[Guide] HD 4890 in SL 10.6.3

[render^]

System: OSX 10.6.3 with minimal modifications. dual Xeon E5520, Asus Z8NA-D6, 12 GB ECC RAM, 4 GB Apple RAID 1 w/TM, XFX HD 4890 fully functional.

Card: (dev.id 1002-9460) HD-489X-ZSFHD-489X-ZSFC V 1.6 1GB DUAL DVI TV

Boot: Chameleon RC4 (non EFI partition) with boot flag Graphicsenabler yes in com.apple.Boot.plist.

To those users that experienced lag and sticky mice on OSX 10.6.2 with QE CI Exotic cards 10.6.2.pkg and dual monitors, this issue is fixed on 10.6.3 drivers:

 

Before you start:

I am running a OSX 10.6 DVD vanilla install + Chameleon RC4. (Netkas's PCEFI, or boot file not tested. However, there is no reason why netkas's PCEFI-boot shouldn't work.) Full QE/CI acceleration, both DVI ports working full resolution, and monitor sleep functional.

I am assuming you have knowledge of installing new hardware and are doing complete kext cache rebuilds (both /e/e and /s/l/e). I do not use pfix and I do not recommend it either, but some people swear by it. I think it is too important to know and understand what modifications you are doing to your machine.

 

This post was edited 2010, April 6 for clarification on the steps.

run Apple's Software Update,

Remove both /Extra/Extensions.mkext and /Extra/Extensions/SleepEnabler.kext

restart (boot: -x),

install BOTH packages included in http://netkas.org/?p=382:

Do not use Enabler kexts or Legacy kexts Remove those.

Don't forget to remove /System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/Extensions.mkext.

You might also want to rebuild your kext caches (I choose to do this in boot: -s just to be safe): kextcache -v 1 -m /S/L/C/k/S/Extensions.mkext /S/L/E

(Finally, you can restore your sleepenabler.kext meklort's with Chameleon RC4 works in 10.6.3, other versions will KP).

Restart with boot: GraphicsEnabler=yes or add GraphicsEnabler to your apple.com.Boot.plist (if you haven't already).

 

10.6.3 exotic patch pkg, finaly fixed (13:50 GMT, 30 March) - QE CI Exotic cards 10.6.3.pkg

Ok, so first version of pkg was messed up for MacPro+4890 because it had included 10.6.2 FrameBuffer, now it doesn’t have it, so should work fine. A little fix if you installed previous version of pkg and have some visual glitches on osx startup (like colored screen) – fix.pkg

BOTH http://mirror.netkas.org/QE%20CI%20Exotic%...ds%2010.6.3.pkg

and http://mirror.netkas.org/A%20fix%20for%20fix.pkg

 

Happy Hacking.

[syn909]

Interesting, how does it load without Kernel Panic if you do not have Natit or EVOenabler?

[render^]

The patch provided by netkas in his "exotic.pkg" and "fix.pkg" already address the hardware ID issues, so the kernel starts recognizing the card. If you try to add an EVOenabler.kext, it won't necessarily KP (I used legacy4800familyATI.kext, essentially the same thing as EVOenabler.kext and it gave me garbled screens) but you will have hardware IDs pointing to and loading the incorrect kexts. Removing these and allowing the exotic.pkg do its work will give you a proper HD4890 install, while using drivers provided by Apple. You will still be using "legacy" drivers from apple.

 

The new 10.6.3 updates the ATI drivers and fixes an important issue where users would experience "hiccups" or lags every few seconds when two larger monitors were connected to the DVI ports.

Users with a single monitor connected do not experience this on 10.6.2, however.

Read about issues with your card before you choose to update. I suggest HD4890 users do the update.

[seppo2002]

not work for me - black screen

[hoskoau]

Isn't the Fix pkg only required if you installed the original 10.6.3 exotic cards package not the one currently available from his site?

[syn909]

Yes that was the deal, the fix was designed for an older patch. On my system the Video card displays a blank screen with the patch and 10.6.3

[render^]

Isn't the Fix pkg only required if you installed the original 10.6.3 exotic cards package not the one currently available from his site?

