Building a CustoMac: CustoMac Mini 2012

[enneye]

Thanks as usual to Tony for all the info! Awesome!
Can anyone tell me how i can use firewire with these boards?
I use an external FW audio-interface for DAW.... can i use a pci adapter or something?
Im currenly running a hackintosh core-2-duo and want to upgrade to something smaller.....
Cheerz....

 

[praguewatermelon]

Article: Building a CustoMac: CustoMac Mini 2012

If I choose the budget CustoMac Mini build, but replace the CPU with Core-i5 3570K and increase the ram to 16gb, will the PSU of the suggested PC case be able to support it? And is heat gonna be an issue? Thanks!

 

[electrosyzygy]

Article: Building a CustoMac: CustoMac Mini 2012

Total noob here with what I am sure will be a simple problem to solve for you experienced builders here. I have been reading posts all over this website to no avail and I've grown really frustrated.
SPECS: My build is the Customac Mini w/ standard specs, no graphics card, basic PSU Apex MI-008 250 (i3 3225, MoBo GA H77N, 16G DDR3 1600, 1TB seagate
PROBLEM: Gigabyte Bios screen does not appear when when computer powered on. Both PSU and CPU fans turn for a few seconds, front LEDs on, HDD and Sony Optical on, screen on as well but no signal so enters sleep mode; then the entire system shuts down only to restart without ever booting. It does this over and over again. Pressing "Del", "F12" etc. doesn't work. So unlike most of you having HDMI, BT or other problems (which I only wish I was grappling with!) I haven't even managed to get far enough to config the BIOS before proceeding to installation, let alone post-installation.
I have taken apart and re-assembled the MoBo and all other connecting hardware trying to isolate what I thought might be a PSU problem.
What is the problem? Any ideas?
If this has been covered before, please indicate where I should look.
Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[TryMeOk]

Article: Building a CustoMac: CustoMac Mini 2012

Total noob here with what I am sure will be a simple problem to solve for you experienced builders here. I have been reading posts all over this website to no avail and I've grown really frustrated.
SPECS: My build is the Customac Mini w/ standard specs, no graphics card, basic PSU Apex MI-008 250 (i3 3225, MoBo GA H77N, 16G DDR3 1600, 1TB seagate
PROBLEM: Gigabyte Bios screen does not appear when when computer powered on. Both PSU and CPU fans turn for a few seconds, front LEDs on, HDD and Sony Optical on as well; but then the entire system shuts down only to restart without ever booting. It does this over and over again. Pressing "Del", "F12" etc. doesn't work. So unlike most of you having HDMI, BT or other problems (which I only wish I was grappling with!) I haven't even managed to get far enough to config the BIOS before proceeding to installation, let alone post-installation.
I have taken apart and re-assembled the MoBo and all other connecting hardware trying to isolate what I thought might be a PSU problem.
What is the problem? Any ideas?
If this has been covered before, please indicate where I should look.
Thanks in advance for your help!

I had the same problem ! I pulled out my ram sticks then powered on , It wont boot again . Then put the ram sticks back in and power on that should solve your problem , I think it has something to do with the cmos battery being new and not charged ( not positive though )

Hope this helps !
Good luck with your build

 

[TryMeOk]

Article: Building a CustoMac: CustoMac Mini 2012

If I choose the budget CustoMac Mini build, but replace the CPU with Core-i5 3570K and increase the ram to 16gb, will the PSU of the suggested PC case be able to support it? And is heat gonna be an issue? Thanks!

All the Ivy's use 77w so yes you can change it , Ram yes also but 2x8gig as the board only has 2 dimm slots . I will however warn you using the GA H77N you can't overclock so buying the 3570k is pretty pointless , Why not go for the Z77N ? Or better yet the ASUS ( I forget the digits) I-Deluxe ? The latter overlocks well ! The Z77N pretty well but you can't adjust the Vcore , My Z77N is running @4.2GHz for example
As for heat using that case , I would hazar d a guess and say yes using anything in it lol . Correct me if I'm wrong as I have no experience with it ,Can't you only have one fan in it ? Plus the stock cooler?

Lian Li do some pretty awesome chassis' and I think the Cooler master elite (120?) is pretty awesome too

Anyway hope this helps

Good luck

 

[electrosyzygy]

Article: Building a CustoMac: CustoMac Mini 2012

Thanks for your quick reply, TryMeOk! Unfortunately, there still isn't any progress.
- I removed the RAM as you did and restarted with the same results.
- I then removed the RAM, and reset the CMOS values by putting a screwdriver to the two CLR_CMOS as per Gigabyte instructions, but still the same problem. Although I'm not sure exactly how touching the pins with a metal object works and suffices to reset it.
- I then proceeded to removing the battery for a minute, restart, and nothing.

Should I leave the computer plugged in a while to charge the battery, even though it is continually restarting?
I'm really stumped.

 

[TryMeOk]

Article: Building a CustoMac: CustoMac Mini 2012

Thanks for your quick reply, TryMeOk! Unfortunately, there still isn't any progress.
- I removed the RAM as you did and restarted with the same results.
- I then removed the RAM, and reset the CMOS values by putting a screwdriver to the two CLR_CMOS as per Gigabyte instructions, but still the same problem. Although I'm not sure exactly how touching the pins with a metal object works and suffices to reset it.
- I then proceeded to removing the battery for a minute, restart, and nothing.

Should I leave the computer plugged in a while to charge the battery, even though it is continually restarting?
I'm really stumped.

Here mate try this : http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/261145-13-perform-steps-posting-boot-video-problems

Hopefully one of them is the problem

Sorry the other solution didn't work for you,I'm pretty sue thats what worked for me. Would I let it carry on a restart loop for a while to see what happens ? The answer is probably yes
But at the same time I payed for it , I couldn't and wouldn't tell anyone else to do it lol

Anyway I hope you get it sorted I know how frustrating it can be , But the end result is worth it

EDIT I just found this : http://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1065666-friend-having-boot-loop-problems-with-new-build/

However mines not been a problem at all since I had a restart loop problem ! And I throw my hack through walls benching and what not .Just figured I'd show you it....

 

[B-San]

Article: Building a CustoMac: CustoMac Mini 2012

I just integrated the TP-Link PCI Express Wifi Adapter into my existing CustoMac Mini setup - and it appears that the only issue I have is needing to turn off, then turn back on the wifi before I am able to get it work after bootup...​

​

In other words once I switch off the computer, I have to manually reset the wifi before being able to get back on my wifi network...

Would the fact that I was previously using my ethernet port have anything to do with this?​

 

[B-San]

Article: Building a CustoMac: CustoMac Mini 2012

... also it appears that my magic trackpad is a lilttle bit jerky after installing the card...

Looks like I'll have to do some more tests by pairing up the trackpad with the other custo mac - which doesn't have the wifi card installed...

EDIT: Looks like the jerkiness of the trackpad only occurs when both wifi & ethernet are on simultaneously... turning off wifi while using ethernet or visa-versa seems to result in a fluid trackpad once again..

 

[rsleonard]

So, I'm wondering...with the successful GA H77N-WIFI builds and 10.8.2, have you been able to log into the Apps Store? I am considering another build (have done it before, but not a "mini"), but didn't know if the inability to log in to the Apps Store has plagued anybody...please advise!