[Guide & Software] Complete Intel Bad Axe 2 Walkthrough with Software

[weaksauce12]

any more news on the sub 500$ hackintosh?

 

Yes - the only issue I'm currently having is the webcam is glitchy. I've tried 2 different models and it's the same problem, I don't know what's up. But EFI 8 is running smoothly on it as is everything else! This setup is actually equivalent to the $800 Mac Mini, but since there's no Bluetooth or Wifi in the base config here (since not everyone needs those) we'll call it even. Here is the basic parts list from Newegg & XPCgear:

 

$300 Hackintosh:

Rosewill R804BK case with 300w power supply - $30

Gigabyte GA-945GCMX-S2 - $59 (XPCgear)

2.0ghz dual-core Allendale with Cooler - $89

A-Data VDQVE1A16K 2x1gb DDR2-800 kit - $41

80gb 7200rpm WD800JD SATA hard drive - $43

Lite-on LH-20A1L-05 DVD burner - $36

 

This setup actually comes out to $298 (plus shipping), half the price of the base Mac Mini. The onboard GMA950 is VGA output, but you can add DVI via an Add2N card from eBay ($10 shipped). You can run dual monitors with this, but it will eat up the shared memory so I don't really recommend it. Personally I'm using a 7300GT, so that bumps up the price by about $70. I would suggest upgrading to the 160gb drive for $7 more and also getting a backup drive for Time Machine (320gb for $75). If you want to play encoded 1080p files, you'll need an E4500 CPU at minimum ($125 vs $89). Unofficially the motherboard is supposed to support 4 gigs of ram, although I have not personally verified that yet. You can build a beast out of this machine if you use an e6xxx processor such as an E6400 or E6600 (it's overclockable as well), a good video card like a 7900GT or 8800GTS, and a larger, faster hard drive. You can add Bluetooth for $30 (D-Link DBT-120) and Wifi (although I run Wired, so I have no recommendations).

 

I'm using plists (EFI strings) to do a majority of the software thanks to another Gigabyte user, so it's not something I can exactly release into the wild since everyone will have a different video card than what I'm using. If I can get the onboard VGA setup with an EFI string and then be able to install another string or NVinject if I upgrade the video card, then that might work. I've heard that Kalyway 10.5.1 works out of the box with the Gigabyte, but I think I have a bad copy because it didn't work for me that way (or on my BA2 for that matter). But this isn't a priority project as I am focused on the Bad Axe 2 right now. I really, really, really want to get the Marvell controller working since I have a handful of SATA drives that I can stuff in my Coolermaster case and put to good use! But to hold you over, here's another Gigabyte config that includes an internal card reader, a larger boot drive, a second hard drive for Time Machine backup, and a dedicated video card, PLUS is 1080p-capable: (okay so it's $501 not $500, stop complaining! haha)

 

$500 Hackintosh: (1080p-capable)

Rosewill R804BK case with 300w power supply - $30

Gigabyte GA-945GCMX-S2 - $59 (XPCgear)

2.0ghz dual-core 2.2ghz E4500 with Cooler - $126

A-Data VDQVE1A16K 2x1gb DDR2-800 kit - $41

PNY 256mb GeForce 7300GT VCG7300GXPB video card - $70

160gb 7200rpm WD1600AAJS SATA hard drive - $50

320gb 7200rpm WD3200AAJS SATA hard drive - $76

Lite-on LH-20A1L-05 DVD burner - $36

Sabrent CRW-UINB 3.5" internal card reader - $13

 

@ nano2nd, my CPU is currently not overclocked because I am testing a lot of software and hardware. I'll get some temps for you later this week though!

[Nano07]

Heya Nano,

 

Can you elaborate on your method a little bit?

 

I have a perfectly stable Hackintosh running on an Asus P5K-VM with a QX6800 quad and 2 gigs of ram and everything is working, now I want to try and get my BadAxe2 system on Hackintosh but have had nothing but trouble with this (weaksauce) method (sorry sauce, I am trying hard to follow your instructions to the T but I get nowhere).

 

I have the Kalyway 10.5.1 DVD and thats what I used to get my first system up and running, I did not have to do ANYTHING other than partition the drive and install the Kalyway 10.5.1, within 20 minutes I was at the desktop installing Firefox.

 

Please let me know what you did using the Kalyway DVD to get your BadAxe2 up and running PLEASE!

