X-8 Featuring White Lightning. An 8 core Hackintosh...

[savehc]

@ALXAndy unfortunately these things happen all the time all over the world. A friend of mine (here in Italy) saw the postman leave his brand new smartphone ON the letterbox, which is shared with every other apartment in his condo. And in theory the postman has to make you sign the delivery. Simply terrible

[ALXAndy]

Update. Yesterday the glittered vinyl finally came. This morning I decided to cover the top.

 

 

Closer..

 

 

And here are the floating fans, finally set in place. Obviously I've not routed the wires yet but all fitted and ready for wiring.

 

 

And finally getting the vinyl meant I could finally cross another small job from the list..

 

[ERSCreeper]

Fancy

[ALXAndy]

Fancy

 

Quick brain pick. I would like to fit a Firewire 400 PCIE card to the rig. Compatible chipsets/cards?

[ERSCreeper]

Quick brain pick. I would like to fit a Firewire 400 PCIE card to the rig. Compatible chipsets/cards?

Will have a look.

 

Edit:

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Express-FireWire-Adapter-PEX1394B3/dp/B000WCT5HK?ie=UTF8&tag=tonymacx86com-20

http://www.tonymacx86.com/buying-advice/59767-firewire-800-400-card-own-100-compatibility.html

 

Edit 2: Good news, UK and Works out of box as said in this post

 

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/lycom-pe-107-pci-e-2-port-firewire-800-(1394b)-and-1-port-firewire-400-(1394a)-card

[ALXAndy]

Will have a look.

 

Edit:

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Express-FireWire-Adapter-PEX1394B3/dp/B000WCT5HK?ie=UTF8&tag=tonymacx86com-20

http://www.tonymacx86.com/buying-advice/59767-firewire-800-400-card-own-100-compatibility.html

 

Edit 2: Good news, UK and Works out of box as said in this post

 

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/lycom-pe-107-pci-e-2-port-firewire-800-(1394b)-and-1-port-firewire-400-(1394a)-card

 

Wicked thanks dude. Yeah £28 or so I can manage. Can use my Porsche drive to Time Machine with then

[ERSCreeper]

Wicked thanks dude. Yeah £28 or so I can manage. Can use my Porsche drive to Time Machine with then

Also long as you wrap it with some how that carbon wrap it should work better.

[Damikiller37]

Will have a look.

 

Edit:

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Express-FireWire-Adapter-PEX1394B3/dp/B000WCT5HK?ie=UTF8&tag=tonymacx86com-20

http://www.tonymacx86.com/buying-advice/59767-firewire-800-400-card-own-100-compatibility.html

 

Edit 2: Good news, UK and Works out of box as said in this post

 

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/lycom-pe-107-pci-e-2-port-firewire-800-(1394b)-and-1-port-firewire-400-(1394a)-card

According to that forum thread (last post on page 9) you added, this card http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002S53IG8/?ie=UTF8&tag=tonymacx86com-21 will also work and it is black instead of red so it may suit the OPs build better

[ALXAndy]

Also long as you wrap it with some how that carbon wrap it should work better.

 

It usually sits under the sofa haha. Might mod it though

 

Mini update. The postman came with these..

 

 

7v resistors and protection for the fan, which fits as such.

 

 

Remember kids, safety first ! - Danger Ehren. And I also ordered another of these.

 

 

Dodgy pic C/O Scan. That will be going in the back. The control for it will be fitted to the back of the rig.

 

I also think the postman actually tried to deliver my acrylic today, so I can collect it Monday, yay.

 

Also.. The front panel is now completed. The sides have been covered and the fan plate and controller are in. More pics later

[ALXAndy]

According to that forum thread (last post on page 9) you added, this card http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002S53IG8/?ie=UTF8&tag=tonymacx86com-21 will also work and it is black instead of red so it may suit the OPs build better

 

Don't worry about the colour mate. That's what white Plastidip is for

[ALXAndy]

 

[ALXAndy]

I started the braiding on the PSU today. I can't do any of the GPU cables or the 24 pin because they are going to be running through holes in panels, but I did get the 8 pin EPS done.

 

 

It went well. Thankfully a guy over at Bit-Tech sent me a tool he makes which makes it pretty straight forward.

 

Didn't take too long either, so has enthused me for the many cables I have left to do (24 pin, then two 8 pin GPU and a six pin GPU).

[ALXAndy]

OK so it's time to remove the veil of mystery and finally show some pics of the case. As I mentioned, when I bought it the top and the sides of the front were in the most nasty gloss plastic I have ever seen. It really put a dampener on things. Thankfully the case was only £28, and it had plenty of scope in it for making it right.

 

So as you all know, I covered the top. I also covered those wretched sides and of course the logo. Please note - case is far from finished, it's only because I've been so mean with pics of it that I'm putting these up now.

 

The window side is still sitting in the box, as it was when it was delivered, but I have plans for that also.

 

 

And that lovely* front slatted panel.

 

 

And finally a frontal shot, showing the 120mm white Silverstone fan that is now fitted.

 

 

More to come soon

 

Edit. Forgot to mention. The Cooler Master hot swap bay is now perma fitted and as you can see I have modded the front to make sure there are no gaps. I had to cut a 14mm strip from one of the cover panels and then glue it to the one above.

