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[Guide & Boot CD] D-Series Latitude/w NVIDIA or GMA950 and Intel Dual Core Retail Installs


leppy700m
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First off, fantastic work and guide. I was able to get everything working on the laptop. I am trying to tether my iphone to the laptop and it never sees it as a new ethernet/modem. The iphone is setup using the At&t settings and official tethering toggle. I was able to get tethering working on an iPC distro on anther laptop (that laptop had an unresolved video incompatibility).

 

My D620 is the same setup as the guide uses and I have updated to 10.5.7. I have also tried 10.5.8 with no luck. Anyone seen this or have info.

 

 

Thanks for any info you can provide.

 

Thanks for the comments - I'd love to add a graphics refinement soon - a fix for those minor artifacts with Intel graphics.

 

 

I wasn't aware that AT&T had allowed tethering the iphone yet. My wife has one, and I'd love to tether it.

 

What is this "official tethering toggle" you are referring to?

 

Edit: I just saw this on the net:

 

Tethering squashed with i-phone 3.1 update

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6. I haven't addressed the PCI card slot. I have it disabled (I never use it). I can add it if there's a demand and a fix I can implement in Chameleon.

 

As for PCMCIA slot, I'm using solution from here: http://www.mediafire.com/?txgfj23weji it works perfectly on my D620. Slot is filled by PCMCIA SD card reader because D620 doesn't have built-in reader.

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I was curious if I missed something or maybe I am the only one here.

 

When I start my system it stays on the boot menu screen unless I press enter. Is there something that can be changed so that it auto-boots into OS X?

 

That's the default behavior of Chameleon, the boot loader. It's giving you a chance to enter boot flags to fix/test things or select an alternate OS if you have one installed.

 

If you only have one OS installed, the system is stable and you want to automate booting, you can override the default by editing the end of your /Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist to look like this:

 

<key>Timeout</key>

<string>1</string>

</dict>

</plist>

 

 

Note: 1 will allow a 1 second delay before booting starts, 2 = 2 secs and so on. However, 0 is the same as the default - meaning it will sit there until a keystroke is entered.

 

You can edit the .plist file by entering the following from terminal:

 

sudo /Applications/TextEdit.app/Contents/MacOS/TextEdit /Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist

 

As for PCMCIA slot, I'm using solution from here: http://www.mediafire.com/?txgfj23weji it works perfectly on my D620. Slot is filled by PCMCIA SD card reader because D620 doesn't have built-in reader.

 

Thanks for the tip. I've got one of those cards laying around somewhere. I'll have to see if I can load and use that kext from /Extra without breaking anything.

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okay, here's a stab at Extensions.mkext and com.apple.Boot.plist for a D620 with Nvidia graphics. Unzip these, put them in your /Extra folder, replacing the ones that are there. (Drag & drop the existing ones to somewhere else to back them up, then delete them from /Extra). Once the ones in the zip file are in the Extra folder, run the following from terminal -

 

sudo chown -R root:wheel /Extra

 

Let me know if it works.

 

620 Nvidia

 

The NVidia fix works on my D630 with Nvidia graphics.

 

Leppy - that mediafire link doesn't have the d620 video files anymore - can you repost a link for this?

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That's the default behavior of Chameleon, the boot loader. It's giving you a chance to enter boot flags to fix/test things or select an alternate OS if you have one installed.

 

If you only have one OS installed, the system is stable and you want to automate booting, you can override the default by editing the end of your /Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist to look like this:

 

<key>Timeout</key>

<string>1</string>

</dict>

</plist>

 

 

Note: 1 will allow a 1 second delay before booting starts, 2 = 2 secs and so on. However, 0 is the same as the default - meaning it will sit there until a keystroke is entered.

 

You can edit the .plist file by entering the following from terminal:

 

sudo /Applications/TextEdit.app/Contents/MacOS/TextEdit /Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist

 

Thanks, that worked very well. I had found something somewhere else but I edited the wrong com.apple.Boot.plist.

 

Another thing to note because you put the running com.apple.Boot.plist in the /Extra folder. You should rename the one in the root and create a link to the one in the /Extra folder. There are programs (ie. VMware) that need the com.apple.Boot.plist in the root.

 

Thanks for all your help, this is awesome!

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Thanks, that worked very well. I had found something somewhere else but I edited the wrong com.apple.Boot.plist.

