[GUIDE] Scripted Yosemite/Mavericks Install on Gigabyte Mobos

[Lyle M]

I use DiskWarrior, or I used to, a lot. So it has saved my bacon getting this G4 back healthy. One thing that has long been a problem is how do I maintain my Hack build? AFAIK I cant use applejack or DW and I only know of ClamX as a antiviral. One very important learning here would be to understand how to make maintaining my system better.

You can run Disk Warrior. It must be the latest version. You MUST run DD's script after you use DW and re-install the bootloader. If you don't re-install the bootloader the drive will not be bootable unless you have a working bootloader on other media.

 

See http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1304149 for additional details.

 

I highly recommend having a 2nd bootable drive in your system. From there you can run DW, DD's script, or even Apple's Disk Utility.

 

Regards,

Lyle

[Budge]

I tried to change the boot order in the BIOS to FDD first, but when I plugged the USB device in, my BIOS froze. I couldn't even save my changes or exit.

 

I checked the code on the motherboard lcd and it is displaying "50", which corresponds to "initialize USB keyboard and mouse" in the manual. Maybe I need to find an old PS2 mouse and keyboard and try again.

 

MAJ, I feel bad that you went to the trouble to create a USB install option for the UD5 and it isn't cooperating. Please let me know if you would like me to help you with any diagnostic information. In the meantime, can you provide a short explanation of how the boot CD install method works? I'll try that instead.

[LocusOfControl]

Thanks MAJ. I wasn't sure and I was having a difficult time finding anyone else who had used this method.

 

 

 

WOW! As soon as MAJ answered my question, I ran into this roadblock as well. I'm using BIOS version 7 and I can't post when the USB media is connected. Now what do I do? I'll play with my BIOs settings to see if I can get around this. However, if I can't, what else should I try. I'm using my wife's iMac to create the USB image. Can I put my target HDD into a firewire enclosure and attach it to the iMac to install the OS and bootloader?

 

 

Yes it is even an issue with latest bios f9m. I even have a Bluetooth v2.1 dongle that has an onboard ROM.

Bios tries to read from it or boot from it so causing hang. An older BT v2.0 dongle without ROM from same manufacturer boots fine. The v2.1 dongle is fine in other machines indicating it is a GB bios 'feature'

 

I read on tweaktown about someone writing to GB about this, the suggested work around is to install it from the OS The BT v2.1 dongle does work in SL

 

I also wrote to GB some weeks back but not had a reply

[zoro2]

Sorry should have been Extra

 

It sounds like either you don't have a basic chameleon setup or you may have installed in the hidden EFI partition

 

what do you see if you type "diskutil list" without ""

 

you need a boot file in / if you installed chameleon in /Extra or in the EFI partition if you installed chameleon in

EFI/Extra

 

if you find a file called boot type cksum boot

 

edit: You should be doing this from terminal not spotlight. finder etc

 

ie

ls -ld /

 

ls -l boot

 

cksum boot

Good news, I ran the DD script and got the external working in SNL. I saw migration assist saw my other raid drive OK. I didn't migrate it however due to previous discussion about that being problematic. Although I cant see any mounted drives on my desktop, none. Finder window shows all my drives, just not mounted on the desktop.

 

DU says it (RAID drive) is unable to unmount but needs repairs. I also downloaded CCC. It wont migrate to this volume, I assume because I am booted on it. But it will create a disk image (need that back up for sure now!!!) Maybe it's just normal but, I want it to create the disk image on this drive but CCC will only make a new image on that raid drive.

 

The good news is that I have sound working in this boot of snl now. Bad news is I got into a discussion here and when I Can back it went to sleep and would not wake up.

 

One other weird thing, the last three boots it changes the bios on me. I know how to reset the bios but it seems it should not be doing that. ON a related note, is there anyway to get a bios update to work using a floppy? Someone suggested I could do that with my Thumb drive but I was unable to get that recognized. There are other PCs in the house, none of which has a floppy reader.

 

Crossing my fingers that I may be getting through all of this. If you can assist in guiding how to make this more stable, I am very glad for the help.

 

THanks

[bossent20]

hi. i selected option 15 to make a USB preboot method. but it sometimes gives me early errors with a window popup saying the disc inserted is an unknown format. it asks me to initialize or eject.

