[Guide] Dell XPS 15 L502X (Early 2011) Snow Leopard Install (possibly L702x too)

[darren cox]

I seem to have an issue somewhere, getting to the blue screen at boot but then it hangs for like 3-4 minutes before I see the login screen/desktop.

Nothing changed I was aware of, booting with -v does seem to show getting stuck "waiting for root device" have googled that and none of the fixes seem applicable.

Nothing changed in the system. I have OSX installed to a 64gb sad in the main hard drive bay, and in a caddy in the old DVD bay I have a 500gb HDD in two partitions

1) 128gb windows 7 installation2) remaining space for Mac media files/home dir

This was working great till yesterday when I started getting this hang.

There is a system partition on the HDD as windows insisted on creating it. Not sure if that's confusing something but it was working fine.

Have tried repairing both drives, permissions and caches also disabled safe sleep but nothing.

Second issue is my keyboard and trackpad seem to die after its been asleep a while, eg close lid system sleeps - wake up right away all is good but after a few hours the keyboard and mouse don't work so I have to hard power off... Using the posted trackpad and keyboard kext and chimera 1.6

[burrows1980]

@DoiX Cheers matey, I have finally got 10.7.1 working Got a few issues with my BCM4312 wireless card doesnt want to work in 10.7.1 although it worked fine in 10.6.3, ive got a few things to try to get that working. Battery life seems to drain down very quick, I did read somewhere on here about that just need to find it again. Graphics worked straight away (Intel 1366x768) Sound works with the kexts from L701 pack, although it sounds really tinny and flat compared to how it sounds in Win7.

 

The only other thing is it wont boot from HD without the rBoot LE CD, without the cd and these flags -v GraphicsEnabler=No cpus=1 busratio=23 it gets to AppleACPIPlatform didnt load, then the nano second thing... I had something similar in SL, I read about taking the mach_kernel from [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] Legay and putting it in the root drive, and that worked for SL, tried the same with Lion but couldnt find the mach_kernel file (with show all files) on the cd..

 

Other than that, im glad im on the same page as everyone else now!!

 

@Darren Cox what two kexts did you use for the battery? My battery shows up but with a cross in it, wont display percentage etc?

[AKennedy_4]

@burrows your system wont boot up without the boot cd unless the proper kexts is installed. If your like me, the package installer that DoiX provided doesnt install the kext properly. I recommend using the pack (if you still have it downloaded) and manually install the kexts with kext wizard and then rebuild permissions and cache using the latest kext utility. Also, you may get an error or Kernel panic somewhere along the way. For some reason Kext utility doesn't fix permissions fully. So run disk Utility and repair permissions before you update any stock kexts or use software update utility.

 

If you do this, your battery issue and any other corresponding issues with kext will be fixed. As for the sound issue, you can find the boom program floating around the internet and use the equalizer to fix sound issues. Its the only fix ive come across. Cheers

 

Also, to people with the DW1510 wireless card. Is anyone experiencing any slowness with the card? It particularly runs very slowly and inconsistently in OSX. I had the same problem in Windows but a updated driver fixed the issue to my knowledge).

[burrows1980]

Just a quick update, for anybody using the Dell 1545 DW1397 Wireless card (Broadcom 4312) i finally got this working in 10.7.1 by using the IO80211Family.kext from SL 10.6.3 and bcm43xx_enabler.sh file ( http://www.mediafire.com/?zln2xwm2dyg ) repair permissions in kext utility also ran disk permission thingy in disk utility..

 

@futuregator15, without sounding a complete idiot how do I install them separately? do I drag Doix's installer over kext utility icon? or do I need to extract them somehow? Thanks in advance!!!

[AKennedy_4]

DoiX originally uploaded a zip file of the required kexts for our kexts.. You install those manually using kext wizard. It has nothing to do with the package he uploaded

 

If you don't have the L502x.zip file he originally uploaded, I'll post it later

[darren cox]

1770737[/url]']

DoiX originally uploaded a zip file of the required kexts for our kexts.. You install those manually using kext wizard. It has nothing to do with the package he uploaded

 

If you don't have the L502x.zip file he originally uploaded, I'll post it later

 

Thanks it had been bugging me all the references to a pack that I just couldn't find!

