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Dell XPS 420 Help?

KDCane

By KDCane,
in OSx86 10.5 (Leopard)

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kiboo
kiboo
Posted
Posted

@Headrush69

you mean to say that even if I get the "unsupported Sigmatel Codec" message, the file is being patched correctly?!

(because at that point the patcher doesn't fix permissions!?)

 

"Linux Live CD" to generate a dump file? I'm not familiar with that..

do you have any tutorial links?

 

thanks

Headrush69
Headrush69
Posted
Posted
@Headrush69

you mean to say that even if I get the "unsupported Sigmatel Codec" message, the file is being patched correctly?!

(because at that point the patcher doesn't fix permissions!?)

 

"Linux Live CD" to generate a dump file? I'm not familiar with that..

do you have any tutorial links?

 

thanks

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?sho...c=74937&hl=

  • 2 months later...
icomxwing
icomxwing
Posted
Posted

I know this thread has been idle a while but...

just picked got a XPS 420 and have been having some trouble with the install.

I have been using the kalyway 10.5.2 intel and amd disk and it has been installing but it just keeps looping after the page where it asks if i want to transfer any files from another mac. I have tried installing a bunch of time with different options selected but nothing works.

what was your method of install did you use 10.5.1 or what exactly did you select.

 

any help is greatly appreciated.

 

thanks!

SticMAC™
SticMAC™
Posted
Posted

try the one from my 410

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?mdxe0ivqcum

 

Save the zipfile to your desktop,

unpack the zip file,

inside the stac9227 folder, unpack the AppleHDAPatcher_v1.16.zip

drag the STAC9227_83847618.txt file onto the "AppleHDAPatcher_v1.162"(with the green turtle), DON'T open it first, just drag it onto it! It will open itself!

 

 

BTW it is a turtle NOT a frog!! :blink:

 

SticMAN

 

 

 

I just got my 8600 GTS working, so now I have full video on Leopard. So in one day I knocked out video and internet. If I just had some damned sound! LOL
SticMAC™
SticMAC™
Posted
Posted

Disable your onboard NIC in the BIOS!

(it's not going to work in any case!) :P

 

SticMAN

I know this thread has been idle a while but...

just picked got a XPS 420 and have been having some trouble with the install.

I have been using the kalyway 10.5.2 intel and amd disk and it has been installing but it just keeps looping after the page where it asks if i want to transfer any files from another mac. I have tried installing a bunch of time with different options selected but nothing works.

what was your method of install did you use 10.5.1 or what exactly did you select.

 

any help is greatly appreciated.

 

thanks!

SticMAC™
SticMAC™
Posted
Posted

0,0000000%, give or take a percentage point or two! :)

 

I ordered this CHEAP card from e-bay! It turned out to be a PCI adapter with a Wireless Card on it, so I could use it in my old HP and it needs no driver, it is seen as an Airport!

 

Stic.......

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.ch/54M-802-11g-WIFI-PCI-Wi...bayphotohosting

 

 

 

 

I just ordered an XPS 420...

 

So the NIC doesn't work? Are there any hopes of getting that working?

SticMAC™
SticMAC™
Posted
Posted

You'll have to check the HCL, normally any oldish type NIC works fine!

I also have a 3Com3C905B-TX that I got out of a old Pentium III and it works!

 

 

SticMAN

 

Whats the best PCI card to use? As I am heading out today to buy one.
rgreenpc
rgreenpc
Posted
Posted

Given the hardware I have what installer would be best to use? Also, has anyone written a 420 guide? I see some for other brands.

 

I picked up a Netgear NIC off the approved list. I will get a USB audio dongle if needed but I hope not... it seems audio is hit or miss with the 420.

 

When finished I would like this box to be as complete as possible...

 

Lastly - Do you have to install OSX on the main HD or can you do it to another HD? I have seen posts that seem to contradict one another.

icomxwing
icomxwing
Posted
Posted

While I'm by no means an expert on the subject I think I have a pretty solid grasp for how to install on the dell XPS 420 after fighting it tooth and nail for a week.

 

there are plenty of generic guides on this forum but I couldn't find any specific data for this model.

(this is probably only one of many ways)

<-- NOT AN EXPERT follow at your own risk.

 

First I think it is far easier to just install osx on a spare drive or on a drive you can format. (back up anything important) I used Kalyway 10.5.2. make sure you have a NIC and some sound card of usb speakers to use. also what are you using for a graphics card? I think nvidia cards are easier but you should be able to get the install done even if you don't have one. before you start the install restart your comp, and hit F2 to get into the bios set raid to the option that has /ATA at the end. then turn off the onboard NIC and sound. save changes and exit. put in your kalyway disk and restart. hit any key to boot from disk. you will see some black and white text for about 5 min. then the kalyway screen should come up. click english then continue, then at the top of the screen click utilities -> disk utility now here I just used a spare 320 gb drive and partitioned it. i think that GUID file system works easiest but I may be wrong on that (see the top of the post ;) ) click on your drive and select partition. click on 1 partition and then click options, here is where you pick the GUID system. on the format menu select Mac osx extended (journaled). set a label for the drive, mine is OSX then click the erase button. then exit the disk utility, and on the page click your newly formated drive. on the next page you may have different options for your graphics card. I used the vanilla kernel de select the sleep kernel, picked nvidia 512 for my 8800 gt oc, selected all of the audio and network drivers, and for patches i picked time machine and for everything else i left it the way it was. (I removed everything that had to do with other languages) click install.......... I would skip the disk verification. the go eat this will take about 20 min. when you come back it should be doing the osx intro. if you are using the dell keyboard and mouse you will need to tell it "ok" then click the keys it asks for. for all of the other options I think are fairly obvious. don't transfer anything, register, no .mac,

