This guide shows successfully running my iMac Pro 2018 Coffeelake/Z370 Customac Build with macOS Mojave. You can also System Update up to the newest one smoothly after finishing the installation.

This post constitutes a new macOS 10.14 Mojave Desktop Guide for Coffeelake/Z370, which certainly can still grow and improve by your estimated user feedback. This macOS 10.14 Mojave Desktop Guide based on the Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Gaming 7. However, also other Z370 mainboard models or 300series mainboards of other brands might be compatible with this guide after likely considering and implementing few mandatory modifications not accounted by this guide.

[Review] Intel i9-9900 X-Series + GA-X299 Designare EX+ Dual LG Ultrafine System in macOS Mojave

[Edited] 2019.04.28 – Gigabyte X299 Designare EX Mother Board with i9-9900X added 

[Edited] 2018.04.11 – The Guide edited to 10.14.4 official downloaded

[Edited] 2018.01.27 – The Guide edited to 10.14.3 official downloaded

[Edited] 2019.01.27 – Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra and Gigabyte Z390 Designare Mother boards’ EFI added as well

[Edited] 2019.01.12 – Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Master’s EFI added in this guide.

[Edited] 2018.12.22 – The Guide edited to 10.14.2 official downloaded

• Plus, I am working on Z390 Board (Z390 Aorus Master) to make everything is ok with it like Z370 Board.

[Edited] 2018.11.28 – Updated Version 10.14.2 beta using System Preferences and Titan Ridge Support!! in Bios F11

• Titan Ridge is now officially working well in Z370 Aorus Gaming 7 (F11) and other Gaming series.

[Edited] 2018.11.05 – Updated Version 10.14.1 using System Preferences

• I updated EFI folder
• Bios updated to F10, ready for intel 9th CPU
• I tested Gigabyte-Z390 (not Z370) Aorus Master with 8086K (8700K)
  • Working with current guide and GC-Alpine Ridge and GC-Titan Ridge are well compatible
  • Z370 and Z390 -> Alpine Ridge or Titan Ridge
  • Z390 -> Titan Ridge or Alpine Ridge

[Edited] 2018.10.25 – LG Ultrafine 5k sleep/awake issue fixed!HotPlug working perfect! See my »»»LG Ultrafine 5K guide.

[Edited] 2018.10.08 – Updated version 10.14.0

It is the logical continuation of my 10.13 iMac pro and iMac Z370 Build and Desktop Guides. Those guides have finalized since 10.13.6 final version was released and no more update would be. This Mojave guide depends on necessary modifications for later versions of Mojave until the final version will be released.

The i3 (4-core) was chosen as the Coffeelake/Z370 Configuration Model in order to minimize the guide development costs. It has been already replaced within the goal configuration by the i7-8700K (6 core). All other Coffeelake models are compatible with this guide as like my Coffeelake/Z370 System is up, fully stable and fully functional. And now I am using i7-8086K which has exactly the same structure of 8700K but better performance usually. Any other Coffeelake CPUs would be ok with this guide but need some SMBIOS change properly.

Before starting with all detailed instructions, please find a Hardware Overview that provides a buying idea for your own RIG addressed within this guide

A) Hardware Overview

• CPU: Intel Core i7-8086K Coffeelake 6-Core 4.0 GHz (5.0 GHz Turbo) LGA 1151 and working with 8700K as well.
• Motherboard: Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Gaming 7 (Ver.1.0)
• GPU: Sapphire Radeon RX Vega 64 8GB HBM2 HDMI / Triple DP Liquid Cooling PCI-E Graphics Card 21275-00-40G
• Ram Memory: 64GB G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series DDR4 16gb x 4ea, 3000mhz
• System Disks: Samsung 960 EVO NVME 500gb (macOS) + 950 PRO NVME 512gb (Windows 10)
• Power: Rosewill PHOTON Series 1050W Full Modular Gaming Power Supply
• Case: Deep Cool Quadstellar
• Mouse & Keyboard: Razer Mamba HYPERFLUX & FIREFLY HYPERFLUX BUNDLE and Apple Magic Keyboard
• Monitors: LG UltraFine 5K, LG 4K Cinema
• CPU Cooling System: NZXT Kraken X62 (RL-KRX62-02) Liquid Cooling
• Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) adaptor: GC-Alpine Ridge or GC-Titan Ridge (compatible with Z390 board, not Z370 but it could work without bios option and Hot Plug working with my SSDT) 

