Bootloader Chameleon 2.4svn Official PKG Installer

[kizwan]

Having said that, sorry about the failure of the EFI install with your Acer Aspire 9420, but your conclusion of the EFI script picking the wrong EFI partition sounds likely and having two EFI volumes available to the script has caused confusion. This scenario was not thought of during my tests.

No problem. It is easy to fix the bootloader manually.

Maybe the best approach for a revised script might be to search for any mounted Volumes named EFI and un-mounting them before commencing the EFI script?

I think that is good idea. It make sure only right EFI partition is mounted & accessed.

This is not good.. I'll have to look at that one, as the EFI script doesn't format anything.

I don't think it format anything too. I checked the post-script & I found these commands:-

umount /Volumes/EFI
 rm -R -f /Volumes/EFI

I believe this is when it mistakenly deleted the content of EFI partition on external disk. Don't worry about it, I already backup the content.

I would like to see what happened to the disk sectors of your disk, so would it be possible to supply the files from the following commands (presuming disk0 is your internal drive)?

sudo dd if=/dev/disk0 count=1 of=GPTdiskProtectiveMBR

sudo dd if=/dev/disk0 count=1 skip=1 of=GPTdiskGPTHeader

Result_AcerAspire9420_EFI.zip

BTW, how did you get that complete log of the package installer?

As my next side project which I just started looking at this morning was to get the scripts to output to an installer type log.. Maybe I don't need to do it now?

After installation finish, don't close the installer yet. Instead goto Window \ Installer Log. This is where I collect the installation log.

EDIT: I see your manual install has fixed you issue.. So it was boot0hfs causing the problem!

Can you post your diskutil list?

/dev/disk0
#:					   TYPE NAME					SIZE	   IDENTIFIER
0:	  GUID_partition_scheme						*160.0 GB   disk0
1:						EFI						 209.7 MB   disk0s1
2:				  Apple_HFS OSX					 79.7 GB	disk0s2
3:	   Microsoft Basic Data						 79.8 GB	disk0s3
/dev/disk1
#:					   TYPE NAME					SIZE	   IDENTIFIER
0:	  GUID_partition_scheme						*640.1 GB   disk1
1:				  Apple_HFS EFI					 209.7 MB   disk1s1
2:						EFI						 209.7 MB   disk1s2
3:				  Apple_HFS Mac OS X Install DVD	7.8 GB	 disk1s3
4:				  Apple_HFS MOSX					80.4 GB	disk1s4
5:	   Microsoft Basic Data DATA					80.4 GB	disk1s5
6:	   Microsoft Basic Data MobileData			  470.7 GB   disk1s6

 

Please let me know if you need anything else. Thank you.

[kizwan]

I would like to see what happened to the disk sectors of your disk, so would it be possible to supply the files from the following commands (presuming disk0 is your internal drive)?

sudo dd if=/dev/disk0 count=1 of=GPTdiskProtectiveMBR

sudo dd if=/dev/disk0 count=1 skip=1 of=GPTdiskGPTHeader

Sorry. The files I gave earlier is when using boot0. These are the dump of disk sectors when using boot0hfs on GPT disk:-

Result_AcerAspire9420_EFI_Boot0hfs.zip

Correction for previous post; It stuck at:-

boot0: test
boot0: done
boot1: error

[blackosx]

Thanks for the feedback kizwan.

Sorry I haven't been able to respond quickly but I am work at the moment.

 

But to recap your steps for your EFI install to Acer Aspire 9420.

You started with:

• disk0 (external) GPT with the EFI partition mounted.

• disk1 (internal) GPT.

• Run the test installer against disk1 for an EFI install.

• The script mistakenly took disk0 as the install destination.

• Wrote boot0hfs to the MBR of disk0

• Wrote boot1h to disk0s1

• the script then mounted dev/disk0s1 /Volumes/EFI (now the system has 2 EFI volumes)

• Wrote boot to /Volumes/EFI (I'm guessing to disk1?)

• the Post-script then actioned rm -R -f /Volumes/EFI (which removed from disk 0?)

 

After reboot, you ended up with

boot0: test

boot0: done

boot1: error

 

Which I guess is because disk1 didn't have boot2 - as boot0hfs was written to disk0?

 

The MBR from the disk sectors you've posted for both boot0 and boot0hfs look fine and contain the correct code which is right as I guess they were from disk0 (external disk)? Can you verify?

 

Thanks for the tip about the installer log files.

