How to set up BIOS to install Hackintosh for PC and Laptop

As you all know, in order to install Hackintosh, in addition to having a very compatible hardware set, a little knowledge of Hackintosh, you must also know how to configure the standard BIOS configuration.

So in this article I will guide you in detail how to set up BIOS to install Hackintosh for both PC and Laptop .

A little note to you: Since each brand will have different BIOS setup ways, I will divide it by manufacturer.

And because there are so many different computer brands and motherboards on the computer market today, I can't do specifics of each brand. So you should be flexible to apply it!

I. Setup BIOS to install Hackintosh on Laptop

Note: This is a general list, if you don't have an option, you can ignore it!

1. Secure Boot: OFF (required)
2. Launch CSM (or Legacy Mode): OFF
3. Boot Operation (or Boot Mode): UEFI
4. DVMT Pre-allocated: 64MB (or 64M) (for models without this option you will need to patch the framebuffer).
5. Fast Boot: OFF (If you don't have this option, you can skip it)
6. XHCI Pre-boot Mode (or XHCI Operation): ON (required)
7. SATA Operation: AHCI (required)
8. Legacy USB Support: OFF
9. VT-d: OFF (to avoid errors when booting into macOS)
10. CFG-Lock: OFF (If your device has this option, it must be turned off, but if your device doesn't have it, don't care.)
11. Wake on LAN: OFF
12. Wake on WWAN / WLAN: OFF (If your device doesn't have it, it's okay!)
13. Wake on USB: OFF

=> After configuration is complete, remember to save it. Usually the key F10is!

II. BIOS setup to install Hackintosh on PC (desktop)

Here are some common motherboards, as mentioned above, I cannot list all of them. You can do the exact same thing by looking for the respective settings.

1. For Gigabyte motherboards

 General settings:

1. Fast Boot: Disabled
2. VT-d: Disabled
3. Storage Boot Operation Control: UEFI (required)
4. XHCI Hand-off: Enabled (required)
5. CSM Support: Disabled (if any)
6. Windows 8 Features: Other OS (if applicable)
7. Security Device Support: Disabled
8. Network Stack: Disabled
9. Legacy USB Support: Auto
10. LAN PXE Boot Option ROM: Disabled
11. Advanced Memory Settings Extreme Memory Profile: You set it up Profile1.

+ If you are using a discrete graphics card (dGPU), please do as follows:

1. Initial Display Output: PCIe x1 Slot
2. Integrated Graphics: Disabled

+ If you are using Intel's integrated graphics card (iGPU), please do as follows:

1. Initial Display Output: iGFX
2. Integrated Graphics (or Internal Graphics): Enabled
3. DVMT Pre-allocated: 128MB, if you need to output the screen to a 2K or 4K screen it can be set to 256MB or more.
4. Above 4G Decoding: Enabled (if any!)

=> After editing is complete, don't forget Save & Exiteveryone!

2. For ASUS motherboards

The general settings are as follows:

1. VT-d: Disabled
2. OS Type: Other OS (required)
3. Intel Virtualization Technology: Enabled
4. XHCI Pre-boot Mode: Enabled (required)
5. Legacy USB Support: Auto
6. Power on by PCIe / PCI: Enabled
7. Network Stack: Disabled
8. IOAPIC 24-119 Entries: Enabled
9. Launch CSM: Disabled
10. SATA Mode: AHCI (required)

+ If you are using a discrete graphics card, you need to adjust as follows:

1. Primary Display: PEG (PCI Express Graphics)

+ If you are using integrated graphics (Card onboard) of Intel, you need to adjust as follows:

1. Primary Display: iGFX
2. DVMT Pre-allocated: 128MB (if you need to output the screen to a 2K or 4K screen, please set it to 256MB or higher.

=> After fine tuning, remember Save & Exit!

