Success on GA-Z68X-UD4-B3 / i5 2500K / GT240 1GB DDR5

[lukedirago]

lukedirago's Build: GA-Z68X-UD4-B3 - i5-2500K - GT240​

Gigabyte GA-Z86X-UD4-B3 [F7 BIOS] - Motherboard has been replaced by the GA-Z68XP-UD4
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054OWTJC/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128507

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EBUXHQ/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

XFX GT240 1GB DDR5 Graphics Card
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036VO2AO/

Western Digital 1TB 7200RPM Green

OCZ VERTEX 2 120GB SATA 2 SSD
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003NE5JCO/

Corsair 600W Gaming Series PSU
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H1S6D6/

Zalman GS1200 Case
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006639D58/


Comments
Hello there! Well, this is a little guide that might be helpful to someone with a similar rig.

Install method iBoot+Multibeast, but with a few caveats to make it work right.

Follow everything, except for the part when updating to 10.6.8.
First, you need to download UpdateHelper, follow the instructions, reboot.
After that, boot using iBoot, install Combo Update, but don't reboot. Run MultiBeast for Snow Leopard (v3.9), but only install Easybeast. Nothing more, you can install everything later. If you don't do that, you'll have errors while trying to run System Utilities, and trust me, it's a nasty error that concatenates boot problems like [ PCI Begin ...] and so on. ONLY check Easybeast, then reboot without iBoot.

Once you're on the desktop, open Multibeast, and to the following:

• - Do not use UserDSDT, in my case, worked better to check customizations manually, and then copy the DSDT from database to /Extra folder (you'll have to rename it by just leaving the name as "DSDT.aml")
  -Check these options:
  [list:36lsr0sh]*System Utilites which Rebuild Caches and Repair Permissions
  *Drivers & Bootloaders:
  [list:36lsr0sh]-Audio / Realtek ALC8xx / -ALC8xx -AppleHDA Rollback
  -Disk / -IOAHCIBlockStorageInjector -JMicron36x (AKA GSata)
  -Miscellaneous /
  [list:36lsr0sh]--Fake SMC
  --Fake SMC Plugins
  --IOPCIFamily Fix
  --IOUSBFamily Rollback
  --USB 3.0
  --NEC/Renesas

-Network /

• 
  --Realtek Gigabit Ethernet 2.0.6

-Bootloaders /

• --Chimera v1.4.1

[/list:u:36lsr0sh]
*Customization

• -Boot Options / 64-bit Apple Boot Screen
  -System Definitions / MacPro 3,1

[/list:u:36lsr0sh][/list:u:36lsr0sh]

That's it, install, reboot, and everything's peachy

The GT240 was a real headache, I haven't tried DVI and VGA yet, but in the past with my previous rig I had a lot of problems. The way to go for me, was getting a HDMI to DVI cable, used the setup as above, and I have 1920x1080 on my P2310H Dell through DVI input.

EDIT: Tested both VGA and DVI, and works perfect now. Haven't tried dual display yet, but, there's something weird. The UI performance is better under DVI and VGA than HDMI. (Try to use QuickLook and ripple effects for testing).
OpenGL is still very poor though, got 13.45 fps on Cinebench, I think in a not-so-distant future I'll swap it for an ATI card.

Hope this helps, I'll update if anything changes, I'm still testing it.

Cheers!
Luke-

 

[tofuconfetti]

Quick question, well maybe not so quick, but how did you know to install these drivers:

*Miscellaneous / -Fake SMC -Fake SMC Plugins -IOPCIFamily Fix -IOUSBFamily Rollback -USB 3.0 -NEC/Renesas

I have a GA-Z68XP-UD5 motherboard and installed the USB 3.0 - NEC/Renesas driver without the IOPCIFamily Fix and IOUSBFamily Rollback. Using that configuration, I totally disabled my keyboard and while the mouse would move the cursors, I could not click on anything. So is there a logic to the selections you chose?

I'm just trying to get USB 3.0 working as long as future upgrades won't disable my mouse before I can re-run Multibeast or something crazy like that.

Thanks for any input on this.

