MSI P6N SLI-FI Clean install using ToH RC2 (with nVidia GeForce series VGA)

[.NetRolller 3D]

MSI P6N SLI-FI Clean install using ToH RC2 (with nVidia GeForce series VGA)

You will need:

• IDE hard drive
  
• DVD-rewriter (IDE and SATA will both work, SCSI/SAS/Fibre Channel/FATA not tested)
  
• ToH RC2 ISO
  
• Marvin's AMD Utility (and yes, we are installing on an Intel-platform motherboard with an Intel CPU)
  
• Natit or NVInject (Titan might work, MacVidia won't. For GeForce 8 series cards, you need NVInject, nothing else will work.)
  
• The Golden.zip postpatch (to get dual/quad-core to work)
  
• Official 10.5.1 Universal update package (fixes a lot of issues)
  
• AppleHDAPatcher 1.17 (attached) and a Linux codec dump for your sound chip (check type on motherboard, most likely it will be an ALC888, but it might be an ALC883 or an ALC889A on some revisions!)
  

Installation:

1. Burn the ToH ISO to a DVD+/-R. (DVD+/-RW is reported to cause problems on other boards, not tested with this one.)
   
2. Disconnect (or disable in BIOS) ALL SATA hard drives larger than 128 GB from the motherboard. Otherwise Setup will hang. (You can reconnect them once Setup is complete, but you won't be able to use them from Leopard until a new AppleNForceATA.kext comes out. Installation from SATA DVD works fine.)
   
3. Go into BIOS and set these options:
   • HPET: Enabled
     
   • NoExecute: Enabled (recommended, but possibly not required)
     
   • Limit Max CPUID to 3: DISABLED, otherwise the DVD won't boot.
     
   • Onboard LAN: Disabled (known to cause strange problems for some people during setup, can be re-enabled after installation)
     
   • Onboard IEEE1394: Enabled (again, to avoid setup problems)
     

[*]Boot from the DVD. Press F8 when it asks you to do so (but not earlier, as that will prevent booting!), and enter the options "-x -legacy cpus=1" (you might also add the graphics mode if you want).

[*]When it is loaded, open Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.

[*]Create/format a HFS+ Journaled partition. (Double-check that you have selected MBR as the partitioning mode!)

[*]Quit Disk Utility and install Leopard.

[*]When installation is complete, reboot from the DVD with the same options as before.

[*]Open Terminal and do a Bootfix (omit "sudo" from the commands listed on that page and use "/usr/misc/startupfiletool" instead of just "startupfiletool"). Don't close the terminal window yet.

[*]Execute the command "cd /Volumes/Leopard/System/Library/Extensions; mkdir backup; mv NVDAResman.kext backup" (replace "Leopard" with the name of the volume you installed Leopard on). Hint: if you used the non-case-sensitive version of HFS+, you won't have to deal with capitals - except for the volume name.

[*]Remove the DVD and boot into Leopard with the options "-v -legacy cpus=1" (Don't use the option -x, or Setup will keep looping at the migration step!)

[*]Go through the setup assistant. (Don't forget to set a password, or Sudo will break!)

[*]When you boot into OS X for the first time, add "-legacy cpus=1" to your com.apple.Boot.plist.

[*]Now let's enable QE/CI. (This is for nVidia cards.) Install either Natit or NVInject. (Titan might work as well, while MacVidia will simply give you an invalid resolution, possibly breaking your screen if it's a CRT!)

[*]Open System Profiler and find out the device ID of your card.

[*]Open Terminal, use the command "sudo -s" or "sudo bash" to go superuser, then then execute the following command:

"cd /System/Library/Extensions/NVDA<type of yout VGA>HAL.kext/Contents; nano info.plist"

("type of your VGA" is NV10 for GeForce 2 and possibly GeForce 4 MX, NV20 for GeForce 3 and maybe 4, NV30 for GeForce FX, NV40 for GeForce 6 and 7, and NV50 for GeForce 8, which will require NVInject, as Natit doesn't support G80)

[*]Go to the line with lots of device IDs (under "IOPCIPrimaryMatch") and remove all of them so that only "<string></string>" remains.

[*]Type your device ID in the form "0x<device ID from System Profiler>10de" (without quotes). I used a GeForce 7600GT and I got 0x0391 from System Profiler, so I had to enter 0x039110de.

[*]Press Ctrl+X, press Y, then Enter (Return).

