JonasMAC Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Hi there, I'm a new member of the Mac World - and already convinced that Mac is whast I like - and what I would like to continue using in the future. I'm just extremely tired of the high price of a Mac, and that is why I'm looking for a way to build a clone of the Mac Pro - and I'm probably not the only one with this though, but I did try to make a search here - but only found out thread about cloninga MacBook Pro - and that I'm not really interested in! :-) I'm not trying to invent something new, I just want a Mac Pro for half the price. Can someone help me out with a hardware specification for the Mac Pro? I'm not sure, that my local Mac Store would appreciate me disassembling one of their Mac's I was only able to find this information on Apples website One 2.66GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon "Nehalem" processorwhat is the technical specification for this CPU? And would it create problems if I choose to put in a faster? CPU (if such a CPU exists) 3GB (three 1GB) memoryWould any memory work - or is there a specific brand they use? In any case, what are the technical decription for this RAM? 640GB hard driveI assume that any SATA hdd would work. 18x double-layer SuperDriveWhat drive does Apple use? I know I can just check out the ox86 Database - but again, I'm looking for cloning the Mac Pro. NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MBI assume that the graphic card is the same as the one on Nvidia's website. I don't see any problems getting these parts from eBay and other online stores. However there seem to be lacking information on Motherboard, Network Adaptor (WIFI in any) and Power supply and other things I've probably forgotten about. I'd really appreciate a list. Any reply or help is deeply appreciated! All the best Jonas Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonasMAC Posted June 4, 2009 Author Share Posted June 4, 2009 OK - i actually managed to find a more specified list of hardware on the Mac Pro. It contains pretty good stuff! :-) http://www.apple.com/macpro/specs.html Your recommendations are still very much appreciated! Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1169424 Share on other sites More sharing options...
r8f5e7 Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Intel DX48BT2 Intel Xeon 2,66GHz Quad-Core X3350 8GB DDR3 Kingston HyperX 1066MHz ATI 4850 Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1169557 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonasMAC Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 Intel DX48BT2Intel Xeon 2,66GHz Quad-Core X3350 8GB DDR3 Kingston HyperX 1066MHz ATI 4850 Whoa, this was excellent news mate... Thank you kindly... I guess I better start building up a Mac Pro soon! Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1170372 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaaseyRacer Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Will that board work with a Xeon? It is LGA 775. The Nehalem Xeons are LGA1366. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16819117182 As far as a motherboard you are going to have to do some serious hunting to find something with a similar chipset as a mac pro. Most likely it is going to be a server or workstation board. Edit: Check out this board, not 100% sure of compatibility, but I recall hearing one time that the MacPros use an Intel 5500 chipset. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16813151194 Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1170528 Share on other sites More sharing options...
r8f5e7 Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 True. The X3350 it not a Nehalem model, but one of the earlier versions of the Xeon. Building a Hack Pro, you basically have two options to choose from: 1) Have two physical CPUs 2 Have one physical CPU If you want to build a Tylersburg 2-CPU-System with Nehalem Xeons on it, you'd better buy a real MacPro since the price tag of such a machine atm it way too high. Supermicro has some good looking mobos with 5500/ICH10R chipset combinations, ALC sound and compatible intel onboard LAN. If you build a HackPro with just one physical CPU, you do have the chance of finding a hardware combination that is much less expensive than the entry MacPro model. Only thing is atm that you won't be using Nehalem Xeons (there aren't any Nehalem Single Socket mobos out yet, right?). However, such a system is still kickass. The Intel DX48BT2 should do the job fine, it also has DDR3 RAM and would probably have the power of a 2008 MacPro. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1170910 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomCom Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Well, to say the least, cloning a Nehalem Mac Pro without feedback is not the smartest idea of the year, unless you're a bored millionaire. If you want a real Mac Pro with a Xeon and expensive but not so fast memory, buy one! At least, it'll work flawlessly and you'll be able to resell it for a good price in one, two or even three years. The idea of building a Hack is to get the computer you really need and not the ones' Apple want to sell you, or cutting the price tag. Otherwise, it's (more or less) pointless, IMO. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1171096 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonasMAC Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 Well, to say the least, cloning a Nehalem Mac Pro without feedback is not the smartest idea of the year, unless you're a bored millionaire.If you want a real Mac Pro with a Xeon and expensive but not so fast memory, buy one! At least, it'll work flawlessly and you'll be able to resell it for a good price in one, two or even three years. The idea of building a Hack is to get the computer you really need and not the ones' Apple want to sell you, or cutting the price tag. Otherwise, it's (more or less) pointless, IMO. Thank you for your feedback. And your opinion. I really appreciate it! What I am actually looking for an excellent fast, and reliable computer which can run, at least Logic 8 Suite, but also other music programs flawlessly, without the worries of the computer becoming useless after a few years. And I thought, that a Mac Pro would be the answer to my worries and questions. But I guess that I'm too much of a Mac n00b, to really know what I need! But can you help me out in getting such computer that I am in need of? To be honest, I am so little familiar with the infrastructure of a Mac (as I've only been using one for 2 months) that I don't really know what I need, only what I want, if you understand! All the best Jonas Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1171501 Share on other sites More sharing options...