 

There you are I hoped it works for you, if you have any issues you can post here and I'll try to help you.

rgreenpc
rgreenpc
Posted
Posted

Thanks for that...

I cut my teeth installing OSX on an OLD AMD box tonight... it went well... I had video card issues ( would only do 1024x768)

 

But I saw what I needed to do.

 

I am still going to try to get audio working from the onboard chipset.

 

Headrush69 apparently got it quasi-working but the issue I have is that you have to reapply the fix every time.

SticMAC™
SticMAC™
Posted
Posted

If you set the RAID to Autodetec/RAID i.e. OFF, the option to choose the boot drive via F12 is different!

 

With the option of RAID on ON:

You press F12 and have the choice of all your HDD's, Opticaldrives, USB's etc. Here you can choose from each HDD individually or even Opticaldrives individually!

 

With the option of RAID on OFF(Autodetect/RAID)

You press F12 and have the choice of HDD, Opticaldrive, USB, Here you CANNOT choose from each HDD or even Opticaldrives

It boot from the HDD on SATA1! or the Opticaldrive on SATA3!

 

SO, if you want it to boot from any drive while you are in "non-RAID" mode, You need to make sure it is on the first SATA! This is fine because you can put your Windows Drive on the second SATA and if you the enable RAID, you can choose it during bootup and it will show in the Options List!

 

Hope this helps!?

 

SticMAN

 

 

Anyone know a reason that if I turn off Raid support in the bios that I can't boot past post?

 

My system came with 1 HD so there is no Raid. I added a 2nd drive for OSX.

rgreenpc
rgreenpc
Posted
Posted

If I turn off the Raid I can't post at all.

 

Currently

 

 

 

SATA 0 is my Factory HD

 

SATA 1 is my DVD

 

SATA 4 is my OSX HD. (either the labels are very small or I can't see them)

 

If I turn off the RAID setting in the bios, I can't get anywhere after boot the computer BSODs and reboots

 

If I am going to just F12 when I want to start OSX can I leave the computer in RAID?

 

Also have you seen a motheboard schematic for the xps420?

 

 

 

If you set the RAID to Autodetec/RAID i.e. OFF, the option to choose the boot drive via F12 is different!

 

With the option of RAID on ON:

You press F12 and have the choice of all your HDD, Opticaldrive, USB etc. Here you can choose from each HDD individually or even Opticaldrives individually!

 

With the option of RAID on OFF(Autodetect/RAID)

You press F12 and have the choice of HDDs, Opticaldrives, USB's Here you CANNOT choose from each HDD or even Opticaldrives

It boot from the HDD on SATA1! or the Opticaldrive on SATA3!

 

SO, if you want it to boot from any drive while you are in "non-RAID" mode, You need to make sure it is on the first SATA! This is fine because you can put your Windows Drive on the second SATA and if you the enable RAID, you can choose it during bootup and it will show in the Options List!

 

Hope this helps!?

 

SticMAN

SticMAC™
SticMAC™
Posted
Posted

You can choose the boot sequence in the BIOS there you can choose whice drive is to be your first then second drive without having to swop cables! this gives you the choice to either have to F12 to choose WinBLOWS or the other way round!

 

Just unplug the USB Sound and get my install files for the Audio a few posts up once you load them they should work!

 

StiCMAN

 

Followup -

 

I was able to get it installed...

 

I have to hit F12 to select the OSX drive to boot to it.

 

Next will be tackling the audio... I forgot to unplug the USB headset, so I have audio through it.

Headrush69
Headrush69
Posted
Posted
Question - what route did you go for 10.5.3.

 

I have tried 2x and both times I screwed myself up.

The last time I spent over an hour rebuilding my MBR.

What was the problem.

 

Installing 10.5.3 manually was fairly painless here. Had to do the standard AppleIntelCPU...kext check while installing, but other than that only needed to restore 10.5.2 AHCI kexts and all was fine.

 

BTW, the RAID option on the XPS 420 is important for single drive configurations. With RAID autodetect mode, the drive controller uses SATA-IDE mode, but when on RAID ON mode, the drive controller uses AHCI mode. So when you change between the two, OS X is using a completely different driver.

 

P.S. Use AHCI if possible as there are issues with some of the other kexts and large memory support.

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