Hackintosh 10.5.5 Retail Rig - Starting at $305

[Muddy Mudskipper]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Hernandito
Thanks again,

Please do post the files from your USB stick. I am on my way to buy a couple of thumbdrives.

Do you know of a decent USB plug and play device that supports digital audio, that is not too expensive?

Due to licensing issues, there are no inexpensive USB sound cards that support digital audio. You have to buy $$$ pro-level equipment to get that, unfortunately. Keep in mind that all new Macs come with built-in optical digital audio input and output jacks, so there's no real need for this type of adapter in the Mac market segment, unfortunately.

Insanelymac - The Ultimate Media Center

The Creative Labs USB Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 is by far the best OSX usb sound card I have found. Not only is it plug and play, but it supports DTS and AC3 passthrough for its sdpif output in Plex. I went through many other USB sound cards to find this one.

Any good?

 

[Hernandito]

Thank you for those files... This will be very helpful.

Is the optical audio-out on the UD3P supported by the OS with your kit? Goes to show you how much I know about audio. Mostly I simply plug headphones to listen to music. I do realize that these will need patching every point update, which should not be that many. It looks like Snow Leopard is due this fall according to one of my guys who is watching that Apple conference going on right now.

 

[Hernandito]

Opps, I double posted my last reply....

 

[Hernandito]

Originally posted by: Muddy Mudskipper


The Creative Labs USB Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 is by far the best OSX usb sound card I have found. Not only is it plug and play, but it supports DTS and AC3 passthrough for its sdpif output in Plex. I went through many other USB sound cards to find this one.

It is listed for $60 on Creative's web site, but it does NOT say that it is Mac compatible.

 

[Muddy Mudskipper]

Originally posted by: Hernandito

It is listed for $60 on Creative's web site, but it does NOT say that it is Mac compatible.

Sure, but the guy who started that thread on insanelymac appears to know his stuff. You could always send him a private message and see if it's still working.

Or how about this: Digital USB Sound Card for under $100.

 

[xavifm]

hello, confirm with UD3P package I have fully functional hackintosh UD3P Leopard 10.5.7 thanks Kaido.
I confirm a USB soundcard ESI U46DJ fully functional.

 

[Hernandito]

Originally posted by: Kaido

I'll be home in about 5 hours and I'll post my USB stick files. The Chameleon installer installs some generic stuff, so I'll explain how to overwrite what they have with my tweaked files

In my typcal fashion, I could not wait to get started. Unfortunately I did not get too far. Here is what I did.

1) I loaded OS X 10.5.4 and upgraded to 10.5.7 and booted withe 123 CD

2) Ran UInstall, and ONLY checked to
a. Change timeout
b. Change screen resolution
c. Fix Time Machine
d. Video card selection/string

3) I then proceeded to install the Chameleon RC1 to the HFS+ formatted USB drive (master boot record).

Rebooted to the USB drive, got the Chameleon screen, chose the main hard drive and I got a kernel panic.

This whole thing was a wild guess. I am sure your stick drive has files and stuff I missed. I am now going to bring the system back to vanilla.

Thanks,

Hernando

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Hernandito
In my typcal fashion, I could not wait to get started. Unfortunately I did not get too far. Here is what I did.

Sorry, I was stuck at work really late, just got in. Here's the package:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/...nczznyw/ud3p_stick.zip

Just overwrite the Extra folder on your USB stick with my Extra folder. In the Extensions folder, I highlighted the kexts that will need to be installed to SLE using Kext Helper (remove them from the USB stick after installing, leave the non-green kexts there).

My default res is 1920x1200, so that's what is set in my Themes Plist (Extra\Themes\Default), if you want to change it, make sure to change it in both places (look through the Plist for "1920" and "1200".

One of the bugs with v431 of RC1 that I was using was that kexts didn't load properly from an Mkext bundle on the USB stick, which meant that your Jmicron driver didn't load, which meant that it had a Kernel Panic, so that's the reason you were getting an error there. Apparently the bug hasn't been fixed yet

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: xavifm
hello, confirm with UD3P package I have fully functional hackintosh UD3P Leopard 10.5.7 thanks Kaido.
I confirm a USB soundcard ESI U46DJ fully functional.

Awesome :thumbsup:

I'll add that USB sound adapter to the Wiki!

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Muddy Mudskipper

Originally posted by: Hernandito

It is listed for $60 on Creative's web site, but it does NOT say that it is Mac compatible.

Sure, but the guy who started that thread on insanelymac appears to know his stuff. You could always send him a private message and see if it's still working.

Or how about this: Digital USB Sound Card for under $100.

Well it's more about "cheap" digital audio - I want a $20 stick with digital input/out hehehe...

 

[Hernandito]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Hernandito
In my typcal fashion, I could not wait to get started. Unfortunately I did not get too far. Here is what I did.

Sorry, I was stuck at work really late, just got in. Here's the package:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/...nczznyw/ud3p_stick.zip

Just overwrite the Extra folder on your USB stick with my Extra folder. In the Extensions folder, I highlighted the kexts that will need to be installed to SLE using Kext Helper (remove them from the USB stick after installing, leave the non-green kexts there).