r8f5e7 Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 I don't think you really need Xeon CPUs to do Logic Studio work. ECC RAM would be useful, tough. Unfortunately there's no Gigabyte P35 or P45 board that supports ECC (am i wrong?). However, thats not such a problem. My recommendation: Q9550s (notice the "s", the new energy-saver-version), maybe a less fast Quad-CPU will do the job fine, too. 8 oder 16 GB RAM (DDR2 1066MHz is more than enough, you don't need DDR3 atm). Any highly compatible graphics card, e.g. the 9800GTX+ or, even better from what I've read in the looong i7 thread here, the ATI 4850. Mobo: definitely Gigabyte, probably EP45 series (all will work). Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1171550 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomCom Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 I was interested in the Q9550s too, but I read a review a few days ago and it draws only 5 less watts. The Q9550 is an excellent CPU for LGA775 motherboard owners, but now, for people building a whole computer, Core i7s are a better choice. The premium is about 150-200$ for the mobo (EX58-UD4P), 6GB DDR3 and a better PSU, but you'll be able to keep it much more time and resell the parts. Plus, Snow Leopard and pro apps will take advantage of multithreading and doubled memory bandwidth (with some 1600MHz DDR3). Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1171585 Share on other sites More sharing options...
r8f5e7 Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Core i7s are a better choice. Isn't it still more complicated for a beginner to set up an i7 hackintosh, since only 10.5.7 has ICH10R drivers and vanilla support for Nehalem CPUs? I'd be no problem if there was a retail 10.5.7 DVD or an iPC 10.5.7 or something, but atm i believe complete newbies to hackintoshing would get a headache from trying to build an i7 machine, even with all the great tutorials on this forum. I am also thinking of building an i7 machine in the future, but not now. Too much trouble if you come from 10.5.5 or so having to use voodoo kernel and the like. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1171610 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomCom Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 10.5.7 is out for a moment now. Let's hope ~pcwiz will release a new distro of iPC. BTW, Gigabyte announced during Computex it was going to update soon all its EX58 line of products with SATA 3 support on the white ports, thanks to a Marvell chip—but will it work for Hacks? These new models will be called EX58A-UD(sth), sport up to 24-phase power for the UD5 and new features including the ability of skipping the post after 3 unchanged Bios boots. Pix and details here: http://www.anandtech.com/weblog/showpost.aspx?i=608 Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1171786 Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Man Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 The Super Micro C7X58 is a single CPU board that supports Nehalems. I've been looking at this as a startingpoint for a possible MacPro "light" clone. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1171909 Share on other sites More sharing options...
r8f5e7 Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 The Super Micro C7X58 is a single CPU board that supports Nehalems. I've been looking at this as a startingpoint for a possible MacPro "light" clone. That looks great! It's even relatively "cheap", looking at the Gigabyte UD5 model. Please report back if you have made experiences with this board. From the tech specs (chipsets X58 ICH10R Intel LAN ALC883) it should be perfectly hackintoshable! Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1171934 Share on other sites More sharing options...
graycells Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 hi all, i've silmiler configered machine. intel DX48BT2 mobo WD 500 gb HDD SATA Transcend 1333MHz 2GB x2 DDR3 ram Nvidia geforce 8400GS 512MB I tried kalyway 10.5.2 and iATKOS5i, both stuck at "Still waiting for root device" please suggest me which distro should i try or need any other hardware? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/169184-should-i-try-to-clone-a-mac-pro/#findComment-1287477 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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