Building a Hackintosh - Compatibility of the 4970K's iGPU

[phisa]

Hi folks,

I want to build me a new Hackintosh, as my mid-2010 MacBook Pro is getting to its limit after the years

Here's my configuration to use:

CPU	i7 4790K
Motherboard	Gigabyte Z87X-D3H
RAM	Crucial Ballistix Sport, 16GB
SSD	Samsung 840EVO 250GB
PSU	be quiet! 630W
CPU Fan	be quiet! Dark Rock 3
ATX Tower	Antec P280

Everything of this stuff is from the Buyer's Guide, except PSU, CPU Fan and the tower, but they shouldn't be a problem, right?

The next question is, whether the CPU's iGPU will work for my system. The buyer's guide says

We recommend 4th Generation Haswell Core i desktop CPUs for Gigabyte 8-series and 9-series motherboards. All CPUs feature Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics. Please note, these CPUs will NOT work with older LGA 1155 motherboards. Each CPU comes with a basic Intel CPU cooler.

but it's not clear whether the "featured" integrated graphic will work as well.

The main purpose of this question is, that I'm planning to get a GTX 970 as soon as there is support on OS X (testing pending) but of course want to work until then with the new CPU and advanced RAM (quite huge extension i.c. to my 2.4GHz Core2Duo and 4GB of RAM).

In the end, the system should work fine with the newest OS X version (10.10 as soon as it's released) and be blazing fast for XCode workflow / Gaming under Windows.
A HDD is to be added later.

With kind regards
Phisa

 

[Adrian B]

Hi folks,

I want to build me a new Hackintosh, as my mid-2010 MacBook Pro is getting to its limit after the years

Here's my configuration to use:

CPU	i7 4790K
Motherboard	Gigabyte Z87X-D3H
RAM	Crucial Ballistix Sport, 16GB
SSD	Samsung 840EVO 250GB
PSU	be quiet! 630W
CPU Fan	be quiet! Dark Rock 3
ATX Tower	Antec P280

Everything of this stuff is from the Buyer's Guide, except PSU, CPU Fan and the tower, but they shouldn't be a problem, right?

The next question is, whether the CPU's iGPU will work for my system. The buyer's guide says



but it's not clear whether the "featured" integrated graphic will work as well.

The main purpose of this question is, that I'm planning to get a GTX 970 as soon as there is support on OS X (testing pending) but of course want to work until then with the new CPU and advanced RAM (quite huge extension i.c. to my 2.4GHz Core2Duo and 4GB of RAM).

In the end, the system should work fine with the newest OS X version (10.10 as soon as it's released) and be blazing fast for XCode workflow / Gaming under Windows.
A HDD is to be added later.

With kind regards
Phisa

The best advise that I can give you is to consider using a 9 series motherboard with a Haswell refresh CPU. An 8 series motherboard will work with a Haswell refresh CPU model with the UEFI BIOS updated to the latest support. Some people are finding that they are having to also purchase a cheap Celeron/Pentium processor just to do this update.

9 series integrated graphics require an additional workaround to get running better. This should be resolved in 10.10 which may be released in the next 6-8 weeks time.

GTX 970 will also need support that is not yet currently available. We may not see good working support until early 2015 - so you may wish to look at a GPU to use as a stop gap. Waiting for OSX GPU support can be frustrating.

 

[Stork]

...9 series integrated graphics require an additional workaround to get running better. This should be resolved in 10.10 which may be released in the next 6-8 weeks time...

Not until Apple releases a Mac that uses the 9-Series chipset, unfortunately.

 

[phisa]

The best advise that I can give you is to consider using a 9 series motherboard with a Haswell refresh CPU. An 8 series motherboard will work with a Haswell refresh CPU model with the UEFI BIOS updated to the latest support. Some people are finding that they are having to also purchase a cheap Celeron/Pentium processor just to do this update.

9 series integrated graphics require an additional workaround to get running better. This should be resolved in 10.10 which may be released in the next 6-8 weeks time.

GTX 970 will also need support that is not yet currently available. We may not see good working support until early 2015 - so you may wish to look at a GPU to use as a stop gap. Waiting for OSX GPU support can be frustrating.

Okay, after reading the Buyers's Guide, I thought the series-9 mainboards wouldn't be fully supported yet and I should rather buy a 8er. But if that's obsolete, no problem.

Will the iGPU of the CPU work, if the mainboard ones doesn't?

I'm aware that support of the 970 is being a little bit away, yet I wouldn't buy myself a 780 for 450+ if the 970 is being released until let's say march 2015, where I can get 105% of the computing power for 77% pf the price.

Another question: Can i assume that the motherboard's LAN part will work without any fixes if the Buyer's Guide says it's supported without any comment?

Thank you for your help
Phisa

 

[TheCreed]

I built a Hackintosh recently with similar parts.

GA-Z87M-D3H
i7 4790k
GTX 770 4GB
Corsair RM750
Crucial Ballistix Elite 16GB (2 x 8)
Samsung Evo 840 250GB (OS X)
Samsung Evo 840 250GB (Windows)

When I got the motherboard, the BIOS was already updated to the latest one, so my 4790k worked flawlessly. I did buy a cheap Intel pentium cpu just in case I had to update the BIOS to support the 4790k. I ended up returning the pentium because I never used it. I used the Intel integrated graphics for 2 weeks before I got my GTX 770. If you are using a Z87 motherboard you won't have to worry about having any issues with graphics. If you go Z97, you might have to do a little tweaking. I went with the Z87 so it would be easier.