My default res is 1920x1200, so that's what is set in my Themes Plist (Extra\Themes\Default), if you want to change it, make sure to change it in both places (look through the Plist for "1920" and "1200".

One of the bugs with v431 of RC1 that I was using was that kexts didn't load properly from an Mkext bundle on the USB stick, which meant that your Jmicron driver didn't load, which meant that it had a Kernel Panic, so that's the reason you were getting an error there. Apparently the bug hasn't been fixed yet

Thank you!!

It is almost there I think. I followed your instructions to the letter and triple checked everything. I was able to boot the first time into the main HD. I changed the resolution, and I got the blank bluescreen, where I reset the computer. After a couple of starts it is still coming up blank blue.

I suspect the flaw is in the way I edited the com.apple.boot.plist. I basically edited the one in the thumb drives Extra folder and changed a couple parameters like the default Theme. When I boot it goes to the actual default, not the alternate one I selected.

I know in the old way, editing the com.apple.boot.plist required you to open it on something like EFIStudio. This time I simply edited it in Text Editor directly.

Is there a trick to editing the plist? I still have my regular Mac where I can edit the file....

EDIT: After rebooting with the 123 CD, and then booting back with the thumb drive it booted fine!! It is 99.8% of what I was hoping to achive!!!



FINAL EDIT:
I guess you can edit the plist directly in Text Edit. I was able to change my default theme, and my default boot drive. I also have a 1920x1200 monitor, but there are vertical black bars on the sides on my Chameleon screen. I assume this is the maximum Vesa resolution that the bootloader can handle. I am getting 1600x1200 (eventhough my background image is the full 1920) I did add the resolution tag to the boot plist and to the theme plist.

Another weird thing is that my drives are orange eventhough the LegacyIOAHCIBlockStorage.kext is in the /Extra/Extensions folder on the thumbdrive.

Thanks again!!

Hernando

 

[scootermaster]

Does anyone have one of those digital i/o brackets and an UD3P or [preferably] a DS3L? I want to test digital in. I have a guitar effects pedal and I was wondering if the SPDIF in works under hack/garageband and the like.

Thanks!

 

[muzo178]

Thanks to Kaido, I am now cruising along on a new UD3P rig. My recipe is:

Case: An old Aopen H600 that was laying empty.
Power Supply: 550 Watt OCZ Fatal1ty
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P ATX
Processor: 2.66ghz Q9400 Intel Core 2 Quad
Memory: 4GB OCZ DDR2 VU1066MHz
Boot Drive: 500 GB Seagate SATA
DVD Drive: 22x Samsung SATA DVD Burner
Video Card: 512mb eVGA Nvidia 8800GT Superclocked
Ethernet: Edimax EN-9230TX-32
Audio: Terratec Phase26 USB
Display: Samsung T240

I am now looking at installing Windows 7 or Vista x64 on a second hard drive to dual boot for some light gaming. I was wondering if I can use an IDE drive for the second hdd and keep my bios settings.

Would you advise me to use Chameleon RC1 after I do this or just use the F12 menu?

 

[scootermaster]

Dumb question: If I have time machine backups on my external HD, and I reformat/reinstall 10.5.7 (I have an olllllld hack install from November) can I use TM to restore? I'm not actually sure I want to, since I have a ton of clutter and stuff, but I was just wondering if that's even an option, or if I should just kill my TM backups now (since I'm going to reinstall, and could use the space for manual backups now).

 

[xavifm]

Hello, any software for show temperatures of CPU?
Istat pro widget not show CPU temps , only show temps of Hdd.

thanks

 

[muzo178]

Originally posted by: xavifm
Hello, any software for show temperatures of CPU?
Istat pro widget not show CPU temps , only show temps of Hdd.

thanks

you should check out Temperature Monitor from bresink.

http://www.bresink.com/osx/TemperatureMonitor.html

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Hernandito
Another weird thing is that my drives are orange eventhough the LegacyIOAHCIBlockStorage.kext is in the /Extra/Extensions folder on the thumbdrive.

Yah that's a bug in the release I have, Block Storage won't load from the USB stick. Lame. Mkexts don't load either - that's why you got a Kernel Panic, I had to put all the kexts in the Extensions folder on the USB stick, including the Jmicron kext, because they simply didn't load. RC1 is not ready for prime time yet

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: scootermaster
Dumb question: If I have time machine backups on my external HD, and I reformat/reinstall 10.5.7 (I have an olllllld hack install from November) can I use TM to restore? I'm not actually sure I want to, since I have a ton of clutter and stuff, but I was just wondering if that's even an option, or if I should just kill my TM backups now (since I'm going to reinstall, and could use the space for manual backups now).

You can, but I think it may restore your old kexts too, so that may conflict. Not 100% sure.

 

[Zaap]

I got my GA-G41M-ES2L. I'll try installing it with the 2600XT tonight and report back on how it goes.

