Core i7 build for Pro Tools LE

[ryansimms]

Hey Guys,

I've been following the forums on this site for a couple months, but there's so much information I want to make sure that I'm not missing anything. I'd like to build an i7 rig for Pro Tools LE mixing. I use some fairly processor-intensive plug-ins, so CPU power is definitely a consideration. Here's my hardware choices:

 

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz

 

GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD5

 

GIGABYTE GV-N96TSL-1GI GeForce 9600 GT 1GB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP

 

G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Triple Channel Kit

 

CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX 450W ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS

 

Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10000 RPM SATA

 

SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S223Q

 

Antec P182 Gun Metal Black 0.8mm cold rolled steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

 

ASUS VK246H Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor

 

I honestly have no idea about the graphics card and power supply, so if anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to chime in. I'd like to hook this system up to my HDTV occasionally as well.

 

This is my first build and I have no experience with non-apple hardware. I plan on using Digital Dreamer's popular guide for the install. Mac OSX only (no dual-boot). Don't care about wireless, but I need networking. I would also like firewire 800 and possibly eSata, anyone want to recommend a card?

 

Does anyone know of any pitfalls to avoid when building a Pro Tools LE rig? How'm I lookin'?

 

Thanks everyone,

Ryan

[VooD]

A month ago I built two Core i7 920 based computers exclusivily for audio applications running under both Mac OS X and Windows XP SP3.

 

I used:

 

- CPU: Intel Core i7 920

- MOBO: Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R,

- RAM: Patriot Tri-Kit DIMM 6 GB DDR3-1333

- HD: Seagate ST31000333AS 1 TB

- POWERSUPPLY: OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W

- DVD RECORDER: Plextor PX-820SA

- VGA: Asus EN9600GT SILENT/HTDI

- COOLER: Noctua NH-U12P

 

All inside a huge Cooler Master HAF RC-932-KKN1-GP

 

To sum up, everything worked flawless, it was amazingly fast in protools and every other application, almost noiseless, and the pretty easy to configure with Os X. Apart from the basic kexts to run Os X, I only needed an extra kext for the ethernet, and an EFI string for the 9600GT. I also included a modded AppleHDA.kext, but that was not really neccesary since those computer were going to have Protools HD cards

 

They were installed with 10.5.6 + a voodoo kernel based 10.5.6 kernel and system.kext (10.5.7 wasn't avaible by that time), but some days ago, I replaced both files with the vanilla 10.5.6 ones and updated to 10.5.7 with 0 problems.

 

Digital Dreamer's guide is nice, but sometimes confusing, specially if you are used to do this kind of things by yourself.

 

If I had to build another computer like those this is probably what I would do:

 

- Install a vanilla 10.5.6 system with a core 2 based computer using cdboot132 on the hard disk which is going to be inside the i7

- Install PCEFI v9 (Chameleon 2.0 RC1 breaks Firewire DMA, so there's a huge cpu usage when you use firewire soundcards or transfers)

- Add dsmos.kext, disabler.kext, RealtekR1000.kext, AHCIPortInjector.kext, IOAHCIBlockStorageInjector.kext, and OpenHaltRestart.kext at \Extra\Extensions

- Add AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext to \System\Library\Extensions (since PCEFI v9 doesn't have SMBIOS injection, and this kext can't be loaded from \Extra)

- Create an EFI string using with OSX86Tools for the 9600GT

- Update to 10.5.7 using the delta package.

- Put the disk in the i7

- Enjoy

 

Seriously, I really loved the final result. It was hard to me having to give them to their owners

[ryansimms]

Thanks for the quick reply, this is exactly what I needed! I've changed my graphics card, motherboard, and power supply to what you used. I'm not sure about the case though, it's a little overstated for my taste. Do you see any issues with the case I've selected? Also, is an aftermarket heat sink needed? I do plan on overclocking a bit once I get everything working and stable and learn how to do it, but nothing major.

 

I'm a totally newbie, so let me make sure I have the steps straight:

 

1. put a blank sata drive in a firewire enclosure and hook it up to my MBP

2. put a boot-132 CD in the MBP, and boot from the CD

3. eject the boot 132 disc and insert a leopard retail disk (10.5.1. would work, right?)

