New Custom System Running Mac OS X via EFI-X
This is my new desktop machine, just completed this weekend. (Feb28/Mar01) The video chronicles the system from start to eventual operational finish. Retail Mac OS X 10.5.6 was successfully installed on it thanks to the EFI-X boot loading device, though I did encounter some “hiccups” along the way. I have included some of these problems encountered in this video. Most EFI-X user videos I have seen just show the final result, a PC booting into OS X. I thought it might be interesting to just show the process from beginning to end, faults and all – albeit in a condensed and time lapsed form. Hard Drive info isn’t listed because I’m still adding drives to the machine and nothing is finalized there yet. Music Featured: Agalloch – “Panthiest” (From the greatest EP ever released in the history of EPs, The White) NOMO – “Nova”
To Apple4ever.
Sorry to be so straight, but you lied about all you wrote here.
EFiX is patented product and unique, more you can read in Computex 2009 and Computex 2010 reports.
Chameleon actually violate any possible laws and patents, including ASEM patents. By the way chameleon copy the ideas all the time from EFiX, started with menu and end up with DVD boot.
Hardly ever. The last time I rebooted the thing, I had a uptime of 87 days – and I was only rebooting it to install some kind of system update. The only lockup I’ve had in recent memory was through a torrent bug.
To be fair, I should mention that my Windows 7 machine doesn’t crash either, though I only use it for gaming.
dose it crash like windows????…. like just as often????
Chameleon now works with retail Snow Leopard, you can be up and running without any additional work. Software update works too. And it didn’t cost you a thing.
I dont see it that way. They offered greater convenience in that I never had to update any code myself. Installation was easier. All I had to do was update firmware occasionally, and I never had to worry about doing the Mac OS X Update tool. If someone else came out with a similar thing, I would still do it that way. Chameleon still hasn’t made the process that easy. Though if they eventually do, I would go that route.
@StariusPrime No. All they did was repackage open source code. Nothing of use was made by them, you wasted $200+.
They had a decent product, though a terrible plan to support it. The 1.0 units are completely abandoned in terms of firmware advancement, I’m glad I’m still using old 4.6.14 firmware as it was the last version to support multiple video cards properly. (Later firmware versions had a bug that they never got around to correcting.)
I’m rather disappointed with the company for how they handle long term support of their products, but I’m perfectly happy with my efix enabled desktop.
EFI-X is a scam.
will two or one 896M GTX 260 work or not at all please help
lol, kernel panic.
is that osx 10.6 snow leopard? can the efix work with that?
Other than those two issues in particular, I’ve been quite happy with this solution. I have no regrets going the efix route, however, since it isn’t a good solution for OS X 10.6 currently, I can’t really recommend it either. If you want to run a 10.6 Hackintosh, you’ll probably have to go with “Chameleon” though it is more complex to setup and get working from what I’ve seen.
Overall, I am very happy with this system as my main desktop. It does everything I need it to do and has been very reliable.
That being said, there have been a couple issues. First of all, I strongly suggest you keep your computer powered through a UPS as the efix unit is pretty susceptible to unexpected power fluctuations. I had to have my efix replaced after a power loss once. Also, firmware support for the 1.0 unit has been lacking and you can’t install 10.6 with it.
Nice video! Any problems since installation, all these months later?
Great video, I am soon to be building my ultimate system so this has greatly helped.
Am I correct in thinking that once OSX had installed you were then able to re-adjust the RAM memory and Voltage back?
id figure id post if anyone was having problems i had everything installed and when the motherboard booted the EFI-x Module i went to boot from my apple retail CD and it gave me an error with a triangle and exclamation mark, then i did some searching around and found the CD drive must be on sATA 0 port on my mother board and the HDD on sATA 1 …. i figured id just post my results someone might have the same issue, my board was Gigabyte EP45-DS3R with Q9550 4gb ddr2 corsair 9800GT w/300gb HDD
Thanks for the reply. I’m glad some people find it helpful. EFIX is a great device, but doesn’t have the best documentation and there are a few potential hurdles people may face when setting one up. The Efix forum is the best place to find help. The v1.0 unit was definitely for early adopters, but the v1.1, upcoming v2.0, and a future pci-e version look to be great solutions for a wider user base.
hey im planning on doing this and i had to comment THANK You for posting this video it was deff helpful into what to look out for if any errors do arise
If you’re thinking of going along the EFIX route, you must stick to certain list of supported computer hardware.
The official list can be found on the efix website. Your motherboard isn’t supported, EFIX is mainly working with Gigabyte boards as the developers have a good relationship with Gigabyte. (The whole reason why OS works with EFIX so well is because the EFIX BPU firmware contains the driver support for the compatible hardware.) Check out e f i – x . com for more details though.
hello, i have been looking for a cheap alternative for OSX, preferable on my PC. after searching i found this video. now not knowing that much about OSX i don’t know if my PCs hardware is good enough for this. i got: Intel Q6600, Ati HD 3650, Asus P5b SE motherboard, 4GB RAM and a 450W power supply. is this enough or do i need to upgrade my RAM ?
In System Preferences, go to “Sound” under Hardware, and select “Internal Speakers” under the Sound Output.
That’s a common issue that trip up new EFIX users.
Hey trying to build my Efi X haackintosh and everything went smoothly except sound. I can’t get any sound. Any Ideas?
Thanks mate but theres got to be a way of watching a blu ray movie in OSX – Can you help ?
Thanks. I was told that in the Efix forums. At first I found that hard to believe. (Stubborn) As for changing the cosmetic issue by way of command lines. I’m going to try that when I find the patience. It would be nice to see “Intel Core 2 Quad 2.66Ghz / 8GB @ 1333Mhz Memory”. Which would be a nice touch. Buts that’s just me. And when I’m tethering my phone (3GNetwork) through airport (Native card), Front row cannot connect to the web even though safari is online. Thanks & Peace.
Thanks! Is it just saying 400mhz in System Profiler? If so, you don’t have anything to worry about. Whatever speed it’s shown as in the Bios is the true operational speed the system is using. For OSX on Efix, there is a couple bugs in the System Profiler but they’re purely cosmetic. Memory speed and Video ram are the most common items to be incorrectly displayed. If your ram is set 1333 in the bios and the system is stable, that’s how it is really operating regardless of what it shows in OSX.