$400 Hackintosh rig with 10.5.4

[Psycho Donut Killer]

I don't know why Apple won't come out with a "Mac"

We have a consumer laptop and pro laptop, MacBook an MacBook Pro

We have the Mac mini, which hasn't been updated in 13 months, and by time you add peripherals you should just get an iMac if you can stand the glossy screen.

We have a pro tower, the Mac Pro. Why no consumer/low end tower? Intel Core 2 Quad is a lot of power, even with an intel Core 2 Duo I would have bought an Apple minitower for $999 that had room for 2 HDs and supported 8 GB of RAM in 4 slots. One optical drive is fine, keep it midsized, and have PCIe slots, and of course it would ship with a video card to do dual monitors.
Only put in 1 PCIe 16x slot, and limit the RAM slots to 4, and room for one optical drive only, so that people that need 3 or more monitors, or want dual graphics cards, more RAM, will still get a Mac Pro. Fine, make it $1400, half the price of a Mac pro for Half the machine, quad core instead dual quad, half the hard drives, half the optical drives, and half the RAM and PCIe slots.

I have heard buzz about a new cube to replace the mini, and the problem with the cube was it cost as much as the pro machines at the the time, but you did only give up the PCI slots and room for more HDs. But the new Cube or Midtower or "Mac" will not sell well, just like the cube, if they price it at $2500.

I got tired of waiting, and tired of buying used machines and always being behind the curve. This build was so easy, I used to overclock back when it meant soldering and moving resistors around on your LC III and later on a brand new iBook. BIOS based overclocking rules.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Psycho Donut Killer
I don't know why Apple won't come out with a "Mac"

We have a consumer laptop and pro laptop, MacBook an MacBook Pro

We have the Mac mini, which hasn't been updated in 13 months, and by time you add peripherals you should just get an iMac if you can stand the glossy screen.

We have a pro tower, the Mac Pro. Why no consumer/low end tower? Intel Core 2 Quad is a lot of power, even with an intel Core 2 Duo I would have bought an Apple minitower for $999 that had room for 2 HDs and supported 8 GB of RAM in 4 slots. One optical drive is fine, keep it midsized, and have PCIe slots, and of course it would ship with a video card to do dual monitors.
Only put in 1 PCIe 16x slot, and limit the RAM slots to 4, and room for one optical drive only, so that people that need 3 or more monitors, or want dual graphics cards, more RAM, will still get a Mac Pro. Fine, make it $1400, half the price of a Mac pro for Half the machine, quad core instead dual quad, half the hard drives, half the optical drives, and half the RAM and PCIe slots.

I have heard buzz about a new cube to replace the mini, and the problem with the cube was it cost as much as the pro machines at the the time, but you did only give up the PCI slots and room for more HDs. But the new Cube or Midtower or "Mac" will not sell well, just like the cube, if they price it at $2500.

I got tired of waiting, and tired of buying used machines and always being behind the curve. This build was so easy, I used to overclock back when it meant soldering and moving resistors around on your LC III and later on a brand new iBook. BIOS based overclocking rules.

They won't...a Mac Pro Lite or "Cube 2" would eat iMac sales.

Mac Mini -> iMac > Mac Pro

MacBook -> MacBook Air -> MacBook Pro

They won't sell a 12" or 13" MacBook Pro, either. It'd make their product line too weird - MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro all at 13"-ish.

Hackintosh-Kenobi, you're our only hope!

 

[Kaido]

Why should you buy an EFI-X chip?

http://forum.insanelymac.com/i...view=findpost&p=904118

Oh, about a thousand reasons

 

[KeypoX]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: KeypoX

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: scootermaster
Okay, now I'm confused.

I googled that. What's it replace? And what the heck is chameleon? WE NEED THE SEPTEMBER/10.5.5 UPDATE!

=]

There are several ways to install Leopard on a PC, three of which are:

1. Patch-based Disc (Kalyway, JaS, etc.)
2. Boot-132 (DVD or USB)
3. EFI-X (USB)

Thats awesome you got a EFI-X are you in the US? I dont want one right now but maybe down the road.

Also any chance you gonna write a guide on how to install boot-132?

Yup in the US. Mine actually shipped out today from Taiwan, so hopefully it will be here by the end of the week. I also ordered an EP45-DS3R board to go with it (supported 100% under EFI-X).

Regarding Boot-132 yeah, once the details get nailed down. It's not exactly where I want it yet, but it's workable. Mostly likely, after I update the guides to 10.5.5, I'll ditch out and go the EFI-X route. No more headaches, haha.

