CustoMac Mini 2013: GA-H87N-WIFI - Core i3-4340 - Intel HD 4600

[tonymacx86]

CustoMac Mini 2013
GA-H87N-WIFI - Core i3-4340 - Intel HD 4600
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Components

Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D94X4DO/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128626

Intel Core i3-4340
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EUUPKB0/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116944

Apex MI-008 Case (w/ 250W Power Supply)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B001H0BA24/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154091


Comments
History of the CustoMac Mini.

Every year we spec out a mini-ITX hackintosh with a Core i3 and working HDMI audio. They're great for any uses- mini server, desktop workhorse, HTPC, the list goes on. First it was the CustoMac Mini 2010, with a Gigabyte H55N-USB3 motherboard and NVIDIA GT 240. Next, the Sandy Bridge CustoMac Mini 2011 had a Gigabyte H67N-USB3 motherboard and fully functional Intel HD 3000 graphics. Last year's Ivy Bridge CustoMac Mini 2012 was built using a Gigabyte H77N-WIFI or Z77N-WIFI and ran the integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics.

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This year's Haswell CustoMac Mini 2013 is almost identical to last year's motherboard. The H87N-WIFI and Z87N-WIFI contain Realtek ALC 892 audio, dual Atheros and Intel ethernet jacks, and HDMI, HDMI, DVI video port layout. Four sata ports onboard makes it far more expandable than the NUC or the BRIX. It's also got a desktop cpu instead of a mobile one.

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Mini-ITX is a great size for a shoebox sized case like the budget Apex, however Bitfenix makes 2 awesome Mini-ITX size cases, that redefine the size. The Prodigy and the Phenom are almost mATX sized cases, with lots of expandability and room for a full sized graphics card. For photos of this board inside a Bitfenix Phenom, check out my album here.

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Installation Notes
As of Chimera 2.2.1, all ports work independently and in tandem. HDMI/HDMI/DVI. Bluetooth 4.0 works great, all USB3 ports function. All audio ports function.

For Haswell, you MUST update your Mountain Lion App to 10.8.5 before attempting the UniBeast 10.8 Installation Guide. Procedure was exactly the same as Ivy Bridge. I used a SSD connected to SATA0 and a HDMI cable connected to LG 1080p monitor. OS X Mavericks 10.9 Installation is the same as any other system- no flags necessary.

Note on Mini PCIe card:
Although the board contains a dual bluetooth/WIFI card, WIFI does not work in OS X. There are not any drivers for it. Bluetooth 4.0 portion of the card works perfectly. To view some replacement mini-PCI cards that do work, check this post out: http://www.tonymacx86.com/network/104850-guide-airport-pcie-half-mini-v2.html

Note on HDMI Audio:
HDMI Audio is now achievable using the method discovered by Piker Alpha and documented by toleda. It's necessary to apply a patch to the Azul framebuffer kext, use SSDT or DSDT injection, and use one of the most recent AppleHDAs from MultiBeast 5.5.3 or newer. Full details here: Haswell HDMI Audio

EDIT: IF YOU HAVE ISSUES BOOTING UNIBEAST INSTALLER USING CORSAIR VENGEANCE RAM, REMOVE ONE RAM STICK FOR INSTALLATION PROCESS. THIS IS AN INCOMPATIBILITY WITH OLDER RAM.


UEFI Settings
1. To access UEFI Setup, press and hold Delete on a USB Keyboard while the system is booting up
2. Set to Optimized Defaults.
3. (Optional) Set X.M.P. Memory Profile to Profile1
4. If your CPU supports VT-d, disable it
5. Save and exit.


MultiBeast Settings
This board is very simple to setup as there is no need for a DSDT. Here are the simplest settings for MultiBeast post-installation.

For OS X 10.9 Mavericks: MultiBeast 6.0
MB Config File: View attachment CustoMacMini-DSDT-Free.mb

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Screenshots and Benchmarks

10.9 Mavericks


10.8.5 Mountain Lion

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Helpful Links:
Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI Product Page
Intel Core i3-4340 Spec Page
Simplest OS X Installation Guide
Install Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard on Haswell Based PCs
Install OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion on any Supported Intel Based PC
Install OS X 10.9 Mavericks on any Supported Intel Based PC
Haswell HDMI Audio

Thanks for reading my build description!

Just wanted to quickly write that first of all this might be the simplest setup of this particular build, and by no means is it the only way it can be done.

Feel free to make general comments here, but please note that I will most likely not be able to keep up with specific questions. If you have problems using this setup, please create a topic in the Installation section of the forum.

 

[wildwillow]

CustoMac Mini 2013: GA-H87N-WIFI - Core i3-4340 - Intel HD 4600 [DRAFT]

The H77n-Wifi from last year is a little gem, I use it daily for TV, Movies and music. It is a perfect HTPC. Its been bullet proof. I suspect that the H87n is going to be the same. Great build. Good luck with the HDMI audio.

