iHac Build Log - #2

Everything seems to be on track so far. Here's what I've done since the last post.

I went to the Apple store to pick up OSX Lion. Interestingly enough, the thumb-drive version costs $70 while the online download is $30. They also hassled me for buying it in store and not the mac store, which I thought was really unprofessional. They insisted on me providing a serial number because they didn't want me to return it if it wasn't compatible with my computer. I told them that I was quite aware that they were compatible as I have had 3 Macs in the pro line, and that I use them regularly as workstations and have opened them up myself to perform all sorts of replacements and maintenance. They finally acquiesced and sold it to me. I've never had to convince anyone so hard to take my money.

Once I got back, I finished building the pc. My dad was installing a new PSU, so I took his old one which is rated at 550W, and is more than enough for my needs. I connected the PSU to the SYS FAN on the case, as well as the board, and the auxiliary 12V connection. I also threw in the hard-drive and optical drive and connected them as well to the PSU.

To be honest, building the whole thing was pretty easy and done in less than a day.

Here's the final product.

You may notice the monitor. Yes, I got iBoot working with no trouble. I'm just installing Snow Leopard from my retail disc, until I upgrade to Lion. Since it's been done much better than could ever hope to recreate, the instructions for installing OSX can be found here:

http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com/2010/04/iboot-multibeast-install-mac-os-x-on.html

I am in no way encouraging anyone to download an illegal copy of the OS. I use several real macs for work, and am just building this as an enthusiast.

The next post will cover what issues I encounter once I have OSX installed, as there will likely be several DSDT and Kext issues.

Cheers,
Sousaplex

iHac Build Log - #1

So recently I've decided to build a mega behemoth computer.... thats a mac.

Yes, I've decided to hackintosh.

But since it's been awhile since I've built a computer (about 6 years, and with an AMD CPU), I've decided to do a trail run. This is my build log for the iHac.

I picked up all my main parts yesterday at Canada Computers.

CPU: Intel Core i3 2120 3.3 GHz LGA1155 65W
MOBO (Motherboard as the hackers call em): Gigabyte Z68MA-D2H-B3
RAM: DDR3-1333 4GB kit
Case: Cooler Master Elite 343
Hard Drive: I just took an old 500GB external I wasn't using anymore and took out the drive.

Pretty standard setup, nothing crazy, safe trial run.

Well it wasn't off to a great start as I accidentally picked up the wrong case originally which was Mini-ITX and not Micro ATX. I rectified that issue this morning, but now I have to get an additional PSU (power supply unit) since unlike the Mini ITX case, this one doesn't come with a PSU. I think I can steal a PSU off an old computer (there are like 8 here)

Other than that things have been going pretty well. I unpacked the motherboard and all the pins looked good. I also inspected the CPU, and everything seemed fine. For a second I was worried as there was no thermal paste that came with it, but turns out there were 3 strips attached to the bottom of the CPU fan. So I now have the CPU on my motherboard.

The next step is setting the motherboard in the case. There are two types of screws that come with the case. Stand ins, and regular screws. The stand ins need to be placed before you lay down the motherboard so that the regular screws can hold it in place. For this motherboard, there were 8 holes. The case had 9, but that was so that it could be compatible with other size motherboards. This mobo is micro ATX sized by the way. Your regular motherboard is normally ATX. The mega beast I plan on building has a HPTX sized board. Anyways, if you take a look at this photo you'll see where the 8 screws are.

If your doing this at home yourself, don't make the same mistake I made. Put the back panel of the motherboard in the case before installing the motherboard. I had to undo all the work I did just to fit it in.

Anyways, that's all for now as I should get going to the Apple Store to pick up OSX 10.8 Lion.

Back in a bit,
Sousaplex

Old Suspenders

I've tried to start a blog several times and failed, here is a post from 2009 that I'd like to keep on this one.

"Today I received a gift from my grandparents. It was technically 2 gifts, but who's counting. Today I received my great grandfather's suspenders. I've never really used suspenders before, but now I have an urge to put them to use.

While I never had the chance of knowing him, I have heard many stories, both good and unflattering. And I'm still trying to make heads or tails of why it's important to me.

My grandparents left for Portugal about a week ago, and I'm missing them a lot. Prior to their departure I started a small video project. I interviewed my grandparents about stories from their lives. I've been wanting to compile a series of interviews of all my family members so that I can edit them into some kind of a family feature film.

