Gigabyte EP45C-UD3R, 9800GT, Excellent Installing Directions from Lifehacker

[dazz]

I have not tested this, I just went by what member "dazz" said, that it works. (I guess the lesson here is always put a disclaimer on something that I have not personally tested) I did not need Bonjour at this current time so I did not install the driver.

 

all i can say is that didn't invent this. it's written somewhere in this forum. plus i can say that it works on clean retail install on three comps here, see my footnote. i'll try it on a EP35 soon.

[Pablo et Pecador]

all i can say is that didn't invent this. it's written somewhere in this forum. plus i can say that it works on clean retail install on three comps here, see my footnote. i'll try it on a EP35 soon.

 

I shut down and restarted and bonjour worked. But like I said, the key is to boot into 32bit kernel.

[Pablo et Pecador]

Yea, if you go into the "Extra" folder, then open the file that says "smbios.plist" Look in there and you will see this:

 

<key>SMmemspeed</key Then below it you will see this

 

 

<string>800</string>

 

I believe this is the speed that shows up in about this Mac. Lifehackers ram was 800Mhz that is why it is set to 800, you can try changing that and see what happens.

 

*** Disclaimer: It might break your hackintosh if you change it not sure, worst case you have to reinstall ***

 

You can try that by changing the 800 to your correct speed and re-booting. Let me know how it turns out if you do that.

 

Did you get your wireless card working?

 

Ok, I did what you suggested and "About this mac" is reporting 1066 mhz. Cool beans. I'm still working on the wireless but my biggest issue is trying to get that realtek driver to run with 64bit kernel mode. I think i do notice a slight speed difference between 32bit and 64bit kernel.

[MacModifier]

Pablo,

 

Good deal!

 

 

To everyone reading this post: Here is an update.

 

**** UPDATE OCTOBER 8, 2009 **** OKAY, SO I TRUELY FINALLY FIGURED OUT WHY MY COMPUTER SCREEN WAS FREEZING UP. It was the EVGA card that I was using, it is defective! The new card is perfect.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

Hi all,

 

Just wanted to report success using lifehacker's guide on my EP45-DS4P motherboard. I simply followed the instructions and was able to do it all with my BFG GTX 275 installed which works great even though system profiler shows it as a 9800 GT.

 

Both realtek 8111 controllers work fine, but my netgear GA311TX is not recognized.

 

I have to say though that overall my 10.5.8 install seems to work smoother overall. Boots up and shuts down quicker and delivers higher overall framerates in World of Warcraft.

[Deckard BR-26354]

Pablo,

 

Good deal!

 

 

To everyone reading this post: Here is an update.

 

**** UPDATE OCTOBER 8, 2009 **** OKAY, SO I TRUELY FINALLY FIGURED OUT WHY MY COMPUTER SCREEN WAS FREEZING UP. It was the EVGA card that I was using, it is defective! The new card is perfect.

 

So, you got the replacement card going and no freezes? Good news.

 

I just wanted to say thanks to MacModifier for all the great advice.

 

I followed the LifeHacker article and only got part way to the promise land. The parts were assembled but I couldn't get the last step to work (an OS install and bootloader). MacModifier's suggestion to remove the internal hard drive and put it in an enclosure and load the files directly onto it via my laptop was inspired. It worked like a charm. THANK YOU.

 

I'm up and running. So far, so good but finger are crossed for the long haul.

 

One issue:

 

When I installed a second internal hard drive, I was able to restart and see the drive fine. I even made it a time machine backup device.

 

However, after shutting down, I couldn't get past the startup screen. It was hanging up at "VERIFYING DMI POOL DATA..."

 

So I disconnected the 2nd internal drive and restarted. And it loaded snow leopard no problem.

 

I am wondering why the drive showed up after restarting but after shutting down it confused the system. Do you think it is a BIOS setting?

[D-an-W]

Have any of the UD3* folks had any trouble with reading DVD's or Chess locking up the system (Full explanation here)?

[MacModifier]

So, you got the replacement card going and no freezes? Good news.

 

I just wanted to say thanks to MacModifier for all the great advice.

 

I followed the LifeHacker article and only got part way to the promise land. The parts were assembled but I couldn't get the last step to work (an OS install and bootloader). MacModifier's suggestion to remove the internal hard drive and put it in an enclosure and load the files directly onto it via my laptop was inspired. It worked like a charm. THANK YOU.

 

I'm up and running. So far, so good but finger are crossed for the long haul.

