Can't boot into SnowOSX setup

[Vitz]

Alright, I have a problem here.

 

I'm using a P5K motherboard that has the AHCI option removed from it. It seems that without this the setup for OSX won't boot. When I try booting I get the Darwin bootloader. When I press enter, it asks me to enter a numeral for what hard drive to boot from. When I enter 80 (my main HD), it simply boots into Windows 7. There's not even a sign of any OSX setup. I read that not having AHCI might be the problem here. However, I don't really want to downgrade my BIOS in order to have this option available because I read this will break any existing OS installations. I really don't want to lose my WXP and W7 installations.

 

So my question is this: Is there any way to get into the setup without having AHCI enabled? More importantly, is AHCI even the issue here in the first place? The Darwin boot loader gives me no information whatsoever. Even entering a ? like it says to get some help and then hitting enter doesn't do anything.

 

 

This is the first time I've ever attempted to install OSX on a PC, so please go easy on the tech talk. I know a fair bit about computers. This is all just completely new to me.

 

Setup:

 

ASUS P5K motherboard

Intel C2D E6600

ATi Radeon 4870 1GB

 

I'm trying to install to a hard drive that hasn't got another OS on it (my other two hard drives do though), and I reserved 20GB of space for the OSX installation only (should I use more? My only intention is using Logic).

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

Edit: ah {censored}. I just saw this: http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=201009

Sorry for basically making a dupe thread.

[The-Sky]

Alright, I have a problem here.

 

I'm using a P5K motherboard that has the AHCI option removed from it. It seems that without this the setup for OSX won't boot. When I try booting I get the Darwin bootloader. When I press enter, it asks me to enter a numeral for what hard drive to boot from. When I enter 80 (my main HD), it simply boots into Windows 7. There's not even a sign of any OSX setup. I read that not having AHCI might be the problem here. However, I don't really want to downgrade my BIOS in order to have this option available because I read this will break any existing OS installations. I really don't want to lose my WXP and W7 installations.

 

So my question is this: Is there any way to get into the setup without having AHCI enabled? More importantly, is AHCI even the issue here in the first place? The Darwin boot loader gives me no information whatsoever. Even entering a ? like it says to get some help and then hitting enter doesn't do anything.

 

 

This is the first time I've ever attempted to install OSX on a PC, so please go easy on the tech talk. I know a fair bit about computers. This is all just completely new to me.

 

Setup:

 

ASUS P5K motherboard

Intel C2D E6600

ATi Radeon 4870 1GB

 

I'm trying to install to a hard drive that hasn't got another OS on it (my other two hard drives do though), and I reserved 20GB of space for the OSX installation only (should I use more? My only intention is using Logic).

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

Edit: ah {censored}. I just saw this: http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=201009

Sorry for basically making a dupe thread.

 

Oh oh! I know this one. You type "fe" instead of one of the numbers. Remember though, once you get to that screen you need to take your Grub CD out and put your Install CD in. Type F8 and -v when you start the CD if you would like to see where you currently are in loading the CD (Incase it fails).

 

As for the ACHI thing, Windows works fine if you INSTALL it as ACHI. Yeah that means you have to reformat it, you also can get a bootloader that will enable it (Chameleon and others..use search).

 

Good Luck.

[Vitz]

Thanks for your reply!

 

No dice though. Typing 'fe' doesn't do anything.

 

And what do you mean by taking out the GRUB disc and putting in the install disc? I just have the SnowOSX disc and nothing else.

[Vitz]

Alright, I just managed to crossflash my BIOS and enabled ACHI. Windows still works like a charm thanks to some precautions.

 

However, nothing has changed. The setup still doesn't boot. Problems persist.

 

 

That BIOS flash also managed to somehow break my internet. No idea how that happened. All other computers in the house are fine so it's not actually the internet that's broken.

 

Edit: Alright, so apparently it's not uncommon for NIC's to break after flashing the BIOS. It erases the MAC address. Does anyone know of a way to write it back in? I kinda need internet on that computer.

[kalel83]

you lost internet in windows as well? if so, chain shutdown/cold boot all pc, after router after dsl/cable

[Vitz]

Yeah the MAC address was erased because of the BIOS flash. I managed to write it back using DMI236 though. So that's back to working.

 

Okay, so I'm now trying to install OSX using a stock Snow Leopard image with some tweaking package applied to it from here: http://lifehacker.com/5360150/install-snow...acking-required

 

Upon trying to get the installer to boot I get the message I have to restart my computer. I do that, and the same thing comes up again.

[rickette]

any luck installing yet ?

cuz i have the same mother board and i can't run SL at all.

My many attemps worked only once, installing on a USB HDD, but i wasn't able to fix the boot to work on SATA...

[Vitz]

Nah, I'm giving up on SL.

 

I'm now trying to install 10.5.7 (iDeneb). However, during setup it won't detect my hard drives for some reason.

 

It's beginning to seem like this computer grabs every single chance it has to prevent OSX from running on it.

[Vitz]

Alright. Finally did it. iAtkos v7 worked and is running like a charm.

 

Now to hope they soon find a way to use dual screen with DVI>VGA ports on the 4870.