B) Gigabyte BIOS Configuration

1.) /M.I.T/Advanced Frequency Settings/
a.) Extreme Memory Profile: (X.M.P): Profile1

2.) /M.I.T/Advanced Frequency Settings/Advanced CPU Core Settings

a.) Active Cores Control: Auto
b.) Hyper-Threading Technology: Enabled
c.) Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0: Enabled
d.) Intel Speed Shift Technology: Enabled
e.) Enhanced Multi-Core Performance: Enabled/Disabled
f.) CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E): Enabled
g.) C6/C7 State Support: Enabled
h.) Package C State limit: C6
i.) CPU EIST Function: Enabled
j.) Energy Efficient Turbo: Disabled

3.) /M.I.T/Advanced Memory Settings/
a.) Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P): Profile1

4.) /BIOS/
a.) Boot Numlock State: Disabled/Enabled
b.) Security option: Setup
c.) Full-Screen Logo Show: Enabled
d.) Fast Boot: Disabled
e.) CSM Support: Disabled

5.) /BIOS/Secure Boot/
a.) Secure Boot Enable: Disabled

6.) /Peripheral/Thunderbolt Configuration/
a.) Security Level: No Security

7.) /Peripherals/USB Configuration/
a.) XHCI Hand-off: Enabled

8.) /Chipset/
a.) VT-d: Disabled
b.) Internal Graphics: Disabled (NOTE: If you are using IGPU only, you can use ‘Enabled’ option)

9.) /Power/
a.) Platform power management: Disabled

10.) F10 /Save& Exit/

C) iMac Pro macOS 10.14 Mojave System Setup

Below, one finds a detailed description of the Clean Install of macOS Mojave 10.14.0 – special iMacPro build. This also includes the iMacPro EFI-Folder Preparation as well as the iMac Pro macOS Mojave 10.14.0 Installer Package and iMac Pro macOS Mojave 10.14.0 USB Flash Drive Installer Creation. One also finds instructions for a direct iMac Pro conversion of a functional Coffeelake/Z370 system with SMBIOS System Definition different from iMacPro1,1 and a standard macOS build implementation, as well as for the subsequent iMac Pro macOS Mojave Update Procedure.

C.1) iMac Pro EFI-Folder Preparation

In order to successfully boot a macOS USB Flash Drive Installer or System Disk on a Customac system, both drives must be equipped with an EFI-Folder in their EFI partitions. In this section, we will prepare a fully equipped EFI-Folder with SMBIOS iMacPro1,1 System definition.

1.) Download and unzip my macOS Mojave EFI.zip to your Desktop.

2.) Open the config.plist in /EFI/Clover/ with the latest version of Clover Configurator, proceed to the “SMBIOS” Section and complete the SMBIOS iMacPro1,1 Serial Number, Board Serial Number, and SMUUID entries.

These details are mandatory to successfully run iMessage and FaceTime on your iMac Pro System. Note that all other iMacPro1,1 SMBIOS Details are already implemented in the config.plist

Press several times the “Generate New” Button next to serial number text field.

In the final step, open a terminal, enter repeatedly the command “uuidgen”, and copy the output value to the SMUUID field in the “SMBIOS” Section of the Clover Configurator. Or you can simply “Generate New” Button next to SMUUID text field.

Finally, save the modified config.plist.

You now have a fully equipped EFI-Folder.

C.2) iMac Pro macOS Mojave 10.14.4 – Installer package and a bootable USB Creation

To make the macOS Mojave 10.14.4  – Installer follow the individual steps below:

createInstaller.sh will automatically create on any macOS System the “Install Mojave.app” for macOS Mojave 10.14.4  in the /Applications folder.