Here is a thread that used alot of your stuff to make a guide for 132, but it is not wrote as pretty as could be. http://forum.insanelymac.com/i...showtopic=117834&st=40

 

[Psycho Donut Killer]

One of the FireWire cards linked to in the Hackintosh 101 thread is back in stock at newegg.

 

[silverpig]

Just overclocked my Q6600 to 3 GHz. I changed nothing other than the fsb. Stock cooler, stock voltages...

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: silverpig
Just overclocked my Q6600 to 3 GHz. I changed nothing other than the fsb. Stock cooler, stock voltages...

Temps?

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: silverpig
Just overclocked my Q6600 to 3 GHz. I changed nothing other than the fsb. Stock cooler, stock voltages...

Temps?

Can you recommend a good temp reading program? I installed istat for dashboard but it can't read my cpu temps...

 

[suklee]

Originally posted by: silverpig
overclocked my Q6600 to 3 GHz. I changed nothing other than the fsb. Stock cooler, stock voltages...

Me too. Easiest overclock I have ever done I suspect it will go up higher, but I have never tried.

I have Temperature Monitor, but it doesn't seem to work properly...

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: silverpig
Just overclocked my Q6600 to 3 GHz. I changed nothing other than the fsb. Stock cooler, stock voltages...

Temps?

Can you recommend a good temp reading program? I installed istat for dashboard but it can't read my cpu temps...

Temperature Monitor, just change the default system voice to Bruce or Fred (some weird conflict).

 

[suklee]

Here are my temps:

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/3223/picture1qo0.jpg

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: silverpig
Just overclocked my Q6600 to 3 GHz. I changed nothing other than the fsb. Stock cooler, stock voltages...

Temps?

Can you recommend a good temp reading program? I installed istat for dashboard but it can't read my cpu temps...

Temperature Monitor, just change the default system voice to Bruce or Fred (some weird conflict).

Temperature Monitor has detected that important parts of the speech output subsystem are severely damaged. This problem will cause programs which are using speech features to crash. Please restore your operating system to a working state before using this application.

Even with Bruce or Fred... I can't get it to run

I suppose I could reboot to the BIOS temp readings.

 

[Psycho Donut Killer]

I decided to use the built in ethernet after reading the quirks it has; I don't let my computers sleep, and I use static IP anyway.

 

[scootermaster]

No October update? 10.5.5? New hardware deals?

It's not just all about EFIX now, y'know!

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: scootermaster
No October update? 10.5.5? New hardware deals?

It's not just all about EFIX now, y'know!

Well, I'm having troule with the 10.5.5 update. There are 2 known methods for it to work, the netkas method and then a more complicated method that includes the netkas method. However, neither works 100% for everybody, so I am hesitant to release it.

Also the EFI-X v1.1.2 firmware (current version) blows chunks, so I'm not releasing a tutorial until they fix it (hopefully in the v1.1.3 update in October). Time Machine doesn't work, Sleep messes up your BIOS (and doesn't work), AFP and Bonjour don't work, among other things. I'm not recommending EFI-X to anyone until they've fixed the bugs in their firmware.

 

[scootermaster]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: scootermaster
No October update? 10.5.5? New hardware deals?

It's not just all about EFIX now, y'know!

Well, I'm having troule with the 10.5.5 update. There are 2 known methods for it to work, the netkas method and then a more complicated method that includes the netkas method. However, neither works 100% for everybody, so I am hesitant to release it.

Also the EFI-X v1.1.2 firmware (current version) blows chunks, so I'm not releasing a tutorial until they fix it (hopefully in the v1.1.3 update in October). Time Machine doesn't work, Sleep messes up your BIOS (and doesn't work), AFP and Bonjour don't work, among other things. I'm not recommending EFI-X to anyone until they've fixed the bugs in their firmware.

Guess it's time to wait, then. I'm just trying to get th hardware sorted out. E35? E45? Frys combo with an ECS board and an Antec Solo? Antec 300 on sale at NE? Earthwatts or Truepower PSUs? Where to get the ram? 9600? 8800gts? Wha? Huh? Beuller?!

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: scootermaster

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: scootermaster
No October update? 10.5.5? New hardware deals?

It's not just all about EFIX now, y'know!

Well, I'm having troule with the 10.5.5 update. There are 2 known methods for it to work, the netkas method and then a more complicated method that includes the netkas method. However, neither works 100% for everybody, so I am hesitant to release it.

Also the EFI-X v1.1.2 firmware (current version) blows chunks, so I'm not releasing a tutorial until they fix it (hopefully in the v1.1.3 update in October). Time Machine doesn't work, Sleep messes up your BIOS (and doesn't work), AFP and Bonjour don't work, among other things. I'm not recommending EFI-X to anyone until they've fixed the bugs in their firmware.

