Intel NUC Hackintosh
Hackintosh Intel NUC8 (Intel BOXNUC8I5BEH i5-8259U) with OpenCore running macOS Monterey (12.1) [Credit: GitHub/zearp]
By reeddit user YeboMate
Hello all~ Thought I'd post my success here. I have done a Hackintosh before but that was about 5 years ago with Clover and that was rather cumbersome trying to get macOS installed and then get iServices working etc... I have to say, this time around with OpenCore, it seems a lot simpler, but at the same time I did stumble across a very good guide that was specifically for the Intel NUC so this could be why it was a lot simpler this time.
I will break down this post with:
* My specs (coupled with some photos) * What I used (guides, software, hardware, etc) * Installation Process * Post-Install Debrief (what's working, what's not working, etc)
Contents |
My Specs
CPU: Intel Core i5 Quad-Core 2.3Ghz (i5-8259U)GPU: Only have iGPU (Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655 that comes with CPU), no dGPU
RAM: 1 x Crucial 32GB (CT32G4SFD8266), just ordered another stick of 32GB of the same model. But at the time of writing this, I only have 1 stick in. Motherboard/Laptop Make and Model: Intel NUC8 Barebone kit (BOXNUC8I5BEH), not entirely sure the model of the Motherboard
Audio Codec: Not sure...
Storage: 1 x NVMExpress (Western Digital WDS500G2B0C), 1 x SATA (Samsung SSD 750 EVO 500GB) but not formatted/used as this is still in NTFS (from when my NUC was a Windows machine)
Ethernet Card: Onboard Ethernet (Intel I219V6 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet)
BT Card: Onboard Bluetooth (Can't find model)
Wifi Card: Onboard Wifi - Firmware Version: itlwm: 2.1.0 fw: 34.3125811985.0 (Can't find model)
Photos of my build:
https://preview.redd.it/fyk7y6433u981.png?width=4032&format=png&auto=webp&s=18debb10dbb6031db5601f358c78b6adbf3a558e https://preview.redd.it/p2jl6h843u981.png?width=599&format=png&auto=webp&s=dbf0fc0ee19f3d55a16e5ac6e59fb7a524eb0011
What I used
Guide/Sites
All guides/sites mentioned here will also be mentioned in the Installation Process so there's context as to when I use them.
* Hackintosh: https://github.com/zearp/Nucintosh (Credit goes to zearp, without this guide... I would not have attempted Hackintosh with OpenCore) * Create Bootable USB in macOS: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372 * Download macOS Monterey: https://mrmacintosh.com/macos-12-monterey-full-installer-database-download-directly-from-apple/
Note: This is because my MacBook Air 2013 does not support macOS Monterey so I could not download macOS Monterey from the AppStore. This site allows you to download macOS Monterey as a package (.pkg). Once the package is downloaded I ran this on my MacBook Air 2013 and macOS Monterey showed up in the Applications folder (just like how it would work when you download the OS from the AppStore)
Hardware/Software
- MacBook Air 2013
- To create macOS Monterey bootable USB
Run GenSMBIOS (via Terminal) which generates serials needed to get iServices working
- Windows 11 (or 10) machine; Notepad++ to edit config.plist in the EFI (EFI downloaded from Guide) but not essential if you are able to edit the config.plist file in another macOS or Linux https://notepad-plus-plus.org
Installation Process
I will now lay out the exact process I went to get this Hackintosh to work. Some steps may seem redundant for you or inefficient, and this would have been due to the hardware I have (e.g. MacBook Air 2013 doesn't support macOS Monterey) or my lack of knowledge 😊.
Process:
Read through https://github.com/zearp/Nucintosh thoroughly and search online for any terms/steps that may seem slightly confusing. Purpose here is not to understand everything but to get a general understanding of what that step is meant to achieve.
