Mac OS X on x86 Hardware 2008–2024 Technical Archive
InfiniteMac OSx86 › Snow Leopard 10.6 › Install snow leopard from USB flash drive. Help needed
8,985 reads · 2012-03-08 – 2012-03-10

Install snow leopard from USB flash drive. Help needed

I am trying to install snow leopard on my pc by using a USB key. I can get the mod/boot cd to see the flash drive. It will boot from it, but will hang after something to do with apple usbehci. It will keep repeating the line "waiting for…

Primary Author
@snake88usa Published 2012-03-08
Collection
Snow Leopard 10.6
Archival Footprint
8,985 historical reads · 4 curated field notes (from 9 dispatches) · 2012-03-08 – 2012-03-10
Credited Voices (2)
@snake88usa (5)@Godofwar (4)

I am trying to install snow leopard on my pc by using a USB key. I can get the mod/boot cd to see the flash drive. It will boot from it, but will hang after something to do with apple usbehci. It will keep repeating the line "waiting for root device" or something like that every so often.

Author Updates & Technical Revisions

Follow-up dispatches by @snake88usa

Author Update #1 @snake88usa 2012-03-08

I bought a 15 pack of dual layer dvds and already killed 3 of them. I tried burning the dmg (from windows) to it and it would always stop around 70% no matter what program I used. The flash drive I created from the same dmg works though, because it would boot on my iMac. I can't burn a dvd on my iMac though because my slot loading drive is broke and wont eject correctly without using something to guide the cd out.

Author Update #2 @snake88usa 2012-03-09

I downloaded a hazard cd. It boots to the Darwin thing. When I hit enter it starts loading and then my computer resets.

Author Update #3 @snake88usa 2012-03-09

I'm confused with the bus ratio thing.

I have an AMD Athlon ii x2 255 3.1ghz

Edit:
Panic unable to find driver for this platform Acpi users/nawcom/builds/bootcd- something something something

and before that is a bunch of "fail to load and can't load" junk.

Author Update #4 @snake88usa 2012-03-10

My cpu should work fine with it. I have a snow leopard disk that boots, it just says disk read error after the language select. I read on another forum that the mod cd version might be the problem and I might need to download an older version.

Synthesized Community Field Notes

4 technical responses curated from 9 original dispatches

Field Note #1 @Godofwar 2012-03-08

Is snow leopard on usb better than using Hazard Hackintosh Snow Leopard 10.6.6i? If it's the same, then maybe you should just go with Hazard Hackintosh. I use Mod-cd too, but I've only gotten it to work with Hazard Hackintosh, but don't even know how to install stuff through usb's. Also, maybe you could try to buy an 8.5gb dvdr and burn it on there so it might be better then?

Try this if you haven't, I'm assuming this method will work on usb Hackintosh too even if yours is not Hazard Hackintosh.

This is how I installed my Hazard Hackintosh Snow leopard 10.6.6i on my computer. I had to use ModCd to get Hazard Hackintosh to even work on my computer. Then I had to swap discs press the F5 button so it could read Hazard Hackintosh 10.6.6i disc. Then I typed in the
boot command -v -x -f cpus=1 busratio=20 arch=i386 (I do 32 bit Mac because for whatever reason if I do arch=x86_64 it won't even recognize it and will still just automatically install the 32 bit version of Mac).

Don't mind the fact that it is not using all your cpus, it is the only way to get the install to work for whatever reason. Later on we can go into System Preferences and Chameleon and change it back to 4 cores or 2 cores. I don't know how many cores you have but most people have 2 or 4 cores.

My busratio is 20, I do not know what yours is. I'm on Amd Phenom II X4 965 black edition 3.4ghz. You might need to google to find out which busratio will be best for you.

Field Note #2 @Godofwar 2012-03-08

Might as well just get Hazard Hackintosh 10.6.6i(I believe this works on amd and intel but you need to do different install methods and I don't have an intel so I don't know nothing about intel), or have you had problems with Hazard? Download Hazard Hackintosh 10.6.6i, also remember that Macs only work on motherboards that are compatible wityh AHCI(I believe that is what it's called) and IDE will not work with a MAC! If your motherboard only supports IDE then you're screwed. Also, if you're running windows 7 or any windows with IDE installed you're going to have to reinstall Windows 7 as AHCI. Only Windows 7 supports Mac AHCI. I don't believe Windows xp can do AHCI but only IDE.

Field Note #3 @Godofwar 2012-03-09 ↳ Re: @snake88usa
@snake88usaI downloaded a hazard cd. It boots to the Darwin thing. When I hit enter it starts loading and then my computer resets.

Did you use ModCd disc then type in the commands I said, did you find out what busratio number works best for your processor? Also, my method is only for AMD. Is your processor Amd? If you live in Jersey, I could help you more if you lived close.

I messed up earlier type in busratio not busration(that was a typo, I edited my original post now). I didn't see I accidently typed and n.

Swap Mod Cd disc with Hazard disc then press F5 and then type in the command v -x -f cpus=1 busratio=20 arch=i386 (I do 32 bit Mac because for whatever reason if I do arch=x86_64 it won't even recognize it and will still just automatically install the 32 bit version of Mac). x86_64 might work for you tho if you want to try to see if 64 bit works for you. Everyone can have a different busratio, I personally use 20 for my Amd Phenom II x4 965 3.4ghz.

Field Note #4 @Godofwar 2012-03-09

Did you find out on any other forums if your cpu is compatible with Hackintosh? That could be one of the problems. It seems dead here right now, maybe another forum can find a solution?

Sources & Contributor Provenance (2 credited usernames · Thread #7607)
UsernameDossier ContributionDispatchesActive Window
@snake88usaPrimary Author52012-03-08 → 2012-03-10
@GodofwarCore Contributor42012-03-08 → 2012-03-09