Introduction

In this episode of Southpaw Computing, we will explore the process of building a Coffee Lake Hackintosh with High Sierra. As an expert in this field, I have successfully built several Hackintosh systems in the past and will share my experience and expertise with you. Building a Hackintosh allows you to combine the power and performance of PC hardware with the user-friendly macOS operating system. Please note that this video is for educational purposes only and should not be attempted without proper training and expertise.

Building a Hackintosh: Background and Previous Experience

Having had a Sandy Bridge Hackintosh for a long time, I eventually switched to a used Dell Precision 3600 for its expandability. However, the Dell Precision brought me nothing but headaches, as I struggled to make the sound drivers work and had to rely on a USB sound card. This prompted me to gather enough funds to build a new Hackintosh system from scratch. Before we delve into the build process, let’s take a look at the components we will be using.

Assembling the Motherboard, Processor, and Aftermarket Cooler

To begin the build process, we will unbox and assemble the motherboard, processor, and aftermarket cooler. For the motherboard, I chose one from Gigabyte due to its optical audio out capabilities and USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports. Having these features ensures that we won’t face any compatibility issues when it comes to USB devices. After unboxing the motherboard, we will also unbox the aftermarket CPU cooler, which will help keep the CPU cool during operation.

Mounting the Aftermarket Cooler

Before mounting the motherboard into the case, it’s crucial to install the aftermarket cooler first. This prevents any inconvenience of having to access the back of the motherboard after it has been mounted. The aftermarket cooler I chose comes with a bracket to provide additional support. By following the correct directions and positioning the bracket correctly, we can ensure that the cooler doesn’t obstruct any PCI slots on the motherboard.

Introducing the Rosewell Case

Our build will be housed in a Rosewell case, which offers excellent airflow. The case features slots for a CD drive and multiple storage drives. Additionally, it has various ports and jacks, including USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, a headphone jack, microphone jack, reset button, and power button. Once we have the motherboard securely mounted in the case, we can move on to the next step.

Testing the Power Supply and BIOS Setup

Before proceeding further, we need to connect the power supply and test if we can access the BIOS settings. This step ensures that the system boots up successfully and allows us to configure the BIOS settings for optimal performance. We will optimize the defaults, enable the USB configuration, and save the changes before moving on to the next stage.

Creating a High Sierra Bootable USB Drive

To install macOS High Sierra, we need to create a bootable USB drive with the operating system installer. We will begin by downloading a copy of High Sierra from the Apple App Store. For this installation, I will be using the TonyMac version of Unibeast installer. This installer takes the High Sierra copy from the Mac Apple store and makes it a bootable USB drive. Additionally, we will download Multibeast, which will be used later in the process. Once we have downloaded these tools, we can proceed with the installation.

Installing macOS High Sierra

After creating the bootable USB drive, we will insert it into the Hackintosh and power it on. This will boot the system from the USB drive. We will select the High Sierra installation option and proceed with the installation process. We will format the SSD, select the installation drive, and let the installer do its job. Once the installation is complete, we will restart the system and select the macOS High Sierra partition.

Post-Installation Setup

After booting into macOS High Sierra for the first time, we will go through the initial setup. We will choose our region, keyboard layout, and set up our user account. It’s important to note that some drivers may be missing at this point. We will verify the ethernet card’s functionality and install the necessary drivers, such as the graphics card drivers and sound card drivers.

Conclusion

Building a Coffee Lake Hackintosh with High Sierra is a complex but rewarding process. By following the steps outlined in this article and utilizing the necessary tools and drivers, you can create a powerful Hackintosh system with the macOS operating system. Remember, this guide is meant to educate and inform, and should only be attempted by those with the proper knowledge and expertise. With this knowledge, you can confidently embark on your own Hackintosh build and enjoy the best of both PC hardware and macOS.