845 replies to this topic

[jim22]

Jim,
Here are both the converted plist and a text file with the Macbook string and the string for my laptop.

Thanks,

1st thought, width, height & refresh in plist are 1280x800@59 not 1440x900@60

change:
<key>AAPL01,Height</key>
<data>
hAMAAA==
</data>

<key>AAPL01,Refresh</key>
<data>
PgAAAA==
</data>

<key>AAPL01,Width</key>
<data>
oAUAAA==
</data>

If that doesn't work, another thing to try is deleting all of the AAPL01 keys as something may be affecting the internal display. I'm not sure if this will work but it's worth a try.

[errandwolfe]

Jim,
Made the edits you suggested and recreated the hex string. Again tried both with and without Natit and am getting the exact same results. Once loginwindow.app starts I get a brief blue screen followed by my LCD going dark.

[ejlax]

Jim,
Made the edits you suggested and recreated the hex string. Again tried both with and without Natit and am getting the exact same results. Once loginwindow.app starts I get a brief blue screen followed by my LCD going dark.

errandwolfe-

I am running a Dell D630 and was having the same issues that you have mentioned above (internal monitor goes black after blue screen). I hooked up my computer to an extrenal monitor and it pushed the video to that one properly; however, i still couldn't get the video to go internally. I then deleted all of my AppleIntelX3100 kexts and the AppleIntelFramBuffer kexy and voila! I had internal video. The next issue that i now have is that fact that my internal mouse doesn't work.

hope this helps.

ejlax

[errandwolfe]

ejlax,
That does not mean your video is working. You are currently running in VESA mode. You have no quartz extreme and no core image. If you are more familiar with windows, it would be the equivalent of running a generic VGA driver versus the actual driver for your video card.

[ejlax]

ejlax,
That does not mean your video is working. You are currently running in VESA mode. You have no quartz extreme and no core image. If you are more familiar with windows, it would be the equivalent of running a generic VGA driver versus the actual driver for your video card.

Okay that makes sense...i wasn't sure if yuo didn't have internal video at all or if you were jsut missing the QE/CI. I am in your same boat then...everytime i use a AppleIntelx3100.kext my internal monitor disappears. I fixed the mouse issue (reinstalled kext). My brother has a new macbook with the X3100 is there anything that i can copy off of that to aid in this process?

[jabonga]

hi everyone,

Its nice to hear that there is progress with the X3100 problem.

I managed to make my Sony CR190E work with Paulicats Natit but its very hard to install. Everytime I try to reformat my hard drive (test purposes) and install Leo on it, when the time comes to install Natit, I have to boot in safe mode, remove AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer.kext (version 1.4.20), install Natit.kext from Paulicat, repair permission, reboot. After reboot I see a white moving distored screen. To solve this, I have to enable voice over (command +F5) and imagine hovering blindy my mouse to the WHITE screen, or using the keyboard (arrow keys) to go to System Preferences (the voice will help me go there) and then go to DISPLAY to change my resolution. The display will only show if I reach 1024x768 .. I started from 800x600 .. the voice over getting totally annoying already .. lol. Anyway, the max resolution that my laptop can handle is supposedly 1280x800 (Windows) but In my OSX86 Leo install, it only has 1280x768 and I notice that bottom line is totally distored. To solve this, I have to install SwitchResX or DisplayConfigX and install a modified resolution which is 1280x800. It actually solve the resolution problem but I dont feel the RealMac touch, eventhough QE/CI is enabled. I feel like DisplayConfigX just forced it to view 1280x800 and my screen is ok but kinda blurry (far off from the real mac with x3100, display wise). Note: I'm using efi ver 8.0/MBR

Now that Ive explained the complication of my install, I was hoping there is an easier way for me not to do all the things listed above.

Here comes gfx-string!!! I kinda got excited and hoped I DONT have to do the voice over again! lol ...

Here is the problem. Im not as techy as you guys but I am really interested in learning and hoping to help/contribute too. I tried to read gfx-string forum from netkas and I might say that I got SOOO CONFUSED!! I didn't understand anything!! =(

I humbly request for a STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE (for noobs) on how to install GMAX3100 using GFX-STRING.

I honestly dont know where to start with gfx-string. What programs/tools that will be needed? What files? I only know how to get my EDID via Windows.

I understand that this is not yet confirmed to be working, but by this we can also share our experiences that might help others too. The chances of this to be solved will be quicker since more people is trying this new method possibility.

Your help will be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

jabs

[errandwolfe]

Jabonga,
Making a FAQ or instructions at this point would not really solve anything as we haven't really come upon a solution yet. As for instructions on how to use the gfxutil to create and editable plist file and then convert that back to a device string, all the instructions were in the post where you can download the gfxutil app.

Basically it is this:
1. Use xxd (this is a command line util included in OS X) to convert the GMA X3100 hex dump from a Macbook with the GMA X3100 to a binary file.
2. Use gfxutil to convert that binary file to a plist file.
3. Use the Propertly List Editor from XCode to edit the plist file for your specific hardware. Now this is the tricky part here as we have not yet figured out WHAT exactly to edit. I have already tried several things such as my EDID string, default screen resolution, and refresh rate.
4. Use gfxutil to convert the plist file back to binary.
5. Use xxd to convert the binary back to hex.
6. Insert the hex string into you boot.plist file.

There has been a lot of reported success using this method to get nVidia cards working. There has not yet been any success with the GMA X3100 though. Hopefully as more minds are applied to the problem we will figure out a solution.

[theSlug]

confused

[errandwolfe]

Not sure if I understand your question theSlug.

