[GUIDE] Installing Snow Leopard/Leopard retail DVD on the GA-E7AUM-DS2H

[elviejo]

Hello again,

 

so I tried adding my graphic card to the DSDT for several days but until now I have has no luck. I really don't know where I should insert it.

I used the IORegistryExplorer to identifiy the PCI section. It is listed under PCI0.XVR0. But inserting the stuff there haven't led to any success. So now I hope, that maybe anyone can give me a hint how to do this.

Those are the lines I insert into several sections of the dsdt.dsl:

Device (XVR0){
		Name (_ADR, zero)
		Name (_SUN, One)
                   Method (_DSM, 4, NotSerialized)
                   {
                       Store (Package (0x16)
                       {
                                       "@0,compatible", 
                                       Buffer (0x0B)
                                       {
                                           "NVDA,NVMac"
                                       }, 

                                       "@0,device_type", 
                                       Buffer (0x08)
                                       {
                                           "display"
                                       }, 

                                       "@0,name", 
                                       Buffer (0x0F)
                                       {
                                           "NVDA,Display-A"
                                       }, 

                                       "@1,compatible", 
                                       Buffer (0x0B)
                                       {
                                           "NVDA,NVMac"
                                       }, 

                                       "@1,device_type", 
                                       Buffer (0x08)
                                       {
                                           "display"
                                       }, 

                                       "@1,name", 
                                       Buffer (0x0F)
                                       {
                                           "NVDA,Display-B"
                                       }, 

                                       "NVCAP", 
                                       Buffer (0x18)
                                       {
                                           /* 0000 */    0x04, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0x00, 
                                           /* 0008 */    0x0C, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0A, 
                                           /* 0010 */    0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00
                                       }, 

                                       "VRAM,totalsize", 
                                       Buffer (0x04)
                                       {
                                           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x10
                                       }, 

                                       "device_type", 
                                       Buffer (0x0D)
                                       {
                                           "NVDA,GeForce"
                                       }, 

                                       "model", 
                                       Buffer (0x14)
                                       {
                                           "NVIDIA GeForce 8600GTS"
                                       }, 

                               "rom-revision", 
                               Buffer (0x22)
                               {
                                   "NVIDIA GeForce 8600GTS OpenGL Engine"
                               }
                           }, Local0)
                       DTGP (Arg0, Arg1, Arg2, Arg3, RefOf (Local0))
                       Return (Local0)
				}
			}

I tried inserting this with and without the leading "Device(XVR0)", also with "Device(PEG) and Device (GFX0)" right after the Device(PCI0) line.

Maybe I have to play around with the Address? Does this depend on the PCIroot which I can get with the gfxutil?

 

If there is no solutions for this issue, I am thinking of adding the graphics card through EFI strings. Is it possible to add the external graphics card with an EFI string, whereas the internal graphic chip is inserted through DSDT?

 

Thanks for your help

wanky

It's better to use EFI strings, that way if you change the video card, you don't have to mess with the DSDT and it fullfill the same. Anyway if you still want to add the video card in the DSDT use the attached as template.dsdt.aml.zip

 

 

 

 

Ok so I had some time to play around last night. I started at Step 12 (installing chameleon) and worked all the way through to the end, with the new steps, and still can't boot without the CD.

 

Same as before...

boot0: something....
 boot0: testing
 boot0: testing
 boot0: error

 

Your problem sound as if the system is booting from the wrong disk or partition.

[olegischinski]

Ok so I had some time to play around last night. I started at Step 12 (installing chameleon) and worked all the way through to the end, with the new steps, and still can't boot without the CD.

 

Same as before...

boot0: something....
   boot0: testing
   boot0: testing
   boot0: error

I also still have no sound. And I must say the thread on ALC is monsterous and very confusing. Not sure where I am going wrong on this one either.

 

Edit:

I also had two files that could NOT be repaired in Disk Utility. I'll have to see which ones they were again tonight. something/something/core/something and another one I can't remember at all. I'm sure this is probably my issue.

 

hi Maharajamd,

 

your boot-error - this looks like a missing bootsector on your Mac-Partition. Perhaps it may help to dump it again manually.

 

sudo dd if=/where_your_chameleon_folder_is/i386/boot1h \
of=/dev/rdisk_Number_of_root_partition (e.g. /dev/rdisk0s2)

Sound-Prob: Has you switch from Headphones to Internal in Systempreferences?

