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Need some help - HP Envy 17t m7-n101dx


ionutzm05
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Hello guys,

 

I'm trying to install OS X El Capitan on my new HP Envy 17t m7-n101dx notebook. Before giving more details, I'd like to show you the configuration of this laptop:

  • Intel i7-5500U processor
  • 16GB RAM
  • 1TB 5400rpm HDD that I will use for OS X (Windows will be installed on a 256GB SSD connected to the M.2 adapter; If OS X runs well I might consider installing it in the future on the SSD and use the HDD for Windows)
  • Intel HD 5500 internal graphics, nVidia GeForce 940M 2GB
  • 17.3 Full HD IPS touchscreen display

Looking at those specs, in theory, I should be able to run OS X without any issues (I also made a hackintosh from my desktop in the past, so I have some ideas on how this process should be done).

 

However, two weeks ago I tried to install El Capitan and I got some issues. I used my friend's MacBook to make a bootable installation using Clover. I got to the point where I could see the Apple logo and then an immediate crash (kernel panic issued by the HD 5500, after checking on some forums).

 

I gave up when I read that I have to modify my BIOS for a custom DVMT allocation size and there is a possibility to kill my notebook's motherboard. I didn't knew what's the memory allocated for DVMT, so I booted Windows and saw that it is 128MB. When I did more research I found out that 128MB is fine for running this version of OS X, the laptops with 32MB allocation size have problems.

 

Now, I would like to give this another try. Do you have an idea if I should use any patches or something? And can you explain to me why do I have problems with Intel HD 5500 and this DVMT allocation size when I have nVidia GeForce 940M?

 

Thank you.

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Ok guys. Great progress here! I actually booted up to the installer screen without an issue.

 

The only problem right now is that at this stage the installer won't detect my touchpad and my internal keyboard so I have to use external ones. If I boot up without any USB peripherals connected the installer brings up some animations with a mouse and a keyboard. After connecting a USB mouse I get a message telling me to connect a bluetooth keyboard.

 

Since I don't have one I can't get past this screen but I'm sure from now on everything will work great. Tomorrow I'll buy an external USB keyboard so I can move on with my install (I heard that I also can put some PS2 kexts in the installer USB but I don't want to mess with these anymore if there is an alternative).

 

Here are some of my notes until now:

  • Intel HD 5500 is not a issue anymore if you upgrade to the latest BIOS version available on HP website (128MB DVMT memory is not a problem for El Capitan)
  • You must use HFSPlus.efi and not VBoxHfs.efi in EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI/ and you must replace OsxAptioFix2Drv-64.efi with OsxAptioFixDrv-64.efi in the same folder.
  • I used an alternative method to create the bootable USB for El Capitan (can't write the name here, just find another alternative) that works much better than Clover OS X El Capitan USB utility (I just couldn't boot to the install screen by using this utility, I think it has something to do with Clover config).

If everything works great I will make a guide on how to install El Capitan on this notebook but for now I have to get an USB keyboard  :D .

 

Here's a photo (sorry for the bad quality) to prove my progress.

post-1626433-0-05174000-1450203605_thumb.jpg

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I have encountered this but I use RehabMan's VoodooPS2Controller.kext.  When I get to the point that it wants me to connect a mouse and keyboard, the cursor actually moves and there is an arrow I can press to get me past the mouse and keyboard prompts.  If you are using a PS2 kext but can't get past the mouse and keyboard prompts, you can use a USB mouse and keyboard.  Once you get past this, you go into the Bluetooth preferences and uncheck the boxes to prompt you to connect a mouse/keyboard when none are detected.  OS X will not detect your PS2 trackpad/keyboard even when they are functioning.  Hope this helps.

 

BTW - pretty laptop.  Mine is aluminum with black back-lit keys.

 

P.S.- My El Cap installation is so stable that I have OS X on my mSATA SSD and Windows on my HDD (which I upgraded to a 7200 rpm I TB drive.)  I rarely use my Windows installation and instead use Parallels to run Windows 10 but keep all my data for Windows on the Windows drive using Tuxera in OS X. In my second HD bay, I have another 1 TB 7200 rpm drive that I use to store my OS X data (mostly videos and music.)

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Intel HD 5500 is a problematic integrated graphics card for laptops when installing OS X simply because you need at least 96MB of DVMT pre-allocated memory in order to avoid a kernel panic. Most of the laptops manufacturers limit this DVMT pre-allocated memory to 32MB or 64MB and you don't have an option to change that in BIOS, since is locked. You can modify the BIOS by yourself, but there are some risks.

