51
General / Miscellaneous / users who hadnt logged in in hte last year have been purged
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 05, 2026, 07:29:34 PM »you will have to go through the registration process again sorry
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52
OsX86 Hackintosh (Intel / AMD) / does SIL3132 support continue past TIGER?
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 05, 2026, 07:15:20 PM »does Sil3132 support continue for macosx thru the next versions past tiger? leopard? snow leopard? lion? mountain lion? where does support for 3132 dissappear?
Great question — this is actually where the SiL3132 really shines, because its support lifespan in macOS is much longer than most people expect.
Here’s the real progression:
🧠 SiL3132 macOS Support Timeline
✅ macOS Tiger (10.4)
Works with third-party kexts (Silicon Image driver)
Common in OSx86 builds
Bootable + full SATA II (3 Gb/s)
This is where it became popular in Hackintosh
✅ macOS Leopard (10.5)
Best support overall
Many distros (iATKOS, Kalyway) include SiL3132 kexts
Fully:
Bootable
Stable
SATA II + NCQ working
👉 This is basically the “golden era” for Sil3132 on Hackintosh.
✅ macOS Snow Leopard (10.6)
Still works very well
Requires:
32-bit kernel (recommended), or
Properly patched 64-bit kext
Many users report:
Stable operation
Boot support still works
Good performance
⚠️ Caveat:
64-bit support is less consistent unless you have the right kext
⚠️ macOS Lion (10.7)
Support starts to degrade
Apple moves heavily toward:
AHCI
Native Intel/Apple storage stack
SiL3132:
May still work with older kexts
Often non-bootable or unstable
Kernel extensions may need modification
❌ macOS Mountain Lion (10.
and newer
Support effectively disappears
Reasons:
Apple drops a lot of legacy 3rd-party driver support
Moves fully to AHCI / AppleAHCIPort stack
64-bit only kernel (breaks old drivers)
👉 SiL3132:
Usually not detected, or
Requires heavy hacking (and even then unreliable)
this is fine because from here on outt apple has built in AHCI drivers that work better thean the sil3132 probably anyway
Great question — this is actually where the SiL3132 really shines, because its support lifespan in macOS is much longer than most people expect.
Here’s the real progression:
🧠 SiL3132 macOS Support Timeline
✅ macOS Tiger (10.4)
Works with third-party kexts (Silicon Image driver)
Common in OSx86 builds
Bootable + full SATA II (3 Gb/s)
This is where it became popular in Hackintosh
✅ macOS Leopard (10.5)
Best support overall
Many distros (iATKOS, Kalyway) include SiL3132 kexts
Fully:
Bootable
Stable
SATA II + NCQ working
👉 This is basically the “golden era” for Sil3132 on Hackintosh.
✅ macOS Snow Leopard (10.6)
Still works very well
Requires:
32-bit kernel (recommended), or
Properly patched 64-bit kext
Many users report:
Stable operation
Boot support still works
Good performance
⚠️ Caveat:
64-bit support is less consistent unless you have the right kext
⚠️ macOS Lion (10.7)
Support starts to degrade
Apple moves heavily toward:
AHCI
Native Intel/Apple storage stack
SiL3132:
May still work with older kexts
Often non-bootable or unstable
Kernel extensions may need modification
❌ macOS Mountain Lion (10.
and newerSupport effectively disappears
Reasons:
Apple drops a lot of legacy 3rd-party driver support
Moves fully to AHCI / AppleAHCIPort stack
64-bit only kernel (breaks old drivers)
👉 SiL3132:
Usually not detected, or
Requires heavy hacking (and even then unreliable)
this is fine because from here on outt apple has built in AHCI drivers that work better thean the sil3132 probably anyway
53
OsX86 Hackintosh (Intel / AMD) / even if u have no PCIE slots SIL3124 on PCI133 still benefits OSX TIGER+
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 05, 2026, 05:33:03 PM »for early intel hackintoshes that may lack pcie express slots, (pentium 4s, early socket 775 boards etc) While the raw throughput is indeed limited by the legacy 32-bit/33MHz PCI bus (which caps out at a theoretical 133 MB/s), moving to an SiI3124-based controller offers significant architectural advantages over the integrated IDE or early SATA controllers typically found on motherboards of that era.
Even if you aren't "breaking the sound barrier" with transfer speeds, here is how those specific features and the controller's design provide a better experience:
1. Beyond Throughput:
IOPS and NCQThe most noticeable benefit isn't the top speed, but the responsiveness of the system.Native Command Queuing (NCQ): Standard legacy IDE controllers handle requests one by one.
If the OS asks for ten files, the drive waits for one to finish before starting the next. NCQ allows the drive to accept all ten requests at once and reorder them so the drive head moves the shortest distance possible.
System Feel:
This drastically reduces latency during multi-tasking or heavy OS disk activity (like booting or launching large applications), making an old mechanical drive or SATA SSD feel much "snappier" than it would on a non-NCQ controller.
2. Hot-Plug Support & StabilityOn many mid-2000s motherboards, SATA ports were often treated like internal IDE drives—meaning if you unplugged them while the system was on, you risked a kernel panic or hardware damage.
