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View Full Version : video failure installing snow with gtx260. HELP!


thetiminator69
09-10-2009, 05:55 PM
I'm in the process of installing snow on my very first hackintosh. I have a bootable USB drive which is working properly up to the point of the grey apple screen. it seems like it starts to load properly, but after about a minute, my display just turns off (no video feed). I'm not sure if its still loading in the background, (booting from USB, so no activity lights are blinking at all) but the computer stays on indefinitely, and the display just sleeps.

System is configured:
Gigabyte EP45-UD3LR board
C2D E7400
Nvidia GTX260
Sony SATA DVD combo-drive
4GB DDR2
WD 640 Black drive

Also, I have inserted the hex efi string for the gtx260 in the com.boot.Apple.plist file, but as I said: first experience with a hackintosh, so I'm flying blind!
Thanks for ANY help!

mitchde
09-10-2009, 06:46 PM
At least Chameleon RC3 has an problem with the boot.plist. Its not used when on USB.
Have you also installed it on Hd and can boot from there (not from USB stick) ?

First i would give an -v (verbose) as kernel flag (after F8, TAB) / getting the Chameleon boot screen.
So you can see how far it boots up.
If you see nothing special, it can be an problem of :
efi string is not OK:
- wrong PCI slot (pci slot is within the efi string), should only happen if you NOT made that own with efistudio and used 1:1 from an other user (which has gpu on different PCI slot)
- NVCAP (info where the gpu puts the screenoutput: DVI1, DVI2, VGA, HDMI - if wrong (NVCAP from other card, other user)) no screenoutput.
You can try change DVI port and / or check your NVCAP efistring (efistudio!)
There is an NVCAP Tool (OS X) , which can show you the needed NVCAP values in hex.
It needs only the .rom file of the card (DL from vendor, extract with gpu-z, ntibitor under Win)

thorazine74
09-11-2009, 08:07 AM
If you are booting the Snow Leo installer from the USB, try without any EFI string or graphic kext, I think you dont really need any for the installer, it should boot in VESA or non-accelerated mode, I'm not sure whats the status for nvidia GT2xx in Snow though, I think they are already supported by vanilla drivers, if they are the installer desktop should boot without anything extra.

rohizzle121
09-12-2009, 04:42 AM
I have the same problem!
I used -x ans it worked but then during install I got a kp:/
I took out all the GFX drivers kexts and efi strings and still noluck:(

mitchde
09-12-2009, 01:22 PM
I am sure that something is wrong with your .mkext (Extensions Cache). It cant be rebuild from Leopard 10.5 !!! KP´s without any reason (no IDE active, no old 10.5 kect installed) after some time mostly have reason in an not really working .mkext and/or loading wrong /Extra Extensions from 10.5.
Try to move all needed extra extension out of /extra into /S/L/E and remove /extra extemsions.mkect also to check if thats the problem. Chamelon ofter has problems to load the right /Extra, if you start from an Leopard parition (is active) and select then to start from 10.6 partition. Also an -v into /Extra/boot.plist would show you , if chameleon laod wrong .plist too (without -v / extra of Leopard(active) ). If you didnt see the verbose booting Snow Leo (/extra .plist has -v at kernel flag) than it load complete false Extra content from 10.5.

rohizzle121
09-12-2009, 01:33 PM
I am sure that something is wrong with your .mkext (Extensions Cache). It cant be rebuild from Leopard 10.5 !!! KP´s without any reason (no IDE active, no old 10.5 kect installed) after some time mostly have reason in an not really working .mkext and/or loading wrong /Extra Extensions from 10.5.
Try to move all needed extra extension out of /extra into /S/L/E and remove /extra extemsions.mkect also to check if thats the problem. Chamelon ofter has problems to load the right /Extra, if you start from an Leopard parition (is active) and select then to start from 10.6 partition. Also an -v into /Extra/boot.plist would show you , if chameleon laod wrong .plist too (without -v / extra of Leopard(active) ). If you didnt see the verbose booting Snow Leo (/extra .plist has -v at kernel flag) than it load complete false Extra content from 10.5.
the mkext isn't a needed file, it's Just cache to speed up the boot process. If you are having errors, youcan just delete it.

I used Cham on a flash drive (also had installer for 10.6) and then bootinto the flash drive and then -v in to my flash drive. But no luck. Only with -x. But I get a kp

pcwiz
09-12-2009, 10:25 PM
I know the solution to this problem, I'm writing a guide right now and will put in the link in this post when I'm done :-)

EDIT: Here's the guide:

http://www.infinitemac.com/f19/guide-geforce-gtx-260-in-snow-leopard-t4057/#post34607

Follow that and you should be fine :-)

the1ronchef
09-13-2009, 04:48 AM
So I cheated a little bit...

I installed using the usb boot method using Chameleon RC3... was having a video issues as well with my gtx 260. I had an extra video card laying around so I stuck that in and VOILA, it worked. Everything installed well, got Chameleon on my hdd and then I worked on the graphics card. Well long story short I got the card working.

Just follow pcwhiz's guide that is everything I did. I can help you if you need it.:)

Good luck!