Guide: how to install Snow Leopard (vanilla) on xps m1530 detailed walkthrough

[effatum]

These are the droids you are looking for

Let's start. First of all I am no expert and can be considered a total noob, if i did it you can do it. This guide is nothing more than a situation summary to let you know where to find what, i have tried many methods and i am just describing the simplest way from my point of view.

 

What is what?

Lets see don't even dream about getting the factory wi-fi card working, the sound doens't really work out of the box u got to tweak a little but still in the end you will hear from your speakers, with the latest (atm) 10.6.4 update you wont be able to get a HDMI to HDMI output, maybe someone will find a solution but atm the only way to get a hdmi output is thrue a HDMI-DVI cable, keep that in mind... (there is a dsdt.aml fix, specific for the 8600m gt tried it but didn't work)

 

Checklist; needed items

Before

1. Retail Copy of Snow Leopard (10.6) if you don't have one, GO BUY ONE!
   
2. Superhai's Dell XPS boot xp, it is for xps1330 but works like a charm in many others, get the latest version (special thnx to superhai.) -> http://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|9...01.iso.zip|2542
   

After

1. DSDT.aml and com.apple.Boot.plist (get a generic one than edit it in text editor, its a fairly easy process) specific for your computer, if u are as lazy as me and don't want to recompile it just grab a generic one from here (as well as guides on how to recompile) (special thnx to Immo for putting it all together and to everyone else whom codes you will be using) -> http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=190780
   
2. Chameleon Bootloader, you can either the RC3 inside superhai's boot cd or google it and download the latest version
   
3. Kext Utility (because writing on command prompt is just not stylish) thnx to CVAD ->http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=140647
   
4. A selection of kexts (i'll be putting 'em at the end of my post take only the kexts the rest is applied to my own settings):
   

• fakesmc.kext
  
• voodooBattery.kext (i'm not using it)
  
• IOATAfamily.kext (can cause kernel panic in some occasions, just because ur kernel panics u don't have to)
  
• AppleACPIPS2Nub.kext
  
• VoodooPS2Controller.kext
  
• VoodooSDHC.kext(not using anymore, gives a lotta problems)
  
• VoodooHDA.kext (most problably wont load in the first trials, to be put in other directory and such explained below)
  

Lets start

You need the first 2 items asap,

I am giving this guide as a 1system on hd install, if you want a dual boot find another guide to fill in the gaps.

Burn Superhai's boot cd, plug it in and start ur engine.

you will see a boot screen (the usual chameleon screen) pull the cd out and put in your fresh OSX SL retail copy inside the cd slot. click f5 and you will see in the boot list that the cd will magicly appear.

Enter

Wait for it; mac welcomes u

first thing first; go to tools-> Disk Utility-> select your HD dev (not the partition)-> partition-> from the tab to your left (it saz current) select 1partition-> Options-> select GUID partition table-> and give it a go, close the program and return to the install point

Move on with the install, select ur drive and click custumize, unclick lang and printer drivers (they are extremely useless), move on and let him do his thing... it will take just about 30 min. so go on make urself some coffee, you will need it.

 

Installed

many of you have already tried the plain old leopard and you know that the pc doesnt shutdown or reboot but you got to manually do it, after the install you will have to press the power button until it restarts, before you do that plug out SL install disk and put in our good old bootdisk

When you see chameleon select your drive and move on.

Waaaaait for it; voilla the nagging Mac welcome video (personally i hate it with all my hearth)

Give all the neccessary info, and start your SL

At this point your computer is unable to start on his own, don't have sound and is still a 10.6.0. Let's take care of it

Copy from the boot cd chameleon folder to your desktop

go to terminal

cd Desktop
cd Chameleon
sudo fdisk -f boot0 -u -y /dev/rdisk0
sudo dd if=boot1h of=/dev/rdisk0s2
sudo cp boot /

this will make you free of the boot cd, don't even try to restart we didn't finish yet;

In your root folder (the place found simply by clickin on your main HD) you will create a simple folder called "Extra" this will be the happy place that chameleon will use to suck kexts and your dsdt.aml file

Inside the Extra folder you will place the dsdt.aml, com.apple.Boot.plist, smbios.plist files that you find in the forum mentioned above.

