[GUIDE] Dell Inspiron 15R SE 7520 with macOS Sierra

[doixanh]

This follows my previous guide for El Capitan.

 

0. What works and does not

Works

- CPU power management

- QE/CI on Integrated Intel HD 4000

- Keyboard/Trackpad

- HDMI and LVDS output

- Audio: Headphone, speaker, HDMI.

- Ethernet

- Camera

- Battery info

- Bluetooth

- USB

 

Does NOT work

- Internal Wifi. Workaround: USB wifi or replace your internal wifi with a supported mPCI-e card.

- Sleep: does not work with an USB wifi. Workaround: Replace your internal wifi with a supported card.

- VGA out. Workaround: Use an « active » HDMI to VGA adapter. I use this way to connecting my laptop to projectors.

- Discrete AMD GPU

- Card reader. Workaround: Use an external USB card reader.

 

 

1. Specs

My Dell Inspiron 15R SE has the following specs:

- Intel Core i7 3632QM with Intel HD Graphic 4000

- 8GB + 4GB RAM (12GB total)

- 128GB Samsung EVO SSD + 1TB HDD

- AMD Radeon 7730M, won't be used by any Hackintosh build

- Full HD 15.4" screen

 

2. Requirements

- A Dell 7520, of course

- An USB Stick, minimum 8GB. Any 8GB should work.

- A pair of USB Mouse / Keyboard during the installation and fixes (you can use your built in keyboard and touchpad later)

- An existing Hackintosh (or a real Mac, if you have any ) If you don't, I suggest to start from lower versions (or use Hackintosh Zone Yosemite distro as your base, follow my previous short guide)

- Downloaded «Install macOS Sierra» from App Store.

- A GPT-partitioned hard drive. This is required since El Capitan (and was not the case with Yosemite).

- A 20GB (minimum) partition as the target.

- MacPwn

 

3. Create USB Install. For full guide please see here

- Boot your existing Hackintosh or real Mac.

- First you need to be sure that you have downloaded the app «Install macOS Sierra» from App Store.

- Use Disk Utilities to partition your USB stick with 1 partition in GPT mode, and choose «OS X Extended (Journaled)» as partition type. Note: don't use any space in label of your disk.

- Run MacPwn.

- Press Continue. Then Continue and Continue. Agree the license agreement. Change Install Location, then Install to Specific Disk and choose your USB stick. Click Customize to choose your desired boot loader. I prefer Chameleon. Finally, Install.

- Be patient. It's quite slow.

- Reboot after finishing creating you USB for installation.

 

4. Install

- During boot, press F12 to have boot list. Choose your USB to start. Use 'IntelCapriFB=4' to boot the installation.

- It should boot directly to the installation UI. Choose language.

- On top menu, select Utilities and Disk Utility.

- Format your target partition as OS X Extended (Journaled).

- Exit Disk utility.

- Select Install, choose your newly formatted partition. Follow the instruction. Wait for a while (in my case I waited around 10 minutes).

- It will restart your computer as soon as it finishes the file copy.

- You still need to boot from USB. Hit F12 during boot to show boot list. Choose your USB to start. Use 'IntelCapriFB=4', select your installed partition and press Enter.

- You will be able to see user creation. Follow the instructions on screen. When you get to your desktop, welcome to macOS Sierra!

 

5. Fix boot loader

Clover is a nice bootloader for macOS Sierra. Get latest version from Sourceforge, install it into ESP, choose boot0ss while installing.

 

6. Device fixes

6.1. Built-in trackpad and keyboard

Download EMlyDinEsH's Smart Touchpad kext, version 4.6.5 and install it with any kext utility. Don't forget to remove any ApplePS2 kext in your /System/Library/Extensions

6.2. Intel HD 4000 for HDMI output

- I've successfully finished patching AppleIntelFramebufferCapri to support both LVDS and HDMI at the same time. Delete /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIntelFramebufferCapri.kext and use the attached one instead

- Note: add (or change) IntelCapriFB=3 in your Clover's config.plist.

