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Lifehacker Guide with GA-EP45-UD3P Motherboard

scrambler_455

By scrambler_455,
in OSx86 10.6 (Snow Leopard)

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GA-EP45-UD3P / Core 2 Quad / 9800gtx Experience  

406 members have voted

  1. 1. Are you Booting SL

    • Stable - No Problems
      196
    • Stable - Minor Issues
      142
    • Unstable - Kernel Panics
      26
    • Not Booting
      46

2,371 posts in this topic

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scrambler_455
scrambler_455
Posted
Posted

This thread is for us to share our experience with the hardware configuration:

Obviously, the case, the hard disk, and the memory don't have to be the same, but here they are for the sake of posterity:

 

The lifehacker guide including hardware config can be found here, and simplified even further through the addition of an automated script here.

 

Kudos to Adam Pash of lifehacker for putting this together, it's quite amazing to be able to do this so cheaply and simply!

 

If you've spent the money to get this exact configuration, it's probably a good idea to have a single place to discuss any problems that come up in the future. So share your experience here and hopefully this awesome hack pro setup will work flawlessy untill it's time for an upgrade!

 

[uPDATE]

There is an updated installer from stellarola:

http://stellarola.tumblr.com/post/23846198...-update-ud3p-v3

It should work for 10.6.2

captcrunch24
captcrunch24
Posted
Posted

Everything works great...Installation, Boot (even can dual-boot w/Windows 7 using the F12 at the system MB start page)...until...

 

#1) I cannot install Silverlight (says I cannot install onto a PowerPC)

#2) I would like to find out how to boot into 32-bit kernel mode.

 

My setup is exactly the same as the lifehacker one...I customized the About This Mac to read Q9650 but obviously there is somewhere else where the Proc info is stored and this may be an issue longterm if installers look for this info...

 

Any help would be appreciated..

 

Eric

rickyp123
rickyp123
Posted
Posted

Okay, so I have been trying to get this to work for the past 8 hours and I am failing. Here is what keeps happening:

 

-If I do a fresh restore onto the thumb drive, and then install the Mobo package from LH...once I try and boot from the flash drive it gets stuck at Verifying DMI pool data... - When I reboot it MAY get to the start of the installation

 

-If I get to the start of the installation and try to format my HDD for MacOS, 50% of the time it will KP, the other 50 it will act as if it is formatting the drive. After I do format the drive, I get to the select drive screen of the installation and if I click continue, it KP.

 

-If I get all the way to the point where it starts installing, I get to 28 minutes remaining and then KP. Sometimes it just says it failed to load Support files.

 

-Sometimes I just get an Installation error log that comes up right after partitioning drive that cries about:

--NSDocumentController's invocation of - [NSFileManager URLForDirectory:inDomain:appropriateForURL:create:error:] returned nil for NSAutosavedInformationDirectory. Here's the error: "You can't save the file "Autosave Information" because the volume "Mac OS X Install DVD" is read only."

 

I have yet to get past the beginning stages of the install.

 

I have replaced everything in my case except well, the case and the mobo and processor. I don't have a spare mobo or processor lying around. :)

 

Hardware:

GA-EP45-UD3P

Intel Q9650 Quad Core

BFG NVidia 9800 GTX+ (Have tried with ASUS NVidia GT 260)

Netgear Gb Ethernet card w/GA311NA Chipset

8GB DDR2 1066 Mushkin RAM

SATA HDD/DVDROM

 

Using Sandisk Flash drive for install (have tried a regular 500GB USB drive as well - same issues)

 

Not sure where to go from here.

 

Thanks for any help you can give.

RonDiaz
RonDiaz
Posted
Posted

I am getting stuck on boot at "verifying DMI Pool Data" I have followed the lifehacker guide and my hardware is roughly the same, definitely same mother board. Anyone else run into this?  It is pre-booting into SL install. I have yet to get that far.  I am using Kingston 8GB flash drive.  I have 2 identical ones tried them both.  I think the hardware is OK I did boot to a windows 7 RC DVD.

