Thread: Problem installing Snow Leopard 10.6 on AMD FX-6100

Hi all,

I am new to OSx86 and trying to install Snow Leopard on my desktop. My desktop has the following spec.:

CPU: AMD FX-6100
HDD: Seagate 150GB & WD 500GB
MB: ASUS M5A88-M
Ram: Corsair DDR3-1333 4GB x 2

At first, I only had the WD 500GB and divided it into two partitions whereas mainly for Windows 7 and the other partition for Mac OS. I used iAtkos S3 v.2 10.6.3 to install Snow Leopard on my desktop but either desktop kept reboot or no further action on apple logo screen after installation on first reboot. So, I gave up installing Snow Leopard on my desktop for a month.

Recently, I added another HDD (Seagate 150GB) as SATA1 connector and keep the WD 500GB as SATA2 connector for backup data and divided the Seagate 150GB HDD into two partitions whilst one partion for Windows 7 and the other for Mac OS. However, still only the WD 500GB could be found when the iAtkos S3 v.2 10.6.3 DVD runs into Disk Ulitity. So, I had no other choice but to install Snow Leopard onto WD 500GB, but this time Mac OS not even boots into WD 500GB HDD for Snow Leopard and just goes into Windows 7 on Seagate 150GB HDD.

I also obtained an original retail Snow Leopard 10.6 DVD and follow the instruction of this by using Nawcom ModCD. However, there's nothing happened when I press F5 after I swap the retail Snow Leopard DVD on step 6.

So, I have the following questions:

1) Why the Disk Utilities could not detect my Seagate 150GB HDD?

2) Why it wont boot into Snow Leopard on WD 500GB HDD by using the iAtkos S3 v.2 10.6.3 DVD?

3) Beside Nawcom ModCD, any other recommandation for booting the desktop for installing retail Snow Leopard 10.6 DVD?

I really have no idea but just follow the guides from forum. Please give me some suggestions / references. Thanks!

You might try another Nawcom CD.
The one from spring 2011 worked for me, a later version showed the behaviour you mentioned with my netbook too.

Originally Posted by noway

You might try another Nawcom CD.
The one from spring 2011 worked for me, a later version showed the behaviour you mentioned with my netbook too.

Thanks for replying. I wonder if the retail DVD from Apple has any difference for Intel or AMD? I got the Mac Box Set Retail DVD which consists Mac OS X Snow Leopard, iLife and iWork. It says 'Only for Intel based Mac computers with Mac OS X Leopard or Mac OS X Tiger'. I thought we still able to install on AMD based desktop by using Nawcom CD for patching. I got the phot of error message on screen taken by my mobile but unable to upload to here.

All SL retail DVDs I am aware of should work - including 10.6.5 - which I own too.
Of course they were made to use with Intel Macs only.
As you said, Nawcom patches them anyway, for usage with unsupported platforms like AMD, Atom, etc.
This is the one working for my setups: Nawcom OSX ModCD - Downloads - OSx86.net

From other threads, I learned that disabling "USB Legacy" in BIOS may fix some issues.
Some HDDs are 4K hard sectored (instead of good old 512 byte) and have issues with OSX therefore.
AnandTech - Western Digital
But thats not very likely for a 150GB drive...

For pictures, try using Photobucket and place a img link here.

Originally Posted by noway

All SL retail DVDs I am aware of should work - including 10.6.5 - which I own.
Of course they were made to use with Intel Macs only.
As you said, Nawcom patches them anyway, for usage with unsupported platforms like AMD, Atom, etc.
This is the one working for my setups: Nawcom OSX ModCD - Downloads - OSx86.net

From other threads, I learned that disabling "USB Legacy" in BIOS may fix some issues.
Some HDDs are 4K hard sectored (instead of good old 512 byte) and have issues with OSX therefore.
AnandTech - Western Digital
But thats not very likely for a 150GB drive...

For pictures, try using Photobucket and place a img link here.

