[howto]: Dell Dimension 4600 : 10.5.6 installation tips

[store2000]

I learnt a lot from this post http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=143610 which targets 10.5.5. Since I recently updated to 10.5.6 using the iPC 10.5.6 distribution, so thought I'd contribute back based off my trial and errors ...

 

PC: Dell Dimension 4600 (P4 @ 2.8Ghz, Hyperthreaded, no SSE3)

Graphics: nVidia FX 5200 AGP (256 MB)

N/W : Onboard Intel Pro 10/100 VE

 

I'm assuming you know how to boot from the DVD, partition your drive etc etc. Once you reach the installer screen, hit the button for a custom install and pick the following

1. iPC OSx86 10.5.6 base system
    
   Then under the iPC OSx86 10.5.6 Intel AMD SSE2 SSE3 section pick the following. (don't select more than one in each sub-category!)
   If you skip any of the ones below you system may not boot/function. The list is already bare-minimum.
   
2. Kernels: 9.5.0 Voodoo Kernel (needed for SSE2 folks)
   
3. Video drivers -> NVIDIA -> Legacy GeForce Drivers.
   If you're feeling exploratory, please write back if the NVInject or NVDarwin 256 MB ones work, I didn't try since I suspect nvidia 5xxx series drivers may not work as-is in 10.5.6 and even if they did, there are reports of a graphical glitch in the UI framework. If you do go that route and find the graphical glitch in the UI framework; search for the fix involving replacing the framework with the 10.5.5 version.
   If you have another card (since folks upgrade their AGP card), experiment or don't select any driver at all for unaccelerated VESA VGA mode.
   
4. Chipset drivers: Intel ICHx SATA drivers (if you skip this you will not boot, root filesystem can't be mounted)
   
5. Audio -> Other audio drivers -> AC97 audio (on board one). Note, I have this as well as a SB Audigy 2 ZS card. I installed the Audigy card drivers after installation, downloading the .dmg and installing once I logged into the installed OSX.
   
6. Ethernet drivers: Intel PRO 100 VE (This worked for me, but if not the thread on the top has a work/fix for this but within 10.5.5. Maybe it works for 10.5.6?)
   
7. Fixes and patches:
   - Seatbelt.kext 10.5.5 (reqd for our voodoo kernel)
   - Finder 10.5.5 + keyboard.prefPane (else Finder will keep crashing)
   - AppleSMBIOS Patch -> AppleSMBIOS ToH (else about this mac will keep crashing)
   

That's the bare minimum for our system so that it boots up fine and all devices have drivers. You may want to install the bundled Applications but my approach is to do the bare install to have everything up and running, then install off .dmg's from the net.

 

For some reason, iTunes was outdated on this DVD and automatic s/w update wouldn't pick it up. So simply download the latest itunes and install it. Also, if you DO decide to use the automatic update tool, NEVER update the base system (eg. don't update from 10.5.5 -> 10.5.6 and expect things to work after rebooting without any tweaking!). Even for simply application updates (eg. quicktime etc) I generally perform a time machine backup then fire off the update.

 

Tips:

1) The iPC setup is such that you can DEselect the 10.5.6 base system. What this means is that once you've installed your base system (and backed up with time machine hopefully!), you can run the DVD from within your installed OSX and then (re)install applications (not necessarily drivers!) you missed out.

 

2) After you do your basic install as described above, take a time machine backup (time machine is AWESOME, use it, time saver!). This way if you screw up your system installing some additional driver or patching something, you can quickly boot from the Leopard 10.5.x DVD and when the setup screen comes, choose "restore from time machine backup" from the menu on the top. Sure beats doing the reinstall from scratch everytime. Depending on the severity of your screw up, you may want to format/not format your OSX partition before restoring the time machine backup.

 

3) If your bootloader dies because you screwed up or restored from a time machine backup (eg chain booting error), check this post for the fix

 

4) If it aren't broke, don't fix it!. This is very very true of custom installs

[integer14]

I learnt a lot from this post http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=143610 which targets 10.5.5. Since I recently updated to 10.5.6 using the iPC 10.5.6 distribution, so thought I'd contribute back based off my trial and errors ...

 

PC: Dell Dimension 4600 (P4 @ 2.8Ghz, Hyperthreaded, no SSE3)

Graphics: nVidia FX 5200 AGP (256 MB)

N/W : Onboard Intel Pro 10/100 VE

 

I'm assuming you know how to boot from the DVD, partition your drive etc etc. Once you reach the installer screen, hit the button for a custom install and pick the following

1. iPC OSx86 10.5.6 base system
    
   Then under the iPC OSx86 10.5.6 Intel AMD SSE2 SSE3 section pick the following. (don't select more than one in each sub-category!)
   If you skip any of the ones below you system may not boot/function. The list is already bare-minimum.
   