 

One issue:

 

When I installed a second internal hard drive, I was able to restart and see the drive fine. I even made it a time machine backup device.

 

However, after shutting down, I couldn't get past the startup screen. It was hanging up at "VERIFYING DMI POOL DATA..."

 

So I disconnected the 2nd internal drive and restarted. And it loaded snow leopard no problem.

 

I am wondering why the drive showed up after restarting but after shutting down it confused the system. Do you think it is a BIOS setting?

 

 

Glad to hear everything is running, awesome!

 

As far as your second hard drive, You might go into your BIOS and make sure that the first boot device is defaulting to the hard drive that you installed Snow Leopard with the Magic Installer on. Not sure, this might be the problem. Also, once you get this up, don't forget on the first time to go into Disk Utilities and GUID 1 Partition that drive for the first time.

 

Have any of the UD3* folks had any trouble with reading DVD's or Chess locking up the system (Full explanation here)?

 

What method did you use when installing Snow Leopard on your machine?

[hermitizer]

hi...double post i guess since i posted in another thread, but anyone have netflix streaming running? i managed to get djdigitals kext installed so about my mac shows right processor and installed silverlight, but no dice. any thoughts?

[MacModifier]

hi...double post i guess since i posted in another thread, but anyone have netflix streaming running? i managed to get djdigitals kext installed so about my mac shows right processor and installed silverlight, but no dice. any thoughts?

 

My Background is Web Design.

 

 

I have no answer to getting Silverlight working but I do have an opinion on Silverlight.

 

 

Another Piece of {censored} Software that Microsoft is trying to get installed on PC's. It is kind of like there browser and all there other software. It is always behind the curve and most time they don't update it till others come along and force them by competing. My advice if there is any way to get around putting this piece of {censored} software on your PC, then by all means avoid this at ALL COST!

 

 

Here are three very good alternatives and all can be installed at the same time without a single problem:

 

http://www.perian.org/

 

http://www.telestream.net/flip4mac-wmv/overview.htm

 

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

[D-an-W]

I used the file from Stell and created a restore onto a 8GB Memory Stick. I have done it a couple of different ways now and I got the Chess problem each time with Snow. My iATKOS install works OK with it though.

 

I am currently trying to figure out why I can't enter 32bit mode to test Chess (Get a KP)...

[MacModifier]

I used the file from Stell and created a restore onto a 8GB Memory Stick. I have done it a couple of different ways now and I got the Chess problem each time with Snow. My iATKOS install works OK with it though.

 

I am currently trying to figure out why I can't enter 32bit mode to test Chess (Get a KP)...

 

 

D-an-W,

 

 

It is hard to try to figure out what is going on without sitting in front of someone's computer having said that, my Hackintosh is running perfectly, ever since I had them replace my defective 9800 GT Graphics card NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM OR KERNEL PANIC, knock on wood.

 

Granted I did none of the hard lifting, that was all done by all the great people that have contributed to the OS X Community. Having said that, you should be able to get everything working on your machine without any problems too.

 

 

The lifehacker tutorial with the Magic Installer is what I used. Granted I have a Quad Core just like in his tutorial and yours is a Intel Core 2 Duo E8400. That might be one of the problems causing you to get the KP's.

 

Here is what I would try if I was you. Since you already have some form of OS X on your computer. Go do the lifehacker tutorial again, use the Magic installer and do a clean install with Retail Snow Leopard. See if that fixes the problem.

 

If you are still getting the KP's then you might need to edit the DSDT file to customize it for your exact processor. There are lots of resources you will find in many threads. However here is an outline from the people at psystar outlining how to do this:

 

http://www.psystar.com/opensource/opendsdt

 

Last, as far as 32 bit, which is what I am running myself, here is how to set that up.

 

If you want to change the default from 64 Bit Kernel to 32 Bit Kernel

 

Edit: This is setup to default load into the 64 bit kernel. You can change it really easy to boot into the 32 bit kernel, Go into the com.apple.Boot.plist from either the Hard Drive or USB boot loader which you are using to boot OS X, it is in the folder called "Extra" and under Kernel Flags where it says string, type this

 

-x32

 

Save and Close, Now it should default to the 32 bit kernel when starting up.

 

 

Oh yea, don't forget, go into the BIOS and change the setting from 64 to 32 bit if you set it to 64 on the install.

 

Hope this helps, if I am way of the mark or am missing something or not completely understanding your problem, post again with more details and I will try again.

[D-an-W]

Is it as easy as removing CPU2 & 3 from the start of the file?

