Retail Leopard 10.5.6 Gigabyte GA-G31M-ESL2 Options

[jdratlif]

First off, I wanted to say thanks to everyone who helped me on this board. And a huge thanks to LTL whose guide really helped me out and is the basis for this post.
http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=86167

So I thought I'd post my steps for a retail install of Leopard on a system with a Gigabyte GA-G31M-ESL2 board. You will need a Leopard install to make this work. I used XxX 10.5.6 PPF3 that was already installed on another drive in my system.

Step 1. Start Disk Utility and select the drive you want to install. Click partition. I usually select 2 partitions since I don't plan to use the whole disk for Leopard. Change the size of the first partition to the size you want Leopard to be. I chose 30 GB. Select Mac OS X Extended (Journaled) for the first partition, and Free Space for the second. You can choose a name for the first partition. I used Leopard.

Step 2. Insert the Leopard DVD or mount the DVD image.

Step 3. Start Terminal and enter the following:

open /Volumes/Mac OS X Install DVD/System/Installation/Packages/OSInstall.mpkg

Run the installer and select the right drive. I removed the printer drivers, additional fonts, and language translations.

edit: Step 3a (Optional). Install any Mac OS X System Updates. If you have a 10.5.6 Retail disc, you can install the 10.5.7 delta update now. Apple 10.5.7 Delta Update You should be able to use the Apple 10.5.7 Combo Update if you have an earlier Retail disc, but I haven't tested this. Make sure you select the right drive when installing this.

Step 4. Download leopard-install-kit.zip. It's basically a modified version of LTL's v4.4 files. It includes drivers and EFI strings specific to this motherboard and a newer version of EFI Studio so you can add your graphic card strings later.

Step 5. Open leopard-install-kit.zip and edit the post-patch.sh script inside with TextEdit or whatever text editor you like (I prefer jEdit). Near the top of the script is a line that says DISK="Leopard". You need to change this to your disk's name. No other changes should be necessary.

Step 6. Run post-patch from Terminal.

sudo sh ./post-patch.sh

The script will check to see if it's root and won't run otherwise.

Step 7. Install pc-efi v9 from the netkas folder inside leopard-install-kit. Make sure to select the right disk.

When you reboot into Leopard, you will need to go into System Preferences -> Sound, and select Line Out for the sound. I don't have any nice speaker setup, so I don't know what else works. I can play video off YouTube, MP3/AAC files in iTunes, and hear all the sound effects Leopard makes.

EFI Studio and About This Mac are in the Applications folder as zip files. You can use EFI Studio to add your graphics strings (don't forget you also need to add AZAL and Ethernet because it all has to be done together - neither Sound nor Ethernet work properly without EFI strings). You can use About This Mac to fix that screen to show your correct processor. It's a cosmetic change only, so it's not really necessary.



http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/5317/aboutthismac.gif

Enjoy. Please let me know if something isn't working.

edit: I just tried Software Update for the first time. Things not requiring restart seem to work fine. I updated Java easily. Things that require a restart are more tricky. It went to this blank blue screen that had the Apple rainbow pinwheel for about 25 minutes. When it finally restarted, it came up with no desktop icons and the menu was frozen. I had to use the reset button on the case. When it came back, everything is fine and the update no longer appears in the Software Update list, so it seems to have worked. However, the first time I tried it I thought the pinwheel was Apple BSOD and I hit the restart too soon and borked my install. The other restart required updates QuickTime, iLife, and AirPort Client don't interest me and I don't feel brave enough to tempt fate right now. I ran verify disk after I had to do the restart and it says the volume is fine, so I'm hoping all is well.

edit: Trying to upgrade from 10.5.6 to 10.5.7 using the delta update killed my system. A kernel panic happened and it would never reboot. Not sure why this happened, but I suggest a clean install to get 10.5.7 working.

Attached File(s)

 leopard_install_kit.zip ( 1.52MB ) Number of downloads: 802

 

[Jeanz]

did you try the boot 321 method?

[jdratlif]

did you try the boot 321 method?

I'm afraid I don't know what this is. I will try to go look it up, but if you have a forum link handy...

[Jeanz]

sorry i meant boot-123

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=113288

[jdratlif]

No sorry, I have not tried this method. Since I already had XxX installed, it was easier to just run the install from that.

It should work though.

[SBOB]

thanks for the tips...

