Thread: New user here (jaded Efi-x user) looking for advice

Hi everyone, another jaded efi-er here to join the fold. First post.

I guess it's finally time to give up on Efi-x ever releasing an update that will fix my broken system (it won't boot with both graphics cards installed and hasn't since the end of August when 5.7.15 screwed up my dual GPU rig. 5.7.16 fixed the dual head issue but not dual cards (4 heads)). All relevant info is in my sig. below. And in all honesty, I don't think I can trust ASEM to get their updates out in a timely manner, especially when my machine has now not been able to boot with video cards for around 7 weeks.

Which means it's time to roll up my sleeves and get busy with Chameleon. Which, to honest, I tried to avoid by buying an Efi-x in the first place.
I've seen some great guides for specific motherboards & hardware, but while there seem to be some other great generic guides I don't really know how to even start thinking about getting my specific hardware to boot Snow Leopard with Chameleon (which I should say here is my goal - given that my Efi-x 1.0 will never boot SL but Chameleon will work for me or so I understand).

Are there any guides that moight tell me how to start the process?
Any other info that might help me? I'm technical, I've been taking apart PCs for 20 years and been dealing with Windows for about as long and while DOS command syntax comes easily to me, I haven't had much experience in Terminal. Or with the guts of OSX.

So, any kind souls got any recommendations for me?

Many thanks!
Diz.

we have the same hardware, except i don't have dual cards. here's a guide that i wrote for another person with the same hardware. good luck and if you have any questions or get stuck, feel free to ask. all the files you need are located in the thread.\

oops, forgot to post a link to the thread.

http://efixusers.com/showthread.php?t=295

Originally Posted by DizietHack

Hi everyone, another jaded efi-er here to join the fold. First post.

I guess it's finally time to give up on Efi-x ever releasing an update that will fix my broken system (it won't boot with both graphics cards installed and hasn't since the end of August when 5.7.15 screwed up my dual GPU rig. 5.7.16 fixed the dual head issue but not dual cards (4 heads)). All relevant info is in my sig. below. And in all honesty, I don't think I can trust ASEM to get their updates out in a timely manner, especially when my machine has now not been able to boot with video cards for around 7 weeks.

Which means it's time to roll up my sleeves and get busy with Chameleon. Which, to honest, I tried to avoid by buying an Efi-x in the first place.
I've seen some great guides for specific motherboards & hardware, but while there seem to be some other great generic guides I don't really know how to even start thinking about getting my specific hardware to boot Snow Leopard with Chameleon (which I should say here is my goal - given that my Efi-x 1.0 will never boot SL but Chameleon will work for me or so I understand).

Are there any guides that moight tell me how to start the process?
Any other info that might help me? I'm technical, I've been taking apart PCs for 20 years and been dealing with Windows for about as long and while DOS command syntax comes easily to me, I haven't had much experience in Terminal. Or with the guts of OSX.

So, any kind souls got any recommendations for me?

Many thanks!
Diz.

Hola,

maybe you will find my guide helpful (aserebln.blogspot.com).

Thanks for the links guys.

DJSam I've looked through your thread, and I was wondering if there was a more step by step guide that I could follow?

AsereBLN's guide looks amazing but I wasn't sure if I need that level of complexity if you've already got the board up and running?

Thanks all,
Diz

Originally Posted by DizietHack

Thanks for the links guys.

DJSam I've looked through your thread, and I was wondering if there was a more step by step guide that I could follow?

AsereBLN's guide looks amazing but I wasn't sure if I need that level of complexity if you've already got the board up and running?

Thanks all,
Diz

let me try to edit and put them in chronological order


1. Download these files

sl kext.zip (200.0 KB, 13 views) leo.zip (1.27 MB, 19 views) bootfiles.zip (8.3 KB, 16 views)

2.download bootthink from here http://rapidshare.de/files/48363962/...8_Mac.zip.html

3. the install program for boothink will guide you through. make sure you install to your usb stick not your hard drive.

4. there's a pdf included in the download that tells you where to stick all the files that you downloaded above. here's the basics.

boot files -> Darwin folder root
leo kexts -> Darwin/System/Library/Extensions
sl kexts -> Darwin/System/LibrarySL/Extensions

5. dowload this iso

http://redirectingat.com/?id=292X457...%3Fkhmtjjzgq2j

6. use disk utilities to burn a cd of the iso.

7. set your bios to boot first from usb stick, second from cd, third from hd.

8. leave the usb stick unplugged and put the cd in your drive.

9.it will boot from there, tell you to replace the boot cd with sl dvd.

10. wait till your cd drive light quits blinking.

11. press F5. your sl dvd will show up as a boot option and you use the arrow keys to select it.

12. press enter. from there it's just like a normal install.

13. you won't have full resolution gfx and sound.

14. restart your computer.

15 your bios will be reset to factory defaults and you will have to reset them one last time to the same way you had them set for your efi-x.

16. shutdown and plug in your boothink usb stick and power on.

17. wait for it, wait for it, select your hd from the boothink menu. wait for it, wait for it... you should be in snow leopard.

18. go to system preferences/sound and choose your output device.

19. have a cold beverage and enjoy your new system.

20. write a post and let us know if anything didn't work or that you're a fully satisfied customer.

good luck.

Thanks so much for taking the time to write me a guide, I really appreciate it.

I have a couple of ankle-biters at home so I won't have any chance to try this over the weekend, but will get down to it next week and let you know if I run into any difficulties.

Thanks again, can't wait to try my rig with SL.

A couple of quick questions I have on scanning -

3) Installing Bootthink - I presume that I do this on another Mac but install it to my USB stick and not my hard drive as otherwise it would fry my MacBookPro?
4) These kexts are for when I have finished installing SL? And at what point do I copy them to the hard drive?
5) I tried to download the iso but it says the file is set to private download only (file owner only download) could you change it to public download?

