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Asus P5N7A-VM

DiaboliK

By DiaboliK,
in OSx86 10.5 (Leopard)

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replicant
replicant
Posted
Posted
As promised I finally got around to installing "Snow Leopard" on an ASUS P5N7A-VM - not without its problems but greatly aided by those :star_smile: who have taken the trouble to pass on their experience and insight in this forum.

 

To help the process I have created an OSX install disk, using lifehackers method, that fits onto a 16GB USB Key.

 

The USB image has been saved using "Clonezilla", a free disk/partition clone-er. I have then compressed this using WinRAR into 28 parts of <200MB.

 

I have tested the restore using Clonezilla from a 16GB SanDisk Cruzer Slice to a Dane-Elec ZLight, it works and both USB keys successfully start SL installation.

 

If you are interested in downloading this monster (5.31GB), send me a personal message and I will give you the rs.com links. Please do not publish these - if I find them around the net I will immediately delete the files.

 

To start, download this file which contains dgsga's modified BIOS :pirate2: (Kudos and thanks), a SL specific Chameleon Boot CD ISO, and the instructions on what to do, READ CAREFULLY, then PM me for the links.

 

This method is very simple, you don't need to start from a MAC, and your P5N7A-VM can be in a completely virgin state, in short :

- download BIOS and Instructions

- download USB key image

- UnRAR image and restore to a 16GB key using Clonezilla

- flash downloaded BIOS and modify settings

- reboot, use F8 to boot from USB key

- install and enjoy.

 

:thumbsup_anim:

 

hey there nowhinjing,

 

would love to get that link to the install image if you're still offering.

 

thanks much!

-rep

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fparmentier
fparmentier
Posted
Posted

Hi, after a lot of research, installing, trying, installing etc. I'm still not satisfied with my current system.

 

Of course i'm using the p5n7a-vm motherboard. On an earlier install, I installed Chameleon and several kexts into the /Extra/Extensions folder, and some in the /S/L/E folder.

I had NVkush installed, and no DSDT file.

 

Everything seemed to work perfect, but the only problem was that it wasn't able to play 1080p mkv files. So I was searching for the solution.

I reinstalled the whole thing several times, sometimes with the DSDT file, with many different Nvidia drivers. But nothing was working.

 

By searching the last 12 pages of this topic i'm finding it hard to find the right solution. Has anyone a full working system that can smoothly play 1080p movies without any problems?

 

Now I have patched my bios with the latest bios file (p5n.rom) from dgsga. Atm it's doing a new installation.

 

Is it possible to put all the necessary files (fakesmd.kext, applehda.kext etc) including the video driver on a separate usb stick of partition? So I do not have to install everyting again with a fresh OSX install?

 

Regards,

Felix

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eject
eject
Posted
Posted

all extensions need can go into the extra folder, you need no {censored} extra graphics driver, infact all you need is the flashed bios, the hdakext and fakesmc maybe openhatrestart, but there is some discussion about it, i seem to need it

 

yeah, and a double click on the mkv

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fparmentier
fparmentier
Posted
Posted (edited)

This morning I reflashed my BIOS with the BIOS file from dgsga (post: 931)

Installed fakesmc.kext, IOAHCIBlockStorageInjector.kext, LegacyAppleHDA.kext & OpenHaltRestart.kext into the /E/E folder.

Created Extensions.mkext, com.apple.boot.plist and SMBios.plist (the one from dgsga)

 

Booted with -x64 Wait=y -v, everything booted perfectly except it says "No DSDT replacement found. Leaving ACPI data as is" because there is no DSDT file.

 

But, when I try to play the MKV file (1080p) again in VLC, it's still crappy. (Sound works btw)

After that I updated to 10.6.2, played the MKV again and, guess what, no difference...

 

In dgsga's post he says you don't need the dsdt file anymore because of the modified BIOS.

Does anyone have a solution to play mkv at 1080p smoothly?