Yes that was the deal, the fix was designed for an older patch. On my system the Video card displays a blank screen with the patch and 10.6.3

Guys, I thought the same thing. However, when I installed only the NEW exotic.pkg without the fix.pkg it didn't work. I thought the NEW one would suffice. Please use both packages listed in netkas's quote. Even if the first one by itself works, installing the fix on top won't hurt (it would rewrite the exact same code on top).

 

Remember to restart after you install Apple's 10.6.3 software patch, then patch exotic and fix packages.

Also please remove your EVOenabler and its cache (/Extra/Extensions.mkext). If you don't follow these directions exactly (I have tried everything you guys have) it will not work and you might get garbled screens, gray screens (I actually saw both before succeeding).

 

As for those who are updating from distros or non vanilla approaches (a clean retail install and RC4's boot/efi), things might not always go as expected. I'm doing this in a vanilla install 10.6.2 to 10.6.3. Remember to always check whether your distro recommends update and if there are any special considerations/kexts to backup and restore.

 

Post your attempts and also your successes. Let me know if this works for you.

[mitch_de]

Can someoen with an 4890 + 10.6.3 (real, not patched ) post his benchmark mode time runnung smallluxGPU

?

Until now an GTX 260 GS is the fastest gpu i got the results.

ATI 4870 should perform even much better.

9600GT = 38 sec, my 8800GTX = 28 sec

 

Here DL and other users results:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=208916

[syn909]

I followed your instructions just as you wrote them, and my machine Kernel Panics when loading ATIRadeonX2000, with chamelon RC4 + GraphicsEnabler

 

Curious I tried a different boot loader and with GraphicsEnabler=Yes I was able to get the machine to boot without KP, however display remains blank! Just as it had before without GraphicsEnabler and EVOEnabler

 

Looks like its back to 10.6.2

 

Curious what model XFX card are you using?

[zarac]

xfx4890 dual DVI here, i had to install 'exotic cards' package and 'a fix for a fix' package to boot with GUI.

 

i'm still experiencing lags after 10.6.3 update. on my machine it's exactly the same as with 10.6.2:

 

the lag is there ONLY when i boot or wake machine with only one display powered on (but both connected via DVI). the moment i switch on the second display its gone. at that point i can turn the second display off and lags don't come back.

 

i noticed this because i use my secondary display for plex/boxee and i switch it off with a remote (yes, that monitor has a remote because it's a TV too - Samsung 2333HD).

sometimes i turn off the secondary display before i put machine to sleep and sometimes afterwards, but i always do it because if it stays on standby the blue LED on it blinks vigorously and my whole room turns into a discotheque at night.

that is why i have only one display connected when i boot (or wake from sleep) - the secondary monitor is for plex/boxee only.

 

so, this is my situation:

 

only one DVI connected - no lags, wakes from sleep

two DVI - lags if boots (wakes) with only one powered, wakes from sleep

one DVI and a DVI/VGA - no lags, secondary display won't wake from sleep

 

it would be nicer if there were no lags at all, but it is not really bad. all i have to do is turn the secondary monitor on and off.

 

my 2 cents.

[hoskoau]

How do I remove the EVOenabler and its cache?

 

I used the ATI tool in Kakewalk to get my 4890 working in 10.6 however it doesn't work in 10.6.3, I tried installing just the exotic.pkg but on reboot I got the garbled screen I shall try the fix.pkg

 

Luckily I have a clone of my original SL setup after I got the 4890 working so its easy to roll back

[ToBeMac]

Do you guys use anything else beside the netkas package + fix for fix. + GraphicsEnabler line?

No EVOenabler or anything else?

 

I freshly upgraded to 10.6.3, applied the package + the fix under safe mode.

Booted up with -f and all am getting is a KP related to ATIRadeonX2000.kext

 

I have a sapphire HD 4890, a reference version.

Booting up with MACLoader based on Chameleon RC3.

 

What am doing wrong?!

Thanks.

