remember this site? http://www.i-hacked.com/content/view/202/42. build a 200.00 Hackintosh/iHack. got me excited. i decided to see what it would look like if i did it today. here are my results:

Mobo: http://tinyurl.com/37n9a8 - 39.88 shipped

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16819112205 - 37.00 shipped

Ram: http://tinyurl.com/36de2m - 39.99(1 gb = 512 x 2) shipped

HD: http://tinyurl.com/3y7u8b - 22.98 shipped

CD/DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16827136058 - 23.13 shipped

Case & Power Supply: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=MM3850&cat=CAS - 22.99 shipped

TOTAL: 185.97 shipped

Not only can you do it, you can do it cheaper. have fun!

Have you actually tried to build a hackintosh out of that? Or is it just theoretical?

I think this CPU is your only problem. I could not upgrade to Jas 10.4.9 with it. Although 10.4.8 ran beautifullly. When I went to 10.4.9 it would kernel panic, and I had to replace mach_kernel w/ 8.8.1 and that caused other weird issues that I didn't feel like solving, so I put an Intel E6600 and everything went perfect.


CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16819112205 - 37.00 shipped

Do you get QE/CI with this chipset? What about sound? LAN?

Dear TheIconoclast:

I'm running Celeron D (supports SSE2/SSE3) on my mini PC with OSx86 10.4.6 without any problems at all. I can run iTunes 7 (and other apps that require SSE3). Performance benchmarks are similar to MacMini Core Solo (although the system seemed faster than stock mini with 512MB).

yeah i was tyhinking the same thing, that onboard graphics chip on the msi boards, i dont think support qe/ci

All looks good except the motherboard. That VIA chipset definitely won't get you QE/CI, and you may have problems with IDE and USB as well. I would replace it with an Intel based board with onboard GMA900/950. This seems to be the cheapest one Newegg has ($53):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16813138049

You will still be under $200 until you add shipping.

This one isn't quite under $200, but you can get it all from one reputable source (instead of having to resort to ebay for some parts), the motherboard will work with it (documented cases with video, sound, and LAN all working), the HD is 80GB instead of 20GB, and the power supply is 450w instead of 250w:

Case w/450w PSU - $21.99
Intel D945GNTL Motherboard - $46.99
2.8GHz Celeron D - $38.00
2x512MB DDR667 - $39.99
80GB 7200RPM SATA - $39.99
Combo Drive - $21.99

Subtotal: $208.95
Shipping: $27.97
Total: $236.92

That MSI board has the Realtek ALC861VD audio chip so might that work spun right off the install?

I love this thread though.

Now that Intel board is listing in at nearly $100. More ultimate mobo options?

Wow. It just more than doubled in price! I guess I had linked to an open box one which is now out of stock

Foxconn 945GZ7MC-RS2H - $49.99 ($15 off right now)

The ALC861 won't work right from the install, but it can be made to work in OS X. The Foxconn board I just linked to has it as well.

Some ALC861 soundchips can be made to work. the majority will not run under osx. maybe it's a good ideia to get another mobo