 

Felix

 

Edit: Btw, is it allowed to post an image of my Efi drive here? I'm asking because I've seen nobody else doing that.

 

Edit 2: As you can see, VLC uses almost 70% of my CPU when playing a 1080p mkv file.

I also installed NVEnabler.kext, but that doesn't seem to solve the problem, so I will remove 't again.

 

Schermafbeelding%202010-02-24%20om%2012.20.52.png

 

Edit 3: I took a screenshot when playing an mkv file.

 

Schermafbeelding%202010-02-24%20om%2015.29.46.png

As you can see it is full of artifacts. The strange thing is, movietrailers downloaded from several site (like apple.com) are played perfectly smooth in VLC as in Quicktime.

 

But still the CPU usage is about 70%. Anyone any idea?

 

Edit 4: Tried to play the mkv file on my MacBook, same result. I guess it has something to do with codecs.

So forget about the artifacts and stuff. But what about the heavy cpu usage? I believe i'm not the only one that's having that problem...

Edited by fparmentier
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kramer2k
kramer2k
Posted
Posted

Hey dgsga,

 

Quick question. When using your latest BIOS file, shutdown works fine, sleep also pseudo-works.(minus an issue with USB, which causes my system to wake right away with no USB support).

 

However, when I extract the dsdt from the bios, try reverting back to vanilla 514 with the extracted dsdt, then shutdown doesn't work and the fans keep spinning. Any idea?

 

K

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GuyToronto
GuyToronto
Posted
Posted
I have a weird issue: while watching video either with Plex or VLC sporadically my system shutdown itself. Everything is ok after reboot. Everything else is working fine.

 

I can guarantee you 100% it's the video chipset overheating. I had the same issues.

 

1. Remove the "copper" ASUS plate from the videoo chip heatsink on the motherboard (it's only stuck on with some weak adhesive - pulls off fairly easy).

 

2. Make sure your case is being cooled well. I have 4 fans in my case. CPU, front of case (blows over hard drives), rear case (sucks out warm air), and side of case (aimed to blow towards the video heatsink). I have all four fans plugged into a manual fan speed control. I've adjusted all the fan speeds down to barely audible. System no longer shuts down on heavy video.

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zanc
zanc
Posted
Posted

Has anyone really had a FULLY working P5N7A board. For me everything works except USB ports after waking from sleep (keyboard and mouse are the exception and do work after sleep). I can even wake up the system with my IR remote (parts from a macbook) and after wake the system recognises all of the connected USB devices, but no events are recognised/received from them until they are unplugged and replugged. Ideally, I would Bluetooth and IR to work to have wireless keyboard and Apple IR remote.

 

I use dgsga's latest moded ROM from http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1374313 using the hidden EFI partition and Chameleon RC4 with Extra extensions: fakesmc.kext, IOAHCIBlockStorageInjector.kext and OpenHaltRestart.kext

 

I'm willing to downgrade from Snow Leopard to Leopard in order to get sleep/wake FULLY working.

 

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread, and in particular to dgsga for his moded p5n7a ROM.

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Hugo_bee
Hugo_bee
Posted
Posted

really.. since the beginning I'm sad not to achieve the best dsdt, and to see that a lot of users prefer to suggest their insted to analyze and try to join a workgroup. then .. consider that you have some good dsdt, and try one by one until you have a best effort.

with newer boot loader you can try to force loading dsdt in the boot prompt dsdt=\blablabla.. so I have a couple of files to test ..

I think the diabolik is a good one. I catched it and disassembling.. seen that is full featured with almost all of the needed. I think you can't do best because there's a lot of variables .. i.e. if you have a video card invidia or ati or.. and the dsdt dowsn't have an injection for every kind of models!! so it has any injection.. in order to works right with all the people!

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zanc
zanc
Posted
Posted

Has anyone who has been involved in modifying DSDTs for the P5N7A have any gut feeling as to whether the problems with USB devices (bluetooth, IR receivers, hard disk, etc) not recovering correctly after wake from sleep can be fixed. I'd like to start playing around with DSDTs, but if those of you with much more experience have failed I can't see that my endeavours would be fruitful.

