Lenovo ThinkPad T420 with UEFI Only

[tluck]

@goodguess - if the laptop has an nvidia/optimus card the external ports may be connected to the that unused gfx card vs intel HD3000 

and yes 10.11.5 is straightforward upgrade. just download the combo update from the app store. 

[goodguess]

I see, did not look into the T420s specs, my bad.

 

I´ll give 10.11.5 a go then, as your T420 seems to run it already.

Thanks for confirming!

 

EDIT: Done. Everything looks fine so far!

[niceguy82]

@niceguy82 - well the shutdown/reboot thing could be a USB3 issue? can you disable usb3 and test? i recall this chipset is renaisas/NEC ? i.e. not intel or fresno logic. right?

yes in Windows it is shown as renaisas USB 3 eXteneble Hostcontroller.

You mean disable it in BIOS right?

 

Edit:

disabled in bios and now it shutsdown.

 

Is there a chance to fix that USB Driver Problem?

 

Ps The Display Port dose also not ork in Windows 10 only when I enable the NVS Card in BIOS.

So i think it works only with the NVIDIA chip ?

[Somez]

He Guys!

 

I just noticed that creating/modifying a Numbers document in iCloud Drive on my T420 does not shown on my iPhone. It will only get shown when I create a document on my iPhone and that somehow triggers the sync. This looks to be a one way communication issue to me. I see similar behavior with iMessage. I receive all messages on my T420 but only occasionally can send them. Most of the time I just get "message not delivered" error.

 

How should I start solving this problem?

Thanks.

[trifero]

He Guys!

 

I just noticed that creating/modifying a Numbers document in iCloud Drive on my T420 does not shown on my iPhone. It will only get shown when I create a document on my iPhone and that somehow triggers the sync. This looks to be a one way communication issue to me. I see similar behavior with iMessage. I receive all messages on my T420 but only occasionally can send them. Most of the time I just get "message not delivered" error.

 

How should I start solving this problem?

Thanks.

Weird. I have no issues about it.

[ulyjunk]

Does anyone here able to install 10.11.x with W520. I tried multiple times, i can't even past the installation setup. Using tluck instructions with T420.

 

Thanks!

[plympton]

Probably because of the nvidia graphics, if you can disable it and just use the igpu you'll have better luck.

[vusun123]

 

Does anyone here able to install 10.11.x with W520. I tried multiple times, i can't even past the installation setup. Using tluck instructions with T420.

 

Thanks!

 

I did successfully though, have to use Mac Pro 3,1 and InjectNvidia=True

[downlord]

Very good guide. Thank you again, managed to install 10.11.5 on my t420, now I have a dual boot with 10.9, just to move things over.

 

Two questions: in 10.11 the fan doesn't seem to throttle up or down, running at about 3530 RPM, even at Idle @48 ˚C, the CPU is stepping correctly.

I'm getting 10% (measured) performance loss in 10.11.5.

 

Any thoughts?

[tluck]

@downlord

 

FAN - seems consistent with lots of other folks - with just the LCD, my box will run at 2000 RPM - but with dual display or mild activity jumps it to 3500-3600RPM. there is some ways to step the fan to lower speeds if search through the thread.

 

Perf - interesting. it has been about 2 years since i looked at this. but i ran geekbench3 and with the Clover generated SSDT compared to one created by pikes SSDT generation tool.

 

well the single CPU results for the Clover generated SSDT ran 5% slower with the dual core speed about the same. 

 

the numbers were 2325/5052 for Clover generate SSDT vs 2441/5059 for custom SSDT.aml (averaged for 6 runs each) - the geekbench3 is calibrated to be 2500 for the i5-2520m proc - which is what i have. so not bad. just a few percent off theory.

 

so you could try creating a custom SSDT with the script provided. El Capitan runs a little bit faster than Yosemite for me. 

