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MacVidCards

Suspended
Nov 17, 2008
6,096
1,056
Hollywood, CA
There are no 64-bit Mac OS X kexts for the Intell GMA 950, only for the GMA X3100 even then they are unstable.

This is incorrect.

I have El Cap on a 2007 Mini. Required a USB 3 card but it works. And using the 64bit GMA950 kexts makes things better. Not perfect, but better.

To the poster above me, I'm not sure that MBP has socketed CPU, if it is soldered, it is staying.

There are threads in this section where you can get info on Mini flashing to 2,1 and threads in the relevant OS sections on getting the OS installed.
 

paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
Back on the thread, I had to already open the Mini cos the AirPort connector was detached so once figured it out how easy it is and since my son's old MBPro Core2 duo broke I have to get him a computer with a 64Bit capable cpu to run some software he needs, am gonna go for the T7600 CPU but I can't find the eBay link to the screws should they break, the ones to secure the heat sink. Already got thermal paste.

Another issue with regards to a post above, I did try to install 10.7 on the Mini but it refused to cos it needs a Core 2 duo cpu to install, just for the sake of personal experience.

If anybody could suggest links to read to perform the upgrade I'd be grateful.

Thank you


http://www.macintouch.com/specialreports/minimonster/
 

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
Apple never released 64-bit kexts for the GMA 950, only the X3100 with a few beta seeds of 10.6.3. People have modified the 64-bit kexts to drive the GMA 950, but the results are poor and still unstable as they are with the X3100.
 

Giuanniello

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 21, 2012
711
204
Capri - Italy
Hello,

resurrecting this thread cos I ordered the T7600 cpu, I will need the screws just in case they break (anybody can tell me measures, they should be 40mm M3, is that correct?) and then figure it out the various steps to upgrade the EFI and operating system, I will not run heavy software on it, if the surgery works I might add a 500GB SSD (which is cheap enough now) to run it as a media server to stream videos and music, will leave other tasks to the old but still powerful enough MBPro15" late 2011 (had the MB replaced under warranty thanks to the class action started in the US ), my concerns are:

- find the appropriate nuts and bolts to hold the heatsink in place
- upgrading the firmware
- upgrading the operating system to the latest as to be able to use iCloud if possible to share phonebook/calendar/etc

Thank you for your hints and attention

Giovanni
 

fhall1

macrumors 68040
Dec 18, 2007
3,816
1,237
(Central) NY State of mind
Four 4-40 x 3/4" nylon screws and nuts. Some sources: http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_n...e&_itemId=190718220151&_trksid=p2047675.m4099 Get them - those old plastic heat sink holders WILL break....trust me, I did the CPU upgrade last year. I think one came away intact - the others were so brittle it seemed they'd break if you breathed on them wrong.

Note: 4-40 is an American (inch) standard thread - size #4 w/40 threads per inch, so if you can't find this, the metric equivalent is an M3 x 20mm nylon screw
 
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Giuanniello

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 21, 2012
711
204
Capri - Italy
Ordered the 2.33Ghz CPU and the nylon screws and nuts, waiting for their arrival prior to proceed to surgery.

Now I need to go back through the upgrade steps, cpu, EFI bios upgrade etc etc and if it all works smooth might slap in an SSD to make of it our iTunes server so we can stream music and movies across home.

Thank you
 

hwojtek

macrumors 68020
Jan 26, 2008
2,274
1,276
Poznan, Poland
I didn't need any nuts nor screws with my Mini. I did this operation back in 2007 and this computer has then spent 8 years working as a HTPC with XBMC and then Kodi installed, CrystalHD card and a small SSD. Well worth and very simple upgrade.
 

Giuanniello

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 21, 2012
711
204
Capri - Italy
I'm now waiting, I guess it will take at least 3-4 weeks to get the CPU and dunno how long for the nuts but it's full season here and I will have no time to play with it before September, in the meantime I have time to find out the exact order in which to do the upgrade.

Can you share with me in detail what did you use to turn it into an HTPC and what you mean by CrystalHD?

Thank you
 

hwojtek

macrumors 68020
Jan 26, 2008
2,274
1,276
Poznan, Poland
The computer had a 32 GB SSD with OS X and Kodi (back then called XBMC) installed, was hooked up to a big-screen TV and to the Gigabit Ehternet wired network, with several TBs of disk array mounted as a network disk. All media from this array was played back via XBMC.
The CrystalHD is a small mini-pcie graphic accelerator card made by Broadcom that can be used to decode h264 in hardware instead of the usual software decoding. If you remove the Airport card from a 2006 Mini, the card will fill this slot. The card usually reduces processor utilization by a factor of 10. The older BMC 970012 was replaced with the 970015, even faster, smaller and decoding in better quality, so if you'd be looking for one, look for the latter.
 

Giuanniello

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 21, 2012
711
204
Capri - Italy
CPU installed successfully, had to use ziplocks rather than the screws cos those I bought don't fit, reading of the CPU on Sys Info reads correctly at 2.33GHZ, updating firmware now to version 2.1, update successful but a long white line across screen looks no good, computer started but it seems there are issues with the video board after firmware upgrade, any hint?
[doublepost=1470839986][/doublepost]A PRAM reset fixed it all, have to now figure it out how to upgrade OS to Lion I guess, have to download it somewhere and try and upgrade, it would be the best if I could have iCloud active!!!
 
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