Lenovo ThinkPad T420 with UEFI Only

[FredFrog]

fredfrog 

 

here is how to make a UEFI bootable usb:

 

1) on your mac desktop box reformat a USB with 1 partition hfs - in options - set to GPT mode.

2) use clover package installer - select the USB - check first 2 items UEFI mobo and ESP install and themes.

 

thats it. now reboot and use F12 to select the USB to boot from.

Thanks tluck - if that is how you were doing it, I will try that today and report back.

 

Thanks for your help.

[FredFrog]

Hi tluck,

 

just reporting back. So I used Disk Utility on my sons true MacBook Pro with the 1Gb USB Stick, set the partition up with GPT and MacOS Journaled, let that do its thing.

 

I then used Clover install r1974 from SourceForge and selected the source as the 1Gb USB, clicked Customise and selected the options - Clover install package failed to create it.

 

I repeated the above steps, this time creating an MSDOS-Fat as well as MacOS journaled and tried again - still no joy.

 

I was under the impression that there was an EFI partition created as well as the MacOS Journaled ? 

 

Am I doing this wrong or is it the r1974 version of Clover that is the issue ?

 

Thx

[tluck]

@fredfrog - no you are not going crazy. sorry should have mention you need like an 8GB usb. For GPT, apple diskutil will put the extra (hidden) EFI partition on the stick only when partitioning more than 2GB usb. stupid. i am sure there is a good reason.  found this out as i have 1 2 4 8 16 GB USB sticks. and ML (with clover install) really needs an 8GB stick.

 

however you can create the ESP on a small USB by doing something like this (using a 2GB) to test clover.

$ gpt destroy /dev/disk4
$ gpt create /dev/disk4

$ gpt add -i 1 -b 40 -s 409600 -t efi /dev/disk4
/dev/disk4s1 added

$ gpt add -i 2 -b 409640 -s 1000000 -t hfs /dev/disk4
/dev/disk4s2 added

$ newfs_msdos -v EFI -F 32 /dev/rdisk4s1
512 bytes per physical sector
/dev/rdisk4s1: 403266 sectors in 403266 FAT32 clusters (512 bytes/cluster)
bps=512 spc=1 res=32 nft=2 mid=0xf8 spt=32 hds=32 hid=40 drv=0x80 bsec=409600 bspf=3151 rdcl=2 infs=1 bkbs=6

$ newfs_hfs -v USB /dev/rdisk4s2 
Initialized /dev/rdisk4s2 as a 488 MB HFS Plus volume 

$ gpt -r show disk4
    start     size  index  contents
        0        1         PMBR
        1        1         Pri GPT header
        2       32         Pri GPT table
       34        6         
       40   409600      1  GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B
   409640  1000000      2  GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC
  1409640  2504055         
  3913695       32         Sec GPT table
  3913727        1         Sec GPT header

$ diskutil list disk4
/dev/disk4
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *2.0 GB     disk4
   1:                        EFI                         209.7 MB   disk4s1
   2:                  Apple_HFS USB                     512.0 MB   disk4s2

 

 

[FredFrog]

tluck - thanks..... I'll give it a go.

[TimeWalker75a]

Try pressing space in Clover GUI on the desired volume and selecting to boot without caches. It may be due to the infamous AHCI controller stall on earlier versions of 10.8 (I believe up until 10.8.3).

[TimeWalker75a]

Either update to the latest version and the issue will be gone, or use the script that bcc9 has rolled out quite some time ago to overcome the issue.

Basically it will patch the kext for you, which will create a small delay in order to identify the AHCI controller properly and allow it to boot. Details HERE

[tluck]

T420 users:

 

I just updated my reference page for Clover on T420 - post 241

 

Updated 29-August-2013

• Updated to Clover b1972
• Updated ethernet driver AppleIntelE1000e.kext to v2.4.14
• Updated to Rehabman's FakeSMC.kext + Sensors to v5.2.772
• Updated to Rehabman's VoodooPS2Controller.kext to v1.8.6 
• Replaced VoodooBattery.kext with Rehabman's AppleSmartBatteryManager.kext
• Replaced v1.3.5 AppleACPIPlatform.kext with ErmaC's patched ML (v.1.7) version

.... this page somewhat picks up where Kogen left off in terms of keeping up to date with Clover builds and other new developments.