Cannot seem to solve this boot issue, and it seems to take longer and longer every boot! Could it be TRIM support or some such SSD weirdness?

[AKennedy_4]

For some reason it's the only way I can get the kexts to install correctly (to use the pack).. Ill upload within the next 5 hours or so. Depends on when I get home

[burrows1980]

DoiX originally uploaded a zip file of the required kexts for our kexts.. You install those manually using kext wizard. It has nothing to do with the package he uploaded

 

If you don't have the L502x.zip file he originally uploaded, I'll post it later

 

Great stuff!! I've only got the installer, I've been trying everything to get the kexts out of the installer oh well.....

[AKennedy_4]

Also, I'm experimenting with merging my data partition to be compatible with both windows and osx. I think I have it figured out: i habe to create symbolic links to replace the default folders for music, documents and such.ise tuxera for ntfs support and Ive managed to merge my iTunes library to be compatible on both os's without a network connection or anything. Once I figure it all out and check the performance and stuff, l post a guide since my system is completely working now (to my knowledge) except the nvidia card.

[DoiX]

It would be an interesting guide Futuregator15 please do post it.

 

As for the pack and other stuff i promised, it will take a while, im booked this whole week with projects.

 

About the WiFi card problems, i think i read somewhere that apple screwed around with old hardware support, eh at least you guys got that card, i'm stuck with my LAN cable because i couldn't find where to buy it in my country and shipping with ebay/amazon is not the best option as the price would reach an actual Apple Airport card. Oh yes, if anyone finds a WiFi Stick that works in 64bit mode please tell, i returned 2 models already because the drivers (both OEM and internet ones) didn't work .

[amh10]

@Darren Cox, disable auto update downloads and install, just in case

 

@amh10, your wifi stick drivers are not compatible in x64... probably if you boot with arch=i386 it will work OR you will get kernel panic if you enabled speed step

 

@Futuregator, apparently it is, thrid party apps do not detect trackpad input (BetterTouchTool)

 

Thanks DoiX. I think that the kext is fine, but despite editing the info.plist the problem remains:

[lloydowen]

Was just wondering because I really want Mac now! What's the Intergrated Intel graphics like for general computing? Internet Surfing, DVD's, YouTube etc....

 

Also....how are the 5xxm cards going ? Any progress?

[AKennedy_4]

Integrated graphics are fine for anything non-graphics intensive; such as the things you described. And read a couple post up for gpu updates from DoiX

 

UPDATE on WIFI card issues: There was actually a network issue with my ISP for 2-3 days. Just got fixed today and everything is back up to normal speeds (I'm pulling about 3.2 MB/s)

[AKennedy_4]

Here's the pack I promised, with a some additions (Audio, DSDT Beta, Speedstep files). Only use if DoiX's package installer doesn't work for you. Install with Kext Wizard, Repair Permissions and cache with Kext utility, reboot, run Disk utility.

 

Also, you might want to update to the latest chimera before you install.

 

*Don't install both sets of audio kexts. Either use the default ones if they work for you or install the L701X one's over them. Dont forget to uninstall the ACL655 injector though before you try the L701X audio kexts.

 

Download via Dropbox

 

 

 

 

Double Post: I can't seem to locate where lion puts the kernel panic logs. I looked in /library/logs and there was no panic log in there. Anyone know where to look?

 

Triple post: Is there anyway to restore the icon default icon to the symbolic link? Nvm figured it out. I can restore the icons from the originals but for some reason the new icon wont reflect in the favorites bar. Its purely a cosmetic preference since the fuctionality works perfectly. At any rate, the performance is slower only because my data drive is NTFS and Im using Tuxera to read and write to the NTFS drive. This slowdown is apparent in iTunes especially after getting the library set up. It takes about 3-4 seconds to start playing an individual song. At any rate, if your curious how I set up the symbolic link:

 

1) Install Symbolic link maker

2) Go to folder you want to create the link to and make the link

3) Delete the original folder. If locked protected like the Documents folder, then you'll need to use this command:

sudo rm -rf [Drag and drop folder your deleting into the command]

4) Copy the link to the location of the folder you just deleted and rename it to the original folders name

 

 

The ideal scenario is to copy you data drive onto a backup. reformat it to HFS+, move you entire user folder with these directions, and then recopy all your data back on.

