Mac OS X on x86 Hardware 2008–2024 Technical Archive
InfiniteMac OSx86 › Snow Leopard 10.6 › Need Kext placement info.
4,402 reads · 2010-01-14 – 2010-01-16
Note Snow Leopard 10.6 Retail DVD / USB

Need Kext placement info.

I am new to the whole retail installation method, I tried a retail install before and I couldn't install kext files at all, so I was wondering if I should install my kext files to the "Extra/Extensions" folder, and if so how should I go…

Primary Author
@00010 Published 2010-01-14
Collection
Snow Leopard 10.6
Archival Footprint
4,402 historical reads · 3 curated field notes (from 8 dispatches) · 2010-01-14 – 2010-01-16
Credited Voices (2)
@00010 (5)@Imkantus (3)

I am new to the whole retail installation method, I tried a retail install before and I couldn't install kext files at all, so I was wondering if I should install my kext files to the "Extra/Extensions" folder, and if so how should I go about doing that the right way? Also If I do need to install them here, will they override any kext that has the same name?( I have patched versions of kexts files that have the same name as some kexts in the Extensions folder)

00010

Author Updates & Technical Revisions

Follow-up dispatches by @00010

Author Update #1 @00010 2010-01-15

ok, good, I have patched GMAx3100 kext files, and the stock files already exsit in the Extensions folder, Will the Extra/Extensions folder override the originals?

So I need to install my PS2 kext files in the Extensions folder aswell? I am using the VoodooPS2 and trackpad prefpane, I also need to delete the R1000.kext because it is not acting correctly with my Ethernet which is a Realtek RTL8169 NIC, I was going to replace it with the one I used in the prepatched version of Snow Leopard I had used before.

When I try to use "Kext Utility" in the retail install I had tried before, It did not work, So in retail you are saying I need to do the install manually in terminal?

So lets say I want to put all my kext in the /Extra/Extensions folder,Which ones would I not put there that need to be in S/l/E?

I have my wifi kext.

VoodooHDA.kext

VoodooPS2.kext

VoodooBatery.kext

RTL8169NIC.kext

Patched Graphics kexts

Patched IOUSBFamily.kext

Author Update #2 @00010 2010-01-15

ok, good. but I still need to install the PS2 kext files in the s/l/e folder or not?

00020

Author Update #3 @00010 2010-01-15

Ok, Thanks man, you always reply alot to my posts, your very helpful, I am installing the kext files now, will report back soon.

00010

Author Update #4 @00010 2010-01-16

nothing worked at all, I followed evrything to the letter.

00010

Synthesized Community Field Notes

3 technical responses curated from 8 original dispatches

Field Note #1 @Imkantus 2010-01-15

When you put them to /Extra/Extensions you need to build an Extensions.mkext chache for them in the upper folder - I prefer to use this utility for that purpose:
www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/development_tools/mkexttool.html
Bur be aware, that you need to select x86_64 slim down, when you want to boot 64-Bit Kernel & Extensions.

Some Extensions like ApplePS2 drivers do not work correctly in /E/E if you put Extensions to /System/Library/Extensions be sure to fix the file permissions:

sudo -s
cd /System/Library/Extensions
chmod -R 755 *
chown -R root:wheel *

See here ↗ if you want further informations about what you are doing here.
Once done delete /System/Library/Chaches/com.apple.kext.chaches folder to have the Extensions chache beeing rebuild on next boot. (On Leopard this is /System/Libary/Extensions.mkext) - when you use an up-to-date bootloader you can also force the system to rebuild the chache by using -f boot parameter.

Field Note #2 @Imkantus 2010-01-15

It should work to put the patched Kernel Extensions to /Extra/Extensions and leave the ones in the System folder beeing untouched. Just be sure to create /Extra/Extensions.mkext for the ones stored in /Extra/Extensions wether you do this from command line using "kextutil" or using GUI is pretty irrelevant - without this there will be a Kernel Panic on boot - at least in my cases.
Repairing the file permissions matters only for the one you add to the System folder, as they won't be chached correctly by OS X without having correct permissions.

Sources & Contributor Provenance (2 credited usernames · Thread #5208)
UsernameDossier ContributionDispatchesActive Window
@00010Primary Author52010-01-14 → 2010-01-16
@ImkantusCore Contributor32010-01-15