2. Kernels: 9.5.0 Voodoo Kernel (needed for SSE2 folks)
   
3. Video drivers -> NVIDIA -> Legacy GeForce Drivers.
   If you're feeling exploratory, please write back if the NVInject or NVDarwin 256 MB ones work, I didn't try since I suspect nvidia 5xxx series drivers may not work as-is in 10.5.6 and even if they did, there are reports of a graphical glitch in the UI framework. If you do go that route and find the graphical glitch in the UI framework; search for the fix involving replacing the framework with the 10.5.5 version.
   If you have another card (since folks upgrade their AGP card), experiment or don't select any driver at all for unaccelerated VESA VGA mode.
   
4. Chipset drivers: Intel ICHx SATA drivers (if you skip this you will not boot, root filesystem can't be mounted)
   
5. Audio -> Other audio drivers -> AC97 audio (on board one). Note, I have this as well as a SB Audigy 2 ZS card. I installed the Audigy card drivers after installation, downloading the .dmg and installing once I logged into the installed OSX.
   
6. Ethernet drivers: Intel PRO 100 VE (This worked for me, but if not the thread on the top has a work/fix for this but within 10.5.5. Maybe it works for 10.5.6?)
   
7. Fixes and patches:
   - Seatbelt.kext 10.5.5 (reqd for our voodoo kernel)
   - Finder 10.5.5 + keyboard.prefPane (else Finder will keep crashing)
   - AppleSMBIOS Patch -> AppleSMBIOS ToH (else about this mac will keep crashing)
   

That's the bare minimum for our system so that it boots up fine and all devices have drivers. You may want to install the bundled Applications but my approach is to do the bare install to have everything up and running, then install off .dmg's from the net.

 

For some reason, iTunes was outdated on this DVD and automatic s/w update wouldn't pick it up. So simply download the latest itunes and install it. Also, if you DO decide to use the automatic update tool, NEVER update the base system (eg. don't update from 10.5.5 -> 10.5.6 and expect things to work after rebooting without any tweaking!). Even for simply application updates (eg. quicktime etc) I generally perform a time machine backup then fire off the update.

 

Tips:

1) The iPC setup is such that you can DEselect the 10.5.6 base system. What this means is that once you've installed your base system (and backed up with time machine hopefully!), you can run the DVD from within your installed OSX and then (re)install applications (not necessarily drivers!) you missed out.

 

2) After you do your basic install as described above, take a time machine backup (time machine is AWESOME, use it, time saver!). This way if you screw up your system installing some additional driver or patching something, you can quickly boot from the Leopard 10.5.x DVD and when the setup screen comes, choose "restore from time machine backup" from the menu on the top. Sure beats doing the reinstall from scratch everytime. Depending on the severity of your screw up, you may want to format/not format your OSX partition before restoring the time machine backup.

 

3) If your bootloader dies because you screwed up or restored from a time machine backup (eg chain booting error), check this post for the fix

 

4) If it aren't broke, don't fix it!. This is very very true of custom installs

 

yes it worked for me too on dell dimenshion 4600 but ci didn't worked so i install everything but without video drivers, i used custom strings and core image from 10.5.5 to make it working///

[Willis1970]

I used this guide to install 10.5.6 on my Dimension 5000 and it worked a treat. I hust changed the graphics to use the onboard intel 915g. Thanks for writing this. I'm a real noob at OSX86 and have tried multiple different custom setups.

[jbaxley]

I've tried this setup a few times using what was said here and some other tweaks when that didn't work. None of them seemed to work for me. I kept getting stopped at this line in -v mode

 

"usr/sbin/ocspd[85]: starting"

 

Any idea what is wrong.

 

(have the same 6400 system)

[g8rfan15]

I've tried this setup a few times using what was said here and some other tweaks when that didn't work. None of them seemed to work for me. I kept getting stopped at this line in -v mode

 

"usr/sbin/ocspd[85]: starting"

 

Any idea what is wrong.

 

(have the same 6400 system)

Hi i am having the same problem. this occurs right after i am done installing iPC 10.5.6 on dell dimension 4600. if there is a work around can somebody help? thanks.

[g8rfan15]

Can any body help?

[bigdproductions]

Can any body help?

 

I have the exact problem.. im going to try iDeneb 10.5.5

 

hmmmm is ther any way to do 10.6?

[hennmann]

Some replies to this topic would be nice?? Please and thank you? Is there any difficulty using the Combo update?