hAvAAck Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Hi All, New user here, looking for a little guidance. I've browsed the site for a while, read a lot of things and I've run in to some different things across the internet. I'm brand new to this and to the mac OS, but I'm well versed in windows and I have a bit of experience with Ubuntu. Basically, I want to purchase components to build a desktop hackintosh running snow leopard. I do not have access to a mac (some things I read require I create some sort of file from an existing mac). What tutorials should I start with? I'd like to be able to do this as if I were an idiot that knows nothing. I'd like to pick a tutorial and build the rig from there as to encounter the least amount of surprises. Any direction is greatly appreciated. I don't think this is against the rules as I'm not just asking what to buy, but more where to start on this glorious journey.. Thanks! Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
XLR Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Here: http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Basically, if your motherboard and graphics card are compatible, everything else should work fine. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569594 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hAvAAck Posted October 24, 2010 Author Share Posted October 24, 2010 Here: http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/Main_PageBasically, if your motherboard and graphics card are compatible, everything else should work fine. from what I've read there are always this or that tweaks that people.. seem to have a lot of difficulty with. Is that not the norm? Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569616 Share on other sites More sharing options...
3.14r2 Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 It is normal than something you do for the first time might be difficult. Each system (even identical ones) may require some additional adjustments to be made. This forum might help to solve such issues. Just bother to search then you face any. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569625 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hAvAAck Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 It is normal than something you do for the first time might be difficult. Each system (even identical ones) may require some additional adjustments to be made. This forum might help to solve such issues. Just bother to search then you face any. of course. It was my intent to avoid being the guy asking a ton of questions after he was started if there was a way to avoid a lot of hassle prior to beginning. I guess there is no way other than the obvious Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569643 Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbaroja Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Im in the same boat. And... a touch away from surrender... Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569686 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hAvAAck Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 so I've been reading through a lot of the mobos on the wiki and it appears to be hit or miss on whether or not I need access to an actual mac computer. How can I tell whether or not I'll need that? Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569689 Share on other sites More sharing options...
3.14r2 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 so I've been reading through a lot of the mobos on the wiki and it appears to be hit or miss on whether or not I need access to an actual mac computer. How can I tell whether or not I'll need that?If you need to do some OS X specific tasks To be precise you need not the Mac, but an already working OS X installation. You can do a simple install to USB pendrive and use it as a backup/service/repair system. The main system could be installed to a HDD. Few examples: Need to create an EFI boot partition with /Extra and Chameleon on it Need to create an EFI string Need to repair permissions Create custom boot132 disk Want to install OS X from already working OS X system Though the first 3 in theory could be done using OS X install DVD (boot and run Terminal). Some tasks may be done using Linux (LiveCD or installed version). Some might be done using MacDrive in Windows (if you have one). So there are many ways to solve the same problem. Though sometimes OS X is the only choice... Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569700 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hAvAAck Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 If you need to do some OS X specific tasks To be precise you need not the Mac, but an already working OS X installation. You can do a simple install to USB pendrive and use it as a backup/service/repair system. The main system could be installed to a HDD. Few examples: Need to create an EFI boot partition with /Extra and Chameleon on it Need to create an EFI string Need to repair permissions Create custom boot132 disk Want to install OS X from already working OS X system Though the first 3 in theory could be done using OS X install DVD (boot and run Terminal). Some tasks may bee done using Linux (LiveCD or installed version). Some might be done using MacDrive in Windows (if you have one). So there are many ways to solve the same problem. Though sometimes OS X is the only choice... Thank you for the response. I feel a bit better about jumping in to something knowing I shouldn't get stuck on something like that. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569835 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swhay Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 One thing that might help you out, is first determine what kind of "Mac" compatible system you want. If your familiar with hardware at all then this should not be too hard. Do you want a dual or quad core? High end graphics (if you are a gamer)? The other thing that might not be as obvious to someone new to this, is that usually the most compatible motherboards are going to be from Gigabyte. Every system I have built since I got into this (back in 2008) has used a Gigabyte motherboard except one. I have built (for family and friends and for myself) 6 systems ranging from a Mac Mini to a Mac Pro compatible system The latest system I built was just last week for my brother-in-law. I just delivered it to him this past weekend. Here are the specs and list of files I used, hope it helps.... Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 CPU: Intel Core i5 2.8GHZ Quad-core Memory: 4GB G.Skill DDR3 1333 Video Card: Sparkle slient Nvidia 9500 GT 512MB Hard Drive: 500 GB Western Digital SATA and a 1 TB for Time Machine Optical: Sony Optariac SATA DVD reader/writer I used Tonymacx86 [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] Supported boot CD to install Snow Leopard 10.6.3 I used Chameleon RC5 (latest build) as the boot loader the only extra files I had to use are the following... in the /Extra/Extensions folder: FakeSMC.kext IOBlockStorageInjector.kext (Internal hard drive orange icon fix) LegacyALC888b.kext ( a legacy kext to get the onboard audio working) in the /Extra folder: com.apple.Boot.plist SMBIOS.plist DSDT.aml in the /System/Library/Extensions folder: RealtekR1000SL.kext (for ethernet) AppleHDA.kext (10.6.2 version) (the reason for this is that newer versions of OS X (past 10.6.2) remove some stuff that keep some audio chipsets from working so you have to use 10.6.2 version of AppleHDA.kext. Everything works like it's supposed to... Sleep (auto and forced) Shutdown Restart Wake from mouse, keyboard or power button. Time Machine Audio Network The system can be updated without fear of breaking it. The only thing that might get broken is audio and that can be fixed very easily by replacing AppleHDA.kext in /System/Library/Extensions with the 10.6.2 version or just buy a compatible USB sound card and leave AppleHDA.kext alone. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569839 Share on other sites More sharing options...
FabriXXio Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 OMG Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569859 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hAvAAck Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Thank you for the detailed response. I was thinking I'd probably go with a quad core and some decent graphics as I expect I'll mess around with some photo/video editing. My current box runs a C2D E6750 @ 2.67GHz with 4GB RAM and a GeForce 8600GT and is powerful enough for my daily tasks, so I don't think I'd be jumping up to the i7s and beyond quite yet, unless it turns out to be more economical. I was definitively looking a a gigabyte mobo and I have a retail 10.6.0 as well as an unmentionable 10.6.3 version of OS X, so I can go with either of those. You mentioned [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] and several of the wiki "setups" I was reading required access to a working Mac installation, but when I go straight to the [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] homepage, it doesn't mention that. Is that dependent on what processor is being run? It looks like the most recent [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url]+[url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] is for the i7s and beyond, whereas some of the other stuff I was looking at did not have that. I'm really not trying to get a specific walkthrough, I'm just trying to understand the basics prior to beginning Thanks all for helping such a newb. OMG Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569865 Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamoir Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Hi, Let me know how you get on mate. I'm in the same boat. From what I've read: Pick your components from here http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/HCL_10.6.4 and then give http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com/ a go. What graphics card are you going with? Jamie Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569900 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swhay Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Thank you for the detailed response. I was thinking I'd probably go with a quad core and some decent graphics as I expect I'll mess around with some photo/video editing. My current box runs a C2D E6750 @ 2.67GHz with 4GB RAM and a GeForce 8600GT and is powerful enough for my daily tasks, so I don't think I'd be jumping up to the i7s and beyond quite yet, unless it turns out to be more economical. I was definitively looking a a gigabyte mobo and I have a retail 10.6.0 as well as an unmentionable 10.6.3 version of OS X, so I can go with either of those. You mentioned [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] and several of the wiki "setups" I was reading required access to a working Mac installation, but when I go straight to the [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] homepage, it doesn't mention that. Is that dependent on what processor is being run? It looks like