Tearing my hair out with an install

[bunglehaze]

Hi folks, been browsing here for a while but only just registered as I am having a whole bunch of trouble installing SL on my machine, by rights though it should not be failing so I do not know which kext I am missing that might make it work.

My specs:

AMD 9850 Black Edition Phenom x4
Gigabyte GA-MA770-DS3 (SB600 Chipset)
Nvidia 9800GTX GPU
8GB 800Mhz Corsair RAM
SATA DVD RW

No raid, normally use Native IDE but after reading OSX requires it I enabled AHCI, other than that the system is pretty bog standard so I have been trying the following on my Hazard SL Install:

ANV 10.2.0 Kernel (No system Kext) - or - Modbin Kernel 10.0
AMD Patch
NVEnabler
ALC888
ATIATA
RealTek R1000
ElliotForceLegacyRTC
OpenHaltRestart
UUID

I have also tried with and without :

IOATA Family Sata Fix
Legacy AHCI Sata Fix.
EvOreBoot

This latest attempt wont even stay on screen long enough for me to read the verbose log, it simply shuts down the PC (normally I get a KP)

I have read a few of you using the same Motherboard as me that have had success, any chance of a few pointers on what kexts you installed and perhaps where I am going wrong?

cheers

leigh :)

[d_spice]

Have you tried booting with safe mode -x? What distribution are you using, iDeneb, Hazard, iAtkos?

I'm having issues as well on my quad core AMD, I have got it to the point where there is a grey screen with black mouse pointer but thats it. Someone told me to check out this page to make sure my video card was on the list of cards that will work.

Once I figured out my card was not supported (one of the reasons my computer kept rebooting) I went out and got my GeForce 9400GT, and it has gotten me to this point, so its another kext or lack there of thats causing the issue.

http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/HCL_10.6.2#NVIDIA_2

[bunglehaze]

I have not tried safe mode yet but will give that a go. Distro as mentioned above is the Hazard Snow Leopard. I think I have installed this thing about 15 times now - erase and install of course - and I think I must have tried every logical AMD combination.

I did have a read beforehand and sa all my hardware is supported so I know its not that.

:)

[d_spice]

Definitely try safemode, and look at the page I gave you with the video cards that are supported. Safemode should at least get you fully into Hazard so you can add and remove the right kexts... I still have yet to be able to get into a distro fully as well.

Good Luck! If you figure it out let me know, maybe we can help eachother. :)

[bunglehaze]

Safemode does not help to be honest. I keep getting a KP this time though it looks narrowed down to SleepEnabler. Back in Ubuntu now and I am going to see if I can sort the kext from here.

The video card is not the issue, it is fully supported.

[bunglehaze]

Trying another clean install as I can mount hfs+ in ubuntu but apparently have no write access to copy over the kexts. At least the last attempt managed to show me a reason for a KP rather than a sraight system shutdown - I must be getting somewhere

[bunglehaze]

Hmm, same deal again. SleepEnabler KP. Anyone able to shed some light on kexts I should or should not be including to get this sucker to boot? It wont even boot into safe mode and its getting VERY old now... In fact I am starting I am starting to lose patience.

[bunglehaze]

ANV Kernel again and this time it shus down the pc on boot.

[themacmeister]

You will need to reinstall Chameleon2 BEFORE doing anything below. Latest version in dpkg form.

EDIT: Phenom users need to use kernel switches at startup to fix serious issues. Google should help you here too. There are two must-have flags to get your Phenom working correctly (cannot remember them sorry - I have an Athlon64X2)

I would use iPortableSnow 10.6.2, which has a full OSX system (minus some languages, printer drivers etc), then use some online instructions and files to replace Kernel (modbin Test 7), boot file, patch binaries somehow (Marvins AMD Utility crashes on launch on my AMD system) :-(

Edit smbios.plist in /Extra and platformUUID.kext in /Extra/Extensions (replace your boot partition UUID (found in Disk Utility/Info) in both files.

There are other better guides on the net, search for "Snow Leopard" "AMD" "Kernel" and you should find the same as me.

PS. I have my Intel E7200 box running sweetly, without having to do any of the above - working sweetly first boot off USB stick. I replaced EFI string for GL/QE/CI, and replaced graphics kexts/voodooHDA.

