Compal GL31 laptop - snow leopard vanilla installed (almost)

[earnsys]

It's been a month now since I started this PC - Mac OS X project. I have been trolling the internet for this and doing trial and error testing ever since.

 

At first, I tried those configured installers where you just plug-in and praying that it might actually work. The good thing with these installers is that they actually work ..... on installation. The problem comes after the installation and that is where you encountered most of the problem. It turned-out that you have installed the OS but every once in a while you got a restart screen or worse a kernel panic screen.

 

Well I guess the first thing to do is (really,really) know your hardware whether your buying or testing an already existing one if they will be compatible with Mac. Fortunately for me my test laptop is compatible enough to use a Snow Leopard DVD installer. So here it is, my installation experience with my GL31 laptop.

 

Hardwares (ones that matters):

Phoenix BIOS / ACPI compliant

Intel 945G express chipset

Intel GMA950 gpu

Intel HDA (don't know the exact chipset)

Intel 3945abg wireless card

PS2 Keyboard

Elantech Trackpad

ENE PCMCIA/Card reader

Sonix SN9C201 webcam

 

Softwares:

Snow Leopard Retail DVD

myHack 1.1 bootloader

VoodoPS2Controller (version 0.98 pkg installer) - keyboard/trackpad

VoodoHDA (version 2.7.2 pkg installer) - audio

VoodoBattery (kext)

Sonix SN9C201 Webcam Driver OSX 1.03 (image installer)

VoodoIntel3945-06 (zip file)

Kext Utility

OSX86 Tools

 

What is working:

Power Management - except for wake-on sleep

Display including video-out (actual graphics size allowed on GPU)

Keyboard/TrackPad

Optical Drive (DVD)

Wired LAN

Wireless LAN - for unsecured wireless connection only

USB port

On-board speakers

Audio and Mike out

Webcam

 

What is not working:

PCMCIA/Card Reader (i tried several kext and driver installers but failed)

Modem (i did not bother to have it work)

Wake-on Sleep

Wireless connection with security

 

Preparations:

1. Created image of snow leopard DVD

2. For the installer, i used 8gb flash drive. I restored the snow leopard DVD image using disk utility. I used my previous unstable Mac installation to do this. However there is a plenty of guide out there using Windows. I only chose the easiest path.

3. After I restored the image, I ran the myHack installer on the flash drive.

 

Note: You need a USB keyboard and mouse since the ApplePS2Controller won't recognize your keyboard and trackpad.

 

Actual Installation:

1. Plug the USB keyboard and mouse

2. Go to BIOS setup and restore defaults then save.

2. Use boot menu to install from USB flash drive.

3. Follow the installation using defaults.

4. For harddisk preparation, I created the partition using GUID, Journalled.

5. After the installation and restart (this is important), used the USB flash drive to boot but pressed any key to select where to load the system. Selected the drive where I installed the OS.

6. Installed drivers as follows:

- VoodooPS2Controller package - just install and restart to use the on-board keyboard and mouse. after this, i can now unplug the USB keyboard and mouse.

- VoodooHDA package - installed to enable audio

- Copied VoodoBattery.kext to System/Library/Extensions then ran "Kext Utility"

- Ran sonix webcam image then executed installer package.

- Copied the kext files from Intel3945-06 zip file to System/Library/Extensions then ran "Kext Utility"

7. At this point, I tried to use automatic software update and it worked. I also tried the Snow Leopard update combo image and no problem encounter.

8. Some system preferences update

- switch sound effects to speaker, audio and mic output to line/out.

- on energy saver, i set the sleep to never (solution for wake-on sleep problem)

9. Backup the kernel and kexts using OSX86

 

Conclusion:

I am using the laptop (typing this) for 1 week now without any problem. I have installed the following softwares: ILife, IWork, Microsoft Office 2008, Toast 10 Titanium, Firefox, Utorrent, Skype, Yahoo Messenger, MacX DVD Ripper Pro, Winx HD Video Converter for Mac, Nokia Transfer, Kodak Easyshare, bunch of free apps and games. I believe this laptop is as stable as any other original mac book. I won't try to install the card reader anymore as the USB ports are working perfectly fine. I can forget about the modem since I will not use it. The sleep problem is an inconvenience I can live with. As with the wireless LAN, I am now looking for a possible replacement.

 

References:

1. MyHack and TonyMac installation guide.

2. kext.com

3. projectcamphor.mercurysquad.com

4. of course, insanelymac.com where i located most of the drivers and packages

[earnsys]

I replace my wireless lan card with:

Manufacturer : HP

Part Number : 441075-002

Description : BCM94311MCA Broadcom

 

My wifi is now working perfectly.