/Hackintosh-NUC9I7QNX-OpenCore

⚠️ This repository is not maintained anymore, I don't own a NUC9I7QNX anymore.

Hackintosh NUC9I7QNX OpenCore

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I love Mac OS and I use it for years. I could buy a Mac Mini M1, but I wont buy an unrepairable and unupgradable desktop computer. I expect durable computers, as much as I can.

About

System Specification

  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-9750H Processor (6 cores, 12 MB Cache, 2.6 GHz to 4.50 GHz)
  • Network: Built-in Intel i210 (the bottom one) Built-in Intel i219-LM (the top one)
  • Wifi/BT: Broadcom BCM94360CS2 🔧 + Built-in Intel AX200
  • Audio: Built-in Realtek ALC256
  • Graphics: Sapphire Pulse RX 570 4GB ITX + Built-in Intel UHD Graphics 630 2048 MB
  • Thunderbolt: Built-in Intel JHL7540
  • Memory: G.Skill RIPJAWS 2x16 GB 2666 MHz DDR4
  • Main Hard Disk: NVMe Samsung EVO 970 500 GB
  • Secondary Hard Disk: M.2 Sata Sandisk 500GB

OpenCore

  • Version: 0.7.8
  • Generate SMBios using Macmini8,1 type and add to config.plist > PlatformInfo > Generic

Bios Settings

  • BIOS Version: QXCFL579
  • First, restore default BIOS config: F9 - Optimal Defaults

Configuration

  • Advanced
    • USB > Legacy USB Support: Enabled
  • Security
    • Security Features > Intel Platform Trust Technology: Unchecked
    • Security Features > Intel Software Guard Extension (SGX): Disabled
    • Security Features > Thunderbold Security Level: Legacy mode
  • Boot
    • Secure Boot > Secure Boot: Disabled
    • boot Priority > Fast Boot: Unchecked
    • boot Priority > Network Boot: Disabled
    • boot Priority > Ethernet1 Boot: Unchecked
    • boot Priority > Ethernet2 Boot: Unchecked

Install

Due to USB error on Big Sur 11.3+ and image of 11.2 hard to find, a clean installation has to be done from Catalina using EFI_INSTALL. Once installed, upgrade to Big Sur 11.3+ and use EFI.

Don't forget to add the serial number etc in both config.plist files.

Hardware

  • GPU acceleration: built-in Intel UHD 630
  • GPU acceleration: RX 570 (out of the box)
  • Ethernet ⚡
  • Audio (Front Panel Headphone)
  • Audio (Rear Panel Headphone)
  • USB A ports
  • SD card slot
  • NVMe SSD
  • Wifi ⚡
  • Bluetooth ⚡
  • USB C ports
  • Airpods Pro (battery level/noise reduction mode switch)
  • CPU power management (tested using Intel Power Gadget)

Software

  • Installer, App Store, App updates
  • Update MacOS directly from Apple
  • APFS, SSD TRIM
  • iMessage, iCloud, Siri, iTunes, other services
  • Handoff, Continuity, Universal Clipboard: built-in Intel AX200
  • Handoff, Continuity, Universal Clipboard: Broadcom BCM94360CS2
  • Metal, GPU accelerated applications: built-in Intel UHD 630
  • Metal, GPU accelerated applications: Sapphire Pulse RX 570
  • Time Machine
  • Sleep mode
  • Shutdown/Sleep/Wake
  • Schedule Start up or Wake
  • Screenshare (VNC)
  • Wake On Screenshare

🔧 Add Broadcom BCM94360CS2 wifi card

The idea was to plug the wifi card on a M.2 slot and use built-in wifi card antenna with the new one. Hardware problem for the antenna: built-in cables are MMCX male and BCM94360CS2 are MHF4 (IPEX-4) female. The easiest way to have it running is to get antennas

Hardware needed

Bios setting

To prevent any trouble, you should disable built-in wifi:

  • Advanced
    • Onboard Devices > WLAN: uncheck

⚡ Errors and other

  • Built-in wifi connect on 5Ghz network but does not uses ac protocol:
    Wifi
  • Speedtest:
    Speedtest

⚡ MacOS Monterey 12.2

  • i210 ethernet (the bottom one) does not work, SmallTree causes kernel panic on Monterey (issue here)
  • Broadcom BCM94360CS2 does not work: wifi card is listed in hardware but cannot be enabled

⚡ MacOS Big Sur 11.3

  • No USB after update, to fix it:
    • Enable config.plist > Kernel > Add > USBInjectAll kext
    • Disable config.plist > Kernel > Add > USBMap kext
    • Disable config.plist > Kernel > Quirks > XhciPortLimit

Not tested Hardware

  • Audio (Microphone, Toslink)
  • HDMI/DP audio
  • Video encoder/decoder hardware
  • Multiple displays
  • Thunderbolt 3 port
  • Secure Boot (with High Security)

Not tested Software

  • FileVault2
  • SIP, Gate Keeper, all OSX security features

OS Version Tested

Here is my install/update history, the upper one is the latest:

  • [update] MacOS Monterey 12.3.1 (21E258)
  • [update] MacOS Monterey 12.2.1 (21D62)
  • [install] MacOS Catalina 10.15.7 (19H15)
  • [update] MacOS Big Sur 11.4 (20F71)
  • [update] MacOS Big Sur 11.3 (20E232)
  • [install] MacOS Big Sur 11.2.3 (20D91)

Tools

Kexts

Resources