Jump to content

[Guide] Acer X1700 U3700A + OS X 10.6.7


Krishna21
 Share

178 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

Hello everyone, today we will be focusing on getting Mac OS X Snow Leopard, revision 10.6.7 on the Acer X1700 U3700A.

 

Specs:

 

Intel Pentium E220 Dual Core CPU @ 2.40GHz

4GB DDR2 667 MHz RAM

640GB SATA Hard Disk

EVGA NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS - 512MB DDR3 - HDMI and DVI Out

The PC came stocked with a G100; the 8400GS only cost me $40 and it efficiently runs everything, I recommend it.

 

Tech Specs:

 

ALC888s Audio

Onboard nForce LAN

NVIDIA nForce 630i SATA Chipset.

 

 

While this guide maybe only for Acer X1700, the Extensions used in this guide, can universally be used for any nForce 630i Chipset!

 

 

What you need:

 

1) A flash drive, with at least 8GB.

2) A SATA Hard Drive AND SATA DVD Drive.

3) Another Mac; or a Mac OS X VMware Machine.

4) A Mac OS X 10.6.0 Retail DVD (I have not tested with OS X 10.6.1/2/3/4 DVDs)

5) A SATA to USB converter.

6) Time.

 

 

 

Drag "OS X Setup Files.zip" and "[url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url]" to the 8GB Flash Drive, in Windows or OS X.

TonyMacx86 Staff has requested that [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] is not publicly shared; in order to get it, you must go to their website, create an account (free) and download it from them.

 

 

Alright, start by powering up your other Mac or Mac OS X Virtual Machine.

 

 

Connect your SATA Hard Disk to the Mac/VM via the SATA to USB Converter.

If you are using a VMWare Machine, be sure to right click the device icon on the bottom and click "Connect" to connect the SATA hard disk to OS X.

 

Also, insert your Mac OS X Snow Leopard DVD. Once again, if you are in VMWare right click the little CD icon and click Connect.

 

Fire up Disk Utility; format your hard disk as 1 Partition (Unless you are dual/tri/quad/multi booting), "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)", click "Options" and select "GUID Partition Table".

 

In OS X, click the menu bar (the grey bar at the top), click "Go to Folder".

Type "Volumes/Mac OS X Install DVD/System/Installation/Packages", and click Enter.

 

A new finder window should pop up, this is the Packages folder on the OS X DVD. Scroll down to find "OSInstall.MPKG."

Double click it.

 

Now, the Snow Leopard installation will launch. Click continue until you get to the destination screen. Select your hard drive.

Before installing; click "Customize". UNCHECK everything except X11. Install!

 

I installed this via VMWare, so it tooks a good two and a half hours, whether your on a full speed Mac or not, this will take some time!

 

After it's done; connect your USB Drive to OS X.

Run the Chameleon RC4 Setup Utility from the flash drive, and point it to your hard drive you just installed OS X on.

 

After that, drag "boot" and "mach_kernel" from the flash drive to the root of the hard drive.

Then, open the folder "Extra", and create a new folder (right click>new folder) and create a folder called "Extensions"

Put all of the extensions from the USB drive to the folder you created.

 

Now, right click and safely eject your HDD, as well as safely eject the USB Hard Drive!

Now is the time to plug your SATA hard disk back into the computer, and leave the USB Flash Drive in the front USB Ports.

 

Whip up the computer; repeatedly push F12 and boot off of the hard drive you installed Mac OS X on!

 

Depending on your video card, you will or will not see a intro movie; I used a EVGA 8400GS, so I saw a movie.

Anyway, go through the post setup utility.

 

 

Now; launch the "Legacy Kernel 10.6.0.PKG", and then launch the "Mac OS X 10.6.7 Combo Update" installer. Have both of them open and maximized.

 

Install OS X 10.6.7 to the hard drive. After it's done do not close it, and do not click reboot. Simply switch to the legacy kernel installer, and go through the steps. Check mark "Enable 64 Bit". Install it to the hard drive.

 

When you are in the legacy kernel installer after installing OS X 10.6.7, it's possible that both installers will randomly close. If this happens, simply reopen legacy kernel installer only and continue on!