 

{
Scope (_PR)
{
	Processor (CPU0, 0x00, 0x00000410, 0x06) {}
	Processor (CPU1, 0x01, 0x00000410, 0x06) {}
	Processor (CPU2, 0x02, 0x00000410, 0x06) {}
	Processor (CPU3, 0x03, 0x00000410, 0x06) {}
}

 

I guess it isn't because if I create another DSDT file from scratch it still adds the 4 as above.

 

Here is the boot error...

[MacModifier]

Is it as easy as removing CPU2 & 3 from the start of the file?

 

{
Scope (_PR)
{
	Processor (CPU0, 0x00, 0x00000410, 0x06) {}
	Processor (CPU1, 0x01, 0x00000410, 0x06) {}
	Processor (CPU2, 0x02, 0x00000410, 0x06) {}
	Processor (CPU3, 0x03, 0x00000410, 0x06) {}
}

 

 

I am not a programmer so editing any of the files in the DSDT to me would take a lot of time and research to make sure I get it right, more time than I have to spend. When I was having trouble with my video card I thought it might be related to the DSDT file being setup for a slightly different NVIDIA card. I started down the road to edit that file, I found the two applications out there that opened it and showed you the guts of the DSDT. One was the PC one. Since I don't have windows installed, I could not use that one. I found the Mac version but it just opened the file, I would have to go in there and edit it myself. I did not know that psystar had directions also with links to software. I decided on the easier route for right now was to go back to Leopard for a while. After doing that, I was still having the same problem. I switched out the ram and still had the same problem so by process of elimination, I determined that it was the video card that had gone bad and It had nothing to do with the DSDT file. This turned out to be true because when I sent my card back I had to get an inexpensive card from Best Buy to work till they sent me a replacement card, no more freezes.

 

I wish I was a programmer, though I have learned a TON and used Mac my whole life, it is too late in life for me, I am too old and computers where not what they are today when I started using them. The next generation already has a handle on this. So what does this have to do with your problem, nothing in that anything I say will be coming from where I would approach the problem.

 

Yes, the above is the four Quad Core settings. I could not say if just removing two of them would show and register only your two cores. When using the Magic Installer, the terminal work that is done in the background which is the hard stuff again I don't speak from experience but it would make since to me since Adam's Hackintosh is a Quad Core that the script was set to register 4 cores and not 2 cores. Would simply removing the other two from the code above fix that, not sure, but would probably say no since the terminal work was done for four cores. You could always try.

 

If it was me, I would try and fine someone that has that exact setup and has posted a thread on there how to. If I could not find that, I would use Adam Pash's tutorial and Magic Installer and still having the KP's after that, I would then realize that I would have to spend the time learning and setting up the DSDT file for my specific machine.

 

On a positive note, I think you are really close, your hardware is really close to the exact specs.

 

Last, make sure ALL your BIOS setting are set correctly.

 

** Oh yea, you might check this too, some people have hooked there sata cables to the two purples ones. Plug your hard drive or drives into the 6 Orange sata ports. This helped someone else with registering their second hard drive**

 

 

 

Update: Yea I just read again where when you created it from scratch and it still shows all four. So what you are saying is you did your whole installation from scratch, meaning all your terminal work and DSDT file? So you did not try the pre-built script?

[D-an-W]

Used the prebuilt one yes but had to edit the NVCAP string in the DSDT file to correctly work with my VGA/DVI output (Which is does now).

I generated my own just to compare it to Stell's really...

 

I am using the Orange ports on the board yes, I also used the tutorial but used the file TEST3 from Stell as I previously linked to.

[MacModifier]

Used the prebuilt one yes but had to edit the NVCAP string in the DSDT file to correctly work with my VGA/DVI output (Which is does now).

I generated my own just to compare it to Stell's really...

 

I am using the Orange ports on the board yes, I also used the tutorial but used the file TEST3 from Stell as I previously linked to.

 

 

Unless I am missing something I saw no link. Anyway, if these are your components,

 

* CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 *

* MoBo: Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P (Rev. 1.0 - BIOS F10e) *

* RAM: Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-6400 4GB (4x1GB) *

* GPU: ASUS GeForce 7600GS (512MB) *

* HD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 SATAII *

* OD: Pioneer DVR112 DVD±RW / Plextor Premium *

* PSU: Seasonic M12 - 600W *

 

 

and you have not tried this exact tutorial right here, try it:

 

http://lifehacker.com/5360150/install-snow...acking-required

 

 

Even though according to people Stell helped Adam build this one and the other one you are using is similar, I KNOW this one, the link above works on my board unmodified.

