128GB RAM and 16 cores / 32 threads X9DAI

[lightninhopkins]

Here are some of the parts. Of course anything outside of the chassis, like cpu, memory, drives, video cards are up to you. I'm still excited to try the EVGA SR-X board. I heard it's out in two weeks. Maybe MacOS will work right off the bat with that board.

BTW, in google X9DAI points to this thread first.

Chassis/board: http://www.supermicro.com/products/syst ... 047A-T.cfm

Board (already installed/wired with case above): http://www.supermicro.nl/products/mothe ... /X9DAi.cfm

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117261&Tpk=e5-2690

256GB SSD drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147135&Tpk=MZ-7PC256D%2fAM

 

[meatball15]

OMG! It's full of stars!!!

 

[celstark]

I'm making the "lite" version of yours -- same Supermicro box due here in a few days, twin 2.6 GHz, 64G RAM for now, 120 SSD for the OS drive, Quadro 2000 video...

You've not got networking going yet -- what did you use to get things booted up? Any DSDT tweaks?

 

[lightninhopkins]

I'm making the "lite" version of yours -- same Supermicro box due here in a few days, twin 2.6 GHz, 64G RAM for now, 120 SSD for the OS drive, Quadro 2000 video...

You've not got networking going yet -- what did you use to get things booted up? Any DSDT tweaks?

Cool. You'll totally dig it. And once the CPU speeds improve with the tweaks, it'll be amazing. The networking is the Intel i350 network. I'm not really that experienced with tweaking all those DSDT and other things. I know a lot of you are good with that, and Tutor sounds like he knows his stuff really well. I've mainly just experienced running the multibeast and going from there.

For the network, if there are no drivers already, you can just buy that $30 usb to ethernet adapter from apple. That's all I did.

For the main install, I made the Lion USB installer with UniBeast, booted up USB, installed Lion, then rebooted with the same USB, this time selecting the Mac drive. Then ran the multibeast and got it to reboot by itself.

 

[TheSmartGuy]

I'm making the "lite" version of yours -- same Supermicro box due here in a few days, twin 2.6 GHz, 64G RAM for now, 120 SSD for the OS drive, Quadro 2000 video...

You've not got networking going yet -- what did you use to get things booted up? Any DSDT tweaks?

Cool. You'll totally dig it. And once the CPU speeds improve with the tweaks, it'll be amazing. The networking is the Intel i350 network. I'm not really that experienced with tweaking all those DSDT and other things. I know a lot of you are good with that, and Tutor sounds like he knows his stuff really well. I've mainly just experienced running the multibeast and going from there.

For the network, if there are no drivers already, you can just buy that $30 usb to ethernet adapter from apple. That's all I did.

For the main install, I made the Lion USB installer with UniBeast, booted up USB, installed Lion, then rebooted with the same USB, this time selecting the Mac drive. Then ran the multibeast and got it to reboot by itself.

When you ran Multibeast, did you just install Easybeast, or did you install any other kexts/options? A Hackintosh like this is wayyyy beyond my budget, but it would be cool to know your Multibeast setup anyways.

 

[ViperJPB]

This is super encouraging to see! I work in Post Production...mainly Motion Graphics, 3D Modeling, & Color Grading. I was hoping to build a similar system on a SR-X board with dual E5-2687's this year. But I'm not fully ready to leave OS-X and go back to windows. Do keep us posted on your progress and if you can get the scores up and running in OS-X as in windows. Amazing build.

 

[ViperJPB]

I'm making the "lite" version of yours -- same Supermicro box due here in a few days, twin 2.6 GHz, 64G RAM for now, 120 SSD for the OS drive, Quadro 2000 video...

You've not got networking going yet -- what did you use to get things booted up? Any DSDT tweaks?

Cool. You'll totally dig it. And once the CPU speeds improve with the tweaks, it'll be amazing. The networking is the Intel i350 network. I'm not really that experienced with tweaking all those DSDT and other things. I know a lot of you are good with that, and Tutor sounds like he knows his stuff really well. I've mainly just experienced running the multibeast and going from there.

For the network, if there are no drivers already, you can just buy that $30 usb to ethernet adapter from apple. That's all I did.

For the main install, I made the Lion USB installer with UniBeast, booted up USB, installed Lion, then rebooted with the same USB, this time selecting the Mac drive. Then ran the multibeast and got it to reboot by itself.

Any updates!? I'm getting close to having to make a decision on my next workstation and I would love to hear if you were able to improve on your OS X performance.

 

[lightninhopkins]

Sorry, forgot to reply I mostly gave up on it since it became too frustrating and I'm not much of a tweaker. Even changed all the settings Tutor mentioned, but still nothing. And another couple of friends tried as well.

I also mentioned it was a C606 chipset, but I found out it's a C602 chipset. Doesn't make a difference, but just thought I'd clear it up for the record.

I'm sure someone will make it work with macos, or already has. But I had to use it for other things.

I guess it was fun while it lasted.

Does anyone know that if you get the iOS developer program, if 10.8 is downloadable? Or only in the MacOS program?

 

[celstark]

Well, I'm up here with this board as well. Networking isn't going , nor is sound. I had to disable the HDA* kexts to get it to boot - no attempt at troubleshooting either yet. But, whereas my actual 12-core 2.66 GHz MacPro turns in a 20.2k GB score, this one is at least up at 23.6k -- not staggering by any means, but it's alive.

I tried running GB on a 32-bit Linux boot (64-bit linux is installed now but won't run GB unless I pay) and it was pitiful but only using a few of the processors. OS X here is getting the full 16 cores listed. FWIW, 64G of 1333MHz RAM...

 

[celstark]

Just to keep things here up to date, the machine has been nice and stable on 10.7.3. GB scores are basically 23.5k on OS X and a touch higher at 25.5k on Linux (I got the 64-bit Linux to run the 32-bit GB). The Quadro 2000 in there is humming along as well.

The onboard network is an Intel i350 and I haven't seen that supported by anyone, so a basic 1Gbit card is on the way from NewEgg. I've not tried much on sound support, but will soon.

It seems as if this MB (SuperMicro X9DAI) isn't running at full speed yet, but that it isn't the OS X side of things. Looking at the GB scores broken down, the single core components are running a bit slower than the 2010 12 core Mac Pro (same CPU speed). With 16 cores the multi-core tests show gains of course.

But UniBeast did its thing and got this up and going quickly and easily.