Need some advices with my first Customac configuration

[mairk]

Hi everybody.
I'm about to take the big step: to buy the compos and to try the build.
My target is a multi-boot Mavericks and Windows 7 x64 CustoMac installation. I will use it for Lightroom (90%) and some video editing (10%).
According to all the information I for from August2014 suggestions, Golden and User Builds here is my proposal, comments, questions and possible explanation:


Mainboard
Gygabyte GA-Z87MX-D3H
I was told that Gygabyte MBs give less issues during hacking. I'm not interested in gaming or OC but the Z87 chipset is available with "MX" model. This is equipped with PCI-Express X16, X8 (not to be used if we have only a GPU, as the bandwidth is shared), X4 and X1. I prefer 87 instead of 97 as I think people have more experience with the former instead of the latter.


http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-1150-CrossFireX-Motherboard-GA-Z87M-D3H/dp/B00CU4L4K4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409866324&sr=8-1&keywords=GA-Z87MX-D3H


CPU
Intel i7 4790
I was told that high single core performances are required by Lightroom, but I won't go for O.C. (so no "K" serie). I need a stable and reliable machine. This should be a LGA1150 Haswell CPU.


http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Core-i7-4790-Processor-BX80646I74790/dp/B00J56YSLM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409867138&sr=8-1&keywords=intel+i7+4790


CPU cooler
Arctic Freezer 13CO
It is compatible with LGA1150, it seem not to be noisy, can manage up to 200W and have heatpipes bottom part in a copper box pressed against the processor head. As a technician (not PC expert, unfortunately) I thrust on this configuration rather than having heat pipes directly pressed against the CPU. Correct me if I'm wrong...


http://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-Freezer-13-CO-Cooler/dp/B005IOLEJO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409867208&sr=8-1&keywords=arctic+freezer+13co


RAM
Kingston KHX16C10P1K2/16 2x8GB set = 16GB
I found out that they have ben tested with the Gygabyte GA-Z87MX-D3H. Kingston also recommend this RAM banks. The only issue is that Gigabyte tested the CL9, Kingston suggests the CL10. Everything else is similar in the code. I hope this is not an issue.
They are "low profile" so I should not encounter problems with the Arctic Freezer...


http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Technologies-PC3-12800-KHX16C10P1K2-16/dp/B00B4G5GU8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409867751&sr=8-1&keywords=KHX16C10P1K2%2F16


GPU
EVGA GA-Z87MX-D3H
This took me a very long time: I know this should not be a breaking point for Lightroom but I prefer a dedicated graphic card for that 10% of video editing. Do you think that the 4GB version would be better? I can not find it on Amazon.it...
By the way: the dual slot configuration force me to abandon a Wireless TP-Link PCI-Express card, as it would be in interference with the GPU


http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-NVIDIA-GeForce-Edition-02G-P4-3747-KR/dp/B00KK8MEU6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409868106&sr=8-1&keywords=02G-P4-3747-KR+%28GT+740+SC%29


SSD
Samsung 840EVO 250GB
It is where I will install Mac OS-X 10.9
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Electronics-EVO-Series-2-5-Inch-MZ-7TE250BW/dp/B00E3W1726/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409868230&sr=8-1&keywords=samsung+840evo+256


2.5" HDD (already owned)
Toshiba MK2561GSYN
It's a 2.5" 250GB 7200rpm, taken by my Macbook Pro. I will use to install Windows 7 x64 to test the build.


http://www.amazon.com/New-250GB-7200RPM-2-5-SATA-MK2561GSYN/dp/B004UGSFQ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409868302&sr=8-1&keywords=MK2561GSYN


3.5" HDD (2 units)
Barracuda ST1000DM003
I will put 2 x 1TB units at 7200rpm 64MB 6GB/s in RAID1 configuration for data.


http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Barracuda-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST1000DM003/dp/B005T3GRNW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409868543&sr=8-1&keywords=ST1000DM003


