How to install Windows 7 over existing Hackintosh build

I didn't intend to install Windows on my machine until the need to diagnose my Graphics Card arises. I was suspecting my Gigabyte GT640 card to be either having non updated bios or faulty after my Hackintosh build hung with the card but it worked breezing smooth after the card was replaced.

Furthermore, most of the diagnose, bios and what tools and utilities only available in Windows platform. Since I will need to test the graphics card in Windows, I will need to have Windows being installed on any of my machine of which I may slot in the graphics card.

Most of dual boot guide written on the net was made on freshly install Windows and Mac but not those completely install mac with all the apps inside.

I started with making space for the new Windows install on my GPT partition, resizing existing partition and created a new msdos partition and attempted to install Windows. It always says cannot install windows on GPT partition but I'm sure I've been reading about installing Windows on Mac so installing Windows on GPT shouldn't be a problem at all.

I was even cheated by a youtube video over the net which claimed windows 7 can be installed on GPT partition after performing 'clean' command in diskpart. Of course it can install but the partitioning had been converted to MBR. Luckily, I've been playing safe by making an image out of my Hackintosh install, of which later made me to write this article on how to install Windows on GPT partition over an existing Hackintosh build.

Thus why I decided to experiment till finally figured out how to do it, without jeopardizing your current install, or having to reinstall everything from scratch.

The only things you need:

1. Mac OS X USB stick with Unibeast, Kakewalk or anything. I used Kakewalk for my build
2. HFS+ formatted external hard disk

How to do it:

1. Get into Mac installation boot - Creating a New Image over the partition of which Mac was installed not possible, that is why you would need to boot your PC using the Mac OS X USB stick and get into the installation boot option. Please also make sure your HFS+ formatted external hard disk is also plugged in to your UBS 3.0 port, so it's much faster, or else USB 2.0 if you don't have one.
2. Backing up your Mac Build - Once you reached the install OS X page, open up Disk Utility. Click on your hard disk with Mac Install and click again on the partition of which you install your Mac OS X. Click new image and save it to your HFS+ formatted external hard disk as we're going to wipe your hard disk clean! Verify the size of the image and make sure if more or less like the size of the usage of the partition you install your Mac into
3. Repartitioning - With disk utility, select what ever partitioning scheme you like but please make sure the first partition should be allocated to Windows with MSDOS format. You may allocate your mac install on any partition. I created 3 partitions of which the first one was for Windows, 2nd for Mac install and 3rd for data.
4. Installing windows - Once the install windows page appeards, you will still encounter the unable to install Windows on GPT partition. You just need to click on advace, format the partition and that's it. Install Windows till complete.
5. Restoring Mac - Boot using the Mac OS X USB stick and again using disk utility, restore the image from your external hard disk until complete.
6. Restoring chameleon - Boot from USB stick and select your mac install. Once you're able to get into your Mac OS X install, re-install chameleon, and walla, your windows will automatically be listed in the boot option menu. You might wanna change the boot disk default in the chameleon plist file in folder Extra.

Then you're done! You may start dual booting your Hackintosh easily now!!

Mac Build on Gigabyte Z77 DS3H

As I had been using Kakewalk installation for my first build, I again decided to use Kakewalk for my new build thus why I bought the Gigabyte Z77 DS3H from the UK. It was brought back last year, 2013 but I was only able to have the time to buy other components like CPU, hard disk, graphics card, memory and power supply this year.

Initially I thought I was having issues with the Gainward GT640 graphics card as it keeps on causing my motherboard to be unable to boot, thus the decision I bought Gigabyte GT640, just to get to understand that PEG Gen3 might be problematic thus I need to set PEG to Gen2 in BIOS. I advertised my Gainward GT640 but no one was really serious in buying it.

I was unable to create Kakewalk USB stick from my older Snow Leopard build as it requires 64 bit system. I borrowed my sister's in law MacBook and managed to create Kakewalk USB stick, but failed to boot with boot0 error. No clue was found on the Internet. Most people reported the same issue.