[zarac]

Do you guys use anything else beside the netkas package + fix for fix. + GraphicsEnabler line?

No EVOenabler or anything else?

 

i don't use chameleon - not that i don't like it, but boot think works perfectly for me so i stick to it.

that is why i have to use EVOenabler - boot think doesn't have graphics injector embedded.

 

i backed up my /S/L/E, then installed delta 10.6.3.

after that and before reboot i installed "exotic pack" and "a fix for a fix".

[ToBeMac]

i don't use chameleon - not that i don't like it, but boot think works perfectly for me so i stick to it.

that is why i have to use EVOenabler - boot think doesn't have graphics injector embedded.

 

i backed up my /S/L/E, then installed delta 10.6.3.

after that and before reboot i installed "exotic pack" and "a fix for a fix".

 

 

Thanks for your quick reply, much appreciated

 

Well, looks like i made two mistakes. First is that i was using chameleon RC3, which apparently doesn't have ATI graphics injection built-in,

second, i wasn't installing the package + fix right after the 10.6.3 update and BEFORE rebooting, am not sure if that makes a difference though.

 

Will try again on a clean installation and will let you guys know.

Thanks again.

[KonanBarbarian]

This post was edited 2010, April 6 for clarification on the steps.

To those users that experienced lag and sticky mice on OSX 10.6.2 with QE CI Exotic cards 10.6.2.pkg and dual monitors, this issue is fixed on 10.6.3 drivers:

run Apple's Software Update,

Remove both /Extra/Extensions.mkext and /Extra/Extensions/SleepEnabler.kext

restart (boot: -x),

install BOTH packages included in http://netkas.org/?p=382:

Do not use Enabler kexts or Legacy kexts Remove those.

Don't forget to remove /System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/Extensions.mkext.

You might also want to rebuild your kext caches (I choose to do this in boot: -s just to be safe): kextcache -v 1 -m /S/L/C/k/S/Extensions.mkext /S/L/E

(Finally, you can restore your sleepenabler.kext meklort's with Chameleon RC4 works in 10.6.3, other versions will KP).

Restart with boot: GraphicsEnabler=yes or add GraphicsEnabler to your apple.com.Boot.plist (if you haven't already).

 

 

BOTH http://mirror.netkas.org/QE%20CI%20Exotic%...ds%2010.6.3.pkg

and http://mirror.netkas.org/A%20fix%20for%20fix.pkg

 

I am running a vanilla install + Chameleon RC4. (Netkas's PCEFI, or boot file not tested. However, there is no reason why netkas's EFI/boot shouldn't work.) Full QE/CI acceleration and monitor sleep functional.

 

Happy Hacking.

 

 

Hi Guys,

 

use someone 2x4890 in snow leo? I get 100% fan until i put the second card out of pc!

[ToBeMac]

ok, now am stuck.. During the installation of the QE/CI exotic package i got a KP related to com.apple.ATIRadeonX2000

 

I bought this 4890 specifically for this hackintosh, and already suffered enough with the whole thing and my old 3870..

 

Clueless and cofused.

Again, any hints?

 

 

UPDATE:

 

My graphics card is a Sappire HD 4890 1GB , a reference version (Dual DVI + tv out).

On a single monitor setup.

 

Woot! Now it works!

 

Ok, even when i updated chameleon to RC4, ATI graphics injection didn't work properly.

What i did is that i used EVOenabler.kext in my E/E folder, updated to 10.6.3, rebooted, logged in safemode, installed the Netkas exotic package + the fix. and bam! everything works like it should, resolution change and QE/CI of course.

 

Without EVOenabler i was getting a KP. related to ATIRadeonX2000.kext as i mentioned above.

Thanks everyone here for the feedback and replies!

 

PS. Anyone got Preview to work? mine doesn't.

 

 

Thanks again,

ToBeMac

[hoskoau]

Ok so as I said previously after installing SL I used the Kakewalk ATI tool to get the 4890 up and running I then upgraded to 10.6.3 and used just the exotic.pkg and got a garbled screen. I then rolled back to 10.6 using a clone.

