Sorry it's taken me a while to respond, I've been busy.Originally Posted by Peter
One thing very important to a Catalyst server is the ability to run without unforeseen issues. Ideally, the best way to make a Catalyst machine is to do the following:
- Use a MacPro not a G5 (preferable a 2nd Generation Intel)
- Buy a new SATA disk (this becomes your installation source)
- Wipe and "Zero" your system hard disk using the Installation Disk Utility
- Install your Capture Card (LFG4 or Decklink or the new Phoenix once released)
- Install your Mtron SSD disk (I suggest 2 64Gb disks in a stripe)
- Assure you have at least (my recommendation) 8Gb of Memory
- Make sure you have an x1900 Video Card (or Geforce 8800 or Quatro FX xx00)
- Clean your fans and heat syncs and connectors
The new disk I talked about becomes your installer disk. First, go to x86 project and lookup instructions for creating a bootable installation disk out of your spare SATA disk. (I say x86 Project because I am a hacker and their forums explain this the best. Granted you won't be creating a "Hackintosh").
One you have the Catalyst machine ready to go and your new disk formated GUID with the proper EFI, copy all the following to your new disk.
(Make sure you have an installation CD for Leopard)
- Leopard Full install DVD
- 10.5.3 Leopard Update Package
- Drivers for your Video card (not the newest, the ones we've posted here that "work")
- Drivers for your video card (ONLY IF APLICABLE and "drivers" only, not software)
- Drivers for your USB card (some of us do the HES thing where we put our dongle inside on a PCI USB card)
- The drivers for the Aladdin USB Software Key
- The newest version of Catalyst (currently m165)
- Read-Only Folder with whatever you decide to be your "Stock Content"
- System initialization scripts which include:
- --Applescripts to wipe the System disk and write Zeros
- --Applescripts to wipe the Mtron disks and write Zeros 3 times
- --Applescripts to build an Mtron disk Stripe Set
- --UNXI Shell-scripts to automate install
- --Applescripts to update to 10.5.3
- --Applescripts to install drivers for video capture
- --Applescripts to install drivers for video card
- --Applescripts to install drivers for PCI USB
- --Applescripts to optimize Quicktime
- --UNIX Shell-scripts to remove Time Machine
- --UNIX Shell-scripts to disable Exposé
- --UNIX Shell-scripts to disable Dashboard
- --UNIX Shell-scripts to halt .mac services
- --Applescripts to create a Catalyst folder system
- --Applescripts to copy Stock Content to the Mtron Disks
- --Applescripts to install Catalyst into directories based on show type
- --Applescripts to install dongle drivers
- --Applescripts to disable Screen Saver and Energy Saver
- --Applescripts to install your different versions of Catalyst into the Dock
Loosely, this is how I do it. I wrote all these scripts based on research I conducted into how to do them. All of the scripts are separate and independent of one another so as to prevent errors. I have a global scripts that executes all of the aforementioned scripts in a progressive order.
Basically, when I get a Catalyst back from a rental where someone other than me has used it, I stick in the Installation Hard Disk and run the first script. Then about 4 hours later, I walk back and have a clean machine.
If anyone is interested in these scripts, I will make them available for sale once I have tested them thoroughly to make sure they are solid. I will offer them at a nominal price and shortly I will be releasing a full application that does all of these tasks. The application will not be ready until mid fall but the Script package will be ready by end of summer.
TODD SCRUTCHFIELD 
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