 

Another thing to note because you put the running com.apple.Boot.plist in the /Extra folder. You should rename the one in the root and create a link to the one in the /Extra folder. There are programs (ie. VMware) that need the com.apple.Boot.plist in the root.

 

Thanks for all your help, this is awesome!

 

Thank you. There's a useful note for VMWARE users, but it's outside the scope of this project because it involves modifying code installed by the retail DVD. So far, everything that is not installed by the retail DVD is either the Chameleon boot loader or residing in the /Extra directory.

 

People can use this method and modify their own installations to their hearts content.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On another subject, my Snow Leopard DVD arrived. I haven't seen a dual core SL kernel patch yet, so I think for now I'm best off on 10.5.x. But that doesn't mean I won't start playing with it to see how everything else well it will run on a D620 with just one core enabled.

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On another subject, my Snow Leopard DVD arrived. I haven't seen a dual core SL kernel patch yet, so I think for now I'm best off on 10.5.x. But that doesn't mean I won't start playing with it to see how everything else well it will run on a D620 with just one core enabled.

 

Good to know you are still messing around with this! Please keep us updated. I wish I could do more to help out besides installing your little tweaks.

 

Thanks for all your work.

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I have a Dell E1405, which is not quite within the scope of your guide ;p Dual-core, GMA950.

 

However, your Boot-132 CD works just fine (of course) for install and to boot the drive. Most of the kexts you include I do not need, but some carry over.

 

The thing I do not understand is that I can use your CD to boot into my 10.5.6 retail installation with no flags and everything works that is vitally important. However, when stealing the extensions.mkext (and boot.plist) from the initrd.img and trying to boot with that in the /extra folder I get a KP. I manually set permissions.

 

If I actually follow your guide and do the updates and sh packages then I get KPs. I assume it is because of the model differences.

 

Question:

Why does your Boot-132 CD boot with no flags in my e1505? I assume that means that if I copied all of the kexts from it then I should be able to do the same with my /extra folder? Can you upload your kexts maybe, in case I am somehow doing this wrong, so I can stick those in /E/E then kextcache a new extensions.mkext? Shouldn't that work, or am I just fundamentally misunderstanding something about the nature of boot-132 CDs and OS X in general?

 

I really just am tired of working on this lappy. I would love some help. The actual e1405 threads are centuries old and the guides are for non-retail installs.

 

I don't care about 10.5.7/8 or whatever. I just need this dell to run OS X so I can run MAQ and I do not want to need to use a boot-132 CD each time I want to go back and forth between XP and OS X.

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Anyone test to see if Bonjour is working? I think it is the reason I can't tether my iphone. I just installed SL on a PC and ran into the same problem and found a bonjour fix and it then found the iphone as an ethernet connection. Oh, I am not updating the iphone to 3.1 until AT&T officially activates tethering.

 

Thanks

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I have a Dell E1405, which is not quite within the scope of your guide ;p Dual-core, GMA950.

 

However, your Boot-132 CD works just fine (of course) for install and to boot the drive. Most of the kexts you include I do not need, but some carry over.

 

The thing I do not understand is that I can use your CD to boot into my 10.5.6 retail installation with no flags and everything works that is vitally important. However, when stealing the extensions.mkext (and boot.plist) from the initrd.img and trying to boot with that in the /extra folder I get a KP. I manually set permissions.

 

If I actually follow your guide and do the updates and sh packages then I get KPs. I assume it is because of the model differences.

 

Question:

Why does your Boot-132 CD boot with no flags in my e1505? I assume that means that if I copied all of the kexts from it then I should be able to do the same with my /extra folder? Can you upload your kexts maybe, in case I am somehow doing this wrong, so I can stick those in /E/E then kextcache a new extensions.mkext? Shouldn't that work, or am I just fundamentally misunderstanding something about the nature of boot-132 CDs and OS X in general?

 

I really just am tired of working on this lappy. I would love some help. The actual e1405 threads are centuries old and the guides are for non-retail installs.

 

I don't care about 10.5.7/8 or whatever. I just need this dell to run OS X so I can run MAQ and I do not want to need to use a boot-132 CD each time I want to go back and forth between XP and OS X.

