Acer Aspire 5742G [GUIDE]

[sum_guy]

Ok, here is my guide to successfully installing OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.6 on this Notebook/Laptop. I have been using this install now for over a month with no major issues and without any further fiddling or tweaking. I have only had a couple of KPs.

 

I have never done a guide before so think of it more as the process I used that worked for me and it will work for you if you have the same laptop and specs.

 

One thing I have not explored fully due to my ignorance is booting the kernel in 64bit as I wanted to evaluate Winzip for OS X (only available in 64bit). I am not sure if this version of 10.6 on my hardware is going to allow this without causing all maner of issues. When I have time, I will look into booting the kernel in 64bit. For the time being it boots by default in 32bit and runs very well.

 

I have also not had time to look into the Nvidia issue of recognizing half my video RAM,. If anyone has any ideas for a quick fix let me know and I will add it to this guide.

 

This guide was written shortly after the successful install.

 

Firstly, thanks to all those who made this possible, Incuding the Hazard team, tonymac, Maldon, El Coniglio, oldnapalm and to any others I have not credited.

 

I hope this guide helps those who are noobs to mac software, like me.

 

My system:

 

ACER 5742G - 37464M

Intel Core i3-370M Mobile Processor (3MB cache, 2.40 GHz), (busratio 18)

Mobile Intel HM55 Express

640GB SATA hard drive, 5400RPM

NVIDIA GeForce 420M

4GB RAM

 

The OS:

Hazard 10.6.6i for Intel (10.6.0 Legacy Kernel)

 

Install Guide

 

Installing Apple Snow Leopard on Acer 5742G Laptop. THIS WORKS!

 

Having tried unsuccessfully to use the retail SL I gave it one more try with Hazzard 10.6.6i

 

My system is currently installed with SL 10.6.6 and using legacy kernel 10.6.0. Since I used the correct DSDT.aml this time my system is very responsive & hardware has been correctly detected, compared to other attempts to run SL without custom DSDT. I have not updated to 10.6.7 as I am not sure if it will break my install, I know of course its possible. Something to look into when I have time. For now I am very happy with the performance of 10.6.6.

 

I now have a useable system (albeit minus WiFi, Sound). Sleep works!

 

I have bypassed the Wifi and Sound issues with cheap USB alternatives.

 

WiFI

 

For Wifi I am using the Asus USB-N10 802.11b/g/n Micro USB Wireless Adaptor with the Asus drivers for SL 10.5 that came on disk with the adapter and it works perfectly with 10.6. (about £30 at Argos)

 

The factory Acer card in my version is Atheros and its not going to work!

 

Sound

 

Sound was solved by using a Speedlink USB sound card. You can get these for like a couple of quid from Ebay and it just worked with no extra drivers or fiddling.

 

Having used VoodooHDA 2.72.pkg on previous installs without patched DSDT I was able to get sound but with the mic forced on at startup and I needed to use the Voodoo PrefPanel to turn in off everytime. With this install it caused KP several times and finally when I did get Voodoo installed I only got the mic. Saved by the VoodooHDA-uninstall command The correct DSDT found my onboard sound hardware (intel high def) so maybe someone will eventually develop a driver for it. But for now I have fully working sound via USB.

 

The only downside to the USB fixes mentioned above is the lack of USB ports now since I use external hard drives a lot and the 5742G only comes with 3.

 

Video

 

I have a fully working Nvidia 420M video card recognized by the system, although with only 512 VRAM and not 1GB. Perhaps a future driver with solve this minor issue (to me anyway).

 

Right on to the install.

 

You don’t need a boot cd at all and this is a single OS on a single partition (GUID) not MBR.

 

You will need the following and I have attached these tools:

 

1. Hazard 10.6.6i burnt to DVD

2. [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] 3.5.1

3. DSDT installer for ACER

4. Modded Nvidia driver

 

http://www.uploadstation.com/file/sn59b2p (DSDT_Auto_Patcher.app.zip)

http://www.uploadstation.com/file/kvD9tt2 ([url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url])

http://www.uploadstation.com/file/Gpp7neP (Nvidia Driver)

 

 

For my Acer I have updated the Bios to 1.18 (but it probably doesn’t matter). Run the install DVD of SL and wait for it to load. you must make sure you have set the correct boot order so the DVD drive is first.

 

At the boot options screen for the install DVD choose F8 then ` backspace and type:

 

-x -v -f cpus=1 busratio=18 (for i370) you will need to find out what you busratio is for other processors. Google is your friend

 

When the install screen finally loads use the Disk Utility to erase and partition the drive to a single partition (GUID) by default and name the disk. I called it OSX. Exit this and the install process will continue. After choosing where to install OSX select “customize” and select the Chameleon 2.0 RC5 bootloader. (Don’t worry about boot options such as Graphic Enabler). My approach was to keep it simple and not add stuff that you probably don’t need or will interfere with post install process). Don’t worry about sound, network, video or laptop drivers. Choose the legacy kernel and the sata driver (introspect probe don’t need sat driver since using DSDT). Since I didn’t recognize my chipset listed I skipped it. Select the patches you require. Sorry this is when it gets a tad hazy for me but it really does not matter but I think I selected most of the patches. Choose the additional fonts and X11.