 

Sauce, if you want a project, PLEASE let me know, I am out of work right now due to the writers strike so I have some time on my hands and would love to get this working on my BadAxe2 system.

 

 

Hi TeamScream,

 

I was having some problems following this guide at a 100% too, but I think it's because the Brazil DVD I downloaded is defective.

 

So I ended up making a mix. This is what I did.

 

1. Used the Kalyway Installation preparation DVD to format the hard disk (as MBR) and make it bootable (following weaksauce's guide).

Not sure if this step is needed (I just tell you exactly what I did).

 

2. Restart and boot with Kalyway 10.5.1 Full DVD (Note that the DVDs in step 1 and 2 are different)

 

3. You'll get to the installation screen. Click next until you get to the "customize" option screen.

 

4. Deselect all options BUT the last one (EFI) where you select only the MBR option.

 

5. Continue. Let it install and reboot.

 

6. Leopard will start. Now you can apply the Sound and video patches from weaksauce's pack :-)

 

7. DONE!

 

 

I have a 8800 GTS 512MB and I still can't make it work 100%. Everything looks fine when I install the driver (G80 or G92) but the system freezes when using intensive graphics (like iPhoto/Photoshop retouching). I guess I'll have to wait until the 10.5.2 or get a 320Mb model.

 

I hope it helps :-)

[abscheele]

thanks weaksauce12, i've got the motherboard, the case, the power, the DVD drive, and the harddrives, just need the processor (e6750) and the ram.

[lindmar]

Getting that other SATA Controller is a little bit of a dream right now.

 

I'm eating up the HD space like crazy in this thing...

 

Im so worried 10.5.2 is going to cripple things. Who is going to be the guinea pig???

 

Is there any way to make a clone of our working drive at this point?

[weaksauce12]

Getting that other SATA Controller is a little bit of a dream right now.

 

I'm eating up the HD space like crazy in this thing...

 

Im so worried 10.5.2 is going to cripple things. Who is going to be the guinea pig???

 

Is there any way to make a clone of our working drive at this point?

 

I've got a spare drive to test out 10.5.2; I've heard that the beta works fine though.

[nano2nd]

Is there any way to make a clone of our working drive at this point?

 

I made a bootable clone using Carbon Copy Cloner. Not sure if I needed to but before I used CCC, I prepared the new disk using the Kalyway "Format and Make Bootable" tool.

[weaksauce12]

400+ replies, 20k+ views, woot!

 

Garagaband - is it slow/laggy for anyone else?

[Ground Zero]

I'm so close...but I'm having trouble in terminal cp the kexts over to the Leopard HD volume. I keep getting text feedback saying "could not copy extended attributes" and "operation not permitted". When I list the files in Volumes/Leopard/System/Library/Extensions....the files appear to be there...with the exception of dsmos.kext

 

If I continue on this path...I quit terminal, do the needful in Disk Utility...but when I try to boot...the system says there's no boot device...insert and press any key...

 

Anyone have a suggestions?

[Nano07]

I'm so close...but I'm having trouble in terminal cp the kexts over to the Leopard HD volume. I keep getting text feedback saying "could not copy extended attributes" and "operation not permitted". When I list the files in Volumes/Leopard/System/Library/Extensions....the files appear to be there...with the exception of dsmos.kext

 

If I continue on this path...I quit terminal, do the needful in Disk Utility...but when I try to boot...the system says there's no boot device...insert and press any key...

 

Anyone have a suggestions?

 

That happens when your USB Stick is formatted as FAT32

If you format the USB Stick as HSF, then you wont have those permissions problems ;-)

[lindmar]

400+ replies, 20k+ views, woot!

 

Garagaband - is it slow/laggy for anyone else?

 

 

Weaksauce,

 

I just tried Garageband to the point of just dragging in loops one after another.. Did about 15 tracks with a mashup of random loops...

 

Anyways, its pretty quick. ... All working!

 

Where is it slow for you? I can try and replicate..

[nano2nd]

weaksauce12, your PM mailbox is full

 

After cloning using CCC, you said you EFI'd it using my patcher - USB stick + Terminal commands? I want to replicate this 1:1 so that I can add it to rev2

 

Let me try and be clearer for you.

