VOID Station

Building a Hackintosh OS X 10.9.1 machine

Recently I have build a Hackintosh OS X 10.9.1 machine
https://novabench.com/view/557995 (stats for a normal MacPro4,1)

Hackintosh

It contains the following hardware:

  • Z77MX-QUO-AOS Motherboard (link)
  • Asus GTX660 TI-DC2OC-3GD5 GeForce GTX 660 Ti Graphic Card – 1006 MHz Core – 3 GB GDDR5 SDRAM – PCI Express 3.0
  • Intel Core i7 3770 / 3.4 GHz – 4 cores – 8 threads – Retail Box
  • Crucial CT120M500SSD1 2.5-inch 120GB M500 SATA 6Gb/s Internal Solid State Drive
  • 2 x 8Gb Corsair Value Select 240-Pin SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
  • WD Black WD4003FZEX 4TB
  • BitFenix Shadow – Midtower
  • Corsair Builder Series CX430 power supply

Install everything in a case.
Flash the BIOS with a file from this source https://mrq7bqbfgwmjzd5m.tor2web.org/
I used this one Z77MXQUOAOS.H3A.820M.

I installed OSX like normall (from USB stick). Note that you don’t need any Hacktintosh tools like tonymacx86 or others. All the special stuff is done with the BIOS and the motherboard. It fakes to be a MacPro3,1 and therefore allows OS X to be installed.
All the updates can also be installed directly because of this. On other Hackintosh computers it is always a gamble if it will work.

After adding some final tuning like:

  • Enable TRIM support with Chameleon for the SSD
  • Fix onboard audio with drivers
  • Adding Bluetooth and an WiFi USB dongle

I was able to run my system, and it has been stable for a week.
The one thing that hasn’t worked out is getting the 4TB drive to be 1 partition ExFat.
Once I have created it and OS X sees it it behaves normal but after a reboot the system halts on BIOS.
I worked around it with dividing the disk in 3 ExFat partitions.

Benchmark NovaBench:

Conslusion:
I think you can’t go wrong with this setup. The cost without the two monitors is around 1.000 euro and dropping rapidly.
The motherboard is hard to come-by but there are other options (untested by me).
Read this article by TechSpot, it has been a great help.

Microsoft Windows 8 64bit update fail process

By owning a Dell XPS-1330 laptop from 2008 I am bound to be using a version of Windows.
This is fine because I am a long time fan and happy user of Microsoft software.
I also use Linux and OSX so it is all fine with me.

I am writing here to describe my frustration with Microsoft and the in ability to understand and cater to there consumers like me.
If I was the Product owner of Windows 8 I would be deeply ashamed with the upgrade path for existing users.

Here is the history before we start with the upgrade:
The machine has been upgraded from Windows XP 32bit to Windows 7 32bit (with 64bit on DVD family license).
The upgrade could have been done to 64bit without a clean install and I needed to have my apps then so I upgraded and excepted the lack of 64bit.

My curiosity for Windows 8 has been risen because of all the Surface thing etc, so i decided to do a clean install with hopefully a 64bit install of Windows 8.

When I started with the upgrade assistend it checked my system and found out that it could upgrade etc.
I decided it couldn’t because I want 64bit. I therefore downloaded it to an ISO and burned a DVD booted and installed the Windows 8.
It all went fine, until I found out that it had installed 32bit version of the OS.
You can imagine I was very unhappy with this. I had spend money and did not get what I wanted and payed for.