 

Here are my exact specs so you can compare.

 

* CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 *

* MoBo: Gigabyte EP45C-UD3R *

* RAM: OCZ 800 MHZ 8 gigs *

* GPU: EVGA NVidia 9800 GT 512MB Dual DVI (512MB) *

* HD: 2 Hitachi Deskstar 1TB Hard Drives *

* PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-850TX 850WPower Supply *

 

 

If that does not work you might want to ask Stell what he thinks is going on.

 

 

As far as your Video Card I know that you can not just drop the string in the com.apple.Boot.plist in the extra folder. It is set to default time out of there so that leads me to believe that the graphics string is in the DSDT.aml file.

[D-an-W]

Sorry I thought I had put a link in here.

 

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...83502&st=40

 

Is the guide I followed, its the LH method but uses a different Magic Installer that Stell prepaired.

[hermitizer]

Sorry I thought I had put a link in here.

 

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...83502&st=40

 

Is the guide I followed, its the LH method but uses a different Magic Installer that Stell prepaired.

 

hey...i'm forum stalking you. lol. anyway...it looks like stell is building a new magic installer as we speak...maybe it'll help with your issues? thanks for your help on the kext thing. all figured out using the kext installer app. and no sleep issues so far...i've left it sitting for a few hours. the lifehacker instructions have bios changes that specifically mention this...though i'm guessing you already have that covered.

[rspencer]

First off thanks to all for the in depth tutorials on how to get this working. Everything went smoothly except when I get to the point of installing Little Snitch. I've followed the advice in this thread but still cannot get SL to boot after initiating the install of Little Snitch. Any ideas?

[theDeviL]

this guide has not worked for me I'm asuming because of my ATI cards, I'm I SOL?

[MacModifier]

Great News, my new card arrived today from EVGA, they made it right since I had the first 9800GT go out on me, then they replaced it with the last one I was using which was a re-certified 9800GT. That is the one that was freezing up my computer. The new one they sent me today was a EVGA GTS 250 512MB. It is working EXCELLENT. I have tested with with 5 Quicktime movies running at the same time, 8 different Apps all open at the same time. eyeTV running too while all the other stuff is open. Safari pages load in a nano second. I got to say that EVGA came through and made there card right!

 

 

D-an-W

 

Used the prebuilt one yes but had to edit the NVCAP string in the DSDT file to correctly work with my VGA/DVI output (Which is does now).

I generated my own just to compare it to Stell's really...

 

 

Not to take anything away from your computer expertise, I don't know your skill set, you might be awesome but if you are editing someone else's work in a major way, meaning trying to edit the graphics string in the DSDT to fit your card this could be a problem and why you are getting the Kernel Panics. I looked at your card http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowImage.as...%20Video%20Card

 

Another issue that might be a problem is this is a DVI and VGA card. When I was building my Leopard install a long time ago I used the OS X86 Tool to create my graphics string. One of the options when setting it up was, Dual DVI or DVI/VGA. I know that the graphic string in the Lifehacker tutorial is set to DUAL DVI.

 

As I see it, you have three options. Upgrade your card to a NVidia Dual DVI and get rid of your VGA monitor and upgrade that to a new DVI monitor, Use the Lifehacker and keep trying to figure out how to edit the Graphics String to work with your DVI/VGA card without any panics.

 

Get Stell to edit you a custom magic installer with you graphics card, meaning DVI/VGA.

 

I personally believe your problem is your are editing the DSDT after it has been set up for a dual dvi. I could be way off just my opinion for what it is worth.

 

You might try the custom install directions here since you need a different graphics string:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=181903

 

 

Rspencer

 

First off thanks to all for the in depth tutorials on how to get this working. Everything went smoothly except when I get to the point of installing Little Snitch. I've followed the advice in this thread but still cannot get SL to boot after initiating the install of Little Snitch. Any ideas?

 

First: You need to make sure you have a version that works with the 64 Bit Kernel. Since this install defaults to the 64 bit kernel on the install.

 

I believe the earliest version that works was 2.2 Beta. So, the Lastest release will work which is 2.2.

 

Then follow the guide in the main thread and it should work, it worked for me using that technique.

 

theDevil

 

this guide has not worked for me I'm asuming because of my ATI cards, I'm I SOL?

 

Love the name, is he a close friend?