Power supply
Corsair CP-9020060-EU CX600M
According to a site on the Internet I obtained a recommended power delivery of 505W. I will put a modular.
I can non understand if:
- It is Bronze+80 compliant
- If the modular ports are enough for my purposes (I will have fan controller in the case)
- If it is compliant with Haswell architecture


http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Series-Modular-Bronze-ATX12V/dp/B00ALYOPSS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409868786&sr=8-1&keywords=cx600m


Firewire controller
Syba SD-PEX30009
It is a PCI-Express module. I need it as I have many FW800 external drives.


http://www.amazon.com/Syba-Profile-PCI-Express-Chipset-SD-PEX30009/dp/B002S53IG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409869202&sr=8-1&keywords=Syba+SD-PEX30009


Airport controller (WiFi)
Edimax EW-7822UAC
This dongle has to be compliant to a Time Capsule. I was suggested this model (but it is very expensive):


http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7822UAC-1200-USB3-11nac/dp/B00BXAXO7C/ref=sr_1_1?


Bluetooth controller (WiFi)
Sabent BT-USBT
Dongle for Apple keyboards and mouse. I checked in your database and it seems to be the most compliant device.
Question: is it a 1.1 or a 2.0?


http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Wireless-Bluetooth-Adapter-BT-USBT/dp/B002SBF108/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409869751&sr=8-1&keywords=BT-USBT


Case
To be selected. I will take a decision between Bitfenix Prodigy M and AeroCool DS Cube. I have a slight preference for this one because of the vertical position of the CPU cooler and I also think that will be easier to find a way for efficient heat dissipation.
In both the cases I will put additional fan and their controllers.
Question:


What happen if I connect all the case fan to the main board (even the big 200 or 230mm) to avoid external regulation?
If I need to have the regulation do I need PWM fans of tacky are right enough?
does temperature indications is so necessary even if I do not play


Do you see any criticity/errors in my design and considerations?
Thanks in advance for your attention!

 

[mairk]

Any help, please?

 

[Going Bald]

Mainboard - Gygabyte GA-Z87MX-D3H
Need to make sure the BIOS is updated to the latest to support Haswell refresh CPU or buy a cheap Pentium and install Windows to update it.

CPU - Intel i7 4790
This is a Haswell Refresh CPU - your board MUST have the latest BIOS to even POST with this CPU installed

CPU cooler - Arctic Freezer 13CO
Should be OK as long as you don't OC

RAM - Kingston KHX16C10P1K2/16 2x8GB set = 16GB
Should be OK

GPU - EVGA nVidia GeForce GT740 2GB SC Edition
Card should work OK, but is not one of the "powerhouse" cards, but should do OK for light use

SSD - Samsung 840EVO 250GB
OK


2.5" HDD (already owned) - Toshiba MK2561GSYN
It's a 2.5" 250GB 7200rpm, taken by my Macbook Pro. I will use to install Windows 7 x64 to test the build.
OK

3.5" HDD (2 units)
Barracuda ST1000DM003
I will put 2 x 1TB units at 7200rpm 64MB 6GB/s in RAID1 configuration for data.
Using what for RAID controller? You do know Windows will not recognize OS X soft RAID as valid and OS X does not recognize a RAID set up on mainboard BIOS as valid, yes?

Power supply - Corsair CP-9020060-EU CX600M
According to a site on the Internet I obtained a recommended power delivery of 505W.
Recommend you use this one. It is a little more expensive, but is gold rated and good for Haswell Refresh CPU. If you can afford the extra, get the 650 version for future expansion.

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Modular-Efficient-Supply-CS550M/dp/B00GH9NA6O/

Firewire controller - Syba SD-PEX30009
It is a PCI-Express module. I need it as I have many FW800 external drives.
?? No advice here - just do your research carefully - there are whole threads on best FireWire cards to use

Airport controller (WiFi) - Edimax EW-7822UAC
?? No advice here - just do your research carefully - I don't use WiFi

Bluetooth controller (WiFi) - Sabent BT-USBT
?? No advice here - just do your research carefully - I don't use BT

Case
To be selected. I will take a decision between Bitfenix Prodigy M and AeroCool DS Cube. I have a slight preference for this one because of the vertical position of the CPU cooler and I also think that will be easier to find a way for efficient heat dissipation.
If you want vertical CPU cooler, the Bitfenix will not work - board is vertical on the mATX version, so go with the Cube