 

Regards

[kizwan]

@blackosx,

No problem. Take your time.

 

It is actually like this:-

• disk0 (internal) GPT.

• disk1 (external) GPT with the EFI partition mounted at /Volumes/EFI.

• Run the test installer against disk0 for an EFI install.

• The script mount EFI partition on disk0 to /Volumes/EFI (which I think somehow it was success since I detect new boot & com.apple.Boot.plist files in it).

• Wrote boot0hfs to the MBR of disk0

• Wrote boot1h to disk0s1

• the script then mounted dev/disk0s1 /Volumes/EFI (now the system has 2 EFI volumes - at this time /dev/disk1s1 kinda "hidden" because script mount dev/disk0s1 /Volumes/EFI)

• Wrote boot to /Volumes/EFI (disk0)

• the Post-script then execute umount /Volumes/EFI (it was successfully unmount /dev/disk0s1. But /dev/disk1s1 still mounted - it will only unmount when execute umount -f /Volumes/EFI or need to execute umount command twice.)

umount /Volumes/EFI
umount -f /Volumes/EFI

• the Post-script then execute rm -R -f /Volumes/EFI (removed /dev/disk1s1 content because it still mounted at /Volumes/EFI)

 

After reboot, I ended up with

boot0: test

boot0: done

boot1: error

 

I got the same error if I do manually without the external disk (disk1) connected. Maybe boot0hfs have compatibility issue with GPT disk? What do you think? I don't have problem with boot0hfs on MBR disk.

 

Take your time. No need to hurry.

 

EDIT: I think the best way is to implement these check in the script:-

- before mounting EFI partition, check whether mount point /Volumes/EFI is in use or not. If it is in use, unmount it first. Check again, if it still unmount, execute umount -f /Volumes/EFI.

- when finalizing installation, check whether EFI partition was successfully unmount or not before executing rm -R -f /Volumes/EFI

[OsXsO]

Hello

 

Thx for this work. just to give some feedback:

 

installed latest installer from blackosx on an clean guid hfs+ formated usbstick and it won't boot. seems not been active.

 

Installing rev 619 the stick boots properly and then i can update via rev629. What i noticed too is that 619 does't mark boot as a hidden file.

 

keep up this nice work

 

thx

[blackosx]

@kizwan - Thanks again for your great feedback yesterday. I feel I have now made the required corrections to the scripts to deal with the EFI partitions, though I also made some other changes which I am just finalising before submitting a new test installer. I'll post here when I'm ready

 

@OsXsO - Thanks for your report. Could you possibly supply a log as kizwan did above? this proved valuable in following the scripts progress and helps with bug fixing etc.

 

To get the log from the installer:

After installation finish, don't close the installer yet. Instead goto Window \ Installer Log. This is where I collect the installation log.

[ErmaC]

TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST

Courtesy of Blackosx.

 

This package installer uses updated versions of the original Chameleon scripts and this trial reflects it's current state. I've conducted numerous tests with it using OSX and Windows 7 on a disk with a GPT and GPT/MBR and feel it's ready for wider testing.

Please only use this if you are confident.

 

The changes made (so far) are: V2

• Ensure all occurrences of EFI volumes are un-mounted before actioning any commands for an EFI volume (thanks kizwan).

• Re-work the Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist building process.

V2. Chameleon-2.0-RC5-INSTALLER-r629.V2.zip (from Chameleon Application commit 212)

TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST

[blackosx]

Fabio

 

I appreciate your keen-ness here but this isn't ready yet as there is still an issue with the creation on the com.apple.Boot.plist and Extra folder when using the EFI option. I am working on tracking down the problem but can't find it yet.

 

So everybody who's downloaded it - please take note.

 

Maybe we can remove this version 2?

[ErmaC]

Fabio

 

I appreciate your keen-ness here but this isn't ready yet as there is still an issue with the creation on the com.apple.Boot.plist and Extra folder when using the EFI option. I am working on tracking down the problem but can't find it yet.

 

So everybody who's downloaded it - please take note.

 

Maybe we can remove this version 2?

 

Ok I removed the file.

 

Sorry Blackosx

 

Fabio

[mitch_de]

Is V2 usable for non EFI ( i use MBR) installs ? I Dl already

Little of topic:

Would be interesting (for all / for devs) to know (asking counter somewhere here) how much % use EFI Install (GUID) and how much % MBR install.

I made an poll here (SL Install Thread)

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...236184&st=0

[HFW]

having a small problem.