Installing OS X on these parts is pretty easy. I didn't have to use any boot flags, so it just as easy as installing windows.

The only issues I'm having with this motherboard is that when you turn the computer on there is a 20% chance of the network connection not working. A quick restart fixes that.

 

[phisa]

I built a Hackintosh recently with similar parts.

GA-Z87M-D3H
i7 4790k
GTX 770 4GB
Corsair RM750
Crucial Ballistix Elite 16GB (2 x 8)
Samsung Evo 840 250GB (OS X)
Samsung Evo 840 250GB (Windows)

When I got the motherboard, the BIOS was already updated to the latest one, so my 4790k worked flawlessly. I did buy a cheap Intel pentium cpu just in case I had to update the BIOS to support the 4790k. I ended up returning the pentium because I never used it. I used the Intel integrated graphics for 2 weeks before I got my GTX 770. If you are using a Z87 motherboard you won't have to worry about having any issues with graphics. If you go Z97, you might have to do a little tweaking. I went with the Z87 so it would be easier.

Installing OS X on these parts is pretty easy. I didn't have to use any boot flags, so it just as easy as installing windows.

The only issues I'm having with this motherboard is that when you turn the computer on there is a 20% chance of the network connection not working. A quick restart fixes that.

Nice to hear

Is the integrated graphic fast enough to display on a Full HD display without lags, because I could easily wait 6 months until I will have to buy a graphics card. Until then, my XCode compilation tasks, Skype and Browsing should only burden the CPU and therefore not require a straightforward GPU.

 

[Adrian B]

Okay, after reading the Buyers's Guide, I thought the series-9 mainboards wouldn't be fully supported yet and I should rather buy a 8er. But if that's obsolete, no problem.

I am being pragmatic as many of the 8 series motherboards are now getting difficult to get hold of. This can make buying your desired specification a lot harder. 9 series boards do work with some additional work arounds.
http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/...phics-acceleration-9-series-motherboards.html

The audio will need you to tick an extra box to get it running as well:
http://www.tonymacx86.com/audio/134002-quick-fix-onboard-audio-9-series-motherboards.html

Will the iGPU of the CPU work, if the mainboard ones doesn't?

The HD4600 video is on the CPU, the motherboard supports the HD4600. Its the same video. It is just often called of referred to as being on-board video rather than on-cpu video.

I'm aware that support of the 970 is being a little bit away, yet I wouldn't buy myself a 780 for 450+ if the 970 is being released until let's say march 2015, where I can get 105% of the computing power for 77% pf the price.

There have been some really good deals going around with limited stocks on some GPU models that have drastically altered the arithmetic on performance/price. If you were prepared to use an older model GPU for a few months before selling it on. I understand that not everyone will be interested in doing this.

Another question: Can i assume that the motherboard's LAN part will work without any fixes if the Buyer's Guide says it's supported without any comment?

It has an Intel chipset for the ethernet. This will be working in your UniBeast installation. I would pick the AppleIntelE1000e v2.4.14 option for ethernet from MultiBeast.

 

[MarkCAmos]

I just finished building a Z97X with a 4790K, 16G and I only use the integrated graphics system.

Other than some initial config issues, it's working great (it's a screamer compared to my old mid-2012 MacMini...)

 

[Going Bald]

Hi folks,

I want to build me a new Hackintosh, as my mid-2010 MacBook Pro is getting to its limit after the years

Here's my configuration to use:

CPU	i7 4790K
Motherboard	Gigabyte Z87X-D3H
RAM	Crucial Ballistix Sport, 16GB
SSD	Samsung 840EVO 250GB
PSU	be quiet! 630W
CPU Fan	be quiet! Dark Rock 3
ATX Tower	Antec P280

Everything of this stuff is from the Buyer's Guide, except PSU, CPU Fan and the tower, but they shouldn't be a problem, right?

The next question is, whether the CPU's iGPU will work for my system. The buyer's guide says



but it's not clear whether the "featured" integrated graphic will work as well.

The main purpose of this question is, that I'm planning to get a GTX 970 as soon as there is support on OS X (testing pending) but of course want to work until then with the new CPU and advanced RAM (quite huge extension i.c. to my 2.4GHz Core2Duo and 4GB of RAM).

In the end, the system should work fine with the newest OS X version (10.10 as soon as it's released) and be blazing fast for XCode workflow / Gaming under Windows.
A HDD is to be added later.

With kind regards
Phisa

yes, HD4600 CPU gfx works

 

[phisa]

It should, yea.. I've build everything, although OpenGL seems not to work (well).. I'm encountering graphical issues e.g. in the browser (Chrome is worse than Safari), scrolling is not smooth etc.

The settings i used in Multibeast are describen in this thread, alongside a problem resulting after installing the boot loader onto the SSD: http://www.tonymacx86.com/yosemite-...ming-3-yosemite-post-installation-issues.html.

With kind regards