Build advice: ASRock Z97 Extreme6 + i7

[acerunt]

Hey all, long time lurker, first time registerer and poster. Looking to put together my first hackintosh and run OS X El Capitan dual booted with Windows 10 (UEFI?).

The prospective base components:

• Corsair RM650X
• ASRock Z97 Extreme6
• Intel i7-4790K
• Crucial Ballistix Tactical 32GB (4x8gb) DDR3 1600
• (x2) SAMSUNG 850 EVO M.2 250GB
• IOGEAR Bluetooth 4.0 USB

The dual SSDs would be used in the two M.2 ports (one ultra, one "regular ol' M.2), one for OS X, the other for Windows. This is pretty much the *entire* reason I chose that motherboard from the March buyer's guide list. I will also be using my Apple bluetooth keyboard and trackpad, along with my Razer Mamba, hence the bluetooth dongle. No video card, as I have no interest in playing videos or video games.

I've elected to utilize an NAS (in ext4 format) as an HTPC and file server between the two builds, elsewhere in the house, as I've read here neither software nor mobo RAID works between the two OS'.

The prospective NAS components:

• QNAP TS-453A-4gb
• Crucial 8GB (2x4gb) DDR3 1600
• (x4) WD Red 4TB NAS 5400rpm HD

I don't do video editing, but I do perform processor-intensive stuff like database management and medical image manipulation (SAS, R, ANTs) so I want to be sure both the Windows and OS X sides are fast and steady.

My questions:

1. Will this build allow me to dual-boot using both M.2 ports with those 250gb SSDs, without issue? (i've interpreted the manual as stating they are on different SATA pipes)
2. Is the use of such an NAS-HTPC encouraged/accepted for dual-OS file sharing?
3. Will I be able to run dual monitor (DisplayPort and/or HDMI and/or DVI) w/ this setup?
4. Will I be able to use the bluetooth keyboard & mouse from boot in both OS'?
5. Any suggestions for upgrade/exchange of components? (I've heard rumor you can use 16gb RAM in these QNAPs, but it's "unsupported"--heheh, like a Hackintosh, eh?!)

Thanks for the help, I'm looking forward to beginning this journey! I have a bunch of MacBook Pros and Airs, but want to really settle down and consolidate all my stuff into one main system (without the need for stupid VM software running on paltry CPU+RAM laptops or even the NAS), so I'm hoping this will do the trick.

 

[cdrhoek]

I'll be interested to see how using the M.2 slots work out. I haven't tried them yet. I use an Apple wired keyboard with both my OS X setup and Windows 10. I would think that a keyboard with a bluetooth dongle would work in both OS's. I also use a Razer Mamba with dock for both operating systems.

The manual for the Asrock Z97 Extreme 6 says that it will support triple monitors using the DP, HDMI, and DVI-I outputs.

The only issue I have had with this board is that the intel ethernet died shortly after I built the system. Instead of sending the board back, I installed a Sonnet Gigabit Pro PCIe ethernet card. The motherboard's Realtek ethernet continues to work also.

 

[acerunt]

I'll be interested to see how using the M.2 slots work out. I haven't tried them yet. I use an Apple wired keyboard with both my OS X setup and Windows 10. I would think that a keyboard with a bluetooth dongle would work in both OS's.

Thanks for the positive story! (aside from the LAN port, but... such is life)

I'm hoping that somebody out there will have used both M.2 slots, because--at least in my mind--that was the selling point that stuck out against all the other motherboards listed in the March Buyer's Guide.

I'm not sure if the bluetooth keyboard will allow me to operate in Clover, but hearing they will work in both OS' after bootup makes me happy. I don't particularly want to go keyboard shopping again; unless Das Keyboard is still around?

 

[acerunt]

I'm not sure if the bluetooth keyboard will allow me to operate in Clover

Well, barring anyone else's comment, it looks like my best "guaranteed" option would be purchasing a Broadcom BCM94360CD (or somesuch), that includes native bluetooth 4.0 at UEFI bootup.

Which leads me to this new question: will that Mac Pro card work natively in the mini-PCIe slot, or will I still have to use a PCIe-converter card?