 

1. I already had a 10.5 install that I wanted to preserve (in case anything went wrong)

 

2. Install new HDD and booted from Kaly "format & make bootable" disk

 

3. Format using Kaly boot utility and make bootable

 

4. Boot back into original 10.5 install

 

5. Run CCC and copy everything from original 10.5 disk to newly prepared disk (file level not block level copy)

 

6. test it by changing booting priority in BIOS and boot into the new clone

 

7. Boot back into the original 10.5 install

 

8. use 'diskutil list' or such like to obtain the ID of the new install's drive

 

9. unmount new disk, run the patcher, remount, drop in the vanilla kernel and fix permissions

 

10. change boot priority in BIOS again and boot with EFI

 

I know it isn't the most logical way to do it but I wanted to do it with the least risk possible. Having two disks makes things easier for me and means I always have a "safe" copy of the most recent stable build in case I screw up.

 

The only other thing I needed to do was fix the "unable to determine UUID" error. This was an edit to NetworkInterfaces.plist - more details here:

 

http://forum.osx86scene.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2554

[weaksauce12]

Sorry everyone, cleaned out my Inbox Feel free to send PMs again, haha

 

@ nano2nd, ahh - I'll do a file level copy this time!

[whyphilosophy]

Hey guys,

 

Been quietly reading this thread for the past week and finally decided to order up some parts and make my first hackintosh. I ordered pretty standard parts to start out with:

 

Case: Rosewill R604TSB-N 120mm Fan ATX Mid Tower with 450w psu

INTEL: Q6600

Mother: D975XBX2KR

RAM: 4Gb - 2x2Gb G.Skill DDR2 800

Graphics: PNY GeForce 7300GT 256MB

HD: Seagate Barracuda 320GB 7200RPM SATA

DVD: Samsung 20x DVD Burner with LightScribe SATA

 

All the parts should be here tomorrow already! So I'll let you guys know how it goes. Super excited!

[weaksauce12]

whyphilosophy, nice! I'm releasing Revision 2 tomorrow, so be sure to download that so you have the latest copy of all the files!

 

Also there is a new bios out (2813), which I will be testing. I'll report back if there are any changes

[whyphilosophy]

Yesssssss!! I was hoping you would release Revision 2 before I started.

[lindmar]

whyphilosophy, nice! I'm releasing Revision 2 tomorrow, so be sure to download that so you have the latest copy of all the files!

 

Also there is a new bios out (2813), which I will be testing. I'll report back if there are any changes

 

 

Im looking forward to version 2 as well.

 

Keep up the good work! Did you see my reply about Garageband? What is slow for you?

[Italia64]

1. Used the Kalyway Installation preparation DVD to format the hard disk (as MBR) and make it bootable (following weaksauce's guide).

Not sure if this step is needed (I just tell you exactly what I did).

2. Restart and boot with Kalyway 10.5.1 Full DVD (Note that the DVDs in step 1 and 2 are different)

3. You'll get to the installation screen. Click next until you get to the "customize" option screen.

4. Deselect all options BUT the last one (EFI) where you select only the MBR option.

5. Continue. Let it install and reboot.

6. Leopard will start. Now you can apply the Sound and video patches from weaksauce's pack :-)

7. DONE!

 

Installed using this method on BadAxe2KR with Asus 7600GS graphics. Smooth install after numerous attempts prior with no success. The prep disc was the key.

Everything is working fine (quickly boots, too!), except I don't think I have vanilla kernel running (geekbench shows "hackintosh"), SPDIF-out is [edited] working in only one channel, but most annoying I have a slight but very significant ghosting of text and graphics. Not sure if this is the graphics card, driver, or what.

Any help with solutions would be appreciated.

[Team Scream]

Hi TeamScream,

 

I was having some problems following this guide at a 100% too, but I think it's because the Brazil DVD I downloaded is defective.

 

So I ended up making a mix. This is what I did.

 

1. Used the Kalyway Installation preparation DVD to format the hard disk (as MBR) and make it bootable (following weaksauce's guide).

Not sure if this step is needed (I just tell you exactly what I did).

 

2. Restart and boot with Kalyway 10.5.1 Full DVD (Note that the DVDs in step 1 and 2 are different)

 

3. You'll get to the installation screen. Click next until you get to the "customize" option screen.

 

4. Deselect all options BUT the last one (EFI) where you select only the MBR option.

 

5. Continue. Let it install and reboot.

 

6. Leopard will start. Now you can apply the Sound and video patches from weaksauce's pack :-)

 

7. DONE!

 

 

I have a 8800 GTS 512MB and I still can't make it work 100%. Everything looks fine when I install the driver (G80 or G92) but the system freezes when using intensive graphics (like iPhoto/Photoshop retouching). I guess I'll have to wait until the 10.5.2 or get a 320Mb model.