 

Hey, you should be able to get this working, I don't know if this technique for installing will work because of your video card but I do know that there is lots of support for the ATI Cards out there. I was reading other threads that use this card you will just have to search the forums.

[rspencer]

First: You need to make sure you have a version that works with the 64 Bit Kernel. Since this install defaults to the 64 bit kernel on the install.

 

I believe the earliest version that works was 2.2 Beta. So, the Lastest release will work which is 2.2.

 

Then follow the guide in the main thread and it should work, it worked for me using that technique.

 

Thanks for the response. I have been working with the latest (v2.2) and installing it when running the 64-bit kernel. I guess I'm a bit confused as to when to switch over to 32-bit. Does this need to happen when LS prompts to restart? I tried this method and got to the desktop for a couple seconds before I was forced to shut down. I also attempted staying in 64-bit but didn't make it past the apple logo. Thanks for the patience.

[MacModifier]

Thanks for the response. I have been working with the latest (v2.2) and installing it when running the 64-bit kernel. I guess I'm a bit confused as to when to switch over to 32-bit. Does this need to happen when LS prompts to restart? I tried this method and got to the desktop for a couple seconds before I was forced to shut down. I also attempted staying in 64-bit but didn't make it past the apple logo. Thanks for the patience.

 

 

When I did it, I tired switching to the 32bit kernel on the same time as I installed from the 64 bit default installation and then installing Little Snitch. When it rebooted, I got half way there and got the screen of death, the round circle with the line through it and all the text on the screen forcing me to restart, again the same thing happened. So, I booted up with the other hard drive that had leopard on it, removed the 32 bit flag that I had put in the com.apple.Boot.plist. On the restart it started up. I reinstalled Little Snitch if I remember correctly. Re-booted then little snitch came up and it was working.

 

Used it for a little while in the 64 bit kernel. Register it and set up some of the rules. Then later that day went into the com.apple.Boot.plist and switched it to 32 bit kernel. Then rebooted. Then Later I went into the BIOS and switched the 64 Bit Setting to the 32 Bit Setting. Have not had a problem with Little Snitch since the time when I was first trying to get it set-up.

 

Let me know what happens after you try this?

 

Oh yea, you don't have to switch to the 32 bit kernel only if you want to, it was working good in 64 bit too.

[rspencer]

When I did it, I tired switching to the 32bit kernel on the same time as I installed from the 64 bit default installation and then installing Little Snitch. When it rebooted, I got half way there and got the screen of death, the round circle with the line through it and all the text on the screen forcing me to restart, again the same thing happened. So, I booted up with the other hard drive that had leopard on it, removed the 32 bit flag that I had put in the com.apple.Boot.plist. On the restart it started up. I reinstalled Little Snitch if I remember correctly. Re-booted then little snitch came up and it was working.

 

Used it for a little while in the 64 bit kernel. Register it and set up some of the rules. Then later that day went into the com.apple.Boot.plist and switched it to 32 bit kernel. Then rebooted. Then Later I went into the BIOS and switched the 64 Bit Setting to the 32 Bit Setting. Have not had a problem with Little Snitch since the time when I was first trying to get it set-up.

 

Let me know what happens after you try this?

 

Oh yea, you don't have to switch to the 32 bit kernel only if you want to, it was working good in 64 bit too.

 

Thanks again, tried again with the install in 64-bit and keep getting the screen of death. I'm not sure if this matters but I am running the PCI NIC that was called for in the Lifehacker guide.

[MacModifier]

Thanks again, tried again with the install in 64-bit and keep getting the screen of death. I'm not sure if this matters but I am running the PCI NIC that was called for in the Lifehacker guide.

 

 

 

Yea, I am not sure either, I am running the onboard nic card so that is one difference between your install and mine. I can't see where that would cause the problem, however, you could test this to make sure by turning you onboard nic card on in the BIOS and removing the external one and trying to see if that is the problem. Since little snitch works extensively with the internet that might be worth a try.

 

 

 

 

Date of Update October 15, 2009 ***** UPDATE, Well installed the ESATA Card that came with my Gigabyte motherboard and it is working like a champ, nothing to install extra.*****

 

Well plugged the two sata connections into the two PURPLE sata slots on the mother board. Plugged the power connection to the Power Supply also ran a second power cord out the back of the Hackintosh for powering a second drive since there are two connections. Powered up the computer, plugged in a sata drive sitting outside the computer and the Hackintosh recognized it right away. Man the transfer rate on this is smoken FAST! Here is an image of the esata card that came with this motherboard.