VIZIO CT14-A4

[lightskreen]

THIS IS NO LONGER A QUESTION!

Specs are in my sig!

Things to note:

-This laptop uses AMI Aptio UEFI. In short, it does not use a legacy bios, which means I will exclusively be using clover. I know stuff about chameleon but I can't guarantee I will know how to fix a problem if you have it with chameleon. At the very least, the kernel extensions and DSDT/SSDT should be compatible with chameleon aside from the dual link patch required for this laptop to display.

-You may need to make your own DSDT edits depending on your wifi card. The thing originally came with an AR9462 but it was completely incompatible. I use an Atheros AR9285 which works with a small DSDT edit. I can also confirm that it has no wifi whitelist.

 

-The brightness keys are not fully functional yet. They respond but do not change brightness. Brightness in system preferences does function with the kernel extension provided, though.

-Audio is not native yet. I know, it's sad. For the time-being, voodoohda works.

-The usb ports do work but can be strange at times. Luckily Trek Doctor has what may be the solution. I will edit the original post to reflect the success of his solution.

 

-The keyboard and trackpad work perfectly with rehabman's latest build of voodoops2. Only the kext is required.

 

-I tend to run bleeding edge software a lot. Currently this laptop runs yosemite's latest dev preview so your mileage may vary with my configuration. No harm in testing it, though! If you have a problem with a slightly older version, I can definitely run a vanilla test install to see if I an reproduce the problem and help you find a solution!

 

-HDMI does not work unfortunately. It outputs absolutely nothing. Worked fine in windows/linux. I will attempt to figure out how to edit the framebuffer to change connectors to get this working. if anybody as already accomplished this, speak up so i can include it and use HDMI freely!

Okay, so there are a few small things that are crucial to this laptop booting properly from usb. (Use the latest version of clover from sourceforge)

Only these should be selected for your GPT partitioned flash drive during customization of the clover usb install:

 

 

And this:

 

At least GenericUSBXHCI.kext (To get past still waiting for root device), Rehabman's voodoops2 kext for keyboard and clickpad functionality (keep a usb keyboard and mouse at hand just in case though) FakeSMC.kext (For obvious reasons), and VoodooTSCSync.kext (To fix a strange issue) should be injected with clover. Place these kernel extensions in the kext folder for your respective OS version which is located on your flash drives ESP. (ex. installing Mavericks? Kernel extensions belong in the 10.9 folder for you.) All of these kernel extensions plus higher functionality ones will be available at the bottom of the post.

A properly edited config.plist file. Three edits in particular are important for the system to display on the internal LCD:

These three are all placed underneath the Graphics section of your config.

<key>DualLink</key>
<integer>1</integer>

<key>Inject</key>
<dict>
	<key>ATI</key>
	<false/>
	<key>Intel</key>
	<true/>
	<key>NVidia</key>
	<false/>
</dict>

<key>ig-platform-id</key>
<string>0x01660004</string>

The first one is obviously a dual link patch, the second one is injecting intel and disabling other injections (Should be configured this way by default), the 3rd is telling OS X which ig-platform-id to use and this is the one that works with this display so I leave it on this one. Here's an example of my Graphics section which happens to only have these 3 options in this order:

	<key>Graphics</key>
	<dict>
		<key>DualLink</key>
		<integer>1</integer>
		<key>Inject</key>
		<dict>
			<key>ATI</key>
			<false/>
			<key>Intel</key>
			<true/>
			<key>NVidia</key>
			<false/>
		</dict>
		<key>ig-platform-id</key>
		<string>0x01660004</string>
	</dict>

This should give you perfectly working QE/CI.

Side-note: If you are using any version of Yosemite, you will need to add the kext-dev-mode=1 argument to your config or type it in everytime. Whichever you prefer.

The last piece of the puzzle is a well-edited DSDT with an SSDT for your cpu model. If you have this exact model, it should have an i5-3317u and the SSDT provided should be more than enough to work. Both the DSDT and SSDT are placed in the CLOVER/ACPI/patched/ folder on your ESP.

I have provided a copy of my ESP but I wouldn't suggest using it as it is only meant to be an example of folder structure for those who are not familiar with how clover works. Use the tables, kernel extensions, and config.plist archives for installing and configuring for yourself.

Here it is: http://www.mediafire.com/download/hxnndbde146gsc2/ESP.zip

 

After setting up the USB installer, it should be a fairly pain-free installation. Boot with no arguments and install as usual. When you're finished with the installation, boot to  with the usb installer again but select the hard drive and install clover the same way you did with the flash drive but of course selecting the SSD and making sure you get the preference pane and check startup scripts. After that you can safely inject all kernel extensions and add all the files required to boot normally to your main drives ESP. If it doesn't boot, you may want to try booting with the installer and then adding clover to your firmwares boot menu. Make sure the clover entry is for the hdd and not the usb installer. Everything should boot fine and you may also install the latest voodoohda for your version of OS X to get audio and use trim enabler to keep your ssd at top speed and efficiency.
 