Guess it's time to wait, then. I'm just trying to get th hardware sorted out. E35? E45? Frys combo with an ECS board and an Antec Solo? Antec 300 on sale at NE? Earthwatts or Truepower PSUs? Where to get the ram? 9600? 8800gts? Wha? Huh? Beuller?!

imo for a standard single-CPU build, EFI-X will be the way to go. I'm betting the October firmware update will fix the majority of the issues users are having. EFI-X is already a great product, it just needs those details nailed down. As soon as Sleep and Time Machine and whatnot are fixed, life will be good :thumbsup:

 

[scootermaster]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: scootermaster

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: scootermaster
No October update? 10.5.5? New hardware deals?

It's not just all about EFIX now, y'know!

Well, I'm having troule with the 10.5.5 update. There are 2 known methods for it to work, the netkas method and then a more complicated method that includes the netkas method. However, neither works 100% for everybody, so I am hesitant to release it.

Also the EFI-X v1.1.2 firmware (current version) blows chunks, so I'm not releasing a tutorial until they fix it (hopefully in the v1.1.3 update in October). Time Machine doesn't work, Sleep messes up your BIOS (and doesn't work), AFP and Bonjour don't work, among other things. I'm not recommending EFI-X to anyone until they've fixed the bugs in their firmware.

Guess it's time to wait, then. I'm just trying to get th hardware sorted out. E35? E45? Frys combo with an ECS board and an Antec Solo? Antec 300 on sale at NE? Earthwatts or Truepower PSUs? Where to get the ram? 9600? 8800gts? Wha? Huh? Beuller?!

imo for a standard single-CPU build, EFI-X will be the way to go. I'm betting the October firmware update will fix the majority of the issues users are having. EFI-X is already a great product, it just needs those details nailed down. As soon as Sleep and Time Machine and whatnot are fixed, life will be good :thumbsup:

Unless the 10.5.5 issues never get entirely worked out (and even then; is there something wrong with 10.5.4?) I think I'm going to have to disagree. The hardware compatibility is still very small, and while all those cost calculations calculations look great when compared to a $2500 Macbook pro, asking to add on $160 or whatever it is, to a system that's supposed to cost $350-$500 in the first place is a lot. Like, 1/3 of the price of the whole system. That's worth getting your hands dirty, you'd think.

Especially, as you say, since things aren't working [well] now anyway.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: scootermaster

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: scootermaster

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: scootermaster
No October update? 10.5.5? New hardware deals?

It's not just all about EFIX now, y'know!

Well, I'm having troule with the 10.5.5 update. There are 2 known methods for it to work, the netkas method and then a more complicated method that includes the netkas method. However, neither works 100% for everybody, so I am hesitant to release it.

Also the EFI-X v1.1.2 firmware (current version) blows chunks, so I'm not releasing a tutorial until they fix it (hopefully in the v1.1.3 update in October). Time Machine doesn't work, Sleep messes up your BIOS (and doesn't work), AFP and Bonjour don't work, among other things. I'm not recommending EFI-X to anyone until they've fixed the bugs in their firmware.

Guess it's time to wait, then. I'm just trying to get th hardware sorted out. E35? E45? Frys combo with an ECS board and an Antec Solo? Antec 300 on sale at NE? Earthwatts or Truepower PSUs? Where to get the ram? 9600? 8800gts? Wha? Huh? Beuller?!

imo for a standard single-CPU build, EFI-X will be the way to go. I'm betting the October firmware update will fix the majority of the issues users are having. EFI-X is already a great product, it just needs those details nailed down. As soon as Sleep and Time Machine and whatnot are fixed, life will be good :thumbsup:

Unless the 10.5.5 issues never get entirely worked out (and even then; is there something wrong with 10.5.4?) I think I'm going to have to disagree. The hardware compatibility is still very small, and while all those cost calculations calculations look great when compared to a $2500 Macbook pro, asking to add on $160 or whatever it is, to a system that's supposed to cost $350-$500 in the first place is a lot. Like, 1/3 of the price of the whole system. That's worth getting your hands dirty, you'd think.

Especially, as you say, since things aren't working [well] now anyway.

Well it really depends on what you're building. If it's an ultra-budget model like my $400 rig, then it doesn't make much financial sense to spend $170 on an EFI-X chip plus another $110 for a retail Leopard DVD. Aside from that, the Gigabyte boards supported by EFI-X pretty much support the needs of most people - various PCIe/PCI, USB, SATA, etc. configurations available. My biggest gripe is lack of video card support, but still those are what most people buy so again it hits the largest group of people.