[zim2dive]

Does this method require that the existing Mac be running 10.5? My G4 is still on 10.4. It won't allow me to open the OSInstall.mpkg

Could I use retail 10.5.6 and reboot/install from the DVD , then start over at step 4?

[jdratlif]

Does this method require that the existing Mac be running 10.5? My G4 is still on 10.4. It won't allow me to open the OSInstall.mpkg

Could I use retail 10.5.6 and reboot/install from the DVD , then start over at step 4?

I think I read something about you couldn't run the retail leopard DVD from Tiger, but that doesn't really make sense to me.

You should certainly be able to do that second thing though.

[zim2dive]

I think I read something about you couldn't run the retail leopard DVD from Tiger, but that doesn't really make sense to me.

You should certainly be able to do that second thing though.

It works just fine if I boot from the DVD. But on my powermac G4, running 10.4.11, the OSInstall package would not launch for me.

I ended up using iPC 10.5.6 for now (see link in signature). I'd like to get the retail method working, but will hang with this for the moment.

many thanks for all your info tho.. it was re-assuring to see wo many good reports. Also was able to unpack the leokit script and look to see what it was installing. I think the "Download and Install Drivers" section of osx86 Tools installs the same 4 pieces.

[jdratlif]

If you leave room for another partition, you can use the iPC install to do a retail install.

You could also use the retail disc to install Leopard on your G4, then you could run the install from there.

Or put iPC on an external USB drive. Or Boot-132.

Of course there's nothing wrong with leaving iPC either.

[zim2dive]

More newbie questions... so I have the iPC install working to the point of having sound (looks like I will have digital as well, when my spdif cable gets here...)...

so have you ended up with an EFI partition via this method (and you can thus do all apple updates safely)? (I'm still trying to understand that method)... ie. in a philosphical sense, does your method give me a "better" ie. more compatible result vs iPC? and please understand I am not trying to dis one method over another, just learn the trade-offs

I was thinking I could use my mostly-working iPC install to do your retail method to another drive (or partition as you suggest) (My G4 is in too heavy use to risk a borked 10.5 upgrade)

I also have an 8400gs (a PNY card tho, not ASUS).. and none of the default EFI strings from EFI studio or OSX86tools have worked for me, I just get black screen.. did they work for you as-is or did you have to modify? ie. can you give a more detailed Step 8 with regard to gfx, audio and ethernet? ( I have been getting my audio and ethernet via modifed kexts from osx86tools.. tho the ethernet seemd fine? even before)

thanks,
Mike

[jdratlif]

so have you ended up with an EFI partition via this method (and you can thus do all apple updates safely)? (I'm still trying to understand that method)... ie. in a philosphical sense, does your method give me a "better" ie. more compatible result vs iPC? and please understand I am not trying to dis one method over another, just learn the trade-offs

No offense taken. I understand completely. It's hard to get all the answers.

Yes, I have an EFI partition. I have not tried to do updates yet. It's supposed to work, but I'm scared.

I have heard that after you update, you need to run post-patch again because Apple might put the old kexts back on your machine. Since I haven't tried yet, I don't know.

I'm not really sure if it's more compatible or not. XxX (the version I used prior to vanilla) wouldn't reboot. But maybe if I installed the OpenHaltRestart.kext from Psystar it would've. Aside from that, XxX seemed to work great.

I was thinking I could use my mostly-working iPC install to do your retail method to another drive (or partition as you suggest) (My G4 is in too heavy use to risk a borked 10.5 upgrade)

That's basically what I did, replacing iPC with XxX.

I also have an 8400gs (a PNY card tho, not ASUS).. and none of the default EFI strings from EFI studio or OSX86tools have worked for me, I just get black screen.. did they work for you as-is or did you have to modify? ie. can you give a more detailed Step 8 with regard to gfx, audio and ethernet? ( I have been getting my audio and ethernet via modifed kexts from osx86tools.. tho the ethernet seemd fine? even before)

EFIStudio's string for nVidia GeForce 8400 GS 256 MB worked perfectly for me. I'm not sure about dual-display capability. I have yet to look at that. I'm not sure how I would get my own EFI string if EFIStudio didn't have the right one anyways. You sure you're not using the string for the 512 MB card instead of the 256 MB one or vice-versa? That could mess things up.

