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The Hackintosh Thread
- Thread starter lowendlinux
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Initial setup.
cMP still easier. Less thing can go wrong. As long as pick the correct GPU, it’s basically plug and play.
Hackintosh has a bit more work to do. But as long as follow the golden build. Not too hard to make it work. But still need some study to learn those USB patch, Serial number mod, etc.
And it seems still no way to get 1080Ti HDMI Audio working on Hackintosh, but I can get it on cMP.
For maintenance.
My experience so far, with Nvidia card, Hackintosh is definitely much much easier. I can imagine AMD card is pretty much like the cMP.
For microcode update, NVMe booting, etc.
Hackintosh doing much better, even though cMP can boot NVMe via firmware mod. But it will break if Apple release any firmware updated which is not that convenient TBH, possible “bricking” the boot drive is not that fun.
For MacOS usage.
Pretty much the same feeling. Of course Hackintosh perform better, but the cMP still strong under normal OS environment. Especially Mojave with the RX580, all UI really super smooth.
So far, I am very happy with the Hackintosh build. But it still my secondary computer as time moment. The main reason is becasue it perform so much better, therefore, I prefer use it for gaming, and video encoding much more than the cMP. And the cMP stay as the primary computer for email, web browsing, photo editing, etc.
[doublepost=1537868238][/doublepost]But if the cMP die, the Hackintosh can take over in no time.
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You are using a GTX 1080, right? I believe the WhateverGreen will enable HDMI audio on that card by default. I no longer have any Nvidia cards to test on... I've completely switched over to AMD for better compatibility with macOS and easier maintenance.
Yes, I should emphasis that's just the problem of my 1080Ti. Will check WhateverGreen, thanks for the suggestion.
HP ProBook 4440s. Using the hot patch guide from RehabMan, works better than a real MacBook Pro. Updated to Mojave flawlessly.
I am quite happy about the Hackintosh performance. Now, it's time to move to de-lid and liquid metal cooling 
It seems the tool is quite easy to use now. Hopefully I won't break anything.
It seems the tool is quite easy to use now. Hopefully I won't break anything.
Cutoff updates, app store, or even lock you into an error 53 like mode if they want to.
Anything CAN happen... But the fact is, there has been no "cut off" in all the years macOS has existed.
Anyone tried this Olarila method? http://olarila.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6255 May give it a go. Got an extra HP Z820 that just needs to be liberated from Win10.
Yeah, me three. I'm just in limbo until there's an announcement, I've got a hackintosh rig all specced out and costed, just waiting if the new macs measure up. I know they'll be more expensive but I don't want to pull the trigger now and regret it in a few weeks.
In the same boat, have a hackintosh picked out, but still need to see the new Imacs, if they materialize, before I do anything.
I am quite happy about the Hackintosh performance. Now, it's time to move to de-lid and liquid metal cooling
It seems the tool is quite easy to use now. Hopefully I won't break anything.
Liquid metal cooling done!
Total cost around $15 ($2 delid tool, $6.5 pure copper lid (optional), $6.5 unknown brand but good review 0.25ml made in China liquid metal)
So, the "standard" delid tool, work as expected.
Remove the lid in about 30s easily.
Let the CPU stay in the delid tool, clean it up, apply some liquid metal. (I didn't take any photos between "start the cleaning" and "put the CPU back into the socket". I just want to avoid any stupid accident.)
Put the delidded CPU back into the socket.
Apply some liquid metal on this copper lid. TBH, it's so much easier to hold just the lid on hand and apple liquid metal. I know this lid shouldn't make any big difference. The original lid should also made by copper, just nickel plated. However, just $6.5, why not. It's good to increase the surface area anyway.
And then I simply put the lid back on the CPU, and lock the clip. I didn't apply any glue, just let the clip to hold the lid into position, which is good enough. (OK, up to this point, I am happy to take photos again
)Install the Noctua NH-D15 back into position.