Then go on and create an "Extensions" folder inside your Extra folder, this is where you put all the kext files mentioned above.

DONT EVEN TRY TO REBOOT not yet

Now remember the cute little program called Kext Utility, it fixes permissions on your behalf, go on, install it, open it, make him do his thing when it is done you are ready to restart. If you still got the boot cd take it out and reboot. You will still have to push power button to shut down and power it on again, hopefully this is the last time.

if you did everything right at this point your computer will boot to SL all on his own, u most problably still dont have any sound dont worry about it.

<warning!> if your computer gave you a kernel panic you have selected the wrong dsdt.aml file or did something bad, don't worry go down to troubleshoot we'll see what we can do warning </warning!>

ok now once you are in you OS go on and do all your updates (don't go to 10.6.8 but do a combo update to 10.6.7, the last update errors are not solved yet) , restart, there should be no problems...

If as in my case you still dont have sound go to your /E/E folder (/Extra/Extensions/) copy voodoohda.kext and put it in your S/L/E folder (/System/Library/Extensions/) and while you are there delete the AppleHDA.kext or it will cause kernel panic. if you didnt listen to me and did it anyway and you are unable to boot your system yet again go to the troubleshoot below. If you repair permissions with your kext utility there is a possibility that it will give u and instantaneous kernel panic, dont worry its harmless just manual reboot.

Shut down your computer and power it up (strangely reboot doesnt work in some cases)

Sleep should be working too dont panic when you see your computer waking up for the first time.

ATM if you have done everything right you have a functioning SL, keep in mind that this is a beta guide for noobs, i didnt get in the speedstep because it requires specific DSDT.aml files i'm considering that you are using a generic dsdt file.

 

We are done, go surf the web cuz most prolly u missed it.

 

TroubleShoot

 

KernelPanic= if you have installed chameleon but you did something strange and stuuuuupid your computer will panic, just because he panics you dont have to. Relax think about what you did and try to find a solution;

things you can try are;

• verbose boot= on chameleon boot screen click the down arrow until you get verbose, boot, it will give you the error,
  
• Undo your error by booting wih enforce, the option right after verbose
  
• Still didnt work; try to write "-x" on the chameleon screen it should go in safety mode, undo what you did try again
  
• OMG still no luck; lets say that you didnt listen to me and lets say hypothetically you left the wrong kext in the wrong place /S/L/E for instance than you should boot in single user mode in chameleon (third option -s) and enter manually some codes to remove the files

  mount -uw /
  rm -rf /System/Library/Extensions/"kextname".kext

  
  

• the mount (-uw /) and remove file with permissions (remove -rf) are really generic and you can remove any file using this combo.
  

• Chameleon Doesnt work the computer doesnt boot on his own= plug in the boot cd and try to install again, try a different version of chameleon RC4 is an option.
  
• OMG there are other problems i dont know what to do!= start from the first step and retry young padawan. search, google, read, read,read, try, try, try. dont nag, dont cry for help, dont come crying to me cus it didnt work.
  

 

 

CHEERS!!

Hope it helps to someone, it took me 4 days to have a fully functioning stable install, i can only hope that this will drop the time to 1 day.

Special thanks to Macgirl, her first compiling guide helped me a lot in my firs leopard install.

And anyone whom i didnt mentioned above but i used, thank u a lot!

If you see anything wrong (cuz there will be something wrong) pls dont hesitate to comment, i wont hold grudges.

 

lol can some admin change the folder of this post? soooorrryyyyy

 

UPDATE:

to 10.6.7 the only problem you will encounter is the appleHDA.kext, you will need to redelete it if you have any kernel panics...

don't update to 10.6.8, no solutions to the kernel panics and the system freezes yet cuz many of the main kexts have changed...

 

Time machine!;

Just to clear some stuff, you can use time machine... I actually urge you to use it... It's just as going thru the install, when you get to the install screen you just select; restore from time machine and restore your drive... as predictible the restored hdd won't be bootable, so you got to boot the machine with the bootcd (usb) and install chameleon (after install restore your extra folder)

I added this because people reinstall the os from 0 when they get errors, you dont have to.