I was then able to create Unibeast Mountain Lion USB stick and later managed to install Mountain Lion but there was an issue with the sound while playing videos on the browser, the sounds breaks and disappeared. As upgrading to Maverick was free, I created Unibeast Maverick USB stick and managed to get it installed and running.

After using the maverick build for sometimes, the machine keeps on hanging. All these while I thought it was due to maverick hanging issue thus I decided to either install Lion or Mountain Lion to avoid such issue. Until the last day before Hari Raya, my Maverick build keeps on hanging while I was trying to enable Radeon HD4350 on my older SnowLeopard build, it gets corrupted and I was unable to do any changes, until I found a Lion Bootable USB stick image that can be written to the USB stick using rawrite in Windows. My previous Mountain Lion USB stick had been erased to make way for Maverick USB stick.

Then I installed a Lion on the new build to develop the Snow Leopard on the older build, and luckily installation was breezing smooth. No issues and I was able to do my photography jobs.

Back to Malaysia after hari raya, i got hold of my sister in law's MacBook to try creating Unibeast USB stick but failed, and it actually asked me to get a new copy. Finally I decided to buy Mountain Lion for RM59. Just to spent the waiting time to get the code from Apple, before returning the MacBook, I tried to create Kakewalk USB stick for one more time.

Just before returning the MacBook, I was able to boot the Kakewalk USB stick on my new build. Walla. Installed completely but after update, the machine keep on hanging. Went back to Seremban for few days and I decided to test if it was the graphics card. I did the 3D test and the machine hung!

I did another clean install and clean update before installing essential drivers and performed the 3D test.

It hung!

I opened up the Gainward GT 640 box and replaced Gigabyte GT640 card and performed 3D test. It managed to complete!

Probably I will need update the Gigabyte GT640 bios and try again. Will update here. Will figure out how to install Windows 7 to play with Gigabyte GT640 graphics cards BIOS then.

Or probably I should consider higher graphics cards like GTX series.

As of now, I will stick to Mountain Lion 10.8.5 with SMBios settings to MacPro3,1to enableVGA output. Currently on Login to Lion Chameleon theme. Works perfectly!

My Ultimate Mac Build - July 19, 2014

Details

OS: Mac OS X Maverick 10.9.4 64 bit
Processor: Intel Core i7-3770k 3.4 GHz Ivy Bridge
RAM: 8 GB Corsair RAM 1600 MHz x 4
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA Z77-DS3H Rev 1.0
Graphics Card: Gigabyte NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 2GB DDR3 RAM Rev2.0
Optical: ASUS DRW-24D3ST
Storage: Western Digital WDC WD30EZRX-00D8PB0 3 TB
Power Supply: Corsair RM Series 850W

Notes

1. Due to Motherboard unable to detect the Graphics Card in Gen3 mode, PEG settings set to Gen2 instead. No more boot issue
2. Setting the machine to Mac Pro 3,1 enables the VGA port. Changing it Mac Pro 6,2 disabled the VGA port
3. OSX86 took almost a month to be completed.

Issues & Workarounds

1. Motherboard was unable to boot with Gainward GT640 with 1 long and 2 short beeps
2. While motherboard randomly able to boot through the Gainward GT640, Kakewalk is unable to boot - Switched to Unibeast
3. Found a workaround to reset the Gainward GT640 card after not able to be detected on this mobo. Put it on the older mobo GA EP43 UD3L, detected without issues. Then switch back to Z77 DS3L with all sort of CMOS reset before it is able to be detected
4. While motherboard randomly able to boot through the Gainward GT640, windows were unable to load. Screen just disappeared. Used all VGA, DVI and HDMI port. No hopes
5. Removed Gainward GT640 and installed Mountain Lion with the built-in Intel HD4000 graphics. Installation was breeze smooth without any issues
6. Tested 3D acceleration. Super bad result
7. Realized sound deterioration while watching youtube. No fix had been found
8. Decided to install Maverick instead
9. Corrupted the old SL 10.6.8 on GA EP43 UD3L. Planning to save data
10. Able to install Maverick on GA EP43 UD3L with Gainward GT640 card like a breeze. The switch used: -v -GraphicsEnabler=No IGPEnabler=Yes
11. Failures over failures installing with Gainward GT640. Experimented with the old MSI 9500GT to install maverick on Z77 DS3H. Installation was smooth. 3D test was disappointing.
12. Decided to but Gigabyte GT 640 card. Still with Graphics Card detection issue by the mobo.
13. While mobo able to randomly boot with Gigabyte GT 640, able to complete installation without the screen going blank. Switch used: -v GraphicsEnabler=No
14. Read almost everywhere that most Gigabyte mobo had issues with PCIex16 cards. Some people set PEG to lower Gen2 or Gen1 to resolve BIOS boot issue.
15. Set PEG to Gen2 and the card is detected without any issue
16. Set machine to Mac Pro 6,2 disabled the VGA in Mac OSX. Switched back to Mac 3,1 to continue using VGA.