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zanc
zanc
Posted
Posted

Well I seem to have a process by which I can use the Apple remote after a system wake. It involves using SleepWatcher http://www.bernhard-baehr.de/ After installation its behaviour is to look for the files ~/.sleep just before the machine goes to sleep and ~/.wakeup as soon the the machine wakes and execute the scripts if they exist. In these files I put the shell script commands

kextunload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIRController.kext in ~/.sleep and

kextload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIRController.kext in ~/.wakeup

 

Provided I use the physical power button to sleep and wake the computer the remote continues to wake. If I sleep using other means (remote buddy, mouse apple menu, Plex, etc) the IR controller fails to restart. I suspect that in these cases the unload was not successful.

 

I will try experimenting with other procedures. For example, if I don't unload the kext before going to sleep I can use the remote to wake the computer, but cannot use it thereafter. So I will try to include the unload and load in the same ~/.wakeup. My first attempts at this failed, but it may be that the load unload activities are run as background tasks so that the request to reload the kext precedes the completion of the unload and so fails.

 

Once I get a bluetooth dongle I will try a similar trick for reestablishing connection with a bluetooth keyboard.

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zanc
zanc
Posted
Posted
keep going

Well, my success was short lived after a recent reboot I have been unable to get the remote working again. I think it may be something to do with setting up of the BIOS before starting the machine. Since the BIOS is corrupted every time the machine is put to sleep, I need to keep better records of how the BIOS was set up. Another point to note is that the Power button and Software sleep means of sleeping the machine appear to be not the same. A part of the system.log file shows this - look for

 

Mar 18 18:39:44 PlexBox configd[15]: Sleep: Success - AC - Power Button Sleep

Mar 18 18:39:44 PlexBox configd[15]: Wake: Success - AC - PWRB OHC2 EHC2

 

 

Mar 18 18:39:24 PlexBox configd[15]: PMConnection mDNSResponder com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 1271 ms
Mar 18 18:39:33 PlexBox loginwindow[43]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback will power on, Currenttime:3/18/2010 6:39:33.004 PM - Waketime:3/18/2010 6:39:33.000 PM = Deltatime:0.004309893
Mar 18 18:39:33 PlexBox ptmd[40]: [ERROR] Failed to update ODD thermal key to 0 (read 0xe00002c9)
Mar 18 18:39:33 PlexBox configd[15]: network configuration changed.
Mar 18 18:39:40 PlexBox ptmd[40]: [ERROR] Failed to update ODD thermal key to 0 (read 0xe00002c9)
Mar 18 18:39:44 PlexBox configd[15]: Sleep: Success - AC - Power Button Sleep
Mar 18 18:39:44 PlexBox configd[15]: Wake: Success - AC - PWRB OHC2 EHC2
Mar 18 18:39:44 PlexBox configd[15]: Hibernate Statistics
Mar 18 18:39:44 PlexBox configd[15]: network configuration changed.
Mar 18 18:40:03 PlexBox loginwindow[43]: no spins reported for this wake
Mar 18 18:41:55 PlexBox loginwindow[43]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback WILL sleep
Mar 18 18:41:55 PlexBox [0x0-0xc00c].com.elgato.eyetvhelper[156]: ***Wakein::CancelEvents: requested event type: wakepoweron
Mar 18 18:41:55 PlexBox [0x0-0xc00c].com.elgato.eyetvhelper[156]: ***Wakein::CancelEvents: requested app name: com.elgato.eyetv
Mar 18 18:41:55 PlexBox [0x0-0xc00c].com.elgato.eyetvhelper[156]: ***Wakein: 0 entries in power event schedule table
Mar 18 18:41:59 PlexBox mDNSResponder[19]: DHCPWakeTime: SCDynamicStoreCopyDHCPInfo index 0 failed CFDateRef start 00000000 CFDataRef lease 00000000 CFDataGetLength(lease) 0
Mar 18 18:41:59 PlexBox configd[15]: PMConnection mDNSResponder com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 4090 ms
Mar 18 18:42:05 PlexBox loginwindow[43]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback will power on, Currenttime:3/18/2010 6:42:05.005 PM - Waketime:3/18/2010 6:42:05.000 PM = Deltatime:0.004677892
Mar 18 18:42:05 PlexBox configd[15]: network configuration changed.
Mar 18 18:42:12 PlexBox ptmd[40]: [ERROR] Failed to update ODD thermal key to 0 (read 0xe00002c9)
Mar 18 18:42:13 PlexBox configd[15]: network configuration changed.
Mar 18 18:42:13 PlexBox configd[15]: Sleep: Success - AC - Software Sleep
Mar 18 18:42:13 PlexBox configd[15]: Wake: Success - AC - OHC2
Mar 18 18:42:13 PlexBox configd[15]: Hibernate Statistics
Mar 18 18:42:13 PlexBox configd[15]: Kernel configd com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 4107 ms
Mar 18 18:42:26 PlexBox ntpd[2851]: time reset -0.187251 s
Mar 18 18:42:35 PlexBox loginwindow[43]: no spins reported for this wake