True Hot-Swapping:
The SiI3124 is a server-grade chipset that natively supports the SATA hot-plug spec. This is perfect for using removable drive bays or external eSATA enclosures for backups without needing to reboot.
eSATA Capability:
Many of these 3124 cards feature eSATA ports, allowing you to connect modern external storage at the full 133 MB/s bus speed, which is still significantly faster than the 30-40 MB/s real-world limit of USB 2.0 found on those boards.
3. Overcoming "IDE Emulation" Limits
Many early onboard SATA controllers (like the Intel ICH7 or early VIA chipsets) operate in "Legacy" or "IDE" mode to maintain compatibility with older operating systems.
Breaking the 128GB Barrier:
If your motherboard BIOS has trouble seeing large modern drives (e.g., 2TB+), the SiI3124 uses its own independent BIOS. This allows you to use much larger drives that the motherboard’s onboard controller might reject.
SATA II Protocol:
Even though the PCI bus is slow, the link between the card and the drive is SATA II (3.0 Gbps). This ensures better compatibility with modern SSDs and HDDs that might struggle to "handshake" properly with ancient SATA I (1.5 Gbps) controllers.4. Efficient Data Handling (DMA)The SiI3124 is a sophisticated controller compared to cheaper "Win-RAID" cards.
It features:Large Internal FIFO Buffers: These help smooth out data transfers and prevent the PCI bus from becoming a bottleneck for tiny, "bursty" data packets.Reduced CPU Overhead: Because it handles the heavy lifting of the SATA protocol and NCQ in hardware, your CPU (like a Core 2 Duo or Quad) spends less time managing disk I/O and more time running your applications.
Comparison:
Integrated Legacy vs. SiI3124 PCIFeatureOnboard Legacy SATA/IDESiI3124 PCI CardMax Bus SpeedVaries (often shared)133 MB/s (Dedicated PCI)Command QueuingNone (Synchronous)NCQ (Asynchronous)Drive SwapReboot requiredHot-plug supportedMax Drive SizeOften limited by BIOSSupported via Card BIOSBootabilityNativeSupported (via Option ROM)
In short, you are trading raw bandwidth (which the PCI bus can't provide anyway) for modern storage intelligence. It’s the difference between a fast car on a congested one-lane road versus a smart car that knows how to navigate traffic efficiently.
will my sil3124 pci card worth with asus p5pe-vm
Gemini said
The ASUS P5PE-VM is a unique motherboard that uses the Intel 865G chipset, which creates some specific hardware constraints for your Silicon Image 3124 card.
Whether it will work depends on the specific variant of the Sil3124 card you have and what you intend to do with it.
1. Physical Compatibility (PCI vs. PCI-X)
The Sil3124 chipset is natively a PCI-X (Peripheral Component Interconnect Extended) controller.
The Card: Most Sil3124 cards are long, 64-bit PCI-X cards.
The Motherboard: The ASUS P5PE-VM only has standard 32-bit PCI slots.
Can you plug it in?
Yes, usually. PCI-X is backward compatible with standard PCI. If your card has the universal "notches" (3.3V and 5V), it will physically fit into the motherboard's PCI slot, though the "tail" of the connector will hang off the end of the slot.
2. Performance Bottlenecks
Because the P5PE-VM uses standard 32-bit/33MHz PCI slots, you will experience a massive bandwidth "choke":
Sil3124 Potential: Up to 1064 MB/s (in a 133MHz PCI-X slot).
P5PE-VM Limit: Approximately 133 MB/s total shared across the entire PCI bus.
If you are trying to achieve SATA II (3.0 Gbps) speeds, the card will technically provide the SATA II protocol, but the actual data transfer will be capped at the speed of the old PCI bus.
3. OS and Driver Support
Since you are likely working with legacy environments, here is how the Sil3124 behaves:
Mac OS X (Tiger/Leopard): The Sil3124 is generally well-supported by third-party drivers (like the old Silicon Image or Sonnet drivers). It is often preferred over the Sil3132 for stability in older builds.
Windows: Drivers are readily available for XP and Windows 7.
Booting: Whether you can boot an OS from a drive attached to this card depends on the card’s BIOS. Some "RAID" versions of the Sil3124 can be finicky with the P5PE-VM’s BIOS when trying to set the boot priority.
Summary Checklist
Feature Compatibility
Physical Fit Yes, if it's a universal PCI/PCI-X card.
Speed Limited to ~133 MB/s (PCI Bus limit).
Boot Support Variable; depends on the card's firmware.
Power Check 3.3V vs 5V; ensure the card is keyed for 5V (standard PCI).
One thing to watch out for: The P5PE-VM is a Micro-ATX board. Ensure the length of the Sil3124 card (which is often quite long) doesn't hit your RAM slots or any capacitors on the right side of the board.
You said
i kno it will be capped at 133mb/s but it will support hot swap + NCQ? right?
