Dell Inspiron 531

[sadako_]

Would it be possible to install OSX86 on my Dell Inspiron 531 without replacing any hardware? Trying to install most distributions gives a "still waiting for root device" error while loading the installer.

Hardware details:

$ lspci
00:00.0 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:01.0 ISA bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 LPC Bridge (rev a2)
00:01.1 SMBus: nVidia Corporation MCP61 SMBus (rev a2)
00:01.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a2)
00:02.0 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation MCP61 USB Controller (rev a3)
00:02.1 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation MCP61 USB Controller (rev a3)
00:04.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 PCI bridge (rev a1)
00:05.0 Audio device: nVidia Corporation MCP61 High Definition Audio (rev a2)
00:06.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP61 IDE (rev a2)
00:07.0 Bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 Ethernet (rev a2)
00:08.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP61 SATA Controller (rev a2)
00:08.1 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP61 SATA Controller (rev a2)
00:09.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2)
00:0b.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2)
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV516 [Radeon X1300/X1550 Series]
02:00.1 Display controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV516 [Radeon X1300 Pro] (Secondary)

$ cat /proc/cpuinfo 
processor	: 0
vendor_id	: AuthenticAMD
cpu family	: 15
model		: 107
model name	: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3600+
stepping	: 1
cpu MHz		: 1908.635
cache size	: 512 KB
physical id	: 0
siblings	: 2
core id		: 0
cpu cores	: 2
apicid		: 0
initial apicid	: 0
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 1
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt rdtscp lm 3dnowext 3dnow rep_good nopl pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy 3dnowprefetch lbrv
bogomips	: 3818.32
TLB size	: 1024 4K pages
clflush size	: 64
cache_alignment	: 64
address sizes	: 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management: ts fid vid ttp tm stc 100mhzsteps

processor	: 1
vendor_id	: AuthenticAMD
cpu family	: 15
model		: 107
model name	: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3600+
stepping	: 1
cpu MHz		: 1908.635
cache size	: 512 KB
physical id	: 0
siblings	: 2
core id		: 1
cpu cores	: 2
apicid		: 1
initial apicid	: 1
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 1
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt rdtscp lm 3dnowext 3dnow rep_good nopl pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy 3dnowprefetch lbrv
bogomips	: 3818.38
TLB size	: 1024 4K pages
clflush size	: 64
cache_alignment	: 64
address sizes	: 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management: ts fid vid ttp tm stc 100mhzsteps

$ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0644:0200 TEAC Corp. All-In-One Multi-Card Reader CA200/B/S
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 7392:7711 Edimax Technology Co., Ltd EW-7711UTn nLite Wireless Adapter [Ralink RT2870]
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 046d:c223 Logitech, Inc. G11/G15 Keyboard / USB Hub
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 046d:c221 Logitech, Inc. G11/G15 Keyboard / Keyboard
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 046d:c048 Logitech, Inc. G9 Laser Mouse
Bus 002 Device 005: ID 046d:c225 Logitech, Inc. G11/G15 Keyboard / G keys

I know the nVidia MCP61 chipset can be problematic. What would it take to make it boot from SATA?

[MilesMan]

Hi i have the dell 531 and i JUST managed to get it working.

 

I used Leo4allv4.1 to install

 

The only Chipset kext that works is the Nvidia TEST one to prevent "Still waiting for root device"

 

EFI kernel 9.4.0

smbios 667

chameleon bootloader

applications etc...

 

Then it booted succesfully!

 

To upgrade to 10.5.8 first I downloaded osx86 tools and used that to upgrade the kernel to AnV 9.8.0

Then I used ASU by Zephyroth to download the 10.5.8 combo update, patch it, and install it.