[me@home]

@ Maharajamd:

 

thank you - you did a fine summary!

I hate to remove the ram out of the mobo when booting up OSX on this mobo....

 

It's really getting easier with every OSX release to install on a hackingtosh - and I hope that one day APPLE will release OSX X86 + X64 for all !

[elviejo]

Ok, I did tinker around some more. I found out that the two files that would not repair in disk utility are ones that Apple deems 'OK' to not be repaired. One was a frameworks/locum and the other was a remote desktop file. I found an Apple discussions that says they are fine.

 

I also realized last night, I was putting the UUID in INCORRECTLY in the PlatformUUID.kext/blahblah/info.plist.

 

It should be...

<key>PlatformUUID</key>
<string>YOUR UUID NUMBER HERE</string>

 

and I did...

<string>PlatformUUID</string>
<key>YOUR UUID NUMBER HERE</key>

 

I have a feeling this is a mistake that a lot of people would make. I'll be editing that step with better detail. Lesson learned, don't be under the influence of *anything* when doing tech work... Anyways, I made the correction, and it still didn't boot from hdd. I don't want to scrap the OSX install and start over because having to deal with 1.5 TB of movies and music is a PITA! I will run those commands tonight and see what happens.

 

Ok now I'm not a mac nub at all, I run an entirely mac network at work, but I am a little lacking in the sound dept. And I look at the pref panel and it's so simple and stupid, I know I can't be missing something (hope not at least). I will check again but after install I never made that change because I can't find it. Now that it's the weekend I'll be finishing this up.

 

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

Why you don't try the EFI way?, read the attached guide ( the important things are the commands, make your own folders with the stuff you need) it is the closest to a clean installation you can get.This_is_a_guide_for_running_a_100__vanilla_OS_X_retail_install_on_your_wind_.rtfd.zip

[shawndoggy]

Gigabyte GA-E7AUM-DS2H

Snow Leopard Install Guide

10/29/2009

 

 

OK so I'm totally getting hung up at the BootCD.iso stage. I burn the cd, I put it in at boot, computer gets to "BOOT FROM CD/DVD," starts to boot and then stops at "cdboot: done."

 

Did I burn the BOOTCD.iso incorrectly?

[shawndoggy]

Hmm, that should be the most straight forward part of the install. Did you burn the CD in windows or on a mac? I just used disk utility in OSX. Did the BIOS reflash go smoothly?

 

Yeah, reflashed no problem. I just realized that my dvd drive is ide, though. Is that going to make this a no-go? I was figuring that as long as bios can see the dvd drive (and it can because it starts to run the bootcd) that I was at least going to get a little further down the guide!

[shawndoggy]

And you completed step 5 correct?

 

 

 

My setup is 100% SATA, so I didn't have to worry about mixed IDE/SATA. I know in my browsing the OSx86 stuff there seems to be other variables that get thrown into the mix because of that. Although I would think it would be ok.

 

Yes and I see the additional AHCI screen after the splash screen and before the verifying dmi pool data screen.

[Maharajamd]

Hmmmmmmm. Would restoring the BOOTCD.iso to a thumb drive and trying to boot from that work?

[dlach]

Yeah, reflashed no problem. I just realized that my dvd drive is ide, though. Is that going to make this a no-go? I was figuring that as long as bios can see the dvd drive (and it can because it starts to run the bootcd) that I was at least going to get a little further down the guide!

 

shawndoggy,

 

I'm afraid that when Maharajamd summarized my guide from post #1, he left out a key piece of information:

"At this time, this guide (and all other SL guides I've seen) require that you have an all SATA (DVD and hard disk) set-up so set "On-chip SATA mode" to AHCI. Hit f10 to save and exit." Seriously, survey the other SL guides on this forum, I haven't found any that say you can install from the DVD using IDE. Some have you install from a USB stick and then whack in a ATA kext to get your drive working.

 

To all:

I asked Maharajamd to post his summary, at the time he said he wasn't going to post it until it was 100%, but he posted it and as far as I know his hack is not booting. So I advise caution.

 

Maharajamd:

I am not trying to slam you. I appreciate the help in clarifying the guide but I really think you should post a disclaimer on your summary until you get it working. I also recommend you mention the SATA DVD issue until such time as you have confirmed instructions for getting it working with an IDE DVD.