Gemini said
Yes, you are correct on both counts. Despite the bandwidth bottleneck of the 32-bit PCI bus, the Silicon Image 3124 chipset handles these features at the controller level, meaning it doesn't "lose" them just because it's running in a slower slot.
Here is the breakdown of how those features will behave on your ASUS P5PE-VM:
1. Hot Swap (Hot Plugging)
The Sil3124 natively supports hot-plugging. However, there are two caveats to keep in mind for your specific setup:
The OS Matters: For Hot Swap to work, the operating system and the driver must support it. In Windows (XP/7), you usually need the "BASE" (non-RAID) driver for the drive to appear as a removable device. In Mac OS X (Tiger/Leopard), it generally works well with the Silicon Image SATARAID5 or BASE drivers, but the drive might take a few seconds to mount.
Power: Standard Molex-to-SATA power adapters technically don't support the "staggered" pin entry required for safe hot-plugging. If you plan to swap drives frequently, use a proper SATA power connector from your PSU.
2. NCQ (Native Command Queuing)
The card fully supports NCQ, which allows the hard drive to optimize the order in which it executes read/write commands.
Efficiency: Even though your throughput is capped at 133 MB/s, NCQ will still help with latency and "seek" efficiency, especially if you are running an OS with heavy background indexing (like Spotlight in Tiger/Leopard).
Drive Compatibility: Your SATA drive must also support NCQ (most drives made after 2005 do).
Important: BASE vs. RAID Firmware
Since you are likely using this for a boot drive or a single-drive setup, check which BIOS is flashed to your card. Silicon Image cards usually come in two flavors:
RAID BIOS: Good if you want to mirror drives, but can sometimes hide S.M.A.R.T. data from the OS.
BASE BIOS (Non-RAID): Generally better for single-drive performance and "truer" SATA behavior.
Potential Conflict: The P5PE-VM BIOS
The ASUS P5PE-VM has a somewhat "crowded" BIOS interrupt map because it’s a Micro-ATX board with onboard video (865G).
Tip: If the system hangs during the "Detecting storage devices" phase of the Sil3124 splash screen, try moving the card to the bottom PCI slot and disabling any unused onboard peripherals (like the Parallel or Serial ports) in the BIOS to free up IRQ resources.
Even if you aren't "breaking the sound barrier" with transfer speeds, here is how those specific features and the controller's design provide a better experience:
1. Beyond Throughput:
IOPS and NCQThe most noticeable benefit isn't the top speed, but the responsiveness of the system.Native Command Queuing (NCQ): Standard legacy IDE controllers handle requests one by one.
If the OS asks for ten files, the drive waits for one to finish before starting the next. NCQ allows the drive to accept all ten requests at once and reorder them so the drive head moves the shortest distance possible.
System Feel:
This drastically reduces latency during multi-tasking or heavy OS disk activity (like booting or launching large applications), making an old mechanical drive or SATA SSD feel much "snappier" than it would on a non-NCQ controller.
2. Hot-Plug Support & StabilityOn many mid-2000s motherboards, SATA ports were often treated like internal IDE drives—meaning if you unplugged them while the system was on, you risked a kernel panic or hardware damage.
True Hot-Swapping:
The SiI3124 is a server-grade chipset that natively supports the SATA hot-plug spec. This is perfect for using removable drive bays or external eSATA enclosures for backups without needing to reboot.
eSATA Capability:
Many of these 3124 cards feature eSATA ports, allowing you to connect modern external storage at the full 133 MB/s bus speed, which is still significantly faster than the 30-40 MB/s real-world limit of USB 2.0 found on those boards.
3. Overcoming "IDE Emulation" Limits
Many early onboard SATA controllers (like the Intel ICH7 or early VIA chipsets) operate in "Legacy" or "IDE" mode to maintain compatibility with older operating systems.
Breaking the 128GB Barrier:
If your motherboard BIOS has trouble seeing large modern drives (e.g., 2TB+), the SiI3124 uses its own independent BIOS. This allows you to use much larger drives that the motherboard’s onboard controller might reject.
SATA II Protocol:
Even though the PCI bus is slow, the link between the card and the drive is SATA II (3.0 Gbps). This ensures better compatibility with modern SSDs and HDDs that might struggle to "handshake" properly with ancient SATA I (1.5 Gbps) controllers.4. Efficient Data Handling (DMA)The SiI3124 is a sophisticated controller compared to cheaper "Win-RAID" cards.
It features:Large Internal FIFO Buffers: These help smooth out data transfers and prevent the PCI bus from becoming a bottleneck for tiny, "bursty" data packets.Reduced CPU Overhead: Because it handles the heavy lifting of the SATA protocol and NCQ in hardware, your CPU (like a Core 2 Duo or Quad) spends less time managing disk I/O and more time running your applications.