Fire up the Hackintosh and pray......It's working. So, let's start the Prime95 Small FFT test
Max at ~72C (room temperature is about 26C), which is ~15C cooler than just before delid. So, obviously a big success.
Back to the liquid metal application. It's very different than thermal paste. TBH, much easier to feel if the amount is correct. Because you can see if the metal is too thick. If too much, the extra metal will stick together and like "swelling". In this case, simply suck the excess liquid metal back to the container can fix the issue. Also, due to the "must spread out by the brush" application method, no need to worry the coverage as well. I quite like this guarantee application method.
Update 1: Prime 95 test run for more than an hour now. No error, stable temperature.
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Liquid metal cooling done!
Total cost around $15 ($2 delid tool, $6.5 pure copper lid (optional), $6.5 unknown brand but good review 0.25ml made in China liquid metal)
So, the "standard" delid tool, work as expected.
View attachment 796840
Remove the lid in about 30s easily.
View attachment 796842
Let the CPU stay in the delid tool, clean it up, apply some liquid metal. (I didn't take any photos between "start the cleaning" and "put the CPU back into the socket". I just want to avoid any stupid accident.)
View attachment 796844
Put the delidded CPU back into the socket.
Apply some liquid metal on this copper lid. TBH, it's so much easier to hold just the lid on hand and apple liquid metal. I know this lid shouldn't make any big difference. The original lid should also made by copper, just nickel plated. However, just $6.5, why not. It's good to increase the surface area anyway.
View attachment 796846
And then I simply put the lid back on the CPU, and lock the clip. I didn't apply any glue, just let the clip to hold the lid into position, which is good enough. (OK, up to this point, I am happy to take photos again
View attachment 796841
Install the Noctua NH-D15 back into position.
Fire up the Hackintosh and pray......It's working. So, let's start the Prime95 Small FFT test
View attachment 796848
Max at ~72C (room temperature is about 26C), which is ~15C cooler than just before delid. So, obviously a big success.
View attachment 796849
Back to the liquid metal application. It's very different than thermal paste. TBH, much easier to feel if the amount is correct. Because you can see if the metal is too thick. If too much, the extra metal will stay together and like "swelling". In this case, simply suck the excess liquid metal back to the container can fix the issue. Also, due to the "must spread out by the brush" application method, no need to worry the coverage as well. I quite like this guarantee application method.
Update 1: Prime 95 test run for more than an hour now. No error, stable temperature.
You can also use the liquid metal on your video card if the heatsink base is copper or nickel plated copper. I did it to my Vega 56 and saw very nice improvements.
Yeah, I still have quite a lot liquid metal left. Most likely I will do that to my RX580, or even the W3690.
I believe the W3690 has soldered TIM so it may not be worth it to try and delid that...
Have you started overclocking yet? On my particular i7-8700K, I can do 5GHz and still stay under 80C but I did not doo too well in the silicon lottery... I think you have a chance to go to 5.1GHz or higher.
I mean between the W3690 and the cMP heatsink. I didn't check the photos yet, but from memory, the heatsink has a copper plate at the contact point.
Yeah, I tested my CPU can go up to 5.2 GHz stably, but I decided that the extra high voltage / temperature / power draw are not worth for that little performance gain (which I don't really need at this moment). So, I keep the CPU running only at 4.7GHz @1.205V (all cores) now.
Once I have more time to study the mother board settings. I may let it run 5.2 GHz with up to 2 cores, 5.0GHz for 4 cores, and 4.7GHz for all cores.
The quick tests in the Windows Intel tool shows very OK to run at this setting. So, it's about how to set that inside the BIOS, so that I can enjoy this performance in the macOS.
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Apple used all aluminum heatsinks on the Mac Pros 1,1-5,1 so don't use the liquid metal on them!!!
Yeah, I needed 1.4v to get my i7-8700K to 5.1GHz. I felt that was too much and I backed it down to 5GHz and have been running it at that speed for close to 10 months now. Rock solid.