 

To all:

I apologize for my SL guide on post #1. For Leopard I made sure that if you followed my instructions you were pretty much guaranteed to get a working install. With SL, I've let myself be rushed into getting something out and in the process have not personally tested everything or made sure it was easy to understand. I can however assure you that if you follow steps 1-11 of the SL guide on post #1, you'll have a working hack. I did not follow steps 12+ exactly in the order presented, but I believe they will work as well.

[me@home]

To all:

I apologize...

 

Well, don't let yourself down....we all appreciate your work / help and this thread is fine for all mobo GA-E7AUM-DS2H users.

 

Once we'll be able to use onboard gfx with 4/8 Gb ram then it's a superb OSX HTPC !

[adidasprince]

Hi all,

 

I have a GOOD NEWS...

 

Yes, yes, yes!

 

I got my >2G problem solved,

 

really.

 

at least at my e7aum@10.5.8.

 

 

 

 

My solution is "patch Chameleon",  to tell osx with the memory map we want.

 

I uploaded

 

1. patch file for Chameleon 2.0 RC3 r658
   
2. my patched Chameleon package for GMEM:256M,MEM:2Gx2(which i got)
   
3. Chameleon's memory info before/after patching
   
4. "About this mac" and "Active Monitor" after patching
   
5. memtest which checks mem up to 4G
   

 

 

Future works:

 

1. change hard-coding to configurable
   
2. still missing some usable memory for unknown reason
   

 

 

AND finally greate thanks to dlach, for his(i'm sorry, if i'm wrong:-) awesome contributions in this topic.

256m_meminfo.patch.txt

Chameleon_2.0_RC3_r658_256m_patch.pkg.zip

mrosxn00b_memtest_max4g.zip

[dlach]

Hi all,

 

I have a GOOD NEWS...

 

Yes, yes, yes!

 

I got my >2G problem solved,

 

really.

 

at least at my e7aum@10.5.8.

 

 

 

 

My solution is "patch Chameleon", to tell osx with the memory map we want.

 

I uploaded

 

1. patch file for Chameleon 2.0 RC3 r658
   
2. my patched Chameleon package for GMEM:256M,MEM:2Gx2(which i got)
   
3. Chameleon's memory info before/after patching
   
4. "About this mac" and "Active Monitor" after patching
   
5. memtest which checks mem up to 4G
   

 

 

Future works:

 

1. change hard-coding to configurable
   
2. still missing some usable memory for unknown reason
   

 

 

AND finally greate thanks to dlach, for his(i'm sorry, if i'm wrong:-) awesome contributions in this topic.

 

NICE WORK!

 

How did you get this to work? Are you patching SSDT with Chameleon?

 

PS.

his(i'm sorry, if i'm wrong:-)

You are most definitely right.

[adidasprince]

Sorry for the less of information in last post (i was starved :-)

 

How did you get this to work? Are you patching SSDT with Chameleon?

 

No, i patched Chameleon itself, the part of reading memory map from BIOS.  From patch file i uploaded, you can see some memory address is hard-coded in the source code that belongs to Chameleon.

 

Every OS read memory map from BIOS.  I digged into DSDT&SSDT@ACPI and i don't think it's easy (or safe, or even possible) to reset memory map after kernel is loaded which is required by dsdt patcher execution (Correct me if i'm wrong).  So the hardcoding idea came to me: Maybe >2G problem is just the overlapping in GIGABYTE's memory map (the overlapping can be confirmed from Chameleon's memory info, and this also explains why everything is ok if GMEM is mapped to 0xB0000000).  BTW, my thinkpad's memory map is clean which is sorted and without overlapping (NO OFFENCE to GIGABYE, i'm a chinese and i love taiwan).

 

 

Here is what i did:

 

1. Find the part of reading memory by calling INT E820h
   
2. So i got my target: biosfn.c
   
3. Add a function in biosfn.c to do that
   
4. 1) Split overlapped memory map (0x00100000:0xafdf0000)
   
5. 2) Sort memory map
   
6. Then, re-compile-package-install patched Chameleon
   

Everyone who has XCode can reproduce my procedure pretty easy on 10.5.x or 10.6.x, i think.  And, it's possible to migrate my code for GMEM:512M or MEM:>4G.