Side-note: trim enabler is weird on yosemite but I have gotten it to work.

 

My bare config.plist: http://www.mediafire.com/download/g2k12881ekcezb3/Config_R1.zip

 

And my kernel extensions: http://www.mediafire.com/download/c99xmq81fb5r68e/Kernel_Extensions_R1.zip

 

And my tables: http://www.mediafire.com/download/vvrd41ws6u8dtjn/Tables_R1.zip

 

I will continue updating this post with updated files and information as we discover it all.

Side-note: I'll make the guide a little prettier if I happen to have time. This was pretty quickly put together.

 

[lightskreen]

So I just got it, and I tried booting the installer with clover and i get a black screen. The graphics are HD 4000 and I've tried changing my ig-platform-id with no luck.

[lightskreen]

And another update, even though nobody is reading this really. I got past the black screen and was able to install the OS to the internal mSATA SSD but it doesn't show up in clover's boot menu after rebooting!

[lightskreen]

Okay, so now I've fixed the majority of the above and figured out some new things.
 

On bootup, the computer will be incredibly sluggish, so sluggish that I almost gave up. This lead to my next discovery though, which is that sleep works perfectly on this laptop and that sleeping the system once made the system run fast for whatever reason. If there's some DSDT-related fix for that then I would love to hear it.

The audio codec id is 1013:4210 and the codec name is Cirrus Logic CS4210, gathered from dpcimanager.

 

This laptop works impressively well with clover and Mountain Lion as far as performance is concerned.

The USB is not working natively, but it's possible because they're Intel USB 3.0, I'm just not sure how to get the DSDT patched for that.

The battery works really well once you patch the DSDT and add rehabman's ACPIBatterymanager kext.

The wifi DOES NOT work. It uses an Atheros AR9462 chip so I'm going to replace it with my AR928x as soon as my torx screwdrivers roll in. Crossing my fingers there's no wifi whitelist.

Keyboard and trackpad do work with rehabman's voodoops2controller. It's a synaptics clickpad so i expected it to really. All of the function keys work at the top except for the brightness up and down keys. I have PNLF injected but it only displays the brightness slider with no actual effect.

Wondering if I should just update the original post.
 

[lightskreen]

Further updates! Regardless of whether or not anyone is reading this.

VoodooTSCsync.kext is required for this laptop, otherwise you get a massive slowdown on the desktop unless you sleep the machine.

Battery works as before perfectly.

I created an SSDT with ssdtprgen which you can inject into clover. Barely noticeable but might as well. P and C states work.

I will be reworking the DSDT from scratch as soon as I figure out my audio dilemma. It uses Cirrus Logic CS4210 and I am receiving plenty of help from Mirone. Thanks for the patience if you read this! The current workaround is to simply use voodoohda. Any version higher than 2.8 seems to work perfectly.

Brightness keys nor backlight control DO NOT work. I'm not sure how I am to fix this as I have added PNLF to my DSDT which gives me the slider but it DOES NOT control the brightness. A finger in the right direction would be nice on this one as my previous laptop's method doesn't work with this one.

Graphics work perfectly as before.

Processor is snappy as usual.

Mavericks and Yosemite are now installable because whatever problems I was having with booting into them is gone with the addition of VoodooTSCsync.kext. Just make sure it is injected or in s/l/e.

Wifi was changed to AR9285 which severely increased my boot times. Swapped again for an AR928x and boot times are reduced yet again. No wifi whitelist on this thing so anything that's compatible with os x and is a half-size card should do just fine.

Sidenote: From ML and mavericks to yosemite i noticed that yosemite assigned more vram to my HD 4000 graphics. 

Other than audio and brightness, this is turning out to be an exceptional hackintosh!

[lightskreen]

And yet another update! 

Brightness slider in system prefs works! No brightness keys though. Not sure where to start with them either.

[phaberest]

I don't think there's a way to fix fn keys that are not recognized...maybe it could be possible for audio keys, but I'm quite sure that the only way to get brightness working is the Rehabman's patch+kext that only nables the slider.
 