 

@glasgood - if you look at this post, it has a link to Rehabman's FakeSMC.kext site - which has the full installer for the HWMonitor app + kexts ... or alternatively for just the kexts, these are included in the new zip bundle.

[maropr]

Bios 1.46 to T420, whitelist removed.

 

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/5866-LENOVO-(IBM)-Bioses-especially-Thinkpad?p=780865&viewfull=1#post780865

[tluck]

@maropr - thanks for the post. are you using it? does it work?

[maropr]

Yes, I use it. My WiFi card DW1702 works on this bios.

[TimeWalker75a]

Whic is essentially {censored}. Wi-Fi is capped at 150 Mbit, Atheros Bluetooth is a mess to get going properly and even if you do Apple multitouch devices won't work with it, even regular Dell Travel mouse stutters and is sluggish to use. That's said, don't even consider buying one.

[ag6952563]

Yes, I use it. My WiFi card DW1702 works on this bios.

Hi, the link for the bios does not work, it's maxed out. Can you attach it here?

Thanks,

AJ

[FredFrog]

tluck et al,

 

okay, we are up and running -using ml3u and the stuff you provided.

 

Here's what I did:

1. Used tluck's instructions to create Clover UEFI boot USB on 8Gb Key

2. Created second USB key with ML3U as per their instructions

3. Put both USB keys in the T420 - the order was important as one USB is the boot (back one in my case), the ML3U was in RHS

4. On boot for UEFI only it will start the 8Gb USB CLOVER UEFI in 1 above, but it sees the ML3U - so I select that an install using reasonable customized options

5. Bootloader did not install via ML3U, but used tlucks instructions for creating USB key to make the Plextor SSD bootable ie by downloading and installing CLOVER with the same options, this time installing to the SSD.

6. Booted and installed the entire EFI into the /Volumes/efi/EFI directory supplied by tluck - this fixed the screen resolution :-)

7. Updated via Software Update to 10.8.4

8. Installed the KEXT from tlucks for the audio and video - the video showed some artifacts - tlucks version fixed it.

 

Sleep not working yet, but basically, a very good T420 Hackintosh. Will do some incremental tests on Tuesday to get sleep running.

 

Thanks tluck and everyone in the community.... very impressive, if a little harder than my desktop version. Patience is a virtue - but support to the questions and a few educated guesses meant it works!

 

FredFrog

[tluck]

@FredFrog - good news. 

 

for sleep/wake you need the custom dsdt.aml AND then the supplied AppleACPIPlatform.kext (replace standard one). Some may prefer to use the 1.3.5 version - aka snow leopard rollback version.

[FredFrog]

@FredFrog - good news. 

 

for sleep/wake you need the custom dsdt.aml AND then the supplied AppleACPIPlatform.kext (replace standard one). Some may prefer to use the 1.3.5 version - aka snow leopard rollback version.

tluck - the machine is a 4236J73 which has the 2520M, 1600x900 and I am looking at your instructions for Post 241 and just want to verify that I can rename the EFI\CLOVER\OEM\4236A79 to EFI\CLOVER\OEM\4236J73 and just use your supplied dsdt.aml from in there, then apply the AppleACIPlatform.kext.

 

Sorry for being nervous at this point - but its so close that I don't want to break it :-)

[tluck]

@FredFrog - yes your box looks to be identical to mine except you have built-in camera. so you should be safe to do that.

[ag6952563]

Hi, the link for the bios does not work, it's maxed out. Can you attach it here?

