Tuesday, September 17, 2013

OS X 10.8.4 | i5 3570k | Gigabyte Z77-DS3H | 8 GB RAM | NVIDIA GT620 HDMI DVI VGA Working

Are you looking for a cheap, effective and most importantly, OS X compatible Hackintosh system build? Choosing a motherboard can be one of the most difficult tasks, as this is the most critical component that must be compatible with OS X. Arguably the best motherboards for building a Hackintosh are made by Gigabyte; having almost complete driver compatibility with OS X.
white and black nzxt computer case

NZXT Source 210 ELITE Midtower Case


For this build the Gigabyte Intel Z77 LGA 1155 Dual UEFI BIOS ATX Motherboard GA-Z77-DS3H was used. Installation of OS X 10.8.3 (later 10.8.4) is nearly as simple as installing a Windows operating system. Changing SATA mode in bios to AHCI is the only bios preference that needs to be changed before beginning the installation.

i5 motherboard gigabyteWhen combined with an Intel Core i5-3570K Quad-Core Processor this machine boasts phenomenal geek bench scores, handling many intense operations with ease. To further improve on this build without needing to modify the installation method an Intel Core i7-3770K Quad-Core Processor could be substituted for the 3570K. Both of these processor options permit the use of Intel HD4000 integrated graphics, however this is not recommended if you would like use of a VGA port, still common on many monitors.

Gigabyte GeForce GT 620 1GB DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 DVI-I/D-SUB/HDMI Low Profile Graphics Card GV-N620D3-1GL
All of the Nvidia GT 600 series graphics cards should be fully compatible out of the box; OS X already has these drivers! For a cost effective and balanced graphics card, the Gigabyte GeForce GT 620 1GB DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 Graphics Cardis an excellent choice ($55.00). This card would not be recommended for transcoding/editing video, but it is a great choice for the everyday user or music production center. 

Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 1600 MHz (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory (CMZ16GX3M2A1600C10)
To harness the power of the i5 3570K or i7 3770K at least a Corsair Vengeance 8 GB ( 2 x 4 GB ) DDR3 1600 MHz Memory Kit or for Logic Pro X users, a Corsair Vengeance  16GB (2x8GB)  DDR3 1600 MHz Desktop Memory Kit should be used to provide ample room for loading large virtual instruments or intense multi tasking.

Corsair CX Series 750 Watt ATX/EPS Modular 80 PLUS Bronze ATX12V/EPS12V 744 Power Supply CX750MWe're almost done with this build except for a power supply. When choosing a power supply you want to be sure you think ahead for future expansions. Sure, 4 SATA power ports and one 6-Pin PCI may be enough now, but not when you want to add a few more hard drives or optical drives or maybe even two graphics cards bridged via SLI. It may seem like a waste of money to purchase a high end power supply but it will save you from many headaches in the future. I have found that some of the lower end power supplies do not even have a long enough CPU power cable to reach the motherboard if the case requires bottom mounting of the power supply (like this NZXT Case). Also an efficient power supply can drastically reduce system temperatures, mainly by reducing case temperatures, maintaining a cooler environment can be critical to prolonging system life and pushing a higher over-clock. 

This Corsair CX Series 750 Watt ATX/EPS Modular 80 PLUS Bronze Power Supply is an excellent choice. It provides 2 PCI-E, 6 SATA, and 4 4-Pin peripheral connectors, all while being rated 80+ Bronze efficiency. Also the modular cabling system allows you to connect only the cables you need so as not to interfere with airflow and reducing clutter inside the case.

A Look at Specifications:


i5 3570K Mac Pro Hackintosh About this Mac

i5 3570K Mac Pro Hackintosh Displays

i5 3570K Mac Pro Hackintosh 8 GB Memory

i5 3570K Mac Pro Hackintosh 8 GB 128 GB SSD 1 TB HDD



A Look at Logic Pro X and Komplete 8 Ultimate Performance:



Multibeast Settings:




After completing the MultiBeast installation, while booting, the Apple boot screen would not go away, and the progress indicator would spin indefinitely. At this time I was using a VGA display which is not supported by the Apple HD4000 kernel extension. After switching to an HDMI display I was no longer haunted by the eternal Apple boot screen, but rather an astoundingly quick boot followed by a complete loss of signal to the HDMI display. After trying the go to troubleshooting technique of unplugging and re-inserting the HDMI cable in the motherboard to no avail, I realized that the computer had booted completely but left me with no video signal.

Using boot flag PCIRootUID=1, the system would boot completely, but the HD4000 graphics were not functioning as they should, and appeared to be using only basic generic drivers/kexts rendering the graphics flickering and laggy. I thought, at least now I will be able to test the audio, NOPE! No audio output or input options were available in System Preferences>>Audio.

After installing, uninstalling, and reinstalling various drivers for Intel HDA with only partial successes, cracking and popping, but now with available inputs and outputs displayed in Audio preferences, I reinstalled OS X Combo Update 10.8.4 to reset all audio kexts I had messed with. This time booting with PCIRootUID=0 and using a GeForce 8400 GS graphics card I was able to boot flawlessly  into OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.4 with adequate graphics performance and crystal clear audio!