Comparison:
Integrated Legacy vs. SiI3124 PCIFeatureOnboard Legacy SATA/IDESiI3124 PCI CardMax Bus SpeedVaries (often shared)133 MB/s (Dedicated PCI)Command QueuingNone (Synchronous)NCQ (Asynchronous)Drive SwapReboot requiredHot-plug supportedMax Drive SizeOften limited by BIOSSupported via Card BIOSBootabilityNativeSupported (via Option ROM)
In short, you are trading raw bandwidth (which the PCI bus can't provide anyway) for modern storage intelligence. It’s the difference between a fast car on a congested one-lane road versus a smart car that knows how to navigate traffic efficiently.
will my sil3124 pci card worth with asus p5pe-vm
Gemini said
The ASUS P5PE-VM is a unique motherboard that uses the Intel 865G chipset, which creates some specific hardware constraints for your Silicon Image 3124 card.
Whether it will work depends on the specific variant of the Sil3124 card you have and what you intend to do with it.
1. Physical Compatibility (PCI vs. PCI-X)
The Sil3124 chipset is natively a PCI-X (Peripheral Component Interconnect Extended) controller.
The Card: Most Sil3124 cards are long, 64-bit PCI-X cards.
The Motherboard: The ASUS P5PE-VM only has standard 32-bit PCI slots.
Can you plug it in?
Yes, usually. PCI-X is backward compatible with standard PCI. If your card has the universal "notches" (3.3V and 5V), it will physically fit into the motherboard's PCI slot, though the "tail" of the connector will hang off the end of the slot.
2. Performance Bottlenecks
Because the P5PE-VM uses standard 32-bit/33MHz PCI slots, you will experience a massive bandwidth "choke":
Sil3124 Potential: Up to 1064 MB/s (in a 133MHz PCI-X slot).
P5PE-VM Limit: Approximately 133 MB/s total shared across the entire PCI bus.
If you are trying to achieve SATA II (3.0 Gbps) speeds, the card will technically provide the SATA II protocol, but the actual data transfer will be capped at the speed of the old PCI bus.
3. OS and Driver Support
Since you are likely working with legacy environments, here is how the Sil3124 behaves:
Mac OS X (Tiger/Leopard): The Sil3124 is generally well-supported by third-party drivers (like the old Silicon Image or Sonnet drivers). It is often preferred over the Sil3132 for stability in older builds.
Windows: Drivers are readily available for XP and Windows 7.
Booting: Whether you can boot an OS from a drive attached to this card depends on the card’s BIOS. Some "RAID" versions of the Sil3124 can be finicky with the P5PE-VM’s BIOS when trying to set the boot priority.
Summary Checklist
Feature Compatibility
Physical Fit Yes, if it's a universal PCI/PCI-X card.
Speed Limited to ~133 MB/s (PCI Bus limit).
Boot Support Variable; depends on the card's firmware.
Power Check 3.3V vs 5V; ensure the card is keyed for 5V (standard PCI).
One thing to watch out for: The P5PE-VM is a Micro-ATX board. Ensure the length of the Sil3124 card (which is often quite long) doesn't hit your RAM slots or any capacitors on the right side of the board.
You said
i kno it will be capped at 133mb/s but it will support hot swap + NCQ? right?
Gemini said
Yes, you are correct on both counts. Despite the bandwidth bottleneck of the 32-bit PCI bus, the Silicon Image 3124 chipset handles these features at the controller level, meaning it doesn't "lose" them just because it's running in a slower slot.
Here is the breakdown of how those features will behave on your ASUS P5PE-VM:
1. Hot Swap (Hot Plugging)
The Sil3124 natively supports hot-plugging. However, there are two caveats to keep in mind for your specific setup:
The OS Matters: For Hot Swap to work, the operating system and the driver must support it. In Windows (XP/7), you usually need the "BASE" (non-RAID) driver for the drive to appear as a removable device. In Mac OS X (Tiger/Leopard), it generally works well with the Silicon Image SATARAID5 or BASE drivers, but the drive might take a few seconds to mount.
Power: Standard Molex-to-SATA power adapters technically don't support the "staggered" pin entry required for safe hot-plugging. If you plan to swap drives frequently, use a proper SATA power connector from your PSU.
2. NCQ (Native Command Queuing)
The card fully supports NCQ, which allows the hard drive to optimize the order in which it executes read/write commands.
Efficiency: Even though your throughput is capped at 133 MB/s, NCQ will still help with latency and "seek" efficiency, especially if you are running an OS with heavy background indexing (like Spotlight in Tiger/Leopard).
Drive Compatibility: Your SATA drive must also support NCQ (most drives made after 2005 do).
Important: BASE vs. RAID Firmware
Since you are likely using this for a boot drive or a single-drive setup, check which BIOS is flashed to your card. Silicon Image cards usually come in two flavors:
RAID BIOS: Good if you want to mirror drives, but can sometimes hide S.M.A.R.T. data from the OS.
BASE BIOS (Non-RAID): Generally better for single-drive performance and "truer" SATA behavior.
Potential Conflict: The P5PE-VM BIOS
The ASUS P5PE-VM has a somewhat "crowded" BIOS interrupt map because it’s a Micro-ATX board with onboard video (865G).
Tip: If the system hangs during the "Detecting storage devices" phase of the Sil3124 splash screen, try moving the card to the bottom PCI slot and disabling any unused onboard peripherals (like the Parallel or Serial ports) in the BIOS to free up IRQ resources.