You've done a nice work, I'd suggest you to write down a guide to let others follow your steps

[neozeo]

How did you manage to install OSX to that Vizio CT14-A4? I recently purchased that exact model and I cannot get past 'still waiting for root device'. I have been trying for over fifteen hours now. I am just about ready to throw in the towel and install Ubuntu Linux. My very last option that I might try is to install Mavericks to an external drive then use a linux live CD to clone it to the internal Vizio HDD. I cannot decide what the problem stems from. Is it because the Vizio uses mSATA connected to a (supposedly) PCIE slot? OR is it because this Vizio only has USB 3.0 ports, and there have been MANY MANY instances where people were having issues trying to install from USB 3.0 and were told to move it to USB 2.0 instead.

[neozeo]

Okay so I wanted to give my own update. I don't want you to think that I am hijacking the thread, because the original poster and I have the exact same laptop. I was successful in getting the operating system on this laptop by installing it to an external SSD on another computer then using a Linux live usb to dd the image over, then using the USB clover to boot the mSATA drive, then downloading and installing clover for a native boot. It worked quite nicely once I figured out how to get past a couple of issues. As the original poster, I have been unsuccessful in getting the HD4000 Graphics to work. Thank you for the suggestion of the Voodoops2 kexts because my physical clicker was not working and the whole thing was just plain ol wonky. I would like to know how you managed to get the graphics to work successfully. I am really itching to get that to work. The USB 3.0 ports are simply broken, though OSX detects them. I am going to try to get the audio working and will post an update later if I am successful.

[vusun123]

If you use Chameleon, use this: GraphicsEnabler=Yes IntelCapriFB=4 ( don't touch the IntelHD kexts )

[neozeo]

I use Clover, not Chameleon. I am able to boot AND not get a black screen by going into the Clover Graphics injection section, and changing fakeID to 0x01660000 and the port to 4. But I have no hardware acceleration.

Edited August 26, 2014 by neozeo

[Trek Doctor]

Lightskreen- if possible, would you be so kind as to post your edited dsdt? I'd like to compare performance with one I've been tinkering with the last few days. Also, any mods you've made to the basic chameleon plist would be great. And, yes, there are many of us lurker types interested in what you've accomplished! Many thanks, J.

[lightskreen]

Time to upload stuff! My system is 95% functional to the point where I use OS X as the daily driver on this laptop. I use clover only as it is much easier with this laptop by far. If you don't already use it, I would recommend it with this laptop.
 

I don't think there's a way to fix fn keys that are not recognized...maybe it could be possible for audio keys, but I'm quite sure that the only way to get brightness working is the Rehabman's patch+kext that only nables the slider.
 

You've done a nice work, I'd suggest you to write down a guide to let others follow your steps

With my current DSDT, they are recognized but they don't change brightness so there surely is a way. I was thinking it was similar to my old HP where it calls to WMI but I don't know exactly where I would start with this model yet so I'll be investigating further. Audio keys function perfectly, as well as play pause rewind fastforward and the button for turning off backlight (I believe this is purely a hard wired button.)

 

 

 

Okay so I wanted to give my own update. I don't want you to think that I am hijacking the thread, because the original poster and I have the exact same laptop. I was successful in getting the operating system on this laptop by installing it to an external SSD on another computer then using a Linux live usb to dd the image over, then using the USB clover to boot the mSATA drive, then downloading and installing clover for a native boot. It worked quite nicely once I figured out how to get past a couple of issues. As the original poster, I have been unsuccessful in getting the HD4000 Graphics to work. Thank you for the suggestion of the Voodoops2 kexts because my physical clicker was not working and the whole thing was just plain ol wonky. I would like to know how you managed to get the graphics to work successfully. I am really itching to get that to work. The USB 3.0 ports are simply broken, though OSX detects them. I am going to try to get the audio working and will post an update later if I am successful.

If you are using clover, the easiest way to get the installer to boot without still waiting for root device is to use the kernel extension GenericUSBXHCI. I'll post it in the original post for everyone as well as my kexts that I personally use, current DSDT, SSDT, and clover config.

 

 

Lightskreen- if possible, would you be so kind as to post your edited dsdt? I'd like to compare performance with one I've been tinkering with the last few days. Also, any mods you've made to the basic chameleon plist would be great. And, yes, there are many of us lurker types interested in what you've accomplished! Many thanks, J.

Feedback on edits are always appreciated! Not all of them are really mine though. Definitely a bit of copy/paste work happening.


For the record:

-I use maciasl for editing my dsdt.

-I will probably not make my own chameleon guide but I won't hate you if you create your own.

-I currently run 10.10 DP6 regularly so there may be some variation in results with different OS versions.

[lightskreen]

For those who are interested, I updated to DP7 on this laptop without a hiccup. Needed to re-enable trim and that's it. My boot times went down a little bit, though. When the final release rolls in I'll do a fresh install for cleanliness' sake.