 

I tried upgrading again, I installed 10.6.3, rebooted, installed the exotic.pkg and the fix.pkg, didn't do anything else what so ever and rebooted. Everything is now working fine.

 

Just to confirm to everyone you need to use both the exotic and fix packages.

[atlee]

isn't the 4870, 4890 cards natively supported in mac?

[harbri]

PS. Anyone got Preview to work? mine doesn't.

 

I finally got preview working with my Sapphire HD4890 Vapor-X today!

 

Here's how I did it:

- I did a clean install of OSX.

- Installed Chameleon RC4

- Installed the Extra folder in root containing dsdt, smbios.plist, com.apple.Boot.plist (without the graphicsenabler option!!) and Extensions subfolder (fakesmc, EVOEnabler, OSXRestart, LegacyYukon2).

- Rebooted into the newly installed OSX

- Installed 10.6.3 combo update package (don't use Apple Software Update!!) but didn't reboot

- Installed QE CI Exotic cards 10.6.3.pkg

- Installed Fix for a fix package

- Rebooted

 

Bingo!! I finally have a fully working 4890 with working preview :-)

[ToBeMac]

I finally got preview working with my Sapphire HD4890 Vapor-X today!

 

Here's how I did it:

- I did a clean install of OSX.

- Installed Chameleon RC4

- Installed the Extra folder in root containing dsdt, smbios.plist, com.apple.Boot.plist (without the graphicsenabler option!!) and Extensions subfolder (fakesmc, EVOEnabler, OSXRestart, LegacyYukon2).

- Rebooted into the newly installed OSX

- Installed 10.6.3 combo update package (don't use Apple Software Update!!) but didn't reboot

- Installed QE CI Exotic cards 10.6.3.pkg

- Installed Fix for a fix package

- Rebooted

 

Bingo!! I finally have a fully working 4890 with working preview :-)

 

Thanks for your reply, harbri.

Let me correct myself concerning Preview, actually it does work as i can open pics. using Preview with no problem, but when i just click on the Preview icon on Dock, nothing happens, is that normal?

 

Thanks again.

[harbri]

Thanks for your reply, harbri.

Let me correct myself concerning Preview, actually it does work as i can open pics. using Preview with no problem, but when i just click on the Preview icon on Dock, nothing happens, is that normal?

 

No I don't think that is normal. I just tried it at my own hackintosh but when I click on the Preview icon in the Dock it just starts up.

[syn909]

I am curious for peoples 4890's that are working could you please list your Make/Model with the device id from system profiler.

 

 

I have the XFX 4890 HD-489X-ZSFC Rev 1.6 , device id: 0x9460, which under 10.6.3 gives me blank display.

 

I had to use dualdvi.zip which contains the 10.6.2 ATI4800Controller.kext

ATIFramebuffer.kext

ATISupport.kext

 

In order to get my card working again in 10.6.3.

 

This is most likely due to the card being a non reference design, however I am curious why it works with 10.6.2 but under 10.6.3 gives me blank display unless I use old 10.6.2 kexts

[harbri]

I am curious for peoples 4890's that are working could you please list your Make/Model with the device id from system profiler.

 

 

I have the XFX 4890 HD-489X-ZSFC Rev 1.6 , device id: 0x9460, which under 10.6.3 gives me blank display.

 

I had to use dualdvi.zip which contains the 10.6.2 ATI4800Controller.kext

ATIFramebuffer.kext

ATISupport.kext

 

In order to get my card working again in 10.6.3.

 

I have the Sapphire Vapor-X HD4890 1Gb.

Device-id: 9460

Vendor-id: 1002

[hoskoau]

XFX 4890 HDMI/DVI HD-489X-ZNFL

[seppo2002]

how take to work displayport on HD 4890 with QE CI

via dvi work fine -

install 10.6.2 ATI4800Controller.kext ATIFramebuffer.kext ATISupport.kext - restart -

than ZEUS http://groths.org/zeus/zeus.zip - and go to qe/ci with full resolution on 4890,but

only dvi not work displayport how to?