Create a Bootable macOS Monterey USB
Got my old MacBook Air 2013 > Visited the AppStore > Searched for macOS Monterey
Found that the MacBook Air 2013 is not supported so I cannot download it
Found https://mrmacintosh.com/macos-12-monterey-full-installer-database-download-directly-from-apple/
where I can download macOS Monterey (I could not find an .ISO version of macOS Monterey)
Download the "InstallAssistant.pkg" for macOS Monterey Final Full Installer version 12.1
Run the InstallAssistant.pkg on MacBook Air 2013 once downloaded > You then should see 'Install macOS Monterey' in the Application folder
Insert 32GB USB (I think 16GB may be sufficient... not entirely sure, I just had a 32GB one lying around) to MacBook Air 2013
Format your USB with Disk Utility AND MAKE SURE IT IS FORMATTED IN GUID PARTITION SCHEME otherwise your USB will not have an EFI folder and you need this.
Follow https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372 to create a Bootable USB for macOS Monterey (i.e. run: sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/[NameOfUSB])
Now you have a Bootable USB for macOS Monterey!
On my Windows device, download the EFI folder from the Guide https://github.com/zearp/Nucintosh
> Installation > 3rd Dot Point Within the EFI folder find config.plist (EFI > EFI > OC > config.plist) Open/edit config.plist with Notepad++ (https://notepad-plus-plus.org ) Leave config.plist open Use the MacBook Air 2013 and generate SMBIOS using GenSMBIOS Install GenSMBIOS using this guide: https://github.com/corpnewt/GenSMBIOS Open Terminal on the MacBook Air 2013 Type: git clone https://github.com/corpnewt/GenSMBIOS Type: cd GenSMBIOS Type: chmod +x GenSMBIOS.command Note: chmod command is not available on Windows, hence why I didn't do this on a Windows device. Type: ./GenSMBIOS.command With GenSMBIOS running in Terminal Select "1. Install/Update MacSerial" Select "3. Generate SMBIOS" Entered "Macmini8,1" Note: Macmini8,1 seem to suit Intel NUCs well and is the SMBIOS used in this entire guide. Note, the EFI downloaded form the guide had some pre-set values suited for Macmini8,1. More info on picking the SMBIOS can be found here: https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Install-Guide/extras/smbios-support.html#how-to-decide Note down the Serial, Board Serial, and SmUUID (I didn't bother with the Apple ROM). Back to the Windows device where config.plist is open Search for "PlatformInfo" (e.g. <key>PlatformInfo</key>) Within PlatformInfo, you should find the following corresponding keys MLB, ROM, SystemSerialNumber, SystemUUID Populate each key with the serial generated by GenSMBIOS except for the ROM, for example: <key>MLB</key> <string>Board serial from GenSMBIOS</string> MLB = Board Serial ROM = MAC address of the Ethernet port of the Hackintosh Note: I used the Ethernet port's MAC address even though I am connecting using the Wifi. SystemSerialNumber = Serial SystemUUID = SmUUID Save the config.plist file Since this is all done on the Windows device, I transferred the EFI folder (which now has the amended config.plist file) to the MacBook Air 2013. What we want to do now is to put this EFI folder in the USB's EFI drive Insert your Bootable USB that has macOS Monterey on it Mount the EFI drive of your Bootable USB Open Terminal on MacBook Air 2013 Type: diskutil list This will list all disks (and their partitions) Find your Bootable USB/disk, it should be something like "/dev/disk2 (external, physical)" Note the identifier for your Bootable USB's EFI partition (e.g. disk2s1) Type: sudo diskutil mount [identifier] (e.g. sudo diskutil mount disk2s1) You should then see the EFI on your desktop Note: If not, go to Finder > Preference > Tick everything under "Show these items on the desktop" Copy EFI folder into that drive The hierarchy should be: EFI (the partition, what you see on your desktop) -- EFI (this is the folder from the Guide, which now also has the tweaked config.plist file) -- -- Boot -- -- OC -- -- -- etc... Then that's it, your Bootable USB is now ready for the Intel NUC. Plug the Bootable USB into the Intel NUC8 Note: From this point on, I used a wired keyboard and mouse on the Intel NUC) Start the Intel NUC > Go into BIOS In the BIOS, tweak the settings mentioned in the First Dot Point under Installation in the Guide (https://github.com/zearp/Nucintosh ) such as Devices > USB > Port Charging Mode: Off, etc... Save BIOS settings, exit BIOS and boot into your Bootable USB This should take you to the "OpenCore Picker" Select the option to Clear NVRAM Then go ahead and install macOS! Once installed, don't forget to copy the EFI folder from the Bootable USB to the EFI partition of your newly installed Hackintosh. Use the same method via Terminal > diskutil mentioned above to mount both EFI partitions (Bootable USB and your Hackintosh) and then just copy the EFI folder on the same 'level'. What I mean by this is... open both EFI partitions... and click and drag. Don't go into any other folders. Your Hackintosh EFI hierarchy now should be something like: EFI (the partition, what you see on your desktop) -- EFI (this is the folder copied over form the USB, which now also has the tweaked config.plist file) -- -- Apple -- -- Boot -- -- OC -- -- -- etc...