It would seem to me that the Intel HD 4000 graphics may not be fully or properly supported on the Gigabyte Z77-DS3H motherboard or within OS X. For those considering a similar build I recommend ditching the integrated graphics and spending a few bucks on a well supported Nvidia graphics card. This will surely save you much head banging while installing your build.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

OS X 10.8.4 on Gigabyte Z77 DS3H w/ Intel 3570K HD 4000: Hackintosh

Z77-DS3H Motherboard
Custom Mac's or Hackintosh computers; running OS X on non-Apple, PC hardware, is becoming easier and easier with new Gigabyte motherboards that boast Dual UEFI BIOS. UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) provides a software interface between an operating system and the platform hardware, replacing the traditional basic input/output system (BIOS). This relieves hackintosh builders of the tedious task of creating a custom and/or unique Differentiated System Description Table (DSDT) to allow the operating system to utilize available platform hardware; audio, video, network, memory, etc.

Recently I assembled a "hackintosh" utilizing the Gigabyte Intel Z77 LGA 1155 Dual UEFI BIOS ATX Motherboard GA-Z77-DS3H and the Intel Core i5-3570K Quad-Core Processor with Intel HD 4000 graphics. Installation via tonymacx86's UniBeast with OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.3, later updated with Combo Update 10.8.4, was a walk in the park however, enabling HD 4000 graphics was not so much.

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The Build:
NZXT Source 210 Midtower Case

Corsair Builder Series CX 600 Watt ATX/EPS  80 PLUS (CX600)

Gigabyte Intel Z77 LGA 1155 Dual UEFI BIOS ATX Motherboard GA-Z77-DS3H






Below are the MultiBeast installation options used:

screenshot of MultiBeast settings for Z77-DS3H motherboard and Intel HD4000 graphics

screenshot of MultiBeast settings for Z77-DS3H motherboard and Intel HD4000 graphics

After completing the MultiBeast installation, while booting, the Apple boot screen would not go away, and the progress indicator would spin indefinitely. At this time I was using a VGA display which is not supported by the Apple HD4000 kernel extension. After switching to an HDMI display I was no longer haunted by the eternal Apple boot screen, but rather an astoundingly quick boot followed by a complete loss of signal to the HDMI display. After trying the go to troubleshooting technique of unplugging and re-inserting the HDMI cable in the motherboard to no avail, I realized that the computer had booted completely but left me with no video signal.

Using boot flag PCIRootUID=1, the system would boot completely, but the HD4000 graphics were not functioning as they should, and appeared to be using only basic generic drivers/kexts rendering the graphics flickering and laggy. I thought, at least now I will be able to test the audio, NOPE! No audio output or input options were available in System Preferences>>Audio.

After installing, uninstalling, and reinstalling various drivers for Intel HDA with only partial successes, cracking and popping, but now with available inputs and outputs displayed in Audio preferences, I reinstalled OS X Combo Update 10.8.4 to reset all audio kexts I had messed with. This time booting with PCIRootUID=0 and using a GeForce 8400 GS graphics card I was able to boot flawlessly  into OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.4 with adequate graphics performance and crystal clear audio!

It would seem to me that the Intel HD 4000 graphics may not be fully or properly supported on the Gigabyte Z77-DS3H motherboard or within OS X. For those considering a similar build I recommend ditching the integrated graphics and spending a few bucks on a well supported Nvidia graphics card. This will surely save you much head banging while installing your build.


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Ubuntu Edge, the campaign, and WHY it may be in TROUBLE.


Ubuntu Edge.

The next generation smart phone is upon us. Ubuntu Edge will be one of the first smart phone designs to cross the barrier between personal computing and personal telephone use, giving users a pocket computer that is able to make phone calls. Design no doubt takes after the ground breaking iPhone design; attention to detail, practical durability, and sleekness, which Apple prides themselves on. Software development for the Ubuntu Edge however, will fall far far away from the distribution and authentication norms currently visible with the iPhone and Apple App Store. The operating system on the Edge will likely mimic that of the Android OS, giving users hack-ability and customization opportunities; the roots of open source Linux software.

The Ubuntu Edge case will be precision engineered and will feel like a good solid peace of hardware. The canonical logo, circle of friends, is elegantly embossed on the rubberized backing of the smart phone. Size wise, the Edge is slightly smaller than a Samsung Nexus 4 and Samsung Galaxy Nexus. It is slightly larger in size than the Apple iPhone 4.

It will have the fastest multi-core processor on the market, as well as boasting 4 GB of ram and 120 GB of storage, excellent for carrying around music, videos, and applications. These incredible hardware specifications will allow the phone boot a fully functioning Ubuntu OS as well as Android, making it the first dual-booting device on the market. The Ubuntu Edge will also come with an 4.5" HD Screen at 1280 x 720 pixels protected by a super hard Sapphire Crystal display. It has an 8 mega-pixel low light camera on the back and a 2 mega-pixel front camera.

As far as the connectivity is concerned it will have 4G LTE, 802.11 N Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.

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