you have booted into Windows 8 now you should see the Mavericks volume and all the files there
13. Download this patched kernel (UPDATE: this is now recommended patched kernel by RehabMan: http://www.tonymacx86.com/mavericks-laptop-support/114677-haswell-early-reboot-mavericks-locked-msrs... ) as it allows Sleep and UseKernelCache to work properly (OLD one - do not use this unless you have problems with RehabMan's http://www.osx86.net/files/file/3631-kernel-os-x-mavericks-109-amd/ )
14. Open Mavericks volume in Explorer and overwrite mach_kernel with the one you downloaded
15. Restart and boot from the USB stick
16. Pick OSX Mavericks HDD volume and hit enter
17. OSX Mavericks will welcome you with the setup screen - follow through on standard process (iCloud might give you a funky message but that's not a big deal)



18. Welcome to OSX Mavericks on ASUS G750JX! 🙂





UPDATE:

Once you install the Mavericks you want to run the latest Multibeast 6.0 (see TonyMac) before the restart.

What you will be installing is the following:



The idea here is to have Chameleon and everything else installed into S/L/E, modify the SMBIOS.plist and have local hdd Extra folder.

If you are going to use Clover as boot see install notes in the post later in this thread so you can take out USB stick booting completely and adjust some location of some kexts and how to use the config file I included in the files.

Thanks to PeanutButterSpice and slayer2333 from TonyMac forums for trying as well on this and giving me ideas on what to do to get this working without it I would have probably not been able to look at the right place to make this work.


UPDATE 01:

Got audio and wifi working fine now!

The trick was that ASUS G750JX is using Broadcom chip.. in order to to make it recognized in Mavericks you have to update the IDs in the IO80211Family kext.. You go in and go into Plugins and update the IDs inside AirPortBrcm4360.kext > info.plist to include the following:

pci14e4,43b1
pci14e4,4331
pci14e4,4353
pci14e4,432b

Adding these will enable your Wifi.

The audio is working with VoodooHDA 2.84.

The problem I'm having is with hardware acceleration on GTX770M.. the card it properly recognized and working just fine but when I play videos HTML5 or Flash it doesn't matter it crashes it.. I can watch videos just fine if I disable hardware acceleration in Flash but H.264 HTML5 videos will not work for some reason.

Suggestions are welcome!

CUDA installs fine though.

UPDATE 2:

And I finally solved the last issue with hardware acceleration. I changed the System Definition to Mac Pro 5.1 and now everything works great.


The only last thing that remains is to get BIOS to recognize the SSD with the OSX Mavericks installation so I can boot without the USB stick boot loader. But that's really a minor issue.

Amazing! This ASUS G750JX is now an OSX Mavericks BEAST!


UPDATE 3:

The loading without the USB stick has been resolved now. I am using Clover. I will write up the guide for this as I'm still fine tuning things.

UPDATE 4:

I have used RehabMan's patched kernel (here: http://www.tonymacx86.com/mavericks-laptop-support/114677-haswell-early-reboot-mavericks-locked-msrs...) and indeed things are working MUCH better. UseKernelCache is working and I have increased my boot times now to desktop in about 10 secs instead of 30+. One side effect is that I don't see USB 3.0 recognized after installing GenericXHCI kext. Looking into this.

UPDATE 5:

Bluetooth 4.0 is now working as well. You have to enable the ASUS G750JX broadcom bluetooth IDs in BroadcomBluetoothTransport kext. We are fortunate because the Bluetooth in this laptop is BCM4352 so it's compatible fully with OSX Mavericks.

To enable go:
0. Find the IOBluetoothFamily.kext in S/L/E and copy it to desktop
1. Show Package Contents on it
2. Go into Plugins and show package on BroadcomBluetoothTransport
3. Open info.plist file and locate this entry:

Broadcom2045FamilyUSBBluetoothHCIController_P

CFBundleIdentifier
com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport
IOClass
BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport
IOProviderClass
IOUSBDevice
idProduct
33293
idVendor
1452


4. Right above this entry and after

IOKitPersonalities


(So in between those put the following)

Broadcom2046FamilyUSBBluetoothHCIController_3404

CFBundleIdentifier
com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport
IOClass
BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport
IOProviderClass
IOUSBDevice
LMPLoggingEnabled

idProduct
13316
idVendor
5075



5. This is it, SAVE and use Kext Wizard or similar to install and overwrite the existing IOBluetoothFamily.kext in S/L/E

6. Reboot and voila.. You have Bluetooth 4.0


NEW INSTRUCTIONS FOR 10.9.2:
I posted new instructions and all the stuff you need for 10.9.2 pretty much vanilla install here
http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?39406-ASUS-G750JX-OSX-Mavericks-INSTALL-GUIDE/page20

[Caswyn]

Hey Boz,

Could you please post all your files for your current config?

Could you also give me your opinion on the best/cleanest way to boot Mavericks thats installed to its own SSD. My current config is Win8.1(SSD1), Mavericks(SSD2), and Data(SpinnerinOpticalBay).