54
OsX86 Hackintosh (Intel / AMD) / 23" DVI cinema display 1920 x 1200 16:10 Single-Link DVI
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 05, 2026, 05:01:14 PM »whats the max resolution for a 23" dvi cinema display
https://everymac.com/monitors/apple/studio_cinema/specs/apple_cinema_display_23.html
The maximum (and native) resolution for both the aluminum and the earlier polycarbonate 23" Apple Cinema HD Displays is 1920 x 1200.
Since this is a 16:10 aspect ratio display, it provides a bit more vertical screen real estate than a standard 1080p (1920 x 1080) monitor.
The resolution of 1920 x 1200 is most commonly known as WUXGA, which stands for Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array.
While it shares the same width as the more common 1080p (Full HD) resolution, it is slightly taller. Here are a few ways it is categorized:
Aspect Ratio: It uses a 16:10 aspect ratio. This was the professional standard for high-end monitors and laptops for years before the 16:9 (1920 x 1080) "widescreen" standard became the dominant consumer format.
Total Pixels: It contains roughly 2.3 million pixels. This provides about 11% more vertical screen real estate than 1080p, which is particularly helpful for productivity tasks like coding, video editing, or viewing two documents side-by-side.
Common Use Cases: You will mostly find this resolution on business-class monitors (like the Dell UltraSharp series) and ruggedized or older "pro" laptops.
In some technical contexts, it may also be referred to simply as 1200p.
Key Technical Specs:
Resolution: 1920×1200 pixels
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Interface: Single-Link DVI (for the aluminum A1082 model) or ADC (for the older M8537 polycarbonate model).
Pixel Density: 98.4 ppi
Compatibility Note
While the larger 30-inch model requires a Dual-Link DVI connection to reach its full resolution, the 23-inch model works perfectly at its maximum resolution using a standard Single-Link DVI cable or adapter. If you are using a modern Mac or PC, a simple USB-C to DVI or HDMI to DVI adapter will typically drive it at the full 1920 x 1200 without issues.
https://everymac.com/monitors/apple/studio_cinema/specs/apple_cinema_display_23.html
The maximum (and native) resolution for both the aluminum and the earlier polycarbonate 23" Apple Cinema HD Displays is 1920 x 1200.
Since this is a 16:10 aspect ratio display, it provides a bit more vertical screen real estate than a standard 1080p (1920 x 1080) monitor.
The resolution of 1920 x 1200 is most commonly known as WUXGA, which stands for Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array.
While it shares the same width as the more common 1080p (Full HD) resolution, it is slightly taller. Here are a few ways it is categorized:
Aspect Ratio: It uses a 16:10 aspect ratio. This was the professional standard for high-end monitors and laptops for years before the 16:9 (1920 x 1080) "widescreen" standard became the dominant consumer format.
Total Pixels: It contains roughly 2.3 million pixels. This provides about 11% more vertical screen real estate than 1080p, which is particularly helpful for productivity tasks like coding, video editing, or viewing two documents side-by-side.
Common Use Cases: You will mostly find this resolution on business-class monitors (like the Dell UltraSharp series) and ruggedized or older "pro" laptops.
In some technical contexts, it may also be referred to simply as 1200p.
Key Technical Specs:
Resolution: 1920×1200 pixels
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Interface: Single-Link DVI (for the aluminum A1082 model) or ADC (for the older M8537 polycarbonate model).
Pixel Density: 98.4 ppi
Compatibility Note
While the larger 30-inch model requires a Dual-Link DVI connection to reach its full resolution, the 23-inch model works perfectly at its maximum resolution using a standard Single-Link DVI cable or adapter. If you are using a modern Mac or PC, a simple USB-C to DVI or HDMI to DVI adapter will typically drive it at the full 1920 x 1200 without issues.
55
OsX86 Hackintosh (Intel / AMD) / Re: For 10.5 Leopard: The GeForce 8800 GT is the undisputed champion for speed
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 05, 2026, 04:59:26 PM »Quote
was the 8800 GT the first to support 2 30 inch cinema displays?
Gemini said
Actually, no—while the 8800 GT was a popular and powerful choice for the 30-inch Cinema Display era, it was not the first card to support two of them.
To drive a 30-inch Apple Cinema Display at its native resolution of 2560 x 1600, a graphics card requires a Dual-Link DVI port. To drive two of them simultaneously, the card needs two independent Dual-Link DVI pipelines.
+1
The True Pioneers
Several cards preceded the 8800 GT (released in late 2007) in offering dual 30-inch support:
NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 (2005): This was the high-end workstation beast for the PCIe Power Mac G5 and the first Intel Mac Pro. It was specifically marketed for its ability to drive two 30-inch Cinema HD Displays right out of the box.
+1
ATI Radeon X1900 XT (2006): When the first Intel Mac Pro launched, this was the "pro-sumer" upgrade option that featured two Dual-Link DVI ports, allowing for dual 30-inch setups long before the 8800 GT arrived.
NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT/GTX (2005): While many consumer versions only had one Dual-Link and one Single-Link port, certain high-end versions (and the Mac-specific 7800 GT for the G5) were capable of dual 2560 x 1600 output.
Why the 8800 GT is often remembered for this:
The 8800 GT holds a special place in Mac history because it was the first affordable, single-slot card that made dual 30-inch displays accessible to more users.
Space Efficiency: Previous cards like the X1900 XT or Quadro FX 4500 were massive, "double-slot" cards that took up a lot of room and generated immense heat.
The "Upgrade" Era: It became the go-to upgrade for first-generation Mac Pro owners who wanted to run modern (at the time) dual-monitor setups without the reliability issues of the older ATI cards.
Technical Note: If you are setting this up today, remember that "Dual-Link DVI" refers to the number of pins and the bandwidth of the cable, not the number of monitor ports on the card. A standard DVI-to-HDMI adapter will usually limit you to 1920 x 1200, so you must use a true Dual-Link DVI cable to get that full 2560 x 1600 resolution on your Cinema Displays.
56
OsX86 Hackintosh (Intel / AMD) / how many different "MAC EDITION" gpus were there?
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 05, 2026, 04:57:19 PM »how many different "mac edition" gpus were sold for between 2006-2012?
Gemini said
Between 2006 and 2012 (the era of the "Classic" Mac Pro towers), there were 11 distinct GPU models officially sold by Apple or authorized third-party manufacturers (like EVGA and Sapphire) as "Mac Edition" cards.
This count excludes "flashed" PC cards or standard PC cards that work without a boot screen; it only includes cards that shipped with official Mac EFI firmware.
Official Apple & Third-Party "Mac Edition" GPUs (2006–2012)
Year Model Manufacturer Notes
2006 NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT Apple/NVIDIA Standard entry-level card for the Mac Pro 1,1.
2006 ATI Radeon X1900 XT Apple/ATI The high-end BTO (Built-to-Order) option for 2006.
2006 NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 Apple/NVIDIA Workstation-class card with 512MB VRAM.
2008 ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT Apple/ATI Standard card for the Mac Pro 3,1.
2008 NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT Apple/NVIDIA Popular mid-range upgrade; often sold as a standalone kit.
2008 NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 Apple/NVIDIA Ultra high-end workstation card with 1.5GB VRAM.
2009 NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 Apple/NVIDIA Standard for the 4,1; essentially a rebranded 9500 GT.
2009 ATI Radeon HD 4870 Apple/ATI High-end upgrade for the 4,1 and 5,1 models.
2010 ATI Radeon HD 5770 Apple/ATI The most common "legacy" upgrade card; supported until 2012.
2010 ATI Radeon HD 5870 Apple/ATI The powerhouse flagship for the 5,1 Mac Pro.
2012 NVIDIA Quadro 4000 NVIDIA A dedicated Mac Edition workstation card released by NVIDIA.
Late-Era Third Party Additions (Announced/Sold ~2012-2013)
Right at the end of the "Classic" tower's life cycle, two major third-party cards were released specifically for these machines. While they launched near the very end of 2012 or early 2013, they are often grouped with this era:
EVGA GeForce GTX 680 Mac Edition: Released to provide a modern Kepler-based upgrade for the 3,1 through 5,1.
Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 Mac Edition: Released specifically to give legacy towers GCN-architecture support (and a white fan shroud to match the Mac aesthetic).
Key Technical Distinctions
The "Boot Screen" Factor: The defining trait of these "Mac Edition" cards is the EFI firmware. Standard PC versions of these same cards will often work inside a Mac Pro once the OS loads, but you will see a black screen until the login window appears, making it impossible to use FileVault or select a boot drive.
Power Requirements: Most of these cards (except the 7300 GT, GT 120, and HD 5770) require one or two 6-pin mini-PCIe power cables connected directly to the Mac Pro motherboard.
Gemini said
Between 2006 and 2012 (the era of the "Classic" Mac Pro towers), there were 11 distinct GPU models officially sold by Apple or authorized third-party manufacturers (like EVGA and Sapphire) as "Mac Edition" cards.
This count excludes "flashed" PC cards or standard PC cards that work without a boot screen; it only includes cards that shipped with official Mac EFI firmware.
Official Apple & Third-Party "Mac Edition" GPUs (2006–2012)
Year Model Manufacturer Notes
2006 NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT Apple/NVIDIA Standard entry-level card for the Mac Pro 1,1.
2006 ATI Radeon X1900 XT Apple/ATI The high-end BTO (Built-to-Order) option for 2006.
2006 NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 Apple/NVIDIA Workstation-class card with 512MB VRAM.
2008 ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT Apple/ATI Standard card for the Mac Pro 3,1.
2008 NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT Apple/NVIDIA Popular mid-range upgrade; often sold as a standalone kit.
2008 NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 Apple/NVIDIA Ultra high-end workstation card with 1.5GB VRAM.
2009 NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 Apple/NVIDIA Standard for the 4,1; essentially a rebranded 9500 GT.
