Install Osx On Dell Xps 8700

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Last year, we published an article examining the Dell XPS 8300, one of the few prebuilt computers in the retail market that had been confirmed to work Mac OS X. Since then, however, the XPS 8300 has been superseded by newer computers, with faster processors and updated graphics cards. Instead of the XPS 8300, we now have its successor to work with: the XPS 8500.
Dell XPS 8500 ($800+)

OS Name Microsoft Windows 8.1 Version 6.3.9600 Build 9600 System Model XPS 8700 System Type x64-based PC System SKU 0x05B7 Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4790 CPU @ 3.60GHz, 3601 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s) BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A11, 7/9/2015 SMBIOS Version 2.7 Embedded Controller Version 255.255 BIOS Mode UEFI BaseBoard Manufacturer Dell Inc. BaseBoard Name Base Board. Follow this step if you are setting up Hackintosh Installer on a Mac or existing Hackintosh. Plug your USB drive into Mac, and open Disk Utility (located in Applications-Utilities in your main hard drive). Select your USB drive in the sidebar of Disk Utility and erase the drive, with the “Format” set to “Mac OS Extended (Journaled. About This Mac If you are looking for tutorial on how to install Lion instead of Snow Leopard then you should read my journal. I’ve been using a dual boot configuration between Mac OS X Snow Leopard (vanilla kernel) and for more than a year, and always want to write down and share the steps that I’ve taken to successfully install OS X 10.6 on my Dell XPS M1330 but I never got the time.



What You Get: The XPS 8500 is essentially an exact copy of its Hackintosh-friendly predecessor, the XPS 8300. Like its predecessor, the XPS 8500 is one of the few prebuilt computers in the retail market that works almost entirely with Mac OS X. And unlike most 'prebuilts', the XPS 8500 uses an Intel Core processor from the relatively new Ivy Bridge generation (Ivy Bridge processors have model numbers in the 3000's, like the i7-3770).
Beyond the processor, the XPS 8300 includes a DVD/Bluray drive, 8 to 12 GB of RAM, and a 7200 RPM hard drive. Some models of the XPS 8500 also have a WiFi adapter. Every model of the XPS 8500 includes a separate graphics card, but the specific card that you get depends on which model you purchase (more on this in the next section). Like most prebuilt computers, the XPS 8500 comes in a relatively small mid-tower case. This makes it more portable, but also makes it a pain to upgrade with new parts.Dell
Xps
The main difference between the XPS 8500 and 8300 is that it's much cheaper to turn the XPS 8500 into a Hackintosh. The only models of the old XPS 8300 that worked with Mac OS X cost $1600+, as a result of incompatible graphics cards in the cheaper models. In the case of the new XPS 8500, however, even relatively cheap mid-end models have Hackintosh-compatible graphics cards. Many of the sub-$1000 models of the XPS 8500 come with a NVIDIA GT 640 graphics card, which works out of the box with Mac OS X. Some of the cheaper models of the XPS 8500 come with a Radeon HD 7570 graphics card, which is incompatible with Mac OS X, but you can just use the integrated HD 4000 graphics on the computer's Intel i7-3770 processor instead. The only models that don't work with Mac OS X whatsoever are the very cheapest (sub-$800) models that use an incompatible GT 620 and a i5-3550P processor (which doesn't have any integrated graphics).
Hackintosh Compatibility: Most of the features on the XPS 8500 work with OS X Mountain Lion, including booting from the hard drive, ethernet, sound, and graphics (assuming you bought the right model). You can usually update Mountain Lion without a problem. Sleep mode, Bluetooth, and USB 3.0 also work, though these three features tend to be relatively unreliable. The only part of the XPS 8500 that is completely incompatible is the WiFi adapter. If you need WiFi, you'll have to purchase a separate WiFi adapter.
Unfortunately, there aren't any comprehensive guides on setting up Mac OS X on the XPS 8500; this is the main reason why we haven't officially recommended the XPS 8500 until now. Leonowski from tonymacx86 has provided a rudimentary guide on the initial Mac OS X installation, but it's not up to date on certain parts of the process (especially the part about installing VoodooHDA, which is no longer necessary). We'll try to summarize the installation process right now: you can install OS X Mountain Lion on the XPS 8500 normally through the Unibeast method. From there, install the following options in Multibeast:
That should get everything up and running, more or less. The exact setup process may vary depending on your particular model of the XPS 8500. If you have the model that uses an incompatible Radeon HD 7570 graphics card, you will have to use your computer's integrated graphics instead (essentially steps 1-7 of leonowski's guide). You can do this by plugging your monitor into the HDMI port of your motherboard. If you have the model that uses a Radeon HD 7770 graphics card, you will have to do the same thing, and then follow the steps in this guide to enabling the Radeon 7000 series to get your computer fully working later.
The XPS 8500 has only been confirmed to work with OS X Mountain Lion. While Lion will likely also work, you probably won't be able to install Mac OS X Snow Leopard, since the XPS 8500 uses an Ivy Bridge processor. While it's technically possible to install Snow Leopard on an Ivy Bridge processor, the support is experimental and always will be.
NOTE: The motherboard of the XPS 8500 uses UEFI. Mac OS X does not yet support UEFI, so you may have to enter the BIOS of your XPS 8500 and turn off 'UEFI mode' and 'Secure boot' for the installation process to start properly.
SOURCE: Guide: Dell XPS 8500 [tonymacx86]

