Alternative to Mac OSX – Macbuntu on Shuttle PCs

I just installed “Macbuntu” on a Shuttle X50V2 for a customer. What a cool OS, looks and works just like Mac OSX, but way more compatible with a PC. The touchscreen worked right after installation along with the WiFi, Video, USB and Sound. I had to install software for the Webcam, but worked perfectly.

You can download and install it on a flash drive, then boot from the flash drive and run a live session for testing on your PC before you install it on the hard drive. It has a “System Test” you can run to make sure all your devices are compatible and drivers loaded. You can add software or drivers if needed and install on the flash drive.
It comes with LibreOffice which is compatible with Microsoft Office. You can install a program called “Wine” to give you compatibility with Microsoft Office and other Windows based programs. There are all kinds of other programs you can install also. You can install Flash, which we know Mac OSX isn’t compatible with. Once Wine is installed and another program, you can even install the Windows based iTunes 10. There are lots of other programs you can install to sync your iPhone, iPod and iPad if you don’t want to use iTunes.

So, if anyone is interested in this OS, which would work very well on the SH67H3 and have working Sound and USB 3.0 and no kernel panics, I highly recommend it and will post all the links and instructions for you.

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Need a Productivity Suite on your Hackintosh?

If you use your Hackintosh for work or business, you can install a FREE Productivity Suite that is compatible with MS Office. Some of you might already know about it, it’s called “OpenOffice Productivity Suite”. There is a version for all platforms including Mac OSx. It includes word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, database and a few other useful apps. You can save your files in .doc, .xls, .ppt, etc. formats to make it compatible with MS Office. It will also open files created in MS Office.

You can download it from here.

Shuttle PSU Calculator

Shuttle has created a nice calculator to determine if the stock power supply will accommodate the components you might want to install in your new builds or upgrades. It will tell you if you need to upgrade the power supply to the 500W PC63J. Select the model, enter the CPU, Graphics Card, Memory, Storage Devices and USB Devices, you can predetermine what components to purchase for compatibility with the PSU.

Here is the link to the Shuttle Power Supply Calculator.

By the way, the PC63J 500W power supply will be compatible with the new J4 and H3/H7 models.

Custom Shuttle SH55J2 with Snow Leopard

If anyone is interested in purchasing a custom built Shuttle SH55J2 with Snow Leopard already installed, send us an email with the components you would like and we will send you a quote.

In the subject line put “Custom SH55J2 w/Snow Leopard” and email to info@pcallinone.com.

More info on SH55J2 Snow Leopard install

After installing iBoot and Multibeast, I thought I would post a screenshot of the options we used in Multibeast to get Snow Leopard installed on the SH55J2. With these options checked off Snow Leopard worked perfectly with the specs we mentioned in an earlier post. Once Snow Leopard is working on the J2, you can start upgrading components like adding more memory, additional hard drives and higher end graphics cards.

Screen shot of Multibeast options for Shuttle SH55J2

Shuttle SH55J2 Hackintosh

We have tried and successfully installed MAC OS X Snow Leopard v10.6.5 on a SH55J2.

Initial specs we used in the J2 are:
Intel Core i3-540 Clarksdale
4 GB Super Talent 1333 memory
Nvidia GeForce 7200 GS graphics card
Western Digital 160GB 7200 hard drive

We started out with minimal components for testing purposes.
No DSDT were available for this model, so used the “Easybeast”.
No additional drivers needed for the Graphics Card we chose.
The Ethernet driver we posted a link to in an earlier post worked perfectly and the sound with the Realtek ALC8xxHDA option in Multibeast.

We did use the upgraded version of 3.0 on the Multibeast.

Shuttle SH55J2 Hackintosh Drivers

Here is the information for the Ethernet Driver and the Audio fix when installing Snow Leopard 10.6.5.

Ethernet driver link for the Realtek RTL 81xx.

Install VoodooHDA 2.56 for the Audio fix from MultiBeast.

Update on the Hackintosh for the SH55J2

For those of you looking for the “iBoot” and “MultiBeast” to help install Snow Leopard on your SH55J2.

Go to tonymacx86 blog. This page has all the instructions and downloads for installing Snow Leopard on an x86 pc.
Of course, you will have to purchase the Mac OS X Snow Leopard Retail DVD.

They also have a link to compatible graphics cards for the Mac OS X (on the same page), which you need to consider before purchasing a graphics card. I have also posted the compatible graphics cards for the SH55J2, so you might want to do some comparison between the two lists.

More is on the way, so stay tuned.

Hackintosh on the SH55J2 successes!!

It seems the Hackintosh community has been able to successfully install Snow Leopard on the Shuttle SH55J2 model. The only problems they had was the network and audio drivers, which they found a solution to.
They say, it even boots without iBoot once Multibeast has been installed.

We’re going the check this out and I’ll post our results. I’ll also post the links to the network and audio drivers.

Stay tuned.