113 replies to this topic

[BigBeluga]

Welcome to the Lenovo S12 Ion Development Thread

Last updated 04/04/10

This project thread is devoted to developing procedures for and troubleshooting issues with the installation of Snow Leopard 10.6.3 on the Ion-equipped Lenovo S-12 netbook.

Special thanks to theproto for graciously allowing me to borrow the formatting, structure, and content from one of his posts.  Special thanks to Meklort for his work on NetbookInstaller

This information and work is maintained by BigBeluga; more contributors are needed to see this through

RULES:

1.)  Do not offer up information that is already known and listed in this top post
2.)  Keep all discussion related to Snow Leopard on the Lenovo S12-Ion
3.)  Credit must be given to the appropriate people in the right places (top post especially)

PRIORITIES:

Battery - no battery-related status
Bluetooth - not functioning

SPECIFICATIONS:

Memory - 1024MB onboard, open DDR2 SO-DIMM slot (2048MB expansion), 3072MB total memory
Chipset - VANILLA - NVIDIA ION
Graphics - VANILLA - NVIDIA GeForce 9400M based (PC EFI, LCD/VGA/HDMI, RES/QE/CI) (BigBeluga confirmed)
HDMI Port - VANILLA
VGA Port - VANILLA
Universal Serial Bus - VANILLA - NVIDIA ION
Microprocessor - VANILLA - Intel Atom N270, kernel patching provided by Meklort's bootloader
Keyboard - VANILLA -
Trackpad - EXTRAS - Synaptics Trackpad
Local Storage - VANILLA - NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller
Card Reader - VANILLA - NVIDIA nForce Card Reader
Ethernet - UNSUPPORTED - Broadcom 5906
Stock Wireless - EXTRAS - BCM4315, requires bcc9's fixes, see this thread
Wireless WAN - UNKNOWN -
Bluetooth - EXTRAS - Working with bcc9's bluetooth HCI fix
Audio - TAINTED - Realtek ALC269 - requires patched VoodooHDA
Webcam - TAINTED - Requires CamTwist
External Optical - VANILLA - Tested with LaCie 301845 (BigBeluga confirmed)

FEATURES:

Battery Status - EXTRAS  - bcc9's AppleACPIPlatform patch and AppleACPIBattery.kext required
Sleep/Hibernate/Suspend - VANILLA - Device sleeps/resumes/hibernates without issue
Trackpad Options - VANILLA - Works with AppleACPIPS2Nub/ApplePS2Controller. Synaptics Trackpad allows all parameters to be adjusted; gestures unsupported
Shutdown/Reboot - VANILLA (BigBeluga confirmed)
Clamshell Switch - EXTRAS LidSleep.kext now in use with 10.6.3
Power Button/FN Buttons (brightness, volume, etc.) - VANILLA (BigBeluga confirmed)
SpeedStep or P/C-States - EXTRAS - AppleIntelCPUPowerManagment.kext now working with NetbookInstaller 0.84RC1; working on full SS capability in DSDT

LEGEND:

VANILLA - No fixes needed or DSDT/EFI fixes used only
EXTRAS - Extra KEXTs needed but not located in /S/L/E
TAINTED - Additions to /S/L/E or /System
UNSUPPORTED - No useable driver exists for the device/chipset
UNKNOWN - Initial status indicating further testing/verification is needed

REQUIREMENTS:

Lenovo S12 with the Ion chipset

RELEASES: see Meklort's blog.  The Lenovo S12-Ion will be included in the next release of the NetbookInstaller project, though it is not included in the current release (0.84RC1)

DOCUMENTATION:

Mac OS X Installation using the NetbookInstaller project's latest release:
1.) Restore your Snow Leopard Retail DVD to a USB stick (8GB minimum)
2.) Use NetbookBootmaker, targeting the same USB stick used for the restore
3.) Boot your S12 from the USB stick (Fn-F11 immediately after power on)
4.) Use Apple's Disk Utility on the Mac OS X 10.6 Install Disc to create a partition for the install
5.) Install Mac OS X 10.6 selecting the desired options
6.) Click restart after Mac OS X 10.6 is successfully installed
7.) Boot from the S12's internal hard drive
8.) After you reach the desktop, select "Software Update" from the Apple menu and continue with the 10.6.3 Combo Update
9.) After the system reboots, a Dell Mini 10v icon will appear on the screen; this is normal, and indicates NetbookInstaller is running after an update.  Eventually, the computer will restart.
10.) After the computer restarts, shut it down and move the USB stick back to a working Mac.
11.) Use Mkexttool to unpack the Extensions.mkext in the /Extra folder and remove NVEnabler.kext
12.) Repack the remaining extensions, and put the resulting Extensions.mkext in the /Extra folder, replacing the original.
13.) Boot your S12 as you would a normal MacBook

[BigBeluga]

1/3/10 Update: More details on wireless functionality

The wireless card in the WWAN slot needs pin 20 taped to work.

Tried disabling the internal wireless card in the bios - this has the same effect as removing the stock WLAN card entirely, the whitelist error.  With the wifi switch on the left side of the S12 set to off, it still bypasses the whitelist successfully and the alternate wireless card in the WWAN slot works just fine.  Key is finding a solution that turns off the stock WLAN card; it is deadweight as soon as the machine boots, just want to make sure that at the very least, it is not draining power.

[Keyno]

Hey BigBeluga, maybe you can help me with my S12 :-)

I also have the S12 ION with 2GB RAM and the N270 Atom and now I tried to install Snow Leopard on it and at anyway I got it installed and it was working fine (instead of Ethernet and WLAN). But now I updated to 10.6.2.

But now I'm getting no kernel panic or anything else, after booting through Chameleon RC3 with PC_EFI 10.6, it only instantly reboots. I already tried deleting some kexts like SleepEnabler.kext, but it didn't matter.

And also I found a DSDT that enables the BatteryMeter AND Sleep, you can find that one here: http://s10lenovo.com...php?f=46&t=3613

I hope you can help me, I don't want reinstalling everything again
And sorry for my English, I'm not the best in speaking it

Edit//
Okay, how stupid I got it working again, simply copied the fixed mach_kernel for Atom CPU's to the root of the HDD (by booting from USB Stick (or DVD) and in Terminal "cp /Volumes/USBSTICK/mach_kernel /Volumes/YOURHDD")

[Mathias R.]

Is hyperthreading working in 10.6.2 on the S12 ?

[BigBeluga]

Did you actually try the DSDT from the S10 forum?  I tried it on my machine with no luck.  The battery meter shows up, but I always have a capacity of 0%.  The only change I get with the dsdt you posted is that I get the plug-in icon, but I never get any battery capacity.  Did you use the HP Mini 311 as the basis for your install?  

I would like to rework the install procedure since I am moving further and further away from the HPM311 trying to get the battery to work and cleaning up things that are not helpful to the S12 (i.e. HDAIDT in EFI).  

Thanks

[BigBeluga]

Hyperthreading works with the modbin kernel - see the HP Mini 311 thread here.

[Mathias R.]

BigBeluga, on Mar 7 2010, 11:56 PM, said:

Hyperthreading works with the modbin kernel - see the HP Mini 311 thread here.

In fact hyperthreading works using the kernel modified by Tea.

May I ask you the content of your Extensions.mkext file, I messed up my install and I have no sound and no trackpad, restart does not work (freeze at the end).

[BigBeluga]

I assume you mean the Extensions.mkext file in my EFI partition?  It contains:

AppleACPIBatteryManager.kext
AppleACPIPS2Nub.kext
ApplePS2Controller.kext
CPUInjector.kext
Disabler.kext
fakesmc.kext
HDAIDT.kext
NullCPUPowerManagement.kext
SleepEnabler.kext
SMBIOSResolver.kext
VoodooPowerAcpi.kext

VoodooHDA 0.2.1 is installed in S/L/E; this is the only way I can make sound work at present.  