Thanks for.the detailed answer. I followed your link and downloaded Nawcom OSX ModCD but still no respond after pessjng F5. I have also disable 'USB Legency' in BIOS. When I swap the retail SL DVD, the Mac OS Install DVD pop up but nothing happen if I press F5. If I seect Mac OS Install DVD then press enter, I got a dialog on screen and asked to press any key to continue and it just reboot if I press.any key. I took the picture of the screen but just dont know how to upload here. BTW, here do I acess the Photobucket here?

Well, I could past the installation step by applying the some kernel typing in bootloader. The first installation was fail after in the last few minutes of installing. So, ai am going for another try. Can anyone suggest me what should be checked when customizing in Disk Utilities according tomy desktop configuration? I been following this guide http://www.osx86.net/desktops/9746-g...-10-6-amd.html. Please suggest. Thanks!

So you read AppliArt´s remarks about AMD 8XX as well?
Some of them do have issues, it seems.
According to the guide, these are recommended for AMD:

Press the arrow on "Custom Options". Here's what you need to select => Legacy Kernel, AppleATIATA, VoodooHDA. Networking has been detected automatically and do not select GraphicsEnabler and SleepEnabler.

If the DVD shows up in the loader, thats IT! Just press enter to continue.
I would try another install without boot options in the Chameleon screen, just let the Mod CD "decide" and only press any key when asked to do so.

Photobucket.com is a standalone picture service on the web, like many others.
You upload there and then you can insert a link here to embed pictures.
Like this one:

Originally Posted by noway

So you read AppliArt´s remarks about AMD 8XX as well?
Some of them do have issues, it seems.
According to the guide, these are recommended for AMD:


If the DVD shows up in the loader, thats IT! Just press enter to continue.
I would try another install without boot options in the Chameleon screen, just let the Mod CD "decide" and only press any key when asked to do so.

Yes, I have noticed the issue about AMD 8XX and already followed the suggestion by pressing the arrow on "Custom Options" and select => Legacy Kernel, AppleATIATA, VoodooHDA and de-select GraphicsEnabler and SleepEnabler. However, when I select the drive which the SL installed on Chameleon screen, the system just reboot.

Beside, do I have to type any command in order to lead the CD to patch for AMD to run the installation disk? Or it should be normal press F5 to launch the installation disk after I swap the original retail SL DVD? In my case, I had to type '=(0,0) ......something with modbin_kernel' in order to make the installation DVD to start. Is this normal? I also tried mach_kernel and -force64 and come with kernel panic.

I was unable to get past the installation step for a month and I'm able to install SL on my desktop but now encountering the reboot for the first time issue.

Ok, I am now able to boot into SL from loader by typing -v -f cpus=1 busratio=20 arch=i386 PCIRootUID=1 (I referenced these command from other post). However, SL doesn't detect my lan card (the onboard network of ASUS M5A88-M), even tho I selected the auto detect network card in Disk Utilities when installing SL. So, I can't download Chameleon-2.1svn-r1730 to make SL can boot alone without using Mod CD.

Also, I can't load into Windows 7 which was installed on the first partition of C Drive after installing SL (SL was installed on second partition of C Drive). I am installing Windows 7 on my computer now to see if I can still boot into SL by using ModCD then I will install Chameleon under SL.

So, how do I get my network card working again? thanks!

The DVD I pointed to earlier, should install a bootloader on your HDD by default and it should install
a legacy kernel by default too, without adding any options at boot time.
At least that happened for me and some other guys, but your mileage may vary.
If that failed, Chimera from tonymacx86 would be my choice for a standalone bootloader installer.

Usually you´d better decide for one OS on one HDD.
Yo can run a vitual box with Win7 quite easy with a OSX host.
I know dual booting with Win7 and OSX is possible, but I never did that.

Non working devices are best identified with GParted Live CD or Sytem Info on Mac or System Info on Windows.
As you know the device´s ID you can ckeck a database, whether there is a solution for it.
Many devices can be used with OSX, there are unfortunately some that cant.
Maybe because Apple never used them or nobody found it promising to tinker with them.