This was spurned on somewhat by the passing of my paternal grandfather. Unfortunately, I hadn't gotten to know him too well, and I don't want to lose any more stories to time.

Here's hoping I write another post soon. Oh and I decided to leave the suspenders in the original box, but just because I haven't had an occasion for wearing them!"

Just digging this up again brings back memories, and reminds me, I gotta get back on that project. Fortunately, I know exactly where the footage is.

Until next time

Toodles,

Michael Sousa

My Mistress, The Music (Part 2)

Or as the french say, deux.

It was high school. It was an exciting time full of possibilities that would never be realized, and some that were.

Now, technically, at this time in my life I should have been able to play piano, but since I slacked off so hard at St. Michael's Choir School (hence forward SMCS) I couldn't really play a lick of piano. Oh sure, I knew a couple of major and minor chords, and a scale or three, and yes, I did know Little Teddy Big Teddy, but that was about it. Sure it may have been a little late, but I caught the bug. I needed to play, and I need to play as soon as possible, so I picked up a guitar. It was a left-handed Yamaha Pacifica. I still remember that glorious guitar. I temporarily traded it with my friend Antek for his left-handed Bass. We've always intended on trading back, but just never found the right time.

Quick Sidebar: If you plan on learning guitar. LEARN IT ON A RIGHT HANDED ONE. This mistake will cost you. As it has cost me.

So towards the end of Grade 9 I had started to learn the guitar. The only thing I played all day every day was the pentatonic scale, because it was so easy to jam to just about anything on the radio. When the song changed, I just moved up or down a couple of frets, and BAM, I was back on key. Unlike Piano, switching keys is fairly easy since the notes are laid out evenly, where as in Piano they are staggered in a specific non-symmetrical arrangement.

But then something happened to me in my guitar playing journeys. Something that happens to everyone who picks up a new skill... I plateaued. I could see the diminishing returns in the efforts I was putting. Sure my theory knowledge was increasing, but my playing ability was starting to even out. So I did what anybody would do when their drug of choice just doesn't cut it anymore. I found a new drug, this time, since I was broke, I went back to piano. After all, there was one just hanging out in the living room. It was december of grade 10, perfect timing! I had weeks off to indulge. So again, I went to town. And this time I got further because piano lends itself really easily to song writing. There I was fiddling around with different chord progressions, and trying to learn what I had played on guitar, this time on piano. And sure enough, just as it had happened before, I started to plateau again. I think you can see the pattern, so I'll just present you with a timeline.

Grade 09: Guitar
Grade 10: Piano
Grade 11: Drums
Grade 11 towards the end: Bass
Grade 12: brief flirtation with sax and trumpet. miserable experience, although I'm feeling it may be time to spark up that old romance. "hey baby how's it going, I've been thinking about you, I've changed, I'm not the musician I used to be. I can kind of sight read now, and I've been working on my timbre. Just give me a chance, we could be so good together."

Now to be fair, these weren't all attempts to get my next fix. And I also wasn't crazy rabid as I suggested. Once I peaked, I started playing in a band to keep things interesting. That's when I started playing with Rotor. The lead guitarist was Stephen Litvack (who could shred like I'd never seen before)  and the drummer was Tura Cousins-Wilson (honestly one of the most down-to-earth people I've ever played with).

When it came to bass, I picked it up as so many others have. Because a band needed one. That's right, so cliche, but so true. I picked up the bass to play in my friends blues band. I honestly don't remember what the band was called. (Lee you gotta remind me!) The guitarist was Lee Gancman, and the drummer was Nick Ratcliffe. This band was a ton of fun to play with, although I think I drove them a little nuts by always playing funk basslines. ("Sousa, its jumping jack flash, not jamiroquai")

Alright, so I believe this covered my last blogs promise of "learning instruments"

UP NEXT: Writing music, having my first arrangement performed, getting lazy and slacking off some more, regretting it, taking a brief hiatus, and then... something life changing.

Cheers!
Michael Sousa

P.S. I do realize practically no one reads this, but it's more of an exercise so I can remember all the various things I've done. I will be posting some other articles on several different topics so please subscribe if you find it interesting. Also, if you have any questions, I'd love to answer them so shoot me a line at mike.psousa@gmail.com.