4. install Leopard on on the external drive

5. remove Leopard CD and insert boot-132 CD

6. restart and boot from the boot-132 CD

7. continue the boot from leopard on the external drive

8. install PCEFI v9 (I found a one-click installer here)

9. add kexts (do I do this when installing PCEFI? or should I use OSX86 Tools?)

10. create EFI string for 9600GT using OSX86 Tools

11. download 10.5.7 delta update file, install it

12. take the drive out of the firewire enclosure and put it in my i7 rig

13. start the i7 rig for the first time.

 

thanks again!

Ryan

[VooD]

If you plan to overclock, you REALLY need an aftermarket heatsink. Also noise and temperature will be lower in mosts cases. About the case, it was chosen by the computer owner. He gave this reason in order to buy such expensive case: "I have had many computers in the last 10 years, and the only part I've used more than once were their cases, so I prefer to buy a good one which probably I will use for 4-5 years, instead a cheap and bad one". It's your choice anyway. But the antec you choosed also looks good.

 

Given you have a Mac Book Pro just do this:

 

1. put a blank sata drive in a firewire enclosure and hook it up to my MBP

2. install a 10.5.6 retail system in the sata drive (be sure you choose GUID partition scheme)

3. install PCEFI v9 (I found a one-click installer here) (Never tried, but probably will be fine)

4. create EFI string for 9600GT using OSX86 Tools (it's not in the list, just choose custom and complete the info). I don't know if you have to complete this step on the final hardware, but it that's the case, just skip this step and do it once you have the system working on the i7

5. download 10.5.7 delta update file, install it

6. Add dsmos.kext, disabler.kext, RealtekR1000.kext, AHCIPortInjector.kext, IOAHCIBlockStorageInjector.kext, and OpenHaltRestart.kext at your i7's hd \Extra\Extensions

7. Add AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext to \Volumes\yournewinstall\System\Library\Extensions .Remember to set the correct permissions in terminal with

 

sudo -s

chmod -R 755 \Volumes\yournewinstall\System\Library\Extensions

chown -R root:wheel \Volumes\yournewinstall\System\Library\Extensions

 

8. take the drive out of the firewire enclosure and put it in your i7 rig

9. start the i7 rig for the first time. (be sure to configure SATA in AHCI mode before, and don't forget to turn on no execute cpu option and virtualization options)

 

It should work.

 

Optionally, you could add a fixed DSDT.aml.

p.s.: I just forgot to mention that for an unknown reason to me, all the modern geforces 8x00 and 9x00 only work properly when connected to the secondary DVI port in OS X. If you use the first dvi port, graphics are

laggy and you can't change resolution properly. Surprisingly if you use both ports at the same time the first port works perfectly, but if you only have a monitor just use the second port or you will have problems.

 

AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext doesn't fill 100% correctly all the info in system profiler, but both PCEFI v9, and this kexts are just temporary solutions until a fixed Chameleon 2 version is released. Chameleon 2 allows SMBIOS injection, so you can correct all the parameters you want, but right now it breaks firewire, so you can either install PCEFIv9 and have correct firewire and some wrong info in the profiler (it's just a cosmetic issue), or install Chameleon 2 RC1, take time in editing smbios.plist and have correct profiler info but buggy & high cpu usage firewire

[ryansimms]

I can't thank you enough. I'm ordering my parts today. I'm getting the same heatsink that you have. I think I have a very clear idea of what to do thanks to the step-by-step you provided. If I run into any issue with the installation, should I continue on with this thread, or should i start a new thread in a different section? I'm not sure what the etiquette is.

 

So this is not a vanilla install because of the AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext, correct? Were you saying that this will be corrected in Chameleon 2.0 or will I have to be sure to keep this kext up to date after system updates?

 

One more quick question. Do I need a 10.5.6 install disc, or would 10.5.1 work?

 

Thanks again!

Ryan

[VooD]

I can't thank you enough. I'm ordering my parts today. I'm getting the same heatsink that you have. I think I have a very clear idea of what to do thanks to the step-by-step you provided. If I run into any issue with the installation, should I continue on with this thread, or should i start a new thread in a different section? I'm not sure what the etiquette is.

