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


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Trust me! I have an XPS L502X bought last week check yourself if you don't trust me. the internal HDD has MBR flag (Windows is saying this, Gparted is saying this, Lion is saying this) and this is not the first time I Install OS X Lion-Snow Leopard on a PC... But this time I can't understand what's the problem

 

You might want to fully format your HDD, install Lion then Windows, then boot with RBoot to reinstall the bootloader (which gets broken after you install windows). I'm guessing the current problem is caused a hidden partition that came with stock Windows (it did on my machine, i fully erased the hdd in the first hour i had it)

 

We will tackle your USB KP problems after you get the bootloader working (booting with rboot with the kexts from the image instead of what you installed on the hdd can cause them)

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You might want to fully format your HDD, install Lion then Windows, then boot with RBoot to reinstall the bootloader (which gets broken after you install windows). I'm guessing the current problem is caused a hidden partition that came with stock Windows (it did on my machine, i fully erased the hdd in the first hour i had it)

 

if what you're saying is true then there are 5 partitions: 1 of 100MB system reserved (BCD store bla bla bla) the recovery partition, Windows partition, "The hidden partition" and the HFS+ partition... this explains everything, MBR works with max 4 partitions... Tomorrow I'll try to found and remove the fifth partition, so the problem should be solved, if this won't work I'll format the entire Hard disk and start over! thank you DoiX, Noapte buna

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if what you're saying is true then there are 5 partitions: 1 of 100MB system reserved (BCD store bla bla bla) the recovery partition, Windows partition, "The hidden partition" and the HFS+ partition... this explains everything, MBR works with max 4 partitions... Tomorrow I'll try to found and remove the fifth partition, so the problem should be solved, if this won't work I'll format the entire Hard disk and start over! thank you DoiX, Noapte buna

 

Not exactly, MBR is limited to 4 primary partitions. For logical partitions there is (theoretically) no limitation.

Maybe you installed Lion an a logical partition which probably caused you're problem.

 

I don't remember the factory-default partition table, formatted disk and got rid of W7 home ed. after a few minutes.

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Not exactly, MBR is limited to 4 primary partitions. For logical partitions there is (theoretically) no limitation.

Maybe you installed Lion an a logical partition which probably caused you're problem.

 

I don't remember the factory-default partition table, formatted disk and got rid of W7 home ed. after a few minutes.

No I installed Lion on a primary partition, I'm sure :)

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No I installed Lion on a primary partition, I'm sure :)

even i had the same problem as you, so i fully formatted and then installed and now everything works, except ubuntu. still trying to get that working, but win7 and mac work flawlessly. I suggest that you full format and make all drives while installing win7 (I did 4 partitions, if you make 3 partitions then a 100mb will be created by windows for some system releated stuff, so i say you create 4 partitions then install windows so it is forced to use the win7 partition only)

cheers

EDIT: used the v6 pack and its running flawlessly! touchpad multitouch problems GONE!! simultaniously two fingers multitouch works!

I am extremely sorry, it was late and I thought it was actually working :P sorry my bad, ITS NOT WORKING :(

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if you make 3 partitions then a 100mb will be created by windows for some system releated stuff

Next time Install Windows using Imagex (google it) or open CMD as administrator and type bcdboot c:\Windows /s c: after you installed Windows. Then you can delete the 100MB partition, this partition is made to simplify troubleshot and recovery procedures.

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Cool!! I've got Mountain Lion installed :king:

Feels very smooth!!!!

 

Quite some crashes / freezes though....

(Game center, Facetime, Contacts, Reminders, Notes)

 

For clarity, did you install on the l502x? If so what steps led to a working system? I have the disk image was going to have a look at some point (ie once everything has backed up/drives cloned )

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@Rockball, stupid question... but did you enable it in trackpad settings?

 

http://dl.dropbox.co....26.38%20AM.png

There's no stupid questions, only answers are...

 

But yes, I did it. By "simltaneous" I mean put the 2 fingers at "exactly" the same time on the trackpad... Because, when I put 1 finger and directly next to it the other one, multitouch gestures (with 2 fingers) are working. But, if I put my 2 fingers at the same time, it doesn't work.

It's not a big deal... Not very annoying when you know "how to do" but I don't know if it can be corrected...

 

And also, am I the only one experiencing that when you increase the tracking speed, the cursor isn't very precise...?

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I experience a drop in cursor accuracy the faster I set it - did you install the PS/2 kexts when installing iatkos by any chance?

 

Also I got a bit confused about AICPUPM, is the one in the pack for i7 or is it generic. So to get proper speedstep you need correct SSDT (or enable P states) and correct AICPUPM?

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For clarity, did you install on the l502x? If so what steps led to a working system? I have the disk image was going to have a look at some point (ie once everything has backed up/drives cloned )

Yes, on the L502x.

 

It is pretty much the same proces as in Lion.