6.3. Audio

VoodooHDA works for me. I use version 2.8.8. Simply download it and install it with your Kext utility.

6.4. CPU Power Management

Works fine with macOS Sierra (official version) as long as you use ssdtPRGen.sh as instructed here

6.5. Ethernet

Simply install this KingMaker's Realtek RTL8111-8168 kext with any of your kext utility and reboot, you will have ethernet working!

6.6. Screen Brightness and Disable AMD GPU

Use provided SSDT/DSDT to fix screen brightness and to disable the discrete AMD 7730M GPU for better power consumption.

6.7. Battery info

By default you will not be able to see Battery info. Install RehabMan's ACPI Battery Driver will fix this.

6.8. Wifi

The integrated wifi doesn't work. At all. I used an external wifi dongle TP Link WN725N (v2) for Internet access. After that I replaced the internal wifi with a Atheros AR5B29 and it works natively

[lipemegale]

Hello,

 

I own a Inspiron 7520 (i5-3230m; 6GB RAM; 750GB HDD). The only thing left for me to have a "fully" functional Hacintosh is video acceleration. Even after using the provided DSDT/SSDT patches, I still couldn't disable the AMD GPU, nor get brightness control. When I go on "About this Mac" I am presented with an information stating my computer has only 7MB for video.

 

I use 10.12 with Clover boot manager. Flags for boot are dart=0 IntelCapriFB=3

[doixanh]

Hi lipemegale,  

 

Try use this attached clover's config.plist and the kext.

 

Hope it helps.

config.plist.zip

AppleIntelFramebufferCapri.kext.zip

[infobat]

This is an excellent resource, thank you so much! I intend on following your instructions shortly. I plan to go through with the Hackintosh installation in two or so weeks when I have more time than right now. I have three questions:

 

1. 

 

6.8. Wifi
The integrated wifi doesn't work. At all. I used an external wifi dongle TP Link WN725N (v2) for Internet access. After that I replaced the internal wifi with a Atheros AR5B29 and it works natively

 

I was recently given an Inspiron 5520. Specs are almost identical to yours; the only difference I notice is that it doesn't have the dedicated AMD graphics card. It only has Intel HD Graphics 4000. Not a problem, since, as you mentioned, the AMD graphics doesn't even work.

 

Can you add a link to the specific card you picked up? I've searched for the Atheros AR5B29 online but can't find an actual unit to buy. Does the Atheros AR5B29 adapter also have a Bluetooth radio? Here's some context to this question:

 

Although it has been a while since my last project, this won't be my first Hackintosh. I had a couple USBs lying around with previous installations of Mac OS X, so I tried to boot into a Mavericks stick I had just to see if the project was worth pursuing. It booted better than expected, but essentially nothing but the display and Bluetooth worked. (I had to use a USB keyboard and an Apple Trackpad connected via Bluetooth as the built-in keyboard and trackpad weren't working). The reason I'm bringing this up is because it seems that Bluetooth works natively with whatever adapter is in the computer. 

 

I'm currently running on Windows 10. In my Device Manager, it looks like I have drivers for the Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2230. According to the spec chart, this adapter has a built-in Bluetooth 4.0 radio as well. Am I incorrect in thinking that both the Bluetooth and WiFi radios are on the same chip? Or are they separate? I'm only concerned that if I swap the adapter with a supported WiFi chip (such as the one you mentioned), I may lose Bluetooth if the replacement chip doesn't have both radios. 

 

2. What kext utility did you use? I've used ##### in the past.

 

Edit: looks like it's a bad thing to have used Tony's tool, mul*ibeast.

 

3. Lastly:

 

 5. Fix boot loader

Clover is a nice bootloader for macOS Sierra. Get latest version from Sourceforge, install it into ESP, choose boot0ss while installing.

 

Can you expand on this? How do I install it to the ESP and how do I choose boot0ss while installing? 

 

Thanks.

[doixanh]

Hi infobat,

 

Sorry for the very late reply. Again I rarely get back to insanelymac when I have a good Hackintosh running.