 

So this is not a vanilla install because of the AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext, correct? Were you saying that this will be corrected in Chameleon 2.0 or will I have to be sure to keep this kext up to date after system updates?

 

Thanks again!

Ryan

 

AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext doesn't replace any vanilla kext, so it's a vanilla installation we are only adding kexts, not patching them.

 

When a firewire fixed chameleon 2 is released, just delete AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext and use Chamaleon's native smbios injection.

 

About the thread. If you have problems once you have everything at home maybe you should start a new one at the Leopard installation section, meanwhile I think there's no problem in keeping this one here.

 

Anyway if you are experienced in vanilla installations and osx I think probably you won't have any problem at all. Having a real mac saves you many steps and makes the installation a lot more easy and straightforward.

 

I'm going to upload a small zip with all the kext you will need.

[VooD]

Here is all you will need i7.zip

 

Once you have your functional system you should make a backup with Carbon Copy Cloner. It will save you the al the trouble of doing this again in case you screw something in the future

[geticus]

VooD, when you say "almost silent" what do you mean, regarding a mac pro for example ?

[VooD]

VooD, when you say "almost silent" what do you mean, regarding a mac pro for example ?

 

I'm not used to the noise a Mac Pro produces, but the computers I built were quite silent. The powersupply fan has a 140mm fan which is almost noiseless, the vga is passive, and the cpu fan is a 120mm one with a maximum speed of 1300 rpms with an absolute maximum noise at about 19 db's (at idle will be as low as 12 db). According to http://www.barefeats.com/harper4.html a Mac Pro from 2008 generates 40db idling and as much as 48 db at full cpu usage.

 

So, if I'm correct the total noise produced by the fans should be less than 22 db in the worst of the cases. So I'd say its probably as noiseless you can go without using passive cooling and damping materials.

 

But, I'm not taking in mind the extra fans your case may have. For example in my computer's case, an Aerocool nitron the front fan was responsable of most of the noise the computer produced while idling, so I decided to disable and enjoy silent

[JustinAiken]

- Install PCEFI v9 (Chameleon 2.0 RC1 breaks Firewire DMA, so there's a huge cpu usage when you use firewire soundcards or transfers)

 

Could you elaborate on this? I have parts for a new i7 system sitting on my table, very similar to OPs, and this is for a Pro Tools DAW also...

 

I'm using Chameleon 2RC1 on my current build, and haven't noticed any issues with my firewire 002... but is it using more CPU than it should? Is that why I can't fit as many plugins as I need? I just thought the Q6600 was too old (I use a lot of intense plugins - Revalver III, Kontakt 3, BFD2, etc... not to mention Soundtoys and Vintage Warmer on tons of tracks)!

[VooD]

Could you elaborate on this? I have parts for a new i7 system sitting on my table, very similar to OPs, and this is for a Pro Tools DAW also...

 

I'm using Chameleon 2RC1 on my current build, and haven't noticed any issues with my firewire 002... but is it using more CPU than it should? Is that why I can't fit as many plugins as I need? I just thought the Q6600 was too old (I use a lot of intense plugins - Revalver III, Kontakt 3, BFD2, etc... not to mention Soundtoys and Vintage Warmer on tons of tracks)!

 

http://forum.voodooprojects.org/index.php/topic,200.0.html

 

Here's the discussion about the bug. Anyway zef confirmed the bug is already fixed in the next Chameleon2 release. We just have to wait. Meanwhile just install PCEFI v9 (you only have to replace your /boot file)

 

About your q6600, it's a very good cpu, but the i7 is SO MUCH BETTER than you won't believe when you see the cpu usage your old projects have with a i7. I believe the integrated memory controller REALLY helps to reduce cpu usage in music applications. Definetively music apps are probably the most benefied of all.

Anyway both processors are quite overclockable, so you still can have some more performance from your old q6600. It's not hard to overclock it up 3.2 ghz, even with the stock fan.

 

Anyway, given the plugs you mention I dare to think probably you are limited by ram rather than cpu (or maybe both). Protools and Logic still are 32 bit applications, so you can't have more than ~3gb used in their process. In fact, both apps begin to being unstable once you pass the 2gb mark. Just check your process ram usage in Logic or PT when you are using more than 2gb, it will say something like 16.000.000 Terabytes used lol.