[*]Type "cd ../../backup/NVDAResman.kext/Contents; nano info.plist", then do steps 16 to 19 again.

[*]Type "cd ../../../GeForce.kext/Contents; nano info.plist", and repeat steps 17 to 20, looking for "IOPCIMatch" this time. Don't close Terminal yet.

[*]Fire up Marvin's AMD utility. Choose the action "Patch all binaries", click Browse, navigate to /System/Library/Extensions/backup, click Select, and then click Run. It will fail, don't worry, this is normal. Don't close AMD Utility.

[*]Choose the action "Patch all cpuid's using cpuid file", deselect the "Simulation" and "Undo" checkboxes. Click the first Browse button, navigate to your desktop, and look for "AMD.Patch.Folder". Enter that folder, then go into the subfolder with the latest date/time in its name. Select cpuid.txt from that folder.

[*]Click the second Browse button, navigate to /System/Library/Extensions/backup, select the folder and click Run.

[*]Once CPUID patching is done (you can now close AMD Utility), go back to Terminal and type "cd /Systen/Library/Extensions/backup; cp -R NVDAResman.kext .." (you might use mv instead of cp).

[*]Execute the command "cd ..; chown -R 0:0 NVDAResman.kext; chmod -R 755 NVDAResman.kext; cd ..; rm Extensions.mkext"

[*]Repair permissions and maybe update prebinding, then reboot. You should have QE/CI and resolution switching enabled. However, you have just broken shutdown. If you try to shut down OS X, it just hangs. So let's fix it.

[*]Extract Golden.zip to your desktop. Be careful not to extract to a"Golden" subfolder of your desktop, put the files there directly!

[*]Open 9a581PostPatch.sh in TextEdit, and replace all instances of "XXX" with your short username.

[*]Open Terminal, execute "sudo -s", enter your password, CD to your desktop, then execute the command "./9a581PostPatch.sh". When it asks you whether to remove AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext, you can choose anything, as the kext will be overwritten later. (This is needed for dual/quad-core.)

[*]Mount the 10.5.1 update DMG.

[*]Open MacOSXUpd10.5.1.pkg in Pacifist 2.5.1.

[*]Select and install everything except what I have listed below:

/mach_kernel
/System/Library/Extensions/
AppleACPIPlatform.kext
AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer.kext
ApplePS2Controller.kext
AppleSMBIOS.kext
dsmos.kext
IOATAFamily.kext IOAHCIFamily.kext
AppleAC97Audio.kext
AppleAHCIPort.kext
AppleAzaliaAudio.kext
AppleVIA.kext
AppleVIAATA.kext
IOHDIXController.kext
IONetworkingFamily.kext
NVDANV10HAL.kext
NVDANV20HAL.kext
NVDANV30HAL.kext
NVDANV40HAL.kext
NVDANV50HAL.kext
NVDAResman.kext
GeForce.kext

[*]Reboot. You should now be running 10.5.1 with The Golden Kernel. All cores should work now. Onward to Audio.

[*]Drag your codec dump to the AppleHDA Patcher icon. Let AppleHDAPatcher do its work.

[*]Reboot. You should have sound working with stereo analog out, stereo digital out and MIC input. Congratulations, you are done!

TODO: Sleep, 5.1/7.1 Sound (some models have ALC883, others, like mine have ALC888, possibly ALC889A is used as well), SATA writing, onboard LAN.

 

Edit 1: clarified the AMD utility step

Edit 2: fixed an error in the AMD utility step

Edit 3: added the missing part of the AMD utility step and fixed IOPCIMatch/IOPCIPrimaryMatch confusion. Also added a new TODO and an alternative to the -legacy switch.

Edit 4: moved guide to separate thread, added sound, updated to 10.5.1

Edit 5: switched from BrazilMac+ToH kernel to The Golden Postpatch for better dual/quad-core support

Edit 6: fixed some typos, attached AppleHDAPatcher and added link to the hard-to-find Golden.zip.

Edit 7: changed guide to use the startupfiletool already found on the DVD, eliminating the need for a pendrive.

Edit 8: Fixed a permission error in the Golden.zip stage (I didn't catch it because I reused a previously-opened Terminal that was already sudo'd when I did it.)

AppleHDAPatcher_v1.17.zip

[.NetRolller 3D]

BUMP

 

Feel free to post replies...

[Envying]

Excellent Guide, Good Job!