 

[lukedirago]

Well, the reason I chose those fixes, was because after applying 10.6.8 on the fresh install, besides Multibeast install failed (so I couldn't get Chimera properly installed), when I booted up using iBoot, I couldn't get keyboard and mouse, lost total control of the USB ports.
After a little reading on the forum, I found that some guys had to reinstall kexts for USB to work after 10.6.8, including those rollbacks. Of course that I couldn't do that, because I had no way to install anything without keyboard and mouse inputs.

So, as I was installing everything again and again, I figured out to do it anyway and check those rollbacks, just in case, and haven't had a problem yet.

Hope it helps,
Luke!

 

[tofuconfetti]

Thanks for the reply. I have since found out that if you have the VLI USB 3.0 hub on your motherboard (I do), the NEC/Renesas driver really messes things up. So for now, I'm operating on USB 2.0 speeds. Hopefully someone will come out with a driver since a lot of the newer motherboards include this USB 3.0 controller.

 

[lukedirago]

Haven't tried the USB 3.0 ports yet, their not working right in yours? Now I'll have an 'itch' about it, thought everything was working (dammit!) hahahahaha

 

[tofuconfetti]

I think your USB 3.0 ports should work just fine. Apparently it is the boards with more than two USB 3.0 ports that use the VLI controllers that are the problem. Fortunately, your board just has two (at least according to NewEgg). So I think you're fine. Put it this way, if you installed the USB 3.0 - NEC/Renesas drivers from Multibeast and your USB mouse and keyboard still work, then you don't have a problem. Sounds like you're fine. Congrats.

 

[pasourw]

I just wanted to say thanks for posting this! I had been working on getting my Hackintosh up and running for about two days and nothing would enable all of the hardware and software updates. Yours worked on the first try! Ethernet, audio, USB is all working. The USB 3 ports work but I don't have any USB 3 devices to try for speed. I also don't have any Firewire devices either. If anyone is looking for a great guide (especially for this mobo), this is the one that worked for me!

My hardware is in my sig, but I'll post all of the final devices here too.

Mobo: Gigabyte Z68X-UD4-B3
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB)
CPU: Intel i5 2400
GPU: Gigabyte AMD Radeon HD 6670
Hard Drive: Western Digital 1TB 7200 RPM Sata III
Optical: Lite-On 24x DVD/RW
PSU: Cooler Master 400W
Chassis: Cooler Master Elite 370

Now up and running Snow Leopard 10.6.8...upgrading to Lion soon!

Thanks again!!

 

[Duke.polymtl]

Hi guys,

I've been trying to install OS 10.6.8 with no luck so far. I can't get through the installation without a KP !
I'm currently running OS 10.6.7 on my GA Z68 UD5 B3 but I have no audio and I have to boot with iBoot.

Did you have the same issues with the combo update 10.6.8 ? Or is this my MB that is incompatible ?

Duke.

 

[lukedirago]

Hi guys,

I've been trying to install OS 10.6.8 with no luck so far. I can't get through the installation without a KP !
I'm currently running OS 10.6.7 on my GA Z68 UD5 B3 but I have no audio and I have to boot with iBoot.

Did you have the same issues with the combo update 10.6.8 ? Or is this my MB that is incompatible ?

Duke.

Hi Duke!

Well, I'm no expert, but that is one of the recommended builds for Sandy Bridge Custom Macs. The difference between our motherboards, is the amount of USB 3.0, as I recall. This guide or any other should work the same.

Are you sure you're following the steps of UpdateHelper? Installing, rebooting, Install 10.6.8 and reboot again? The main problem you have when installing 10.6.8 combo update is Kernel Panics while doing it on a Sandy Bridge.

Hope it helps!
Cheers,
Luke

 

[Duke.polymtl]

Hi guys,

So basically you both recommend Lion rather than SL, anyway I think I'm going to follow your advice and try to install Lion, however I don't have my own DSDT nor do I know how to modify one, can't I just use tonymac's ?
I hope it's going to work I've finished my G4 mod (photos here ) and I'm stuck with the OS installation !!!

a+
Duke.