[tluck]

I updated the zip with minor changes

 

26-May-2016 Update

• Updated to Clover r3546
• Updated Ethernet Kext to latest rev 2.1.0
• Updated DisplayOverride files to add full HD (1920x1080) option for 1600x900 screens.
• Updated theme plist file (removes F1:help text from lower left corner)

here are the changed files:

 

T420/:System:Library:Displays:Contents:Resources:Overrides/DisplayVendorID-30e4/DisplayProductID-2e2
T420/:System:Library:Displays:Contents:Resources:Overrides/DisplayVendorID-6af/DisplayProductID-213e
T420/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.efi
T420/EFI/CLOVER/CLOVERX64.efi
T420/EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI/FSInject-64.efi
T420/EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI/OsxAptioFix2Drv-64.efi
T420/EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI/OsxAptioFixDrv-64.efi.NotUsed
T420/EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI/OsxFatBinaryDrv-64.efi
T420/EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI/VBoxHfs-64.efi
T420/EFI/CLOVER/kexts/Other/IntelMausiEthernet.kext/Contents/Info.plist
T420/EFI/CLOVER/kexts/Other/IntelMausiEthernet.kext/Contents/MacOS/IntelMausiEthernet
T420/EFI/CLOVER/themes/ThinkPad/theme.plist
T420/EFI/CLOVER/tools/bdmesg.efi

[downlord]

@ tluck

Thank you for the fast reply.

Meanwhile I updated the Clover version and Geekbench3 and run again the performance tests. Finally I got results consistent with your findings

(proc being i5-2520m, 16GB Ram, 10.9 on a Samsung SSD, 10.11 on a Crucial MSata SSD, both internal):

Geekbench 3.4.1, Clover 3420, average score of 5 runs, 64 Bit test:

10.9.5,   Clover SSDT: 2419 (Single Proc) 5079 (Multi proc)

10.11.5, Clover SSDT: 2362 (Single Proc) 5448 (Multi proc)

10.11.5,  Pikes  SSDT: 2377 (Single Proc) 5418 (Multi proc)

 

So yes, you're right, El Capitan 10.11.5 delivers better Multi proc and slight worse single proc performance, differences between Clover SSDT and Pikes tool generated SSDT remaining

negligible.

 

Startup times (From Clover Boot menu to Login screen):

10.9.5,  14 Seconds

10.11.5, 15 Seconds

 

Good work.

 

For FAN setting I will investigate further, I'm getting 3530 RPM also when using just internal LCD

(maybe a cleaning of the fan/heatsink assembly could help).

[jenyunhuang]

@ tluck

 

Thank you for the fast reply.

 

Meanwhile I updated the Clover version and Geekbench3 and run again the performance tests. Finally I got results consistent with your findings

(proc being i5-2520m, 16GB Ram, 10.9 on a Samsung SSD, 10.11 on a Crucial MSata SSD, both internal):

 

Geekbench 3.4.1, Clover 3420, average score of 5 runs, 64 Bit test:

10.9.5,   Clover SSDT: 2419 (Single Proc) 5079 (Multi proc)

10.11.5, Clover SSDT: 2362 (Single Proc) 5448 (Multi proc)

10.11.5,  Pikes  SSDT: 2377 (Single Proc) 5418 (Multi proc)

 

So yes, you're right, El Capitan 10.11.5 delivers better Multi proc and slight worse single proc performance, differences between Clover SSDT and Pikes tool generated SSDT remaining

negligible.

 

Startup times (From Clover Boot menu to Login screen):

10.9.5,  14 Seconds

10.11.5, 15 Seconds

 

Good work.

 

For FAN setting I will investigate further, I'm getting 3530 RPM also when using just internal LCD

(maybe a cleaning of the fan/heatsink assembly could help).

Hi @downlord

The fan speed control, you can use the thread.

 

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/285678-lenovo-thinkpad-t420-with-uefi-only/?p=2222311

[Papa Joe]

Awesome work! I tried it on Lenovo ThinkPad X220.

How could I remove some kexts from the created bootable USB Flash drive, so when the USB drive boots - they shouldn't load.
 

I replaced the wi-fi card with this one:
https://wikidevi.com/wiki/AzureWave_AW-CE123H

I have to remove IO80211Family.kext/Contents/Plugins/AppleAirPortBrcm43224.kext otherwise a "kernel panic" happens.
I've done it with the installed El Capitan, so the wi-fi card works great, but I cannot find the place of kexts on the install bootable media.
 

Thanks!

[downlord]

Hi @downlord

The fan speed control, you can use the thread.

 

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/285678-lenovo-thinkpad-t420-with-uefi-only/?p=2222311

 Thank you for pointing me at that, it actually works, if you're not afraid of dsdt patching.

And I can confirm that RehabMans modded acpipoller.kext does the trick, without hwmonitor.

 

@mikaelr Great finding, you're right, the dsdt.dsl in the zip doesn't compile well.

 

System runs fast, cool and silent now.