 

this happens sometimes 10%, 40% or even 70% into the process of making the preboot USB from the retail disc of SL 10.6

 

anyone able to PM me on this please

 

would greatly appreciate the help

 

thanks

 

PS - please kindly let me know what to format the USB drive as and what to select when using the mobo patch installer for this method

 

thank you

[zoro2]

About BIOS updates with a thumb drive;

 

Thumb drive formatted FAT

Download BIOS file: motherboard_bios_ga-ex58-ud4p_f8.exe

 

Isn't the "exe" file a windows compression format? It wont read the update this way, so how can I uncompress the exe file? Has anyone been willing to make the actual file available yet here on the forums? Or would that just be too large a file?

 

ADDED: Would anyone be willing to receive the BIOS file (or download it) who can boot Windows, decompress the EXE file, re-compress in zip, and post it? Would that mess up the file too badly?

I keep getting the Bios reverting and it is getting really annoying. WHat was a back burner issue has become a front burner on the boil issue.

 

ANy suggestions?

 

(Progress: I updated successfully to 10.6.2. Doing the CCC backup now - yes it will save to this same drive I was misunderstanding the menu)

[digital_dreamer]

hi. i selected option 15 to make a USB preboot method. but it sometimes gives me early errors with a window popup saying the disc inserted is an unknown format. it asks me to initialize or eject.

 

this happens sometimes 10%, 40% or even 70% into the process of making the preboot USB from the retail disc of SL 10.6

 

anyone able to PM me on this please

 

would greatly appreciate the help

 

thanks

 

PS - please kindly let me know what to format the USB drive as and what to select when using the mobo patch installer for this method

 

thank you

My first thought would be that your media is incompatible with your writer. It may be the generic burn routine the script is using, as well. Some users have reported better success burning the ISO to CD with third-party software like, Roxio's Toast.

 

ADDED: Would anyone be willing to receive the BIOS file (or download it) who can boot Windows, decompress the EXE file, re-compress in zip, and post it? Would that mess up the file too badly?

I keep getting the Bios reverting and it is getting really annoying. WHat was a back burner issue has become a front burner on the boil issue.

My front page has all the official, non-beta BIOS binaries posted for download, including F8.

The CMOS reset issue can be fixed by installing the DSDT patch. Just run the DSDT patcher and you're set to go.

 

MAJ

[zoro2]

My front page has all the official, non-beta BIOS binaries posted for download, including F8.

The CMOS reset issue can be fixed by installing the DSDT patch. Just run the DSDT patcher and you're set to go.

 

MAJ

Much thanks. You have ex58ud5.f8 posted. I use a similar board, but it is not the same. I use the Gigabyte X58-UD4P. May I Send you the one I have to put it up too? Can I use your version for a similar but different board than I have? Not the sort of thing I want to experiment on, unless it has already been done.

 

You are right, I forgot the DSDT patch. I am now backing up my old RAID disks, moving some folders over, etc. Once I am ready to reboot, likely at least another hour, I will look at your bios version.

 

It does seem that what I downloaded, still in exe format has to be uncompressed to end up in your files format though. Please let me know if there is I way that I can help you help me (by sending you the UD4P Bios file).

 

Much appreciation for your anchoring this thread.

[digital_dreamer]

To be honest I've seen this a few times, scripts and wizards can be useful initially to get you started but people

can become hooked on them and you end up learning the script rules rather than the underlying software.

It maybe me so no disrespect, but I prefer to do things by hand so I learn what is happening, it really isn't hard.

(but it did take a bit of effort to do lots of reading and research and trial and error etc)

 

I'm not trying to put you off the DD script by the way, just think of it as a leg up, then learn the real mechanics of the

underlying install. This will allow you to fix things when they go wrong.

Bingo. I agree wholeheartedly.

 

Like anything you learn in school/college - learn the fundamentals and theories first to develop an appreciation of the processes involved. Once having done that, you can move on to using the tools that make quick work of the mundane, repetitious routines. If you don't do this, it would be likened to fumbling in the dark without a flashlight - you only make things harder on yourself.