 

 

 

 

FYI: Thumb drive was partitioned with GUID.  Also I did run the UD3PSnowLeopard package to the flash drive...

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughts??

 

 

 

 

I have a 1.5TB drive and 500GB drive.  My plan was to install Win7 on the 500GB drive and SL on the 1.5..so I may just install Win7 on the 500GB drive for now while I wait for input from you folks here.  Thanks in advance for any help!

nhc
nhc
Posted
Posted

Using the lifehacker build exactly, only difference being a hitachi deskstar HDD instead of the WD. Hardware seems fine, as i can run the ubuntu 9.04 live cd. but i can't boot to install osx. when i try to boot off the flash drive, i get:

 

boot1: error

 

any ideas?

 

also - just noticed a post above having a similar problem. i'm also using a kingston 8gb flash drive. is there any chance its the drive? i noticed in another thread someone simply switched from one brand of flash drive to another and it made a difference...

stellarola
stellarola
Posted
Posted
Okay, so I have been trying to get this to work for the past 8 hours and I am failing. Here is what keeps happening:

 

-If I do a fresh restore onto the thumb drive, and then install the Mobo package from LH...once I try and boot from the flash drive it gets stuck at Verifying DMI pool data... - When I reboot it MAY get to the start of the installation

 

-If I get to the start of the installation and try to format my HDD for MacOS, 50% of the time it will KP, the other 50 it will act as if it is formatting the drive. After I do format the drive, I get to the select drive screen of the installation and if I click continue, it KP.

 

-If I get all the way to the point where it starts installing, I get to 28 minutes remaining and then KP. Sometimes it just says it failed to load Support files.

 

-Sometimes I just get an Installation error log that comes up right after partitioning drive that cries about:

--NSDocumentController's invocation of - [NSFileManager URLForDirectory:inDomain:appropriateForURL:create:error:] returned nil for NSAutosavedInformationDirectory. Here's the error: "You can't save the file "Autosave Information" because the volume "Mac OS X Install DVD" is read only."

 

I have yet to get past the beginning stages of the install.

 

I have replaced everything in my case except well, the case and the mobo and processor. I don't have a spare mobo or processor lying around. :)

 

Hardware:

GA-EP45-UD3P

Intel Q9650 Quad Core

BFG NVidia 9800 GTX+ (Have tried with ASUS NVidia GT 260)

Netgear Gb Ethernet card w/GA311NA Chipset

8GB DDR2 1066 Mushkin RAM

SATA HDD/DVDROM

 

Using Sandisk Flash drive for install (have tried a regular 500GB USB drive as well - same issues)

 

Not sure where to go from here.

 

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

Are you overclocking per chance?

RonDiaz
RonDiaz
Posted
Posted
Using the lifehacker build exactly, only difference being a hitachi deskstar HDD instead of the WD. Hardware seems fine, as i can run the ubuntu 9.04 live cd. but i can't boot to install osx. when i try to boot off the flash drive, i get:

 

boot1: error

 

any ideas?

 

also - just noticed a post above having a similar problem. i'm also using a kingston 8gb flash drive. is there any chance its the drive? i noticed in another thread someone simply switched from one brand of flash drive to another and it made a difference...

 

It feels to me like it is the Flash drive....it would displease me I ordered them with the newegg order just for this purpose...I dont know if I have anything else that is bigger than 8GB that I can dig up here. I will look.

BigDaddyD
BigDaddyD
Posted
Posted
I am getting stuck on boot at "verifying DMI Pool Data" I have followed the lifehacker guide and my hardware is roughly the same, definitely same mother board. Anyone else run into this?  It is pre-booting into SL install. I have yet to get that far.  I am using Kingston 8GB flash drive.  I have 2 identical ones tried them both.  I think the hardware is OK I did boot to a windows 7 RC DVD.