As for Audio and Ethernet. Ethernet was recognized with the vanilla kext and no EFI string, but didn't work for me. It kept saying it was connected, but couldn't use DHCP or manual IP settings. It would simply ignore whatever I entered. Ethernet worked with a modded kext I was using for awhile without an EFI string, but when I found that adding the EFI string made it work with the vanilla kext, that's the route I went.

Audio needed a patched IntelHDA (for which I used a codec dump from linux and Taruga's HDA patcher) and the EFI string to work. I also had to change the sound output to line out cause the default was headphone. I have not checked whether the headphone jack even works.

Good luck.

[zim2dive]

No offense taken. I understand completely. It's hard to get all the answers.

Yes, I have an EFI partition. I have not tried to do updates yet. It's supposed to work, but I'm scared.

I have heard that after you update, you need to run post-patch again because Apple might put the old kexts back on your machine. Since I haven't tried yet, I don't know.

I'm not really sure if it's more compatible or not. XxX (the version I used prior to vanilla) wouldn't reboot. But maybe if I installed the OpenHaltRestart.kext from Psystar it would've. Aside from that, XxX seemed to work great.



That's basically what I did, replacing iPC with XxX.



EFIStudio's string for nVidia GeForce 8400 GS 256 MB worked perfectly for me. I'm not sure about dual-display capability. I have yet to look at that. I'm not sure how I would get my own EFI string if EFIStudio didn't have the right one anyways. You sure you're not using the string for the 512 MB card instead of the 256 MB one or vice-versa? That could mess things up.

As for Audio and Ethernet. Ethernet was recognized with the vanilla kext and no EFI string, but didn't work for me. It kept saying it was connected, but couldn't use DHCP or manual IP settings. It would simply ignore whatever I entered. Ethernet worked with a modded kext I was using for awhile without an EFI string, but when I found that adding the EFI string made it work with the vanilla kext, that's the route I went.

Audio needed a patched IntelHDA (for which I used a codec dump from linux and Taruga's HDA patcher) and the EFI string to work. I also had to change the sound output to line out cause the default was headphone. I have not checked whether the headphone jack even works.

Good luck.

Odd.. DHCP seemed to work (well enough, anyway, maybe not perfectly) for me out of the box. Shrug.

I certainly might have made a mistake and picked 512M once.. but trust me, I've tried it enough times now that I know 256M doesn't work for me I begin to think they need to start listing actual manuf/models for some of these cards. I'm not trying to use dual display.. I'd be happy with 1
That's my project for this weekend.. maybe I'll have better luck this go-round.

Thanks for all the info!

[emon878]

I am sorry for this stupid question but first you install Leopard using the distro above correct? The XxX_x86_10.5.6_Install_Disc_Universal_Final
and then after it is installed you do the rest inside of leopard?

Thanks

[jdratlif]

Doesn't have to be that specific Distro. But you have to have Leopard to run the Leopard install package. A sort of catch-22 thing.

Boot-132 would probably work as well.

[emon878]

This is going to be my first build I actually followed your sub $500 specs
pretty closely so thanks for that. But since this is going to be my first OS X
box will I still be able to use this method?

Thanks

[jdratlif]

This is going to be my first build I actually followed your sub $500 specs
pretty closely so thanks for that. But since this is going to be my first OS X
box will I still be able to use this method?

Thanks

If you have the same motherboard, it should work out fine.

[maquiavelo69]

hi i havent tried yet , but im going to do it in few days, my question is that in your steps you already talk about opening or monut images when we dont even have any OS! so i have to understand with that that u arelade have installed some distri like iatkos ipc or any other and THEN download a retail dvd of mac os (originial) and follow your steps, am i wrong?


thanks!

[jdratlif]

hi i havent tried yet , but im going to do it in few days, my question is that in your steps you already talk about opening or monut images when we dont even have any OS! so i have to understand with that that u arelade have installed some distri like iatkos ipc or any other and THEN download a retail dvd of mac os (originial) and follow your steps, am i wrong?

Yes, it's an unfortunate first step. There are alternatives such as boot-132, and I've been wondering about the Mac OS X Live DVD, but I've never tried either.

[topcatuk]

I cant get ethernet to work?

Thanks for your Leopard install kit. Ive got the GA-G31M-ESL2 too, and usd your kexts and boot.plist to get almost everything working along with osx86tools which added AppleDecrypt.kext and Disabler.kext

Ive got everything working nice now, apart from no ethernet. Any ideas?
Thanks