[Guide] Dell XPS 15 L502X (Early 2011) Snow Leopard Install (possibly L702x too)

[rndlgna]

Thanks rndlgna, -x helped get to the first run screen from HD boot, I'll report back to you all when I get an external keyboard to use.

 

As a general question, is there any reason a PS/2 keyboard, connected through a PS/2 to USB converter, wouldn't work? I have an old PS/2 keyboard lying around and it'd be much cheaper for me to just get a converter

 

I don't know, Ivent tried that.

Just borrow a usb keyboard, it would be the cheapest option since u'll just gonna use it once. .

[DoiX]

Sorry for the late answer, had a dead line on a work related project.

 

@dominusdj I suspect the problem in your case is either the System Definition or the Intel HD graphics like rndlgna already mentioned but latest build of chimera supports most of Intel HD id's so it may not be that also do you have panels with Facial Recognition or with multi touch?

 

Anyway here is a possible fix to boot up your system:

1. boot with -v -s
2. /sbin/mount -uw /
3. sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIntelSNBGraphicsFB.kext
4. reboot

 

Now boot with -v -f GraphicsEnabler=No busratio=23

 

OR install chameleon instead of chimera just so you can boot and install DSDT which should in theory fix the boot with chimera.

 

@SpeBlue, if you can't get an external USB keyboard you have 2 options.

 

1. Reinstall iAtkos L this time chosing PS/2 Keyboard options (maybe it will help you)

2. Get the kext pack from my updated tutorial and put the kext folder on a usb stick then boot with -v -s to use the command terminal to copy the kexts from the USB stick to the extensions folder.

 

/sbin/mount -uw /
sudo cp /Volumes/Stickname/Kexts/AppleACPIPS2Nub.kext /System/Library/Extensions/
sudo cp /Volumes/Stickname/Kexts/ApplePS2Controller.kext /System/Library/Extensions/

 

Now boot with the extra -f flag aside the one you used to get it working.

[SpeBlue]

Thanks for the help DoiX.

 

Not sure if this is due to the kexts being installed manually or if this would have happened before, but I still get the "No keyboard connected" screen. However, when I press Alt-Q (mapped to Cmd-Q), it recognises the keys. I think it may just be a problem with the first-run application, in which case, is there any way for me to fill in the details it asks for by single user mode line and bypass the GUI? I know there's a file that gets created to tell OS X that first-run is complete, I'm just wondering if I need to do anything more than just create my user account?

[DoiX]

@SpeBlue, yes there is, google that question i only used the command line once and i can't remember it:) post here the results

[SpeBlue]

Created my user account manually and added /var/db/.applesetupdone (skips first run screen). If anyone else wants to do it this way, you'll want to mount the drive as always, run the launchctl command on this page, then follow the dscl guide here from commenter Ivan, then before you restart run 'touch /var/db/.applesetupdone'

 

The kexts seem to be installed, and my DSDT is in /Extra, but when I boot the AppleHDA kext fails to load correctly, and then the system stops before loading the GUI, which seems to be the HD3000 problem. If I boot with -f, it boots to the desktop (1024x768) with all other kexts (except AppleHDA) working, and there's a message in the console saying 'SNB Framebuffer did not show up, unload'

 

Would updating to 10.7.2 fix either of these problems?

I'm going to try some other methods to get the HD3000 working, I'll report back with results.

 

EDIT: Added the MacBookPro8,1 smbios from [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] and that's got the HD3000 detected and working with QE/CI, but uh, there's a new problem now, picture attached.

 

[DoiX]

Wow, first time i see that. All kexts should be installed in S/L/E, kext caches must be rebuilt and booting made with UseKernelCache=Yes

As for the screen, give me your laptop specs and what DSDT are you using? FHD one posted by me might be causing this.

[SpeBlue]

Forgot to add UseKernelCache=Yes, sound is detected now but still not working.

 

Specs:

CPU: i5 2410M
GPU: HD 3000 & NVIDIA 525M
RAM: 4GB 1333MHz DDR3
LCD: 720p HD WLED, not multi-touch version
HDD: 500GB Western Digital
WiFi: Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000

 

Using the HD Display DSDT, not the Full HD one.

[DoiX]

The sound problem is a recurring one, do kextstat in terminal or open kext wizard and see if AppleHDA is loaded, if not manually load it yourself and see if sound is working. Lion has serious problems with booting from kextcache and with -f flag. If audio works after manually loading it then i suggest you do manually create the extensions.mkext, drag and drop all kexts from extensions folder in Kext Wizard > Installation > Extensions.mkext to desktop, then copy it to System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/Extensions.mkext deleting everything else that is in that folder.

 

As for the video problem, rename your DSDT to DSDT2 see if that affects anything. If it boots normally try using wen1's original DSDT.

 

Don't forget to repair disk permissions after you copy it (also by using kext wizard)

 

Edit: People reported success using this command line

sudo kextcache -v 1 -a i386 -a x86_64 -m /System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/Extensions.mkext /System/Library/Extensions

[SpeBlue]

Renamed your DSDT to DSDT2, screen was fixed

Added wen1 DSDT and ran the kextcache command, then repaired disk permissions and now audio is half working!

 

It works when I plug in headphones, but not through the built-in speakers. This isn't a problem for me as I keep the headphones in all the time, but I should point it out in case anyone else gets this problem.

 

Thanks again DoiX, you're a great person.

[DoiX]

I'd better update my post and specify those DSDT we're optimized for i7 SB version of this laptop

 

As for the headphones thing, check sound settings they are probably scrambled. If that doesn't work then it may be that your laptop has a different audio configuration tho it's highly unlikely.