 

 

 

 

FYI: Thumb drive was partitioned with GUID.  Also I did run the UD3PSnowLeopard package to the flash drive...

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughts??

 

 

 

 

I have a 1.5TB drive and 500GB drive.  My plan was to install Win7 on the 500GB drive and SL on the 1.5..so I may just install Win7 on the 500GB drive for now while I wait for input from you folks here.  Thanks in advance for any help!

 

I had the same issue with the verifying DMI pool problem... and had to go back into my BIOS and make sure the USB boot was selected again on top.

RonDiaz
RonDiaz
Posted
Posted
I had the same issue with the verifying DMI pool problem... and had to go back into my BIOS and make sure the USB boot was selected again on top.

 

I have done that a couple times but I will try again.

 

 

 

 

 

PS: Win7 installed on the 500GB from DVD without issue.

 

 

 

I have done that a couple times but I will try again.

 

 

 

 

 

PS: Win7 installed on the 500GB from DVD without issue.

 

No luck...I don't seem to have any alternate USB devices over 8GB either :)

RonDiaz
RonDiaz
Posted
Posted
I just did the manual terminal work from the old lifehacker guide vs the installer app, and I have now booted into SL!!!!!

 

Installing!!! Will post when complete.

INSTALLED!!!  When I reboot it does want to boot the installer disc though and not the installation...anyone know how I fix that??  If I hit the any key before it autoboots I can choose the installed drive then it errors and i choose it again and it boots.

 

 

 

 

INSTALLED!!!  When I reboot it does want to boot the installer disc though and not the installation...anyone know how I fix that??  If I hit the any key before it autoboots I can choose the installed drive then it errors and i choose it again and it boots.

 

I lied it doesn't error when I choose the installed drive I got confused... ;)  How do I default it from the installer to the install?

Phillip Blanton
Phillip Blanton
Posted
Posted

I have finally gotten the OS installed on mine. I am using the EP45-UD3LR which is functionally identical to the EP45-UD3P, except the "p" version has some extra things, like firewire and two ethernet ports.

 

The install is up and running but was not smooth. Here are my notes...

 

- I couldn't boot the USB device as long as AHCI mode was selected, but the hard drives wouldn't show up for MacOS unless AHCI was selected. The solution was to download and apply the latest BIOS.

 

- I get the following error during boot...

 

"EBIOS read error: Device timeout Block 0 Sectors 64"

 

I get four of those in about a five minute period of time, then the system goes ahead and boots.

 

- I cannot get my wireless PCI network card to work. I had it working on the same machine under MacOSX 10.5.7. It is a Linksys WMP54GS Version 1.1 and I understand that it is Mac Friendly.

 

I haven't tried sound yet.

 

--

Phillip

scrambler_455
scrambler_455
Posted
  • Author
Posted
Okay, so I have been trying to get this to work for the past 8 hours and I am failing. Here is what keeps happening:

 

-If I do a fresh restore onto the thumb drive, and then install the Mobo package from LH...once I try and boot from the flash drive it gets stuck at Verifying DMI pool data... - When I reboot it MAY get to the start of the installation

 

-If I get to the start of the installation and try to format my HDD for MacOS, 50% of the time it will KP, the other 50 it will act as if it is formatting the drive. After I do format the drive, I get to the select drive screen of the installation and if I click continue, it KP.

 

-If I get all the way to the point where it starts installing, I get to 28 minutes remaining and then KP. Sometimes it just says it failed to load Support files.

 

-Sometimes I just get an Installation error log that comes up right after partitioning drive that cries about:

--NSDocumentController's invocation of - [NSFileManager URLForDirectory:inDomain:appropriateForURL:create:error:] returned nil for NSAutosavedInformationDirectory. Here's the error: "You can't save the file "Autosave Information" because the volume "Mac OS X Install DVD" is read only."

 

I have yet to get past the beginning stages of the install.