 

MAJ

[cocokool]

Hi guys,

 

I don't want to be a nitwit but the guide is quite large... I have a few question regarding the easiest wayt for me gettign a running OS X on my PC.

 

My specs:

GB GA-EX58-UD4P

Core i7 920 (overclocked)

GFX: Asus ATI 4890

Wireless adapter : SMCWUSB-G EU EZ Connectâ„¢ g

 

I don't have a MAC so can i still use the instruction?

If YES: What is the easiest way to Install Mac OSX? I was thinking USB drive installation.

Will i have compatibility problems? Is the installation easier with a NVIDIA card?

Will i be able to update?

What hardware problems can be expected?

 

TIA

[digital_dreamer]

Much thanks. You have ex58ud5.f8 posted. I use a similar board, but it is not the same. I use the Gigabyte X58-UD4P. May I Send you the one I have to put it up too? Can I use your version for a similar but different board than I have? Not the sort of thing I want to experiment on, unless it has already been done.

Whoops! Don't use it.

I have the UD4P binary attached.

 

 

MAJ

[zoro2]

Whoops! Don't use it.

I have the UD4P binary attached.

 

 

MAJ

Very kind, much thanks. And, I just found that downloading the free version of Stuffit Expander will unstuff the WIndows EXE file as well.

 

Still on a very long back up before I try and reboot. Hopefully sometime this year ... OK had to say it, new years eve and all.. Blessings to all on the new decade ahead.

[zoro2]

You can run Disk Warrior. It must be the latest version. You MUST run DD's script after you use DW and re-install the bootloader. If you don't re-install the bootloader the drive will not be bootable unless you have a working bootloader on other media.

 

See http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1304149 for additional details.

 

I highly recommend having a 2nd bootable drive in your system. From there you can run DW, DD's script, or even Apple's Disk Utility.

 

Regards,

Lyle

THanks. I am now realizing that the point isn't to just get an install running once. Rather it is to keep the boot loading installed and if it gets knocked out, just reinstall it. Somehow I was having such a hard time I thought it would be a major event each time.

 

I am about to follow the link you suggested so my apologies if I am about to ask what is already covered there, but ... if this board and this video card are at a point where I built them to really last (and I did), once I Get it figured out what my boot will be, can't I just swap those files in at any time, or is running the script pretty much the only option?

 

Reason I am asking is DD suggested running the DSDT patch, only how can I do that on the volume I am running? Can I? Meaning, if I am running DW the DW boot cd will not allow me to modify or run any scripts, I Have to quit DW and reboot first. ANd if it wouldn't boot after using DW ... I see the need for a second working disk here.

[Budge]

My front page has all the official, non-beta BIOS binaries posted for download, including F8.

The CMOS reset issue can be fixed by installing the DSDT patch. Just run the DSDT patcher and you're set to go.

 

Where did you get the f8 Bios? It's not even listed on the Gigabyte website.

[zoro2]

Where did you get the f8 Bios? It's not even listed on the Gigabyte website.

I got mine from the Asia site (Taiwanese I believe). THey also had a Beta 10. That was a while back. One tip I got from an old and trusted friend, the Asian site seems to have more reliable data and downloads on it. I know for a fact that my fist attempts to download the manual for my ud4p board from US site was mis-titled for the wrong model.

[bossent20]

thanks for the reply about my issue with making the preboot usb

 

i figured that if i just make an image of my retail 10.6 dvd and restore that to usb, it is the same thing (only have to add kexts with extra folder and bootloader)

 

that's exactly wha i have been doing til now.

 

it would go into the install for 10.6 via USB.

 

this is what i did:

 

1 - restore image of 10.6 to usb

 

2 - then use the UD3 snow leopard patch installer for creating the bootloader (sometimes the mobo patch installer here from DD would also work for this) - I prefer DD's installer

 

3 - i then change the extra folder with a compatible one for my ud5 mobo

 

4 - i also replace the dsdt file with one compatible for my mobo

 

5 - i can then reboot and install from USB

 

6 - after install the system reboots but during the apple logo screen it would crash with that grey box window.

 

now why does this occur if i had made a successful install. if there was a problem with kexts, then that grey box would have showed up during the install of OSX.