Unfortunately, without realtime patching of binaries, AMD users are in a world of hurt at the moment. I suffer the identical issues you do, but have not tried iPortableSnow on this system yet (maybe later today!)

[bunglehaze]

Tried Blacknights 10.2.0 kernel with a stripped out lists of kexts, basically just the kernel, amd patch and chipset. Initial boot shutdown but I have tried -force64 -f -v and it has not got to what appears to be a preboot screen for OS X - ie a grey scrreen with cursor is here but it keeps flickering to a black screen.

I am now going to try the same install with the other kexts I normally use. Unless anyone else has a further input into getting this existing install booted?

[d_spice]

I've been going through the same issues as you, doesn't work in iDeneb, doesn't work in iAtkos, doesn't work in Hazard....however I finally found success using LawlessPPC. I needed to use safe mode -x to install, which went through successfully, pulled out the disk, rebooted and it went into the Os X setup prompt asking if I owned a mac previous, which i clicked no on.

This unfortunately sent me into a loop. Luckily after doing some searching I found that by booting with the option "Graphics Mode"="640x480x32" it skips the loop and goes right into Snow Leopard. Anyway I figure I am finally in and this may be the easiest way for me to figure out all the right kexts for my system, figured it may work for you as well. Good luck!

[bunglehaze]

Thanks matey, which version of lawlessppc did you use? I can only find 10.5.4 which is obviously Leopard and not SL or is there a new package/update script out there?

[d_spice]

Yea thats the one i used, its Leopard, I was confused at first. I am in the process of trying to update, once I figure out how to do that I will let you know. I know for starters you need to update the kernel to VooDoo, as the Lawless install is using Vanilla, which I have already done.

You will also want to find and download, OsX86Tools, and Kernel Helper. OsX86Tools will allow you to backup your existing kernel when you get in, and install voodoo when you find it.

[bunglehaze]

Currently posting this from a safe boot on Snow Leopard using hazards disc (I persevered).

I got into it using the same setup as before with boot flags : -force64 -cpus=4 -busratio=20 -x

The odd thing is I rebooted and tried to load using the above flags (without -x) and I just got a grey screen flickering black occasionally, then I reset the system and it loaded a grey apple screen, then grey screen and flicker until I finally added the safe boot flag and here I am.

So now I guess I need to figure out how to make it boot cleanly without flags and setup snow :) I cannot really convey how frustrating this has been though and how close to quitting I have come on multiple occasions.

leigh :D

[bunglehaze]

-force64 and -v gets it through to standard desktop now, got a boot message I need to have another look at and also just seconds before booting a load of messages about nvenabler so I dont think there are too many issues to work through - however I keep getting applications closing before opening including a few of the kext helpers and marvins.

So far - progress though which is reassuring and the system seems to be as fast sa I would expect.

[bunglehaze]

hmm it seems that despite my best efforts I cannot get SL to do anything other than basic functions, each time I try and open an application such as kexthelper I get a force close, if I click to open marvins nothing happens.

Any pointers on where to look to start a fix please - anyone :)

leigh

[themacmeister]

I got it working (32bit only) on my E7200 using iPortable_Snow 10.6.2.

It was not an easy task, it was completely trial and error, and many kernels just DID NOT WORK with my Intel processor at all (???)

I ended up using anv_kernel, which allowed me to boot, but for some unknown reason, my Core2Duo became a Core2Solo, and I was only using one core :-(

This didn't happen on my very first test install. weird?

GeForce9800GT graphics via EFI string, VoodooHDA for sound (supplied), AppleRTL8139 for ethernet. All apparently working, but the entire reason for me to try Snow Leopard, is 64bit mode, which does an instant restart on my machine (with custom DSDT and modded BIOS).

I would definitely attempt 32bit mode with ANV_KERNEL first, before anything else. There are about 6 kernels to try on this USB Stick (8GB+) live installer. Definitely worth the 2.4GB download.

Best of luck.