[SpeBlue]

I'd better update my post and specify those DSDT we're optimized for i7 SB version of this laptop

 

As for the headphones thing, check sound settings they are probably scrambled. If that doesn't work then it may be that your laptop has a different audio configuration tho it's highly unlikely.

 

You're fantastic. Quick look in Sound settings showed 2 "Headphones", one dedicated and one which changed to "Internal Speakers" when headphones were removed. Select the dynamic one and presto, sound is working. Thanks for all the help, and if it's helped improve the guide for others then even better

[DoiX]

You're welcome, i'm glad i can be of assistance!

[Kirky]

@ Doix,

 

Finally had time to look at my audio detection problem and your suggestion to build an Extensions.mkext and move it to System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/ worked nicely. Next I deleted ALL filles and folders in System/Library/Caches and rebooted. Everything got built correctly without using the Extensions.mkext and I now have fully functioning audio with your ALC_665 solution using the KernelCache (I no longer need to use VoodooHDA2.7.3). Its must have been a permissions thing?

 

My next issue now is that I can't get speedstepper working in 10.7.2? I had it working in 10.7.1? I've even tried using the speedstepper_lion_1072 version of the file? Is their anyway I can uninstall the old instructions to try and install the new instructions from fresh?

[DoiX]

@Kirky, permission and the way Lion decides which kexts get loaded in the cache file, it's weird i know.

 

Speed stepping is working perfectly, patch it again and rebuild the cache or i can just give you my already 10.7.2 patched version since as far as i remember we have the same specs.(still have to rebuild the cache)

 

AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext.zip

[AKennedy_4]

tried Wen1's method to the exact word. Never worked. I got to install the combo update, install the [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] (3.7.2) options, edit apple boot file, copy the DSDT and on reboot the bootloader just crashed after a couple lines of text and automatically rebooted. Not sure what went wrong. If anyone can think of something Im doing wrong please let me know.

 

Next Im gonna try the guide posted early in this thread about how to go straight to 10.7 since that was the ultimate goal.

 

Specs:

Dell L502x

Intel Core i7 2630QM

6GB Ram

Nvidia 525m

[DoiX]

@Futuregator15, when updating to 10.6.8 you should have used TonyMacs Sandy Bridge Update helper, that would have avoided you the Kernel Panics (crashes) anyway just go straight to Lion some things are just better straight forward.

 

Good Luck

[AKennedy_4]

Simple method:

 

Download iAtkos Lion, burn it on a DVD/restore it to your USB stick, follow on-screen instructions, select the following at the customization screen:

 

Hey DoiX, I am about to attempt your lion guide since Wen1's Snow Leopard guide wouldn't work for me. Would you mind clarifying what you check in RTC? the option isn't expanded in the screenshot. Thanks for your hard work, will keep you posted on my results.

 

Specs:

Dell L502x

i7 2630QM

Nvidia 525m

6GB RAM

[DoiX]

@ Futuregator15, RTC and some others are auto checked, thats why i didn't expand it

[bastisk8]

I am also about to try installing again.

 

However, since burning the iAtkos L1 DVD on my other Hackintosh (Acer Aspire 5652) didn`t work so well, is there a way to burn the .dmg image directly on the Dell XPS using Windows 7?

 

I already tried imgburn which normally just burns every iso file just fine, but it refuses to burn this .dmg.

 

By the way: Thanks a lot and thumbs up to DoiX, you are helping a lot of us with your tips and tutorials.

[AKennedy_4]

lol ok thanks. just wanted to be sure before I go ahead and try this

[DoiX]

@Batisk8 TransMac allows you to restore .dmg files to medias, PowerISO allows you to burn dmg files to dvd's and such, tho i'm not sure i only used it once like 4 years ago.

[AKennedy_4]

Hey DoiX,

 

Thanks for your help. I burned iAtkos L1 to a usb drive and went to boot with it but if i try to boot straight into "USB Mass Storage" I get a missing operating system error (The drive is partitioned 3 times with MBR table). If I use the boot cd without any boot flags I get nothing but a blueish screen. If I add the flags "-v GraphicsEnabler=no cpus=1 busratio=20" I get this far (check image in attachments). I've also tried adding the other flag you mentioned (can't think of it off the top of my head) and that resulted in the same screen. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? Thanks for the help

[AKennedy_4]

Also, I tried plugging in USB Mouse and that didn't work either

[DoiX]

I swear i hate dell's bios.

 

@futuregator15 Problem is, the iAtkos on USB stick doesn't know from where to boot so to say, you need to specify parameters if memory serves the extra parameter you need to add in order to boot using the boot cd is this one: rd=diskXsX (example rd=disk0s1) or UUID fix one... im no sure tho, check the help menu in the boot cd and read descriptions of individual flags for more info.

 

I'm tired now so i'm going to sleep, good luck! i'll try to provide further assistance tomorrow if you don't succeed

[AKennedy_4]

I read up online and made sure my SATA options in the BIOS are set to AHCI. Also I tried to bootflag to point to the the portable usb drive im using to install OS X. In my case the flag I used was "rd=disk1s1 -v GraphicsEnabler=no cpus=1 busratio=20". I also tried to point it to the drive I'm trying to install OS X too, ex- rd=disk0s3. Neither flags worked. Thinking the problem lies with iAtkos since the Wen1's method never lead me to encounter this problem.

 

If it amounts to anything I'm using A06 bois for l502x