 

i am using a gigabyte ud5 ex58

 

the ram is corsair 6gb dominator

 

the GPU is the nvidia gtx 275

 

am i leaving anything out here.

 

have i done things incorrect?

 

i would greatly appreciate a step by step instruction please on what to select from DD's mobo patch installer after making a restored image of 10.6 to my USB

 

thank you kindly

[melee54]

1. delete "-v" in your boot.plist.

2. just deleting should be fine. you don't need to add anything

 

Thanks a lot, VirusX.

 

I can't believe how authentic this is. Back in the summer I had so many kernel panics and random glitches, but man, NONE this time around! Well, besides chameleon not going to 1920 x 1080 and surround sound, but that's minor.

[CruiSAr]

6 - after install the system reboots but during the apple logo screen it would crash with that grey box window.

 

now why does this occur if i had made a successful install. if there was a problem with kexts, then that grey box would have showed up during the install of OSX.

 

i would greatly appreciate a step by step instruction please on what to select from DD's mobo patch installer after making a restored image of 10.6 to my USB

 

thank you kindly

Please boot in verbose mode and attach a screenshot of the KP, this way we can identify what is really causing the problem. I am sure it is related to your GPU

[bossent20]

Please boot in verbose mode and attach a screenshot of the KP, this way we can identify what is really causing the problem. I am sure it is related to your GPU

 

 

thanks. i will try getting a screen shot, but if it is the GPU causing this then how comes the install goes okay ussually, but when actually booting into the OS it goes bad.

 

if i go with DD's original method of having one drive with 10.5 and installing leopard from that OS onto anotehr drive using the mobo patch installer, it all goes well. but i do not wish to install this way incase i have to reinstall in the future (i won't have a 10.5 drive to boot from). this is a very time concuming process.

 

i am so close on this USB install method. i wish i can get it sorted out quickly.

 

is it just a matter of putting a new kext file in the EXTRA foldre on the USB stick for the bootloader, or does it have to be correct BEFORE installing 10.6 from the USB?

 

thanks

[Windows04]

Hi Digital_Dreamer, just a small question. The audio kexts that you provide with your script, will they also work on other boards with the ALC889a chipset? (like say the Ga-ma790x-ud4p?)...

[zoro2]

Question: How to force a disk to unmount?

 

This is my ongoing work to recover my former main boot (RAID) drive. I have managed to back that disk up and am booting into the external relatively cleanly. Still cant get her out of deep sleep but, real progress has been made.

 

When I point DU at the RAID set (to repair disc) it says it cant unmount the drive, but the Verify disk says that;

The volume RAID Drive was found corrupt and needs to be repaired.
Error: This disk needs to be repaired. Click repair disk.

Long ago in system 9 I had a utility that could look at drives and mount or unmount them. Sure this must be doable in Terminal even without a GUI? That apparently damaged disk is also not fully mounting as it is not showing on my desktop normally when I boot to the external drive. But it is mounted because I Can see it in the finder windows and it has full access if I look at or drag on or open any files, just wont mount to the desktop.

 

I do have DW installed now. I wanted to check before I let DW replace the directory outright. Someone said that all that would do is make be re-establish a boot loader when I am done. I was thinking the DW would be more gentle and perhaps with that I wouldn't have to re-install a boot loader.

 

Is there any way to force that disk to dismount? Seems that would be a good use of Google search (I will check on it). Any comments from others?

 

Thanks

[CruiSAr]

thanks. i will try getting a screen shot, but if it is the GPU causing this then how comes the install goes okay ussually, but when actually booting into the OS it goes bad.

 

if i go with DD's original method of having one drive with 10.5 and installing leopard from that OS onto anotehr drive using the mobo patch installer, it all goes well. but i do not wish to install this way incase i have to reinstall in the future (i won't have a 10.5 drive to boot from). this is a very time concuming process.

 

i am so close on this USB install method. i wish i can get it sorted out quickly.

 

is it just a matter of putting a new kext file in the EXTRA foldre on the USB stick for the bootloader, or does it have to be correct BEFORE installing 10.6 from the USB?

 

thanks

I usually had this kind of KP because I was using the wrong kext for my GPU. Try removing any graphics related kexts and see if it will boot. You can also replace your extra folder with the one from the usb boot disk, if u r saying it worked for install then it should work for booting as well.

