hackintosh build

[paradisal]

hi everyone,

z-mac had asked that i post some specs on a hackintosh we built, not to promote building a hackintosh, but just to show that it is possible.

we're running a quad core 2.66, running on a GigabyteGA-EX58-UD5 mobo, 6GB of DDR3 RAM, 4 x 1TB HDs and 4 x 750 MB HDs, LG DVD writer, 9500GT Vid Card all housed in a Super Micro 8 hot swappable case. it's currently running Snow Leopard 10.6.1, we haven't updated it to .2 yet, but we will be when we get the chance to do so.

its an awesome machine. we're using it as a server for the studio.

matt

[AdminMan]

Matt -  does your system use an EFI-X dongle or something else?
http://gizmodo.com/5049756/review-efix-dongle-perfectly-transforms-pc-to-mac

[Dan Millar]

EFI-X is REALLY expensive - from $100 for a refurbed v.1 unit, to US$240 for a v.2 USB dongle.

Psystar's Rebel EFI software is US$49.99, and they do offer a free time-limited trial....

Or... try www.hackint0sh.org (that's a zero in there) for brewing your own.

I don't recommend anybody use these in mission-critical situations, there is no support for running third-party apps on a hackintosh, not to mention, no support from Apple - unless you consider a cease-and-desist order to be a form of support! Hardware glitches are many - particularly audio hardware.

Ooops, that almost sounds like I think this is okay, it isn't. You are in direct violation of the EULA if you install Mac OS X on anything but an Apple-built computer. It is interesting technology for sure, but that is about as far as my interest in this subject has ever gone.

'nuff said?

Happy (genuine Apple-branded) Mac'ing

Dan

[z-mac]

Dan, you are of course right about the violation of the licence. I think this is an interesting subject from the point of view of the value proposition to consumers. We often hear that Apple computers are too expensive. Is it true? This thread offers an example of what commonly available hardware could run OS X "experimentally".

[paradisal]

Dan, you're right it is a violation of the EULA license. Right now we have 2 MBPs and a MacPro as well that we use on a daily basis. I've personally owned over 20 macs and know what "Happy (genuine Apple-branded) Mac'ing" is. Macs are expensive and we wanted to see what we could do to cut costs. I know several people who have been running hackintoshs for more than 2 years now and have NEVER had any problems. As long as you choose a good mobo that's supported under OSX you're fine. The audio glitches are things of the past, the main glitch that some people encounter are issues with sleep... so you turn off the sleep mode and you're fine. It is an experiment and its one that if we were to have purchased an xserve (which couldn't house that much disk space until just a couple days ago) or a MacPro we would have spent well over twice the price. Once all said and done this machine cost less than 1800. If any sort of issues were to arise our plan was to install Linux on it anyways.

Matt

[Dan Millar]

Hey Guys!

Don't get me wrong, I think the tech is fascinating, if not revealing. I also think Apple's EULA is bunk - just my opinion - the courts may have to decide one day, but I believe that if you payed for OS X, then what you do with it inside your own home is none of anybody's business - so long as you do not infringe on, impede, or detract, from Apple's "real" market.

We in Canada, and also the EU, seem to have a slightly different take on copyright infringement than our cousins to the south. It is absolutely legal in Canada or the EU to, for example, copy a DVD movie we buy to another media, without violating current laws. This is not so in the USA. So, in other words, yes you are violating the letter of the EULA, but whether the terms are even enforceable in Canada is not clear, until challenged, or our copyright laws are changed. The entire concept of the EULA is suspect, in my opinion. I do respect volume or commercial licensing terms, but personal use is, uh, personal. To paraphrase a great Canadian - the law has no right or duty to creep into the computer rooms of the nation.

The audio glitches I referred to are, indeed, not a big deal anymore, but can cause problems with products like Logic, Finale, etc., but not iTunes or YouTube, etc. Your mileage may vary. This so much reminds me of the Apple II fiasco, which did hurt Apple a great deal, but it also reminds me of the DOS clones, which hurt IBM, but in the long run, helped the PC become the dominant force in the marketplace. Mr Jobs has a BIG problem with the whole concept of cloning - and with some good reasons.

Supporting OS X outside of the Apple ecosystem is not something Apple wants to do - to avoid the situation Windows users often find themselves in - trying to wrangle a $13 Chinese clone of a $25 Korean copy of a $100 sound card to work in a motherboard of similar origins - for example. Mr Jobs wants you to have a smooth, predictable and enjoyable experience with his Macs, he still likes to think of the home computer as an "appliance", like your toaster, and that is Apple's true value. The "Macs are too expensive" line has never flown true, and I find this justification unnecessary - its just cool to have OS X on a netbook, or fun to build some heavy iron like Matt has done and save a few bucks.

I found the Psystar story fascinating, until I found out they were actually copying the OS disks, and charging customers as if they were receiving their own copy - an obviously indefensible position. So long as you paid for the OS, I don't believe Apple can dictate how you use it. I applaud those who have successfully hacked their "foreign" hardware, and I don't believe Apple has any downside when this happens - after all, its just another copy of the OS they would have never sold otherwise.

I'm not really a curmudgeon, just cautious.

Mappy Hack'ing

Dan

[z-mac]

The "Macs are too expensive" line has never flown true, and I find this justification unnecessary - its just cool to have OS X on a netbook, or fun to build some heavy iron like Matt has done and save a few bucks.

That sentence will self destruct if ever the start and the end come into contact!

I'm not really a curmudgeon, just cautious.

You have always been a gentleman. That's as rare on the Internet as it is on the street these days.

[Dan Millar]

Yes, that does sound a little contradictory, without going into great detail. You will "save a few bucks", but what you give up to save them is a topic for another thread. Macs, in my opinion, have NEVER been more expensive.

Happy Mac'ing

Dan

[z-mac]

The appreciation of "Style" is subjective, but one way in which an Apple user certainly gets more value is in the tight integration of the operating system and the computer hardware. A Mac user never has to search for drivers and struggle to install them to get essential functionality (video, network, sound).

A "PC" will probably contain cut-rate third-party components for which drivers often only exist for a specific version of M-Windows. A PC user may waste many hours trying to set the correct resolution for a monitor, or to configure the sound card or network card. M-Windows contains support for a large number of third-party drivers but manufacturers of third-party components come and go and rarely extend driver support beyond the initial offering. Windows XP supportres a long list of hardware but there is no guarantee that every PC will work in every way. Windows Vista and W7 have abandoned older hardware.

When Apple uses cheap third-party components, at least the components are supported by the OS. (o;

On the other hand, when Apple decides to end support for a component, the change can be significant. For example, users of PowerPC Macs have no future support for OS X.

PC users can save hundreds of dollars if they don't mind shopping for specific hardware known to be well supported, and who also don't mind struggling to set up hardware when there are problems. But the cost in time may be significant.

And I haven't even mentioned the cost of time because of viruses and the Update-And-Reboot cycles of M-Windows itself (regardless of the version).

For value to the consumer, I would rank OS/hardware combinations as follows, from most value to least value:

1 Linux (especially Linux Mint or Ubuntu) on just about anything (including Apple hardware)
2 OS X on Apple hardware
3 OS X on compatible hardware
4 M-Windows XP on compatible hardware
5 M-Windows Vista on compatible hardware (better security, but worse hardware compatibility)