 

...I was recently given an Inspiron 5520. Specs are almost identical to yours; the only difference I notice is that it doesn't have the dedicated AMD graphics card. It only has Intel HD Graphics 4000. Not a problem, since, as you mentioned, the AMD graphics doesn't even work.

 

Can you add a link to the specific card you picked up? I've searched for the Atheros AR5B29 online but can't find an actual unit to buy. Does the Atheros AR5B29 adapter also have a Bluetooth radio? Here's some context to this question:

It's a modified version of Atheros 9285 (check attachment). You can have a list of compatibility cards here. There is no bluetooth at all, anyway. I don't use bluetooth so that doesn't matter much.

 

... According to the spec chart, this adapter has a built-in Bluetooth 4.0 radio as well. Am I incorrect in thinking that both the Bluetooth and WiFi radios are on the same chip? Or are they separate? I'm only concerned that if I swap the adapter with a supported WiFi chip (such as the one you mentioned), I may lose Bluetooth if the replacement chip doesn't have both radios.

My original wifi card also include bluetooth. When I replaced the wifi card, I lost bluetooth as well. Cards with bluetooth are generally more expensive than the ones without.

 

2. What kext utility did you use? I've used ##### in the past.

 

I use k*xtbeast or kext utility. Both work without any problem.

 

 

Can you expand on this? How do I install it to the ESP and how do I choose boot0ss while installing?

There's a button "Customize" before you press the install button. There are plenty of options for you

[Selwus]

Yo mah man Doixanh. First of all thank you for your guide it's awsome, well written. 
I got a question i follow it and everything works out perfectly until i install the system bcs i can not connect any pendrive or cd i tried installing el capitan as well same problem, how am i suppose to install bootloader or connect to internet via ethernet without running any program?
Is ther any solution? Maybe I can somhow keep these necessary files with mac os pendrive bcs when mac os boot up for the first time it's detected. 
Thx in advace for the answer 

[Calrez]

Hello! 
I ve succesfully installed os but i have the famous boot zero issue. I tried to use some sudo dd lines but i got error that it is not recognaized, what can I do?
Thx in advance 

[doixanh]

@Selwus: what do you mean by "until I install the system"?

 

@Calrez: are you on Clover?

[Selwus]

selwus&calrez is the same- me, i ve just logged in with facebook once and twitter the 2nd time, i havent realised i made 2 accounts, one could be deleted if that is a problem, anyway 
so calrez post is a progress to seluws 
yeah i am on clover, i mean i instaled it after booting up mac for the 1st time, I can boot with usb stick anytime I want, but bootloader doesnt want to load up, i've tried using some flags in terminal, but they do jack {censored}, I think problem may be with the fact that i have one hhd and windows on it already 

all i see after seting hdd as booting option is error 

[doixanh]

Did you make a separate EFI partition?

 

I suggest you install Clover to that EFI partition (using the option «install to ESP» during clover installation)

[Selwus]

i got the clover installer from your el capitan guide and while installing i just choose the partition where mac os was installed, so You' re saying that am I should choose a specific folder?
I only hackintoshed my pc before and used mutlibeast for instalation of the bootloader and for el capitan clover just worked- i was just following a guide for upgrade.  

[doixanh]

If you do the repartitioning of your whole hard disk using the installation USB, you would have had an "EFI" partition. Check with ```diskutil list```

 

During clover install, there's a customize button. Tick "install to ESP" and boot0ss.

 

And boot without UEFI... Disable it in BIOS. It always s*cks.

[Selwus]

ok i will try it, but not right now i'm busy with uni and exams i will let u now if i get it up and running 

[nicurda]

Hi Doixanh,

 

First of all, thanks for your comprehensive guides.

I got everything working except for video acceleration.

 

Here's what I have found after troubleshooting my setup for a while:

 

- In all cases, I need to de-select the "Inject Intel..." section in Clover. Otherwise it won't boot.