 

What CPU is in your e1505? If it's not a Core Duo or Core 2 Duo CPU, maybe the kernels I load post install is doing it. If you have a solo processor, you don't need them, so you you could get rid of the kernel stuff in the Boot.plist. Or maybe it's a newer dual core processor that doesn't need/like the patched kernels in the post install. I specifically disable dual core operation on the boot CD - that's the only difference I can think of between install and post install on 10.5.6.

 

I use PCWiz's mkext tool to create the Extensions.mkext. You can extract any kexts from an Extensions.mkext using that. I got kernel panics from things I stuck in the /Extra/extensions directory. I suspect the things I was putting there just weren't compatible with the kexts in Extension.mkext in /Extra.

 

Just steal the Extensions.mkext from the /post install/extra/56 folder on the CD and don't use any /Extra/Extensions. Also,

get rid of <key> kernel</key> line,

get rid of <string>/Extra/mach_kernel</string> line,

and replace <string>-tscsync</string> with <string>cpus=1</string> in /Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist and see if the panics go away.

 

If you can boot okay with boot-132, then you should be able to boot clean with Chameleon.

 

Anyone test to see if Bonjour is working? I think it is the reason I can't tether my iphone. I just installed SL on a PC and ran into the same problem and found a bonjour fix and it then found the iphone as an ethernet connection. Oh, I am not updating the iphone to 3.1 until AT&T officially activates tethering.

 

Thanks

 

Not tested here. What's the Bonjour fix?

 

Anyone care to look at it and report back?

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3. After applying 10.5.8 update, Broadcom wifi (Airport) may be broken. I've added a fix to update scripts, but they may or may not work for you. I've included the 2 kexts from 10.5.7 to replace those from the 10.5.8 update that are supposed to be the root of Evil Airport Update. If anyone needs to apply them, they are in the /extra/58 directory.

 

Leppy - I updated to 10.5.8 and now my wireless doesn't work. I tried to run the 2 kexts in the 58 directory but it didn't help. I did the following in the /Extras/58 directory:

 

kextcache -k /System/Library/Extensions

 

Is there another way to get this working? Am I doing something wrong?

 

Thanks!!

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Leppy - I updated to 10.5.8 and now my wireless doesn't work. I tried to run the 2 kexts in the 58 directory but it didn't help. I did the following in the /Extras/58 directory:

 

kextcache -k /System/Library/Extensions

 

Is there another way to get this working? Am I doing something wrong?

 

Thanks!!

 

I find it very strange that after going 10.5.6, 10.5.7 and then 10.5.8 that everything works on mine. Could it be different revisions of the same hardware model or chips causing that?

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I find it very strange that after going 10.5.6, 10.5.7 and then 10.5.8 that everything works on mine. Could it be different revisions of the same hardware model or chips causing that?

One thing I probably did wrong was I installed 10.5.6 and then the 10.5.8 update from Software Update (inadvertently skipping 10.5.7). Might just reinstall and download the 10.5.7 update and walk through it properly! :)

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One thing I probably did wrong was I installed 10.5.6 and then the 10.5.8 update from Software Update (inadvertently skipping 10.5.7). Might just reinstall and download the 10.5.7 update and walk through it properly! :censored2:

 

Okay I reinstalled the whole lot again and I lost my wireless icon when I installed the nVidia patch Leppy suggested on page 1. I replaced the com.apple.Boot.plist and Extensions.mkext files with the originals and rebooted and the wireless is back working again.

 

Any ideas why those files for the nVidia drivers would mess up my wireless?

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Okay I reinstalled the whole lot again and I lost my wireless icon when I installed the nVidia patch Leppy suggested on page 1. I replaced the com.apple.Boot.plist and Extensions.mkext files with the originals and rebooted and the wireless is back working again.

 

Any ideas why those files for the nVidia drivers would mess up my wireless?

 

They didn't. The 10.5.8 update did. There are no drivers in the Extensions.mkext for nvidia - instead the .com.apple.Boot.plist is updated to autodetect vid and the GMA950 kexts are removed - nothing is done that breaks or fixes airport in the nvidia 620 fix.

 

The nvidia Extensions.mkext from nvidia 620 doesn't contain the patched airport kexts for the 10.5.8 update. You can add them with PCwiz's mkext tool if you can't wait for me to post an update.

 

 

Leppy - I updated to 10.5.8 and now my wireless doesn't work. I tried to run the 2 kexts in the 58 directory but it didn't help. I did the following in the /Extras/58 directory:

 

kextcache -k /System/Library/Extensions

 

Is there another way to get this working? Am I doing something wrong?

