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Full Dell Inspiron 6400 System Working


Alterrean
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After getting my Dell Inspiron 6400 fully operational with MacOS X 10.4.8 I decided that as a way of saying thank you to all the people who made this possible, I was going to write some sort of a guide to help other people to get there too.

 

So, basically I'm gonna just copy here all the procedures i took to get there.

 

1. You'll need an OS X 10.4.7 JAS DVD image burnt into a DVD.

 

2. Then you'll need to disable one core from the laptop's BIOS setup. Then of course boot your laptop with it and proceed with the system install.

(Remember to check the SS3, GMA950 and Wireless options to get those three things working with just the installation of the OS.)

 

3. After the installation is complete, we need to upgrade to 10.4.8.

 

The easiest way i found to do this is with mac.nub's guide here http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=33342.

 

4. Once we have that update installed and working, it's time to get sound from our mac. In order to do this we will use Taruga's method.

 

Just download the AppleHDAPatcher from this post http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=32859 and then the codec dump attached at the end of this guide.

 

Just drop the codec dump on the AppleHDAPatcher icon and authenticate to let the program patch the driver.

 

5. We have now just two problems to solve: Both cores working and the battery fix.

 

To get the battery working, I followed keithpk's tutorial here: http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=14912

You'll need to reboot your SO in order to get that working.

 

6. Final step, getting both cores working.

 

To do that, i followed devilhood's tutorial over here: http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=15474.

 

I used devilhood's suggestion for the Kernel Flag too:

 

<key>Kernel Flags</key>

<string>platform=X86PC fn=3 cpus=1 -v</string>

 

7. Now we just have to go back to our BIOS setup and activate both cores.

 

Now we have everything working! :-D

 

Just in case, I'm pasting here my laptop specifications (I don't know if everything will work with other specs)

 

Intel Core Duo 1.66 GHz

Intel GMA950

Wireless card: Minicard DW1390 (BROADCOM CORPORATION)

Audio: STAC Sigmatel 9200

 

Hope that you can find this handy and once again, Thank You all people who worked so hard to get everything working!

Stac9200_Dell_6400.txt

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I' m upgrading from 10.4.6 to 10.4.8, but i cannot get the kernel file. Then I decided to go ahead installation and reboot after install completed. It boot up witn a shattered screen with blue and black color running around. I think it is a display problem. But using keyboard short cut, I feel that I can go to the system preference and sure can shutdown.

Could anyone give me an advice?

Tkx

btw: do anyone notice that the card reader may be connected the a firewire port? I can see the card reader as a FW0.

 

Spec:

Dell Inspiron 6400

CPU: T5600

Cipset: 80945

Graphic: GMA 950

Ram: 512MB

HD: 120 GB

Wire: 440x

Wireless: 3945

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OK, to fix Ethernet, I followed these steps here: http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.ph..._E1505_.2F_6400 and it worked just fine.

 

I can get the x1300 to work at 1024x768, but only on an external monitor. I can't seem to switch to the LCD display. When I try by pushing FN+F8, I get a garbled screen with a perfect mouse pointer on it. Any suggestions?

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Alterrean, check your settings again... If you set cpus=1 as a kernel flag, you have only one core working under OS X, no matter what you set in the BIOS.

 

Yes this is correct. I don't know of anyone who actually has both cores in a Core 2 Duo properly working without cpus=1 or idle=0. However, it is nesessary to enter that flag if dual core is enabled in the bios (for windows), otherwise OSX will stutter big time.

Edited by seaDonkey
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  • 1 month later...
  • 6 months later...
Audio doesn't mute speakers on lineout, and doesn't mute when turned all the way down either.

 

No lid close wake.

 

Finally, dual cores not working properly. I wouldn't say that the 6400 is fully working just yet.

 

 

were you able to fix sigmatel mute problem

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  • 2 years later...
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