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i7 Hackintosh Review and Guide - With Pics!


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After running a Mac Pro for 4 years, I felt it was time to move on.

 

Being stuck with EFI 32 and no way to upgrade the system, I was itching for a new rig.

 

But buying the next-gen Mac Pro would cost me like 3200$ where I would get the same specs as a cheap PC. I also feared to be stuck yet again with a non-upgradeable machine.

 

So I took the plunge:

 

 

 

Intel Core i7 920 2.66 GHz 2575kr

ATI Radeon 4890 1800kr

Gigabyte EX58-UD5 2295kr

Corsair 850w 1517kr

1TB Seagate Barracuda 793kr

Fractal Design Define R2, Silver 795kr

Corsair Dominator DHX+ DDR3 1600MHz 6GB 2048kr

Samsung 22x DVD RW 282kr

 

 

Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120mm, 4x 492kr

Corsair H50 Hydro Series CPU Cooler 714kr

Akasa Intern Memory Card Reader 3.5 95kr

Deltaco Bluetooth Adapter Mini 219kr

 

 

Total of 13 525 Swedish KR

In dollar = $ 1323 without the Swedish Taxes.

(Shipping not included in price)

 

So $1323 for this watercooled beast, how will it perform?

 

 

After installation it works just like my Mac Pro.

The bluetooth and memory card reader works perfectly. Sleep works.

Sound, internet works.

The Water cooling is efficient, but the fans are not as silent as my Mac Pro. However, they are not noisy.

 

I've been running WoW for days and I'm getting sweet framerates.

 

No apps have crashed yet, but I have had Kernel Panics.

They have all been caused by a Logitech app, that is used to set color on my G19 keyboard. It complains that the current color calibration is bad. I removed the app and kernel panics are gone. I am going to try reinstall it later.

 

 

Xbench score: (My Mac Pro 2x 2.66GHz 8GB Ram got 5100)

 

fy6ij.jpg

 

 

a8vyx.jpg

 

 

hm.JPG

 

hm2.JPG

 

hm3.JPG

 

hm4.JPG

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Install method!

 

Download this:

 

http://groths.se/hackpro/guide/Mods.zip

 

and

 

http://redirectingat.com/?id=292X457&u...h_Installer.zip

 

Set your BIOS Sata settings to AHCI

 

bios.JPG

 

 

First you should make an image of your install DVD. It will be quicker to use and good to have. It can be done with Disk Utility.

 

1.png

 

 

Next, restore the ISO to a empty drive.

 

2.png

 

 

When the restore is complete, you'll see this window. Close it and close disk utility.

 

3.png

 

 

 

Now, run the Script.

 

4.png

 

 

Select your drive

 

5.png

 

 

Select Extra

 

6.png

 

 

From the menu, select 2 (Install Bootloader)

Then select 4, PC EFI 10.5

 

7.png

 

 

When done and back at the menu, select run Retail DVD Installer

Complete the SL install

 

8.png

 

 

When done and back at the menu, select 5, Kext Installation

Keep all the settings and just type N and enter.

 

 

Now boot your hackintosh from the drive. At the bootloader menu, press Down arrow and select Single User mode. After the loading is complete, type: buildcache

and hit enter. then type reboot.

 

Now boot again from the drive and set up Snow Leopard.

When inside you will probably have bad resolution and other problems. We got some more stuff to take care of.

 

Download the Combo Update 10.6.2 from Apple

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL959

 

Install it.

Reboot.

 

 

Open the Mods folder.

Copy the Kexts_10.6 folder to the script folder, and replace the current one.

 

11.png

 

Copy the three files, com.apple.boot, DSDT and smbios to the Install Drives Extra folder, located on the root.

 

10.png

 

Now run the script again and choose Kext Installer.

 

Make sure you have the same setup as this picture.

To change a item between Extra and System, simply enter the number and press enter.

 

When setup is the same, enter N and press Enter.

 

12.png

 

Now run the QE_CI update pkg. from the mods folder.

 

 

Reboot!

 

 

Congratz, now you should have a working Snow Leopard 10.6.2 install, with Sleep, Internet, Audio etc.

 

System can be set to boot 64 bit if you want to, but if you sleep and wake, and then try shut down you will get kernel panic. So I'm leaving that out.

64-bit kernel has no use anyway as far as I know, unless you plan to use 4GB ram for the kernel alone. 32-bit kernel can still make use of all RAM and run 64-bit apps.

 

When system is booting fine, remove the -v from com.apple.boot plist in Extra, use an editor like Smultron. (The -v displays all the lines of booting text)

 

Now you can run the script again to modify About This Mac, or the bootloader Theme.

