Yesterday I received my new motherboard for my Mactel (aka OSx86 box). The motherboard is an ASRock P4DUAL-915GL, and it’s the only socket 478 motherboard which has a 915 based chipset. The 915 based chipset is key in OSx86 boxes as the official Apple developer x86 boxed run on that chipset.
I was lucky to be able to get a hold of one of these boards. Like I said, this is the only socket 478 motherboard which has a 915 based chipset, and due to that fact, it’s a hot commodity amongst the OSx86 scene. Since ASRock stopped production of this board back in November the supply has dried up. Places like Newegg sold out of their stock back in early December, leaving only small computer stores with stock. I started looking for this board in early December for a Christmas present, but was never able to find one in stock by Christmas. Then, two weeks ago I saw that iBuildComputer.com had some in stock so I immediately ordered. As soon as I ordered the motherboard was removed from their website, meaning that I had ordered the last one. I have yet to see this motherboard anywhere else, so it’s very possible that I may have bought the last new ASRock P4DUAL-915GL available.
Now speaking in terms of Windows, the ASRock motherboard is a piece of crap. The motherboard just has too many features, causing it to not excel in any of the features. However, when it comes to OSx86, the ASRock board is just what the doctor ordered. Since it has a 915GL chipset, OS X is able to utilize the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 for accelerated graphics. Currently only ATI cards and the GMA 900 and GMA 950 support accelerated graphics on OSx86, so this chipset is crucial to have. By having accelerated graphics, OS X can use features like Quartz Extreme and Core Image which not only speed up the OS, but provide some beautiful graphical effects that only show up when using these features. On top of the GMA 900, the motherboard has both a AGP and PCI Express slot. This will allow for an easy graphics card upgrade should Apple ever drop support for the GMA 900.
If you have a socket 478 CPU and want to use OSx86, this is the board to get. If you have a socket 775 CPU or a spare ATI graphics card laying around, avoid this motherboard at all costs. There are better boards out there that do the same job. For me, this board is perfect, and I’m glad I purchased it. This motherboard serves a niche market, and I guess I’m just a part of that niche. If you’re like me and have a socket 478 CPU and are too cheap to get an ATI card, you’ll be happy with this motherboard. That is of course, if you can find it.
17 Comments
It would probably have been easier to just purchase a supported ATI card. Would there have been much of a price difference between the two? I would have opted for 778 LGA based motherboard for future upgradeability.
Unfortunately the motherboard I had previously installed did not have an AGP or PCI-E slot, and the PCI ATI cards available are not supported by OSx86. Since the socket 478 is a dying breed, I was able to get a faster processor cheaper than its socket 775 counterpart. Finally, like I mentioned before, the developer kits use a 915 based chipset, so that will come in handy in the future.
i’ve been searching for ASRock P4DUAL-915GL motherboard nobody carries this one , there is any other motherboard that you can recommend, i really want to do this project.
thanks in advance. money is not an issue. so please give some ideas.
egroj76, your best option would be to get a socket LGA775 motherboard, preferably with the Intel 945G* chipset and Intel GMA 950. That chipset is the same one used in the Intel iMacs. Of course you’ll need a LGA775 CPU also.
If you want to hold onto a socket 478 CPU that you have, look for an Intel 865G* chipset motherboard with an AGP slot. Then pick up an ATI 9600 or greater.
cavemonkey50
thank you so much for the info, you save me a lot of research, now i can spend the time looking for the motherboard.
i’ll e-mail you with my progress + pics.
egroj
try ncix.com, they are in Vancouver, but they have a USA web store as well - $76 Canadian will get you one, and they’re in stock!!
So the gist is, if you don’t care about using a socket 478 processor, any other i915 based board will be fine? Does it need to be a 915GL like this board, or any 915[xx] variation?
When using this chipset is an ATI card still required for the new 10.4.4 release?
Correct, the only 915* board on the socket 478 is this one. If your building fresh, you can get a socket 775 and you’ll have tons of 915* boards to choose from. Also, is can be any 915 or 945 chipset, doesn’t have to be 915GL.
If you get a 9*5 chipset with integrated graphics, no graphics card will be needed. You’ll have full QE+CI. However, if you don’t buy one with integrated graphics you will need an ATI card if you want to take advantage of QE+CI. Also, that ATI card must be a 9600 or a model released after that (for example the low end x300 would work, but not a 9200).
Guys, I am sorry to bother you, if anybody could recomend a motherboard, I know you say get any any 915 or any that, but I am not good at looking for motherboard, I dont understand much about chipsets and stuff, ifyou could just say model THIS or that, with Microprocesor THIS or that, I would really apreciate it.
Gracias.
This mainboard is perfect and similar mac mini
macc mini GMA 950 and asrock GMA 900
this board doesnt support ddr 266 ram, right?
There was a whole argument about that a while ago. I think the conclusion was it does, but everything runs like crap.
Im using “Hackintosh” on a 915GAGL Intel Desktop Board with a LGA775 socket, and it works really good, GMA 900, Intel Ethernet, USB2.0, and can i install up to 4GB of DDR 3200 Memory, but i only have a GB but work very good with 10.4.6
The graphics are not powerful at all, have lag on live graphics effects, and games some times show that lag, but i think that is because i have a 2.8 Ghz and 533 Mhz Bus on it.
well, Who have OSX86 on Pc Enjoy.
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Im using a Asus Goldfish (compaq Presario SR1319RS)and JaS OSX86 10.4.7, everthing works perfectly the GMA 900 has full 3D acceleration, all firewire and usb run at full speeds, sata was recognized right away, ethernet works EVERYTHING about this mobo works… i found this to be in my opinion the (one of) the best non C2D mobos…
I would like to add that the motherboard from an HP 526x works great atleast for 10.4.8. I would thing the whole system would work with out the modem even maybe that . I used it and had no problems. I did have to swap the audio connectors in the sound card but no big deal (others did not have to do this). It is an asus P4G533-LA . An Asus P4B533-vm should also work this is the aftermarket non oem version of the board. Both of these boards are socket 478. Just thought I would let you know.
The best OSx86 motherboards are the Gigabyte GA-P35-DSxx Series. Only audio has to be patched, everything else works right Out of the Box with Leopard Mac OS X 10.5.4 - here’s a screenshot:http://www.imagehut.eu/images/65609940.png
You can find OSx86 Compatible Hardware at Amazon:
http://astore.amazon.com/osx86-20/
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