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HP Compaq DC7100 (PL238ES): Cedarmill 64bit Pentium 4 631 3.0GHz


pero69

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Just want to check what is newest OS X version possible to install on this (very) old HP desktop (with integrated GMA950 or discrete NVidia graphic). Lion maybe? Or Leopard only? if someone already than this, and  know or have some guide how to do it (from far past), please post it here.

 

Thank you

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Answers here and/or here. Do think of using the forum Search facility before posting.

 

Note that you wouldn't be able to do much with such obsolete hardware and the old OS/software it'd support; even old Web browsers will be incompatible with many if not most of today's Internet web sites. Oh, and note that old (Prescot) Pentium 4 530 is 32bit, not 64bit... I would not waste my time trying to install Mac OS X on this old thing if I were you.

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I use search for 7100 and found only this topic, but this one is related to 32-bit CPU. In my 7100 is 64-bit CPU (sorry, my mistake, it is not 530, it is 631)...

 

hp_cpu.gif.e9937752157c0d55559b9890fe5620a5.gif

 

hp_mb.gif.b301caeca203e3bb5a56a07635143ac0.gif

 

Beside integrated graphic, I have NVIDIA GT218 (GeForce 210).

 

I just need to use this outdated hardware for testing my multi-platform PC  side (Win, Linux, OSX, 32/64-bit) that working with my USB 2.0 (CDC) device over command line interface, nothing else. And I can re-compile it even on Leopard and it is working fine.

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You won't get much assistance (if any at all !) re: installation of Leopard; it's far too old and we never supported 10.5 here anyway so you'd have to try your chances at other places like InsanelyMac.

 

Given that the thread you found shows @TheNuutti8 had managed to install SL 10.6.8 on his Prescott-based 7100, try that, obviously it'll work! Apart from the CPU, specs of your 7100 should be identical. Since the vanilla kernel does not support P4 CPUs, use good old Nawcom's ModCD to install Snow Leopard (we've got a copy of ModCD on the forum); from memory, it uses legacy/modded kernel by default. It's what @TheNuutti8 had done.

 

Most things should work Ok in 32bit kernel mode, but probably not in 64bit mode (eg: AC97 audio). The nVidia G210 should be supported OOB in SL; on the other hand, no support whatsoever for integrated GMA900 graphics of i915G chipset (not GMA950 as stated initially since that came with 945G chipset)...

 

Good luck!

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It has been a while since my last stay at OSxLatitude forums but if I remember correctly, I re-did the installation a few times with different strategies.


The 1st problem with this generation P4 chips is the lack of SSSE3 instructions, but this can be circumvented with the Nawcom ModCD and legacy kernel.

 

The second major problem is the onboard graphics, as they are not supported in SL. Of course, any supported gpu can be retrofitted.

 

Needed kernel flags:

legacy_kernel arch=i386 -legacy cpus=1

 

 

My suggestions for a install strategy:

1) Install 10.6.3 with ModCD, and install the bare minimum necessary kexts.

2) configure your bootloader of choice

3) Download 10.6.8 combo update and the legacy kernel for 10.6.8. 
4) run the combo update but DO NOT LET IT REBOOT!

5) install the legacy kernell for 10.6.8 and then reboot

6) install non essential kexts such as audio and networking

7) success

 

Good luck!

 

-N

 

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