I can boot into mavericks with USB but cannot for the life of me figure out a good way to boot without it. Ideally I want to be able to boot Win8.1 default with some bootloader option to choose Mavericks if I want or, or even hitting the boot menu and choosing Mav would be fine.

I have the same exact model G750jx as you.

Thanks!

[Kantm]

nevermind, i found it.

[Kantm]

Hi Boz, damn my bad luck, but let's try to squeeze out the best chance then.

I still can't open file NFS+ usb in windows. I installed Paragon HFS ... but nothing change, what did you say you used again?

Update: well, i got stuck again, at here:

Pthread support aborts when sync kernel primitives misused.

So far what i've done:
- Create usb installer with Unibeast, the installer used is from an unknown sources 10.9.2 in a random mac 10.8.5 (the file released on feb 2014, so it should be 10.9.2, as my best guess) - so i used the patched mach_kernel 10.9.2 found on this topic.
- show invisible file, replaced mach_kernel, didnt invisiblize it back.
- rename original Extra folder, replaced with download one from your link.
- deleted original invisible NVDA kext, replaced with provided.
- boot from usb - got so hyped because there are graphics UI, not just DOS interface like last time.
- incidentally pressed enter when prompted "press anykey to show boot option"
- chose "Boot Verbose" or something like that and crossed my fingers.
- stuck at Pthread.
- 2nd try: didn't touch anything, got on a silver-ish background with apple logo. stuck.
- 3rd try: try some flag -v , stuck at Pthread again.
- Gave up.
- replaced the mach_kernel to 10.9.3 you provided (yes, all the time i downloaded was without the at the end. my retard, my appologize)
- Same stuck, with Boot Verbose, it got 2 more line than the last time, now to this:
Waiting on dict ID = 0 IOProviderClass /key string id=1 IOResources /string key IORerouc
......
.... should i download a new installer, and start again with it?

[Caswyn]

When you are "stuck" how long are you waiting? My install will "stick" during the logo/spinning screen and sit there for a few minutes, then the next screen will come up. I'd advice waiting longer, I personally havent seen it just freeze, normally on error it will kernel panic or reboot.

[Bozzified]

In your BIOS you need to have following settings

go to ADVANCED and disable VT-d
go to BOOT and disable Fast Boot
Underneath Fast Boot, enable Launch CSM
You should now see a new option: Launch PXE OpROM policy. Enable this option. This allows your computer to boot via Legacy BIOS not UEFI.
Secure Boot should be OFF or Other OS (can't remember right now)
USB needs to be set at Legacy USB Enabled/USB 3 needs to be set at XHCI Smart Auto or something liek that..

Try with that.

[gazzacbr]

Hi,
sorry to sound like an old record here, but does anyone have a list of dsdt/ssdt fixes needed for screen brightness?
do i need a modified efi string also?
its the only thing i need to work to have a great setup
thanks

[Bozzified]

gazzacbr wrote:
Hi,
sorry to sound like an old record here, but does anyone have a list of dsdt/ssdt fixes needed for screen brightness?
do i need a modified efi string also?
its the only thing i need to work to have a great setup
thanks

EFI string / Plist not working for you?

Look at a few pages back I posted a DSDT with brightness fix without the need for EFI String.

[gazzacbr]

Bozzified wrote:
EFI string / Plist not working for you?

Look at a few pages back I posted a DSDT with brightness fix without the need for EFI String.

Hi,
yes, i saw that one but it loads and nothing changes.
our systems are not exactly the same.
no options in the settings>display
wouldn't it be dependant on the location of my graphics card (internal display port)?
i know that you don't get a brightness option if mavericks thinks the display is external.

[Bozzified]

gazzacbr wrote:
Hi,
yes, i saw that one but it loads and nothing changes.
our systems are not exactly the same.
no options in the settings>display
wouldn't it be dependant on the location of my graphics card (internal display port)?
i know that you don't get a brightness option if mavericks thinks the display is external.

Oh yeah.. this is why it's not working for you.. it Display A/B/C etc have their own designations.. you will only get brightness control on the LDVS (internal display).. since your display is being recognized as external no brightness control is active and power management doesn't work.

Just fyi, I lose brightness control when I plug in display port 30" display as well.. I mean I can see the control slider in System Preferences but it doesn't work because of the additional monitor.

You will need to play with connector type/display-cfg/NVCAP .. your primary display needs to be LVDS one and it seems to be using DP/eDP one..

Do this for me.. create a Linux / Ubuntu live USB stick so you can boot into it.

There are some tools in Linux that will tell you exactly what output ports are identified, what is the default one etc.. we want to see how your output ports are set.

When you boot into Linux go to terminal and run this command

sudo lshw -C display; xrandr >> graphinfo.txt

And this

sudo xrandr --verbose >> xrandrinfo.txt

Take both files and attach them for me.

Also send me your current ioReg and dsdt and efi string if you are using one.

[Caswyn]

I guess I am blind, where in this post is anyone finding the brightness files, or a clover config?

Bozz referred to a thread a few pages back that has these files, I cant for life of me find it, can anyone provide a post #?


Thanks