[jenyunhuang]

 Thank you for pointing me at that, it actually works, if you're not afraid of dsdt patching.

And I can confirm that RehabMans modded acpipoller.kext does the trick, without hwmonitor.

 

@mikaelr Great finding, you're right, the dsdt.dsl in the zip doesn't compile well.

 

System runs fast, cool and silent now.

Yes, I know, it can work. Thank @mikaelr.

I had used the DSDT path to change for my fan-temp profile.

And add the Blue ThinkVantage change to user fan profile or bios default or highest speed.

[rainar]

Help! Cannot see my Mac partition again in the Clover boot up screen.

It was normally used a few days ago. But today I found the Mac partition is gone when I powered on my T420.

 

Pls check the attached Clover screen of my T420.

 

My hardware:

T420 (4180-AK1)

CPU: I5-2430M

RAM: 8GB+4GB

Graphic Card: HD3000

HDD: Sungsong 840EVO 256GB

Mother board BIOS version: 1.37

 

Software:

Clover version: 3420

OS version: OS X El Capitan 10.11.3

 

Any help would be apreciated! Thank you.

 

 

config.plist:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>ACPI</key>
    <dict>
        <key>DSDT</key>
        <dict>
            <key>Debug</key>
            <false/>
            <key>DropOEM_DSM</key>
            <dict>
                <key>ATI</key>
                <false/>
                <key>Firewire</key>
                <false/>
                <key>HDA</key>
                <false/>
                <key>HDMI</key>
                <false/>
                <key>IDE</key>
                <false/>
                <key>IntelGFX</key>
                <false/>
                <key>LAN</key>
                <false/>
                <key>LPC</key>
                <false/>
                <key>NVidia</key>
                <false/>
                <key>SATA</key>
                <false/>
                <key>SmBUS</key>
                <false/>
                <key>USB</key>
                <false/>
                <key>WIFI</key>
                <false/>
            </dict>
            <key>Fixes</key>
            <dict>
                <key>AddDTGP_0001</key>
                <true/>
                <key>AddHDMI_8000000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>AddIMEI_80000</key>
                <false/>
                <key>AddMCHC_0008</key>
                <false/>
                <key>AddPNLF_1000000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>DeleteUnused_400000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FIX_ACST_4000000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FIX_ADP1_800000</key>
                <false/>
                <key>FIX_INTELGFX_100000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FIX_RTC_20000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FIX_S3D_2000000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FIX_TMR_40000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FIX_WAK_200000</key>
                <false/>
                <key>FakeLPC_0020</key>
                <false/>
                <key>FixAirport_4000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FixDarwin_0002</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FixDisplay_0100</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FixFirewire_0800</key>
                <false/>
                <key>FixHDA_8000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FixHPET_0010</key>
                <false/>
                <key>FixIDE_0200</key>
                <false/>
                <key>FixIPIC_0040</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FixLAN_2000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FixRegions_10000000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FixSATA_0400</key>
                <false/>
                <key>FixSBUS_0080</key>
                <true/>
                <key>FixShutdown_0004</key>
                <false/>
                <key>FixUSB_1000</key>
                <true/>
                <key>NewWay_80000000</key>
                <true/>
            </dict>
            <key>Name</key>
            <string>DSDT.aml</string>
        </dict>
        <key>DropTables</key>
        <array>
            <dict>
                <key>Signature</key>
                <string>SSDT</string>
                <key>TableId</key>
                <string>Cpu0Ist</string>
            </dict>
            <dict>
                <key>Signature</key>
                <string>SSDT</string>
                <key>TableId</key>
                <string>CpuPm</string>
            </dict>
            <dict>
                <key>Signature</key>
                <string>DMAR</string>
            </dict>
        </array>
        <key>ResetAddress</key>
        <string>0x0CF9</string>
        <key>ResetValue</key>
        <string>0x06</string>
        <key>SSDT</key>
        <dict>
            <key>Generate</key>
            <dict>
                <key>CStates</key>
                <true/>
                <key>PStates</key>
                <true/>
            </dict>
        </dict>
    </dict>
    <key>Boot</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Arguments</key>
        <string>slide=0 kext-dev-mode=1</string>
        <key>CustomLogo</key>
        <false/>
        <key>Debug</key>
        <false/>
        <key>DefaultVolume</key>
        <string>OSX</string>
        <key>Fast</key>
