Understanding the basics...

[valyno]

Hi there,

 

I have been playing some time with MacOSX installation on my Dell XPS 720. And facing my lot of issues, which is part of the learning process...

 

So far, i am running a stable version of SL, installed with a boot CD and a SL retail installation CD.

For the moment, I don't really mind for audio or graphics beacuse my goal is now to update to Lion. When I am done with this, I will check on the fine tuning.

 

After reading some very usefull posts & guides, I still feel a bit confused with the basics of a hackintosh and I wish I could find a thread for the noobs, explaining what's going on...

 

For now, in order to start my system, I use a custom boot CD (and because I made it some time ago, i can't really remember which version of boot CD I used... not very rigorous approach, but my "hacker's" life is not a full time job )...

This new boot CD (different from the one I used to install the system) helped me to fix some network issues...

 

So once my system is booted, i am trying to fix some of my issues by modifying the com.apple.boot.plist or to add some news kexts...

And it seems that my changes are not taken into account.

Clearly, I have done thing in the past that solved some of my problems, following some usefull guides, but I can't remember exactly what and now, I have to go back into the details to understand.

 

I think I am going into the wrong way and I wish I could clearly understand the processes used by the most skilled users of this forum before beginning the installation...

 

First questions: did I missed somewhere the Beginners thread explaining the boot process of a Hackintosh or this wonderfull thread is to be written?

If someone has a link, please share it with me!!!

 

What I understand:

- MacOS is not meant to run on a PC

- but it is running on a PC since most of Apple's hardware is derivated from regular PC hardware...

- Running MacOSX on a regular PC requiers to have the relevant drivers for every piece of hardware

- in MacOSX world, a driver is mydriver.kext file

- this driver is located /system/library/extensions (alias S/L/E)

- when booting, these drivers are loaded in order to establish the commuinication between MacOSX and the hardware

 

- In order to boot a Hackintosh, we use a boot CD which is loading in memory some usefull things that makes MacOSX believes that he is on a real Mac

- among these things, we have the com.apple.boot.plist and various kexts...

- In order to have a system as close as possible to the original, regular kexts are left alone in the S/L/E while the unoffical ones are located in a new folder /Extras, thus, when an update is made on the system, the precious moded kexts are not overwritten

 

- the ultimate install is to have the bootloader and the extras kexts on the hard drive (in the EFI partition) to get rid of the boot CD

 

It is a very simplified statement, certainly over simplified but it is my understanding for now ...

 

I said earlier that I was making some modifications on my com.apple.boot.plist in order to enable my graphics or to solve some issues with the access... So far I was moding the file on the hard drive... and since I see no changes, I suspect that it's not loaded and it is the one in the boot CD that is used and wit it the kexts in the /Extras on the CD and not the ones on the hard drive...

 

For the seasonned hackers here it might sounds obvious, but for the absolut beginners like me, it is not...

So it would be very usefull that a post explains that kind of things and the tools in use for this (EFI studio, Kext wizard...)

 

Last thing I tried to understand is the DSDT patching, which is another way to declare to the kernel the hardware and solve some issues rather than installing a kext... Patching a DSDT file for an non computer engineer is just impossible without any help...

 

So if some experienced user can correct my few assumptions, I would be very gratefull!!!

 

Happy hacking!!

[eep357]

Until your booting from your own HD and not a boot CD, you don't have a hackintosh. If your installing kexts properly and repairing permissions afterword, but they are not loading,(assuming there the right ones for your hardware/osx version) they likley arent loading due to the ones on your boot CD loading first, same applies to your com.apple.boot.plist edits. grab Chameleon Wizard from this site to install Chameleon bootloader to your HD. Keep boot CD for emergencies. com.apple.boot.plist is no longer used in any non ancient Chameleon versions, will be org.chameleon.boot.plist and should be located in /Extra folder which you may need to create if it does not exist already. There is another com.apple.boot.plist in Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration which you should not touch at this point. Also grab Kext Wizard while your at it to first install your extensions and then use to repair permissions and rebuild kext cache. Your understandings so far, that you summarized, are pretty much spot on. DSDT not required for working system, proper DSDT can help get proper hardware functionality from things like audio, speed step, graphics, etc, save that for when your in the tinkiering stage, you may find everything runs fine without one. I recommend smbios for macpro 3,1 in /Extra for your quad core Q6600, thats what I used on my previous Q6600 for over 3 years with no probs, maybe something else work better for you, only way to find out is try. Chameleon Wizard can also assist with making smbios and org.chamelion.boot.plist for you. Back up stuff if possible, especially /Extra and any changed extensions(before changing them).Then cross fingers. Boot from HD. Lion. Mountain Lion. Profit?

 

P.S. Hackintoshed quite a few Dells and every one of them was a pain in the ass!

[valyno]

Hi Eep,

Thank you for the clarification and the tip for Chameleon Wizard!!

I already have the correct Smbios, my Delltosh is recognized as a MacPro 3,1

Will need to update my chameleon boot loader since I don't have the org.chameleon.boot.plist...