[jabonga]

hey errandwolfe,

THanks for the guide. Im gonna try it tomorrow Im not sure if I can do it .. but Ill update you on what happened on my Troubleshooting. Thnx again

[Jerris]

Another owner of a Dell here (Vostro 1500 with the X3100 video chipset - 1440x900 panel). Errandwolfe I have run into the precise and exact same problem that you have mentioned on the boards here. I continue to poke and prod for a solution but I have none yet.

-Jer

[conk_the_monk]

I think I'm going to have to buy Everest unless there is another way to get Vista to accurately report the vendor dev id of my X3100... though I'm fairly sure it's working already via the external monitor, certainly I can change the screen resolutions and the spot effects are there. I tri boot, Vista, Leopard, Tiger, though the latter two aren't worth booting into with just vesa.

Use knoppix live cd or any linux with live CD. You will get all the information you need. Also there is a software called aida32 which is the source of Everest... It is free but does not cover any new devices but surely report the id correctly....

[Jerris]

Looking at the follow snippet of XML from Natit.kext's Info.plist file.... Does anyone here know how to compute those very strange looking <data> values? Thanks!

			<key>GMA X3100</key>

			<dict>

				<key>AAPL,HasPanel</key>

				<data>

				AQAAAA==

				</data>

				<key>AAPL,NumDisplays</key>

				<data>

				BAAAAA==

				</data>

				<key>AAPL,NumFramebuffers</key>

				<data>

				AgAAAA==

				</data>

				<key>AAPL,SelfRefreshSupported</key>

				<data>

				AQAAAA==

				</data>

				<key>AAPL01,DataJustify</key>

				<data>

				AQAAAA==

				</data>

				<key>AAPL01,Depth</key>

				<data>

				IAAAAA==

				</data>

				<key>AAPL01,Pipe</key>

				<data>

				AQAAAA==

				</data>

				<key>built-in</key>

				<data>

				AA==

				</data>

			</dict>

[errandwolfe]

If you open that up in Property List Editor, you should see the hex values I believe. My problem has been converting that hex value to plain text that I can understand. This is basically the same approach we are using with the gfxutil method mentioned earlier in the thread. The difference is rather then employing Natit we are creating a device string that PCEFI can interpret for correct hardware recognition of the native GMA X3100 kext.

[the balls]

Another owner of a Dell here (Vostro 1500 with the X3100 video chipset - 1440x900 panel). Errandwolfe I have run into the precise and exact same problem that you have mentioned on the boards here. I continue to poke and prod for a solution but I have none yet.

-Jer

hi! I found a way to work panel of vostro 1400.
try sleep/wake display (or computer), then panel will fully work.
I think that display power management is a cause in this problem.

[fmin23]

Hey "the balls" and everyone else -

I have a Vostro 1400 (1440x900) as well with the x3100 and I cannot get the display to work with the drivers still. When the computer boots up with AppleIntelGMAX3100*.kext in place along with Natit.kext, I can get the computer to boot up and the whole display will be scrambled (like it's the wrong resolution or something) except that the mouse cursor looks fine, and I can click on the apple menu in the upper-left corner to shut down, log out, etc.

I have not done the EFI update yet, and sleep mode locks up my computer (never goes to sleep) so I cannot verify that the display works after coming back from sleep mode. Will EFI + Vanilla kernel fix my sleep issues on the Vostro 1400? Most importantly is trying to get QE/CI without having to boot using an external monitor. Please let me know if I can be of any help. Thanks. --fmin

[errandwolfe]

Please help us get the GMA950 and GMA X3100 working with PC EFI

Please take a look at this thread over on Netkas' forum. Please if you have access to any of the hex dumps being requested it would be appreciated if you could pass those along.

http://forum.netkas....topic,58.0.html

[Jerris]

WOW, "the balls" you sir are indeed THE BALLS!

Yeah, that little trick did it for me. I merely let my display fall asleep then wake it up and bam she works!

Thank you very much!

[ejlax]

WOW, "the balls" you sir are indeed THE BALLS!

Yeah, that little trick did it for me. I merely let my display fall asleep then wake it up and bam she works!

Thank you very much!

How do you just "let" the display fall asleep with out hte computer going into sleep mode. If i let my computer go into sleep mode, i cannot get it to restore. I have a dell D630.

[the balls]

i made efi string for x3100. only HasPanel/NumDisplays/NumFramebuffersparameters are includes in this string.it's fully work with vostro1400(1280x800LCD)still need sleep trick...b60000000100000001000000aa0000000300000002010c00d041030a0000000001010600
0027fff400260000004100410050004c002c004e0075006d0044006900730070006c006100790073
000000000000040000002e0000004100410050004c002c004e0075006d004600720061006d006500
2007506600660065007200730000000800000002000000200000004100410050004c002c00480061
0730500061006e0065006c0000000800000001000000

Hey "the balls" and everyone else -I have a Vostro 1400 (1440x900) as well with the x3100 and I cannot get the display to work with the drivers still. When the computer boots up with AppleIntelGMAX3100*.kext in place along with Natit.kext, I can get the computer to boot up and the whole display will be scrambled (like it's the wrong resolution or something) except that the mouse cursor looks fine, and I can click on the apple menu in the upper-left corner to shut down, log out, etc.I have not done the EFI update yet, and sleep mode locks up my computer (never goes to sleep) so I cannot verify that the display works after coming back from sleep mode. Will EFI + Vanilla kernel fix my sleep issues on the Vostro 1400? Most importantly is trying to get QE/CI without having to boot using an external monitor. Please let me know if I can be of any help. Thanks. --fmin

hi!did you try display sleep?(open energy saver preferences, set display sleep timeout to 1minand wait 1 or 2 min, only panel will sleep)