Sharing - Leap Second Bug in RedHat

The UTC time standard, which is widely used for international timekeeping on computer systems, uses the international standard definition of the second, based on atomic clocks. However, the duration

of one mean solar day is slightly longer than 86,400 seconds (a UTC day). The purpose of a leap second is to compensate for this drift, by scheduling days with 86401 or 86399 international standard seconds.

Because the Earth's rotation speed varies in response to natural events, UTC leap seconds are irregularly spaced and unpredictable. The last leap second occured at 23:59:59 UTC on 31 December 2008. Leap seconds occur based on UTC time, and therefore are timezone independent and occur around the world at the same moment, regardless of local time.

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How to unlock your Wii (v4.3) for FREE - the Pre-requisites

The benefits of unlocking your Wii:

1. You can start to play all the downloaded Wii games from the Internet (can save more money to buy accessories)
2. You can play games from your backup CDs (I don't want to mention pirated :p)
3. You can play DVD on your Wii
4. You can turn your Wii into a Media Center
5. You will no longer have to insert/remove CDs to play your games. Everything can be saved in your USB storage disk

Everything can be done for free. Don't ever pay to anyone to buy the unlocking software. It's available for free on the internet. Please get these items ready before unlocking your Wii.

1. A running set of Wii of course. Please ensure it's upgraded to the latest version 4.3
2. Fast Internet - To download all the necessary tools; and later to download the game
3. SD card (not the SDHC) with capacity of 1 or 2 GB.
4. The original copy of LEGO Batman: The video game
5. A USB storage to keep the Wii games later

I will be writing in the steps required in the next entry. I will provide all the require files, all in one zip files. so you can just copy all the files into your SD card and start unlocking your Wii. 

Preview - Unlocked Wii

Next Project - Unlocking Wii

During my visit to the UK, I was amazed by Wii, something that used to look luxurious to me last time. I've been sweating playing all the games and further my father even had an intention to buy it during his visit last time but in the end he didn't.

Anyway, my brother in Law told me that Wii can be unlocked to run the copy of games and also to do all the wonders. It is by default, not able to run the copied CD, not able to play DVDs and so on.

Being so much interested to get myself a project to fill in my wasted time, I went to Meadow Hall Mall in the Sheffield and I've got myself a set of pre-owned Wii with the price of around 50 UK pounds sterling from Sheffield and it was tested to be working well. That's around RM250, which come complete with the motion plus.

Quickly ran through all sort of reading, I've actually bought a broken link apps by mistake and I even bought another link which seems to be able to work but it is now pending for another item.And I'm also pending for the refund of the apps from the broken link. WTF.

After doing all the reading, I have everything now, except for the original Lego Adventure game; the original CD. In order to unlock Wii, I need to play the game until the first level (which I'm not very good at seriously :p) save it and start the hack from there.

I was actually looking for Sport Resort original CD and it seems like someone is selling it and I might be going to see him tomorrow. Eventually, he sensed that I wanted to do the unlocking project and he suggested other Lego game that can work.

Owh yeah, I don't have the non SDHC card (1-2 GB). Do you guys have any?

Wish me all the best guys. This project is gonna begin tomorrow...!