Clone OpenStar Hackintosh osx86 user review/feedback thread

[wolfiebear]

Still working on it.....

goto
http://fruityclone.com/
its the website some guy he screwed like us
we need to find this crook and all get our moneyback, any lawyer buy one of these???
Seller: Pat Berry - eBay name: invisiblemillionaire
Openstar Computing
2605 Stenson Drive
Cedar Park, TX 78613
Phone 512 299 3383
Phone 512 377 1343 - Call this number to verify the answering service

The first number above has been disconnected and the second one has a recording that says you might get a call back in about a week, if you decide to leave a message.

As to "what did you (I) expect?"
Well, I had just been ripped off of my computer and needed one desperately. (Heck, I bought a car off a eBay 7 years ago, and it has been the best car I ever owned!!) I figured that if folks are making their own clones for around the $500 and up mark, then it is totally feasible that some of them might be selling them for a profit, and still have a decent product.

At this point, I am trying to figure out how to build a clone...heck I already have the "Bag O' PArts" I paid for, so that's about my only option. I am having trouble though, as I am not quite geeky enough. I got Kalyway 10.5.1 on it, but it freezes on the start-up screen. With Kalyway 10.5.2, I have not been as lucky yet.

Does ANYBODY know how to make a bootable clone of the system HD on a Mac clone computer? I am supposed to be able to it from what I read, but no luck so far. (I have formatted the disk for PC as instructed and used both Disk Utility and SUPER DUPER. It looks fine, but the HD disk won't boot.

At least with a bootable version of one of my older back-ups, I could have a machine once this ever degrading disk bites the dust.....

And yes....Pat Berry of Open Star has not answered or returned any phone calls. On his online business promo line, I left a message in a different name and that call did not get returned either.

Meanwhile back to the drawing board. The machine IS still running.....but it is like pulling my hair out. I NEED a back-up or working OS for it, and have not had any luck getting that to work.
Any assistance in any way greatly appreciated.

~Inga

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

The first number above has been disconnected and the second one has a recording that says you might get a call back in about a week, if you decide to leave a message.

As to "what did you (I) expect?"
Well, I had just been ripped off of my computer and needed one desperately. (Heck, I bought a car off a eBay 7 years ago, and it has been the best car I ever owned!!) I figured that if folks are making their own clones for around the $500 and up mark, then it is totally feasible that some of them might be selling them for a profit, and still have a decent product.

At this point, I am trying to figure out how to build a clone...heck I already have the "Bag O' PArts" I paid for, so that's about my only option. I am having trouble though, as I am not quite geeky enough. I got Kalyway 10.5.1 on it, but it freezes on the start-up screen. With Kalyway 10.5.2, I have not been as lucky yet.

Does ANYBODY know how to make a bootable clone of the system HD on a Mac clone computer? I am supposed to be able to it from what I read, but no luck so far. (I have formatted the disk for PC as instructed and used both Disk Utility and SUPER DUPER. It looks fine, but the HD disk won't boot.

At least with a bootable version of one of my older back-ups, I could have a machine once this ever degrading disk bites the dust.....

And yes....Pat Berry of Open Star has not answered or returned any phone calls. On his online business promo line, I left a message in a different name and that call did not get returned either.

Meanwhile back to the drawing board. The machine IS still running.....but it is like pulling my hair out. I NEED a back-up or working OS for it, and have not had any luck getting that to work.
Any assistance in any way greatly appreciated.

~Inga

Seriously, don't you think it's time to cut your losses, sell the parts you've got and buy a mac mini or a second hand Intel mac?

 

[wolfiebear]

...oops

 

[wolfiebear]

Seriously, don't you think it's time to cut your losses, sell the parts you've got and buy a mac mini or a second hand Intel mac?

Yes, it indeed looks like I will need to buy yet a third new computer. Medical needs make it really hard to do things sometimes that otherwise seem simple, though....sigh. What a shame.

Also, I am not sure if a defective motherboard is not the problem on this machine.... so that pretty leaves just the processor to sell, I guess....maybe some RAM sticks....not enough to get another Mac. There in lies the problem.
Besides, this machine DOES still run......it is just very problematic and I fear it could bite it any minute. I don't really feel like throwing the baby out with the bathwater when I can't afford it, you see. What I really need is a way to put a new, clean OS on it and to be able to make a bootable back-up disk.

