The Great Driver Hunt

[thebookfreak58]

I have been reading this thread from the first page with Pika, and I wanna wish you luck effects.

[Neddy]

I am going to take my ball and go home!

[mac tosh]

It seems effects is mortified that someone would question him.

 

Considering that he's been dangling this in front of us without any proof, I would think we are all behaving rather well.

 

I mean, read the post he's now made at onmac drivers.

[umpimpmymac]

At this time, I will conclude my solution as not working! This is becoming more of a pain than anything else. As stated earlier it either works or doesn't so I am going to side with doesn't. By me stating this, progress can continue as it was. Earlier in another post it was stated to post proof if you had it or don't post at all, so I side with the later. My work is not ready for the public. I appreciate the support I had, but will not post anything else on either forum until it is complete by my standards.

 

Thanks and Goodnight

Effects

 

W/E

 

whatever...thanks for dangling us in suspense for the past few days, good luck and goodbye...

[mac tosh]

My this fellow effects has handled this rather poorly

 

I don't think the guy is for real. if he had anything he would posted it.

[Jewdass]

Bah. Very dissapointing effects. If you were serious about getting a 100% working solution you would be willing to release the information on the Wiki. As it is, I have to say the "testing among close personal friends" thing smells funny. Why not use the people here on these forums that are already working on this. Sounds too much like numerous BS artists I've dealt with in the past.

 

As for the fans running at full tilt, that is a GOOD THING as far as the safety of the machine is concerned, it means the firmware is keeping the temperature in check. The machine will NOT melt down with the fans at full speed. I fail to see what you're concerned about. I sincerely doubt your method is any riskier or any more involved than what people went through initially installing XOM.

 

While I'm sure everyone here would love a nice elegant solution that requires only a standard XP disc and allows drivers to install normally, I think the vast majority of people messing with XP at the moment are more than willing to take a little risk with their machines in the name of progress.

 

Sorry effects, I think everyone was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but now it just looks like you're trying to bow out gracefully without having to admit that you were just stringing people along.

[moksha]

Guys, questioning him like this will get nothing done, and discourage people from trying to help everyone in this. And the fans running at full speed means that that they are either not working properly, which is BAD, or that his patch is using up a ton of resources and causing a lot of heat, which is also BAD. Even if he steps down now and doesn't post a solution, he doesn't deserve this, it's not like each and every one of you have done something to contribute and effects is the only one who hasn't.

[mac tosh]

Oh give me a break.

 

try TROLL.

[darkten]

Believe it or not, I'm probably in the "think he pulled it off" camp...this really wasn't my slant or concern.

 

*My* issue was, and is, the motivation behind *not* sayin'

 

"Hey y'all...try this"...as opposed to "I shouldn't say anything but..." then trickling bits of info and casting "pearls of wisdom"...its a bad use of resources, among other things.

 

That said, I'm actually almost finished my "meta driver" installer drop-in, as I believe this will be useful. Without graphics drivers, it adds only 16MB to a standard xp installer cd, but should bring the machine up and "ready to get infected" erm, I mean "ready to go" at first login.

 

I'm about to build/wipe/burn and will post my results, or *lack thereof* immediately after I have them and zip up everything and put it on my blog or .mac so that perhaps someone can help fix it if my .SIF file is wrong.

 

I'm using "Method One" from http://unattended.msfn.org

 

-D

[mac tosh]

well onmac is down

drat

[darkten]

Guys, questioning him like this will get nothing done, and discourage people from trying to help everyone in this. And the fans running at full speed means that that they are either not working properly, which is BAD, or that his patch is using up a ton of resources and causing a lot of heat, which is also BAD. Even if he steps down now and doesn't post a solution, he doesn't deserve this, it's not like each and every one of you have done something to contribute and effects is the only one who hasn't.

 

 

Honestly? I've been around awhile, and I gotta tell ya...your post is more troubling than his were

 

See, you've "lost nothing" that you didn't have but "hope'.

 

Effects *didn't* say "the fans are blasting full when the machine is idling"...did he?