Get a time machine backup if you want to try extreme variations to the OS (like the 10.6.8 update)

CHEERS...

Extra.zip

[Claudio A.]

By far, one of the most complete guide that I have ever saw.

 

I have one question, How can i check if my xps 1540 is generating normal heat, coolbook is always around 70 degrees. is that normal? It its not, how can I check if speedstep is working right?

 

Thanks man.

[effatum]

By far, one of the most complete guide that I have ever saw.

 

I have one question, How can i check if my xps 1540 is generating normal heat, coolbook is always around 70 degrees. is that normal? It its not, how can I check if speedstep is working right?

 

Thanks man.

 

actually that doesn't seem normal

you should check your heatsink and fan first, i can assure you it will make a difference... after that if it still burns like hell than you are doin sometin wrong.

in my case this helped: Dell xps m1530 gutter cleaning

There is a speedstep kext but don't even try it if your dsdt is not cpu specific

cheers

[Adam G8 GXP]

I want to use DSDT files someone posted on another topic for my Dell XPS M1530. I have them in /Extra directory but Chameleon 2 RC4 can't find them even when I type "DSDT=/Extra/DSDT1.aml" (i named it dsdt1.aml to test it. there is DSDT.aml file also in /extra).

Here is screen shot http://picasaweb.google.com/Sn8kbordin/Dro...522109070551570 . It is the same whether I specify DSDT=... or not.

Also here is a screen shot of my hard disc partitions if it helps http://picasaweb.google.com/Sn8kbordin/Dro...442587530403490

 

What do I need to do to use custom DSDT.aml files?

 

Thank you for any help.

[BlueWeasel]

Great guide.

 

I started with zero Mac/Hackintosh experience and this guide got me running Vanilla SL on my M1530. Took most of the weekend, but I got it going.

 

One issue, though, related to the trackpad. The ALPS trackpad on my M1530, while it does work, is way too fast/sensitive and I have no trackpad icon in Systems Preferences.

 

What do I need to use to get trackpad preferences, 2-finger scrolling, etc?

[valse82]

hi... thanks for this guide!

 

All fine but my trackpad is also too fast and the finger click no work... and also if I deleted applehda.kext and copied vodoohda.kext to extension library (in the e/e it still exist) my audio no work :-(

 

How can I solve these issues?

 

thanks

bye

[effatum]

I want to use DSDT files someone posted on another topic for my Dell XPS M1530. I have them in /Extra directory but Chameleon 2 RC4 can't find them even when I type "DSDT=/Extra/DSDT1.aml" (i named it dsdt1.aml to test it. there is DSDT.aml file also in /extra).

Here is screen shot http://picasaweb.google.com/Sn8kbordin/Dro...522109070551570 . It is the same whether I specify DSDT=... or not.

Also here is a screen shot of my hard disc partitions if it helps http://picasaweb.google.com/Sn8kbordin/Dro...442587530403490

 

What do I need to do to use custom DSDT.aml files?

 

Thank you for any help.

 

in snow leopard your dsdt.aml is actually a definition of your hardware thanx to that u don't use a bajillion kext files for osx to work... more customized the better it goes, like with a generic cpu u can't have speedstep, meanwhile with a specific one u can.

 

Great guide.

 

I started with zero Mac/Hackintosh experience and this guide got me running Vanilla SL on my M1530. Took most of the weekend, but I got it going.

 

One issue, though, related to the trackpad. The ALPS trackpad on my M1530, while it does work, is way too fast/sensitive and I have no trackpad icon in Systems Preferences.

 

What do I need to use to get trackpad preferences, 2-finger scrolling, etc?

 

hmmm thats all about getting the voodoops2.kext to work, just make a search and get the kext with the bundle and try it on, i haven't been able to activate it but in all fairness i didn't even try, i'm usin my xps as a desktop and always carry a bluetooth mouse when i'm out...

 

hi... thanks for this guide!

 

All fine but my trackpad is also too fast and the finger click no work... and also if I deleted applehda.kext and copied vodoohda.kext to extension library (in the e/e it still exist) my audio no work :-(

 

How can I solve these issues?