 

After it's done, go to /Extra on the hard drive, and DRAG "com.apple.boot.plist" to your desktop. Open it from your desktop; type "-force64 arch=i386" without the apostrophes. Type it inside <string>(type it here)</string), which is right under "<key>Kernel Flags</key>

 

 

Alternatively, if you do not have a SATA to USB Adapter

You can create a Snow Leopard Installer with a 8GB USB Thumb Drive and a Snow Leopard DVD/DMG file.

Simply format the USB Disk as 1 Partition/Mac OS Extended (Journaled)/GUID, install Chameleon to the Flash Drive

Then "restore" (In Disk Utility) the Mac OS X Install DVD (Source) to the Flash Drive (Target)!

Then open the flash drive in finder, drag mach_kernel and boot and add the extensions.

Then boot off of the flash drive and carry on with the guide!

 

 

 

Reboot into Mac OS X 10.6.7!

 

Audio:

 

Launch "[url=&quot;http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/&quot;]#####[/url]".

Set up [url=&quot;http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/&quot;]#####[/url] exactly like in the picture.

 

MultiBeast.png

 

Now, copy "AppleHDA" from the USB Drive to /Extra/Extensions.

 

Open Kext Utility from the USB drive, let it do it's thing.

 

When it's finished, reboot. Audio!

 

 

LAN:

 

Remove "IONetworkingFamily.Kext" from /System/Library/Extensions by going to that folder, and simply right clicking it and clicking "Move To trash."

 

Now, launch Kext Helper b7 from the USB Drive, and then drag "IONetworkingFamily.Kext" and "nForceLAN.kext" from the USB Drive to Kext Helper.

 

Type your password, click okay. Reboot.

Done!

 

 

Video:

 

(EVGA 8400GS)

 

Remove NVDANV50 from /System/Library/Extensions by right clicking the kext and clicking "Move to trash."

Open Kext Helper from the Flash Drive, drag and drop NVDANV50 and NVInject from the flash drive to Kext Helper.

Let it install, reboot, done!

 

 

OS X Files:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=30S1GHKI

 

Kexts and Boot/Mach_Kernel:

Go to Page 9 and look for verdant's post at the bottom of the page! Thank you verdant :(

 

OS X 10.6.7 Combo Update can be downloaded from Apple's Website.

[url=&quot;http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/&quot;]#####[/url] can be downloaded from TonyMacX86's site!

 

 

PROBLEMS:

 

Any random time, when booting, -v will hang at "USB: could not get chip to halt within 100ms".

When that happens, simply reboot the PC, and try again. I am working on it to get it fixed!

 

 

Randomly, HDAEnabler will not load when booting. This means audio will not work.

This can be fixed easily!

 

If it doesn't load, simply type "sudo kextload /Extra/Extensions/HDAEnabler.kext", wait one minute, and then audio will load! Easy! :)

 

 

 

SLEEP DOES NOT WORK.

 

 

 

Tips

 

In order to get VMWare Fusion and VirtualBox working, edit com.apple.boot.plist so that under "Kernel Flags" is says "mach_kernel", and then in the root of the hard drive, RENAME legacy_kernel to mach_kernel!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought you gonna post a working nForceSata driver that working with 630i.So no snow support for it?

 

 

Hello acik, the MCP73S/MCP73 chipset (630i) is fully AHCI compliant - so that means ApplenForceATA is not needed. The /Extra/Extensions folder download I provided contains an edited IOATAFamily.kext to detect SATA..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@ Krishna21 Replied to your post in my thread.........

 

Yeah, slice has done a lot of very useful kext modding for the OSx86 community....... ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@ Krishna21 Replied to your post in my thread.........

 

Yeah, slice has done a lot of very useful kext modding for the OSx86 community....... ;)

 

 

Thanks =)

 

Btw, slice? Wut ;)

 

 

Also, check out my post, I got a EVGA SR-2 MOBO, that currently has 2x Intel Xeon's on it, where each Xeon unit has 6 Cores..I'm unsure on OS X :wacko:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks =)

 

Btw, slice? Wut :wacko:

 

 

Also, check out my post, I got a EVGA SR-2 MOBO, that currently has 2x Intel Xeon's on it, where each Xeon unit has 6 Cores..I'm unsure on OS X ;)

 

Slice is the name of the guy who modified the IOATAFamily.kext.......check its Info.plist file........