Thanks,

AJ

The BIOS for T420 was reposted. I have upgraded to the new whitelisted BIOS (1.46) and it seems to work fine.

Just note that the upgrade process requires to upgrade to the vanilla 1.46 first, then reboot and apply the BIOS modified. After this reboot for standard BIOS upgrade I had to remove my wifi card or the computer would not boot. After applying the mod BIOS, it booted okay with the wifi card. 

[FredFrog]

tluck

 

Just reporting back.

 

I mounted the EFI partition and renamed the 4236AT9 you supplied to 4236J73 and applied the AppleACIPlatform.kext. These two things had a remarkable effect on the graphics glitches (gone - was glitching and sometimes freezing on receipt of a Skype message, which caused the animation in the Dock)  and I was able to do a 'quick' sleep. Ie, I tried it, it woke back up. However, a 'long' sleep - one where I left it for a couple of hours required me to restart completely by holding power for 4 seconds - the power button and sleeping moon LED was still flashing, but it didn't wake - same symptoms.

 

I will now install the revised Rehabman's battery to get the battery power showing correctly - but almost a perfect MacBook.

 

Thanks everyone who has contributed to this forum.

[tluck]

@FredFrog

 

for sleep, the patched AppleACPIPlatform.kext is key along with the custom dsdt which is seems you are now using.

also in the zip posted has Rehabmans AppleSmartBatteryManager.kext configured for T420 (acpi v3) - that should get your battery showing the charge %. not sure what you mean showing correctly? 

 

not sure about the long sleep. i will test my system ... have not done a lot sleeping on it lately.

[FredFrog]

tluck,

 

no problem - I will apply the kext from your 29 August compilation. I noted on page 15 that there was issues related to sleep and it appears to be still under investigation from others. I will also apply the PS2 Kext, as I am only doing it one at a time.

 

Sorry for being vague - the machine is my 14yo's and he doesn't live with me, so I only get to work on it when he's over, which is only a couple of times a week.

 

Regards

[tluck]

yeah. clover does seem to have some quirks about sleep/wake. sometimes upon wake the built-in keyboard/mouse (PS2) are non-responsive. have to use a external mouse to restart. then sometimes sleep will cause a rapid blinking power light and 

 

i recently moved from the 1.3.5 AppleACPIPlatform to 1.7 in hopes this may help some of the issues observed with clover ...  so far this latest greatest combination of kexts seems a bit more reliable. and its great to hear from others what is working or not!

[Sheep_Reaper]

@fdandy006

 

The 420's and 430's have a physical limitation of 2 active displays. You can physically connect one monitor to the VGA, another to the DisplayPort, but you have to remember that the LCD also counts as a display. You can never have more than 2 active at any given time. They're connected internally like Dual-Link DVI, 1 bus with 2 channels. You can buy a USB adapter to hook up additional displays, but most of them are cheap and tax your CPU.

Edited September 8, 2013 by Bryan Gonzalez

[Sheep_Reaper]

Also, Gendalo hasn't been on for a few weeks. I have a 430 I would like to convert, but I'm having trouble getting the installer fired up. Can anyone shed some light on the following?

 

1. I wanted to confirm if Gendalo's post #318 has his latest Clover folder.

2. Does anyone else have a working 430?

3. I'm interested in looking at someone's DSDT for reference.

 

This is getting closer and closer to being my first working mac. I've tried, failed and given up on about 4 other sets of hardware in the past 3 years, so I'm really excited. I don't have access to a real mac, but I have a mac vm that has served me well thus far. My largest hurdle right now is getting Clover to install normally. There is an issue in VMware, maybe to do with how it emulates USB devices, where the install fails. I can't use the custom pkg in the first post for this reason, so the closest I've come is by using BDUtility. At least I get a working Clover.