3. For ASRock motherboards

General settings, you set up as follows:

1. Load XMP Settings: Please leave it as XMP 2.0 Profile 1.
2. VT-d: Disabled
3. SATA Mode Selection: AHCI (required)
4. PS / 2 Simulator: Disabled (but if you don't recognize mouse and keyboard, please Enabled it).
5. XHCI Hand-off: Enabled (Required)
6. Legacy USB Support: Enabled
7. Secure Boot: Disabled
8. Serial Port: Disabled
9. Fast Boot: Disabled
10. Boot from Onboard LAN: Disabled
11. Intel Virtualization Technology: Enabled

+ If you are using a discrete graphics card, you need to adjust as follows:

1. Primary Graphics Adapter: PCI Express
2. IGPU Multi-Monitor: Disabled

+ If you are using Intel integrated graphics card (iGPU), you need to adjust as follows:

1. Primary Graphics Adapter: Onboard
2. Shared Memory: 128MB (if you need to output the screen with 2K or 4K resolution, it should be set to 256MB or more)
3. IGPU Multi-Monitor: Enabled

4. For MSI motherboards

The general settings you need to pay attention to:

1. Boot mode selection: UEFI (required)
2. Intel VT-d Technology: Disabled
3. Extreme Memory Profile: Enabled
4. Intel Virtualization Memory: Enabled
5. XHCI Hand-off: Enabled (required)
6. MSI Fast Boot: Disabled
7. Fast Boot: Disabled
8. Intel Serial IO: Disabled
9. Legacy USB Support: Auto
10. Network Stack: Disabled
11. DVMT Pre-allocated: 128MB (only needed when you are using Intel's integrated graphics card)

+ If you are using a discrete graphics card, you need to adjust as follows:

1. Initiate Graphics Adapter: PEG (PCI Express Graphics)

+ If you are using integrated Intel graphics card, you need to adjust as follows:

1. Initiate Graphics Adapter: IGD (Integrated Graphics Device)
2. Remember to do the extra adjustment steps DVMT Pre-allocatedabove!

=> After editing is complete, don't forget Save & Exit!

5. BIOS settings for other motherboards

Of course, my list of BIOS settings above is by no means exhaustive. So I have made this list, these options are for the majority of motherboards available on the market today.

If there are options that your motherboard does not have, then you can ignore it. Here is my list, please refer to it.

1. XHCI Pre-boot Mode (or XHCI Hand-off): Enabled
2. CFG-Lock: Disabled
3. VT-d: Disabled
4. CSM Support (or Launch CSM): Disabled
5. Legacy USB Support: Auto
6. Fast Boot: Disabled
7. SATA Mode (or SATA Operation): AHCI
8. Secure Boot: Disabled (if applicable)
9. OS Type: Other OS (if applicable)

+ If you are using a discrete graphics card, please pay attention to the following:

1. Absolutely do not connect the monitor via DisplayPort / HDMI / VGA / DVI on the motherboard. Because at this time the Mainboard will output the screen with iGPU(Integrated GPU)
2. No correction DVMT Pre-allocated. Because tweaking will cause a conflict and you won't be able to get into macOS.
3. Turn off all the functions related to iGPU, for example Multi-Display, Integrated Graphics.
4. The part Graphics Configurationyou remember to be PEG(or PCIe Slot) offline!

+ If you are using integrated graphics (Card onboard), please pay attention to the following:

1. Connect your monitor via DisplayPort / HDMI / VGA / DVI ports on the motherboard.
2. You need to set it DVMT Pre-allocatedup 128MBor higher (if you need to output the screen to a 2K or 4K screen, it should be set to 256MB)
3. Enable all functions of IGPU, eg Multi-Display, Integrated Graphics,…
4. The part Graphics Configurationyou remember to be IGFX(or Integrated Graphics) offline!

Yes, so through this article I have shared and instructed you how to set up BIOS to install Hackintosh for both PC and Laptop.

You need to set it up to match the options you shared above, if not set up correctly, you will not be able to boot into macOS.

In general, setting up the BIOS to install Hackintosh is quite time consuming, you need to do a lot of tinkering to set up the best way.

Hope the article will be useful to you. Good luck !