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zanc
zanc
Posted
Posted

I don't really understand why I was having problems (see my last post) but I succeeded getting back to my previous state where I can reliably sleep and wake with a working remote. To simplify things I then got rid of the ~/.sleep and ~/.wakeup files and put the kextload/kextunload in the /etc/rc.sleep and /etc/rc.wakeup files directly. I also followed someone else's example to loop the load and unload actions until the command returned success.

 

My main problem now is the reseting of the BIOS after sleeping and waking the machine. I see that there is a CMOS Reset patch detailed in the DSDTSE application. Have any of the DSDT experts (e.g. dgsga) tried to apply it to the P5N7A?

 

If you are using the P5N7A with DVI/HMI output I would suggest using dgsga's moded rom (V4) in post

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1341125

You cannot change the resolution from default in dgsga's later one without getting a black/blue screen.

 

For wireless I bought this PCI express card from Ebay, item 260491350302. I also had to buy 2 very cheap antennas and cables, and mod/drill the backplate, but it worked out the box, connects within a few seconds and survives sleep and wake. I can provide more details if anyone is interested.

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zanc
zanc
Posted
Posted

With the problems of USB devices not working after wake from sleep I tried to install a Belkin USB 2.0 low profile PCI card. No luck. Although the PCI USB ports work very well the machine will not now sleep. Has anyone had any success with a PCI USB card?

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chris_rock
chris_rock
Posted
Posted

Hey, I have successfully updated to 10.6.3.

I’m using dgsga's moded rom (V4). The only thing I had to do was to backup Applehda.kext in /System/Library/Extensions before I started the update. If you don’t do a backup and reinstall the old Applehda it will break your audio. Alternatively you can go over to this thread http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=161430 and look for a new Applehda for /Extra/Extensions. But until now I haven't checked..

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zanc
zanc
Posted
Posted

sylph93,

 

What is the difference in the two dsdt files you posted, and can you describe in more detail what issues they resolve. Can they be used as an override to dgsga's moded ROM or should I use the unmodded 0514 ROM. Also, was the moded dsdt designed for HDMI/DVI output, as per dgsga's post http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1337075

 

Thanks

 

I finally found the solution for USB replugging.

 

I've also used dgsga's moded rom (V4)

 

Today I made dsdt file for this.

 

If it works for you, then please merge this to mod bios. :(

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sylph93
sylph93
Posted
Posted
sylph93,

 

What is the difference in the two dsdt files you posted, and can you describe in more detail what issues they resolve. Can they be used as an override to dgsga's moded ROM or should I use the unmodded 0514 ROM. Also, was the moded dsdt designed for HDMI/DVI output, as per dgsga's post http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1337075

 

Thanks

 

Sorry for insufficient explanation about change.