Basically these steps have to be taken:

 

-CREATING INSTALL DRIVE-

 

1-restore BaseSystem.dmg to a clean install partition / usb

(BaseSystem.dmg is a hidden file in the root of the ML image, use ShowAllFiles in your Utilities folder or open Terminal and write:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE

killall Finder)

 

On the new BaseSystem drive:

2-Replace the symlink Packages in /System/Installation with the Packages folder you can find on the downloaded ESD image

 

3-Copy mach_kernel from the root folder of your ESD image to the root folder of your BaseSystem drive

 

4-run [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] 4.2.1 and select your BaseSystem drive.

tick in Kexts & Enablers: JMicron36x ATA, FakeSMC, NullCPUPowerManagement, USB 3.0, PS/2 Keyboard/Mice, Realtek Gigabit

 

5-(only necessary if you install on a MBR drive)

replace OSInstall by with the version in my zip in /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Install.framework/Frameworks/OSInstall.framework/Versions/A/

replace OSInstall.mpkg by with the version in my zip in /System/Installation/Packages/

 

6-Run the Chameleon version from my zip and install it to your BaseSystem drive

 

-INSTALLING ML-

 

7-Boot your BaseSystem drive

 

8-Install Mountain Lion! (ignore / skip the bluetooth keyboard search)

 

9-Boot back into your existing OSX

 

10-Run DoiX L502x-Lion_v6 package and select your ML drive

make sure you choose the correct Boot.plist and the 10.7.2 AICPUPM (3 or 9 Turbo States: your choice)

 

11-Run [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] 4.2.1 and select your ML drive

tick in Kexts & Enablers: JMicron36x ATA, FakeSMC, NullCPUPowerManagement, USB 3.0, Realtek Gigabit

and tick OSx86 Software and System Utilities

 

12-Run Disk Utility and repair permissions on the ML drive

 

13-Run the attached Chameleon to your ML drive

 

14-If you are already booting with Chameleon to your present OSX, install also the new Chameleon to your present OSX boot drive!

 

15-Boot into ML,

set UseKernelCache to No in the org.chameleon.Boot.plist

and delete the DSDT and nvidia-off lines

rename the SSDT.aml in / to something else

run Kext Utility and repair permissions with Disk Utility

 

-DONE-

 

-EDIT-

 

VoodooBattery is not working

 

and like I said above:

Quite some crashes / freezes though.... (Game Center, Facetime, Contacts, Reminders, Notes, Mail)

If you want to experiment yourself, try installing without DoiX v6 package to find out what works already out of the box.

MLinstall.zip

Edited by birdibird
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Oh ok, i'm rather curious about your problem... i'll look into it this weekend if i have time.

Ok, that would be great... Concerning the cursor accuracy, I think it's related to the lines of code your implemented in ApplePS2 from VoodooPS2, because I get the same problem with VoodooPS2Controller but not with the original ApplePS2 (maybe because in that case, it's not recognize as a trackpad but as a mouse)...

 

 

I experience a drop in cursor accuracy the faster I set it - did you install the PS/2 kexts when installing iatkos by any chance?

The PS2 kexts are the one provided by DoiX, not the one installed by iAtkos (because it's pure VoodooPS2).

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And also, am I the only one experiencing that when you increase the tracking speed, the cursor isn't very precise...?

I am extremely sorry, wrong info I have given, it was late at night and I thought it was working, but its not actually :P very sorry

and yea if I increase the speed the cursor isnt very precise

cheers

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Yes, on the L502x.

 

It is pretty much the same proces as in Lion.

Basically these steps have to be taken:

 

-CREATING INSTALL DRIVE-

 

1-restore BaseSystem.dmg to a clean install partition / usb

(BaseSystem.dmg is a hidden file in the root of the ML image, use ShowAllFiles in your Utilities folder or open Terminal and write:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE

killall Finder)

 

On the new BaseSystem drive:

2-Replace the symlink Packages in /System/Installation with the Packages folder you can find on the downloaded ESD image

 

3-Copy mach_kernel from the root folder of your ESD image to the root folder of your BaseSystem drive

 

4-run [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] 4.2.1 and select your BaseSystem drive.

tick in Kexts & Enablers: JMicron36x ATA, FakeSMC, NullCPUPowerManagement, USB 3.0, PS/2 Keyboard/Mice, Realtek Gigabit

 

5-(only necessary if you install on a MBR drive)

replace OSInstall by with the version in my zip in /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Install.framework/Frameworks/OSInstall.framework/Versions/A/

replace OSInstall.mpkg by with the version in my zip in /System/Installation/Packages/

 

6-Run the Chameleon version from my zip and install it to your BaseSystem drive

 

-INSTALLING ML-

 

7-Boot your BaseSystem drive with -v GraphicEnabler=No

 

8-Install Mountain Lion! (ignore / skip the bluetooth keyboard search)

 

9-Boot back into your existing OSX

 

10-Run DoiX L502x-Lion_v6 package and select your ML drive

make sure you choose the correct Boot.plist and the 10.7.2 AICPUPM (3 or 9 Turbo States: your choice)

 

11-Run [url="http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/279450-why-insanelymac-does-not-support-tonymacx86/"]#####[/url] 4.2.1 and select your ML drive

tick in Kexts & Enablers: JMicron36x ATA, FakeSMC, USB 3.0, Realtek Gigabit

and tick OSx86 Software and System Utilities

 

12-Run Disk Utility and repair permissions on the ML drive

 

13-Run the attached Chameleon to your ML drive

 

14-If you are already booting with Chameleon to your present OSX, install also the new Chameleon to your present OSX boot drive!

