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Intel® Desktop Board D975XBX vs. GigaByte GA-965P-DQ6

KasperNL

By KasperNL,
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KasperNL
KasperNL
Posted
Posted (edited)

Intel® Desktop Board D975XBX vs. GigaByte GA-965P-DQ6

 

Guys,

 

I'm currently buying the components for my brand new Hackintosh, this machine will be used to replace my current

pimped PowerMac G4 867Mhz which I use on daily base for my work. There are a few things which are important

for my new system:

  • Performance
  • Stability
  • Application Compatibility
  • Future OS (update) Compaibility

I already bought:

  • Intel CoreDuo E6300
  • Zalman 460W Power Supply
  • CoolerMaster Stacker Case
  • 2x PQI 1GB DDR2 533Mhz (CL 3-3-3-8)
  • Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro CPU Cooler
  • NVidia GeForce 7900GS 256MB

I have from my previous PowerMac G4 Configuration:

  • 1x Pioneer DVR-111
  • 2x WD Raptor 74GB (striping RAID functions as Boot device)
  • 1x Maxtor 300GB SATA-II
  • 1x Maxtor 320GB SATA-II
  • 1x WD 250GB SATA

But I'm not yet sure which Motherboard I should use, I'm currently thinking about the GigaByte GA-965P-DQ6 or the Intel Bad-Axe.

My first choice (based on specs) was the GigaByte motherboard, but while reading InsanelyMac I became a bit confused.

Instation difficulties are no problem, as long as it can work stable, more important for me is the upgrade compatibility (will the

hardware be working in a new version of Mac OS, for example 10.4.9 or 10.5, I mean if the system works with many custom/hacked

drivers I doubt it will keep working for years).

 

Advantages of the GigaByte GA-965P-DQ6 Motherboard:

  • newer, faster ICH8R chipset
  • support for faster memory modules
  • Built-in firewire
  • 10 USB 2.0 ports (2 more than the Intel)
  • 3 additional PCI-e 1x Slots

Advantages of the Intel Bad-Axe Motherboard:

  • Better support in OSX86 due to the 975 Chipset????
  • Probably future Apple EFI support???
  • Easier to install??
  • Possibly better hardware compatibillity in the future????
  • a additional PCI-e 4x Slot
  • Support for ECC memory

Can everybody who has a thought about this, please reply?

Every help/advice is appriciated!

 

Thanks,

Kasper

Edited by KasperNL
KasperNL
KasperNL
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Just for my information, I'm not sure if this is already listed in another topic...

Which chipsets did Apple use in which machine?

 

Desktops

  • Mac Mini
  • iMac CoreDuo
  • iMac Core2Duo
  • Mac Pro

Portables

  • MacBook CoreDuo
  • MacBook Core2Duo
  • MacBook Pro CoreDuo
  • MacBook Pro Core2Duo

Or probably more simple, is and if in which machine is the 965/975 being used.

KasperNL
KasperNL
Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Some more detailed questions about the Intel Bad Axe 2 (D975XBX2) motherboards, on the Intel site I see that there are different versions of the Bad-Axe 2 motherboard.. A version with 4 SATA ports and a version with 8 SATA ports.

 

d9765xbxmodelsei7.png

 

The 8 port SATA model features:

  • 4 additional Marvell 88SE6145 SATA ports
  • 2 ports FireWire
  • a different audio chip (Sigmatel STAC9274D in stead of Sigmatel STAC9227)
  • 3 year warranty in stead of 1 year

And lacks:

  • the TPM chip

The specs 8 ports SATA version seem very good for my Hackintosh, but I'm not sure if there are any compaibility issues, therefore the following questions:

  • Are these 4 additional Marvell 88SE6145 SATA ports working in OSX86 (JaS 10.4.8)?
  • If yes, is this with or without additional drivers?
  • Which Audio Chip works (better)?
  • Is the lack of the TPM chip is real disadvantage?

Edited by KasperNL
frizbot
frizbot
Posted
Posted (edited)

I'm told that the TPM chip isn't a disadvantage. Not sure why.

 

I vote for the Bad Axe 2. I only have D975XBX2KR available to buy, so I am also interested about the support for 9274d sound.

Edited by frizbot
KasperNL
KasperNL
Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
so I am also interested about the support for 9274d sound

 

While searching more and more on the forum (I think I read at least every page).. I found a thread relating these different Sigmatel Audio chips on the Bad-Axe 2 Motherboards.

 

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?sho...04&hl=9274d

 

As far as I can see it might be difficult to get it working, but it seems to be possible to get at least stereo output to work.

 

But I still can't find any details about the additional SATA ports. Anybody?

 

Current voting status:

 

Intel D975XBX2:

finder.pngfinder.pngfinder.png

 

GigaByte GA-965P-DQ6:

 

So we only counted 2 votes, but these votes point at the Intel Motherboard.

Everybody's advice/vote is still welcome.

