HOW TO SOLVE: Animated static static sand when trying on Installation boot-loader screen "only" on CATALINA, BIG SUR, MONTEREY

[Jo-Toku]

So I can see a pattern problem when hackntoshing laptops with Radeon Graphics cards.

Things are usually ok on intel IGPUs, and that is the majority of the bulk of the community.

However laptops with dedicated AMD are more rare since the majority of laptops hav nvidia. And many of Radeon cards don't have mux switch or aren't models compatible with Mac Os

Obseveration:

All of the laptops with the compatible GPU's have the same exact problem. They can install up to Mojave with no problems at all. The list of laptops are below:

1. Acer Predator Helios 500: Ryzen 7 2700, Vega 56, B450 Motherboard


2. HP Omen 17: Intel 7700HQ, RX 580 8GB


3. Asus ROG Strix GL702zc: Ryzen 7 1700, RX 580 4GB, B350 Motherboard

All of this laptops successfully install up to Mojave, with full Graphics acceleration.

Problems started with CATALINA 10.15

All of the installation started when Apple released Catalina. All of these laptop listed above showed the same issue. The installer is fine up to Mojave. The Os'es having problems are listed below:

1. Catalina

2.Big Sur

3. Monterey

Every single one of the laptops had issues with the last 3 OS releases. The problem shows as animate static sand instead of the installer page. Technically they all reach the installer page, but it wont graphically the menu.

I have connected external monitors to no avail, it just shows the grey color installation backdrop.

My perspective

Clearly Apple made some sort of overhaul starting Catalina, which it would make sense since is the starting point to an only 64bit OS. What I do not understand is why the compatible cards like the RX580 and the Vega can not properly render the installer page, but it works fine on High Sierra and Mojave.

Currently all of them are on Mojave and they work great.

I know laptops with compatible Radeon cards are very minimal when compared to intel IGPUs which is what most use for Hackintosh. But if anyone have some experience to solve this issue to solve the rendering issue on the installation page would be super

 

[xpkiller]

@Edhawk, I did some test runs again with Nootedred.kext. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way either. When booting it looks like it's moving forward, but it ends in * In Memory Panic Stackshot - Succeeded * But I can't change the VRAM to 1GB in the BIOS either. No option. So everything goes back to how it was last. Now it's time to keep looking and be patient.

 

[Edhawk]

For the BIOS VRAM changes use Smokeless UMAF.

GitHub - DavidS95/Smokeless_UMAF

Contribute to DavidS95/Smokeless_UMAF development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

With this tool you can access and modify AMD PBS/AMD CBS Menu and possibly AMD Overclocking without flashing, and by just booting from a USB drive.

This tool can be used from a USB before you try to boot with your macOS installer.

 

[xpkiller]

@Edhawk, But that's dangerous, I could destroy the entire bios! No, I'd rather not do that, my knowledge isn't enough for that. I've already undone everything. Nootedred is probably not right for me after all. Is there no other solution?

 

[Edhawk]

No, I have used this AMD BIOS Tool on a couple of systems, as has @craighazan.

You will only be changing the VRAM option, nothing else and that sure as hell won't bugger up your system. As it won't let you set more than half the RAM available to the system.

Don't be tempted to change anything else, simple single change and no risk. Just remember to save the change when you exit the Tool.

 

[Edhawk]

If you are using an AMD IGPU then NootedRed is the ONLY solution available.

If you add an AMD discrete GPU to your system you have the option to use WhateverGreen.kext, works with most AMD dGPUs.

If you add an AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, or other unsupported AMD GPU as I have in one of my AMD hacks, then you need to use NootRX.kext, again no other option for using an unsupported dGPU in macOS.

 

[xpkiller]

@Edhawk, All right, I'll take the plunge, but I need some help. I do not want to do anything wrong. I created a USB stick with UniversalAMDFormBrowser and can boot from it. The menu shows "Device Manager" click, then comes Device List "AMD CBS" click, then "AMD CBS" when I select now, does it jump to the original BIOS? I don't know what to do next?

 

[Jo-Toku]

If you are using an AMD IGPU then NootedRed is the ONLY solution available.

If you add an AMD discrete GPU to your system you have the option to use WhateverGreen.kext, works with most AMD dGPUs.

If you add an AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, or other unsupported AMD GPU as I have in one of my AMD hacks, then you need to use NootRX.kext, again no other option for using an unsupported dGPU in macOS.

There is no IGPU on his CPU, the 1700 Ryzen

 

[Jo-Toku]

If you are using an AMD IGPU then NootedRed is the ONLY solution available.

If you add an AMD discrete GPU to your system you have the option to use WhateverGreen.kext, works with most AMD dGPUs.