the most recent [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url]+[url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] is for the i7s and beyond, whereas some of the other stuff I was looking at did not have that. I'm really not trying to get a specific walkthrough, I'm just trying to understand the basics prior to beginning Thanks all for helping such a newb. I think the reason that most of the tutorials are targeting the core i7 is most people that have experience with OS X and Apple products or that want OS X that are willing to hackintosh, covet the Mac Pro Systems and want one. As for the tutorials needing a real mac, or OS X running are those tutorials that install from a USB stick (jump drive etc) which is just another way to install. When OS X Snow Leopard first came out, that was one of the only ways to install it, until boot CDs were developed to boot the retail install discs. the [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] supported boot cd I can confirm will work with Intel Core i5 probably i3 and i7, it might work on Core 2 duo cpus as well, i'm not sure, I have not tried it. Let me give you a quick walk through of how I put together my brother-in-laws new computer (see my post above #10) 1. Burn the [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] Supported to a CD (it's an ISO so you should be able to burn it on a Windows machine) 2. I put together the computer (obviously) 3. Booted it up to the BIOS settings 4. Changed some of the BIOS settings (for OS X) a. ACHI Mode from SATA mode b. Boot priority to CD-ROM, then Hard Drive c. Set ACPI Suspend type to S3STR d. HPET support to 64 bit 5. put the [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] cd in the cd rom drive and reboot so it boots from it. 6. once it boots from it, take the disc out and put the Snow leopard disc in 7. press f5 (this will rescan for a disc in the drive. 8. a disc icon will show up that will be Snow leopard 9. press enter, and the disc will boot. 10. Follow the on screen prompts to install Snow Leopard. 11. when you reboot your computer (after snow leopard installs), put the [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] disc back in so it boots from it 12. Once [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] boots, you will see your Hard drive icon, select it and press enter 13. Set up snow leopard (user name, user info etc) that is the basics of what I did to install snow leopard on a brand new computer. I did not use any of my Macs to do it, except for burning the [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] disc. I hope that gives you an overview of what's involved when you have all the right parts. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1569990 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hAvAAck Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 I appreciate all of the detailed posts, it's really helping me become more comfortable with taking the dive with this. I've read a few more "tutorials" and through some more of the wiki compatible devices and decided on this build (this is not a rate my build type of question): Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 Intel Core i5 @ 2.66 G Skill DDR3 4GB 9500GT 1GB lite-on dvd burner, ATX case, seagate barracuda 7200.12 1TB, 550W (overkill right) PSU I'm sure this thing will tear up my current rig, but I figured why not Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1570164 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hAvAAck Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 I received the parts and assembled the box today. I popped in an old Ubuntu disc and ran the live version. All components appears to be working properly. Now I will know any issues I encounter will be related to my buggering rather than hardware. Here begins the fun part Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1571873 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hAvAAck Posted October 29, 2010 Author Share Posted October 29, 2010 Okay, so I've been working on this for a while. I had a good install that had internet but no audio and somehow I messed it up when messing with kexts so I was getting a gray restart screen prior to boot, no luck with safe mode. Anyway I deleted that and reinstalled. I got audio working, but my Ethernet isn't working- Anyway, I think I've successfully installed the realtekRTL81xx kext because it shows up in System/Library/Extensions (I used [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] and ran system utility in [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url]) When I go in to my network preferences Ethernet0 is constantly switching between red (not connected) and yellow (no IP address). The wire is good because I use it for my W7 machine. The router and modem are good because I'm in on wireless right now. What could be wrong? Thanks! Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1572008 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hAvAAck Posted October 29, 2010 Author Share Posted October 29, 2010 ack. looks like mobo was doa. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1572036 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hAvAAck Posted October 29, 2010 Author Share Posted October 29, 2010 so I ran smartLAN in the BIOS and it seems to have reset the ethernet. All is working now. Quote Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/235222-where-to-start/#findComment-1572654 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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