 

thanks

bye

 

m8 did you fix all the permissions with kext helper?

if nothin helped try http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=142521

all of the solutions are in that threat

[martbob]

Where can we find the SuperHai's boot cd cause the link is down

 

Please help me out. I search with google but nothing. They always point to the dead link.

[d-lab]

Thx for cool guide.

I have a question before start.

How can do it on an HD with 2 partitions where on one there is installed Seven?

[carlolaitano]

I also have a Dell XPS m1530. I have everything ready and was able to boot to the Snow Leopard disk.. BUT, once i´m in it tells me OS X Can´t Be Installed on This Computer. Any ideas on where I should go from here?

[Tranzy]

Got it Working!

 

After trying different DVD's i stumbled upon a DVD called SL 10.6.2 Universal 3.6. Installed it (without preboot cd and used default options) and guess what .. everything worked almost out of the box. Touchpad, ethernet etc ...even my webcam. Only my resolution was not correct and no audio.

 

I used the file above and placed it in my root folder under Extra and ran the KextUltility and voila ! resolution was fixed. Removed the appleHDA and installed the VoodooHDA and also audio worked.

 

Wifi did not work but i had a spare HP module lying around and placed it in my laptop and now i have working wifi!! (Hp Broadcom 4312MCG Wireless mini PCI 802.11B/G)

 

No i have to figure out how my keyboard mappings work.

 

ps. reboot doesn't work

[effatum]

hey sorry for the l8 reply

if you are still interested i have found a solution for the reboot

i can search and post it, its a kext

question on my behalf would be; how does your touchpad work? do u have 2 fingers etc.?

i didn't mingle any more on my system cuz its more than stable and i had to use it as a desktop replacement so i wasnt using the trackpad at all

having to move a bit in the next few months i guess i'll need it

which means i'll have to find miself a solution

need a better dsdt.aml as well... the frikin cpu spends too much on battery power cant get more than 2-3 hours of autonomy...

cheers

[bakwaas]

Got it Working!

 

After trying different DVD's i stumbled upon a DVD called SL 10.6.2 Universal 3.6. Installed it (without preboot cd and used default options) and guess what .. everything worked almost out of the box. Touchpad, ethernet etc ...even my webcam. Only my resolution was not correct and no audio.

 

I used the above mentioned dvd to install osx on an external partitioned hard drive.

However, on startup when I ask to boot from the USB device, it shows the white apple screen and hangs .

can anyone plz help me out with this?

Thanks

[Guest lemoon]

Nice read, thanks for the full guide.

hmm, have the same question as d-lab. waiting reply...

[bakwaas]

Tranzy..I used the same dvd (SL 10.6.2 Universal 3.6) mentioned by you and installed it on my partitioned external hard drive.

The install went well but on startup when I try to boot from the usb option it shows me the apple loading screen and then the grey stop icon (kernel panic) occurs.

can some plz help me with this.

Thanks

[effatum]

read the topic bakwaas before asking for answers yet i wont be a {censored} and give u some suggestions

on the boot screen write "-x" and boot like that and fix whatever is wrong

if you dont even know what is wrong try to boot with "-v" option or even "-v -f" option. and the next time pls read beforehand, try all, than ask with more details (like x.kext is givin me errors and such"

to d-lab and lemoon

what u gotta do is install snow on the partition that is free of windows, this will make SL partition active, than u install the bootloader which will show windows 7 partition as well (which has 2 partitions one given to boot and the other given to windows) after that u gotta try to boot in windows but it'll give you an error that you can fix tih a windows 7 cd (repair installation) and you leave your mac installation active...

[bakwaas]

thanks for the suggestions effatum..

I did read the topic before posting.I am having problems finding the correct version Superhai's Dell XPS boot cd

The link in the first post doesn't work.The one I found gives me ebios read error whenever I boot from it.

Can someone plz post a correct version of Superhai's Dell XPS boot cd ?

Thanks again

[effatum]

first lets start with trackpad issues

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Q1QYQCJD

these are the 2 kexts plus pref pane... the kexts go E/E and delete the other voodoops2 driver if you have any in anyof the 2 extensions folders (E/E or S/L/E)

than repair permissions and install the pref panel. if you are unable due to errors (you already have one installed) go tu S/L/preferencepanels (sometin like that) and exchange the trackpad.prefpane with the existing one.