 

Thanks!!

 

We are loading kexts from /Extra/Extensions.mkext, so kextcache -k /System/Library/Extensions won't help much.

 

For you, the two Airport kexts in the /Extra/58 directory need to be added to the Extensions.mkext from the nvidia 620 file and then placed in the /Extra folder, replacing the one that is there. This should result in working airport and nvidia graphics.

 

 

 

I find it very strange that after going 10.5.6, 10.5.7 and then 10.5.8 that everything works on mine. Could it be different revisions of the same hardware model or chips causing that?

 

I think it's dependant on the broadcom card and also on the update success. It seems to hang, and if it's not allowed to reboot and restart on it's own, then it fails. I've had both success and failure with one machine, constant failure with another.

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************** I've mentioned PC WIZ's mkext tool a few times now.

 

/Extra/Extensions.mkext is the center of the custom kext universe for this installation. It's like a zip archive containing the kexts that are loaded by Chameleon or boot-132. Understanding that and learning how to manipulate that file will help some of you to find and prove out your own fixes. If you find something others can use for a D620 or D630, please post it here.

 

Google up his tool and download it. I can't link it here.

 

Use the tool to Extract kexts from Extensions.mkext to a folder, then add or delete kexts in that folder, and use the tool to recreate a new Extensions.mkext from that folder.

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Another thing to note because you put the running com.apple.Boot.plist in the /Extra folder. You should rename the one in the root and create a link to the one in the /Extra folder. There are programs (ie. VMware) that need the com.apple.Boot.plist in the root.

 

Can someone point me in the right direction on how to do this? OSX noob friendly please.

 

Root meaning the root of the OSX drive correct? How do I create a link to com.apple.Boot.plist in the /Extra folder in OSX?

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For you, the two Airport kexts in the /Extra/58 directory need to be added to the Extensions.mkext from the nvidia 620 file and then placed in the /Extra folder, replacing the one that is there. This should result in working airport and nvidia graphics.

 

Beautiful! That worked like a charm! I'm Airport'ing and nVidia'ing! B) Thanks Leppy! Appreciate your help!

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Hey Leppy - all is working great on my D620! Very stoked - thanks for the great tutorial and support!

 

There is one other item I'm having problems working out how to solve. I can't work out the keyboard combination to switch between windows (like in Firefox). I can copy / paste etc using the Alt key, but cannot seem to switch between Firefox windows like I do on my Macbook Pro. There I would use the Command-Tilda button, but funnily enough now - when I try that key (the one next to the number 1 - above the tab) the button renders the § character.

 

This must be a keyboard mapping issue - anyone know how to fix this up?

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ok, so here's a toughie!!! I have a d620 in which I installed a dell 1397 mini wifi card.

It doesn't work when I first install, but I get kexthelper, and install I08211family kext with it, and wifi works after the 10.5.6 update.

When I reboot after that, wifi is still on.

I do the terminal and install 10.5.7, wifi works.

Once it reboots, the wifi light is dim, and there is no wireless. Everything else works.

I try to install the kext again, and no wifi.

Sooooo I do they terminal thing and install 10.5.8.

Reboot = no wifi light. None, it will not pick it up.

It has saved my settings, shows the airport tab, but will not turn on. I have made sure it is on in bios, no passwords in that and it shows up there, but after the reboot of 10.5.7 update, it quits completely. Is there something I can do? I have tried this several ways and can't get it to work. Tried to install this thing 10 times. I have to get my wifi working cause I love OSX sooooo much. This is an awesome install and I have no complaints about it whatsoever. It's my fault wifi isn't working, but atleast I have a shot after changing it out from the intel which has noooooo support whatsoever!!!!

 

Can some one help? Am I just stupid? Or do I need to hang my tongue out and stand a certain way like the old t.v. antenea's? I'll punch someone's grandma to make this work!!!!! ANYTHING!!! haha

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ok, so here's a toughie!!! I have a d620 in which I installed a dell 1397 mini wifi card.

It doesn't work when I first install, but I get kexthelper, and install I08211family kext with it, and wifi works after the 10.5.6 update.

When I reboot after that, wifi is still on.

I do the terminal and install 10.5.7, wifi works.

Once it reboots, the wifi light is dim, and there is no wireless. Everything else works.