Which DSDT are you using?  Have you solved the battery meter problem?  Mine only shows a battery with the big X through it still.  Just pulled the DSDT using Everest Ultimate in Win7; maybe I will get somewhere with this, but suspect it may take awhile.

[BigBeluga]

After another week and a half, still no luck on getting the battery meter to work on the S12.  I have attached the DSDT extracted in Windows using Everest.  Any insight into what I might change to get the battery meter to work?

Attached Files

•  DSDT.aml.zip   14.47K   67 downloads

[BigBeluga]

Just about everything that is going to work does, in fact, work at this point.  I am not counting on a driver for the broadcom ethernet card anytime soon.  

Current install with NBI is a bit of a hassle - need to remove every instance of NVEnabler from NetbookBootmaker or you get the "orange screen of death" (OSOD).  No clue why this kext causes this problem.  netkas's universal injector works well as a replacement to get QE/CI.  This functionality will be a part of the bootloader in the future (like AsereBLN's work), so the need for kexts for the graphics card will go away.

[AlEast]

Just so I understand correctly.   You currently nor is it likely in the future have the ability to use wireless without a usb dongle?  Is that correct?

BigBeluga, on Apr 20 2010, 08:55 PM, said:

Just about everything that is going to work does, in fact, work at this point.  I am not counting on a driver for the broadcom ethernet card anytime soon.  

Current install with NBI is a bit of a hassle - need to remove every instance of NVEnabler from NetbookBootmaker or you get the "orange screen of death" (OSOD).  No clue why this kext causes this problem.  netkas's universal injector works well as a replacement to get QE/CI.  This functionality will be a part of the bootloader in the future (like AsereBLN's work), so the need for kexts for the graphics card will go away.

[BigBeluga]

Oh no, no dongle is required, the stock wireless card works just fine.  The only thing that will require a dongle is ethernet.

[Weishauptus]

you guys list the ion chipset and 9400m as vanilla,
which is why i would like to ask if you experience dramatically shorter
battery life compared to windows. it seems to me as though the current
ion solutions do not make use of the nvidia powermizer functions
that throttle the gpu/speedstep it.

i came across this issue on the hp mini 311 and wondered whether
the s12 shares these problems.

[BigBeluga]

Yes, the S12 does share these problems - Snow Leopard freaking smokes the battery; 2.5 hours in SL vs ~5 hrs in Win7 or Jolicloud.  And it gets hot as hell, with the fan roaring.

[BigBeluga]

I have edited the DSDT so the system recognizes the graphics card as a 9400m; I had QE/CI before, but realized hardware acceleration was not working with Flash/Plex/QT.  Combined with the smbios.plist, originally from the HPM311 project, the hardware acceleration is on point.  

h.264 .mp4 1080p in Quicktime = 25% CPU / Seamless
h.264 .mkv 720p   in Plex         = 40% CPU / Seamless            (Jackpot!)
h.264 .avi   1080p in Plex         = 70% CPU / Seamless
h.264 flash 1080p   in Firefox     = 100% CPU / Slide show    (used "Gala" release; 720p still sucks)

Oh well, you can't win 'em all :')

Attached Files

•  S12_DSDT_SMBIOS.zip   15.44K   178 downloads

[rdmitry]

BigBeluga, on May 16 2010, 09:38 AM, said:

I have edited the DSDT so the system recognizes the graphics card as a 9400m; I had QE/CI before, but realized hardware acceleration was not working with Flash/Plex/QT.  Combined with the smbios.plist, originally from the HPM311 project, the hardware acceleration is on point.  

h.264 .mp4 1080p in Quicktime = 25% CPU / Seamless
h.264 .mkv 720p   in Plex         = 40% CPU / Seamless            (Jackpot!)
h.264 .avi   1080p in Plex         = 70% CPU / Seamless
h.264 flash 1080p   in Firefox     = 100% CPU / Slide show    (used "Gala" release; 720p still sucks)

Oh well, you can't win 'em all :')

Hi BigBeluga,
Could you please make it a bit more clear how did you edit DSDT to represent graphics adapter to OSX as a 9400m and what special is in smbios.plist. I'm asking you about it as I'm gonna use your method to make my Aspire REVO 3610 work as good as your Lenovo

Best Regards, Dmitry

[VampireHunter_D]

BigBeluga,

I have a couple of questions. First for the battery have you tried VoodooBattery from suphai http://www.superhai.com/darwin.html ?