 

In fact, he mentioned a specific case for a specific set of hardware; likely running a game. On the iMac? It is notorious for blasting the fans...its a common complaint *on os x*.

 

I'm sure when/if he has something he feels is...meritous...and...beneficial...then perhaps he'll do something about it.

 

I feel better knowing that he "doesn't"*, and everyone can get on with it...

 

*I say "doesn't" with more than a hint of sarcasm; this is the "scene" part where you're all supposed to send an "outpouring of support" his way to "bring him back"...it funny how the more things change (and I'm talk from waaaaaay back in the C64 demo scene/BBS/'Copyfest' days...to last year's PSP scene 'WAB' nonsense...to this) the more they stay the same.

 

At any rate, I got a CDR to burn and a macbook to break...

 

Back soon

 

-D

[Neddy]

I think he is for real. I think he had a partially (almost fully) complete solution.

I also believe he is not able to share the in's and out's of what work he has done, as he believes he is above other people. This is a shame, as i have seen many people here who would have liked some base info on the project he has taken on himself. Too bad, he could have had a lot of great conversations with people who share some of his intrests, instead he chose to close off and become the "Jesus of the Graphics solution".

[Velvet Nightmare]

Just wait until he posts, then we can praise or discredit him.

[berhb]

What happened to patience?

 

If there is a solution out there let's wait a little bit and continue efforts on our own. When it comes out we might get a chance to test and improve.

 

I know narf and blanka made a great effort to get windows boot but there is no source released! I don't know what are they waiting for? but we all know they were in it for the money. And they are probably waiting for another contest to release the video functionality. Maybe!

 

Effects is trying as we should be, if he is not ready he most have a reason. He has no obligation to share what he founds out.

 

Let's keep this community a friendly space so we can share our experiences. and let's stick to the technical chat!.

 

[rsang2]

CALM DOWN PEOPLE, why the hostility?, this guy is working, its not easy.

Id rather have him testing and fixing until its ready than having my mbp fried. And even if he wasnt for real, why dont any of you do the work... i by the way beleve effects is close to a solution but you people should be a little more patient.

[NJax]

Amen

[mac tosh]

i give up

[CoreDuoAcer]

Just an innocent bystandard reading all the posts for several months since the dual boot contest started.

 

I gave up running OSX and XP on my Core Duo Acer notebook and am going to sell my Core Duo Acer to get a MacBookPro as soon as a working solution is posted with EVERYTHING working including video and 3D accel. etc. I would love to test with you guys but I can't justify the cost of the upgrade to the MacBookPro if things are not working in XP.

I do think it will be not IF but WHEN, and hopefully sooner rather than later for everything to be working on XP. Besides it appears there are many with Macs willing and eager to test.

 

Anyway regarding the recent posts, I don't doubt Effect's solution (seems like a lot of wasted time posting etc. for him if it is not real and he is pulling everyone's leg) but I think it is well known here that all of this hacking of the OS, driver files, etc. is risky and could render a nice new Mac useless, however it obvious that we are all eager to get this working and willing to try anything. It seems like the sharing of info on some sort of Wiki (dedicated to the X1600 troubleshooting etc. with technical only posts allowed) like was suggested earlier would be of benifet to all looking for a solution.

If there truly is no financial motivation to withhold the info then lets share what we have to get this thing working if there is something beneficial to contribute.

I think the dissapointment all comes from expectations. When Effects posts that there is a soution or one really close and partially working, in a community like this, we all know the risks and want in on the action and want to help out and work together and are willing to even break our new Macs to get it working. I think everyone is frustrated, because the reasons for not posting the info, at least to me don't really add up. That doesn't mean Effects is lying or anything I am just being honest with how I read into it, and to not post the solution, even if it is not complete doesn't make logical sense to me in this setting unless there are other untold reasons. If it were MS or Apple releasing an untested/unconfirmed/partial working solution then I could understand, but this is not the case. If it were me and I had even a 10% working solution or a list of things that I could suggest as to why logically a certian driver, install process, or slipstream method etc. would work, I would post it right away to give others a chance to build on what I had started to get this working.