        <false/>
        <key>IgnoreNVRAMBoot</key>
        <false/>
        <key>NoEarlyProgress</key>
        <true/>
        <key>Timeout</key>
        <integer>5</integer>
        <key>UseAlternateLogo</key>
        <true/>
        <key>XMPDetection</key>
        <false/>
    </dict>
    <key>Devices</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Audio</key>
        <dict>
            <key>Inject</key>
            <string>12</string>
        </dict>
        <key>Inject</key>
        <false/>
        <key>USB</key>
        <dict>
            <key>AddClockID</key>
            <true/>
            <key>FixOwnership</key>
            <true/>
            <key>HighCurrent</key>
            <true/>
            <key>Inject</key>
            <false/>
        </dict>
        <key>UseIntelHDMI</key>
        <true/>
    </dict>
    <key>GUI</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Mouse</key>
        <dict>
            <key>DoubleClick</key>
            <integer>500</integer>
            <key>Enabled</key>
            <true/>
            <key>Speed</key>
            <integer>8</integer>
        </dict>
        <key>Scan</key>
        <dict>
            <key>Entries</key>
            <true/>
            <key>Legacy</key>
            <false/>
            <key>Linux</key>
            <false/>
            <key>Tool</key>
            <true/>
        </dict>
        <key>ScreenResolution</key>
        <string>1600x900</string>
        <key>Theme</key>
        <string>ThinkPad</string>
    </dict>
    <key>Graphics</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Comment</key>
        <string>LCD 1600x900</string>
        <key>CustomEDID</key>
        <data>
        AP///////wAw5OICAAAAAAEUAQOAHxF46jOFmVZVkScXUFQAAAABAQEBAQEB
        AQEBAQEBAQEBgCVAgGCEGjAwIDUANq4QAAAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
        AAAA/gBMZW5vdm8KICAgICAgAAAA/gAxNjAweDkwMAogICAgAKU=
        </data>
        <key>DualLink</key>
        <string>1</string>
        <key>Inject</key>
        <dict>
            <key>Intel</key>
            <true/>
        </dict>
        <key>InjectEDID</key>
        <true/>
    </dict>
    <key>KernelAndKextPatches</key>
    <dict>
        <key>AppleRTC</key>
        <true/>
        <key>AsusAICPUPM</key>
        <true/>
        <key>Debug</key>
        <false/>
        <key>KextsToPatch</key>
        <array>
            <dict>
                <key>Comment</key>
                <string>Boot graphics glitch, 10.10.x/10.11.x</string>
                <key>Find</key>
                <data>
                AQAAdRc=
                </data>
                <key>Name</key>
                <string>IOGraphicsFamily</string>
                <key>Replace</key>
                <data>
                AQAAdBc=
                </data>
            </dict>
            <dict>
                <key>Comment</key>
                <string>Logo Fix White</string>
                <key>Find</key>
                <data>
                hcB0a0g=
                </data>
                <key>Name</key>
                <string>IOGraphicsFamily</string>
                <key>Replace</key>
                <data>
                McB0W0g=
                </data>
            </dict>
            <dict>
                <key>Comment</key>
                <string>change AD198B for Conexant 20672</string>
                <key>Find</key>
                <data>
                ixnUEQ==
                </data>
                <key>Name</key>
                <string>AppleHDA</string>
                <key>Replace</key>
                <data>
                blDxFA==
                </data>
            </dict>
            <dict>
                <key>Comment</key>
                <string>Replace 4th port with VGA</string>
                <key>Find</key>
                <data>
                AQIEABAHAAAQBwAABQMAAAIAAAAwAAAAAgUAAAAEAAAH
                AAAAAwQAAAAEAAAJAAAABAYAAAAEAAAJAAAA
                </data>
                <key>Name</key>
                <string>AppleIntelSNBGraphicsFB</string>
                <key>Replace</key>
                <data>
                AQIEABITAAASEwAABQMAAAIAAAAwAAAAAgUAAAAEAAAH
                AAAAAwQAAAAEAAAJAAAABgIAABAAAAAJAAAA
                </data>
            </dict>
            <dict>
                <key>Comment</key>
                <string>TRIM for SSD</string>
                <key>Find</key>
                <data>
                QVBQTEUgU1NE
                </data>
                <key>Name</key>
                <string>IOAHCIBlockStorage</string>
                <key>Replace</key>
                <data>
                AAAAAAAAAAAA
                </data>
            </dict>
        </array>
    </dict>
    <key>RtVariables</key>
    <dict>
        <key>BooterConfig</key>
        <string>0x28</string>
        <key>CsrActiveConfig</key>
        <string>0x43</string>
    </dict>
    <key>SMBIOS</key>
    <dict>
        <key>BoardVersion</key>
        <string>MacBookPro8,1</string>
        <key>Mobile</key>
        <true/>
        <key>ProductName</key>
        <string>MacBookPro8,1</string>
        <key>Trust</key>
        <true/>
    </dict>
    <key>SystemParameters</key>
    <dict>
        <key>InjectKexts</key>
        <string>Detect</string>
        <key>InjectSystemID</key>
        <true/>
    </dict>
</dict>
</plist>

