Testing wanted for new Apple hardware initialization feature

[Roderick W. Smith]

Hi all,

I've added some preliminary code to rEFInd that may help work around problems with video hardware initialization on some Macs that support multiple video devices. (It may also help with other hardware initialization problems, but video's the one that gets mentioned.) The code is in the rEFInd git repository, with a binary here:

http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind-bin-0.9.2.3.zip

To use this feature, you must uncomment (or add) a new line in refind.conf:

spoof_osx_version "10.9"

When so configured, rEFInd passes options to the firmware to tell it that OS X (version 10.9 if you pass "10.9") is being launched. Depending on the model, the firmware initializes the hardware differently if you launch OS X vs. any other OS, so if you're having problems with your video or other hardware working, this feature may fix those problems. OTOH, it may have no effect or make matters worse -- on my own MacBook Air (bought in December, IIRC), using this option causes the keyboard and mouse to stop working. I've corresponded with one user who says that an earlier version of this code works well on his Mac, but if somebody else would like to try it out, that would be helpful. Thanks!

At the moment, the option is global -- it applies to all OSes or none at all. If it proves necessary to set this option on a per-OS basis, I can add a similar feature to manual boot stanzas.

[Evan]

Hi!
On my MacbookPro 11,5 the Intel video card doesn't run unless you 'tell' the laptop it's booting OS X. I've been using this https://github.com/0xbb/apple_set_os.efi before I run Arch Linux since July. I've looked at both your code and the above and your approachs seem identical. I would definately make this per-OS as it is easier to run the dedicated card w/o this functionality and some OSs don't need the change... especially if I'm spoofing an OS X version different from the actual OS X version.

[Aaron Pantling]

Hi there! I know I'm a little late to this thread, but I just want to add that I'd also love to have a per-OS option for controlling the spoofing setting. I have an early 2015 13" MacBook Pro with macOS, Windows 10, and Ubuntu, and when I have spoofing turned on I can boot Windows properly with my eGPU connected (cool), but the SPI keyboard/trackpad don't work in Ubuntu (not cool). I'd love to have the ability to spoof only when booting Windows.