 

I have replaced everything in my case except well, the case and the mobo and processor. I don't have a spare mobo or processor lying around. :D

 

Hardware:

GA-EP45-UD3P

Intel Q9650 Quad Core

BFG NVidia 9800 GTX+ (Have tried with ASUS NVidia GT 260)

Netgear Gb Ethernet card w/GA311NA Chipset

8GB DDR2 1066 Mushkin RAM

SATA HDD/DVDROM

 

Using Sandisk Flash drive for install (have tried a regular 500GB USB drive as well - same issues)

 

Not sure where to go from here.

 

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

Definately sounds like BIOS settings to me. Go through every setting against the screenshots. also, check your ram to make sure it's getting the right voltage.

 

Also, I had the boot loop problem when I first got the system up and running. I changed the voltage of my memory and it seemed to go away. To get it to boot, I had to cut power and wait a minute or 2.

nhc
nhc
Posted
Posted
I just did the manual terminal work from the old lifehacker guide vs the installer app, and I have now booted into SL!!!!!

 

Installing!!! Will post when complete.

 

did you reformat the stick again, or did you just erase it and run through the steps starting with the restore?

rickyp123
rickyp123
Posted
Posted
Are you overclocking per chance?

 

Never overclocked before. Just using defaults. Except for the CPU. For some reason it defaults to a x8 multiplier instead of x9. My CPU voltage is slightly different than adam's as well.

 

 

Definately sounds like BIOS settings to me. Go through every setting against the screenshots. also, check your ram to make sure it's getting the right voltage.

 

Also, I had the boot loop problem when I first got the system up and running. I changed the voltage of my memory and it seemed to go away. To get it to boot, I had to cut power and wait a minute or 2.

 

Okay, sounds reasonable. I have no idea what I would change my voltage settings to. Do I decrease them?

dustonio
dustonio
Posted
Posted

Here's my configuration. I changed the CPU and hard drive to save a bit of money, and also had to use G.Skill RAM because the other one that was mentioned in the Lifehacker article was out of stock.

 

Pioneer CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model DVR-218LBK LabelFlash Support - OEM

Item #: N82E16827129045

 

TRENDnet TEG-PCITXR 10/ 100/ 1000/ 2000Mbps PCI Copper Gigabit Network Adapter - Retail

Item #: N82E16833156139

 

Western Digital Caviar Blue WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM

Item #: N82E16822136074

 

EVGA 512-P3-N871-AR GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

Item #: N82E16814130339

 

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail

Item #: N82E16820231166

 

Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 Yorkfield 2.66GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80580Q8400 - Retail

Item #: N82E16819115057

 

GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Item #: N82E16813128358

 

I initially had problems booting with the USB Stick and kept getting "Verifying DMI Pool Data", and then I realized I missed the important step of applying the EP45UD3P Snow Leopard patch to it. Once I did that, I was thankfully able to get to the next step of installing Snow Leopard.

 

I had several kernel panics while attempting to install snow leopard. It would get stuck at 28 minutes left, but finally, after my third or fourth attempt, the Snow Leopard install to the hard drive worked.

 

If I keep the USB drive plugged in, it automatically loads up the Snow Leopard Install screen. If I disconnect the USB drive and attempt to boot only to the hard drive (which it sees and recognizes), I get stuck at the nasty "Verifying DMI Pool Data". I have re-installed Snow Leopard to the hard drive twice and keep getting this message.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

SkipG
SkipG
Posted
Posted

Networking.

