The Perfect Motherboards For Your Hackintosh

[lnx2mac]

A P55 system is also a great option for running OSX...

But SATA 6Gbps is not the only unsupported feature...

Note also that there's also no support for the NEC µPD720200 USB3.0 Host Controller, Marvell 9128 SATA chip, nor the iTE IT8213 IDE controller.

So check the motherboard components before committing to one.

For more info and detailed hackintoshing guides check my blog:
http://lnx2mac.blogspot.com/

 

[cold fire]

[citation][nom]brausekopf[/nom]Just a question:Will OSX run in any Virtual Machine Manager on top of Windows or Linux?[/citation]

Yes you can run it using VMWare and I've been using for a while now, nothing special about it at all.

Google it there is a step by step guide for getting it to work. I do have a link for the guide if you're interested pm me because posting it here might be considered spam.

 

[ultameca]

I would love it if Toms would write a DSDT guide I run a hackintosh on i7 with the 58-Extreme board, but iv'e been intimidated to try and edit my own DSDT.

In fact it would be awesome if Toms did more articles on Hackintosh in the future.

There are other options too, if you run a core 2 duo with Gigabyte there is a project by some guy Cartri, search for cartri Bios in google and you can find it. I would post a link but I'm not sure if that breaks the rules.

anyway you can flash your bios with his and not need a DSDT at all and it runes with only two kext.

some would say flashing a bios is risky but hey let people decide if they want to risk it or not right.

 

[lnx2mac]

@ultameca: There's a comprehensive database of pre-edited DSDTs for lots of motherboards in the tonymacx86 site at: http://www.tonymacx86.com/dsdt

 

[x3style]

I must say those 10 SATA ports look so sexy!!! And u get 2 more eSATA this is heaven for a storage freak like me

 

[jecastej]

Absolutely Tuan, write the DSDT guide, PLEASE!!! I am getting near to order an Asus motherboard but if this is reliable and doable for me I will definitely choose a suitable Gigabyte board to experiment with a Hackintosh...

 

[COLGeek]

While the whole hackintosh thing makes for an interesting experiment to prove something can be done, that seems to be the only point. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean it has has any real value.

There is virtually nothing that must be done via OS X that can't be done with Windows or Linux -AND- using OS X on anything other than an Apple platform is arguably "illegal".

 

[rjandric]

I had an Intel 955XBK board with Pentium D 3.4ghz and 4gb of DDR2. Definetely usable system running OS X. I used it primarily for day to day stuff since I hate AV scanners, and all of the bloat. Had lot of fun makng various Radeons run with QC Too bad it could not run Core2 duo CPUs back in the day (2005)
I have 4 Macs now, including one from work and I never looked back. Linux and OS X is what i use. Win lives as a virtualBOx VM and I use it very rarely. Just an FYI, all sys admins where I work use either Mac or Linux or Linux on Mac hardware

But this is me, majority of users here are DIY HC Windows guys. I don't hate Win, just I have no need for it.

 

[demonhorde665]

[citation][nom]exodite[/nom]I admit I haven't used OSX much but I can't really see anything that special about the OS that I'd want experiment with getting it running on non-Apple hardware.It's not bad, it's just not offering anything that Windows or your general Linux distro can't do.*shrug* My .02 I suppose.[/citation]

i agree why bother running a hackintosh in the first place , unless you already own a mac you'd have to get the OS from some one (cos apple doesnt sell thier OS on the market. and if steam gaming in a mac enviroment is what you want ,, well sorry but it really aint all that worth , most the games that are on mac are msolty valve titles so you couldn't port your whole steam library over , jsut the oens made by valve , and even then they run miuch better in windows any way. just pointless. might as well stick with teh mac you already own unless it just cant game at all worth a poop. as for creative arts and productivity work you can do all that on windows too ,and i relly don'tsee where mac is any better for that. 3ds max , Photoshop , they are bassicaly teh same program form mac or pc .

 

[lnx2mac]

[citation][nom]demonhorde665[/nom]you'd have to get the OS from some one (cos apple doesnt sell thier OS on the market[/citation]
demonhorde665,
This is plain wrong... Buy OSX at http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A

 

[Gekko Shadow]

Good to know if i ever decide to become an international spy for the corporate anneyion of - ok no i fail. :E

Anywho - interesting to know, maybe i'll build it one day. And i will call it squishy. x)

 

[liveonc]

Make a deal with Jobs, sell a motherboard/OSX bundle for a price he'll be willing to accept & make OSX Lion big.