And the bootthink USB pen will have to stay in the back of my system permanently as a boot device or will it write something to the SL hdd that will allow it to boot?

Those are my q's about your kind howto - and also:

I know you don't use dual cards, but I was wondering:
With my Efi-x system (when it worked with 2 cards) I had to make the lower card (peg 2, furthest from the CPU) the primary card in BIOS and the upper card (peg 1) then ran desktops 3 and 4.

I'll reset the system to normal (peg 1 primary) for my SL attempt, and only do it with 1 card - but when I've got that working, I wonder if I should repeat the procedure when trying with both cards, or would it be better to leave it peg 1 primary and try a card in peg2?

Or will I perhaps have to do more to SL than just plug in the card and hope they both work?

Oh, and if I could have the shirt off your back that would be nice..... :-)
Consider yourself bought a virtual pint.

Thanks,
Diz

Originally Posted by DizietHack

Thanks for the links guys.

DJSam I've looked through your thread, and I was wondering if there was a more step by step guide that I could follow?

AsereBLN's guide looks amazing but I wasn't sure if I need that level of complexity if you've already got the board up and running?

Thanks all,
Diz

If you already have a working OS X Installation, then you need only the Chameleon USB-Stick.

http://aserebln.blogspot.com/2009/09...-you-need.html
http://aserebln.blogspot.com/2009/10...-settings.html
http://aserebln.blogspot.com/2009/10...pare-dsdt.html
http://aserebln.blogspot.com/2009/10...usb-stick.html
http://aserebln.blogspot.com/2009/10...usb-stick.html

Use the com.apple.Boot.plist from this post on your Chameleon Stick.

Originally Posted by DizietHack

Thanks so much for taking the time to write me a guide, I really appreciate it.

I have a couple of ankle-biters at home so I won't have any chance to try this over the weekend, but will get down to it next week and let you know if I run into any difficulties.

Thanks again, can't wait to try my rig with SL.

A couple of quick questions I have on scanning -

3) Installing Bootthink - I presume that I do this on another Mac but install it to my USB stick and not my hard drive as otherwise it would fry my MacBookPro?
Yes. bootthink has an installer for both windows and os x. but that was my intended warning, don't install to the hd of your mbp.
4) These kexts are for when I have finished installing SL? And at what point do I copy them to the hard drive?
oops, great question. your installing the kexts to the folders on your bootthink usb stick, not into osx. this keeps your osx "vanilla" and should allow for apple updates. imo, always check the boards before you update.
5) I tried to download the iso but it says the file is set to private download only (file owner only download) could you change it to public download?
it's not my file and i didn't post it. i'm not sure why it's changed to owner only. i think i still have the iso, i'll check when i get home. email me and we'll try to figure out a way to get it to you.

And the bootthink USB pen will have to stay in the back of my system permanently as a boot device or will it write something to the SL hdd that will allow it to boot?
it will have to stay connected to some usb port on your computer. it does not install anything to the hd if you follow the steps i gave. some ppl have installed directly to the hd. you can find other posts about the advantages and disadvantages of both sides. i like having it on a usb stick, because i have 2 usb sticks, one that works and one i play with. that way i can always get into my system.

Those are my q's about your kind howto - and also:

I know you don't use dual cards, but I was wondering:
With my Efi-x system (when it worked with 2 cards) I had to make the lower card (peg 2, furthest from the CPU) the primary card in BIOS and the upper card (peg 1) then ran desktops 3 and 4.

I'll reset the system to normal (peg 1 primary) for my SL attempt, and only do it with 1 card - but when I've got that working, I wonder if I should repeat the procedure when trying with both cards, or would it be better to leave it peg 1 primary and try a card in peg2?
i have know idea. if it were me, i'd do the install with one card then add the other in the order you suggested. but that's just a guess.

Or will I perhaps have to do more to SL than just plug in the card and hope they both work?

Oh, and if I could have the shirt off your back that would be nice..... :-)
Consider yourself bought a virtual pint.

Thanks,
Diz

i answered your questions in blue above.

DJSam you're a star! Many thanks for your guide. I finally got the time to try this yesterday and it worked like a charm.

For any other users following his great guide, I would only add:
The CD must be on SATA1 (with the boot hdd on SATA0) for it to work; having it on any other SATA channel and for some reason it showed up in BIOS but wouldn't boot.

Other than that, far the easiest Hackintosh I've ever tried.

A couple of questions though, to djsam or any charitable folk out there:

A) Both GPU cards show up, although they up as different cards, even though they're identical. See here and here for screen grabs - confusing!

Even though the second card shows up (listed above the main one in System Profiler), it shows up as "Display" instead of a full name like the main card, and doesn't recognize anything plugged into either of the heads. Weird.

I've tried swapping the cards in case it's a hardware issue, same thing. I've tried making PEG1 the primary card in BIOS (makes the card furthest away from the CPU the main card) and plugging my primary two monitors into that one, but OSX just kernel panics a few seconds into booting.

(This PEG1 switch was the dual graphics card solution that worked when I had a working EFI-X 1.0 before one of the updates hosed its ability to boot with both cards installed.)

B) Currently BootThink needs a keystroke before it will boot. I've only got one OS installed on there, and would love it to not require interaction. Is this changeable?

C) I updated to 10.6.1, which works fine. 10.6.2 hoses the system though; a kernel panic and a complete inability to boot. I restored the previously working 10.6.1 from a CCC copy. (Love those guys) but do you know if there's a way of getting the updated BootThink files for it to work?

As before, many many thanks for taking the time to write your guide!

cheers all,
Diz

To your C) - do you have a SleepEnabler.kext in your configuration. If so, KP is inevitable. Remove it and you should be fine.