In both the cases I will put additional fan and their controllers.
Question:
What happen if I connect all the case fan to the main board (even the big 200 or 230mm) to avoid external regulation?
If I need to have the regulation do I need PWM fans of tacky are right enough?
does temperature indications is so necessary even if I do not play
Here you need to look at the mainboard. Looking at pic of board on GA site, I see 3 4-pin system fans and 2 4-pin CPU fans (assuming one marked cpu opt if for 2nd cpu fan) This should be plenty - 2 fans in push-pull on cpu cooler (you only have one on yours), 2 front/bottom/top fans pulling in cool air and one pushing out hot air. 4-pin PWM fans are required if you want the board to control fan speed

 

[mairk]

Thanks again Goin Bald for your contribution.
I'll search for a CS serie PSU of 650W modular.

I didn't know about the raid issue. According to my understanding:

- If i set software RAID on Disk Util Windows will not recognize it even if i use HSF+ format and proper Windows software to R/W HSF+ file system
- If I set RAID in BIOS, the way I wanted to go, disks will not be seen by OSX. I should have thought it...!

I see no way than use the first option (sw RAID) and to renounce using Lightroom under Windows. By the way, it's a pity to buy Windows 7 license just to test the HW, maybe I can buy a 64bit upgrade of a old XP license I don't use it any more... I don't know if it is still possible.

For GPU issue, I use 99% of the time Adobe CS and LR4, I know they are not so GPU hungry. If you suggest a more professional GT6xx GPU I can try to find it on the Internet.

Thanks for BIOS SW advice, I read of many users with that mainboard having big problems with F6 update. The problem is that no one can know sw version before buying.

At the moment I struggle with my wife because I would prefer a ATX mainboard, but she doesn't like big PC cases. If I find a minitower with Aerocool DS cube dimensions I buy a z87 ATX board, with eSata ports (and a FW400 maybe), to avoid issues with PCI-Express peripherals.

I prefer vertical coolers, my big fear of plane coolers is that I can not push the hot air straight out of the case if It does not have a lateral outlet. I didn't know the issue with Prodigy M and vertical CPU coolers. If you did not tell me anything, i would take a chainsaw and drill a round hole in the case side wall!

Something better for Oc... You mean liquid?

I will save the fan controller money, i will replace case fans with 4pins pwm fans.

Thanks again!
ciao

 

[Going Bald]

Thanks again Goin Bald for your contribution.
I'll search for a CS serie PSU of 650W modular.

I didn't know about the raid issue. According to my understanding:

- If i set software RAID on Disk Util Windows will not recognize it even if i use HSF+ format and proper Windows software to R/W HSF+ file system
- If I set RAID in BIOS, the way I wanted to go, disks will not be seen by OSX. I should have thought it...!

I see no way than use the first option (sw RAID) and to renounce using Lightroom under Windows.

There is always the option to purchase and install a PCIe RAID controller card to use for a RAID array. If done right, both OS X and Windows can access it.

By the way, it's a pity to buy Windows 7 license just to test the HW, maybe I can buy a 64bit upgrade of a old XP license I don't use it any more... I don't know if it is still possible.

XP would work - you just need to be able to download and unpack the BIOS update from the manufacturer's websight and install it and you need some version of Windows to do it.

For GPU issue, I use 99% of the time Adobe CS and LR4, I know they are not so GPU hungry. If you suggest a more professional GT6xx GPU I can try to find it on the Internet.

If your apps us the CPU rather than the GPU, then you could probably get away without a graphics card at all - just ust the CPU graphics. I would try that first and only get the GPU if you have to later.

I prefer vertical coolers, my big fear of plane coolers is that I can not push the hot air straight out of the case if It does not have a lateral outlet. I didn't know the issue with Prodigy M and vertical CPU coolers. If you did not tell me anything, i would take a chainsaw and drill a round hole in the case side wall!