[JustinAiken]

Ooh!! That's why when I boot it says something about defaulting to full-secure... that message has plauged me since my first build ages ago! I'd come to assume it was just a given...

 

When the bug is fixed (have to use chameleon, so I can boot my windows too), will I see an improvement in performance? That would make me happy!

 

Anyways, my new build is going to be:

 

 

CASE: Antec P180

CPU: i7 920 (stock cooler till I get it working... then will look for something to OC with)

MB: Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4P

RAM: 6 GB OCZ DDR3-1600

VIDEO: 8800GT

HDs: 320 SATA, 500 SATA x2, 750 SATA, 1TB USB, 320 USB, 160 USB

OS: Leopard 10.5.7 (x3), XP, Win7, all on Velociraptor 300

 

 

Any tips for me VooD? You seem extremely knowledgeable and helpful! In particular, the order to go about getting a Leopard 10.5.7 install, cloning to two extra partitions, and installing XP and Win7 on the drive also?

 

Anyway, given the plugs you mention I dare to think probably you are limited by ram rather than cpu (or maybe both). Protools and Logic still are 32 bit applications, so you can't have more than ~3gb used in their process. In fact, both apps begin to being unstable once you pass the 2gb mark. Just check your process ram usage in Logic or PT when you are using more than 2gb, it will say something like 16.000.000 Terabytes used lol.

 

Yeah... I'm thinking of finding more programs to run outside of Pro Tools to run in through Rewire...

[VooD]

Ooh!! That's why when I boot it says something about defaulting to full-secure... that message has plauged me since my first build ages ago! I'd come to assume it was just a given...

 

When the bug is fixed (have to use chameleon, so I can boot my windows too), will I see an improvement in performance? That would make me happy!

 

Maybe. But I didn't make any test by myself.

 

Anyways, my new build is going to be:

CASE: Antec P180

CPU: i7 920 (stock cooler till I get it working... then will look for something to OC with)

MB: Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4P

RAM: 6 GB OCZ DDR3-1600

VIDEO: 8800GT

HDs: 320 SATA, 500 SATA x2, 750 SATA, 1TB USB, 320 USB, 160 USB

OS: Leopard 10.5.7 (x3), XP, Win7, all on Velociraptor 300

Any tips for me VooD? You seem extremely knowledgeable and helpful! In particular, the order to go about getting a Leopard 10.5.7 install, cloning to two extra partitions, and installing XP and Win7 on the drive also?

Yeah... I'm thinking of finding more programs to run outside of Pro Tools to run in through Rewire...

 

You just have to follow the same steps I posted before, except for you will need to make the usual vanilla install process since you don't have a real mac like ryansimms

 

1.- Get a cdboot132 cd/dvd and install 10.5.6 on your Q6600 (I assume you know the process) (be sure you choose GUID partition scheme)

2.- Boot your newly installed 10.5.6 system with cdboot132 again

3.- Go to step 3 I posted before and continue. Just replace the specific kexts for the ones for your motherboard

 

Once you have 10.5.7 installed you can move the disk to your i7

 

In order to clone use Carbon Copy Cloner

In order to make your cloned disk bootable, just install Chameleon/PCEFi v9 there, and be sure the partition is active (http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=22844)

 

I don't know if you can install XP on a GUID partitioned disk. I always prefer having different disks for each system. Anyway there is something I can tell you, tha last time I installed Windows 7 it completly broke my Leo partition, even being in a different disk.

 

In case XP can't be installed in a GUID partition scheme disk, you can make 3 primary MBR partitions in the raptor, then partition another disk in GUID mode, install Leo there. Use CCC to clone that partition to an empty partition in your raptor disk. Then install XP, and finally make your leo partition bootable by installing chameleon and making the partition active.

 

I know, it's a mess, that's one of the reasons I prefer separate hard disks for each system.

[JustinAiken]

1.- Get a cdboot132 cd/dvd and install 10.5.6 on your Q6600 (I assume you know the process) (be sure you choose GUID partition scheme)

2.- Boot your newly installed 10.5.6 system with cdboot132 again

3.- Go to step 3 I posted before and continue. Just replace the specific kexts for the ones for your motherboard

 

Actually, I'm completely lost on boot132 stuff.. I want to do it this way, but all I know how to do is use an install disk like iDeneb and check the appropriate boxes... I'm spending the days reading guides here, but they're confusing/conflicting...

