OSx86 install report for Asus m2A-VM HDMI and Sony VGN-SZ120P

[momopi]

Hi all,

 

Been a long-time fan of this forum. This is my first post here.

 

My first attempt at OSx86 was Kalyway 10.5.2 on Asus M2A-VM HDMI with AMD 64 X2 4800 CPU, 2 GB RAM, built in ATI X1250 video. I disabled USB legacy support and set SATA to ACHI mode in BIOS.

 

The install ran great but I had to patch the system with usb_fix_1.3.mkg.zip to fix USB mount issue. I also went into \library\preferences\sysconfig\com.apple.boot.plist file to insert <string>"Graphmics Mode"="1280x1024x32"</string> under the kernel flags section.

 

Sleep mode had to be disabled, or else the DVD drive would act funky with a disk in it. I just disabled everything in power saving options. The ATI graphics also did not support QE, which means no VMWare.

 

I played with this install for a bit before putting it away. Months later, I installed iPC OSx86 10.5.6 on the system. Here's my selections from the install options:

 

 

- iPC OSx86 10.5.6 Intel AMD SSE2 SSE3

9.5.0 Voodoo Kernel

 

- Drivers

Chipset Drivers

VIA/SiS/Marvell/SB Chipset Drivers (optional)

Audio Drivers

ALC883

Ethernet Drivers

Realtek R1000

Fixes and Patches

Seatbelt.kext 10.5.5

Shutdown/Restart Fix (? Maybe should use Open/Halt/Restart fix instead)

Verbose Mode

Applications

All

 

After install, on first boot use -f -v flag

 

May have to install Seatbelt.kext 10.5.5 and Open/Halt/Restart kext to prevent crashes

 

To change display resolution:

Open terminal window and do sudo -s

Go to Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration folder and set permissions to RW

Set permissions for com.apple.Boot.plist to RW

Edit the file to add "Graphics Mode"="1280x1024x32" above the -v variable

 

System Preferences

Energy Saver - disable everything, do not use sleep

Sound - set input/output to line-in and line-out

 

 

My gut feeling from the 10.5.6 install is that it was less stable than the 10.5.2. It took more tweaking to fix the crash issues. I did manage to get it stable after a few days, and eventually ran the iDeneb 10.5.7 combo updater. Since I'm running an AMD box, I used the iDeneb tools to set the kernel. Both voodoo and the updated voodoo kernel worked.

 

 

Since my MacBook went back to Apple store for repairs (long story on that one!), I pulled out my old Sony VGN-SZ120P laptop and installed iDeneb 10.5.6 on it. Here's the options I choose:

 

 

iPC OSx86 10.5.6 base

Install with -v "Graphics Mode"="1280x800x32"

Remember to set LCD Screen Expansion to Y in BIOS

 

Language: Whatever you like

 

Drivers:

Video Drivers

Intel

Intel GMA950

 

Chipset Drivers

Intel ICHx SATA Drivers (not sure if it's needed)

 

Audio Drivers

After install, drag and drop STAC9225.txt (download it from this forum) to AppleHDAPatcherv1.20 in Apps folder (actual location only)

Go to sound preferences and set audio outputs to "Internal Speakers"

 

Ethernet Drivers

Laptop has Marvell Yukon 88E8036 but I have no driver

 

Wireless Drivers

Intel PROSet Wireless 3945 (not working)

 

Power Management

PowerManagement Package

 

Fixes and Patches

PS/2 Device Support

PS/2 Keyboard fix

PS/2 Mouse Fix

 

Applications

Select whatever needed

Get AppleHDAPatcherv120 for audio fix

 

 

Results so far: cannot get networking to work. Clicking on "About this Mac" cause crash and reboot. Tried iDeneb 10.5.7 combo updater, installed OK but boot into a blue screen.

 

That's about it for now. Good night.

[momopi]

A quick follow-up:

 

* The Sony Vaio VGN-SZ120P's internal camera, audio-in, nic, and wireless nic doesn't work. I've tried various fixes for the built-in nic without success. So finally I just went to an Apple Store and bought an USB to Ethernet dongle. Works like a charm.

 

* Clicking on "About this Mac" will cause logout/login. I read that this issue was fixed in 10.4 with SMBIOS fix but could not find any info for 10.5.6. I just left it as is, since System Profiler works.

 

* Once in a while, shutdown will result in a "this computer needs to be rebooted" crash message. This doesn't happen every time.

 

* I'm running vanilla kernel and the laptop will not wake from sleep correctly. So I turned off sleep from power management.

 

* I still cannot get the system updated to 10.5.7. Upon reboot it just gives me a blue screen of death (lol). So for now I'm sticking with 10.5.6. With 10.5.7 I cannot install latest iphone dev kit, and iLife 09 will not install on the system.

 

* Video drivers and audio output works great! I hooked up the laptop to an external screen, it can do side by side at different resolutions. 1280x800 on the laptop and 1280x1024 on the 19" external LCD.

 

 

Does anyone have any suggestions?