But yeah...... I hear what you are saying....if it were only just that simple.....

~Inga

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

Do a quick search for completed auctions on eBay for all the separate parts. I tried the hackintosh route out myself before even the Intel macs were out. It's just not worth the hassle and I knew what I was doing. I doubt any parts of your system are faulty but it's more likely just built badly. Relatively easy to redo if you know what you're doing but is it really worth the hassle to you? Do yourself a favour and pawn off all the parts seperately and buy a cheap Intel Mac. Early Mac Minis and white iMacs aren't too expensive on eBay. I really feel sorry for you, this sheister's karma will hopefully catch up with him some day.

Edit: You've probably already done this but if it's still running at 3.2GHz, bring it down to stock speeds.

 

[Andy348]

Honestly, I would love to have a new mac pro. But dammit man, I would also love to have a new Mercedes CLS63. Hell ya.. ... but... ya... some day

And I never said 'never' shut down. I cycle it occasionally. Haven't really noticed any performance decrease due to a build up of unused processes.

No AMG?

 

[iWantiPhone]

No AMG?

extremely off-topic: when ever a mercedes ends with 2 numbers, it is an AMG.

for example SL55 = AMG
SL550 = non-AMG (although the sl55 was replaced with the sl63 and the sl500 was replaced with the sl550).

anyway, i just want to say that i think Psystar is better then some random guy on ebay, however building it your self is the best. keep in mind, if you do build it yourself, check beforehand to make sure all of the components you buy work with OS X. My computer (in sig) works 100% stable in OS X.

 

[Qianlong]

To Wolfiebear

Can you tell me the specification and the components make up of your comp?

Is it possible to make some pics of the inside components if you don't know the specs?

If your DVD and HDD are both sata that's good, because most hackintoshes only work 100% with sata hardware.

2nd thing I would do is to undo the 3.2Ghz overclock (OC). I'm sure they fitted your CPU with a stock or cheap CPU cooler, so the OC must heat up the CPU -> crashes and freezes!

maybe putting the bios into default settings would undo the OC.

I wouldn't sell your parts, cause your not getting a lot of for it a think.

Unless you have faulty components, I think you can make the comp work again with osx.

maybe you have to spend some money on a new motherboard, ex a Gygabyte EP48 - DS3 is quit cheap and works 100%
http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/HCL_10.5.6#Gigabyte

If anything fails or you don't want to spend more money on the comp, you still could turn it into a windows machine.


I'm planning to build my 1st hack this summer, cause I don't have money for a Mac Pro or don't want the non upgradability of the imac. So whats's left for us comp geeks ;-)

 

[fswartz3]

Pat Berry lawsuit ?

I have been taken by this Pat Berry too, has any of you who bought from this crook thought of getting together and hiring a lawyer and doing a class action lawsuit against this guy?

 

[Diggi]

Just a quick note:

I too was taken by Pat Berry of MacTel. (that's what he used to call his business). He sold me a 3.2 Quad core, and indeed it was an over-clocked. He lied to me. He took my money, and the computer I received did not operate correctly. He said he'd SELL me a new drive for the thing, or I could pay to ship it back to him for repair.

What a SCUMBAG - no one does business like this, and it's the same reason he is NOT in business anymore.

I have someone helping me find him so I get my money back. That's the only reason I want to find him - just to get my money back and to give him his crappy machine back. It's been sitting in the corner of my office since the week I received it.

In my opinion, Pat Berry - Mac Clone man is a THEIF.

If anyone knows how I can contact him, please post here or PM me - please, please, please.

If you want to work with me to find him, great. I think there are enough folks here who are owed money to justify a collective effort to find him.

 

[Chimpy]

1) I see the OP hasn't piped up after all of these complaints have surfaced. Not feeling as cocky anymore, are we?

2) IT DOESN'T TURN ON SOME TIMES and you claim his customer service is excellent?! We have very different definitions of that term, obviously.

3) You can spend about the same amount of money and build your own Hackintosh with known good components (top of the line, in fact) and much more peace of mind. Sure, it'd require you to do some research and learn, but seeing as you're getting a CS degree that's a plus, not a minus.

4) Check out this link for an easy-peasy Snow Leopard compatible tutorial complete with Newegg links:

http://lifehacker.com/5351485/how-to-build-a-hackintosh-with-snow-leopard-start-to-finish

Good luck. I suspect you're going to need it .

