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Hackintosh/PC + Thunderbolt Display Build

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I'd like some input on the feasibility of a dual boot Mountain Lion / Windows 8 build with the following requirements:


- Compatibility with Apple Thunderbolt Display
- Support for discrete graphics under both OS X and Windows


I have searched through the forums but it isn't clear if this configuration results in Thunderbolt Display compatibility. I picked up the Thunderbolt Display for use with my MacBook Pro before considering the likelihood of a desktop build and now find myself in this precarious position.


These are the primary components I'm considering:


MOTHERBOARD
Intel LGA1155 DDR3 1600 ATX - BOXDZ77RE-75K


CPU
Intel Core i7-3770K Ivy Bridge 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W


GPU
EVGA GeForce GTX 680


RAM
Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3
 
Currently there is no way to get graphics from a PCIe card into the Thunderbolt channel. Intel have not certified the Asus/etc cards which merged DisplayPort (from a graphics card) with Thunderbolt, and therefore these devices have not reached the market.

The only graphics you'll get on the Thunderbolt Display is from the Intel processor's HD4000. This is fine for most usage, but will probably not be fast enough if you want to game (~8 fps on Unigine benchmark, and that's at only 1920x1200).

Yes Apple can route the graphics from their discrete GPUs into their Thunderbolt signal, but currently no-one else can. This is one of the things that will hopefully change with the next generation of Mac Pro: we're all waiting to see how it pans out.
 
Thanks, DBP, for the info. I definitely want to utilize the discrete GPU. It looks like the mobo Thunderbolt ports will work under both OS X and Windows, but the display would be limited to on-board graphics.

That's too bad. I will have to either sell my TB display or find someone to trade up for a mDP model.

How is my component compatibility otherwise?
 
Are there any known compatibility differences between the Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP5 TH and Intel Z77RE-75K?
 
Are there any known compatibility differences between the Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP5 TH and Intel Z77RE-75K?

Considering the PCIe slots are PCIe2.0, you would be wasting the money on Kepler GTX GFX cards with PCIe3.0.
 
Considering the PCIe slots are PCIe2.0, you would be wasting the money on Kepler GTX GFX cards with PCIe3.0.

Which card are you referring to that only supports PCIe 2.0? The two boards mentioned support PCIe 3.0 as far as I know.

That said, the reason that I brought the Gigabyte board into the picture is because I have found quite a lot more activity surrounding the use of it with a hackintosh build. Maybe this is due to price or preference? I'm unsure if there are any drawbacks with the Intel Z77RE-75K in terms of compatibility.

Thanks in advance for any additional input.
 
Which card are you referring to that only supports PCIe 2.0? The two boards mentioned support PCIe 3.0 as far as I know.

Sorry, should have specified the Intel board, but you are right, I just glanced at the specs - http://www.intel.com/content/www/us...op-motherboards/desktop-board-dz77re-75k.html for expansion slots and saw PCI2.0 there twice and with my bad eyesight turned the 3.0 to a 2.0 for the PCIe x16 slots.

Looking at the spec for the Intel board I don't see any reason it would not work, although I wish they would give the audio codec. I don't know what the BIOS looks like. Knowing Intel BIOSs, it has just about everything you could possibly imagine, the arrangement makes little sense in the manual, jumping all over the place and everything has to be set by hand. I wonder if Intel has come into the modern world with the Set Optimized Defaults function key yet.
 
Hey,

I did the following build last night.

Intel Z77RE-75k
Intel i7-3770
Corsair Vengeance 16GB DDR3
Sapphire HD7850 2G OC edition
Running on a 27" Apple Cinema Display

After driver installation you have a link to install Virtu by lucidlogix, that enables switching from the integrated graphics, to your discrete card. (Windows 7 driver only though)

Link: http://www.lucidlogix.com/product-virtu-gpu.html

And where I found the info before the build:

Link: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5829/a-first-look-at-thunderbolt-on-windows-with-msis-z77agd80/2

The only snag I ran into was that you have to permanently enable integrated graphics in the bios, and set it as the primary display out, otherwise it'll output from the discrete card and use the thunderbolt as a secondary screen.

After plugging it in, everything was installed except for the facetime camera, and the ethernet, but got those drivers from the windowssupport file that's downloaded when installing bootcamp. (That was done on another machine)

The only thing I haven't gotten past so far is scratchy and laggy audio dropping in and out, which only happens when a graphics card is plugged in. So basically, no card = no lag. It's apparently an issue in Bootcamp also, and needs to be resolved by Apple.

Anywho, hope this helps..

Happy building!
 
Thanks for posting your experience about derikj.

I still haven't ordered parts for my build. I'm still doing some research and weighing my options. If thunderbolt-only video output is going to limit gpu performance, then I may opt for swapping out for a mDP display. Were the audio issues on the Mac or Windows side? Would you attribute this to the motherboard under OS X? Can you expand on your experience of Virtu MVP with the HD7850? Any specific games?

Thanks for any additional input.
 
I'm in the same boat. Wondering if anyone has the discrete GPU working through thunderbolt. Basically same configuration as above. I have seen many posts about the HD 4000 working but not discrete graphics.

If the answer is only HD 4000 not discrete GPU I am wondering if the GPU CUDA accelerated programs work with the GPU headless or at all? Specifically Davinci Resolve, CS6 adobe suit, .... You get the idea

Parts come in Thursday and I hope it works

Assault plan
GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UP5 TH + HD4000 + Dedicated Graphics (GTX 670 / 680 Kepler) Mountain Lion 10.8 (updated to 10.8.2 and MultiBeast 5.2)

Specs

Mobo
GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UP5 TH LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel

CPU
Intel Core i7-3770K Ivy Bridge 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I73770K

GPU
EVGA 02G-P4-2680-KR GeForce GTX 680 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
NOTE: I guess I should have purchased the overclocked version


Display
Apple 27 Thunderbolt Display (If it works I would like to add another)

I know i'm an idiot trying to build a hackintosh so any help would be greatly appreciated:confused:
 
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