[ziggypop1234]

will this guide work with the msi p4n-diamond sli board for leopard?

[.NetRolller 3D]

I don't know, but it's definitely worth a try (though the guide is designed for nforce 6xx series boards).

[KahNv2]

thxz for making this wonderfull reply. I havent been able to install the Leopard on my IDE disk, but with your tutorial i finally have!! But.. as always, I have a problem. At step 11 in your guide I have to boot into Leopard, without the DVD, -v -legacy cpus=1 options but I still get the Migration loop! I can also boot with only -legacy cpus=1, still the same problem. I have even tried -x -v -legacy cpus=1, but still the same problem. Is there any other way to work around this migration step? I am so close now, but still no perfect boot in Leopard..

[Danloreye]

Thanks to your guide i was able for the first time to boot on Leopard with my P5N32E-SLI.

I'm, for now, stuck at the step 20 but i'll manage to get it work (i still have to find how to install nvinject.kext because Leo says it's not properly installed).

 

Ow... i forgot. I don't know why but step 10 (mkdir and move of the nvdresman.kext) was not working so i had to use MacDrive from Vista to create the directory and move the file. Probably due to a missing a capital letter somewhere :/....

[poohbears]

Excellent guide, very much appreciated. I do however now require a little help please!!

 

I have reached stage 22/23 on the guide - Marvin's AMD utility.

 

The problem I have is the utility hasn't created a cpuid.txt file to select, the folder(s) on the desktop have been created but do not contain cpuid.txt file.

 

Please advise where I have gone wrong.

 

Thanks

 

Dave

 

FYI I am using a MSI P6N sli-fi board, E2160 processor, 6600GT graphics. so far everything has gone according to the guide, and now I'm stuck!

[KahNv2]

I had the same problem. I tried a sudo chmod thing and i finally got the cpuid.txt. But now, at step 22 i have to cp -R the NVDAResman.kext to an other directory. Now it just keeps telling me: Permission Denied. Help please

[Danloreye]

I had the same problem as all of you. But finaly it seemed to work. But when i copied back the nvdresman.kext file my Leo refused to boot (panic). So i removed it again.

 

I jumped over those video steps and i finaly got a Leo 10.5.1 runnig with sounds. But alas no video.

 

btw (at the end as soon i got my core 2 duo recognizd i rolled back the step 13).

[KahNv2]

Ok I finally got the Video working. But, now I am trying to install the golden patch and the 10.5.1 update, but after this, my MAc install just stops working (allways kernel panics). Hmmm.... In the tutorial there are a few files that don't need to be selected. +- 50% of them I cant find.... And the golden patch gives me a lot of errors! Help again?

[.NetRolller 3D]

@KahNv2: First install the update, skipping the files I mentioned, then install the kernel (just the kernel!) from the Golden patch. The kernel panic means that you allowed it to overwrite one of the critical files with Mac-only versions.

 

@Danloreye: "nvdresman.kext" is properly called "nvdaresman.kext". "Not properly installed" means permission problem. Chmod it to 755 and chown it to 0:0 to get it work. The nvdaresman.kext that you need for QE/CI is the one found on the DVD, but you need tho patch it with the AMD patcher. Copy that to the extensions folder, copy GeForce.kext from the DVD if it got replaced, and it should boot.

 

EDIT: Check out the first post, it has been updated. A showstopper was fixed in it, so it should work properly now.

[Stupidicus]

Excellent. I'll try this guide shortly. I have the platinum version of the P6N, but my among my friends we have 4 of the SLI-FIs.

[muitommy]

alas, is that pacifist 2.5.1 is a must???

i have followed your guide and skipped the vga parts,

but then i get stuck in step 31, my pacifist cant

open the pkg file and that tells "bom ... does not seem to be exist .."

later on, the image file cant be even opened by macdrive ..

what's wrong with it?

any way to have rollback(the patch script) other than install it all over again

cus i was skipping the step 31&32, and the system says mach_kernel is missing...

copy back the origianl one from the cd won't help and i suspect there should be

some other changes the can't be rollback... *sigh*

*anyway, still thanks for your guide**

[Rico0100]

Till now everything is going fine until step 23, the cpuid.txt is not generated :S

Do i need to change the permissions? and how ?