 

i'm using an ATI Radeon 5770 (XFX if that matters ) and chameleon appears to have changed its mind on which framebuffer to use.

 

used to use Vervet, now it insists on using Motmot. I've tried adding AtiFb=Vervet to com.apple.boot.plist but then it just gives me a blank screen (as always with Motmot -.-) & continues using Motmot.

 

Stuck on my old 9600GT 512MB at the moment >:

 

used to work fine. up until i reinstalled OSX ><

 

My com.apple.boot.plist:

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>EthernetBuiltIn</key>
<string>Yes</string>
<key>GenerateCStates</key>
<string>Yes</string>
<key>GeneratePStates</key>
<string>Yes</string>
<key>Graphics Mode</key>
<string>1920x1080x32</string>
<key>GraphicsEnabler</key>
<string>Yes</string>
<key>Kernel</key>
<string>mach_kernel</string>
<key>Kernel Flags</key>
<string>arch=x86_64</string>
<key>Legacy Logo</key>
<string>Yes</string>
<key>PciRoot</key>
<string>1</string>
<key>Timeout</key>
<string>5</string>
<key>UseAtiROM</key>
<string>Yes</string>
<key>VBIOS</key>
<string>Yes</string>
</dict>
</plist>

 

specs in sig.

 

Can anyone help?

 

i'm offering e-cookies!

[mitch_de]

I think boot injector problems (graphicsenabler) fit better in the other chameleon thread (sticky).

[blackosx]

Sorry Blackosx

No problem

 

Is V2 usable for non EFI ( i use MBR) installs ? I Dl already

Hi mitch

 

In kizwan's tests for the first test installer, he reported the non-EFI MBR install working just fine. But I recommend not using v2 just yet as I am still working on it.

 

Would be interesting (for all / for devs) to know (asking counter somewhere here) how much % use EFI Install (GUID) and how much % MBR install.

I made an poll here (SL Install Thread)

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...236184&st=0

Good job mitch - it will be interesting to see the result

 

i'm using an ATI Radeon 5770 (XFX if that matters ) and chameleon appears to have changed its mind on which framebuffer to use.

@HFW - I am just concentrating on the package installer scripts here and the version of Chameleon in my branch is not the absolute latest. Though I think iFabio has been adding the most recent trunk of Chameleon when building the package. So if there is any issue with the trunk of Chameleon then maybe you can raise an issue on voodooproject's SVN?

 

Otherwise, I know Kabyl has a thread in the ATI section here at Insanely with a revised boot file that supports your video card.

[HFW]

@HFW - I am just concentrating on the package installer scripts here and the version of Chameleon in my branch is not the absolute latest. Though I think iFabio has been adding the most recent trunk of Chameleon when building the package. So if there is any issue with the trunk of Chameleon then maybe you can raise an issue on voodooproject's SVN?

 

Yup, I realised that shortly after posting. Then mitch came along to let me know too

 

Thing is, I'm not sure if it is Chameleon that's the problem here. Since it used to work fine with the version that's currently posted here. I'm starting to think I've made some sort of mistake somewhere lol

 

Otherwise, I know Kabyl has a thread in the ATI section here at Insanely with a revised boot file that supports your video card.

 

Yea, I used to use that. I like to have the latest and greatest stuff though. Always more fun that way

 

I enjoy trying to solve the problems that pop up. But this one I'm not so sure about as I said. It seems a bit odd that it worked before I reinstalled, then, exact same set up, exact same version of Chameleon too, and it fails. =/

 

ah well. I think I'll go back to attempting to fix my problem. And if all fails, I've got Kabyl's boot file to fall back on

 

Thanks.

[kizwan]

@iFabio & blackosx,

 

I know it is not recommended to use V2 because of the issues which blackosx mentioned earlier but I go ahead tested it on my Acer Aspire 9420 (EFI). New install script, especially the checking & un-mounting/mounting of /Volumes/EFI are working wonderfully:-

Nov  5 03:14:18 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: ===============================================
Nov  5 03:14:18 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: Unmount all EFI partitions and Check their format
Nov  5 03:14:18 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: *************************************
Nov  5 03:14:18 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: Unmounting /dev/disk1s1
Nov  5 03:14:18 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: /dev/disk0s1 is a currently formatted as HFS
Nov  5 03:14:18 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: -----------------------------------------------

The /dev/disk1s1 is EFI partition on external disk.