Edited by KasperNL
mifki
mifki
Posted
Posted

i have badaxe 1, sound works with applehda patcher, on badaxe2 sound should work with it as well, additionql serial ata ports usually work by editing the applevia kext and add the silicon image id into it

KasperNL
KasperNL
Posted
  • Author
Posted
i have badaxe 1, sound works with applehda patcher, on badaxe2 sound should work with it as well, additionql serial ata ports usually work by editing the applevia kext and add the silicon image id into it

 

Thank you Okik, are there any tutorials on this site about how to get these things to work?

 

Furtermore I think I can count your reply as a vote for the Bad-Axe series?

frizbot
frizbot
Posted
Posted (edited)

It's a difficult time to buy in the industry now. The AMD/ATI deal restructured a lot. Intel is making GPUs, and nVidia is working on making CPUs out of their GPUs. That makes buying a PC difficult. nVidia is about to release their budget 8x00 cards, so DX10 cards are forthcoming to the masses.

 

On the Apple side, they're about to release 10.5. They also could use a hardware refresh. Intel should be releasing midrange versions of the 975x chipset with integrated video, and they'll be increasing the RAM speed with the next motherboard. MacEFIx86 hasn't released yet, though they say they will.

 

I'm not waiting long. The BX2 is a popular OSX86 board. It'll be made to work in general at least, and I have a USB SPDIF TurtleBeach that'll work for sound. Still, I might wait for the end of March in case Apple breaks some hardware in 10.5 or to get a 8600U or if MacEFIx86 releases.

 

Just thinking aloud. I'm really glad to know that this BX2 board doesn't have TPM though, thats evil.

Edited by frizbot
KasperNL
KasperNL
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Dear All,

 

You guys convinced me..

So today I started searching for the best deal for the Intel BadAxe2 Motherboard with 8 port SATA. But non of the dutch (Netherlands) hardware distributors has it.

So I just purchased the Bad-Axe 2 without the 8 port SATA :rolleyes:

 

I can't wait till all the parts are here and I can start assambling my homebew Mac!

 

Thank you all for the advice,

Kasper

fleaplus
fleaplus
Posted
Posted

The oem version bad axe 2 (the one with 4 sata and no firewire) will make a fine OSX board. You can't really go wrong with the 975x chipset. Sigmatel 9200 audio worked out of the box for me, but I needed to install the modified AppleHDA kext to get the microphone port working.

  • 2 weeks later...
KasperNL
KasperNL
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Today different postal services came to my place and I got a lot of hardware right now, everything is here except the case ;)...

But one 'good' thing.. The Motherboard which I received is the version with the 8 ports SATA, FireWire etc. etc.

If everything goes fine, the Case will be deliverd tomorrow..

Will post my OSX86 experience on this config as soon as it's up 'n running!!

KasperNL
KasperNL
Posted
  • Author
Posted

Just build and installed my brand new Hackintosh with the D975XBX2 (8 port SATA) installed.

 

Nearly everything is working except:

- 4 additional Marvell SATA ports (causing 2 of my harddisks not to work)

- Audio

 

I just read a whole topic about getting the audio to work, but when I launch 'AppleHDAPatcher_v1.15.app' it requests my Admin password, when I supply this password I get a kernel panic (the screen with the diferent languages telling me to reboot)..

 

Anybody any idea on getting these 2 things to work?

 

Thanks...

KasperNL
KasperNL
Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Two things ...

 

- Anybody has a solution for the 4 additional SATA ports?

 

Just found the DeamonEs kernel at:

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?act...ost&id=5798

 

 

DeamonEs Kernel is now up 'n running..

 

Some things are changed by now:

- Audio seems to work (not yet connected speakers, but atleasts show output devices in System Profiler)

- CPU Speed Detection goes wrong

 

With the Semthex kernel I had no audio, but the CPU speed was indicated correctly..

 

post-85980-1173475168_thumb.png

 

Another weird thing is that the System Profiler does show both audio input / output devices buth the System Profiler shows none (see screendumps)..

 

post-85980-1173475153_thumb.pngpost-85980-1173475162_thumb.png

 

With both kernels the Marvell SATA ports are not working and the System Profiler gives an error on the SATA information page (see screendump)...

 

post-85980-1173475133_thumb.png

 

Anybody any idea how to fix the Marvell Sata ports?

Edited by KasperNL
mifki
mifki
Posted
Posted

Get the daemones's kernel or a updated semthex one from the kernel room, and for the additional SATA ports,try adding thier id into the Appleviaata kext. It worked on badaxe one, but im not sure how similar marvell is to VIA

KasperNL
KasperNL
Posted
  • Author
Posted
Wow, is this some sort of love letter or sumfin :S. Hmm, google? or install windows /linux

 

Sorry to bother you...

 

Another thing which happens sometimes which is quite weird...

Sometimes one of the two drives which is attached to the 'Marvell' controler show up in Disk Utility (when booted I get a message of an unformated disk, which isn't correct)..

But only one disks shows up, but this disk is also seen as 'unpartitioned', whereas there's a HFS+ Journaled filesystem on the disk. (see screendump)..

 

post-85980-1173478795_thumb.png

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