The next morning (after a cool down) I decided to call Microsoft Netherlands for advice and a download location of a 64bit ISO file for installation.
The guy picking up the phone was Mark Boots, he started to ask me about my PC and I explained the situation.
His answer was that I should buy a full version Windows 8 license for around € 150,-.
I was outraged and told him about upgrade paths on OSX and the costs involved.
I also told him that I would involve the “Consumentenbond” in this customer decide, he made me clear that he wanted to have his name included so again, Mark Boots.
https://twitter.com/markboots/status/243429663135911938
And may I suggest you train a little more because I have found a legal solution.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj203353.aspx

Solutions:

  1. Buy the upgrade and order the DVD’s to your home with an extra charge of € 14,-
  2. Go and find and Windows XP or Windows 7 64Bits machine with your language version installed.
    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only
    Use the upgrade assistend and your own license to download the the ISO file (be careful not to upgrade that machine).
  3. Go to a Arrrbeach.se (Pirate something) site and download an unaltered retail version of the 64bit version of the install DVD for Windows 8.
  4. Download a trail version and install that and insert the license later. (untested, just theory)

All the above solutions will result in an ISO file download which you can burn to a DVD and boot from to make a clean-install on your target PC.

To Microsoft:

  1. Why isn’t there an ISO download place with all versions?
  2. Why don’t I get 64bit ISO and 32bit ISO downloads?
  3. Why is the Language thing still so hard for you and not for OSX/Linux?
  4. Why are your trained “Professionals” so bad and not service oriented?
  5. Where can I send the bill for this consulting job?
  6. Why have you let me down as a long lasting customer for a very long time? I even do VBScript and own Windows Servers.

Sources:
http://www.ghacks.net/2012/10/27/windows-8-upgrade-from-32-bit-to-64-bit-system/
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-windows_install/i-im-not-getting-any-option-to-create-an-iso/0f53f497-c44d-4e87-beba-1549d6668a70

Yeah, my first Myspace follower!

Yeah my first Myspace connection has been made.
https://new.myspace.com/kjeld

If I where you I would get mine with the vanity-URL of your liking.

Teaching myself to “Shoot Video Like a Pro”

I have started to teach myself to shoot and edit better video clips.
To do this I will be going to do a series of short clips that show ordinary routines in a cinematic way.
My Bicycle needed washing so I pulled out my kit and tried to shoot it.

Learnings:
More after shots needed.
More different angles.
More movement like the pedels and chain.
But this was very difficult to do with only me, I needed extra hands.
Audio (Zoom H1) needs a wind-screen.

Editing:
I did some grading and color correction.
There also needs to be some music or other stuff in there, don’t know what yet.

Web Symbols – Free Dingbat Font For Web Apps

It is a common problem for developers like myself with a lack of design skills to use text links in a CMS for a quick fix without the need of a designer.
But now I have found a better solution.

Just use these custom fonts and CSS shading and gradients and it looks great instantly. The work on all platforms and are sharp on retina displays because of vector rendering. Don’t mess with bitmap icons any more use a font.

Web Symbols – Free Dingbat Font For Web Apps
Font Awesome

CSS3 Gradient Generator

In need of some good CSS gradient tools?
look no further! This online helper is a lifesaver.
Everyone hates the -webkit -moz etc stuf, but this helps to keep your mind sane.

CSS3 Gradient Generator.

The price of an app < 10K

A tweet started something to elaborate the price for an application that has to be build.
Mirabeu stated that it could not be done for less then 10K euro.

I will try to show you what I think based on prices below.
5 x 8 x € 85 programming app (1 OS)
5 x 8 x € 85 programming backend
5 x 8 x € 85 design
5 x 4 x € 65 project management
€ 1.000 monthly hosting
€ 600 setup hosting

total € 13.100 excluding V.A.T.
This is not realistic, creating an application in 5 days programming is NOT possible.

My conclusion is that Mirabeu is right.
Please let me know what you think, and what your function is, developer or client.

Version 0.8 of Stockduo is out in the wild

Stockduo.com we are live!

It has been a while and the development has been though, but I have succeeded and there is a rough version live which needs updating.

I will iterate to make it beter constantly with features like mail alerting user portfolio for your favorite stocks. Facebook connections to give your close friends the tips to help them out.

The code writing has been awesome, and I am going to make it one of the best sites in the market.
The design and UX needs a lott of work I know. Also more stock markets should be entered.

The site could use an angel investor, so if your interested, please contact me.