2009 ATI Radeon HD 4870 Apple/ATI High-end upgrade for the 4,1 and 5,1 models.
2010 ATI Radeon HD 5770 Apple/ATI The most common "legacy" upgrade card; supported until 2012.
2010 ATI Radeon HD 5870 Apple/ATI The powerhouse flagship for the 5,1 Mac Pro.
2012 NVIDIA Quadro 4000 NVIDIA A dedicated Mac Edition workstation card released by NVIDIA.
Late-Era Third Party Additions (Announced/Sold ~2012-2013)
Right at the end of the "Classic" tower's life cycle, two major third-party cards were released specifically for these machines. While they launched near the very end of 2012 or early 2013, they are often grouped with this era:
EVGA GeForce GTX 680 Mac Edition: Released to provide a modern Kepler-based upgrade for the 3,1 through 5,1.
Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 Mac Edition: Released specifically to give legacy towers GCN-architecture support (and a white fan shroud to match the Mac aesthetic).
Key Technical Distinctions
The "Boot Screen" Factor: The defining trait of these "Mac Edition" cards is the EFI firmware. Standard PC versions of these same cards will often work inside a Mac Pro once the OS loads, but you will see a black screen until the login window appears, making it impossible to use FileVault or select a boot drive.
Power Requirements: Most of these cards (except the 7300 GT, GT 120, and HD 5770) require one or two 6-pin mini-PCIe power cables connected directly to the Mac Pro motherboard.
57
OsX86 Hackintosh (Intel / AMD) / comparing 8800 GT with GTX 260
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 05, 2026, 04:55:28 PM »Quote
compare the 8800 GT with the GTX 260 the difference is earlier leopard support?
Gemini said
That is exactly right. The most significant functional difference between these two cards for a legacy project is where their support begins and ends within the macOS ecosystem.
While both are based on the NVIDIA "Tesla" architecture, they represent two different generations (G92 vs. GT200). Here is how they compare specifically for your builds:
1. The "Leopard" Factor (OS X 10.5)
8800 GT: This is a native Leopard hero. Because Apple sold a "Mac Edition" of this card specifically for the 2008 Mac Pro, the drivers are baked into OS X 10.5.2 and later. It is rock-solid for that OS.
GTX 260: This card arrived later. It has zero native support in 10.5. To get it working, you usually have to "hack" it by injecting device IDs into the 8800 GT's drivers or using experimental web drivers, which often results in stability issues or no hardware acceleration at all.
2. Performance & Power (The "Brute Force" Difference)
If you move up to 10.6.8 Snow Leopard, the GTX 260 shows its strength:
Speed: The GTX 260 is roughly 30-50% faster than the 8800 GT. It has more than double the CUDA cores (192 or 216 vs. 112) and a much wider memory bus (448-bit vs. 256-bit).
VRAM: The GTX 260 usually has 896MB, which is much better for dual-monitor setups than the 512MB found on most 8800 GTs.
Power: The 8800 GT is a "single-slot" card that requires one 6-pin power connector. The GTX 260 is a massive "dual-slot" card that requires two 6-pin connectors and generates significantly more heat.
3. Compatibility with your Hardware (P5B / P5PE-VM)
ASUS P5B Deluxe: Both cards will work well here, but the GTX 260 is a large card. Ensure your power supply can handle the 180W+ draw of a GTX 260.
ASUS P5PE-VM: I would not recommend the GTX 260 for this board. That board is quite compact and relies on older power delivery standards. The 8800 GT is the much safer, more period-accurate choice for a 10.5/10.6 build on that specific hardware.
Comparison Summary
Feature NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
First OS Support 10.5.2 (Native) 10.6.0 (Usually needs Web Drivers)
Max OS Support 10.7.5 (Lion) 10.7.5 (Lion)
Power Connectors 1x 6-pin 2x 6-pin
Best Use Case Leopard (10.5) Perfection Snow Leopard (10.6) Powerhouse
Verdict: If your goal is to run 10.5 Leopard, the 8800 GT is the winner because it is "plug-and-play." If you are staying strictly on 10.6.8 and have a beefy power supply, the GTX 260 is the faster card, but it's a "dead end" for the older OS versions you've been exploring.
58
OsX86 Hackintosh (Intel / AMD) / Re: OpenCore/Hackintosh sadly dead after Apple ends Intel Mac support (July 2025)
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 05, 2026, 04:53:51 PM »Hackintosh is dead. Long live Hackintosh 
59
OsX86 Hackintosh (Intel / AMD) / For 10.5 Leopard: The GeForce 8800 GT is the undisputed champion for speed
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 05, 2026, 04:52:27 PM »Yes, it is very safe to say the GeForce 8800 GT was the superior choice for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.
While the HD 5000 series is the king of Snow Leopard, the 8800 GT was the absolute performance leader for the Leopard era, especially for gaming and 3D work.
Why the 8800 GT ruled Leopard (10.5)
Raw Gaming Power: In 2008, the 8800 GT was significantly faster in OpenGL benchmarks (like Doom 3, Quake 4, and Halo) than the stock ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT or even the high-end Radeon X1900 XT.