 

Guess you have seen this Intel Zeon thread......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys, i have an XPS630i Quadcore 2.99 and there is just no way in *** i can't install snow directly on my intern hardrive. I HAVE to install it on a exten hard drive.... ;) thats no problem.

 

Can anybody please help me out here how to install snow osx86 directly on my Intern harddrive?, it alsmost wanna buy me a new mac instead of pc...

 

I used Hazard 10.6.3 btw....

 

it says its waiting for an sort of usb device and its stuck there. If anyone have some suggestions plese let me know, i am very desprate right now.... :wacko:

 

Thanks in Advanced guys...

daniel@tdps.nl

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe, you could read the guide.

 

Simply create a Snow Leopard USB Drive with Chameleon, replace /Extra/Extensions with the one provided, put mach_kernel in the root, then install. After install, install Chameleon RC4 and do the same to ur HDD - replace /Extra/Extensions with provided, and then put mach in the root and reboot, update to 10.6.3, then install your drivers!

 

READ THE GUIDE SON

Link to comment
Share on other sites

THANK YOU SO MUCH !!! I have been at this for a week now, and finally I can install with no problems. No sound or LAN but no problem, all in the process. Many new comers need to know that your Motherboard Chipset is perhaps the most important part of a successful Snow Leopard install along with your CPU.

 

I followed this guide and it worked like magic. I added no new extensions to the folder krishna21 provides. I must note that the Dr. Hurts Chameleon installer link below, and the Kext utility link are the same exact thing. I used this link;

 

http://www.kexts.com/view/129-kext_utility...d_(update).html

 

Setup used-

Motherboard: Biostar GF7100P-M7S Ver 6.0 nForce 630i chipset

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 2.8 GHz

RAM: 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM

Graphics: Nvidia 9500GT 1GB

 

As stated above I have no sound or built in LAN, so I will need to find the right kexts. My question is can you please point me in the right direction as to where I could find them, and after I add them, do I run Kext utility again ?

 

You mention in your guide not to add extensions with out upgrading, but I can't upgrade with LAN not working. So do I just download the update.pkg USB from online and install, or will this cause problems ? Any help greatly appreciated.

 

And thanks again for this awesome guide :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well first off, you are welcome :D

 

Next, I only mentioned not to install any GRAPHIC extensions. Such as EFI Strings, or NVEnabler, or Natit, or w/e.

 

If you have already installed graphic drivers..I'm afraid you have to re-install >.>

 

Then, I'll try to find your drivers for LAN, then install them and yes run Kext Utility after installation to fix up permissions, and update. Afterwards, tell me when you updated, then I can point you for Sound. And if you don't have it either; I can also point you for video..

 

So, I'll PM you tomorrow by say 8PM (I'm in Carmel, Indiana, USA)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi and thanks for the awsome welcome...

 

I tried this way, i did the restore on the usb and put in the extra folder the kext that was provided, dragged the mach_kernel and boot in the root of the usb and was done right?

I did hade to turn on hidden files, or i could not drag the kernel into the root of the usb.

 

When i tried to boot up is saw the usb installer and i saw the Splash screen with the language thingy.....after that you have to agree to the terms and select your drive that you wish to install it to. Only there was no harddrives to choose from, and i have only 5 hard drives, so i was like okay what is going on???? :P The only thing the usb snow installer does saw were my USB external disks.

 

You can imagen i was tripping lol, i want to install it on my internal drive and not my external, cause i have snow 10.6.4 running there. So here i am again, asking for your help wat i am doing wrong here.

 

Kinda desprate here.....

 

Used dvd: snowleopard_10a432_userdvd.dmg

 

and the tools and kexts that Krishna21 provided.

 

So...."BUMP" somebody knows why this is happening, or what i am doing wrong? i just need some help, and i don't try to be smart here.

 

Some specs of my puter:

 

 

DELL XPS630i - Intel Core Quad

 

Processor type: Intel Core Quad 2.99

 

System chipset: NVIDIA® nForce 650i SLI

 

Graphics Card: GTS 240 <<<--- replaced it with this one, my ati hd readon 5970 isnt supported yet .

 

 

So, anybody can point me out to a goog guide, or tell me what the frig i am doing wrong, i was yesterday again the wole day busy with this mess.