If Effect's method doesn't end up working 100%, he still may 99% there and if that info were public others with different tech. backgrounds could take what he did and tweak it all leading to a 100% working solution in the shortest amount of time. I can respect a financial or legal incentive to withhold the solution or partial solutoin but if that is not it then lets get these processes out in the open here or on a dedicated technical X1600 Wiki to get them solved.

It seems the expectation here is openess and sharing of ideas/solutions, we all got the carrot dangled in front of our noses and are eager to test, help, tweak, etc. just to have it removed. I think it is great if Effects does have a mostly working/working solution for the X1600, and I think he does, but it would be great to see his process and reasonsing that has got him thus far because it can only further the progess and lead to a better working solution...with possibly a few "MacBricks" being made in the process :-)

 

Anyway good luck all, especially Effects since it sounds like you are really close, and please share your knowlege as we are all eager to help.

[Neddy]

Ok, Effects is gone. Good or bad.....

 

The thing I dont understand (of many) is what is the rudimentory reason an XP install will not work with a differnt slipstreamed driver? When windows loads, can it "on the fly" update the drivers or is it coded so that whatever driver is loaded while booting, that is the driver that MUST run the system? Also, (and i dont know {censored} about this, that is why i am asking questions) why can you not boot into a single user type (mac speak) mode with the orig VGA driver mode and then load a driver from there? Or, is there a way to load the driver into ram (in an alocated location) to be later flashed and replaced with the "correct" ATI driver?

 

Please, i would like the smart people to talk, i would like to read your discussions. I am so sick of people WAITING for one person to provide all the answers.

 

On to a solution then?

 

PS: there is no way i can think of that a simple driver (one that does not flash the card) will render a computer useless. Not if you have the osx disks. Not if you can just reformat and start over. If the fans work, and the driver does not effect the actual firmware of the card...then everything will work once you reformat and start over. Is that right?

[CoreDuoAcer]

Ok, Effects is gone. Good or bad.....

 

The thing I dont understand (of many) is what is the rudimentory reason an XP install will not work with a differnt slipstreamed driver? When windows loads, can it "on the fly" update the drivers or is it coded so that whatever driver is loaded while booting, that is the driver that MUST run the system? Also, (and i dont know {censored} about this, that is why i am asking questions) why can you not boot into a single user type (mac speak) mode with the orig VGA driver mode and then load a driver from there? Or, is there a way to load the driver into ram (in an alocated location) to be later flashed and replaced with the "correct" ATI driver?

 

Please, i would like the smart people to talk, i would like to read your discussions. I am so sick of people WAITING for one person to provide all the answers.

 

On to a solution then?

 

 

I am not the "smart people" you are looking for but from what I have gathered from the things I have read in this huge post is that one of the files that Blanka released used to install XP on the Mac controls the VGA driver for windows. Since the Mac doesn't have a BIOS one of the XOM files or whatever it is running on top of the EFI gives windows some sort of VGA capabilitiy allowing install and basic operation of XP without 3D accel. bypassing full hardware access to the X1600 video card.

So at least two hurdles to get the X1600 working in XP (from my reading a week or so ago) is that the X1600 firmware could be Mac specific (this is why standard X1600 drivers used on other notebooks will not work) and the second is the problematic XOM file from Blanka not giving full hardware access to the card, which is also possibly why the X1600 drivers don't work.

 

So if what I said above is true, which I could be totally off and have everything mixed from what I read almost 2 weeks ago, you would have to (and I think Effects might have been working on at least a part of this) would be to remove or edit Blanka's XOM file that controlls the interaction with BIOS/VGA/XP and slipstream a compatible set of X1600 drivers into the install so that windows will boot off of the CD, install, and load...or possibly even before that somehow use Blanka's file for boot, but during the install of XP have that file replaced with a modified one and then drivers that can access the X1600 hardware installed. I think someone said that removing that XOM file still allowed windows to boot but there just was no display when windows started to load indicating that modification of that file along with special drivers to work with the Mac firmware on the video card (if that really exists) is the key or at least gets us closer to a solution.

 

This is why sharing this info openly would be great because it gets the wheels turing and all can contribute where they may have expertise. It makes no sense to me to keep the info private as we are all aware/welcome the risks involved.