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

I'm at a loss as to why anyone would want to build a Mac "Pro" using a Core 2 Quad CPU, DDR2-800 RAM, and LGA 775 socket compatible motherboard. Aren't all of these pretty outdated technologies? I'm not trying to flame anyone, I'm sincerely wondering.

 

[cmaier]

I'm at a loss as to why anyone would want to build a Mac "Pro" using a Core 2 Quad CPU, DDR2-800 RAM, and LGA 775 socket compatible motherboard. Aren't all of these pretty outdated technologies? I'm not trying to flame anyone, I'm sincerely wondering.

I'm firmly in the anti-hackintosh camp, but those components make for a pretty good performance/price ratio. Now, the headaches/price ratio is another thing entirely...

 

[sidneyhop]

Pat Berry-Con Man-Shyster-SCUMBAG

Just putting out an FYI for all the bots to pick up if anyone ever does a search for this Pat Berry scumbag! He sell business software, computers, and is a bull***** motivational entrepreneurial business speaker, but in actuality Pat Berry of Austin, or cedar park, texas is a LYING, SCUMBAG, SHYSTER THEIF. Pat Berry should NEVER be trusted!

 

[brendon2020]

i went the hackintosh route with a pc i already owned, i'd never really used a mac day to day so it was a great start. Ending buying a mac mini, and then i caved and spent about 1400-1600 for a used mac pro dual 2.66 with apple care. Well worth it.

 

[nanofrog]

Now, the headaches/price ratio is another thing entirely...

It's not that bad using an EFI emulator + Vanilla Kernel method. It doesn't seem to be breaking with each update. Other methods, I'm not so sure on.

 

[digiworx]

I owned a hackintosh as well for a little more than a year but then I gave up. Speed was not an issue but drivers that where not working correctly, sleep and other things that did not work and last but not least I never really knew if it was going to boot. Sold off all the PC components and went out to buy a used Mac Pro 08 model with 1 year warranty and awesome customer support from a Swiss premium reseller. I paid about $1000 more but have a system that`s reliable, twice as fast and can be modified as well if you know how considering the hassle I had before I would even spend $2000 more if I need to but then again this is my machine that generates income...I don`t know why I tried the hackintosh route first anyway

Not a fan boy here but I know both worlds now and it`s not always price only you have to look at although I agree that the new 09 model is waaaaaaaay overpriced but the 08 ones are actually great value atm

 

[mingoglia]

The issues you've experienced very frequently occur from being over clocked. Some CPU's will overclock, some will not. Also some will overclock more than others. This is why if you play this game you have to burn them in and figure out which speed your CPU will run at. For me personally, I just stick with the stamped speed, though I've played around a bit in the past. Just isn't worth my time now as IMHO CPU hardware is increasing faster than the applications that require it. Rather than screwing with a marginal speed increase just spend some cash on doubling your RAM and have an even faster computer.

With that being said, I'd concentrate on getting the CPU speed to whatever it's designed to run at and I'd very confidently say your problems booting up/shutting down will go away.

One side note, I've seen really fast computers post before their hard drives had a chance to spin up and automatically detect the settings. This could be why a warm boot is more successful. To test this theory I'd boot into the BIOS and write down the HD settings and then manually set them up. Also depending on the BIOS you can sometimes add a 10 or 15 second pause in there. This used to be very common with SCSI drives as depending on the config (like if it had an array) the machine would boot faster than the array controller would post.

These are all things that a brand name computer will have worked out... but once you figure them out I'd bet you'll have yourself a nice stable computer for a long time.

Mike

 

[hugodrax]

Why go through all that trouble, just buy a dell with Windows 7 premium.

 

[lbodnar]

Just a technical note on overclocking.

Thermal interface materials used between heatsink and CPU - both phase-change pads and paste will lose their heat conductive properties with time. Their conductive quality can deteriorate by as much as a factor of two towards the end of product life.

So something working perfectly well right after assembly and 24h burn-in can start causing problems later on. Modern CPUs dissipating 100-150W of power can easily cause 5-10ºC differential between CPU top and heatsink bottom. If the system is using constant speed fan or has a thermal feedback sensor on the heat sink (like MacPro1,1 and 2,1) then it will regulate the heatsink temperature allowing the CPU to "float" higher.