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Install Yosemite on Nehalem i7 possible?

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Joined
Jul 17, 2011
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13
Motherboard
MSI Big Bang Trinergy P55+N200
CPU
Intel Core i7 860 2.8GHz
Graphics
Galaxy nVidia GeForce GTX 480
Mac
  1. 0
Classic Mac
  1. 0
Mobile Phone
  1. iOS
My question is one of hardware compatibility. You guys are the knowledgeable ones and the internet likes to lock down non-Mac lists. All I found with a 10-minute search for compatibility was lists of MAC models that will support Yosemite. So I'm asking you guys, the holy grail of OSX gurus.

Here's my 5-year-old system. The 2nd 500GB Seagate SATA HDD is running Snow Leopard 10.6.8. Via DSDT, I have working graphics and sound (for ~20 minutes before it gets static and horrible grinding).

CPU: Intel Core i7 860 2.8GHz Quad-core (with HT) (Lynnfield - Nehalem)
Motherboard: MSI Big Bang Trinergy
RAM: 16GB DDR3-1333
VIDEO: eVGA nVidia GeForce GTX 480 (fully functional)
AUDIO: MSI PCI-Ex1 Riser Card (24-bit 7.1-channel audio) (scratchy audio)
HDD: 1x WD-Black NTFS (Windows 7), 1x 500GB Seagate GUID (Snow Leopard)

I had to edit a DSDT file to get the graphics to enable. I still have it and Snow Leopard still starts fine, as long as I pull out my 2nd GTX 480 first. Otherwise, it fails to boot.

My interest is in upgrading this install to Yosemite. I don't mind wiping the drive. I have a 16GB Thumbdrive that is a Yosemite installer for regular Macs right now, as I had to do a re-install for a client (I work in IT field) on her Mac that wouldn't boot. So I've already downloaded the installer. I would be totally willing to convert it to the TonyMac bootloader as the guide says. I'll probably back up the original Yosemite download to my network drive (3TB) or to my Windows drive in case anything goes wrong.

My question is, will Yosemite work on such and "old" Core i7? It's pre-Sandy Bridge, pre-Ivy Bridge. It's the Lynnfield Model using the Nehalem chip architecture, a first-generation Core i7.

By the way, if any DSDT experts want to assist me with working on the DSDT file for my audio chip, let me know. LOL It'd be interesting getting this particular motherboard supported and the DSDT file added to the downloads list. Right now, audio works fine for 30 minutes, then gets staticy and scratchy. I think the currently used kext is the ALC-887, but I'd have to go home and boot my SL install and check to be sure. It's NOT 997, I know that much.
 
My question is one of hardware compatibility. You guys are the knowledgeable ones and the internet likes to lock down non-Mac lists. All I found with a 10-minute search for compatibility was lists of MAC models that will support Yosemite. So I'm asking you guys, the holy grail of OSX gurus.

Here's my 5-year-old system. The 2nd 500GB Seagate SATA HDD is running Snow Leopard 10.6.8. Via DSDT, I have working graphics and sound (for ~20 minutes before it gets static and horrible grinding).

CPU: Intel Core i7 860 2.8GHz Quad-core (with HT) (Lynnfield - Nehalem)
Motherboard: MSI Big Bang Trinergy
RAM: 16GB DDR3-1333
VIDEO: eVGA nVidia GeForce GTX 480 (fully functional)
AUDIO: MSI PCI-Ex1 Riser Card (24-bit 7.1-channel audio) (scratchy audio)
HDD: 1x WD-Black NTFS (Windows 7), 1x 500GB Seagate GUID (Snow Leopard)

I had to edit a DSDT file to get the graphics to enable. I still have it and Snow Leopard still starts fine, as long as I pull out my 2nd GTX 480 first. Otherwise, it fails to boot.

My interest is in upgrading this install to Yosemite. I don't mind wiping the drive. I have a 16GB Thumbdrive that is a Yosemite installer for regular Macs right now, as I had to do a re-install for a client (I work in IT field) on her Mac that wouldn't boot. So I've already downloaded the installer. I would be totally willing to convert it to the TonyMac bootloader as the guide says. I'll probably back up the original Yosemite download to my network drive (3TB) or to my Windows drive in case anything goes wrong.

My question is, will Yosemite work on such and "old" Core i7? It's pre-Sandy Bridge, pre-Ivy Bridge. It's the Lynnfield Model using the Nehalem chip architecture, a first-generation Core i7.

By the way, if any DSDT experts want to assist me with working on the DSDT file for my audio chip, let me know. LOL It'd be interesting getting this particular motherboard supported and the DSDT file added to the downloads list. Right now, audio works fine for 30 minutes, then gets staticy and scratchy. I think the currently used kext is the ALC-887, but I'd have to go home and boot my SL install and check to be sure. It's NOT 997, I know that much.

There's no reason why it shouldn't. Check out this post: http://www.tonymacx86.com/mavericks...vericks-native-cpu-igpu-power-management.html

Your processor will be under the "Core i3/5/7 xxx (1st Generation)/Core 2 and earlier" section.

I'm no expert but i you have realtek alc 887, toleda once again makes it easy for you: http://www.tonymacx86.com/audio/143757-audio-realtek-alc-applehda-guide.html

If it's not on the supported list, upload your files and I can take a look at them
 
Cool. I just had a quick look-over of those two threads. I'll have to read them in closer detail later.

I looked up the Big Bang Trinergy's specs and the audio chip is a Realtek ALC889 chip. The audio connections are on the PCI-Express x1 riser card, but considering I am getting sound out of the speakers from there, it shouldn't be an issue.

I can change the default sound output to any of the pairs of channels, so I can get sound out of front, center/sub, side, or back. But I am as yet unable to combine them all into a 5.1/6.1/7.1 channel group. When I try in the Audio settings app, the app locks up and I have to force close it and restart it to get back to where I was (it does not lock up Snow Leopard, just the app locks up).

I do remember that getting the DSDT file from my computer was a huge pain in the *** when I did it in 2011. I had to install Ubuntu just to get it. And I am by no means any kind of expert at it. I just remember doing trial-and-error until Snow Leopard booted up with the full 1920x1080 resolution and it correctly reported the graphics card chipset.
 
Cool. I just had a quick look-over of those two threads. I'll have to read them in closer detail later.

I looked up the Big Bang Trinergy's specs and the audio chip is a Realtek ALC889 chip. The audio connections are on the PCI-Express x1 riser card, but considering I am getting sound out of the speakers from there, it shouldn't be an issue.

I can change the default sound output to any of the pairs of channels, so I can get sound out of front, center/sub, side, or back. But I am as yet unable to combine them all into a 5.1/6.1/7.1 channel group. When I try in the Audio settings app, the app locks up and I have to force close it and restart it to get back to where I was (it does not lock up Snow Leopard, just the app locks up).

I do remember that getting the DSDT file from my computer was a huge pain in the *** when I did it in 2011. I had to install Ubuntu just to get it. And I am by no means any kind of expert at it. I just remember doing trial-and-error until Snow Leopard booted up with the full 1920x1080 resolution and it correctly reported the graphics card chipset.

Extracting the dsdt and ssdts are easy nowadays. Just make a live ubuntu usb, boot from it, and then follow this guide: http://www.tonymacx86.com/yosemite-laptop-support/152573-guide-patching-laptop-dsdt-ssdts.html

You don't have to install anything of it.

What all did you do for the audio so far?
 
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