 

 

Once you have 10.5.7 installed you can move the disk to your i7

 

In order to clone use Carbon Copy Cloner

In order to make your cloned disk bootable, just install Chameleon/PCEFi v9 there, and be sure the partition is active (http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=22844)

 

Okay, that I can do... did that on my current install, so I have a DAW, a backup DAW for experimenting with new plugins before putting them on my main DAW, and a Leopard for surfing/iTunes/iCal/etc. Works great that way! Keeps my DAW clean and uncluttered! :censored2:

 

 

I don't know if you can install XP on a GUID partitioned disk. I always prefer having different disks for each system. Anyway there is something I can tell you, tha last time I installed Windows 7 it completly broke my Leo partition, even being in a different disk.

 

In case XP can't be installed in a GUID partition scheme disk, you can make 3 primary MBR partitions in the raptor, then partition another disk in GUID mode, install Leo there. Use CCC to clone that partition to an empty partition in your raptor disk. Then install XP, and finally make your leo partition bootable by installing chameleon and making the partition active.

 

I know, it's a mess, that's one of the reasons I prefer separate hard disks for each system.

 

Hmm, that is a mess... I really only use XP for a handful of video games... maybe I'll leave it on it's own drive after all... although it seems a shame to waste the speed of the Velociraptor...

 

I'm not in any hurry to use Win7 either, I just wanted the option open in the future... maybe I'll just leave an empty NTFS partition for now, and wait until the osx86 scene figures out an easy too for that

 

 

 

Anyways, I'm on my iDeneb machine right now... won't be able to build the new machine for a couple of days because I'm waiting for the RAM to come, but your saying I could pop the new Velociraptor in and install a vanilla Leopard while I'm waiting with this boot-132 voodoo?

 

Thanks for your help so far... I'm so stoked to move to a near-dreamlike computer!

[VooD]

Anyways, I'm on my iDeneb machine right now... won't be able to build the new machine for a couple of days because I'm waiting for the RAM to come, but your saying I could pop the new Velociraptor in and install a vanilla Leopard while I'm waiting with this boot-132 voodoo?

 

Yep, in fact you can't make a native install with cdboot-132 in your i7 since the 10.5.6 kernel can't boot with a i7. That's the reason you need an older computer to make the installation.

 

These are the steps to make a retail installation with cdboot-132

 

Burn cdboot.iso in "\CD Boot-132" folder into a DVD or CD

- Put the disc in the DVD drive

- Boot the q6600 and select the the DVD drive as boot device

- Once loaded, swap the disc with Leopard Retail 10.5.6 DVD.

- Let the disc spin for a while so it can be recognized and press enter twice.

- Os X installer will load. Now is time to setup partitions.

- Use Disk Utility in the upper menu to partition, and do not forget to choose GUID partition scheme. As the retail disc won't allow you to install into MBR partitions. (if you really want to install in a MBR partition is better to use an external USB hard drive with GUID partition scheme and once installed just cloning the installation into your internal hard disk using Carbon Copy Cloner and then Chamaleon Installer)

- Install Os X as usual.

- Once finished the computer will reboot, now load CD-Boot 132 again. Except for this time we won't be pressing enter twice but just one time. Then we type 80 (or 81, or 82, etc...until you find the disk you just installed) so now boots from hard disk.

- Let the first boot process finish (don't forget to set a password for you user account as sometimes not doing so can cause problems).

- Once you are finally at the desktop launch Kext Helper and drag and drop AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext into its window for installing them.

- Then move \Extra folder to your hard disk root

- Install PCEFI v9

- Make a fixed DSDT.aml and put it at your disk's root.

- Then follow the rest of the steps I posted

(just use the kexts I posted before)

 

cd_boot132.rar

 

This is a working cdboot132 which should work...btw DISTROS are Os X on generic pc's cancer.

 

Never use one of those again!!!!

 

They cause more problems than they solve due to so many different hacked files making impossible to diagnose something when it fails.

[JustinAiken]

Ok, awesome, this is all starting to make sense.... just a few more questions before I start.