I try to install the kext again, and no wifi.

Sooooo I do they terminal thing and install 10.5.8.

Reboot = no wifi light. None, it will not pick it up.

It has saved my settings, shows the airport tab, but will not turn on. I have made sure it is on in bios, no passwords in that and it shows up there, but after the reboot of 10.5.7 update, it quits completely. Is there something I can do? I have tried this several ways and can't get it to work. Tried to install this thing 10 times. I have to get my wifi working cause I love OSX sooooo much. This is an awesome install and I have no complaints about it whatsoever. It's my fault wifi isn't working, but atleast I have a shot after changing it out from the intel which has noooooo support whatsoever!!!!

 

Can some one help? Am I just stupid? Or do I need to hang my tongue out and stand a certain way like the old t.v. antenea's? I'll punch someone's grandma to make this work!!!!! ANYTHING!!! haha

 

You know about the switch on the left side of these to turn wifi on and off, right?

 

Don't kexthelper if you want to maintain a "vanilla" install.

 

Try reseating the wifi card, then reinstall Leopard following the directions here. If that doesn't work, then try a different wifi card. It's possible this one is flaky now even if it wasn't before. Static discharge happens. Compatible wifi cards are cheap on E-bay. You shouldn't need any kexts for wifi unless you are updating to 10.5.8. Even then, they should be added to /Extra/extensions.mkext.

 

What graphics do you have?

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gma950 graphics,

broadcomm (1397) mini wifi card

Intel Centrino Duo Core

Bluetooth

 

Everything Works but my wifi once installed. It doesn't pick it up from the moment I install it. I have hit the switch, checked my BIOS to make sure it is on, and made sure there are no passwords there. I mean it's an awesome install Leppy!!!! MAJOR PROPS to this one!!!! The only way I have been able to get it to work is by using the kext helper to install the IO8211Family.kext. Once I use that, it works. I can turn it on and off. That's before and after the 10.5.6 update and reboot. It won't work that way after the 2nd or 3rd update and reboot. The light is on, and eveything. Sleep, dual monitors, dual core, everything works. There is no tracking in my video like the iPC install I replaced this one with. I got the wifi card out of my wife's dell. It just got here a week ago, so It's brand spanking new. It's out of a Dell Inspiron 15". My 3945 intel went in hers and worked right off the bat.

 

Now, I downloaded the 10.5.7 combo update from apple.com. I don't think I am using the wrong one, unless there is more than the two they show. I only use the combo update. Wifi works until I reboot. Then, when it reboots, the wifi light is half lit, it's dim, but you can see it. That's where my problems with it begin. Once the 2nd update is installed, and it reboots, the wireless no longer works. I can't turn it on with the switch, the airport icon, or in the sys. preferences. I have tried every which way around this and researched this before I asked. But everything I have done is not working. I have installed this many times, different ways, skipping the 2nd update, using the kexthelper after the last update, before updates, different boots (-v, -f, -s.....). I am out of options other than getting a new wireless card, and I hoped that I wouldn't have to do that since this one is brand new. My old one went out and I have been using ethernet for a month waiting on hers to get here. Any help would be awesome. I have researched this for months to be able to answer my own questions without asking for help as to keep the forum clear of dumb and repetitive questions.

 

Like I said before, this is by far the best and easiest install ever!!! You did an awesome job, and it definately shows by the amout of good responses you have had.

TY!!!

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exkuisiteone, It sounds like the card isn't working right in that machine or it's just not compatible with stock kexts.

 

According to this thread, that card requires a driver patch. If you use that patched driver, try adding the kext to the /Extra/extensions.mkext and see how that goes.

 

I'd just get one from Ebay that's compatible and not look back. They're cheap, and it'll simplify your life.

 

Thanks for the good words, and I am glad you are finding this to be a good method for you. This came about from my own frustration with all kinds of "distros" that wouldn't even load the installer 75% of the time. I bit the bullet, bought some cheap used hardware I figured should work, bought the OS X box set family edition and read up on boot-132 and Chameleon, determined to make it work. There are still some things I am looking to improve, but at least in my experience, a good image burned to a good CD on good hardware boots to the installer 100% of the time, and OS X runs 100% of the time after that. The rest of the tweaking is a coming a little slower.

 

All of this is borrowed - there really isn't anything new that I've brought to the table. It's just what I assembled that seems to work - for the most part.

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