generally cheapest processor that can run vanilla kernel

[eaorage]

would be an intel core 2 duo, am i correct?

 

sick of using unstable modified kernel with my AMD processor, so i plan on picking up a used core 2 duo desktop on ebay, this is about as low as i can shoot and still use the vanilla kernel + [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url], right?

 

currently running snow leopard 10.6.8 on 2.2ghz AMD turion x2

[Gringo Vermelho]

Not just Core 2 Duo. Any Core Microarchitecture CPU can use the vanilla kernel.

 

If I was buying a socket 775 CPU now I would go for a late Wolfdale model, with the smallest manufacturing process and the fullest feature set I could afford. With this in mind, the Pentium E6700 is a great buy:

http://ark.intel.com/products/42809/Intel-...GHz-1066-FSB%29

If you click 'benchmarks' here you can compare it to your AMD CPU in 3Dmark, Cinebench etc:

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Pentium_Dual...71E6700%29.html

 

When searching on Ebay be careful, you don't want the older Core 2 Duo E6700, you want the Pentium Dual Core E6700. And keep in mind that you can buy it brand new for $85 on Amazon or TigerDirect.

 

Try to get a P45 or P43/ICH10 Intel chipset board for it. Gigabyte, MSI or Asus brand. Research the individual, off-chipset parts of the motherboard ( LAN, Sound, Wi-Fi, secondary drive controller) before buying and make sure there are drivers available.

[eaorage]

what about

 

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E4400

(2M Cache, 2.00 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)

 

 

 

is this too old to run vanilla?

[Gringo Vermelho]

I wasn't lying when I said that...

Any Core Microarchitecture CPU can use the vanilla kernel.

Actually you can even run the vanilla kernel on a Pentium 4/Pentium D if you use Valv's Chameleon branch.

 

The E4400 is slow and generally uninteresting. It's a downgrade from your existing CPU but it's cheap.

[PGHammer]

Actually, the "Wolf-pup" series of Celeron DualCores (E3x00) are straightforward vanilla-kernel ready, and are typically all of $40USD new (this particular multiboot Hack was based on the even older E1200 Celeron DC, but I upgraded to the E3400 for better performance, especially in terms of virtualization, and it cost no more than the E1200 did originally).

 

The same motherboard (ASUS P5G41-M LX2/GB) is now home to a Q6600; however, it will move from Hack multi-bootery to straight Windows - it will be replaced in Hack duty by the ASUS P8Z68-V LX+i5-2500K.