 

I hope it helps :-)

 

Hi Nano7,

thanks so much for detailing the steps.

Where did you get the Kalyway Preparation DVD from? the only Kaly DVD I have is the 10.5.1 I got off the newsgroups which works perfectly for me but if you suggest the preparation DVD is a better method I will try that.

 

Please let me know where to get the prep DVD! thanks!

[Nano07]

Installed using this method on BadAxe2KR with Asus 7600GS graphics. Smooth install after numerous attempts prior with no success. The prep disc was the key.

Everything is working fine (quickly boots, too!), except I don't think I have vanilla kernel running (geekbench shows "hackintosh"), and SPDIF out is not working, and most annoying I have a slight but significant ghosting of text and graphics. Not sure if this is the graphics card, driver, or what.

Any help with solutions would be appreciated.

 

Hey mls64.

I haven't tested what happens when enabling the Vanilla Kernel option in the Kalyway installation setup screen. I might try that in my next install. I can't test SPDIF (and never used this before), but I can tell you that the light comes on. And about the graphics ghosting... I'll let you know about the graphics when I have my GTS 8800 GTS 512Mb working well (I still have stability problems), but i don't remember having ghosting. I'll check that when I get home tonight.

[Italia64]

Hey mls64.

I haven't tested what happens when enabling the Vanilla Kernel option in the Kalyway installation setup screen. I might try that in my next install. I can't test SPDIF (and never used this before), but I can tell you that the light comes on. And about the graphics ghosting... I'll let you know about the graphics when I have my GTS 8800 GTS 512Mb working well (I still have stability problems), but i don't remember having ghosting. I'll check that when I get home tonight.

I checked Vanilla Kernel, but don't think it is running based on the Geekbench reporting the machine as a hack.

Edited my prior post: SPDIF-out is actually functioning, but only in the right channel, no stereo out.

[Nano07]

Hi Nano7,

thanks so much for detailing the steps.

Where did you get the Kalyway Preparation DVD from? the only Kaly DVD I have is the 10.5.1 I got off the newsgroups which works perfectly for me but if you suggest the preparation DVD is a better method I will try that.

 

Please let me know where to get the prep DVD! thanks!

 

From weaksauce's guide.

 

" [ ] Make Kalyway disc: (this is used for formatting the hard drive)

a. Download Kalyway torrent; search for “Format & Make Bootable HD for Leopard.iso”

b. Burn to third CD"

[tuukka H]

I think that I am running vanilla kernel but still geekbench shows hackintosh. I just installed the newest efi 8.0.. How can I check that my kernel is really vanilla?

 

What is the file that geekbench reads to see am I on real mac or hack mac? SMBIOS.kext?

[TheG33k]

How can I check that my kernel is really vanilla?

 

Type the following in a Terminal:

uname -a

 

and now you can see what Kernel you are using ...

[Italia64]

Type the following in a Terminal:

uname -a

 

and now you can see what Kernel you are using ...

 

here's the output :

 

Darwin Kernel Version 9.1.0: Wed Oct 31 17:46:22 PDT 2007; root:xnu-1228.0.2~1/RELEASE_I386 i386

 

I assume not vanilla, but not sure what that would read.

[weaksauce12]

mls64, yes - you are running a Vanilla Kernel! For comparison, here's yours:

 

Darwin Kernel Version 9.1.0: Wed Oct 31 17:46:22 PDT 2007; root:xnu-1228.0.2~1/RELEASE_I386 i386

 

Here's off my friend's iMac:

 

Darwin Kernel Version 9.1.0: Wed Oct 31 17:46:22 PDT 2007; root:xnu-1228.0.2~1/RELEASE_I386 i386

 

Looks good to me As long as it says "Darwin Kernel" then you're all set! The acid test is Apple Updates - if you can download updates directly from Apple then you are using a Vanilla Kernel!

 

 

********************

 

In other news:

 

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/intels_barcelona_killer

 

"For this preview, Intel used three machines, each with Asus GeForce 8800GTX cards, Intel D975XBX2 boards, 320GB Seagate Barracuda drives and 2GB of Corsair DDR2/800 running at 5-5-5-15. The only difference, according to Intel, was a preproduction BIOS in the D975XBX2 board and a voltage modification to allow the board to run Penryn procs."