 

These are the steps to make a retail installation with cdboot-132

 

Burn cdboot.iso in "\CD Boot-132" folder into a DVD or CD

- Put the disc in the DVD drive

- Boot the q6600 and select the the DVD drive as boot device

- Once loaded, swap the disc with Leopard Retail 10.5.6 DVD.

 

Is there any way to use a disc image so I don't have to wait for my slow optical drive? NP if not though...

 

 

- Let the disc spin for a while so it can be recognized and press enter twice.

- Os X installer will load. Now is time to setup partitions.

- Use Disk Utility in the upper menu to partition, and do not forget to choose GUID partition scheme. As the retail disc won't allow you to install into MBR partitions. (if you really want to install in a MBR partition is better to use an external USB hard drive with GUID partition scheme and once installed just cloning the installation into your internal hard disk using Carbon Copy Cloner and then Chamaleon Installer)

- Install Os X as usual.

 

Can I install to an e-sata drive? It would be alot easy to pop my new drive into an enclosure than to take apart the computer... my mobo uses the JMicronATA controller for esata... if not, NP.

 

Also, in order to do an install, will I need to add any kexts for my motherboard? I'm not worried about getting full graphics/sound/fire/internet/etc of course since the HD will be going in the new computer... but will it need SATA or IDE drivers or anything to boot?

 

- Once you are finally at the desktop launch Kext Helper and drag and drop AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext into its window for installing them.

 

Does this come from the internet, or the install?

 

- Then move \Extra folder to your hard disk root

 

Where does the \Extra folder come from?

And if the bootloader reads from this extra, will each install need their own \extra folder in the root, or will they read from the bootloader's partition?

 

- Install PCEFI v9

- Make a fixed DSDT.aml and put it at your disk's root.

 

Is it okay if I use Chameleon? I like it alot more, and since the firewire fix is coming soon....

 

What's DSDT.aml, and how do I fix it?

 

 

 

- Then follow the rest of the steps I posted

(just use the kexts I posted before)

 

cd_boot132.rar

 

This is a working cdboot132 which should work...btw DISTROS are Os X on generic pc's cancer.

 

Never use one of those again!!!!

 

They cause more problems than they solve due to so many different hacked files making impossible to diagnose something when it fails.

 

Right! No more iDenebs or Leo4alls for me... I'm excited for a vanilla installation! Hopefully the transition to Snow Leopard in a few months will be smooth!

[VooD]

Is there any way to use a disc image so I don't have to wait for my slow optical drive? NP if not though...

You can use restore function from disk utility to copy the installation dvd to a pendrive, but I wouldn't do it. Retail install discs loads and installs A LOT FASTER than those hacked isos.

 

Can I install to an e-sata drive? It would be alot easy to pop my new drive into an enclosure than to take apart the computer... my mobo uses the JMicronATA controller for esata... if not, NP.

If I were you ,disabling the JMicron controller would be one of the first things I would make as soon as I got the computer. JMicron + OS X + >2gb RAM = crashings. Use a sata to usb/firewire converter instead.

 

Also, in order to do an install, will I need to add any kexts for my motherboard? I'm not worried about getting full graphics/sound/fire/internet/etc of course since the HD will be going in the new computer... but will it need SATA or IDE drivers or anything to boot?

If your q6600 is configured in AHCI mode you don't need anything. Anyway you don't have to boot that installation with your q6600. Once installed, just complete the others steps from your working q6600 install.

 

Does this come from the internet, or the install?

Where does the \Extra folder come from?

Is posted in the i7.zip in this thread.

 

And if the bootloader reads from this extra, will each install need their own \extra folder in the root?

I think so.

 

Is it okay if I use Chameleon? I like it alot more, and since the firewire fix is coming soon....

It's okay, but if you do, do not install AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext and configure properly smbios.plist in \Extra instead.

 

What's DSDT.aml, and how do I fix it?

The utility to make a fixed DSDT.aml is posted in the i7.zip in this thread. The DSDT tables defines the ACPI devices and some others things in your computer BIOS. Too bad many bioses have mistakes in those tables which make OS X to crash or not to work as it should, that's why we need to fix that and load the correct tables from a file, instead of the ones from the bios. One of the advantages of using a fixed DSDT.aml is you no longer need a disabler.kext. Also I think is necessary in order to boot Snow Leopard.

