7 replies to this topic

[srobertson]

I have an 10.5.5 EFI install which I'm trying (unsuccessfully) to keep as vanilla as possible.  Unfortunately, Firewire refused to cooperate.  I had read that using the kexts from 10.4.9 worked well, but couldn't find them posted, and couldn't extract them from a 10.4.9 ISO easily.  Here's what I did to get them instead:

Grab the 10.4.9 Intel Combo Update and mount the image (double-click to open).

Right-click on MacOSXUpdCombo10.4.9Intel.pkg in the disk image, and select Show Package Contents.

Open Contents/Archive.pax.gz - Archive Utility will ungzip the file, creating Archive.pax in ~/Downloads.  However, it will fail to unarchive the pax file, because it tries to restore permissions which it doesn't have the rights to.  We'll do it ourselves:

Launch terminal, and run the following commands (bold is what you type):

$ sudo -s
Password:
# cd Downloads
# mkdir -p temp
# cd temp
# pax -r -f ../Archive.pax -v
.
./System
./System/Library
...output trimmed...
./usr/lib/libz.1.2.3.dylib
./usr/lib/libz.1.dylib
./usr/lib/libz.dylib
# mkdir -p /Kextbackup
# cd /System/Library/Extensions
# mv IOFireWire* /Kextbackup
# mv AppleFWAudio.kext /Kextbackup
# cd
# cd Downloads/temp/System/Library/Extensions
# mv IOFireWire* /System/Library/Extensions
# mv AppleFWAudio.kext /System/Library/Extensions
# chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Extensions
# rm /System/Library/Extensions.mkext


While many OS X veterans will be familiar with most of the steps, I thought I'd post them in full.  The only step which might trip people up is the need to use 'pax' under sudo.  I posted this because many users were asking for the kexts in threads about FireWire support (which is working perfectly for me now with a VIA VT6307 PCI card).

HTH.

[ludwigl]

srobertson, on Oct 27 2008, 02:54 PM, said:

I have an 10.5.5 EFI install which I'm trying (unsuccessfully) to keep as vanilla as possible.  Unfortunately, Firewire refused to cooperate.  I had read that using the kexts from 10.4.9 worked well, but couldn't find them posted, and couldn't extract them from a 10.4.9 ISO easily.  Here's what I did to get them instead:

Grab the 10.4.9 Intel Combo Update and mount the image (double-click to open).

Right-click on MacOSXUpdCombo10.4.9Intel.pkg in the disk image, and select Show Package Contents.

Open Contents/Archive.pax.gz - Archive Utility will ungzip the file, creating Archive.pax in ~/Downloads.  However, it will fail to unarchive the pax file, because it tries to restore permissions which it doesn't have the rights to.  We'll do it ourselves:

Launch terminal, and run the following commands (bold is what you type):

$ sudo -s
Password:
# cd Downloads
# mkdir -p temp
# cd temp
# pax -r -f ../Archive.pax -v
.
./System
./System/Library
...output trimmed...
./usr/lib/libz.1.2.3.dylib
./usr/lib/libz.1.dylib
./usr/lib/libz.dylib
# mkdir -p /Kextbackup
# cd /System/Library/Extensions
# mv IOFireWire* /Kextbackup
# mv AppleFWAudio.kext /Kextbackup
# cd
# cd Downloads/temp/System/Library/Extensions
# mv IOFireWire* /System/Library/Extensions
# mv AppleFWAudio.kext /System/Library/Extensions
# chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Extensions
# rm /System/Library/Extensions.mkext


While many OS X veterans will be familiar with most of the steps, I thought I'd post them in full.  The only step which might trip people up is the need to use 'pax' under sudo.  I posted this because many users were asking for the kexts in threads about FireWire support (which is working perfectly for me now with a VIA VT6307 PCI card).

HTH.

Hi, could you give us the kext file, please ?

[Dagor]

I would second that request

[Arve]

 FW_10_4_9_kexts.zip   1.27MB   614 downloads

[UrbanTechGuerrilla]

Arve, on Aug 30 2009, 03:54 PM, said:

FW_10_4_9_kexts.zip

I know this is an old thread but I just wanted to thank the people who posted the kexts, they've worked perfectly for me and helped solve a problem which I'd been trying to work my way through. A bit of time, effort and patience brought me here and now I can use my Firewire port!

Thanks a lot.

[alumsix]

UrbanTechGuerrilla, on May 20 2010, 04:57 PM, said:

I know this is an old thread but I just wanted to thank the people who posted the kexts, they've worked perfectly for me and helped solve a problem which I'd been trying to work my way through. A bit of time, effort and patience brought me here and now I can use my Firewire port!

Thanks a lot.

I want to second this thank you: I have recently resurrected an old P4 Shuttle machine- and after scouring through "slow firewire" forums, and swapping a few PCI FW cards,  coming to this thread was my final stop. this zip above solved my problems.

The 10.4.9 kexts doubled my firewire 400 speeds:  (using AJA System Test)

card:PCI LSI firewire 400 3 port card (branded under "dynex" available spring 2010 at bestbuys, 15 bucks)
_______________________
brief AJA system test results.

• (iatkos v7, old) write speed: ~ 19-21 MB/sec
    --» after new kexts: 32MB/sec
  
  
• ((iatkos v7, old) read speed: ~ 14.8 MB/sec
    --» after new kexts: 39.8 MB/sec

as a comparison, this is almost identical to the speeds of a fw400 connected drive on a Macbook Pro, running the same test.
(result on the MBP: write: 32MG/sec  read: 39.1MB.sec)

This MBP is a machine that I do professional video production on, and I edit 2 concurrent streams of prores 422 on it without problems. Those of you out there who are trying to make a Final Cut Pro workstation without spending 3 grand know what talking about.

Thanks again everyone for your help and diligence on this topic.

Cheers,
Chris

[darwinism]

replaced the six kext that were in the extensions - system - folder (through authentication) with the ones inside the zip file (courtesy of Arve) - yet my external firewir drive don't show up (neither in disk utility).


10.6.5

[Chrisfromiowa]

I know that his is an old thread so I'm not sure if anyone will check this out but I am running out of ideas. I'm using 10.6.8 on a h55m-ud2h, i5-760 w GT430.  I've had two drives fail and had to do a full restore both times ( WD sent a crap replacement that failed after 1 day but replaced that very quickly) I use a Behringer fca202 for firewire audio input.  When updating from 6.3 and up it was the only sound device visible before I updated the appleHDA kext and the rollback kexts.  The fca202 used to work in .6.8 before the restore but now it is not visible in the sound pre pane or apple midi or garageband.  I have tried removing appleHDA and ALC8xx.  All I did was get rid of sound.  Anyone else have a problem like this?  Thanks CFI