P7H55M-LX :: Installation

[osx151212]

Hello,

Mojave can be installed on a computer with following configuration:

Mainboard: P7H55M-LX
BIOS: 0406
CPU: i3-540
RAM: 4GB
HDD: Seagate 1TB
Graphics: Nvidia GTX 650 TI (works OOB, supports metal)
Audio: build in (require kext -- see attachment)
NIC: build in (require kext -- see attachment)

WARRNING!!!
Mojave installation has some challenges and this document is intended to 'make life easier'. A conclusion has been drawn that the issues are related to BIOS initialization of internal devices (USB and SATA controllers).

Issue #1:
On cold boot USB keyboard works to get access into BIOS but does not work in Clover bootloader.

Solution #1:
Press reset button and USB keyboard will work in Clover bootloader (probably USB initialization routine in BIOS can be related to issue #1)

Issue #2:
Reboot does not work and boot system waits for root device (still waiting for root device -- probably SATA re-initialization routine in BIOS can be related to issue #2).

Solution #2:
You need to shutdown the computer and then power on it once more (Shutdown -> Power on -> Reset -> Clover bootloader).

INSTALLATION:
There are a few possible variation of installation: USB drive installation, HDD drive installation. USB drive installation is more suitable for installation of Mojave on a computer which does not have any OSX installed yet. HDD drive installation is more suitable for a system with previous version OSX installed already -- it is a little bit faster.  

USB drive installation: 
Prepare USB drive (8GB  will be sufficient) by formatting in 'Disk tool' with GPT partition (this process creates EFI partition of 200MB in size).

Use 'Apple Store' to download 'Mojave' installation application. Copy installation application to USB drive with following command (/Volumes/UNTITLED represents your USB drive)

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/UNTITLED --nointeraction

Now install Clover bootloader in USB drive and copy /usr/standalone/i386/apfs.efi to EFI/CLOVER/driver64UEFI directory to support APFS (Apple File System).

Power off the system -> Power on -> Reset -> Select USB drive as boot device -> Clover -> Install Mojave

Proceed with installation, you will be asked if you want to partition HDD or install Mojave. Once you make your choice, the installation process will copy files on the HDD (takes around 7 minutes) then the system will get rebooted.

IMPORTANT!!!
As reboot does not work properly you have to power off the system and then power on it again, get into Clover bootloader. This time proceed with installation from HDD (takes around 40-45 minutes) then system will get rebooted once more.

IMPORTANT!!!
You have to power off the system, power it on again, get into Clover and continue installation from HDD and you have to add options '-v -x -f' to boot successfully (otherwise the system will not boot due precompiled kernel). You will be asked to configure network access, make some settings and create a user account. Once you logged in, you will need to regenerate precompiled kernel to successfully boot afterward. Launch terminal and issue following commands

sudo -s -H

touch /System/Library/Extensions
touch /Library/Extensions
kextcache -Boot -U /

last command will take some time to be executed, now you can 'shutdown' (reboot does not work) and power on the system once more -- this time you should boot successfully. To avoid using USB drive to boot the system all the time you must install Clover bootloader into HDD (select ESP to install into EFI partition) and you need to add kexts for NIC and Audio chip into EFI partition.

NOTE:
Please see the structure of kexts in zip file to see a proper location to copy them.

Also do not forget to copy /usr/standalone/i386/apfs.efi to EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI directory. Now arrived a 'moment of truth' to shutdown (reboot does not work) and boot newly installed system.

HDD Installation:
'Disk tool' in Mac OSX allows to re-partition HDD what can be used to our advantage. In 'Disk Tool' if HDD space allows shrink last partition to hold Mojave installation. Once you done with re-partitioning of HDD you can install Mojave in newly created partition.

NOTE:
This approach can be used to prepare HDD for a computer which does not have any OSX preinstalled. In 'Disk Tool' format HDD into GPT, shrink partition by 8GB to allocate new partition 'Install' for Mojave installation application. Then use following command to copy Mojave installation application into 'Install partition'

 sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Install --nointeraction

Install Clover bootloader into installation disk (select install into ESP), copy apfs.efi to EFI partition, copy kexts in proper location in EFI partition. Now shutdown the system, disconnect HDD and pass it to your client -- he has everything to install Mojave on his own (refer him/her to this instruction if he/she will make installation on a computer with P7H55M-LX mainboard).

NOTE:
This instruction was created as a reminder about 'reboot' issue with P7H55M-LX mainboard which can cause a grief during installation of update into the system.
I spent many hours yesterday after installing Mojave update 10.14.1 as I forgot that I need to power off the system to avoid 'waiting for root device' issue.

Yours,
osx151212


 

Edited November 16, 2018 by osx151212