 

I have this board, an E6750 Core 2 Duo overclocked to 3.2 GHz, an 8600 GT 256 MB, and was running 10.5.8 prior to installing SL. Under 10.5.8 the onboard NIC was running at 100 mips. Using Stell's package, things went pretty well, and I only needed to modify the DSDT to change the amount of NVRAM. However, although the Apple 8169 driver loaded, I could not get an IP address. Finally got things working by manually setting the Link Speed down from 100BaseTX to 10BaseT. That's when I bought the add-on NIC. Having two PCI slots, I used the top one and adjusted the DSDT file to reflect the address at which the card loaded. Both the Apple driver and the Psystar R1000 driver failed to load citing a bad Interrupt source. FYI, Ubuntu 8.04 has no issues using either the onboard chip, or the add-on card in either slot, at 100BaseTX.

 

The add-on NIC needs to be installed in the lower slot. That's the way the DSDT was originally coded, and installing the card there works peachy keen. Sometimes it's the simple things that cause the biggest problems.

 

Stell released three versions of his package. With PME events enabled, and using the first version, the machine will actually go to sleep by itself. Not only that, but the SleepX program in the Developer tools works, too. I can cycle between awake and asleep multiple times. I can even schedule the machine to wake up for backup and then go back to sleep again. I'm psyched ^_^ . With the third version of the package, my system doesn't go to sleep unless I induce it via the Apple menu.

 

--skip

dustonio
dustonio
Posted
Posted
Using the lifehacker build exactly, only difference being a hitachi deskstar HDD instead of the WD. Hardware seems fine, as i can run the ubuntu 9.04 live cd. but i can't boot to install osx. when i try to boot off the flash drive, i get:

 

boot1: error

 

any ideas?

 

also - just noticed a post above having a similar problem. i'm also using a kingston 8gb flash drive. is there any chance its the drive? i noticed in another thread someone simply switched from one brand of flash drive to another and it made a difference...

 

I had problems using the No-Hack Method (http://lifehacker.com/5360150/install-snow-leopard-on-your-hackintosh-pc-no-hacking-required), so I decided to do the all-Terminal method.

 

However after going through the entire process, after the "Verifying DMI Pool Data" I got the following results:

boot0: GPT

boot0: testing

boot0: testing

boot0: done

boot1: error

 

I used the recent release of Cameleon-2.0-RC3-r658-bin and am stuck. Both the No-Hack and the all-Terminal method get me stuck.

dustonio
dustonio
Posted
Posted
Here's my configuration. I changed the CPU and hard drive to save a bit of money, and also had to use G.Skill RAM because the other one that was mentioned in the Lifehacker article was out of stock.

 

Pioneer CD/DVD Burner Black SATA Model DVR-218LBK LabelFlash Support - OEM

Item #: N82E16827129045

 

TRENDnet TEG-PCITXR 10/ 100/ 1000/ 2000Mbps PCI Copper Gigabit Network Adapter - Retail

Item #: N82E16833156139

 

Western Digital Caviar Blue WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM

Item #: N82E16822136074

 

EVGA 512-P3-N871-AR GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

Item #: N82E16814130339

 

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK - Retail

Item #: N82E16820231166

 

Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 Yorkfield 2.66GHz LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80580Q8400 - Retail

Item #: N82E16819115057

 

GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

Item #: N82E16813128358

 

I initially had problems booting with the USB Stick and kept getting "Verifying DMI Pool Data", and then I realized I missed the important step of applying the EP45UD3P Snow Leopard patch to it. Once I did that, I was thankfully able to get to the next step of installing Snow Leopard.

 

I had several kernel panics while attempting to install snow leopard. It would get stuck at 28 minutes left, but finally, after my third or fourth attempt, the Snow Leopard install to the hard drive worked.

 

If I keep the USB drive plugged in, it automatically loads up the Snow Leopard Install screen. If I disconnect the USB drive and attempt to boot only to the hard drive (which it sees and recognizes), I get stuck at the nasty "Verifying DMI Pool Data". I have re-installed Snow Leopard to the hard drive twice and keep getting this message.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Ok, I got it to work. This is what I did:

 

I went back to the No-Hack install. Even though I would get a Kernel Panic while installing to my hard drive, it will eventually complete the install. (sometimes it takes a bit of time).

