Jump to content

Best Dell for Hackintosh Project


18 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

I'm considering getting a cheap Dell for use in a Hackintosh project. Why use a Dell, you wonder? Why I have a $250 gift certificate to Dell plus an employer discount on Dells. So I'm pretty committed to a Dell box. Based on my limited research on my topic the E520 appears to be my best bet, with price factored in. Here are the specs:

 

Intel G965 Express Chipset

Pentium D 805 (2.66GHzx2, 533FSB)

1GB Dual Channel DDR2@533Mhz SDRAM

250GB SATA @ 7200 RPM

Intel X3000 Graphics

Integrated audio (no chipset specified)

Integrated network (no chipset specified)

 

I'm shooting for cheap but functional, with enough HD space for dual-booting.

 

I don't believe the X3000 graphics are supported, but I intend to drop in a Nvidia 6600GT anyway (I'm assuming this thing will have enough juice for a 6600GT @ 305 watts.) Audio may also be a problem, but I can solve that with a Creative Xmod (it works fine on my current Hackintosh.) Networking has me worried, though.

 

All input welcome...

Edited by imrazor
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm considering getting a cheap Dell for use in a Hackintosh project. Why use a Dell, you wonder? Why I have a $250 gift certificate to Dell plus an employer discount on Dells. So I'm pretty committed to a Dell box. Based on my limited research on my topic the E520 appears to be my best bet, with price factored in. Here are the specs:

 

Intel G965 Express Chipset

Pentium D 805 (2.66GHzx2, 533FSB)

1GB Dual Channel DDR2@533Mhz SDRAM

250GB SATA @ 7200 RPM

Intel X3000 Graphics

Integrated audio (no chipset specified)

Integrated network (no chipset specified)

 

I'm shooting for cheap but functional, with enough HD space for dual-booting.

 

I don't believe the X3000 graphics are supported, but I intend to drop in a Nvidia 6600GT anyway (I'm assuming this thing will have enough juice for a 6600GT @ 305 watts.) Audio may also be a problem, but I can solve that with a Creative Xmod (it works fine on my current Hackintosh.) Networking has me worried, though.

 

All input welcome...

 

GX620. Everything works with just a little tweaking

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a Dell 5150, and everything is working great.

 

Specs -

1.5GB RAM

Intel PD 820

1 80GB HD w/ Windows XP Installed

1 80GB HD w/ Mac OSX 10.4.6 Installed

ATI X300 Radeon PCI-E w/ QE Enabled :thumbsup_anim:

Edited by kpc2593
Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^ what they said.

 

I got an E520 almost identical specs to the one you're looking at, figured with the GMA graphics I could hack the rest of it together. My ancient Dimension 8200 is still my preferred OS-X machine because that E520 has so many issues, now I just use it to run SUSE and will prob ebay it. Installation is a pain, I don't think any of the hardware works out of the box, you have to piece everything together. It gets there but takes a long time, take another look at some of the more compatible systems others are posting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

GX620. Everything works with just a little tweaking

 

Hmm, the GX620 looks like it's a business machine. Can a mere mortal like me get one? Plus it looks like even a stripped down model runs around $800, and I'm trying to keep it cheap...

 

Denied, I'll take your advice and skip the E520, but I may have some penny pinching to do to save up for a GX620.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
Hmm, the GX620 looks like it's a business machine. Can a mere mortal like me get one? Plus it looks like even a stripped down model runs around $800, and I'm trying to keep it cheap...

 

Denied, I'll take your advice and skip the E520, but I may have some penny pinching to do to save up for a GX620.

 

I picked up a Inspiron 530 in Feb when there was a good sale and it works amazingly well.

 

It has a Foxconn G33 MB and I got it for $399 CDN. Kalyway installed no problem and all I had to do was patch the audio and buy a video card because the GMA3100 is not supported. Works great as of now with 10.5.2.

 

Edit: Just realized I replied to a 2007 post. I thought that said 2008.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I picked up a Inspiron 530 in Feb when there was a good sale and it works amazingly well.

 

It has a Foxconn G33 MB and I got it for $399 CDN. Kalyway installed no problem and all I had to do was patch the audio and buy a video card because the GMA3100 is not supported. Works great as of now with 10.5.2.

 

Edit: Just realized I replied to a 2007 post. I thought that said 2008.

 

 

hahaha lol, i was about to reply too, but saw ur edit first =)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I picked up a Inspiron 530 in Feb when there was a good sale and it works amazingly well.

 

It has a Foxconn G33 MB and I got it for $399 CDN. Kalyway installed no problem and all I had to do was patch the audio and buy a video card because the GMA3100 is not supported. Works great as of now with 10.5.2.

 

Edit: Just realized I replied to a 2007 post. I thought that said 2008.

 

What about his one?

Dell 530 with E8200 2x2,66 and 2600Xt graphics card?

How do i know which chipset is used?

 

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...
I have a Dell 5150, and everything is working great.

 

Specs -

1.5GB RAM

Intel PD 820

1 80GB HD w/ Windows XP Installed

1 80GB HD w/ Mac OSX 10.4.6 Installed

ATI X300 Radeon PCI-E w/ QE Enabled :)

 

I am sorry but this is a bit off topic, how did you get the ATI x300 Radeon to work with QE / CI i have been trying to do this for weeks?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I have an e520 with a "p965/g965" chipset. The only kexts I need to boot a retail DVD/install are dsmos, IOATA, CPUDisabler and SMBIOSEnabler...so basically you have the 3 100% necesary kext and ONE kext that is specific to our system. I dont see where people are getting all these things about problems with the 965...it works perfectly...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hey, i was given an e520 with a celeron D cpu.

 

I recently upgraded from 512mb of ram to 4 gigs.

 

I would like to install osX but before doing so i would like to upgrade the cpu to a core2duo or quad core, add a beefy video card, and beefy power supply. Would I be able to make these upgrades?

 

I do recall reading somewhere that dell have their own types of power supplies that differ from normal ones. is that correct?

 

I would greatly appreciate any help or points in the right direction. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

E520 with a small amount of tweaking with the iPC disk = Holy Mac. I'm posting this from my Fakintosh. All cores working, ram too, 1650x1050 (No QE yet but after this reboot it will :P), internet, no sound (Haven't installed the 9227 drivers yet.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...