Nov  5 03:14:19 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: ===============================================
Nov  5 03:14:19 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: Are there any EFI partitions mounted?
Nov  5 03:14:19 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: *************************************
Nov  5 03:14:19 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: Yes..
Nov  5 03:14:19 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: ===============================================
Nov  5 03:14:19 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: Unmount all EFI partitions
Nov  5 03:14:19 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: **************************
Nov  5 03:14:19 kizwans-MacBook-2 installd[313]: ./postinstall: Unmounting /dev/disk0s1

 

I'm going to file a bug report of the boot0hfs on GPT disk at chameleon project page. (This is the correct place right?)

[HFW]

EUREKA!

 

Installed final build of 10.6.5, and now everything works great.

 

Got my QE/CI back and, even better, I can now see what's going on on my hack pro ^^

 

I was so close to giving up too lol

 

System Profiler still says its using Motmot, but I honestly don't care what it uses. Long as it works lol

 

Works great now. Thanks.

[MacKonsti]

Hello to all thread members, I just want to note that for some reason, the latest RC 5 builds of Chameleon do not pass-through the value of SMcputype to the system, nor the SMbustype value from the user's smbios.plist file when SMBIOSdefaults=No (in com.apple.Boot.plist).

 

Please refer to my bug post here. I tried mixed SMcputype>1281 (used to work OK) no result. I tried SMbustype>0105 or SMcputype>0105 etc. Nothing. Decimal 1281 is equivalent to 0x0501...

 

Can I ask you to read it and confirm it, too? No one from the developers/programmers of Chameleon has replied yet, so I do need you to confirm it please...

[blackosx]

@iFabio & blackosx,

 

I know it is not recommended to use V2 because of the issues which blackosx mentioned earlier but I go ahead tested it on my Acer Aspire 9420 (EFI). New install script, especially the checking & un-mounting/mounting of /Volumes/EFI are working wonderfully:-

 

I'm going to file a bug report of the boot0hfs on GPT disk at chameleon project page. (This is the correct place right?)

Hi kizwan - Thanks again for your report and for confirming the EFI part is now working I should have released a revised test version with only those changes rather than trying to do too much at once, as it's the other changes I've been making that are holding up the v2 test release.

 

With regard to the boot0hfs - Yes that link is the right place to report issues with Chameleon. I do remember there have been a couple of posts on voodooproject's forum about problems when using boot0hfs on a system with the first partition being FAT32 format, but I don't think that's directly related to your situation here. I will conduct further tests myself when I get a chance., but in the mean time I hope one of the devs can pick up your issue when you post it.

 

EDIT: Link to the boot0hfs FAT32 issue post - Check out discussion between Azimutz & HNVIJAY

 

 

@HFW - I'm happy to hear you have it sorted.

 

@MacKonsti - Thanks for the nod about your previous post and I am sure it will be addressed in good time. Please understand that the devs have busy lives and work on the project when they can find some spare time. Also, the team will always welcome talented enthusiastic coders to help out, so if you or anyone else can step up to help then that can be arranged.

[kizwan]

Hi kizwan - Thanks again for your report and for confirming the EFI part is now working I should have released a revised test version with only those changes rather than trying to do too much at once, as it's the other changes I've been making that are holding up the v2 test release.

I think the decision to hold V2 installer package is the right thing to do since you already detected a couple of issues & working on it.

[gedna]

any one had successes with this on AMD system?

ok heres the thing, iv got RC4 version working, but want this new rc5, downloaded the Chameleon-2.0-RC5-INSTALLER-r629.pkg ran it, installed on my snow partition, ,restarted, tried to boot in verbose mode and i got this running messages, and then screen goes blank, black, nothing happens...

 

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

i have noticed that then using rc4 on my root, i have file called boot. after rc5 there are no such file.. can some one help me where im doing wrong?

[Manu0600]

Hi,

I'm having trouble with the getting the installer to work on my flash drive (trying to follow the instructions for my P6T-se here). I've tried the newest version (r611) from my Mac G5 and from my hackintosh HP Mini (both on OS 10.5). I've tried it on a 8Gb thumbdrive and a brand new 16Gb thumb drive.

 

In all attempts, the Chameleon Installer hangs when it gets to "Installing i386... writing package receipt". When I go to Force Quit, it does not show "Not responding", so it must think it's doing something, but the thumb drive is not being accessed anymore. Activity Monitor shows "runner" using 50%+ of my CPU.

 

I've searched this topic and the rest of the forums, and I can't find anyone else having this problem, so I guess it's something in my setup.