 

4. Have others had success with BDUtility as well?

 

5. And, last (and probably the most noobish) question, is the install image supposed to be clean, or do I need to modify it for it to boot? I thought Clover took care of injecting the appropriate kexts, provided I installed them properly on my boot disk. Using 2 sticks by the way. I have been using Lion disk maker. It quits with an error, but it appears to complete. I'm thinking it's related to VMware's USB issue again. Would you recommend I try doing it manually instead?

 

Thanks to all in advance.

 

EDIT: (9/7/2013 21:40 EST)

 

I successfully completed an installation on my T430. I used:

 

1. USB thumb drive, formatted MBR, single FAT32 partition on W8 (though the next utility reformats it anyways)

2. Installed Clover r1378 via Cvad's BDUtility v2.0.2013.170b on W8

3. Replaced the EFI folder with Gendalo's in #318

 

Here I tested the Boot Disk and sure enough, it worked. But I got this far previously. At least this time the theme showed up properly. I'm a little concerned because in Gendalo's EFI folder the OEM folder is not arranged properly. But with no additional tweaks, the settings in Clover seem correct. At least, the Install Disk booted:

 

Note: I used a separate USB thumb drive for the Install Media, but is otherwise identical to the first:

4. 2nd USB thumb drive, formatted GPT, single HFS+ partition on an OS 10.6 VM in VMware Workstation 10 on W8

5. Used Lion DiskMaker v2 with an Install.ESD for OS 10.8 that I can't for the life of me remember where/when I got. I don't even know if it's good.

NOTE: The Lion DiskMaker program did not complete successfully for me. I consistently quits with an AudioQueueStart failed error. I'm all Googled out right now, but even Google only finds 4 results for that error and none of them relate to my situation. Really? only 4 results in the whole inter[web]netz? Sorry, flustered.

NOTE2: I decided to risk it. The install disk seemed fairly complete.

 

So:

6. Fired up the boot disk

7. Installed OS X ML

8. Restart

 

9. Cross fingers

10. .  .  . cry

 

Now startup hangs at Waiting for Root device

So I waited with it, for like an hour, played some Xbox

And now I'm "Still waiting for root device"

 

tried booting with no caches, same result.

 

The only thing I can think of is that Gendalo has a different variation of hardware than me. Mine is a 2349GCU, which is different than his.

 

Any takers?

I'm too spent to work anymore on this tonight, but if anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd be so grateful.

[Sheep_Reaper]

I know I said I was too spent, but here I am still trying to get this done...

 

Additional detail:

 

It seems like the installation was not completely successful, merely just the first phase, where it copies everything from the install disk to the destination disk.

My boot and install disks are both USB. The destination is the internal HDD which is a 320GB 2.5" 7.2k SATA 3Gb/s Seagate something or other.

 

I'm chasing down a lead that lead me to some kind of race condition that is caused by the IOAHCIBlockStorage kext. Bcc9 knows more about this. The thinking here is that the initial install was successful because the install disk is on usb, but then when I try booting from the HDD it gets stuck at the "still waiting for root device" because the AHCI detection sequence is not given enough time to complete. So it'll never detect.

 

So another question:

 

What do I need to patch? I have Bcc9's perl script but am I supposed to patch the kext that's in S/L/E from the root of that file system, or is it the one that's buried in the install image? This temporary folder structure is confusing me. Or do I need to patch the kext inside of my install media and just run the install again?

[Sheep_Reaper]

So now it's even later, and I'm getting a little cranky. I made a breakthrough, but I'm not as thrilled as I hoped I'd be. I kept asking myself why it was that the USB disks worked just fine but not when I wanted to boot off the internal? So I decided to isolate issues. I took the internal HDD out, I stuck it in a USB3 SATA drive enclosure and plugged it into on of the USB3 ports on my laptop.

 

It booted right up...

 

So I'm dumbfounded. I'm happy that the install is finally finishing, and I'll have a fully functional mac, but I'm dreading what I'll have to do to get the drive to boot when it's installed internally. Plus I'm tired and I'm running out of whiskey. I suppose I feel melancholy. Anyone care to chip in some advice?