Dell Optiplex 330 FINALLY WORKS!

[Redghost]

I have been lurking on the OSx86 type sites for a while, gathering information. Had a 1 year old Dell that got retired when the business went belly up. Gonna make a Mac of it!

 

My initial thought was to do a Snow Leopard install with bootSLv3 and retail DVD. Got kernel panics from that. Some gibberish about having two thread but only finding 3 on the die. It did install just fine, but the reboot was a mess and kernel panic with no good way to make it actually work. Tried it a number of times over the past months even with hardware changes. Table that one for later when I get a better clue.

 

Tried the SnowOSX_Universal_10.6(432)GM. That wanted to have issues even before installing and would just fart itself out. Too many issues with that distro!

 

OK, go do Leopard then.

 

Leo4All is not going to work. Just did not burn to the DVD right, no matter how I tried. When it did, the thing was incompatible with basic PC architecture.

 

I heard that iPC_OSx86_10_5_6_Universal_PPFS_Final was good, so I gave that a try. This distro actually has some good work behind it. I applaud the people who worked and made this distro. It almost works right off the DVD. No sound, no video but basic VGA, and no ethernet, but it booted and allowed for configuration of the user data. Had to gather bunches of Kext and play with the thing to finally get sound, but then it kernel panic and would not boot. Could not get all I had loaded up the first time to do magic again. So just went with this basic install while I got better hardware to use.

 

Dell Optiplex 330 consists of --

 

Core 2 Duo 2.2Ghz

80G SATA (82801GR/GH)

DVD SATA (no burn)

1G PC53000 (2 slots/ 1 SDRAM)

Intel ACH7 chip on a G31 logic (82G33)

ADI 1984 onboard audio (82801G)

Broadcom BMC5787 onboard gigabit

Intel GMA 3100 Onboard video (82801)

PCIe video slot

2 PCI slots

800Mhz Bus speed

Boot Rom A03

Loads of USB ports in back and front

 

There is NO KEXT for the onboard GMA 3100 chipset. There is a Kext for the MOBILE GMA 3100x. I tried it - DELL D620-630-830 INTEL X3100.mpkg. This did not fix it. You can use the Dell or whatever netbook or laptop just fine, but if you want video, need to get the PCIe card. Onboard video leeched RAM anyway. I went with an inexpensive NVidia 7300LE.

 

Tried all the BMC kext I could find. Nope, not going to work. I think the only way it works is with mobile chip, not the one I have. Since I am running old CAT-5 in an 80 year old house, I am fine with megabit speed. Got the Intel Pro 100v PCI card for $1. I tried the business card (823307) but it was only 32 bit and could not work or be seen.

 

At install I would do the disk utility, erase or partition GUID, then run System Profiler. IT was pretty whacky, but most of the stuff was there. Wrong, but there. This told me that the hardware did meet the list on the wiki.

 

Upgrade the BIOS ROM to A06 [0330-A06.EXE]. Loaded another file to update firmware for USB and Chipset issues [R174616.EXE]. Use this for your optiplex 755, or Dimension 420. Ran AppleJack 1.5 for good measure.

 

Set the BIOS to --

Slow boot (lets you hit buttons in time)

Max CPU ID - DISABLE

Execute Disable Function - ENABLE

CPU internal Thermal - DISABLE or auto

ACPI 2.0 Support - YES

ACPI APIC Support - ENABLE

Core Multi Processing - DISABLE (re-enable after install)

SATA - NATIVE

S.M.A.R.T. - ENABLE

 

This makes the machine more stable and willing to accept install. Though not all distro or attempts. With the new hardware I tried the Snow Leopard path again. I knew I would not be able to get the onboard chip to make sound with Azalia or HDA kexts, and all I want is sound out, so I was going with USB, since the Optiplex has 8 ports out back and two up front. No matter which bootloader, I could not get SL retail to not panic. Snow distro panic too. Back to Leo.

 

I tried iDeneb_v1.6_1058_lite_edition. Lots of people really like this (well the older one) and say it is stable. It does not load on the Dell. Well, it does load the DVD, but the pizza wheel just spins for hours under the grey Apple. Clean install or not, it was not going to be the solution.

 

I could just go back the iPC, but I wanted to be able to use Software update and the vanilla kernel. Have the computer as close to functional as my Quicksilver G4 at least. Maybe the iPC_OSx86_10.5.6 before final would do. It was not as good as the Final, so ....

 

iATKOS_v7 was last chance. Uses better kernel and seems that it is put together better. Everybody on forums touted it as able to update without having to go deep in Terminal, or throw a barrage of Kext at Kext Helper b7. I could not get the proper kext loaded at install, so just did barebone and had to add after. Lots of drop on Kext helper, reboot and pray with iPC. Never did get DSDT patching or other technical stuff going. Just wanted the thing to work, like a Mac should!

 

Burn the iso to DVD. Big file, long time. Good burn though. Insert in the Dell with iPC going and hit install. RE-Boots up DVD, go to Disk tool, Erase, rename, go through windows until it asks for customization. READ AND FOLLOW direction in first window. Tells you all you need to do. SELECT only the parts you need and that are on your computer.

 

Dell 330 needed -- (*= selections checked)

 

*iATKOS Main (vanilla kernel)

*Chameleon v2

*x86 Patch -DSDT, AppleDecrypter, Disabler

*NVidia- EFI,DVI/VGA, NVEnabler (not using onboard video yet)

*System -Intel SATA/IDE (ICH7)

*Sound - VooDooHDA

*Wired ethernet - Broadcom BMC578x (did not work)

*Post Install

 

before hitting install button, open Installer Log and bring it to the front. Do install, and a half hour later or sooner, you need to check log, do Password Utility to change password and save. THEN Restart

 

Screen went to blank, Dell splash screen came on, then Chameleon screen loaded. F5 instead of picking a disk, and type at command line ( bottom of screen)

 

-v -f

 

push enter key and it goes to town. There were a few slow moments, but no long freeze as with other distro. It just chugged along, spun the pizza wheel on the grey screen, went to blue screen and came up with set up screen, music blaring. I was using Dell keyboard, so had to initialize that, then all the rest was as if I had a real Mac Pro. Sound works, onboad ethernet did not, but PCI Intel did. System Profile saw almost everything. Reported it as iMac. Video sees the NVidia card, Network sees the interweb, Both Ram slots are seen, Does not see the sound, but it makes it.

 

SO, this works great for the Dell. Hardware is compatible and corresponds to actual Apple hardware

 

Model Name - iMac 8,1

Core 2 duo, 2.19Ghz

1 processor, 2 cores

BootRam IM81.00c1.800

Hardware ID shows a UUID

CI and QE show able

USB - USBUHCI and USBUHCIE for the high speed

 

I was brave and loaded some music to iTunes, and it works. Plays Quicktime files well, Safaris surfs great. EVEN did Software Update, which downloaded all the files, rebooted, and ..... no drama! The thing JUST WORKS!

 

OS is 10.5.8 with Darwin 9.8.0 kernel

 

This logic board is able to run both PC5300 (667mhz) and PC1066 (800Mhz) DDR. Only addresses 2gig of 5300, but 4 gig at 1066. I will be upgrading ram in future. Ram is shared with onboard video, and i run dual monitors. Will be doing basic email & WP using onboard video, and the NVidia for Quicktime.

 

Using only two of four SATA, so will carbon copy clone the install disk to a 1TB drive, add a 640G drive and swap the DVDROM for BluRay burner. Keep the current disk inside for emergency boot and screwing around with SL.

 

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