 

I then realized you're supposed to keep the USB boot drive in the computer to get the hard drive to boot. It always defaulted to the Snow Leopard installers...but here is why it defaulted to the Snow Leopard Installer:

 

I was using an OLD monitor -- a CRT that couldn't handle the higher resolution required. It was giving me an "Out of Range" signal. Since I didn't respond to with any arrow keys to select the hard drive monitor, by default it selected the Snow Leopard installer (from the USB key for me) after several seconds. Once I used an up-to-date monitor that could handle a higher resolution, I was successfully able to see the Boot Screen and select the hard drive on my own.

 

And now, happily, Snow Leopard boots for me. :(

Hopefully this gives some of you some help, as it had me stuck for about a day as I was trying to troubleshoot it.

 

So keep the USB key plugged in

And use an up-to-date monitor.

kaharchia
kaharchia
Posted
Posted
Ok, I got it to work. This is what I did:

 

I went back to the No-Hack install. Even though I would get a Kernel Panic while installing to my hard drive, it will eventually complete the install. (sometimes it takes a bit of time).

 

I then realized you're supposed to keep the USB boot drive in the computer to get the hard drive to boot. It always defaulted to the Snow Leopard installers...but here is why it defaulted to the Snow Leopard Installer:

 

I was using an OLD monitor -- a CRT that couldn't handle the higher resolution required. It was giving me an "Out of Range" signal. Since I didn't respond to with any arrow keys to select the hard drive monitor, by default it selected the Snow Leopard installer (from the USB key for me) after several seconds. Once I used an up-to-date monitor that could handle a higher resolution, I was successfully able to see the Boot Screen and select the hard drive on my own.

 

And now, happily, Snow Leopard boots for me. :(

Hopefully this gives some of you some help, as it had me stuck for about a day as I was trying to troubleshoot it.

 

So keep the USB key plugged in

And use an up-to-date monitor.

Thank , i think i have the same problem with my old monitor , will try with new monitor

clipper99
clipper99
Posted
Posted

FOR THE LOVE OF US NON-TECHNICAL (well, non-MAC technical :) ) USERS, won't someone, pretty pretty PRETTY please make a Lifehacker install method for us ATI users?

 

With an Nvidia card (8800GT 512MB) the Lifehacker method is as easy as it gets! But that card is in my media PC upstairs and I only used it to experiment. It also runs my 10.5.8 Hackintosh :)

 

I just know that somebody reading this could make a Lifehacker method for us ATI users. I have a XFX HD4870 1GB. I'll wash your car, I'll do your dishes, heck, I'd even mow your lawn for this!

 

I've learned a lot trying to get it to work so it wasn't a total loss for me!

scrambler_455
scrambler_455
Posted
  • Author
Posted
Never overclocked before. Just using defaults. Except for the CPU. For some reason it defaults to a x8 multiplier instead of x9. My CPU voltage is slightly different than adam's as well.

 

 

 

 

Okay, sounds reasonable. I have no idea what I would change my voltage settings to. Do I decrease them?

 

 

Change to 9x, that is very likely the problem. Kernel Panics are typically the processor just giving up. If they are not clocked right, kernel panics left and right.

 

good luck.

iWire
iWire
Posted
Posted
This thread is for us to share our experience with the hardware configuration:

Obviously, the case, the hard disk, and the memory don't have to be the same, but here they are for the sake of posterity:

 

The lifehacker guide including hardware config can be found here, and simplified even further through the addition of an automated script here.

 

Kudos to Adam Pash of lifehacker for putting this together, it's quite amazing to be able to do this so cheaply and simply!

 

If you've spent the money to get this exact configuration, it's probably a good idea to have a single place to discuss any problems that come up in the future. So share your experience here and hopefully this awesome hack pro setup will work flawlessy untill it's time for an upgrade!

 

 

Thank God Stellarola taught Adam Pash how to do it....Stell's fine work can be found many a places.

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