ipc 10.5.6 / iAtkos v7 / Intel DG31PR hang apple logo grey screen

[felixtherat]

OK, this reinstall is becoming a serious investigation so here's a topic to track progress.

 

System: Intel DG31PR, 667MHz ram, Asus graphics DVI&VGA , 2xSATA 148GB HDDs, PATA DVDRW

 

System ran iAtkos v7 10.5.7 perfectly, until I tried to update to 10.5.8, which bricked it. After attempting simple driver reinstall (failed) tried a total reinstall using same DVD and options as original install, which was only about 2 weeks ago... install runs smoothly, but somehow booting doesn't work, I just get to the grey apple logo, with no spinner. -v flag just gets me the extensions loading, flashing before my eyes, and then a black screen (the switch to smaller text that shows you darwin is up to something or that would give you error messages just doesn't arrive). -f, cpus=1, do not help. Only thing to have changed since original iAtkos install is that I have made the new OS partition 48GB (was 78) - using MBR option. No BIOS alterations.

 

So back to OSx86 project HCL: http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/HCL_10.5.8#Intel shows happy camper with similar system and iPC 10.5.6 - started downloading this and went to bed. This morning 2 attempts at installing iPC run fine but system boot fails, getting me to exactly the same point as iAtkos mentioned above. Again, boot flags don't help. Second attempt included smbios for 667MHz ram, not that it should help me boot, but worth sticking in.

 

Thinking of making a T-Shirt with "-v, cpus=1" on it. Or a hat maybe otherwise no progress today.

 

Please feel free to give pointers, and I'll append my progress as I go along

[felixtherat]

Stuck in driver for onboard graphics and chameleon bootloader cos I like lizards - no luck. Not usually this flummoxed, Google Is My Friend and all that, but having tried 2 separate systems and getting to the same point with no error messages to go on, and sifting through the countless threads with "black screen / apple logo / grey screen / no spinner" in them, am not finding anything relevant or useful (am I not thinking of the right search keywords? If am being a retard point me in the right direction plz).

 

There must be some reason why nothing happens after the extensions load, why my intel DG31PR is different to the one mentioned in the HCL which recommends iPC 10.5.6, and before that why it was suddenly impossible to install and boot iAtkos v7 when it worked fine a fortnight ago. Unless this is a hardware fail, which would be a helluva coincidence to have happened right after a software update lunch-out.

 

Any ideas?

[felixtherat]

Repartitioned main HD to one partition only, trying IPC install again, plus this time leaving out all options except main system (i.e. ALC888 audio unchecked, unlike first and second attempts).

 

I should mention that first IPC attempt was with GUID partition map, 2nd and this 3rd attempt use MBR. I forget when I last had a working install of iAtkos which I used but assume it was MBR since this seems to be the default and I've never previously bothered changing it.

 

IPC install is slow so off out for fresh air. Will post back.

[felixtherat]

iAtkos attempt number umpteen failed. Here's a quick breakdown:

• Install runs fine
  
• At boot, no flags gives apple logo screen with no disk activity
  
• -v -f gives extensions loading, a lightning flash of text, then black screen - no switch to smaller text showing system booting, so no error messages, no disk activity
  
• Identical results with iAtkos v7 and iPC 10.5.6
  
• System worked fine with iAtkos v7 - no hardware has changed, except OS partition, which is now bigger.
  
• Original problem was caused by software update 2 weeks after first install. Have never needed video drivers, though I've used program to stick in EFI strings once up and running, not actually been a problem. No disk activity so assume not a graphics problem anyway
  

I've been using this home-built system for nearly 2 years without problems - it's my main, and in fact, only system, and desperately need it for work. No other desktops to plug SATA disks into to retrieve work, and convinced besided that the solution is simple... can someone please scan this over and at least call me rude names? Thanks in advance

 

3rd IPC attempt failed. Now trying:

 

unhooked 2nd SATA disk

1-partition, GUID Mapped HD

iAtkos v7

Chameleon 2

Extra directory, all default options

USB option + cardbus

realtek r1000

 

... which pretty much matches succesful attempt a couple of weeks ago. Note that messing with partition size and mapping is only because the partition size is the only thing which has changed.

 

If this attempt fails, am gonna make a circuit breaker, mark it "magic / more magic" and hook one terminal to the case, a la http://catb.org/jargon/html/magic-story.html

 

If anyone has bright ideas or thinks I'm a total tard, please point me in the right direction.

Thanks