How to Install Lion on any CoreDuo Mac upgraded to a Core2Duo

[thingi]

Hi Everybody,

 

The following will be of use to people who have upgraded their old Mac Mini's from a Core-Solo or Core-Duo to a Core2Duo and want to run Lion.

 

1. If you already have 10.6.6 installed create a new partition for Lion via disk utility.

2. Mount the Lion DMG and run the Lion Installer (make sure you select the Lion Partition you just made).

3. The machine will reboot and Lion installer will go through phase 2 of the install (but it will refuse to boot at this point).

4. Boot back into Snow Leopard and Navigate to '/System/Library/CoreServices' on the Lion partition.

5. Open the 'PlatformSupport.plist' file with sudo permissions in nano/vi and add the following string '<string>Mac-F4208EC8</string>'.

6. Save the file and reboot into Lovely Lion (it really, really needs a Magic Mouse or TrackPad to use the new features properly - a standard mouse doesn't do it justice).

 

If you want to boot the Lion DVD dmg image from a Flash drive or external HDD then you must to do the following:-

 

1. Restore the DMG to your install disc target.

2. Go into /System/Library/CoreServices of the install disc you just created and open the 'PlatformSupport.plist' in with vi/nano in the terminal (using sudo so you can save it).

3. Add the following platform string to the list already there '<string>Mac-F4208EC8</string>' and then save the file.

4. Boot the machine using the install disc you just created and Install Lion.

5. Not too sure here but I'm assuming Lion installed from a modded external drive will boot ok after the second part of the Lion Installer has completed, if it doesn't boot from an external Snow Leopard installation (or Snow Leopard Partition on your hdd) and makes the changes above.

 

 

thingi :-)

[DoctorEvil30564]

Nice! as soon as I get one of my two parts machine intel mac minis up and running I want to give this a try.

Edited June 24, 2011 by Alessandro17
Please avoid overquoting

[nissefar]

This does not work with Lion GM.

[gvollant]

Installing lion to the upgraded MacMini using firewire Target Mode give this error

 

When I boot with verbose option, I can read:

boot file path: \System\Library\CoreServices\boot.efi

..

***********************************************************

This version of Mac OS X is not supported on this platform!

***********************************************************

Reason: Mac-F4208EC8

 

So there is exclusion hard coded in boot.efi file

[nissefar]

I guess someone would need to figure out how to patch boot.efi. Not in the range of my skillset.

[thingi]

It's still possible to install the Lion GM on a old mini with a C2D upgrade :-)

 

First of all you need to mount the Mac OS X Install ESD dmg which is inside the 'Install Mac OS X Lion' app in the SharedSupport folder.

 

Then follow this guide:-

 

(approx first 6mins of the Video - no need for messing with kexts & boot loaders).

 

Next you'll need to replace '/system/installation/packages/OSInstall.mpkg' and add the frameworks to your installer partition / usb stick / hdd with the replacement attached to this post.

 

The OSInstall.mpkg wasn't made by me, I can't remember where I got it from, some linky on this board if I remember correctly though).

 

Once that's done you'll need to delete all instances of 'PlatformSupport.plist' from your new installer partition.

 

Then install Lion in the standard way, boot into your old OS, delete the 'PlatformSupport.plist' from your freshly installed Lion partition (it's in 'System/Library/CoreServices') - then Lion will boot just fine :-)

 

Thingi

System.zip

[S3pHiroTh]

Once that's done you'll need to delete all instances of 'PlatformSupport.plist' from your new installer partition.

 

Then install Lion in the standard way, boot into your old OS, delete the 'PlatformSupport.plist' from your freshly installed Lion partition (it's in 'System/Library/CoreServices') - then Lion will boot just fine :-)

 

Hello, I have followed your steps but I can't understand these two...

I have watched the video until minute 6 and I have done every step, after that I have overwrited the 2 files you have attached... but after that I'm lost...

 

I have seen the 'PlatformSupport.plist' file in the new partition in Mac OS X Base System\System\Library\CoreServices\com.apple.recovery.boot, but even if I delete the PlatformSupport.plist file and I try to install from the new partition, it doesn't work because the program says that is corrupt.

 

Have I done something wrong?

Sorry for newbie question...

[thingi]

A few peeps have been having some issues following the Video guide and steps needed posted previously, here's a step-by-step guide for installing Lion on any coreduo mac upgraded with a core2duo:-

 

Step 1: Create a new partition for the installer (I suggest you use an 8Gb usb stick).

 

Using Disk Utility, create a new partition to install Lion from

• Name: LionInstaller

• Size: 6 GB (or bigger)

• Format: Mac OS X Extended

• Encryption: none

• Partitions: Single partition - Apple Partition Map

• Image Format: DVD/CD master

 

Step 2: Mount the Lion installer image.