PLZ Help if anyone got it working

 

System Specs: MB: MSI P6N SLI FI (650i SLI) | CPU: C2D E6600@2.4GHz | RAM: 2x1GB PC2-6400 | VGA: EVGA 8800GTS 320MB OC | HDD: 320GB SATA2 + 80GB IDE

 

 

EDIT: Got it working by using

"cd /System/Library/Extensions/backup"

"chmod -R 7777 NVDAResman.kext"

[Rico0100]

Thanks for the tutorial

I am now running Mac OS X 10.5.1 with all devices recognized except for the NIC

[Stupidicus]

In my 10.5.1 update, I didn't find these bolded kexts:

 

/System/Library/Extensions/

AppleACPIPlatform.kext

AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer.kext

ApplePS2Controller.kext

AppleSMBIOS.kext

dsmos.kext

IOATAFamily.kext IOAHCIFamily.kext

AppleAC97Audio.kext

AppleAHCIPort.kext

AppleAzaliaAudio.kext

AppleVIA.kext

AppleVIAATA.kext

IOHDIXController.kext

IONetworkingFamily.kext

NVDANV10HAL.kext

NVDANV20HAL.kext

NVDANV30HAL.kext

NVDANV40HAL.kext

NVDANV50HAL.kext

NVDAResman.kext

GeForce.kext

 

The rest were there and I copied everything but them over, but I'm thinking that missing at least one of them may be why I can't boot with both cores yet.

 

Did I get the wrong 10.5.1 update? I did not find all the same kexts in that folder.

[MooNTanG]

has anyone attempted this on a msi p6n sli platinum? I haven't found a dvd that works ie: ToH, kalyway, iatkos. I will attempt this later today but I was just curious to see if anyone had done it successfully on the platinum board. The sli-fi boards and the platinum are pretty much identical, I don't see why there would be a problem.

[Stupidicus]

has anyone attempted this on a msi p6n sli platinum? I haven't found a dvd that works ie: ToH, kalyway, iatkos. I will attempt this later today but I was just curious to see if anyone had done it successfully on the platinum board. The sli-fi boards and the platinum are pretty much identical, I don't see why there would be a problem.

Yes, mine. ToH RC2. followed the walkthrough pretty much exactly, only problem I've had is that I can't find the kexts in the list I gave.

 

30. Open Terminal, execute "sudo -s", enter your password, CD to your desktop, then execute the command "./9a581PostPatch.sh". When it asks you whether to remove AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext, you can choose anything, as the kext will be overwritten later. (This is needed for dual/quad-core.)

.NetRoller, you say in the guide that the AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext will be replaced later, where do you suggest finding the new version to overwrite the original with?

[MooNTanG]

what is the md5 hash on the ToH dvd. i think mine might contain errors

[houkouonchi]

what is the md5 hash on the ToH dvd. i think mine might contain errors

 

Here you go:

 

root@sabayonx86-64: 11:03 AM :/drive13/isos# md5sum ToH_x86_9A581_RC2.iso

83909703a60283ffc8f3da1d8a8594f0 ToH_x86_9A581_RC2.iso

 

You do need to use cpus=1 while booting until you do the golden patch otherwise you will get a kernel panic.

 

Anyone get onboard ethernet working on these? I have the MSI platinum nforce 650i board and I have:

 

root@sabayonx86-64: 11:04 AM :~# lspci | grep -i ether

00:14.0 Bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP51 Ethernet Controller (rev a3)

04:08.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8129 (rev 10)

 

But so far neither seem to work for me.

[Rico0100]

i am now running with 2 cores on C2D E6600 but i have a problem, to connect a usb device or firewire i must restart to make it work ... i have to do it every time

[Tyler valo]

Thanks to your guide i was able for the first time to boot on Leopard with my P5N32E-SLI.

I'm, for now, stuck at the step 20 but i'll manage to get it work (i still have to find how to install nvinject.kext because Leo says it's not properly installed).

 

Ow... i forgot. I don't know why but step 10 (mkdir and move of the nvdresman.kext) was not working so i had to use MacDrive from Vista to create the directory and move the file. Probably due to a missing a capital letter somewhere :/....

 

I'm about to go CRAZY!!!!! that step 10 mkdir won't work for me either!!!! How do you type it in EXACTLY? the name of the hard drive is "Mac HD".

[blackbird_n1]

Yeh I also get throu it, but I get stuck at the update to 10.5.1, there some files missing and after I've done it, the finder wasn't able to start.

[blackbird_n1]

Yeh I got the same problem, I think efi would help