Installation of macOS is fairly straight forward, it's the standard macOS installation. If anything you might have to format your main drive so it's in a format Apple can use (if you had a Windows device on there it would probably be in NTFS).
The installation process for me worked with no issues. I was even able to use the Intel NUC8's built-in Wifi to connect to my router and signed in to my iCloud account.
During installation, the screen may turn off for a bit. That's normal so don't panic. The whole installation probably took an hour or so... so sit back and relax.
Once installed and logged in, everything seem to have worked, no hiccups... I then went back to the Guide (https://github.com/zearp/Nucintosh ) and ran the final commands in Terminal as stated under Post Install in the guide:
sudo pmset standby 0 sudo pmset autopoweroff 0 sudo pmset proximitywake 0 sudo pmset powernap 0 sudo pmset tcpkeepalive 0 sudo pmset womp 0 sudo pmset hibernatemode 0
Then that's it!
Post-Install Debrief
Okay, so after all that... iServices (like iMessage) just worked. Like I was surprised how 'out of the box' this guide was! I've been using this Intel NUC for about 2 days with no major issues. I'm using this as my work device for when I'm Working From Home.
What's sort-of working...
Sleep works as well, though waking up from sleep is a bit wonky (I can't just shake my mouse and wake up the Hackintosh, I need to turn my Mouse off, and turn it back on to Bluetooth and then it works) and this is primarily because of the build-in Bluetooth that I'm using and having my Keyboard and Mouse connected via Bluetooth. It is known that, the Intel NUC8 onboard Bluetooth will work, but not so great when using that to wake the Hackintosh. So if I had wired Keyboard/Mouse (or even used the provided Dongle of the Keyboard/Mouse) I probably won't have this issue.
What I thought was not working... but it was just me being slightly silly 😄...
iMessage is working but then I realised I was not getting text messages (as in SMS, you know... the green bubble instead of the blue ones). A quick online search led me to realise, it's because I need to state on my iPhone > Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding > Select Mac mini.
After doing that, I'm getting text messages now too. So this was not a Hackintosh thing, but more... I forgot I had to do this. This would be the same if you were to buy a new Mac.
What's not working...
There are only 2 things so far that I have found that is not working:
- AirDrop/AirPlaying to my HomePod
On my Hackintosh, I can see my iPhone when I try to AirDrop but when I select my iPhone, nothing happens... On my iPhone I can't see the Hackintosh when trying to AirDrop. With AirPlaying to my HomePod (let's say via the Apple Music app) when I select my HomePod nothing happens.
I suspect these two are related and it's probably related to when I tweaked the config.plist file, I used my Ethernet's MAC address as the ROM instead of my Wifi's MAC address. Because I'm currently connected via Wifi and not Ethernet. So I plan to test this by connecting via Ethernet one day (my Router isn't exactly close-by) and if using Ethernet makes my AirDrop work, I might tweak my config.plist
- DRM Content
So this is a known issue and it seems like you will not be able to watch DRM content with Safari and some apps like Apple TV app. This does mean I am unable to access any content within Apple TV+ app and also Netflix using Safari (you'll get an error code of S7706). The Netflix issue is easy to work around... just watch Netflix using Chrome or Edge browser and that's fine. I'm not sure if there's a work around for Apple TV+ content though. As highlighted in the this post-install page (https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Post-Install/) for OpenCore: "DRM is broken for iGPU-only systems" which this Intel NUC is... so, no way around it for now it seems...
Wrap up
Here's a useful page for post-installs with OpenCore: https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Post-Install/