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Hi, many thanks after reading through it looks great and very informative!

 

I have been these pages today as I need to build a pro audio system that can run a Pro Tools HD setup.

 

Ideally I need 3 PCI slots (there is hardly any though that run i7)

 

I cannot see what sort of clearance you have for the two lower PCI slots can you maybe take another closer pic at all please? I wouldn't really need that kind of gfx card so maybe a lower spec with a passive heatsink could be possible (do you have any in mind?)

 

Any help would be REALLY appreciated. Happy holidays.

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I'm using an third party cooler, Twin Turbo, and yes it is huge.

 

What you can do is keep the GPU in the lowest slot, that way it will not block any slots.

 

7.jpg

 

 

 

Ideally you would be using a low profile gpu like the 9800GT, might not block any ports with a card like that.

 

 

6968d1224656478-nvidia-geforce-9800-gtx-9800-gt-8800-gt-graphic-card-nvidia-geforce-9800-gtx-9800-gt-8800-gt-graphic-card.jpg

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I don't run Logic. But I can't see why it should be a problem. No app has crashed on me yet.

 

Yes, I live in Sweden :(

 

Perfect!

 

Then you don´t mind if i have some questions in swedish if i run in to any problems building this beauty?  :)

 

Did you buy all parts from one place here in swede-o?

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Hi, thanks it all looks very straight forward for once ;)

 

Do you know if this install would work with other Gigabyte boards (namely : GA-EX58-UD3R)

 

I can use the same graphics card etc just need that board.

 

cheers

 

BTW if I did use the low profile card you suggested are the correct drivers in this install for it?

 

Sorry I also forgot to mention I have an Apple branded NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 (from the latest Mac Pro) This is low profile and as its Apple will it work out of the box?

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Great thanks!

 

I'll stick to ATI if they work best!

 

How has FCS been on your system? I will be using the rig for Pro Tools HD and various other audio apps as well as FCS 2.

 

Have you had any kernel panics etc yet or all good?

 

thanks again

 

*Sorry I thought you had been running Final cut on your system! Ignore question! Really all I need to know is has it been super stable:)

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I don't run Final cut no..

 

As stated in the main post, I have had some kernel panics. They were all caused by a Logitech app.

I think the issue was that I copied my App folder straight from my Mac Pro. Because after reinstalling the app, I've had no more KPs.

 

 

Besides that, no app crashing, hanging, whatever. Everything just works. I would not be able to tell the difference between this build and my Mac Pro if the Hackintosh weren't alot snappier ;)

 

A little pic of how it looks right now:

 

 

desktop.png

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1. _For_System

2.Appleintelpllxata.kext

3.fakesmc.kext

4.ioahciBlockstorageinjector.kext

5.JMicronata.kext

6.LegacyHDA.kext

7.NullCPUPowerManagment.kext

8.OpenHaltRestart.kext

9.PlatformUUID.kext

10.realtekP1000SL.Kext

11.SleepEnabler.kext

 

_For_System

AppleIntelPllXATA.kext

fakesmc.kext

IOAHCIBlockStorageInjector.kext

JMicronATA.kext

LegactHDA.kext

NullCPUPowerManagment.kext

Openhaltrestart.kext

PlatformUUID.kext

RealtekR1000SL.kext

SleepEnabler.kext

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You must open the script again, choose Kext Installer, and make change the RealtekR1000SL

 

12.PNG

 

 

you see in here, the Realtek is in /System

I think yours is /Extra.

 

To change it, type the number of it, then enter, and it should toggle between Extra and System

 

When it is System, choose N, and enter.

 

reboot

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I'm using an third party cooler, Twin Turbo, and yes it is huge.

 

What you can do is keep the GPU in the lowest slot, that way it will not block any slots.

 

7.jpg

 

 

 

Ideally you would be using a low profile gpu like the 9800GT, might not block any ports with a card like that.

 

 

6968d1224656478-nvidia-geforce-9800-gtx-9800-gt-8800-gt-graphic-card-nvidia-geforce-9800-gtx-9800-gt-8800-gt-graphic-card.jpg

 

i have my hat off for you cindori!!!

and for my questions:

is this GPU would be compatible with the installation?

just wanna make sure.

im about to order tomorrow morning the exact specs accept

for using a zalman case <gs1000+>, zalman CPU cooler <9500>,

zalman PSU <zm600w>, and no akasa card reader or the bluetooth

for now cause theyre not imported to my country and would take time.

can you figure for me any problems that might happend from using this specs?

 

thanx alott,

 

really breathtaker you made there..

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