 

Btw I forgot to mention you both should add the network efi string with OSX86 tools in addition to your vga efi string so you can get a proper uuid and timemachine working.

 

My godness, WHAT A LOT of questions. I'm exhausted. Please I need a little rest from this topic

Good luck to both of you with your new i7...I'm green with envy lol

[JustinAiken]

Ok thanks for all your help! I'll leave you alone 'till I get stuck

[JustinAiken]

Just order the Notica cooler... was tempted to go for the prolimatech mega-whatever, would have cost about the same, but noise is more important than power... I'd rather have a 3 Ghz that I can't hear than a 4 Ghz that I can...

[geticus]

Thank you VooD for your explanation.

 

nice day

[r8f5e7]

I'm quite confused about what you're saying. Isn't it possible to just do this:

 

- Install iDeneb 1.4 or 1.3 onto one disk in the i7 (i think i've read somewhere that this works)

- Install Retail Leopard inside iDeneb to another disk inside the i7

- Patch the new retail installation from iDeneb to version 10.5.7

- boot from the retail install harddisk and delete the iDeneb installation

 

?

[VooD]

I'm quite confused about what you're saying. Isn't it possible to just do this:

 

- Install iDeneb 1.4 or 1.3 onto one disk in the i7 (i think i've read somewhere that this works)

- Install Retail Leopard inside iDeneb to another disk inside the i7

- Patch the new retail installation from iDeneb to version 10.5.7

- boot from the retail install harddisk and delete the iDeneb installation

 

?

 

It might be possible. But I don't know if iDeneb installation dvd runs on latest voodoo kernel so it can boot on a i7. Anyway, using OSInstall.mpkg to install a system from an already working OS X never worked at 100% for me. I always got strange errors at the end of the process. That's why I prefer doing the work as native as possible.

[r8f5e7]

Anyway, using OSInstall.mpkg to install a system from an already working OS X never worked at 100% for me. I always got strange errors at the end of the process. That's why I prefer doing the work as native as possible.

 

My new i7 system is on the way and I was thinking about installing OS X using iDeneb (Fussl kernel seems to work on i7, too). I've never tried installing OS X from a working install onto another hdd - can you tell me more about those problems you encountered?

[VooD]

My new i7 system is on the way and I was thinking about installing OS X using iDeneb (Fussl kernel seems to work on i7, too). I've never tried installing OS X from a working install onto another hdd - can you tell me more about those problems you encountered?

 

Basically, the installation stopped near the end of the process. The files were already copied, but some scripts were not executed.

Anyway I hope you are not planning using a "distro" in your i7. They are the worst way to install OS x in generic hardware. They use so many modified files that's impossible to know the source of problems when they happen. Since the very day cdboot-132 was released they all went obsolete. I still don't know why people keep using them...well, in fact I suspect the reason...they are too stupid to do the process by themselves

 

But the real problem is, "distro"'s users fill insanelymac and other forums with hundreds of questions about problems which they only have because they are using distros, and that make expert users to lose time answering and thinking about problems that would never had happen if they had used a retail installation.

[r8f5e7]

Basically, the installation stopped near the end of the process. The files were already copied, but some scripts were not executed.

Anyway I hope you are not planning using a "distro" in your i7. They are the worst way to install OS x in generic hardware. They use so many modified files that's impossible to know the source of problems when they happen. Since the very day cdboot-132 was released they all went obsolete. I still don't know why people keep using them...well, in fact I suspect the reason...they are too stupid to do the process by themselves

 

But the real problem is, "distro"'s users fill insanelymac and other forums with hundreds of questions about problems which they only have because they are using distros, and that make expert users to lose time answering and thinking about problems that would never had happen if they had used a retail installation.

 

 

I 100% agree with you. I've never used a distro since i started hackintoshing, too. I don't like distros for the very same reasons you mentioned, plus I don't feel comfortable having an installation which I don't really know. I can't tell for sure if there is spyware/malware, viruses and the like within my filesystem if I use distros.

 

I hope I don't get the problems you described, otherwise I'll have to use my old hackintosh to get the system up and running. Under these circumstances I guess it's absolutely recommended to do a complete backup of my working system once I've set it up. Thanks for your help.