 

[applegetsmelaid]

Maybe one day - just don't see the point yet. Everything that exists on the OSX platform has an application with equivalent or more functionality (not to mention for less money) on Windows. But hey, OSX is pretty and "doesn't get viruses" right?

 

[gallidorn]

[citation][nom]Silmarunya[/nom]Why would you want to run MaxOSX? Stability? Get Linux, far more stable. Security? Get Linux, far more secure. Plethora of software options, including games? Go Windows.[/citation]

Better yet, why not install Ubuntu 10.10 w/ WINE (windows emulator) and a Mac OSX Theme w/ Cairo Dock (OSX Theme Dock). This way you get nearly an identical GUI to OSX and with WINE you can run most Windows Applications.

I have my laptop setup to dual boot to Windows 7 and Ubuntu 10.10, but I haven't loaded into Win7 in over a month, because everything works faster in linux. I also don't have the same headaches with spyware or viruses and the programs are all free (for now).

 

[MasterRee]

Please, please, please, write a thorough guide to DSDT editing for beginners. I have yet to find one anywhere that is designed for beginners.

 

[MasterRee]

Please write up a guide for DSDT editing. I have been unable to find one that is comprehensive and targets beginners.

 

[sundevilchemist]

If you are buying an i7 processor and high end MB's why not just buy the Mac to begin with and run windows on that system? Wouldn't that be about the same price?

 

[MasterRee]

I bought a Gigabyte X58a UD3R with an i7 930 and 6GB DDR3, all brand new for around $800 total.

The closest equivalent MacBook Pro I could get was $2500. Of course that includes the LCD and benefits of a laptop, but it also 2GB less of RAM and 3TB less HDD storage than my custom build.

The closest equivalent iMac was $2150. It had a slightly faster processor (i7 2.93Ghz vs. my i7 2.8) and a 2TB HDD, but again only comes equipped with 4GB of RAM. However you do have the advantages and disadvantages of a the integrated 27" monitor. If I had to buy a Mac, this would be my pick, but I still prefer the custom build route.

And finally, the Mac Pro alternative. The closest equivalent Mac Pro was just over $3000. Granted, the Mac Pro has a higher grade case, a server class CPU and ECC RAM and the next step up (though not a huge step up) for the GPU. However, for almost four times the cost of my system, I just can't see the value here.

Again, this was my experience. I also had the added benefit of already owning my monitor, keyboard, OS, case, 3 HDD's, and PSU. So I just purchased my CPU, Graphics Card, RAM, and 2x 1TB HDD's to complete my custom build. Many in the hackintosh community, however, may find themselves in similar situations. This is not an option if you buy a Mac. So for me:

Hackintosh > Macintosh

 

[MasterRee]

Oh, I forgot to mention...

@COLGeek: I respectfully disagree. If I want to use Final Cut Studio for my video editing and graphics tasks, then I must be running OSX. I do need a Mac or a Hac to do that. So, while it is true that I could use an alternative like Premiere Pro or Avid on Windows, I much prefer Final Cut and I think it is a better program for my purposes.

On the legality point. It is arguable. I hope that the issue does go to court someday. If I buy food at a grocery for the price they have set, then the grocery really has no business telling me what plate I eat the food on or how I prepare it. While that may be a flawed analogy, I think the central point holds true. If I am legally purchasing OSX and all other software (such as Final Cut Pro), then the choice of hardware platform should belong to me. I am not asking Apple to warranty or service my product, nor am I asking them to guarantee interoperability or anything else. I take all those risks myself, but in turn, what I do with the system is my business. That's my perspective.

 

[macmanx86]

MasterRee:

I have a DSDT editing guide for Gigabyte boards on my blog: http://macmanx86.blogspot.com/. It's currently only for P55 socket 1156 boards but most of it is relevant for X58 boards. I will be posting a new guide for X58 boards soon.

 

[MasterRee]

Thanks Macmanx86! Without you and TonyMacx86 I would have never gotten my hack up and running. I frequent both your sites, but somehow I missed out on your DSDT guide. I look forward to your X58 guide.

 

[gwolfman]

Write the DSDT guide please!

 

[youngpeter]

I put MacOSX on about 20 Lenovo PC's last year, then took it off. Middle school kids HATED it and refused to use it. Good old XP and soon to be Windows 7. What can I say............

 

[eddieroolz]

Maybe I'll set up a Hackintosh machine with my EP35-DS3L motherboard when I replace it one day :3

 

[Guest]

Good info. I would also like to know more about DSDT.