[Success] Haswell ATX: MSI Z87 MPower Max - i7 4770k - GTX 550 TI

elgipsy's Build: MSI Z87 MPower Max - i7 4770k - GTX 550 TI​

Comments

Case: Antec Solo II
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FEYKTI/

Motherboard: MSI Mpower Max z87
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HWQUI52/

Processor: Intel Core i7-4770K
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CO8TBQ0/

Graphics: Gainward GTX 550 TI/B] - Out of production

Ram: Corsair Vengeance Pro Blue 32GB (2 x 2x4GB) DDR3-1866
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D2LGT5E/

SSDs:

1) Intel SSD 525 Series 120 GB mSata (Windows 8.1 update 1)​

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B4NZXWC/

2) Sandisk SSD Extreme II 120 GB (OS X Mavericks 10.9.3)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00COF7DGS/​

WiFi: TP-LINK TL-WDN4800
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007GMPZ0A/

LAN: TP-LINK TG-3468
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CFATNI/

Bluetooth IOGEAR GBU521
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007GFX0PY/


Comments

Six months ago, I was not even aware it was possible to "build" a Mac... I have been a Apple user (iPhone and iPad) for quite a while but never took the step of actually buying a Mac.

Then my good old PC (the build was from 2007) started to fail on me which make me look for another build. I wanted to go for a Mac but I like to tear my machine apart from time to time, which is possible but difficult with an actual Mac and I was thinking: wouldn't it be cool to build a machine that allows just that? Components chosen "a la carte" and OS X as a operating system.

I started Googling about this and ended up on this amazing website.... saying that I was blown away is an understatement

So here I am approximately 6 months later with my first Hackintosh build!

The only component I kept from my previous build was the graphic card even though I read that Fermi based graphic card (especially the 550ti) was not the easiest one to work with when building a Hackintosh but what the heck


Installation

I followed the 10.9 installation guide found on this site and made the bootable usb (with 10.9.2) then booted with it but was not able to launch the install. After researching, i fond out I needed to use flags in order to boot OS X and after several tries, I nailed down the one I needed (in my case: -x GraphicsEnabler=Yes)

Off to the installation.... to my surprise it went smoothly and after 15 minutes, OS X was installed
After that I launched MultiBeast and followed the steps for post installation and rebooted...

It was working!

AS I am using a Fermi based Graphic Card, I installed FreezeFix, rebooted and freezes were history.

Next step was to update Mavericks to 10.9.3, so I followed the combo update method described on this site and again, it worked! or almost... after updating, I was loosing sound when waking up from sleep and had to reboot in order to have the sound back on. Again I followed the steps found on this website: Run MultiBeast for Mavericks and just select your audio driver but still there was no sound.

I then proceeded in removing the HDA kext and reinstalled sound using Multibeast 6.0.1 instead of the latest version and the sound was working again when waking from sleep

Next stop: getting sound out of the graphic card through HDMI port when I connect the tv to the Hackintosh to watch movies etc. This is I think the thing that took me the most time but again I found a solution

The solution I found is was not from this site but since it seems to create a lot of headaches to have this working, here is the solution I found, it definitely works on nVidia (tested with my build) cards and according to the post it works on ATI cards (credits to andrejkw or whoever posted this great file first). Just follow the steps described here and you will have sound over HDMI in no time http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1499797

I then proceeded with making iMesage, FaceTime, Mac App Store, etc., working. I followed the tonymacx86 iMessage guide step by step, and I managed to get it all to work http://www.tonymacx86.com/general-help/110471-how-fix-imessage-66.html thanks jaymonkey!
x
For my mouse I still use a mighty Logitech M518 but could not find drivers for it to run on OS X (it runs without driver but is not smooth) until I can find a better solution (if anyone has one, please help) I use this driver, too bad it is not free

http://plentycom.jp/en/steermouse/index.html

Summary

What is working:

boot
iMessage
Mac App Store
FaceTime
Sound over HDMI​

What is not working so far:

When i go on "About this Mac" the ram shows 1400mhz where it should be 1866mhz (this value is displayed both in bios and when I boot Windows)

The Bluetooth dongle IOGEAR GBU521, I have tried to use it over USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports but so far no luck, it sees my iPhone and/or iPad but cannot pair or connect to the Mac... To be honest, I do not know what to do but since it is not working, I have ordered this one: GMYLE(R) Ultra-Mini USB Micro Bluetooth 4.0 whic is also recommended by tonymacx86, let's hope it works.

Something I have not been able to fix is the glitch with the mail app where sent items are displayed twice in the sent folder (thank god the mail is sent only once) it is rather annoying but i understand it's an issue with IMAP (I use a hotmail account). Has anyone found a fix for that?​

Last thoughts and advice

When Yosemite comes out I will invest in a new SSD (Sandisk SSD Extreme II but 240 GB) but does it need Trim enabled? I did not enable it with the Sandisk 120 as I read from the buyers guide that Trim did not need to be enabled with this disk (the info vanished from the last few buyer' guide, so I wonder if it is still the case or if now Trim needs to be enabled through Multibeast for this disk)

Ideally I wanted to have a system with one disk for windows, one disk for OS X and one shared between the two in xfat format; However since it's an internal SSHD (Seagate 1 TB) Windows doesn not allow me to format this shared drive in xfat and therefore I cannot do what I want.
If anybody knows how to make this let me know.

Last but not least, for dual boot and to make sure everything runs smoothly:

1) install ONLY the disk you intend to use for Windows, install windows, update it
2) remove the disk where Windows was installed
3) install ONLY the disk you intend to use for OS X, install OS X,
4) leave the OS X disk installed and install the windows disk
5) power on the PC, go to Bios and make sure the OS X disk is the first one to boot​

Voila

Did you have to hack the bios or anything? I have almost the same exact specs and I can not seem to get mine to work.

Thanks

Hi what kext did you used for TP-Link Gigabit PCI Express Network Adapter TG 3468

Man, I have the same mobo and process, but my VGA is GTX780 Lightning. I tried to put the flag like as you say, GraphicsEnabler=Yes, I tried "No" too, but in my case, I see the UniBeast logo to boot but when the white Apple logo will appear, very quick, my PC reboot! I tring to install the Yosemite version.

I don't have any idea why not boot correctly. In my old machine, a Rampage II Extreme and i7 960, I was installed normally!

If you have any other idea how I can put this machine works on the hackintosh, I will be so greatful!

If you can put the exactly configuration of your BIOS on MSI MpowerMax, I thank you because in MSI guide here, talk about some configurations on a MSI Gaming Z97. In MPowerMax dont exist the VT-d, CFG and Secure Boot Mode options!

Thanks to all!

**Sorry about my English...

RF