The "G92" Architecture: This was NVIDIA’s first massive leap into modern unified shaders. It handled Leopard’s UI effects and 3D applications much more smoothly than the older ATI architectures.
Native Stability: Because Apple sold this card as a high-end "Upgrade Kit" for both the 1st Gen (2006/2007) and 2nd Gen (2008) Mac Pros, the drivers were deeply integrated into Leopard. It was the most stable "power user" card of that specific OS version.
The One Exception: "Pro Apps"
There was a small "catch" at the time:
Core Image: Apple’s "Pro Apps" (like Aperture, Motion, and Final Cut Pro) relied heavily on an engine called Core Image.
ATI cards (like the later Radeon HD 3870) were actually better optimized for Core Image than NVIDIA cards. If you were doing heavy video editing or photo work in 10.5, the ATI 3870 could sometimes outperform the 8800 GT in those specific tasks, even though the 8800 GT was faster for everything else.
Summary for your Builds
For 10.5 Leopard: The GeForce 8800 GT is the undisputed champion for speed and compatibility.
For 10.6.8 Snow Leopard: The ATI HD 5770 / 5870 takes the crown because it supports newer technologies like OpenCL that 10.6 introduced.
Since you've been working with the ASUS P5B Deluxe, the 8800 GT is a perfect period-accurate match. It feels "right" for that hardware and will give you the most authentic 2008-era Hackintosh experience.
While the HD 5000 series is the king of Snow Leopard, the 8800 GT was the absolute performance leader for the Leopard era, especially for gaming and 3D work.
Why the 8800 GT ruled Leopard (10.5)
Raw Gaming Power: In 2008, the 8800 GT was significantly faster in OpenGL benchmarks (like Doom 3, Quake 4, and Halo) than the stock ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT or even the high-end Radeon X1900 XT.
The "G92" Architecture: This was NVIDIA’s first massive leap into modern unified shaders. It handled Leopard’s UI effects and 3D applications much more smoothly than the older ATI architectures.
Native Stability: Because Apple sold this card as a high-end "Upgrade Kit" for both the 1st Gen (2006/2007) and 2nd Gen (2008) Mac Pros, the drivers were deeply integrated into Leopard. It was the most stable "power user" card of that specific OS version.
The One Exception: "Pro Apps"
There was a small "catch" at the time:
Core Image: Apple’s "Pro Apps" (like Aperture, Motion, and Final Cut Pro) relied heavily on an engine called Core Image.
ATI cards (like the later Radeon HD 3870) were actually better optimized for Core Image than NVIDIA cards. If you were doing heavy video editing or photo work in 10.5, the ATI 3870 could sometimes outperform the 8800 GT in those specific tasks, even though the 8800 GT was faster for everything else.
Summary for your Builds
For 10.5 Leopard: The GeForce 8800 GT is the undisputed champion for speed and compatibility.
For 10.6.8 Snow Leopard: The ATI HD 5770 / 5870 takes the crown because it supports newer technologies like OpenCL that 10.6 introduced.
Since you've been working with the ASUS P5B Deluxe, the 8800 GT is a perfect period-accurate match. It feels "right" for that hardware and will give you the most authentic 2008-era Hackintosh experience.
60
OsX86 Hackintosh (Intel / AMD) / Re: the HD5000 series is better for snow leopard than the tesla GT 200 series
« Last post by chrisNova777 on April 05, 2026, 04:48:24 PM »In the PassMark G3D Mark benchmark, the Radeon HD 5770 currently outperforms the GeForce GTX 260.
Benchmark Comparison
According to the latest PassMark software data, the scores for these desktop graphics cards are:
Graphics Card PassMark G3D Mark Overall Rank
Radeon HD 5770 1,349 1192
GeForce GTX 260 1,114 1246
Key Differences
DirectX Support: The Radeon HD 5770 supports DirectX 11.0, whereas the GeForce GTX 260 is limited to DirectX 10.
Efficiency: The HD 5770 has a maximum TDP of 108 W, while the GTX 260 is generally less power-efficient.
Release Context: When first benchmarked, the cards were often compared to the Radeon HD 4870. While the GTX 260 sometimes performed better in older synthetic tests like 3DMark Vantage, the HD 5770's newer architecture has allowed it to maintain a higher average score in PassMark's overall G3D suite.
Benchmark Comparison
According to the latest PassMark software data, the scores for these desktop graphics cards are:
Graphics Card PassMark G3D Mark Overall Rank
Radeon HD 5770 1,349 1192
GeForce GTX 260 1,114 1246
Key Differences
DirectX Support: The Radeon HD 5770 supports DirectX 11.0, whereas the GeForce GTX 260 is limited to DirectX 10.
Efficiency: The HD 5770 has a maximum TDP of 108 W, while the GTX 260 is generally less power-efficient.
Release Context: When first benchmarked, the cards were often compared to the Radeon HD 4870. While the GTX 260 sometimes performed better in older synthetic tests like 3DMark Vantage, the HD 5770's newer architecture has allowed it to maintain a higher average score in PassMark's overall G3D suite.