 

Also, check out the new [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] for updated system kexts (Ones you installed during the installation of iatkos here. There's updated kexts for USB 3.0, LN2MAC Ethernet, and PS2 controllers

[DoiX]

Small note about Lnx2Mac 0.90 version kexts, when my laptop wakes from sleep the ethernet card doesn't, it remains inactive which doesn't happen with his old kexts.

[HOTcakes]

Has anyone gotten sleep to work, every time I try to go to sleep the power light stays on and so does the CPU fan and then screen remains black, everything else works, am I missing a kext or something?

[DoiX]

@HOTcakes, for sleep to work you need to patch AppleIntelCPUPowerMangement.kext, then remove NullCPUPowerManagement.kext and any other sleep enabler kext you may have. Sleep and speedstep is pretty much native on our laptop model.

[HOTcakes]

Thanks sleep works now, however, I think the ssdt I have is under clocking my CPU. The one you made is for the quad core version of the i7 and I have the dual core 2620m. In windows it ranges from 2.7ghz to 3.4ghz depending on the load. Is there any way I can make my own ssdt or will the one I have work at the right frequency?

[burrows1980]

Here's the pack I promised, with a some additions (Audio, DSDT Beta, Speedstep files). Only use if DoiX's package installer doesn't work for you. Install with Kext Wizard, Repair Permissions and cache with Kext utility, reboot, run Disk utility.

 

Also, you might want to update to the latest chimera before you install.

 

*Don't install both sets of audio kexts. Either use the default ones if they work for you or install the L701X one's over them. Dont forget to uninstall the ACL655 injector though before you try the L701X audio kexts.

 

Download via Dropbox

 

Thanks for that, will give it a try now prob do a fresh install as well.....

[burrows1980]

Just a quick update, I did a fresh install of SL tonight as soon as it loaded up after installing I installed iAtkos L1 (the only way I can get it to install) installed the kexts posted earlier, everything seems to work fine now, sound battery etc.

 

What I can't get to work same as before is the HD DSDT file, when it loads 3 greyish rectangles appear instead of the desktop, I did see someone post this a few pages back in this thread, the only DSDT that works at the mo is the one Wen1 posted at the start of the thread...

 

I havent installed speed stepper yet, don't know if that has anything to do with it?

 

Is there a Kext for the keyboard layout, the @ is not where it should and a few more messed up..

 

EDIT: oh and it boots from HD as well now!!

[DoiX]

@burrows, chimera/chameleon offers keyboard layout options at boot (google for more details as i've never used it)

 

Are you sure you used the HD DSDT? I've checked my pack last time and the DSDT are ok...

[burrows1980]

@burrows, chimera/chameleon offers keyboard layout options at boot (google for more details as i've never used it)

 

Are you sure you used the HD DSDT? I've checked my pack last time and the DSDT are ok...

 

Yeah definitely the HD one i did try the FHD as well but the same result. I haven't updated to 10.7.2 yet either if that makes any difference?

 

I am right in think all I have to do is copy the DSDT to the Extra folder then restart, thats all I've done in the past unless when I've left it on my desktop for [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] to place it in the Extra folder..

[DoiX]

Ah well if Wen1's dsdt works then stick with it, my DSDTs were extracted from latest bios and had some stuff os x does't use removed.. nothing important that would improve performances, the latest DSDT beta i posted around here had a speedstep related thing changed (if memory serves some things were reverted to the original stock file because it kinda messed with AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext)

 

@HOTCakes, i'll write a tut on how to create your own DSDT at the end of this week when i'll be free ( i hope )

[HOTcakes]

Thanks DoiX, that would be much appreiciated

[morbidangel]

First I would like to thank you for all your nice achievements for the L502x/L702x and I am appreciating your upcoming Info about DSDT.

 

Does your DSDT perhaps deal with USB Conflicts or could you help out in that area ?

 

My Dell L702X (with 1030N Bluetooth internally connected via EHCI USB) conflicts with the Audio and connecting an compatible WLAN-Stick results in Kernel Panics, not fully booting or no Bluetooth anymore. And all the time the stick is recognized but not working.