- Joined
- Mar 15, 2017
- Messages
- 19
- Motherboard
- Alienware Alpha
- CPU
- Core i3-4130T
- Graphics
- GTX 860M variant with 2GB GDDR5
- Mac
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- Classic Mac
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,
,
- Mobile Phone
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Success! So I thought I'd give back the community with a quick guide.
I picked up a used Alienware Alpha R1 for peanuts on eBay. It's the i3 model and had 16GB RAM.
First things first
Setup BIOS
Boot and Install
Post Install
Ethernet worked before I ran Cover Configurator, so DL'ed MulitiBeast direct to box.
No Wifi or BT working. But I'm not bothered.
And it's fast. Feels way faster than my old 2011 MacBook Pro 13" i7. Even though Geek bench scores are not that different, it feels much snappier. Certainly the GPU makes a big difference. If i dropped an i7 in the Alpha it would be destroying the old MBP.
I don't think I'll ever buy actual Apple hardware again!
I picked up a used Alienware Alpha R1 for peanuts on eBay. It's the i3 model and had 16GB RAM.
First things first
- Check it boots OK with Windows.
- Check BIOS version and Update to latest - this was already on A05.
Setup BIOS
- Reboot - get into BIOS with F12
- Restore to defaults.
- Set VT to disabled. Go to Advanced -> Processor Config -> Intel Virtualization Technology [Disabled]
- Save and exit.
Boot and Install
- Followed instructions with UniBeast for Sierra.
- Worked like a charm and as described. Zero issues. No flags or other alterations to Unibeast. Just total stock UEFI boot.
- In testing I tried an external USB, that crashed during OS X install. So use the internal drive.
Post Install
Ethernet worked before I ran Cover Configurator, so DL'ed MulitiBeast direct to box.
- Ran MulitiBeast with defaults to install Clover bootloader. Rebooted.
- Installed the latest Realtec network drivers. Rebooted.
- (oddly after installing Clover the Ethernet stopped working, so had to install drivers)
- Installed Nvidia drivers: https://images.nvidia.com/mac/pkg/367/WebDriver-367.15.10.35f01.pkg
No Wifi or BT working. But I'm not bothered.
And it's fast. Feels way faster than my old 2011 MacBook Pro 13" i7. Even though Geek bench scores are not that different, it feels much snappier. Certainly the GPU makes a big difference. If i dropped an i7 in the Alpha it would be destroying the old MBP.
I don't think I'll ever buy actual Apple hardware again!