[bunglehaze]

To be honest with you all attempts to get 32 bit working have failed just as much, it seems my system only wants to play with a 64 bit flavor :P

I actually dont mind putting in a boot flag to get it to run in the first place if I knew where to start patching files, as I say none of the functions other than safari, calc, mail etc seem to work and draw up an error. On this latest install I tried NVInject instead of Nvenabler and went with the Blackknight kernel which does pretty much the same deal as before only the graphics card is not showing so i guess I have to install a differnt kext - its a minefield though and my head has had enough today so i am back in trusty Ubuntu again.

:)

[d_spice]

When I try to install Hazard it just reboots, I don't even get a chance to see the first setup screens, i've tried all the tags to get in, even safe mode and it kicks me out... did you have that problem as well?

[bunglehaze]

I did on a couple of install attempts which just ended in failure on all fronts. The way I figured it I should be able to get in using the bare minimum of kexts which is why the first successful attempt was just kernel, chipset and patches.

Going to finish of todays work and see if I can work out how to use marvins again :)

[d_spice]

I finally got it working on my system using the Hazard Client Server ISO, it detected my video and dual displays right away, got my sound working and it detected my Atheros Wireless card and I am connected... However I have run into the same problem as you, it won't run anything but the basic functions. I tried running firefox and I get an error, itunes as well... does anyone know how we can fix this?

I did on a couple of install attempts which just ended in failure on all fronts. The way I figured it I should be able to get in using the bare minimum of kexts which is why the first successful attempt was just kernel, chipset and patches.

Going to finish of todays work and see if I can work out how to use marvins again :)

[d_spice]

Hey Bunglehaze, does Marvin's patcher work for you, in your install?

[bunglehaze]

No im afraid nothing really works other than the very basics and as it seems to be only the two of us I am not getting too far in working around it either - I got bored and booted back into ubuntu for the time being again.

[bunglehaze]

ok some progress.. instead of using the -force64 flag on boot try using maxmem=4096 and busratio=20, that way it boots normally and applications seem to work fine.

[digitron64]

Hello Mac Community;

I am new to this form as you all know... I have been working on building my first hackintosh for about a month... and with much trial and error (thanks to everyone), I was able to successfully create my first triple boot system. My specs are as follows:

AMD Phenom II X4 945
8GB OCZ Blade 1066Mhz (only able to use 4gb with maxmem=4096 in the Kernel Flag)
All SATA HDD's and Optical Drives using AHCI (No IDE)
XFX 750a Sli Mobo

Partitioned my C:\ using a Seagate 500GB Sata drive. 300gb for Windows and 100gb each for Snow and Linux.

I previously had Windows 7 installed... then used gparted to allocate free space for 2 additional partitions for OSx86 and Linux. I originally had iAtkos on the second partition and used these instructions (http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=201330) to install Snow on an External USB drive. Once the install was successful and I was able to boot to Snow, I then installed iAtkos to the external drive and put Snow on the second partition along with Windows 7 in the first partition and Linux in the 3rd partition. And everything works great. Of course I had to repair the MBR for Windows but that was easy.

I am using Chameleon RC3 with Fakesmc.kext (2.5), mach_kernel.test7 from Modbin. I of course added the additional kexts and EFI strings needed for sound, video, and networking... and everything booted without any hiccups.

NOTE:

If anyone has any advice as to what I need to do to run Snow with 8 gigs of RAM, that would be great. As that is the only limitation at this point that I am facing. I think it has something to do with the ATA kexts that are loading during normal boot i.e. JmicronATA.kext etc. Funny thing is I can boot into safe mode without any flags and get all 8 gigs to show up... but when I boot into normal mode, without flags, the system does the fsck_hfs check and then automatically shutsdown. I proceed to add the maxmem=4096 flag and that is the only way the Snow install will boot.

Oh and BTW, I also have a problem (as many do I'm sure) with the Silverlight plugin for Netflix. I can install without modification to the package installer but still get the N8152 error code. I have done everything I could to the SMbios.plist to edit it to be as close to what I think is a real mac. If anyone has an SMbios.plist that I could use for an AMD Phenom II X4 processor that works with Silverlight, I would be very grateful. I use no smbios injectors or anything other than the original AppleSmbios.plist that is in the S/L/E folder. I load the SMbios.plist from the root Extra folder. Thank you everyone. And please let me know if I can be of some help.

Best Regards.