Just download and unzip createInstaller.sh.zip and run the following terminal commands:

cd ~/Downloads
chmod +x createInstaller-10.14.4-SB.sh
./createInstaller-10.14.4-SB.sh

If you have troubles with the automated method, use below method:

1.) Open a terminal and create a “041-49229” directory on your Desktop. Subsequently, change to the newly created directory. All this can be done with the following terminal commands:

mkdir ~/Desktop/041-49229/
cd ~/Desktop/041-49229/

2.) Download the following files from the Apple server (public links) to your ~/Desktop/041-49229/ directory by a copy & paste of the following terminal commands:

curl https://swdist.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/041-49229.English.dist -o 041-49229.English.dist
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/InstallAssistantAuto.smd -o InstallAssistantAuto.smd
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/AppleDiagnostics.chunklist -o AppleDiagnostics.chunklist
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/AppleDiagnostics.dmg -o AppleDiagnostics.dmg
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/OSInstall.mpkg -o OSInstall.mpkg
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/BaseSystem.chunklist -o BaseSystem.chunklist
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/InstallESDDmg.chunklist  -o InstallESDDmg.chunklist
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/BaseSystem.dmg -o BaseSystem.dmg
curl https://swdist.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/RecoveryHDMetaDmg.pkm -o RecoveryHDMetaDmg.pkm
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/RecoveryHDMetaDmg.pkg -o RecoveryHDMetaDmg.pkg
curl https://swdist.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/InstallAssistantAuto.pkm -o InstallAssistantAuto.pkm
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/InstallAssistantAuto.pkg -o InstallAssistantAuto.pkg
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/InstallInfo.plist -o InstallInfo.plist
curl https://swdist.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/MajorOSInfo.pkm -o MajorOSInfo.pkm
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/MajorOSInfo.pkg -o MajorOSInfo.pkg
curl https://swdist.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/InstallESDDmg.pkm -o InstallESDDmg.pkm
curl http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/57/19/041-49229/2djabx33nlymwl0cfgagnk2ytst22y9byp/InstallESDDmg.pkg -o InstallESDDmg.pkg

3.) Create the installer.pkg on your Desktop with the following terminal command:

cd ..
productbuild --distribution ./041-49229/041-49229.English.dist --package-path ./041-49229/ installer.pkg

4.) Create the “Install MacOS Mojave” in the /Applications folder of your System Disk with the following terminal command:

sudo /usr/sbin/installer -pkg installer.pkg -target /

In case that you receive an error message, ignore the latter and proceed with 5.)

5.) Now add the following files to your “Install macOS Mojave.app” with the following terminal commands:

sudo cp ./041-49229/InstallESDDmg.pkg /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg
sudo cp ./041-49229/AppleDiagnostics.dmg /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/SharedSupport/
sudo cp ./041-49229/AppleDiagnostics.chunklist /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/SharedSupport/
sudo cp ./041-49229/BaseSystem.dmg /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/SharedSupport/
sudo cp ./041-49229/BaseSystem.chunklist /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/SharedSupport/

Verify your “Install Mojave.app” for completeness. You should now have a complete macOS Mojave Installer package in your /Applications Folder.

Follow the individual steps detailed below to successfully create a bootable iMac Pro macOS Mojave 10.14 USB Flash Drive Installer.

1.) Format a USB Flash Drive of your choice (source, named USB) with HFS+ [(Mac OS Extended (Journaled)] and a GUID partition table by means of Apple’s Disk Utility on any other Hackintosh or Mac of your choice. This will create an empty HFS+ Partition and a yet empty EFI-partition on your iMac Pro macOS USB Flash Drive Installer.

2.) With the macOS Mojave 10.14 Installer Package in your /Application Folder, connect your USB Flash Drive (named USB) and run the following terminal command:

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

3.) For successfully booting your iMac Pro macOS USB Flash Drive Installer, it must contain a valid EFI- Folder with an SMBIOS iMacPro1,1 system definition. Thus, copy the EFI-Folder you prepared in Section C.1) to the yet empty EFI Partition of your macOS USB Flash Drive Installer. Mount your USB’s EFI using Clover Configurator and Copy your EFI folder to the mounted USB’s EFI.