It's inside the 'Install Mac OS X Lion' app in the SharedSupport folder. It mounts as 'Mac OS X Install ESD'.

 

Step 3: Mount the Base System image.

The Lion installer image contains some hidden files, to get to them you'll need to use the terminal or in Pathfinder (which is easier for newbies) choose 'Show Invisible Files' from the View menu. One of these hidden files is BaseSystem.dmg which will be used to boot the system.

 

Step 4: Copy the base system.

The entire contents of the base system needs to be copied to your 'LionInstaller' partition. Use the 'Restore' feature in Disk Utility. Once that is finished, you can eject the BaseSystem image, it is no longer needed (if you chose to "Erase destination", your installer image will now be called 'Mac OS X Base System'. Rename it back to 'LionInstaller'.

 

Step 5: Copy the installation Packages.

Before the packages can be copied from the Lion installer image, there's a symbolic link in your 'LionInstaller' partition that needs to be deleted.

$ sudo rm "/Volumes/LionInstaller/System/Installation/Packages"



$ sudo cp -R "/Volumes/Mac OS X Install ESD/Packages /Volumes/LionInstaller/System/Installation/Packages"

The copy (cp) command will take a few minutes since it's copying 3.2Gb of data to your LionInstaller partition.

(alternatively you can use Pathfinder to drag and drop the Packages folder from the "Mac OS X Install ESD" into "/LionInstaller/System/Installation/")

 

Step 6: Delete the PlatformSupport.plist file

This needs to be done to allow the 'LionInstaller' partition to boot properly

$ sudo rm "/Volumes/LionInstaller/System/Library/CoreServices/com.apple.recovery.boot/PlatformSupport.plist"

 

Step 7: Copy the OSInstall.mpkg to your 'LionInstaller' partition.

Unzip the attached file and then replace the OSInstall.mpkg in "/Volumes/LionInstaller/System/Installation/Packages"

 

Step 8: Install Lion

Reboot your machine and hold down 'alt' and choose to boot from 'LionInstaller'. Install Lion (or upgrade Snow Leopard - it's your choice but I always advise fresh installs so you may need to erase your current snow leopard partition in Disk Utility... obviously backup any files you want to keep to another partition first though!!!!!).

 

Step 9: After the installer has completed reboot your machine back into the 'LionInstaller'

Your machine will refuse to boot into the Lion you've just installed because a file needs to be deleted before it'll work. Open terminal and then delete the following file "/Volumes/'name of your new lion partition'/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist"

 

Step 11: Reboot your machine into Lion

 

 

Thingi

OSInstall.mpkg.zip

[S3pHiroTh]

Thank you a lot, it works perfectly

But I think is much easier to do this steps into an usb key, so if you have to install again Lion, you have only to install the OS than you have only to delete the PlatformSupport.plist...

[chartz]

Hi,

 

Which version of Lion did you use, S3pHiroTh?

The Golden Master or the official release?

[S3pHiroTh]

Yes I use the Golden Master release... I have sent you a pm

[chartz]

Hi,

 

Who looks stupid now?

Of course it works. Thank you Thingi... I was trying to launch the modified app directly into SL.

 

Very nice! And the OS remains as snappy as SL (not very then!), using the antic GMA950.

[BigPines]

I have been able to install Lion on my unsupported Mac Mini via this method. Everything seems to work except the graphics drivers. The animation is choppy and I have no QE/CI. My Mini has the GMA 950 in it and it worked fine under 10.6.8. Anyone else seeing this problem? Any advice for getting QE/CI enabled?

 

What I really can't understand is why my GMA 950 doesn't work when some of the newer Mac Minis and some Mac Books which are officially supported by Lion have the GMA 950. The drivers must be there so I wonder why they don't just work?

 

Mike

[S3pHiroTh]

I have the same problem, I hope that in future updates, this problem will be solved...

But newbie question: what is QE/CI?

[BigPines]

QE/CI = Quartz Extreme/Core Image

[thingi]

What I really can't understand is why my GMA 950 doesn't work when some of the newer Mac Minis and some Mac Books which are officially supported by Lion have the GMA 950. The drivers must be there so I wonder why they don't just work?

That's really weird - My Mini is an Early 2006 with a Core2Duo T7400. Boot ROM Version: MM11.0055.B08 & SMC Version (system): 1.3f4.

 

I'm running full Quartz Extreme and also have QuartzGL enabled (its in Xcode free from the app store now :-) with no issues whatsoever. Most happy about the QuartzGL working properly with Flash11 beta since QuartzGL broke around 10.5.5/Flash 10 releases on Snow Leopard.