[HippY]

how hard will it be to make it into an hackintosh with the Xeon?

[ALXAndy]

how hard will it be to make it into an hackintosh with the Xeon?

 

Not too hard. Installation will be fiddly no doubt, but I got Nicholas to hold my hand.

 

It's mostly about matching the hardware as closely as you can, and the latest Power Macs are all running Ivy Xeons with the X79 chipset, so the board I have is fully compatible.

[ERSCreeper]

how hard will it be to make it into an hackintosh with the Xeon?

 

 

Not too hard. Installation will be fiddly no doubt, but I got Nicholas to hold my hand.

 

It's mostly about matching the hardware as closely as you can, and the latest Power Macs are all running Ivy Xeons with the X79 chipset, so the board I have is fully compatible.

Depends more on the platform i.e. 1150/1155, 2011 and the chipset Z/H** and X**

[ALXAndy]

Depends more on the platform i.e. 1150/1155, 2011 and the chipset Z/H** and X**

 

The Giga UP4 is listed as fully compatible and it's identical to the UD3 (just has better power phases).

 

I just started removing plugs from an old Dell loom so I can do one wire at a time through the panels. Shit, my fingers are killing me ! Dell plugs are always tougher than normal ones to remove wires from.

 

I've got a six pin and 24 pin clear now. The 24 pin is white and the 6 pin (and following 8 pins) will be black. I was hoping the 24 pin I had in storage was white because I think it'll look boss

 

Hopefully it was my acrylic that's gone to the post office so I can collect it on Monday. Fingers crossed and all being well I should be pressing the button around Friday...

[ERSCreeper]

The Giga UP4 is listed as fully compatible and it's identical to the UD3 (just has better power phases).

 

I just started removing plugs from an old Dell loom so I can do one wire at a time through the panels. Shit, my fingers are killing me ! Dell plugs are always tougher than normal ones to remove wires from.

 

I've got a six pin and 24 pin clear now. The 24 pin is white and the 6 pin (and following 8 pins) will be black. I was hoping the 24 pin I had in storage was white because I think it'll look boss

 

Hopefully it was my acrylic that's gone to the post office so I can collect it on Monday. Fingers crossed and all being well I should be pressing the button around Friday...

Yup, more X79 being the problem but most of the kinks have been sorted.

[ALXAndy]

Just a quick update.

 

I went to the post office HQ yesterday but sadly the undelivered parcel was not the acrylic. It turned out to be the glitter vinyl that hadn't arrived

 

So it's still a waiting game for now. Today though DPD are coming with the rear exhaust fan, which will need modding and braiding etc so it gives me something small to do so I can post an update later.

 

Sorry I don't have more, but Royal Mail are really being Royal Fail atm.

[ALXAndy]

Daily update.

 

Still no acrylic and like an idiot I spent too much money on a cinema sound bar, so I can't order more from another place.

 

Any way, what's the point of this update? well, I've been doing all of the small jobs that I would usually either forget, or, leave.

 

So today I braided the power button and made sure the connector was covered in white shrink. I also braided the reset button, and, glued the top floating fan cables into position so that they don't catch the fans and rip out.

 

Not much, but at least it was something to do. At some point today I need to get out the I9 Steambox and rob some parts from it (the build that was cancelled, I still have it complete in the box).

 

So I'll take some pics later

[ALXAndy]

Sort of an update. So last week I ordered a new rotary tool. I had a Silverline but the chuck lock went so I couldn't get bits in and out. I ordered another one, and to be fair it did last around 13 months, but sadly it too has suffered the same fate.

 

Back when I lived in the USA I had a Firestorm by Black and Decker. So I ordered the UK equivalent here.

 

 

Now what I like most about it is the locking mechanism. No more pressing a button you simply pull over a lever. Only issue is the lever on the UK model is plastic, which is kinda disappointing. Ah well, it seems to work any way.

 

So today after braiding a few cables (power button, reset button etc) I was bored as fuck. So I decided to make a cover for the hard drive. First I photocopied the drive, then cut out the covering sticker that I had copied and glued it down to some acrylic. Then I cut it (and carved it) and then polished the black edges before fitting some glittered vinyl.

 

 

I'm very happy with how it came out. All it needs now is an Apple logo and it'll be done.

[ALXAndy]

IDrive (or something).

 

[ALXAndy]

I gots acrylic !

 

[ALXAndy]

PSU box.

 

 

Hole.

 

 

Secondary reset button.

 

 

Clean and dry.

 

 

Clamp it into the workbench and line it up.

 

 

 

And glue. Don't worry about any excess it is very easy to carve it off.

 

 

So that's it for now. In about two hours I will be able to take it out of the bench and glue on the top.

[ALXAndy]

OK PSU box done.

 

All I had to do today was basically clean off some of the overlapping glue (scalpel) and give it a wipe over before fitting the power button.

 

 

Very happy with it. The last one I made was a bit messy so needed wrapping. This one shines

 

Am growing a little concerned that the PSU simply has too many wires in it to make the side panel close, so I may have to open it up and remove some of the runs. Either that or cut them off close to the PSU and cap them (easier).

 

Ignore those wires coming out they have to go up under the motherboard as there is no cable management for the EPS.