[tluck]

@rainar

well I see 2 volumes. The recovery volume and what is the other one -- looks like an OS partition?
Is your os volume called OSX as in your config.plist?

Your bios is old. Maybe Update to 1.46 ?

[rainar]

@rainar

 

well I see 2 volumes. The recovery volume and what is the other one -- looks like an OS partition?

Is your os volume called OSX as in your config.plist?

 

Your bios is old. Maybe Update to 1.46 ?

Hello tluck,

Thank you  for you reply!

The other one is "boot recovery from recovery HD".

 

Now I know what's wrong with my T420. I forgot to turn off the auto-update in the APP store. When the auto-update startup, I didn't check the update list. So I pressed Ok and the update started. And the OSX was updated to be 10.11.5. And I cannot find the OSX partition again after reboot.

But I don't know how to fix this issue. Can it be fixed by updating the Clover software?

 

Thanks again for helping.

[fakybaby]

Hi rainar,

 

have you accidentally switched on file vault for your system partition?

clover does not support file fault unfortunately.

 

fakybaby

 

 

Hello tluck,

Thank you  for you reply!

The other one is "boot recovery from recovery HD".

 

Now I know what's wrong with my T420. I forgot to turn off the auto-update in the APP store. When the auto-update startup, I didn't check the update list. So I pressed Ok and the update started. And the OSX was updated to be 10.11.5. And I cannot find the OSX partition again after reboot.

But I don't know how to fix this issue. Can it be fixed by updating the Clover software?

 

Thanks again for helping.

[tluck]

@rainer - i wonder if there is a logical volume on your HD. if you can boot up the recovery HD and then convert the logical partition to physical that might work. 

Updating the os from the app store works ok - something else went wrong at that time.
Updating the os from the app store works ok - something else went wrong at that time.

[mangyvr]

Hi:

 

I am using a T420 with a 1600x900 panel, and I just finished the instructions for installing and patching 10.11.  Initially, both the panel brightness control (using ScrLk/Pause and Fn+Home/End) worked.  However, after installing Clover and running the custom kext file, the screen now flickers when I turn the brightness settings down from max, and Fn+Home/End no longer work to control the brightness.  I noticed that the pointing stick no longer moves the mouse (and the associated buttons do not work).  These functions all seemed to work off a fresh install -- can anyone help me to figure out how to restore them?  Does it perhaps have something to do with IntelBacklight.kext?

[tluck]

@mangyvr -

 

well i wonder if the kexts are installed properly? i have seen graphics flickering if the HD 3000 is not fully running? do you have all these kext? you could try reinstalling the kexts with _kext_install script to make sure the caches are built properly. 

 

do you have the ESP/EFI folders on the HD set up just like from the USB installer? the DSDT sets FN Home/End key so you need that in place.

[ulyjunk]

Thanks to vusun23 and truck, I managed to installed Mac OS X 10.11.5 with my Lenovo W520. Everything works including, messenger and FaceTime.

 

Question have you manage to get the USB3 and SD card reader to work?

 

Thanks,

[mangyvr]

@mangyvr -

 

well i wonder if the kexts are installed properly? i have seen graphics flickering if the HD 3000 is not fully running? do you have all these kext? you could try reinstalling the kexts with _kext_install script to make sure the caches are built properly. 

 

do you have the ESP/EFI folders on the HD set up just like from the USB installer? the DSDT sets FN Home/End key so you need that in place.

 

I did, but I think I messed around too much with the kexts and screwed things up.  I reinstalled everything from scratch and now it's working pretty well.  Thank you for the guide!

 

Now the only thing I'm concerned with is I upgraded to the BIOS v1.48 and now apparently it's impossible to downgrade to 1.46.  I was thinking of replacing the WLAN adapter but this might have killed the chances of that.