- Booting with dart=0 nv_disable=1 USBBusFix=Yes IntelCapriFB=4 works fine, but no acceleration

- Installing Carpi Kext in S/L/E worked, but no acceleration using the boot options above (not even using IntelCapriFB=3)

- Installed config.plist you attached previously, but I can't even boot with the arguments you have there.

- Generated SSDT based on your Power Management section and still the same.

 

How can I tell if the Capri kext is being correctly loaded?

 

I agree this information may not be enough to troubleshoot my case so let me know if you want me to post anything else and I'll do it.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers!

 

Nicurda

[doixanh]

Hi Nicurda,

 

"IntelCapriFB=4" is supposed to be used with Chamaleon / Enoch only. There's a setting in Clover's config.plist for that.

 

You can use my patched Capri kext along with this one in your plist:

		<key>ig-platform-id</key>
		<string>0x01660003</string>

OR, use this with the stock kext and there will be no HDMI output (but should work with your LVDS screen)

		<key>ig-platform-id</key>
		<string>0x01660004</string>

[nicurda]

Thanks, doixanh.

 

I think the culprit is in my config.plist... I can't seem to find the right configuration for my setup.

The one in the USB installation media is the one that works best. Others I've tried give me kernel panics, no acceleration or power management / performance issues.

 

I tried the config.plist in your Sierra tutorial but still couldn't get it right.

Can you share with me your current config.plist and any other required files? Since our setup is pretty much the same (at least regarding CPU, PM, video card), this could help me get it up and running in one shot.

Thanks!

[doixanh]

Nicurda,

 

I attach my current config.plist and the capri kext.

Also, if it may concern, I'm using Clover v3320.

 

Best wishes,

AppleIntelFramebufferCapri.kext.zip

config.plist.current.zip

[nicurda]

Thanks, doixanh.

In any case, I see our config.plist files are identical 

 

I guess I need to do some more troubleshooting (will check my Clover version, reinstall your Capri kext, etc).

I appreciate your help.

Thanks again!

[doixanh]

 Nicurda,

 

In the worst case, if you can't resolve your problem, I suggest you do a complete clean (i.e. erase your whole disk), install macOS on a single partition, and install Clover v3320 on the ESP partition. Drop the modified kext (my post above) in /S/L/E, use my clover plist (also my post above).

 

If it still doesn't work, try with my SSDT/DSDT (available in my El Capitan guide).

 

Best wishes,

[nicurda]

Hey doixanh,

 

I think I found the issue... the problem was not the Capri kext or the clover plist.

What I was missing was copying the rest of the kexts from the clover folder in my USB installation media to /EFI/Clover/...

After doing that, everything worked like a charm.

Thanks for your help!

 

Nicurda

[doixanh]

Nicurda,

 

That's a good news

 

Anyway, I have updated to 10.12.4 and got a very small glitch. I have to update the Intel Backlight kext in order to make it work. AppleHDA also needs to be removed as usual.

 

Bests,

[nicurda]

I thought I had upgraded to 10.12.4 with no issues... until you mentioned the backlight kext is not working

I've fixed it and everything's back to normal.

Thanks for the heads-up!

[doixanh]

I lost brightness again with 10.12.5 update. Using the RehabMan-IntelBacklight-2017-0226.zip does not fix it. I tried removing AppleBacklight*.kext but still did not work.

Checking with Clover r4061...


/edit. Nope, still doesn't work.

/edit2. I'm following this guide, hope that it will work.

 

/edit3. I managed to fix it it with the above guide:

- Put AppleBacklightInjector.kext in to /L/E (important!)

- Turn off AddPNLF in clover config (important!)

- Put the built SSDT PNLF into clover/ACPI/patched

- Remove IntelBacklight.kext

SSDT-PNLF.aml.zip

AppleBacklightInjector.kext.zip

[omnitrio]

Hi

I am using 01660004 frame but hdmi not working

What patch i need to use in clover that i can use 01660003 frame?

 

And i don't wont to use patched kext in system...

[dzfacts]

My laptop doenst power off completely, just did the native power management guide, and it didnt solve it. Any tip?