 

[teitz]

Hi, thank you for this guide. i have almost the same components:
GA-Z87N-WIFI - Core i7-4770k - Intel HD 4600.
i have your multibeast settings.

but i have a problem with the video out:

case 1:
Monitor is connected via DVI. Monitor is ON
TV is connected via HDMI. TV is OFF

-->system boots, system recognizes both displays. (see attached pic)
--> when i turn the tv ON, the system freezes completely and i have to press reset.

case 2:
Monitor is connected via DVI. Monitor is ON
TV is NOT connected.

-->system boots, system recognizes the monitor.
--> when i plug the HDMI cable in, the system freezes completely and i have to press reset.

case 3:
Monitor is connected via DVI. Monitor is ON
TV is connected via HDMI. TV is ON

-->system boots, system recognizes both displays. (see attached pic)
--> both displays work and i can turn tv OFF if i want, system works.

in every case it has no effect, whether my monitor is off or on...

do you have the same problem, or any solution? thx in advance.

 

[FilterPunk]

Thanks for this article.
I got 2 questions:

1.) The GA-H87N and GA-Z87N offer each 2 Ethernet controllers: Intel I217V und (some ?) Atheros. Has one of the NICs native support?

2.) From my previous MacMini Build I have an older case (Morex Venus 668/669 with 200W) with a 20Pin ATX 2.0 + 4Pin ATX12v-P4 Connectors (see http://www.pc-max.de/images/tests/morex_venus_668_669/022.jpg).
The GA-H87N and GA-Z87N have the newer 24Pin ATX 2.2 Connector. Will these boards run with a 20Pin connector (the manual is quite vague)?

 

[wildwillow]

Hi, thank you for this guide. i have almost the same components:
GA-Z87N-WIFI - Core i7-4770k - Intel HD 4600.
i have your multibeast settings.

but i have a problem with the video out:

Hi teltz,

Try using a different IGPlatformID, a suggestion is 04160000. You can see how to add this to your Org.Chameleon.boot.plist here http://www.tonymacx86.com/378-new-intel-hd-graphics-boot-flags-chimera.html

To do this take a look here How To Edit a .plist

 

[potemkin]

Filter Punk...
If you spend the money for this build. Buy a PSU.
I have run a Foxconn H67 with 20 pin and a Gigabyte g41 es2l also. ( only used on a temp basis )
Same vague manual message.
When you factor in a DVD burner and a video card 200 watts will not cut it.
A 20 pin PSU is probably very old (circa socket 478 / (5/10 years old)).
Don't risk a new build on an old PSU.

 

[teitz]

Hi teltz,

Try using a different IGPlatformID, a suggestion is 04160000. You can see how to add this to your Org.Chameleon.boot.plist here http://www.tonymacx86.com/378-new-intel-hd-graphics-boot-flags-chimera.html

To do this take a look here How To Edit a .plist

hey thx for your reply. i'll try them all. what i can say so far:

04060000 HDMI didn’t work
04120004 HDMI didn’t work
04160000 HDMI didn’t work
04160002 no boot possible. had to edit the plist file with another pc
04260000 not tried yet
0A160000 not tried yet
0A260000 not tried yet
0A260005 not tried yet
0A260006 not tried yet
0A260008 not tried yet
0A2E0008 no boot possible. had to edit the plist file with another pc
0C060000 HDMI didn’t work
0C160000 HDMI didn’t work
0C260000 HDMI didn’t work
0D220003 HDMI does only work, when display is turned ON while booting
0D260000 HDMI didn’t work
0D260007 didn’t boot, in -x secure mode only HDMI worked

 

[Teun2]

Thanks for this article.
I got 2 questions:

1.) The GA-H87N and GA-Z87N offer each 2 Ethernet controllers: Intel I217V und (some ?) Atheros. Has one of the NICs native support?

2.) From my previous MacMini Build I have an older case (Morex Venus 668/669 with 200W) with a 20Pin ATX 2.0 + 4Pin ATX12v-P4 Connectors (see http://www.pc-max.de/images/tests/morex_venus_668_669/022.jpg).
The GA-H87N and GA-Z87N have the newer 24Pin ATX 2.2 Connector. Will these boards run with a 20Pin connector (the manual is quite vague)?

1) no native support from Apple, but the kexts included in multibeast do the job perfectly.

2) Don't know, sorry.

I also had to disable Wake On Lan to prevent the system to reboot after shutdown.

As for the display issues. I find that I can use the DVI-port and the upper HDMI port, but not the lower HDMI port. I even get boot problems.

 

[xzeroGx]

Hi,

i'm planning a new build and this board seems very promising.
Can you tell me something about the idle power consumption?

Best regards

Nils

 

[shadewalker]

I just finished up a very similar build using these components.

Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI
Intel Core i3-4330
HD 4600 Graphics (no discrete card)
8GB RAM
10.9 Mavericks

I am only able to get 2 P-States so far, 8 and 35 if i remember correctly (I don't have access to the machine right now).

Has anyone else had better luck with additional P-States?