If you add an AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, or other unsupported AMD GPU as I have in one of my AMD hacks, then you need to use NootRX.kext, again no other option for using an unsupported dGPU in macOS.

How can you add a 6700xt to a laptop with the RX580?

 

[xpkiller]

@Edhawk, The selection marked in green is missing for me and is not displayed at all?




But I think I've made a lot of progress with all the settings we've made so far. Apart from a few small adjustments (Bluetooth, Lan and touchpad), everything seems to be working as it seems. I connected another TV with HDMI and then made a few clicks with the USB mouse in the install menu. Now you can even load and possibly install Sonoma, which wasn't the case before my settings, so Monterey was over. I'm just wondering why the complete menu runs when it's loaded via HDMI and it's snowing on the display? Unfortunately, in the USB BIOS I am missing the corresponding menus to make the necessary settings? I don't know if this will work at some point? Let's see what time brings?

 

[Edhawk]

Have you checked the 'PCI Sub-System Settings' options? Your bios setup may be different to the one used in the set of instructions you posted. That wouldn't be totally unexpected. So don't assume that the only place the VRAM settings can be found is the location shown in the instruction sheet you posted.

What the F**K are you doing changing the 'Memory Interleaving' options? I know for a fact I said not to change anything else in the Bios, other than the VRAM settings! Change it back!

IOMMU should be left as Auto or set as Disabled, it should not be set as Enabled.

 

[xpkiller]

@Edhawk, Don't worry, I didn't change anything in the BIOS, even if it looks like it in the pictures. I will be careful.
If I have to change something, I'll wait until you tell me what to do!
No, I didn't look in the PCI sub-system settings, I'll do it immediately.

I don't think anything needs to be changed here, right?

 

[Jo-Toku]

@Edhawk, Don't worry, I didn't change anything in the BIOS, even if it looks like it in the pictures. I will be careful.
If I have to change something, I'll wait until you tell me what to do!
No, I didn't look in the PCI sub-system settings, I'll do it immediately.
View attachment 13669 View attachment 13670
I don't think anything needs to be changed here, right?

Do you have a drop down menu with options like 512, 2 meg etc...?

 

[xpkiller]

@Edhawk, The selection marked in green is missing for me and is not displayed at all?

View attachment 13665View attachment 13666View attachment 13667View attachment 13668

View attachment 13664
But I think I've made a lot of progress with all the settings we've made so far. Apart from a few small adjustments (Bluetooth, Lan and touchpad), everything seems to be working as it seems. I connected another TV with HDMI and then made a few clicks with the USB mouse in the install menu. Now you can even load and possibly install Sonoma, which wasn't the case before my settings, so Monterey was over. I'm just wondering why the complete menu runs when it's loaded via HDMI and it's snowing on the display? Unfortunately, in the USB BIOS I am missing the corresponding menus to make the necessary settings? I don't know if this will work at some point? Let's see what time brings?

No, unfortunately not, some settings are not displayed. This is also missing, see picture above View attachment 13664

 

[Jo-Toku]

No, unfortunately not, some settings are not displayed. This is also missing, see picture above View attachment 13664

Hum, that's strange

 

[xpkiller]

There is no software option to do this?
With a special kext, ssdt-xx.aml or with frame buffer entries in the
Device Properties / PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x3,0x1)/Pci(0x0,0x0) / Key, Data Type, Value?
I'm looking for something like this?

 

[Edhawk]

I don't think anything needs to be changed here, right?

No you don't have to change the Above 4G Decoding option. Not if you have the npci=0x3000 boot argument in your config.plist.

If you don't have the npci=0x3000 boot arg in your config, then you should enable Above 4g Decoding.

It is one or the other, never enable above 4g Decoding and have the npci=0x3000 boot argument present at the same time, as that will cause the system to kernel panic.

 

[xpkiller]

@Edhawk, I once started this with the setting: npci=0x3000 and nootedred.kext, then I get a kernel panic?

 

[Edhawk]

Kernel Panic image shows an issue with NootedRed.kext.

Check to see if a new release is available, as there have been a number releases for the kext over the past week.

 

[xpkiller]

Kernel Panic image shows an issue with NootedRed.kext.

Check to see if a new release is available, as there have been a number releases for the kext over the past week.

@Edhawk, I loaded the latest NootedRed.kext again and inserted it.
The same problem? I tried it with Sonoma, Ventura Monterey and Big Sir. Same error for everyone.
I made a text scan of the ERROR SCREEN and attached it as a text file, so you can read it better
SERVER ERROR- Unfortunately I can't post an attachment?

 

[Edhawk]

When wanting to attach a file, kext or EFI folder you need to compress/zip the item, before it will let you attach it.

Plain text files can't be attached directly, they need to be zipped.