 

moving on

 

i'm putting my E/E folder again with the new kexts and reboot kext that makes rebooting possible, have a look, the dsdt.aml is generic so you can use it

 

moving on

 

sorry about the superhai boot cd, i'm unable to find it either, the only boot cd that i had doesn't work anymore because of a damage and i am unable to read it therefor unable to create an image to upload... what you might try which is how i boot now is simply putting a usb stick, formatting it with GUID partition selected, installing chamaleon bootloader over, getting only the kexts from /E/E and inserting them to the usb stick... dont boot any apple boot etc. from the ext folder, but you might want to try with dsdt.aml inserted...

 

trial and error helps.

 

if you dont have any mac enviorement its hard to do what i just said, i just installed osx to an asus using a 123 boot cd, you can try to use the base of it, insert your kexts and recompile and burn that...

 

little detail, i still have only one kext in S/L/E folder and its voodooHDA.kext, it will give error on every update, so keep the line at hand to remove it from single user mode...

 

 

and bawkaas just a question, did you insert the dsdt.aml file correctly?

or are you even unable to boot even for the first time?

and last but not least, try to create urself a usb as i said, inserting the kexts and the dsdt.aml

 

 

 

 

before forgetting, the kexts contained for the trackpad have keyboard touch keys mapped.

 

 

 

 

cheeers

XPSm1530Extra.zip

[effatum]

update;

found bootcd's download pages...

http://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|9...01.iso.zip|2542

for a generic one

 

http://www.rapidshare.com/#!download|6...05.iso.zip|2893

newer and should work as well

 

and this is the forum post of superhai the great '

http://www.projectosx.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=561

 

 

 

resistenz iz uzelezzzz

[effatum]

if anyone is interested in knowing the softsmc.kext and osxrestart.kext are new.

softsmc is a sensor kext, gives 4 temp points and fan speed

osxrestart is self-explenatory

[raimdal]

hi, I have your same model with T7500 I'm using brett dsdt, have you a specific DSDT for our processor? if yes can you give me it? thank you

[effatum]

hi, I have your same model with T7500 I'm using brett dsdt, have you a specific DSDT for our processor? if yes can you give me it? thank you

 

actually with the generic dsdt.aml's you can use speedstep now, so you dont need to modify your dsdt, the boot.plist is enough, delete the nullpowermanagement.kext if you have and in automatically enables itself, there are tools to check if it works, google...

still, i am using a generic kext (had one for t7500 but i was too lazy to recompile it with the new stuff that came out...) since speedstep works i really dont see any point to compile a specific one...

 

anyhow the answer is no, i don't have one. the angrier answer would be; didn't you even try to search first?! there is one on the dsdt.aml compilation guide!

 

cheers.

[Vexir]

Perhaps I did this wrong but I installed OSX retail, booted it up (worked perfectly on my M1530, detected my wireless card and everything). I put the stuff from your Extra.zip into /Extra on the mac disk, and then ran kext utility. it seemed to work (at least it said it did). I tried to restart the computer - of course I guess chameleon or something isn't installed but when I used the boot disc to get into the desktop the entire screen is faded out - a blueish tinge to it, and it won't respond to clicks. It was working fine the first time I started it up. Any ideas? The only way to get back into working OSX now is to use safe mode.

[effatum]

most problably fault of the fact that u did not install chameleon but still trying to use a kext compilation that requires dsdt.aml present

install the chamaleon bootloader

and boot without the boot cd

if doesnt work and you tried anytin

start from 0

[Vexir]

most problably fault of the fact that u did not install chameleon but still trying to use a kext compilation that requires dsdt.aml present

install the chamaleon bootloader

 

Hm, well I just replaced the Extra folder from your first post with the one from a few days ago (Dec. 9th or something), ran Kext Utility again, and now OSX works fine again.

 

It still doesn't boot into it without the CD though. I'll try installing Chameleon, I think I'll use RC4.

 

P.S. Thanks for the super fast response. Chameleon works. Restarting also works now.

 

Also, can I safely use software update to update Snow Leopard? Will I need to do anything or run anything afterwards?