 

So, coming back to DVMT pre-allocated memory, anything lower than 96MB will issue a kernel panic and you won't get to the install screen. Regarding my particular laptop model, I tried to install El Capitan some weeks ago and got some errors that were linked to my integrated graphics (I thought it had to do with this pre-allocated memory from what I've read on forums when looking up for the errors that I got from booting with -v flag).

 

After installing Windows and updating my BIOS to the latest version from HP website I saw that I have 128MB of DVMT pre-allocated memory. Then I tried to install El Capitan again and never got any issues regarding the integrated graphics card or DVMT pre-allocated memory. I don't know if it was the BIOS updated that increased the size of the allocated memory or it was something that I did wrong on the first attempt, I never checked the size of this memory before trying to install OS X for the first time.

 

The conclusion is that Intel HD 5500 (the size of the DVMT memory) is not a problem for this particular model of HP Envy 17t when installing OS X, it works as it should, but I recommend to everyone to update their BIOS before trying.

 

For other laptops with Intel HD 5500 and 32MB or 64MB pre-allocated DVMT memory, your best option is to extract and modify the size from the BIOS settings file (again, risky process).

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Intel HD 5500 is a problematic integrated graphics card for laptops when installing OS X simply because you need at least 96MB of DVMT pre-allocated memory in order to avoid a kernel panic. Most of the laptops manufacturers limit this DVMT pre-allocated memory to 32MB or 64MB and you don't have an option to change that in BIOS, since is locked. You can modify the BIOS by yourself, but there are some risks.

 

So, coming back to DVMT pre-allocated memory, anything lower than 96MB will issue a kernel panic and you won't get to the install screen. Regarding my particular laptop model, I tried to install El Capitan some weeks ago and got some errors that were linked to my integrated graphics (I thought it had to do with this pre-allocated memory from what I've read on forums when looking up for the errors that I got from booting with -v flag).

 

After installing Windows and updating my BIOS to the latest version from HP website I saw that I have 128MB of DVMT pre-allocated memory. Then I tried to install El Capitan again and never got any issues regarding the integrated graphics card or DVMT pre-allocated memory. I don't know if it was the BIOS updated that increased the size of the allocated memory or it was something that I did wrong on the first attempt, I never checked the size of this memory before trying to install OS X for the first time.

 

The conclusion is that Intel HD 5500 (the size of the DVMT memory) is not a problem for this particular model of HP Envy 17t when installing OS X, it works as it should, but I recommend to everyone to update their BIOS before trying.

 

For other laptops with Intel HD 5500 and 32MB or 64MB pre-allocated DVMT memory, your best option is to extract and modify the size from the BIOS settings file (again, risky process).

Ok. ..can you send me in pvt wich model have you. ..link shop on line of course

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Sure, no problem. I'll do my best to post the tutorial this weekend after I have some free time to check what works, what not and what can be fixed and how. The important thing for now is that I reached the installer screen. I'll keep this thread updated.

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  • 4 months later...

Ok guys. Great progress here! I actually booted up to the installer screen without an issue.

 

The only problem right now is that at this stage the installer won't detect my touchpad and my internal keyboard so I have to use external ones. If I boot up without any USB peripherals connected the installer brings up some animations with a mouse and a keyboard. After connecting a USB mouse I get a message telling me to connect a bluetooth keyboard.

 

Since I don't have one I can't get past this screen but I'm sure from now on everything will work great. Tomorrow I'll buy an external USB keyboard so I can move on with my install (I heard that I also can put some PS2 kexts in the installer USB but I don't want to mess with these anymore if there is an alternative).

 

Here are some of my notes until now:

  • Intel HD 5500 is not a issue anymore if you upgrade to the latest BIOS version available on HP website (128MB DVMT memory is not a problem for El Capitan)
  • You must use HFSPlus.efi and not VBoxHfs.efi in EFI/CLOVER/drivers64UEFI/ and you must replace OsxAptioFix2Drv-64.efi with OsxAptioFixDrv-64.efi in the same folder.
  • I used an alternative method to create the bootable USB for El Capitan (can't write the name here, just find another alternative) that works much better than Clover OS X El Capitan USB utility (I just couldn't boot to the install screen by using this utility, I think it has something to do with Clover config).

If everything works great I will make a guide on how to install El Capitan on this notebook but for now I have to get an USB keyboard  :D .

 

Here's a photo (sorry for the bad quality) to prove my progress.

 

 

So any luck with the installation. I have the same system as your but I haven't have any luck getting it to the installation screen Please Can you help me.

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  • 2 months later...

Thanks for the advice, It was very helpful.. I was able to unlock the Bios with an Old Bios Tools to get the Job done. Like you said, I am not sure it worth it.. The Process needs research and it's a very complicated.

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