[x4nd0r]

S

Here is what i did:

 

1. Find the part of reading memory by calling INT E820h
   
2. So i got my target: biosfn.c
   
3. Add a function in biosfn.c to do that
   
4. 1) Split overlapped memory map (0x00100000:0xafdf0000)
   
5. 2) Sort memory map
   
6. Then, re-compile-package-install patched Chameleon
   

Everyone who has XCode can reproduce my procedure pretty easy on 10.5.x or 10.6.x, i think. And, it's possible to migrate my code for GMEM:512M or MEM:>4G.

 

Very very very intresting! Many thanks in advance.

 

What bios do you use?

[Maharajamd]

Posts deleted, I don't know why I even bothered.

 

To everyone else, I suggest using the BIOS file and instructions from this thread, and ignore the rest and head over to the chameleon forum. It works.

[genzai]

Sorry for the less of information in last post (i was starved :-)

 

 

 

No, i patched Chameleon itself, the part of reading memory map from BIOS. From patch file i uploaded, you can see some memory address is hard-coded in the source code that belongs to Chameleon.

 

Every OS read memory map from BIOS. I digged into DSDT&SSDT@ACPI and i don't think it's easy (or safe, or even possible) to reset memory map after kernel is loaded which is required by dsdt patcher execution (Correct me if i'm wrong). So the hardcoding idea came to me: Maybe >2G problem is just the overlapping in GIGABYTE's memory map (the overlapping can be confirmed from Chameleon's memory info, and this also explains why everything is ok if GMEM is mapped to 0xB0000000). BTW, my thinkpad's memory map is clean which is sorted and without overlapping (NO OFFENCE to GIGABYE, i'm a chinese and i love taiwan).

 

 

Here is what i did:

 

1. Find the part of reading memory by calling INT E820h
   
2. So i got my target: biosfn.c
   
3. Add a function in biosfn.c to do that
   
4. 1) Split overlapped memory map (0x00100000:0xafdf0000)
   
5. 2) Sort memory map
   
6. Then, re-compile-package-install patched Chameleon
   

Everyone who has XCode can reproduce my procedure pretty easy on 10.5.x or 10.6.x, i think. And, it's possible to migrate my code for GMEM:512M or MEM:>4G.

 

This is amazing work! zhende tai hao le!

 

Can you compile a version of PCEFI 10.5 with the same changes and post for us?

Thanks,

g\

[dlach]

Posts deleted, I don't know why I even bothered.

 

To everyone else, I suggest using the BIOS file and instructions from this thread, and ignore the rest and head over to the chameleon forum. It works.

 

Like I said, I appreciate all contributions as does everyone else and I think your summary did some very good things and has the potential to be much better that the original. But if you post something you need to help people who get in trouble and fix any problems with your post as soon as you can and not take things personally. So please don't take what I said wrong and give up, if everyone did we wouldn't have much progress.

[netcastle]

Has anyone reproduced the 4 gig breakthrough by addidasprince. I ask because I would like some clarification:

 

1) dsdt still needed?

 

2) works in 10.6?

 

3) patched bios okay?

 

I can't believe we have been at this for a year. Great work addidasprince and dlach.

[adidasprince]

What bios do you use?

 

1) dsdt still needed?

 

2) works in 10.6?

 

3) patched bios okay?

 

Dsdt

Dsdt patcher is loaded after reading memory map info, so dsdt patches (dsdt.aml) won't bother my patch.

The answer is: No, my patch does not need dsdt.

 

Bios version

I'm using Bios f3a by jon55 and tested that only.

But I don't think there are memory map difference between versions (see the mail from gigabyte that quoted by dlach: the difference is not mentioned by gigabyte).

The answer is: Yes, any patched bios will work which remains the original memory map info.

 

Osx version (theorically)

10.5.x and 10.6.x are using same loader (boot-132) which efi patcher and chameleon based on. Until the loader (especially, biosfn.c) become treating the overlapping like win&linux, my patch is necessary.

The answer is: Yes, it should works on 10.6.x. You can try it yourself, it won't take your much time.

 

Fail safe

Using BootCD which is used in osx installation can boot the osx in hdd.

 

This is amazing work! zhende tai hao le!

 

Can you compile a version of PCEFI 10.5 with the same changes and post for us?

Thanks,

g\

 

Bu ke qi! I will give a try when I get home if 256m gmem + 4g mem satisfys you.

[dlach]

Dsdt

Dsdt patcher is loaded after reading memory map info, so dsdt patches (dsdt.aml) won't bother my patch.