Step 1: Format thumbdrive (1 partition, Extended Journalled GUID)

Step 2: Restore Snow Leopard .iso to thumbdrive

Step 3: Run Chameleon installer, choosing thumbdrive as destination.

Am I missing a step?

 

I don't know if this helps, but I also noticed in Activity Monitor that Dropbox went crazy each time the installer was hanging, using up to 90% CPU. So, I quit Dropbox and tried again. Same result, just more CPU juice going to "runner"

 

Any help?

If there is an alternate way, I'm open to suggestions. I have an external HDD... should I do the same steps on that and try to boot from that drive? Is the older command-line version still a good bet?

 

Thanks!

D

 

I am having exacly the same problem, i used 4 different versions of chameleon RC5 but I always get the same thing.

I am using a MacBook from 2009 under Mac OS X leopard 10.5

 

please help us

 

problem solved : we HAVE to launch the chameleon installer under Snow Leopard 10.6 !!

it doesn't work under leopard 10.5

[DarwinX]

any one had successes with this on AMD system?

ok heres the thing, iv got RC4 version working, but want this new rc5, downloaded the Chameleon-2.0-RC5-INSTALLER-r629.pkg ran it, installed on my snow partition, ,restarted, tried to boot in verbose mode and i got this running messages, and then screen goes blank, black, nothing happens...

 

i have noticed that then using rc4 on my root, i have file called boot. after rc5 there are no such file.. can some one help me where im doing wrong?

 

Do you not have your DSDT.aml and/or smbios.plist in you root or root/extra/???

[bbeepp]

I've tested latest revision and it works great

Thanks for your hard work!

[gedna]

Do you not have your DSDT.aml and/or smbios.plist in you root or root/extra/???

 

i do have all those files on my /extra however problem is the same, rc4 is working just great, this one doesnt, maybe im doing something wrong dont know,

[maleorderbride]

I might be attempting to use this in a way that is not and never will be intended. I just installed rev629 to an external drive after installing 10.6.4 the external drive. I did the 10.6.4 install from within OS X using a script. I have never booted off of the drive and it is completely virgin still. Not even an Extra folder on it.

First thing I noticed was that the rev629 install crashed immediately after I double-clicked. it also halted my installation of 10.6.3 and closed my terminal window that I ran the script from.

The next time, with the installation finished already, I had no problems. Below is the installer log.

(installing to disk5 from within OSX on disk1)

Here is my diskutil list:

/dev/disk0
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: FDisk_partition_scheme *64.0 GB disk0
1: Windows_NTFS 64.0 GB disk0s1
/dev/disk1
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: GUID_partition_scheme *64.0 GB disk1
1: EFI 209.7 MB disk1s1
2: Apple_HFS Drivers 939.5 MB disk1s2
3: Apple_HFS OS Disk 62.7 GB disk1s3
/dev/disk2
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: GUID_partition_scheme *1.5 TB disk2
1: EFI 209.7 MB disk2s1
2: Apple_HFS Data 1.5 TB disk2s2
/dev/disk3
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: Apple_partition_scheme *14.2 MB disk3
1: Apple_partition_map 32.3 KB disk3s1
2: Apple_HFS namebench 14.2 MB disk3s2
/dev/disk5
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: GUID_partition_scheme *1.0 TB disk5
1: EFI 209.7 MB disk5s1
2: Microsoft Basic Data 133.0 GB disk5s2
3: Microsoft Basic Data 939.0 MB disk5s3
4: Linux Swap 8.1 GB disk5s4
5: Microsoft Basic Data 429.1 GB disk5s5
6: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 428.7 GB disk5s6

I then put the harddrive in it's intended computer. Chameleon did not greet me, instead GRUB2 is still the active bootloader. From GRUB2, Win7 no longer boots up. It gives the following error:


Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause.

File:\Boot\BCD

Status: 0xc000000e

Info: An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data.



So, it seems like the first 440 bytes were over-written. Right? Ubuntu 10.04 LTS loads normally.

Let me know if you would like any more information. I need to get this computer working ASAP, so I am going to revert to a non-EFI install with an older bootloader.

Also, my computer hangs when any USB stick with the rev629 is inserted anywhere before the OS loads. I tried this with 3 different USB sticks and then tried the same sticks with AsereBLN's loader installed on it instead. The system booted up normally then.

My BIOS is set to boot from CD first, then HDD. I have the 3rd option disabled (Gigabyte H55M-UD2H).