You now have a fully functional and bootable macOS Mojave 10.14 USB Flash Drive Installer.

C.3) iMac PromacOS Mojave 10.14 Clean Install

Follow the individual steps detailed below to successfully setup macOS Mojave 10.14 on a virgin system drive of your choice (NVMe, SSD or HDD).

1.) In order to perform a clean install of macOS Mojave 10.14, prepare a virgin NVMe, SDD or HDD destination drive for the iMac Pro macOS installation by formatting the drive with HFS+ [(Mac OS Extended (Journaled)] and a GUID partition table by means of Apple’s Disk Utility on any other Customac or Mac of your choice. This will create an empty HFS+ Partition and a yet empty EFI-partition on the drive.

You can skip 1.) and format your SSD during the installation screen in section 6.) using the Disk Utility option.

2.) Copy the EFI-Folder you prepared in Section C.1) to the yet empty EFI Partition just like you did it for your USB installer bootable.

3.) Now connect the Destination Drive to your Customac System and boot the latter with the plugged macOS Mojave 10.14 USB Flash Drive Installer, created in Section C.2)

4.) While booting your system, press the “F12” and Select to boot from your macOS USB Flash Drive Installer.

5.) Subsequently, click on the USB Flash Drive Installer Icon in the clover boot menu to boot the respective macOS Installer partition on your macOS USB Flash Drive Installer.

6.) After a successful boot, pass the individual steps of the macOS 10.14 Mojave installation menu and finally select the destination drive of your macOS 10.14 Mojave Installation, which should be logically the system disk you successfully configured above. In the next step, the Installer will create a macOS Mojave 10.14 Installer Partition on the system disk and subsequently reboot your system.

7.) During the system reboot, just press again the F8 button to enter the BIOS boot menu. Select again to boot from your USB Flash Drive. In contrary to 6.), click this time on the “Install MacOS..” icon in the clover boot screen to boot the newly created macOS Mojave 10.14 Installer Partition on your system disk.

8.) After the successful boot, you will enter now the macOS Mojave 10.14 Installer Screen with a progress bar starting at about 34 minutes.

9.) After another reboot, press “Del” button to enter the BIOS boot menu. Select to boot with your System Disk EFI-folder as primary and save/exit. Click on the “MacOS Mojave” icon on the clover boot screen to boot the new macOS Mojave partition of your system disk.

10.) After successful boot ignore the requested iCloud registration (You can do this after logged in) and you will have your first iMac Pro macOS Mojave 10.14 system.

D) Post Installation Process

There are not many things you should do if you are using my EFI.zip. However, there are couple things to do look nice and stable in your Customac.

D.1) System Overview CPU Cosmetics

Use below link to fix your CPU Cosmetics.

How to fix your unknown processor in About This Mac

D.2) Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Gaming 7 PCI Device Implementation (Optional guide for buyers only)

This is a totally optional guide to imply your PCI Devices’ information in your System profile using proper SSDTs.

SSDTs for Thunderbolt Hotplug fix and USB port limit patch are very convenient from the latter OS updates.

The more detail information is on the download page.

How to apply:

Drag any SSDT files you want to apply in EFI>Clover>ACPI>patched.

If you are using different slot number or change model name etc, use MaciASL tool.

Open SSDT file that you want to modify and replace the value and save it.

E) Benchmarking 

Dual displays – LG ultrafineDisplay 5K Display (TB3) + LG 4K Cinema Display (DP)

Geekbench CPU Benchmark: Coffeelake Intel i7-8086K (5.0GHz)

• Multi-Core Sore: 32295
• Single-Core Sore: 6718

Geekbench OpenGL and Luxmark OpenCL Benchmarks: 

• OpenGL Sore: 204177
• OpenCL Sore: 31124

Cinebench Benchmarks:

• OpenGL Sore: 167.83
• CPU Sore: 1643

Congratulations!

Now you have the most advanced macOS in coffeelake Desktop system.

If you have any questions, leave comments or e-mail to joe@climbjoe.tv

Last modified: May 6, 2020