The answer is: No, my patch does not need dsdt.

 

Bios version

I'm using Bios f3a by jon55 and tested that only.

But I don't think there are memory map difference between versions (see the mail from gigabyte that quoted by dlach: the difference is not mentioned by gigabyte).

The answer is: Yes, any patched bios will work which remains the original memory map info.

 

Osx version (theorically)

10.5.x and 10.6.x are using same loader (boot-132) which efi patcher and chameleon based on. Until the loader (especially, biosfn.c) become treating the overlapping like win&linux, my patch is necessary.

The answer is: Yes, it should works on 10.6.x. You can try it yourself, it won't take your much time.

 

Fail safe

Using BootCD which is used in osx installation can boot the osx in hdd.

 

 

 

Bu ke qi! I will give a try when I get home if 256m gmem + 4g mem satisfys you.

 

This is probably obvious but just to clarify, you'll still need a patched bios or dsdt.aml to fix the CMOS reset and get you graphics and audio though you could use efi strings for the graphics.

 

I haven't tried it yet but I believe it will work a treat.

 

 

I digged into DSDT&SSDT@ACPI and i don't think it's easy (or safe, or even possible) to reset memory map after kernel is loaded which is required by dsdt patcher execution (Correct me if i'm wrong).

 

I think you're probably right if we use a dsdt.aml in /Extra, because then the BIOS tables are patched after the fact. However if the SSDT/DSDT is fixed and compiled into a dsdt.aml, and then the is BIOS patched with it, I am pretty sure it will *be* the memory map read by Chameleon at boot time.

 

I can't believe we have been at this for a year. Great work addidasprince and dlach.

 

I can hardly believe it either. Too bad it is getting hard to find these boards.

 

Once again, this is excellent work adidasprince, thank you.

[genzai]

Bu ke qi! I will give a try when I get home if 256m gmem + 4g mem satisfys you.

 

Dui a,

256m gmem + 4g sysmem shi dui le.

 

xie xie.

g\

[netcastle]

Dsdt

Dsdt patcher is loaded after reading memory map info, so dsdt patches (dsdt.aml) won't bother my patch.

The answer is: No, my patch does not need dsdt.

 

Bios version

I'm using Bios f3a by jon55 and tested that only.

But I don't think there are memory map difference between versions (see the mail from gigabyte that quoted by dlach: the difference is not mentioned by gigabyte).

The answer is: Yes, any patched bios will work which remains the original memory map info.

 

Osx version (theorically)

10.5.x and 10.6.x are using same loader (boot-132) which efi patcher and chameleon based on. Until the loader (especially, biosfn.c) become treating the overlapping like win&linux, my patch is necessary.

The answer is: Yes, it should works on 10.6.x. You can try it yourself, it won't take your much time.

 

Thanks. I'll dust this board off this weekend and give it a try.

[adidasprince]

Dui a,

256m gmem + 4g sysmem shi dui le.

 

xie xie.

g\

 

Here you go~  CAUTION: I didn't test it 

Chameleon_2.0_RC3_pceif_10.5.pkg.zip

[e60]

@adidasprince

you did a real awesome Work!!! Would it be possible for you to compile an 8GB solution? I am using 8GB RAM on this Board, because of Windows 7 64 Bit. If you need further informations or any specs, please let me know.

[adidasprince]

@adidasprince

you did a real awesome Work!!! Would it be possible for you to compile an 8GB solution? I am using 8GB RAM on this Board, because of Windows 7 64 Bit. If you need further informations or any specs, please let me know.

You are welcome!!!

 

 

I was just about thinking of >4GB solution and the missing 256M (My Activity Console shows only 3.5GB usable mem).  Cos our mb supports memorys up to 16GB, i can't confirm every memory map proposition of memory amount.  So could you send me what Chameleon saying about your memory map? (Hit "Memory Info" at Chameleon's boot menu and then take a pic)

 

 

Becos of "Turbo Cache", which means that Windows nvidia driver takes twice of the gmem set in BIOS, it's ok for my win7 showing 3.5GB usable mem. Maybe BIOS reserved another 256M (in my case) somewhere for that. So i also need what win7 says about your usable memory, to insure you can use all of your 8G mems ;-) Pls send me your "Device Resources" report of EVEREST Ultimate Edition which is under the "Devices" node. See my attached report if you don't have any idea what the report is.

256m.txt

512m.txt