 

Sorry if I got file names like XOM etc. mixed up, I am tired and it is late.

[ToXic_WaSTe]

Effects, just wanna say GREAT JOB.

 

You have been open and told us about your progress and have tried very hard to say... "I might have a solution... It boots... but i dont know if it is stable" THIS I GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR. You have also said that the solution is created from different ideas on the forums, and you have told us that "You're not in it for the money... and you wish to be open about this" ...

 

THIS IS ALL GREAT, but why not post your solution then... no one will hold you responsible for bricking their MAC. I can see why people are "hostile" (even though they shouldnt be) SECRECY IS NEVER A GOOD THING!!!

 

I'm not mad, doubt that anyone else is... but if there is a ounce of truth in what you say, then you have to be open about your work or else you have been lying to us. So post your solution and let the whole hacker community work on this:

 

HOPE YOU COME BACK TO THE FORUMS

[Faustus]

You have been open and told us about your progress and have tried very hard to say... "I might have a solution... It boots... but i dont know if it is stable" THIS I GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR. You have also said that the solution is created from different ideas on the forums, and you have told us that "You're not in it for the money... and you wish to be open about this" ...

 

THIS IS ALL GREAT, but why not post your solution then... no one will hold you responsible for bricking their MAC. I can see why people are "hostile" (even though they shouldnt be) SECRECY IS NEVER A GOOD THING!!!

 

He wasn't onto a thing as far as I can tell. He suggested he was just preloading a driver into XP. All that does is help windows ID it at the end of Setup. Its EXACTLY the same thing as clicking update driver and pointing to the new driver files. Unless there is more to it then that that he held back then I don't even seem it working at all.

 

I was sitting on the fence but unless he reveals more info I'm in the "he was messing with us" crowd.

[tdar]

my question to all of you who seem to think that Effects owes you a solution to YOUR problem is why? He is the one who has spent HIS time,working towards a solution....Where are your solutions?

 

Come on Guys....let's not get like this.

[ToXic_WaSTe]

He wasn't onto a thing as far as I can tell. He suggested he was just preloading a driver into XP. All that does is help windows ID it at the end of Setup. Its EXACTLY the same thing as clicking update driver and pointing to the new driver files. Unless there is more to it then that that he held back then I don't even seem it working at all.

 

I was sitting on the fence but unless he reveals more info I'm in the "he was messing with us" crowd.

 

He told us he can boot and run games with good frames... but that he has BSOD sometimes...

 

my question to all of you who seem to think that Effects owes you a solution to YOUR problem is why? He is the one who has spent HIS time,working towards a solution....Where are your solutions?

 

Come on Guys....let's not get like this.

 

Yes he spent his own time on the solution, but if you read my earlier post he has been saying that this might work and that he's not in it for the money and so on.(think this is great by the way)...

 

But then it seems really fishy that we see no proof and his "friends are testing the solution." and even though he tells us hes open and that "we"(the forums posts) has inspired his solution, he doesnt post the solution and keeps the info to himself even though we are maybe hundreds who might have a solution to his current exact problem.....

 

Besides this - everyone threw their own **** to the side and applauded effects hoping he would get it done, and now he tells us that hes not going to post it because he's afraid to brick our mac's even though non of his friends or his own mac has been bricked by "konstant fan's blowing"

 

I dont think he owes us a solution, but i cant see why he's keeps this a secret and like Faustus said "He might be messing with us"

 

NOT PISSED; I EVEN APPLAUD EFFECTS --- BUT NOW IS THE TIME HE HAS TO DO THE RIGHT TING AND POST WHAT HE HAS GOTTEN SO FAR... SECRETS SHOULD STILL NOT BE KEPT::: THE HACKING COMMUNITY HAS TO STAND UNITED ON THIS ONE!!!

 

P.S COME BACK EFFECTS!!!

[moksha]

I think we should all stop debating the topic of whether effects was for real or not and start trying to find our own solutions for this and contributing to the community, like we all were before effects stepped up. If he comes back and posts his solution, great, if not, there's no point arguing it or not.