The problem was losing USB(EHCI) after sleep. ex. wireless dongle. webcam...

After I putting this code, the problem solved.

 

Device (EHC1)

{

Name (_ADR, 0x001D0007)

Method (_S3D, 0, NotSerialized)

{

If (LEqual (OSFL (), 0x02))

{

Return (0x02)

}

 

Return (0x03)

}

 

Name (_PRW, Package (0x02)

{

0x0D,

0x03

})

Method (_DSM, 4, NotSerialized)

{

Store (Package (0x04)

{

"AAPL,clock-id",

Buffer (One)

{

0x01

},

 

"device_type",

Buffer (0x05)

{

"EHCI"

}

}, Local0)

DTGP (Arg0, Arg1, Arg2, Arg3, RefOf (Local0))

Return (Local0)

}

}

 

to EHCI1

 

and

 

Device (EHC2)

{

Name (_ADR, 0x001A0007)

Method (_S3D, 0, NotSerialized)

{

If (LEqual (OSFL (), 0x02))

{

Return (0x02)

}

 

Return (0x03)

}

 

Name (_PRW, Package (0x02)

{

0x0D,

0x03

})

Method (_DSM, 4, NotSerialized)

{

Store (Package (0x04)

{

"AAPL,clock-id",

Buffer (One)

{

0x02

},

 

"device_type",

Buffer (0x05)

{

"EHCI"

}

}, Local0)

DTGP (Arg0, Arg1, Arg2, Arg3, RefOf (Local0))

Return (Local0)

}

}

 

to EHCI2

 

 

After doing this, EHCI devices still alive after sleep. ;)

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zanc
zanc
Posted
Posted

Thanks for the reply. I tried running your DSDT together with dgsga's v4 moded ROM but then had problems changing the video resolution - I use HDMI. I believe this is an NCAP problem and I did notice that the string in your DSDT was not that suggested by dgsga, so I'll try and update your DSDT to fix that.

 

Hopefully, your new DSDT will remove the need to install SleepWatcher in order to reset USB devices.

 

Sorry for insufficient explanation about change.

The problem was losing USB(EHCI) after sleep. ex. wireless dongle. webcam...

After I putting this code, the problem solved.

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oso2k
oso2k
Posted
Posted
1. Put the new BIOS rom under the root of a NTFS or a FAT32 drive in your machine (windows's C drive is a good candidate). Restart the computer and press ALT+F2 to get into ASUS EZ-Flash, locate the BIOS rom file and flash it to your board. (Please take caution with flashing BIOS, if the flashing process is interrupted in anyway it could result in a dead board)

 

2. Follow freshcocoa's tutorial, create a USB Snow Leopard installation drive. when you reach the part where he tells you to create the "extra" and "extensions" folders, all you need is "fakesmc.kext" inside the "Extensions" folder. With the new BIOS you just flashed in, DSDT.aml is not needed.

 

Here is the download link for all the files InstallationFiles.zip

 

Steve, any chance you still have a copy of hutch's tutorial? My hack got fubar'd in a power outage.

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zanc
zanc
Posted
Posted
Here's the latest bios with a few cosmetic tweaks. Have also attached modded fakesmc so it appears identical to that found in a MacMini3,1 and fixes the console errors found on startup in 10.6.2. Also an updated smbios.plist. I think the way to set DVI as the primary is by changing the NVCAP. The three possible variations are:

 

DVI-I / DVI-I - BAAAAAAAAwAMAAAAAAAABwAAAAA=

VGA / DVI-I - BAAAAAAAAQAGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=

DVI-I / VGA - BAAAAAAAAwAEAAAAAAAABwAAAAA=

 

These values are BASE64 encoded and so need to be converted to hex for use in the dsdt. Use the translator at Translator

 

Cheers

 

Hi dgsga,

Is there any chance of you posting details of how you go about patching the ASUS Bios with the new DSDT. I'd like to try some experiments of my own.

Thanks.

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