 

And after every install i do on my hard drive it gives me the same frase: IOUSBfamily has trouble enumarating a usb device that has been plugged in - keep on retrying and then waiting for root device and it does nothing anymore...

 

I allready installed mac snow leopard on a sony viao with succes and a xps 420, there all dual or multi boot (ubuntu, win7, linux mint, snow leopard ) ... so it's not that i'm a newbie with mac on pc but this one is error just a hard one to crack... So any help is really appriciated...

 

Thanks for the help in advance...

 

Daniel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What type of hard drive connection are you using ? IDE or SATA ? I use to get the same problem as you, and it was because my IDE hard drive was not being detected. So I went out and bought a new SATA hard drive and that fixed the problem.

 

If you are using an IDE hard drive, it is possible to install, but you will need to find the correct ATA/IDE kext so the Snow Leopard Installation can detect your hard drive properly.

 

But I would just go with a new SATA hard drive, IDE is dinosaur computer stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Hey.. First of all, thanks for the guide :(

 

I have the same problem, that I cant find my disks in "disk utility"..

 

I have both a Sata and an IDE disk connected.

 

 

In BIOS there is an option called "sata mode select", but it's greyed out, and stocked on "Raid".

 

Mobo: MCP73PV

Chipset: 630i / 7100

 

 

Hope someone can help :thumbsdown_anim:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello!!!! Thanks for coming (that's what she said :o).

 

Today we're going to be getting our 630i machine with Snow Leopard and FULLY WORKING SATa FOR THE FIRST TIME.

 

This method should work on all 630i machines. I will be using a Acer X1700 U3700A in this tutorial.

 

interesting approach, thank you very much for your effort.

i'll try to combine your approach with mine and will be reporting back very soon -_-

 

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...225595&st=0

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi!

I was wondering if i can use your method but instead of using a 8GB USBFLASH, i want to use a 40GB IDE HDD by restoring a Retail ISO or iAtkosS3, Is this possible?

 

If so then i'll be trying that instead..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sorry about the late replies people, just been pretty busy lately =P

 

Hey.. First of all, thanks for the guide :D

 

I have the same problem, that I cant find my disks in "disk utility"..

 

I have both a Sata and an IDE disk connected.

 

 

In BIOS there is an option called "sata mode select", but it's greyed out, and stocked on "Raid".

 

Mobo: MCP73PV

Chipset: 630i / 7100

 

 

Hope someone can help :(

 

looks like your BIOS is pretty locked up, you might wanna consider flashing it.

 

Hi Krishna21.

Trying to install on my Acer X1700, i have problem after copy the /Extensions folder + mach_kernel into local drive and ran kext until, cant boot to the mac os with error like this:

 

http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab120/h...26/Image337.jpg

 

cant boot even tried with -v -x

 

Remember - you are also supposed to boot with mach_kernel; so try booting with -v mach_kernel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice avatar :\

 

But 750i, I'm pretty sure verdant has that, google up Snow Leopard on NForce 6 or 7 and it'll be the first hit, you can read his guide, or Private Message him.

 

Cuz 750i isn't AHCI compliant; which means it operates on nForceATA.

If it is AHCI Compliant, that means their is no need for nForceATA, like nForce 6xx series.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry for late reply.......

 

Yes, I didnt copy your recommended kexts into root/extra/ folder, i am using kext helper to install them and reboot no problem.

 

Everything working fine on my X1700 machine with,

Audio - VoodooHDA

Network - nForceLAN

Graphic - ATI HD4550, added dev id into ATIRadeonX2000.kext and ATI4500Controller.kext

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, VoodooHDA and nForceLAN do need to go into /S/L/E/........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried your tutorial. It didn't detect any of my HDDs, not even the IDE one. So, I added a driver so that it could at least detect my IDE one. It worked, it detects it, but when I try to install Snow Leopard, it gives me an error at the beginning of the installation.

Here it is: Failed to download package from file://localhost/System/Installation/Packages/MigrationAssistant.pkg and no alternate source.

 

P.S.: I needed to boot with arch=i386 flag, because otherwise, the driver wouldn't load.

 

The kext I added is from iDeneb v1.3 10.5.5 and is AppleGenericPCATA.kext

 

Thanks in advance,

xmath279

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...