By vertical cooler you mean one that pulls air from around the CPU at the board height and blows straight up from the CPU like the OEM fan, right? There are several third party CPU cooler brands that make one like that that would be more efficient and quieter than the OEM fan. Scythe and Noctua both make one, Gelid Solutions and Zalman make them. You just have to find one you like and that will cool to your satisfaction and that fits your setup. I usually google the model number followed by review to see what the experts have to say before making a choice.
Tower coolers also work well. As long as you have good ventilation of the case there is no problem. I usually recommend 2 fans pulling air in from the front/bottom and one fan blowing it out at the rear or top. The point is to make a positive pressure in the case to keep out dust.

Something better for Oc... You mean liquid?

Either liquid or a large tower type cooler like the Noctua NH-D14.

 

[mairk]

After a stop due to personal issues I started to buy some components and to start my Hackintosh project.
In the while I decided to go for ATX platform to enjoy a more flexible configuration.
The container will be a Cooltek W2 aluminum case: it has 2x140mm front fan and 1x120 rear fan with integrated 3-step speed manual controller.
My only open point is the VGA board: I need a 2GB one to be used with (at least) 2 monitors. As I already own a 24'' DELL without any HDMI port and I'd like to buy another identical one, a double DVI-out would be the top!

Mainboard - Gygabyte GA-Z87MX-D3H
Need to make sure the BIOS is updated to the latest to support Haswell refresh CPU or buy a cheap Pentium and install Windows to update it.

I changed my mind: I will go with Asrock z97 Extreme 6

CPU - Intel i7 4790
This is a Haswell Refresh CPU - your board MUST have the latest BIOS to even POST with this CPU installed

I think that there are no issues with z97 chipset... Anyway, I have the opportunity to buy an already used with i7 4790K CPU just for a test. So the BIOS has to be OK...

CPU cooler - Arctic Freezer 13CO
Should be OK as long as you don't OC

I bought a Noctua NH U12S cooler (unfortunately in Cooltek W2 there is only space for a 163mm tall CPU cooler, so I couldn't insert the U14S). But I think this could be OK to arrive to 4.4GHz

RAM - Kingston KHX16C10P1K2/16 2x8GB set = 16GB
Should be OK

To avoid any problem with CPU cooler (even with future upgrades) I will buy this:
DDR3 PC1866 16GB CL10 Corsair Ven k 2x8GB Vengance black LP

GPU - EVGA nVidia GeForce GT740 2GB SC Edition
Card should work OK, but is not one of the "powerhouse" cards, but should do OK for light use

​I was told that AMD FirePro VGA cards are better with Lightroom and Photoshop. And maybe they are used on actual Mac Pros.
Can you suggest me something that has 2GB od GDDR5, please?

SSD - Samsung 840EVO 250GB
OK

This is for OS. To be partitioned in 2: 10.9 and 10.10.
Another Samsung 840 EVO, a 500GB sized unit, will contain my Lightroom catalog, cache and 1:1 previews.

2.5" HDD (already owned) - Toshiba MK2561GSYN
It's a 2.5" 250GB 7200rpm, taken by my Macbook Pro. I will use to install Windows 7 x64 to test the build.
OK

I've been suggested to install 8.1 instead...

3.5" HDD (2 units)
Barracuda ST1000DM003
I will put 2 x 1TB units at 7200rpm 64MB 6GB/s in RAID1 configuration for data.
Using what for RAID controller? You do know Windows will not recognize OS X soft RAID as valid and OS X does not recognize a RAID set up on mainboard BIOS as valid, yes?

This RAID1 array is for pictures. As I need no access to these data from Windows, my idea is to use DiskUtility soft RAID1 configuration. Is it reliable? Or would you recommend an external backup unit?

Power supply - Corsair CP-9020060-EU CX600M
According to a site on the Internet I obtained a recommended power delivery of 505W.
Recommend you use this one. It is a little more expensive, but is gold rated and good for Haswell Refresh CPU. If you can afford the extra, get the 650 version for future expansion.

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Modular-Efficient-Supply-CS550M/dp/B00GH9NA6O/

Firewire controller - Syba SD-PEX30009

I bought an Enermax Platimax 750W semi modular. What do you think?