 

Is your Lion kernel somehow running in 64bit mode? What does Activity Monitor say it is 'Intel' or 'Intel (64bit)'.... What happens if you hold down 3 & 2 on startup?

 

 

thingi

[chartz]

Hi,

 

Animations and graphics work fine for me, except for iPhone-like animations in LaunchPad being choppy. Effects in Safari for instance are very fluid, as are dock animations. Mission Control is very snappy too. Videos play fine. So drivers appear to be fine.

 

I solved an annoying problem of a Finder window popping up after every startup by erasing the problematic folder (the Lion install partition in fact) altogether! I did not use a USB stick but a firewire HD.

Let's now see what happens after 10.7.2!

[thingi]

Lion does have a few issues at this point Glad you fixed your Finder problem though From past experience it'll probably be the .4 release of Lion before it's really solid.

 

I should have said in my last post that I too have some choppiness in LaunchPad - but I don't like it or use it! I use mission control a lot though and it's great with a magic mouse.

 

All I can say is be warned - I have an external Firewire drive which was formatted as three partition. All I did was reformat one of them and the whole drive got repartitioned into one big one and lost 750Gb of Video and Tunes. Thank goodness I had a backup of the critical stuff.

 

Another issue I've come across is with the new file versioning - I can't say I'm impressed, was using Automator and it crashed as soon as I saved a version of a file - loosing my file changes in the process. It's not that Versioning isn't a good idea but it is a bit flaky imho.

 

thingi

[splonk]

I upgraded my Mac Mini 1,1 to which I swapped the Core Duo with a C2D cpu from 10.6.8 to 10.7.0 by putting it in FW Target Mode and running the Lion upgrade package from a supported Macbook Pro. The only hack required was removing the PlatformSupport.plist after rebooting the MBP with the Mac Mini as the boot drive.

 

Everything works with no worries about QE/CI. If you have access to a supported Mac, this has to be the easiest and quickest way to do it.

[ikiret]

Done today, just swapped a CD 1,66 with a C2D 1,66. Just deleted PlatformSupport from Lion partition thanks to (awesome) target disk mode.

 

With target disk mode, is very simple, fast installation without hacks, just deleted 1 file... done!

[chartz]

Hi,

 

Beware: 10.7.2 breaks Lion, you will have to re-install the new platform.plist file again !

 

Here.

[zillo]

Mac OS X 10.7.2 update broke my Lion on a MacMini 1,1.

Now I will have to work it out to fix it again.

As soon as I have a solution I will post it here.

[BurningSnowman]

Can't believe I just took 2 quizzes for the privilege of being allowed to post this advice. Anyway:

 

Fixing broken OS X on an unsupported Mac when it breaks following a 10.7.2 upgrade...

 

Stealing the principle from this post on a French forum it wasn't too hard to devise a way that does not require you to have another Mac, namely:

 

1. Boot to your OS X Install DVD (hold down 'C' at boot).
   
2. Choose a language and then select Terminal from the menu.
   
3. Navigate with 'cd' to (might vary depending on your partition name) /Volumes/Macintosh HD/System/Library/CoreServices
   
4. Carefully make a backup copy of PlatformSupport.plist with 'cp' e.g. "cp PlatformSupport.plist PlatformSupport.plist.bak" - you have root privileges and want insurance against messing this up.
   
5. Use the very limited bash commands at your disposal to add "<string>Mac-F4208EC8</string>" (this is for most 2006 Mac Minis - you'll need a different string for other systems) in the right place, e.g. after the other strings but before the final gubbins. I used 'sed' to delete all the last closing tags, then concatenated the new string onto the end of the file (with >>) and put the closing tags back in the same way. Whitespace/indentation doesn't matter.
   
6. Exit the installer and choose your normal partition as the boot disk.
   

I guess there must be a nicer way to do (5) but this worked.

 

Hope this saves someone some time. I needlessly did a Time Machine restore and then did the system-breaking update again before realising it was just a stupid text file. Thanks Apple!

[RandomMarius]

I just updated 10.7.2 on my macmini1,1 (Originally a Core Duo, upgraded with a Core 2 Duo 1.83GHz CPU), and all I had to do extra was to re-do Step 9 in the original guide:

 

Step 9: After the installer has completed reboot your machine back into the 'LionInstaller'

Your machine will refuse to boot into the Lion you've just installed because a file needs to be deleted before it'll work. Open terminal and then delete the following file "/Volumes/'name of your new lion partition'/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist"

 

I just did a "mv PlatformSupport.plist PlatformSupport.plist.orig" instead of a delete (rm)

[chartz]

Hi!

 

10.7.3 passed with no problem!

You can go ahead!

 

Jacques