 

-DONE-

 

Thank you! How is it, I know is a dev preview so can't expect too much but what are the new features like and of course what is working/not working in hardware terms?

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You might want to fully format your HDD, install Lion then Windows, then boot with RBoot to reinstall the bootloader (which gets broken after you install windows). I'm guessing the current problem is caused a hidden partition that came with stock Windows (it did on my machine, i fully erased the hdd in the first hour i had it) We will tackle your USB KP problems after you get the bootloader working (booting with rboot with the kexts from the image instead of what you installed on the hdd can cause them)

PROBLEM SOLVED! I don't know why mac and windows told me that the lion partition was primary... but Diskpart said that it was logical! so I deleted the partition and I created it again, and again Windows created a logical partition... so I deleted it again (again) and I created the partition using Diskpart with the create partition primary string, and It works Now I have a primary partition without losing my data, recovery partition and the OEM dell Windows 7

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see my post, there are quite some problems still

 

I managed to install it to an external drive, all booted and everything that works in Lion seemed to work OK. Didn't notice any crashes/freezes in the apps you mentioned, tried a couple of facetime calls and notes/reminders synced with icloud and my iPad/iPhone fine.

 

Good to know that, barring any major changes between now and summer, we should be OK to stay up to date with OSX :) (Plus I can put off my purchase of a new Macbook until the summer if/when the IvyBridge models come out)

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I managed to install it to an external drive, all booted and everything that works in Lion seemed to work OK. Didn't notice any crashes/freezes in the apps you mentioned, tried a couple of facetime calls and notes/reminders synced with icloud and my iPad/iPhone fine.

 

Good to know that, barring any major changes between now and summer, we should be OK to stay up to date with OSX :) (Plus I can put off my purchase of a new Macbook until the summer if/when the IvyBridge models come out)

Hmm, that's interesting. You installed DoiX v6 package? And everything is working including battery detection?

Did you delete nvidia-off and SSDT or leave it in place?

Did you boot multiple times with succes into the system?

are you using UseKernelCache=No?

What is your processor? Mine is 2630QM

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@ DoiX :

Concerning the little bug about multitouch that the doesn't support "simultaneous" 2-finger-touch, I did notice another bug but concerning the keyboard this time but I don't know if it's only for me.

When you keep pressing a key (like a, b, c, d, ...) it doesn't work. I mean, if I press the "D" key for 3 or 4 seconds, it only write D once, and not during 3 seconds... But what's strange is that it works with the arrow keys. If I press the left arrow key for 3 seconds, it will go to the left during 3 seconds, not only once.

 

Maybe there's an option I didn't notice in the preference panel, but I thought it would be great to tell you what I experienced, even if it's a very minor bug.

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Hmm, that's interesting. You installed DoiX v6 package? And everything is working including battery detection? Did you delete nvidia-off and SSDT or leave it in place? Did you boot multiple times with succes into the system? are you using UseKernelCache=No? What is your processor? Mine is 2630QM

 

Yep booted multiple times, used the chameleon installed on my Lion drive (internal SSD) booted off external usb drive that I did install chameleon too as well. Didn't change anything regarding boot - will check today what was going on, am going to try to install to the drive I have inplace of the Bluray drive.

 

I have the i5 2410, 2Gb 540m ( not that it works - actually not detected so was using the nvidia off DSDT)

 

Battery didn't work but I couldnt get DoiX's kexts to ever work on that one, had found a working one elsewhere (Also have to use some 702x kexts for audio not sure why - but not the ones in the DoiX pack !!!)

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Hi, again. I'd like to change the definition of my L502X from 8,2 to 8,3 because I see that the newest MBP come with 2670QM which is my processor, is this Smbios correct?

 

 

<dict>

<key>SMboardmanufacturer</key>

<string>Apple Inc.</string>

<key>NAME</key>

<string>MacBookPro8,3</string>

<key>SMbiosvendor</key>

<string>Apple Inc.</string>

<key>SMbiosversion</key>

<string>MBP81.88Z.0047.B1E.1109091244</string>

<key>SMboardproduct</key>

<string>Mac-942459F5819B171B</string>

<key>SMfamily</key>

<string>MacBook Pro</string>

<key>SMproductname</key>

<string>MacBookPro8,3</string>

<key>SMserial</key>

<string>QP2FQG2HDF93</string>

</dict></plist>

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