 

Remember we are going to use DSDT after install to get everything working so keep the install as clean and simple as possible and don’t install graphic enabler or drivers from the install options.

 

Click install and when finished F2 into bios and change boot order back so hard drive comes first. Reboot and you will get the Chameleon boot screen. Here you can select boot options (F8) the up or down arrow if you want. Or just let it boot. Once you get past the first boot bollocks and new user stuff you will get into the nasty 1024x768 desktop.

 

DSDT auto patcher app

 

Run the DSDT auto patcher app and follow instructions and choose your Acer laptop and extract the DSDT.aml file to your desktop and [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] will find it later. Don’t move it to another location!

 

[url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url]

 

Now run [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] to install the latest Chameleon since these later versions contain better hardware support. There is an even a later version but this one in [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] works fine. I selected RC5 prerelease. Now this is very very important! Choose the userDSDT so it will find your DSDT file. Don’t choose anything else other than customization (if you want it) - install.

 

Now I can’t remember if I installed the modded Nvidia drivers before reboot or after I am pretty sure it was after I rebooted after installing [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] and DSDT auto patcher.

 

Sit back and enjoy

 

Once Video drivers installed reboot you will have a fully working install of Snow Leopard with full graphics (up to 1366x768) minus the hardware issues mentioned at the start. Enjoy!

 

Now my knowledge of OS X is pretty limited. but learning all the time, so please try to forgive senior moments and other inaccuracies since this is my first install guide. Please let me and others know if changes need to be made to this guide and give me a "thanks" if it worked for you!

 

 

 

[kyteflyer]

The links you have posted are dead right now. Any other source for those files?

[sum_guy]

The links you have posted are dead right now. Any other source for those files?

 

All links fixed

[kyteflyer]

All links fixed

 

Thanks Going to have a shot at it on my Acer.. will have to do some things different, have Intel vid and a broadcom wireless... will see how it all goes.

[sum_guy]

Thanks Going to have a shot at it on my Acer.. will have to do some things different, have Intel vid and a broadcom wireless... will see how it all goes.

 

 

Good luck (shouldn't need it as the custom DSDT is the key to happyness ). You should have wifi if its Broadcom no issues there but the Intel video card maybe an issue, last I knew it was tricky but there maybe a easy fix by now.

[sleeperninja42]

I've got the 5742G-6480, I wonder how different they are? I know I have the i3 380M and geForce GT 540M. I've also taken out the default wireless card and added the Dell 1510 which detects OOB. Nice swap, even works during setup. I'm also looking to swap out my i3 with an i7 QM so I don't have to deal with the on-die Intel video problems.

 

One thing I've noticed, fumbling with the [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url]+[url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] guide is that my sound (out) works perfectly. [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] does nothing for me, and it's been suggested, based on my readings, that I use a non-vanilla kernel (the system reboots after about 20 lines of verbose code after chameleon.

 

I'm a patient ninja, though, and I'm going to try out NawCom's CD, and possibly also use one of the kernels in the Preboot.dmg file, to see if it's the vanilla kernel that's giving me a hard time.

 

I'll let you know how things turn out, so you can append your guide as viable for other 5742G sub-models.

[sum_guy]

I've got the 5742G-6480, I wonder how different they are? I know I have the i3 380M and geForce GT 540M. I've also taken out the default wireless card and added the Dell 1510 which detects OOB. Nice swap, even works during setup. I'm also looking to swap out my i3 with an i7 QM so I don't have to deal with the on-die Intel video problems.

 

One thing I've noticed, fumbling with the [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url]+[url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] guide is that my sound (out) works perfectly. [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] does nothing for me, and it's been suggested, based on my readings, that I use a non-vanilla kernel (the system reboots after about 20 lines of verbose code after chameleon.

 

I'm a patient ninja, though, and I'm going to try out NawCom's CD, and possibly also use one of the kernels in the Preboot.dmg file, to see if it's the vanilla kernel that's giving me a hard time.

 

I'll let you know how things turn out, so you can append your guide as viable for other 5742G sub-models.

 

Hi sleeperninja42, What distro are you using, retail or other? I (and many others) had nightmares with the retail SL for this laptop. Never got it working! Hated the fact that [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] or nawcom had to be booted via cd everytime My advice is use the version listed in my guide and you will have no problems.

 

My knowledge of kernels is rubbish so I can't help you with that - all I know is that I am using the legacy kernel and have not bothered with updating the kernel nor using any other. Why? Cause it works for me

 

Since you swapped out the wifi you should have no problems except maybe for sound. Great little machine for upgrading aye! Good luck with the CPU upgrade Thanks for the info on which wifi you used, might look at that for the future.

 

I would check out the Acer DSDT patcher (see guide) I am pretty sure it will cover your 5742G and your 540m Video Card, (go custom DSDT you won't regret it)