Mini SATA Install To Upgrade 32GB to 480GB

In our post on the Dell XPS 8700 overview, including a video, I mentioned how we would upgrade the mSATA SSD on the motherboard from 32GB to a larger Solid State Drive that we could run everything from. The original Dell configuration (which was not done correctly…) was to have the small – by today’s standards – 32GB SSD act as a cache for frequently accessed data on the 2TB 7200rpm conventional SATA hard drive.

Windows 8 does run better with an SSD cache, but if you can keep your really big files on a partition other than your Windows partition then why not run everything on a super fast SSD and speed up your PC as much as possible?

Install Osx On Dell Xps 8700 Download

I have been running on SSD’s for several years now and writing about the performance benefits. So the only difference on this Dell XPS is that since it has a mini-SATA or mSATA on the motherboard it’s the obvious choice for my SSD upgrade. The cost of an mSATA SSD over 2.5″ model is only $10 on the Crucial m500 I bought. That $10 price advantage, BTW, would be negated by the 2.5″ to 3.5″ drive adapter I would have to buy in order to mount a 2.5″ SSD (perfect size for laptop) in a desktop PC.

Mini-SATA SSD Advantages

Install Osx On Dell Xps 8700

I really don’t know if the mSATA on the motherboard is better performing than a conventially installed SSD; it kind of makes sense that it COULD be, but it does save a hard drive slot if you want additional drives mounted inside of the computer case and results in fewer cables tangled up in your case.

Should I ever want to use the mini-SATA SSD elsewhere on a PC that does NOT have the mount on the motherboard, simply spend $10 on an adapter and you are good to go.

In fact, that is what I am doing with the 32GB mSATA from the Dell XPS, putting it on a Syba mSATA SSD to 2.5-Inch SATA Adapter (SY-ADA40050) and installing in an Asus EEE PC for a great speed up on that machine. And 32GB is plenty for an EEE PC.

How To Install A mSATA SSD

Install

As you can see in the video below, installing the mSATA SSD on the motherboard is quick and easy. Here are the steps.

Install Osx On Dell Xps 8700 Desktop

  • BACKUP any data on the PC (ALWAYS a good idea, but especially before making hardware changes)
  • If the mSATA is currently being used as a cache, I would suggest disabling cache and freeing up the mSATA using the software provided by your computer manufacturer (Intel in my case).
  • UNPLUG the computer
  • Place on static free, clean, workspace. Counter tops are fine but if you can NOT be standing on carpet all the better. Use an anti-static wrist guard if necessary.
  • Take the cover off the PC and WAIT until any glowing LEDs on the motherboard go out. LEDs lit indicate there are still traces of power in the system.
  • Remove any cables or add-in cards (like video) that are in the way
  • Remove the two retaining screws on the mini-SATA SSD card, it should then spring-up to about a 30 degree angle or so
  • Remove the mSATA by pulling straight out (should come out EASILY) at the “popped up” angle, place in anti-static container (like the plastic package the new one came in)
  • Install new mSATA SSD by gently inserting at that same “popped up” angle. I used a Crucial m500 mSATA
  • Gently push down to motherboard
  • Insert and snug the two retaining screws
  • Reinstall any cables or cards removed
  • Put the cover back on
  • Power up and see if all looks good

Install Osx On Dell Xps 8700

BIOS Settings

See BIOS settings screen shots here.

Install Osx On Dell Xps 8700 Laptop

mSATA SSD Upgrade Video