10.5.5 works with Hackintosh, you just have to play with it a bit to see what works on your machine. As always, have a backup first

 

[Zaap]

Just buy a bunch of parts and hope they work. *chuckle*

There's no need for constant updating of the info that's already out there.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: scootermaster
No October update? 10.5.5? New hardware deals?

It's not just all about EFIX now, y'know!

Well, I'm having troule with the 10.5.5 update. There are 2 known methods for it to work, the netkas method and then a more complicated method that includes the netkas method. However, neither works 100% for everybody, so I am hesitant to release it.

Also the EFI-X v1.1.2 firmware (current version) blows chunks, so I'm not releasing a tutorial until they fix it (hopefully in the v1.1.3 update in October). Time Machine doesn't work, Sleep messes up your BIOS (and doesn't work), AFP and Bonjour don't work, among other things. I'm not recommending EFI-X to anyone until they've fixed the bugs in their firmware.

Yeah I've read about both 10.5.5 update methods and am sticking to 10.5.4 until it gets ironed out.

 

[Psycho Donut Killer]

Originally posted by: Zaap
Just buy a bunch of parts and hope they work. *chuckle*

I would never have built mine if I hadn't finally found a real walkthrough and specific hardware recommendations from Kaido based on price/performance, and known 100% repeatability of results. The only downside is that IDE is best left unused. I would like to build one low end machine that has working IDE and onboard graphics that work. I know the Atom 330 is coming out, but it still benchmarks at 2/3rd the speed of my 2.0 Core 2 Duo Mac Mini, which is borderline. Also, one slot. Is there a gigabyte board, Mini ATX is fine, with supported on board graphics that actually is still for sale at Newegg or other mainstream retailers. I basically want to use up my old IDE HD and SuperDrive, power supply and case, and have a $50 mobo and a $30 stick of RAM and have another machine that is about as powerful as my Mac mini.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Psycho Donut Killer

Originally posted by: Zaap
Just buy a bunch of parts and hope they work. *chuckle*

I would never have built mine if I hadn't finally found a real walkthrough and specific hardware recommendations from Kaido based on price/performance, and known 100% repeatability of results. The only downside is that IDE is best left unused. I would like to build one low end machine that has working IDE and onboard graphics that work. I know the Atom 330 is coming out, but it still benchmarks at 2/3rd the speed of my 2.0 Core 2 Duo Mac Mini, which is borderline. Also, one slot. Is there a gigabyte board, Mini ATX is fine, with supported on board graphics that actually is still for sale at Newegg or other mainstream retailers. I basically want to use up my old IDE HD and SuperDrive, power supply and case, and have a $50 mobo and a $30 stick of RAM and have another machine that is about as powerful as my Mac mini.

I have a single-core Atom (MSI Wind netbook) and it flies with OS X. I mean, you won't be using Final Cut Pro on it, but it is surprisingly quick for a single-core CPU with hyperthreading. I'm perfectly happy with mine; I'm just waiting on a Dual-Core Atom 330 with a DVI port for my next mini-project

 

[Zaap]

Originally posted by: Psycho Donut Killer

Originally posted by: Zaap
Just buy a bunch of parts and hope they work. *chuckle*

I would never have built mine if I hadn't finally found a real walkthrough and specific hardware recommendations from Kaido based on price/performance, and known 100% repeatability of results.

Don't get me wrong, I got started thanks to the guides posted by folks kind enough to share them... that was sort of my point: those same guides are STILL 100% as good now as the day they were posted, still allow one to create a Mac that's more up to date than some 2+ year old spec you can buy from Apple, and actually don't require monthly updates to make them somehow more relevant.

It's a compliment to Kaido- even though I appreciate monthly updates, let's face it, the Mac hardware world doesn't really move anywhere near that quickly. The Hackintosh world is able to update things more rapidly because we're dealing with PC hardware that has something new coming out every other day, but even there, there's a limit to how fast the pace can be when it comes to OSX compatibility. I personally can't wait to see i7 based Hackintoshes, but I'm not expecting it to happen overnight.

The guide here on page 1 of this thread (and other guides floating around) are as good now as the day they were posted. USE it, build a perfectly good Mac that's a more modern spec than most anything you'll get from Apple...or don't. An update every time some number changes is nice, but ultimately, unnecessary.

If you must have bleeding edge- just buy a bunch of random parts, ignore what's been said, and go for it! For others, tried and true is what works best for Hackintosh.

 

[mshan]

e7200 $87 shipped (no rebate): http://shop4.frys.com/product/5591500

2 x 1 GB Crucial PC6400 DDR2: $20 after $10 rebate (free ship): http://shop1.frys.com/product/...sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG (rebate expires tomorrow)