[zoro2]

RE: my earlier post on dismounting. Dismounting a disk is stupidly easy, just right click on the left finder window over the disk icon and unmount is an option. Disk was repaired. Now it needs to boot again.

 

Progress:

1. Tried sleep enabler as posted earlier on this thread. Not working. Going to sleep short term means it can be waked up. More than 10 mins or so, forget it. Have to force a restart.
   
2. Ran the external off the old G4 and ran the dsdt patcher script as was suggested. No difference. This thing needs to be reset in bios almost every time it boots.
   
3. Updated bios to v8. Can downgrade to make sure it isn't the bios that is causing the tweaks to fail .. I did see a discussion about problems in Bios 7 and this board on this thread, didn't I?
   
4. Tried using DW on the old Raid drive set up, then using the boot installer again. Can't make it boot. I had it set up with a small partition (disk). Because it is Raid I had it booting to the small disk which then handed it off to the Raid disk.
   
5. One of my key files, a password DB is protected in a disk image I long ago created in DU. After I did that I stopped thinking about the password as it remembered it as long as I booted into that volume, a daily occurrence for me. OK, should know the password to my own volume, stupid me. I was trying to move old system keychains over to the new drive, no luck. Can anyone think where that old Raid setup stores the password for a disk image that is password protected?
   
6. Once I manage to boot again into my old RAID set up, I should do alright. Of course, first thing is to get this external to be my stable SNL drive. From now on it's walking before running.
   
7. Whew! Thanks
   

[digital_dreamer]

thanks. i will try getting a screen shot, but if it is the GPU causing this then how comes the install goes okay ussually, but when actually booting into the OS it goes bad.

<snip>

That's because during the install your system is in generic VESA mode and not relying on GPU drivers. The VESA mode is supported by all modern graphics cards and only provides basic features that can be provided by all cards.

Once you have installed the drivers and have rebooted, then you are relying on all the GPU's proprietary features. Whether this is successful or not depends on how complete your install process was. For nVidia cards, this requires EFI strings or some other sort of injector.

 

Hi Digital_Dreamer, just a small question. The audio kexts that you provide with your script, will they also work on other boards with the ALC889a chipset? (like say the Ga-ma790x-ud4p?)...

From the same manufacture, probably. They may have the same pin configuration, so it may work. But, this is not always the case, as companies implement the chipset in different ways, particularly regarding the pin configurations (audio in/outs)

 

MAJ

 

Tried using DW on the old Raid drive set up, then using the boot installer again. Can't make it boot. I had it set up with a small partition (disk). Because it is Raid I had it booting to the small disk which then handed it off to the Raid disk.

What boot installer did you use?

There's a lot more involved in making a Apple RAID boot that just installing the bootloader. The bootloader's Extra folder needs to be present in each helper partition, as well.

 

My script (v4.22) will actually install the bootloader and support files for Apple RAID, with the exception of making the helper partitions set active (Extra install method). The bootloader install for the EFI method is fully working. Whether the EFI method actually works on the RAID for boot is another matter - hasn't been tested. But, no kext install support exists for RAID in the script, yet.

 

MAJ

[zoro2]

What boot installer did you use?

There's a lot more involved in making a Apple RAID boot that just installing the bootloader. The bootloader's Extra folder needs to be present in each helper partition, as well.

 

My script (v4.22) will actually install the bootloader and support files for Apple RAID, with the exception of making the helper partitions set active (Extra install method). The bootloader install for the EFI method is fully working. Whether the EFI method actually works on the RAID for boot is another matter - hasn't been tested. But, no kext install support exists for RAID in the script, yet.

 

MAJ

Yes, I remember it was a bit tricky to boot on a RAID drive. I ended up creating a small disk on each drive. The one I use, Start Disk, boots and hands off to the RAID set. I had to see into it's ID somehow in terminal then set it for booting. I guess I will go back and review ...

 

THe boot loader I was just trying is 1) System, 2) PC-EFI

 

Perhaps I should choose EFI instead of System for the first choice? I don't understand yet?

 

Thanks

 

ADDED: Totally as an aside, I found a review of the board I use, the GA-X58-UD4P. For any other users of this board, it looks like a good review.