 

[Hernandito]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Hernandito
Another weird thing is that my drives are orange eventhough the LegacyIOAHCIBlockStorage.kext is in the /Extra/Extensions folder on the thumbdrive.

Yah that's a bug in the release I have, Block Storage won't load from the USB stick. Lame. Mkexts don't load either - that's why you got a Kernel Panic, I had to put all the kexts in the Extensions folder on the USB stick, including the Jmicron kext, because they simply didn't load. RC1 is not ready for prime time yet

Hi Kaido,

Thank so much again. This is so good that I just ordered parts for a new system with the G31M-ES2L. This will be an entry level, HTPC system.

If the G31M-ES2L can run pure vanilla (without loading any kexts into SLE) I may plug-in a Netgear 311 NIC and the $8 USB audio on my UD3P. This way UD3P can also be virgin vanilla, with both running of a bootable USB thumb drives.

If I plug the network card and USB audio; do I need to disable the motherboard entries in bios?

The only bummer with $8 USB is that I switch a lot between speakers connected to the back and headphones connected to the front.

Seriously, if you are ever in NYC, you have to drop me a PM. You have a ton of drinks coming your way. :beer:

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Hernandito
Thank so much again. This is so good that I just ordered parts for a new system with the G31M-ES2L. This will be an entry level, HTPC system.

If the G31M-ES2L can run pure vanilla (without loading any kexts into SLE) I may plug-in a Netgear 311 NIC and the $8 USB audio on my UD3P. This way UD3P can also be virgin vanilla, with both running of a bootable USB thumb drives.

If I plug the network card and USB audio; do I need to disable the motherboard entries in bios?

The only bummer with $8 USB is that I switch a lot between speakers connected to the back and headphones connected to the front.

Seriously, if you are ever in NYC, you have to drop me a PM. You have a ton of drinks coming your way. :beer:

ES2L is a great system, it's actually the cleanest install out of all three since you currently don't have to patch audio for upgrades Yeah, you can run pure vanilla with a PCI NIC & USB sound card, although if you're streaming HD media files, I'd recommend going with a Gigabit adapter ($9.99 on Newegg) and supporting network - every since I upgraded to Gigabit, all of my HD streaming problems have gone away (hiccups and slow starts and whatnot).

Yup, just disable the onboard stuff in BIOS. As far as the sound card, yeah, losing front audio is a bummer, but knowing that you have pure OS X install on your hard drive helps make up for it I'm hoping that Chameleon RC2 fixes the Block Storage and Mkext bugs, as well as the default boot drive bug from USB stick (I've heard you can overcome this by playing with the numbers - like doing hd(2,2) in the Boot Plist instead, even though that's not the actual # of the drive).

Not a drinker but thanks for the offer :thumbsup: Cheers from Hartford!

 

[mosslack]

Originally posted by: scootermaster
Does anyone have one of those digital i/o brackets and an UD3P or [preferably] a DS3L? I want to test digital in. I have a guitar effects pedal and I was wondering if the SPDIF in works under hack/garageband and the like.

Thanks!

What bracket is this scooter? If it is something that came with the mobo I probably have one that I'm not using. I have both the DS3L and the UD3P, but I don't use anything other than the regular ol' line out. I think you are on the west coast so maybe there is someone closer. Let me know.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: mosslack

Originally posted by: scootermaster
Does anyone have one of those digital i/o brackets and an UD3P or [preferably] a DS3L? I want to test digital in. I have a guitar effects pedal and I was wondering if the SPDIF in works under hack/garageband and the like.

Thanks!

What bracket is this scooter? If it is something that came with the mobo I probably have one that I'm not using. I have both the DS3L and the UD3P, but I don't use anything other than the regular ol' line out. I think you are on the west coast so maybe there is someone closer. Let me know.

The ES2L, for example, has digital audio output pins (SPDIF out via 3 pins on the motherboard). Some boards have 5 pins - three for digital output, 2 for digital input. If you buy a combo digital audio input/output bracket, then it has a 6-pin jack with one hole blocked out, so it's a 5-pin jack physically. So that way you can get digital audio input on your board. I'll be checking into this a bit later on my boards.

 

[albert1028]

I haven't been on here for a while, do any of the new boards (i have a DS3L that i followed using Kaido's amazing guide) support the core i7 processors? If so which?

Thanks.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: albert1028
I haven't been on here for a while, do any of the new boards (i have a DS3L that i followed using Kaido's amazing guide) support the core i7 processors? If so which?

Thanks.

Yeah there are some Core i7 rigs that are supported, but you need another Mac to install the software because there aren't any 10.5.7 discs yet (those have the new kernels with Core i7 supported). Check the Genius Bar at InsanelyMac for the latest tutorials!

I currently have a UD3P (mine), DS3L (my wife's), and ES2L (my media center). I'm not planning on upgrading for awhile due to budget/needs - when the 24-gig memory kits come out for the Core i7 systems, that's probably when I'll upgrade and do up a new guide.