Also for the ethernet have you tried patching nobb1x kexts with the value of your card to see if that will do anything for you? If you want post the device id of the ethernet here and I will make you a kext to try,

Finally the link mentioned in "Stock Wireless - EXTRAS - BCM4315, requires bcc9's fixes, see this thread" that points to " http://www.insanelym...howtopic=204542 " just directs back to this thread? Was there another thread that was supposed to be referenced? Could you post that link again if possible?

[minimaci]

Where to find all the kext??
VoodooPowerAcpi.kext
HDAIDT.kext

I Found them....    and am delighted to share it with you...

Quote

bcc9's fixes, see this thread" that points […] just directs back to this thread? Was there another thread that was supposed to be referenced? Could you post that link again if possible?

Here you are, VampireHunter_D, Big Beluga postet it in another Thread :

Quote

Steps:
1. Install bcc9's AppleACPIPlatform patch and Bluetooth HCI driver from this thread.
2. Restart the computer with both WLAN cards still installed.
3. Upon restart, you should get a new network device detected - but it will be a Bluetooth device, not your Broadcom card. The WiFi light (at least for the Lenovo S12) now works for the first time. Go into network preferences and join the Broadcom 4315 card to your network.
4. After the indicator bubble turns green for the Broadcom 4315 card, shut down your computer.
5. Remove the Dell 1505/Airport card from the system.
6. Turn your computer back on. You now have a functioning Broadcom 4315 card with Bluetooth.

http://www.insanelym...howtopic=181293

Well - now nearly everything works.. BigBelugas Description in this Lenovo Development Thread was just a little bit to unprecise for me .. I am a completly Newbee...
It was a bit more deleting things  in the Terminal , and a little bit more "trail and error" than it seemed to be...
I installed the two kext and copied the DSTS an Smbios list in my EXTRA FOLDER - and now I can use my little Minimac with a nice Resolution..
Sound is still a Problem

... but I keep on searching and trying untill
I AM ABLE TO HEAR SOMETHING -

Quote

Audio - TAINTED - Realtek ALC269 - requires patched VoodooHDA

Where to get this patched VoodooHDA 0.2.1 or a instruction how to patch it.....

[VampireHunter_D]

minimaci, on Jun 11 2010, 03:49 AM, said:

Where to find all the kext??
VoodooPowerAcpi.kext
HDAIDT.kext

I Found them....    and am delighted to share it with you...

Here you are, VampireHunter_D, Big Beluga postet it in another Thread :

http://www.insanelym...howtopic=181293

Well - now nearly everything works.. BigBelugas Description in this Lenovo Development Thread was just a little bit to unprecise for me .. I am a completly Newbee...
It was a bit more deleting things  in the Terminal , and a little bit more "trail and error" than it seemed to be...
I installed the two kext and copied the DSTS an Smbios list in my EXTRA FOLDER - and now I can use my little Minimac with a nice Resolution..
Sound is still a Problem

... but I keep on searching and trying untill
I AM ABLE TO HEAR SOMETHING -



Where to get this patched VoodooHDA 0.2.1 or a instruction how to patch it.....

minimaci,

Try Slice's voodoohda 2.6 from here http://www.projectos...p?showtopic=355 , look towards the bottom of the post. Use KextHelper b7 to install. Good Luck!

[minimaci]

Guess what I found out... when I enableb the switch of the WLan - suddenly I saw the batterymeter working....
but guess what just one of it works - if you use the WLANcard the battery meter shows an X and if you don't use it the works fine... Funny!
I don't know what exactly happens and how to explore what is going on - but if somebody gives me a hint what to do( for example in the terminal) I would try to find out...

Attached Files

•  Bildschirmfoto_2010_06_12_um_10.10.16.png   25.01K   98 downloads