Asus N550JK Hackintosh

A collection of all resources needed to run macOS on an Asus N550JK

Specifications

• Processor: Intel i7 4710HQ
• Integrated Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics 4600
• Dedicated Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
• Ethernet: Realtek 8111G
• Audio: Realtek ALC668
• Memory: 16 GB
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless N 7260
• Touchpad: Elan

Overview

This is more of a compilation of information and configs from various repositories and forums than a place where real development happens. This repository should contain everything needed to get macOS up and running on your specific Asus N550JK configuration.

Current Status

• Intel® HD Graphics 4600
• HDMI Output
• Mini Display Port Output (Not tested)
• Internal Speakers
• Internal Microphone
• Combo Jack Headphones
• Combo Jack Microphone
• HDMI Audio Output
• Mini DisplayPort Audio Output (Not tested)
• Sleep and Wake also with lid
• Touchpad with gestures
• Keyboard with backlight
• F1 Sleep key
• F3 and F4 Backlight keys
• F5 and F6 Brightness keys
• F9 Touchpad key
• F10, F11 and F12 Audio keys
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
• Ethernet
• Webcam
• Touchscreen
• All Sensors
• Battery
• NVRAM
• macOS Recovery
• Card Reader
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M (Disabled)

Installation

Follow this guide if you have never set up a Hackintosh before.

USB Creation

To start you need a USB flash drive with at least 16 GB of available storage. Then you can follow this section from dortania's guide to create your bootable USB.

Configuring EFI

Download latest release EFI to get the base EFI folder as well as all additional kexts and patches. If your hardware differs with mine you should modify EFI folder for your exact hardware configuration. If you don't know how to do that you should probably learn more about hackintoshing. you can read Dortania's OpenCore Install Guide for start. Once everything is configured properly, copy the folder into the EFI partition you have mounted in the previous step.

Before Installation

BIOS Setting

• Advanced:
  • Wake On Lid Open [ENABLED]
  • Intel Virtualization Technology [ENABLED]
  • Intel AES-NI [ENABLED]
  • VT-d [DISABLED]
  • SATA Configuration:
    • SATA mode selection [AHCI]
  • Graphics configuration:
    • DMVT Pre-Allocated [64M]
  • USB Configuration:
    • Legacy USB Support [ENABLED]
    • XHCI Pre-Boot Mode [ENABLED]
• Boot:
  • Launch PXE OpROM policy [DISABLED]

Warning: The following step is completely optional and a little risky. Also you'll need Windows in order to apply it.

• In order to get full screen boot resolution, you must replace CsmVideo with HermitCsmVideo developed by Hermit Crab Labs. for this purpose just follow below steps:
  1. Download latest release BIOS to get base requirements. At this point you can just open N550JKAS.208-modified.rom with AMI Firmware Update (AFU) for Aptio 4, Flash it to your ROM, and skip next steps. But we highly recommend to follow next steps and modify your own BIOS.
  2. Extract your current BIOS by opening AMI Firmware Update (AFU). for Aptio 4 and pressing Save.
  3. Open extracted [BIOS].rom from previous step using UEFITool.
  4. Search for CsmVideo and replace the body with HermitCsmVideo.fbd and save.
  5. Open the new [BIOS].rom file with AMI Firmware Update (AFU) for Aptio 4 and Flash it to your ROM.

OpenCore Setting

1. Rename config.plist to config-backup.plist.
2. Rename install-config.plist to config.plist.

Installation Process

After having created the installer USB flash drive, you are ready to install macOS on your laptop. Then you can follow this section from dortania's guide to install your macOS.

After Installation

Congratulations! You have successfully booted and installed macOS. At this point, you just need to follow next final steps to complete your installation.

BIOS Setting

For fixing CFG lock follow this section from dortania's guide.

Root Patching

Open OpenCore Legacy Patcher, then from main menu select Post-Install Root Patch > Start Root Patching.

OpenCore Setting

1. Rename config-backup.plist to config.plist.
2. Rename config.plist to install-config.plist.

Wi-Fi Setting

Download and install HeliPort which is Intel Wi-Fi client for itlwm.

Updating masOS

• Before every macOS update, switch the config files like the OpenCore Setting step before installation.
• After every masOS update apply the Root Patching again and switch the config files like OpenCore Setting step after installation.

Issues

Audio

Combo Jack is buggy. External microphone is detected, but by default it isn't active and also not auto switchable. So you need to select it manually in System Preferences and replug it to make it work! I've tried 3, 20, 27, 28 for layout-id but 29 was the best. Then I thought that there is something wrong with AppleHDA patching and tried to use this guide and add a custom codec to AppleALC, but that made no difference. I also tried to modify ALCPlugFix, ComboJack and CodecCommander for ALC668 but none of them seems to be worked.

Card Reader

Card Reader is not detected. I've tried Sinetek-rtsx, but no luck. Maybe try this later.

Dedicated Graphics

Will never work because of Nvidia Optimus and Apple completely dropped Nvidia support beginning with Mojave. Thus it's completely disabled to save power.

Acknowledgements

• Apple for macOS and Xcode
• Acidanthera for OpenCorePkg, Lilu, AppleALC, VirtualSMC, VoodooPS2, WhateverGreen, CPUFriend, BlueToolFixup, FeatureUnlock, NVMeFix, AMFIPass and MaciASL
• Pike R. Alpha, onemanOSX and Acidanthera for CPUFriendDataProvider
• VoodooI2C Team for VoodooI2C
• dortania for OpenCore Install Guide and OpenCore Legacy Patcher
• OpenIntelWireless for AthBluetoothFirmware, itlwm and HeliPort
• Hiep Bao Le for AsusSMC
• Laura Müller for RealtekRTL8111
• ami for AMI Firmware Update (AMU)
• LongSoft for UEFITool
• CorpNewt for ProperTree
• headzake for Hackintool
• fatcatsoftware for Plist Edit Pro
• mackie100projects for OpenCore Configurator
• Hermit Crab Labs for HermitCsmVideo