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In addition to the many patches a fixes included in this new version, a few new features for the bootloader made this cut.

We’re back again with this new RC4 version. Since the last RC3 release, we received many patches and fixes, and also backported some important features like ATI graphics device injection, EFI64 tables and PCI root configuration. Also added a new boot option for hiding unwanted foreign partitions from the boot menu.

 

Hide Partition

Using this option you can enumerate all your partitions what you would like to remove from the boot menu, the syntax is similar to the Default Partition option but here you can specify many volumes in your com.apple.Boot.plist:

 

 

PciRoot

This is a similar option what you can find in PC_EFI, but we’re doing this a bit different: The default value is still 0 but you can set to any arbitrary value.

 

Visit http://chameleon.osx86.hu for more info and download links.

 

Credit goes to:

Developers: Crazor, Dense, fassl, iNDi, Kabyl, kaitek, mackerintel, mercurysquad, munky, Turbo, zef

Thanks to: bumby, cosmo1t, dfe, Galaxy, kalyway, netkas, sckevyn, XyZ

 

Installer

Dr.Hurt has put together an installer package which is available for download here

As mentioned please do not report problems related to the installer to the Voodoo Team


User Feedback

Recommended Comments



rednous

Posted

Hi smith@@ and Blackosx. Glad to hear from you ;)

 

Yep, i supposed it's something related to different Chameleon sources. I'll wait :)

 

regards,

Smith@@™

Posted

Hey friend, take a look to this when you can ;)

 

Hi rek

blackosx

Posted

Hey friend, take a look to this when you can ;)

 

Hi rek

I think Prasys has incorporated that already in his branch, but I could be mistaken.

Smith@@™

Posted

I think Prasys has incorporated that already in his branch, but I could be mistaken.

 

ok;)

18seven

Posted

Hi 18seven

 

It might be, I'm not sure but my post was more about introducing the coder to rekursor. I have since pointed him to create an account on the repo as rekursor suggested.

 

Of course, thats all good. I'll just check out the repo myself, like I should have, to see where its at.

Master Chief

Posted

A few nits:

 

1) The text "Efi Inject" should be "EFI Inject".

 

2) The text "Bios" should be "BIOS".

 

3) The text "Current Gfx Injection" should be "Current GFX Injection" or simply use "Device Properties".

- Note the use of both "Efi Inject" and "Current Gfx Injection" here!

 

4) The above button should be disabled when 'device-properties' are not found, to prevent the following errors in system.log:

 

/Users/chief/Library/PreferencePanes/Chameleon.prefPane/Contents/Resources/gfxutil: cannot convert from hex to bin, invalid hex inputfile '/tmp/Chameleon/devprop/chameleon-devprop.hex'!

 

The file /tmp/Chameleon/devprop/chameleon-devprop.plist does not exist.

 

5) I would also change the order and put "About" on top and "Advanced" at the bottom. Or use an alphabetic order?

 

6) I have a vertical scroll bar on the injection panel, which is rather strange because there's nothing to scroll there (I don't have any device-properties).

 

7 I would also rename "Boot From" into "Startup "Drive" and change the font size/weight of devices on this panel when said panel is locked.

 

TIP: Go to System Preferences -> Chameleon without smbios.plist and look at the default values ;)

 

And what about adding a new panel to extract ACPI tables?

 

I also see room for another panel with more technical data about SMBIOS and ACPI addresses – which in turn could be used to speed up the boot process.

 

I hope this feed back helps you to improve this great pref panel.

digital_dreamer

Posted

Anybody getting Windows partitions to show up in this "Boot From" Prefpane? I have a WIN 7 64-bit install on a Windows_NTFS partition with the typical files at root: pagefile.sys, hiberfil.sys, bootmgr, and Boot (directory, not file). Apologies if this was already addressed and I'm not up to speed. You guys move too fast. :P

 

Congratulations to all on such a nice utility. Amazing to see it progress so quickly!

 

kind regards,

MAJ

blackosx

Posted

Anybody getting Windows partitions to show up in this "Boot From" Prefpane? I have a WIN 7 64-bit install on a Windows_NTFS partition with the typical files at root: pagefile.sys, hiberfil.sys, bootmgr, and Boot (directory, not file).

Hi MAJ

 

I had this issue as I had used previous versions of the pref pane. I got my WIN7 NTFS partition to appear by deleting /Library/Preferences/com.chameleon.prefPane.plist then reloading the pref pane.

scrax

Posted

1) The text "Efi Inject" should be "EFI Inject".

I used: "EFI string" for the italian localization cause "Iniezione" was too long and not a lot used

2) The text "Bios" should be "BIOS".

You are right, i'll put an issue on this

3) The text "Current Gfx Injection" should be "Current GFX Injection" or simply use "Device Properties".

- Note the use of both "Efi Inject" and "Current Gfx Injection" here!

I vote for device proprieties like in Lizard

4) The above button should be disabled when 'device-properties' are not found, to prevent the following errors in system.log:

 

/Users/chief/Library/PreferencePanes/Chameleon.prefPane/Contents/Resources/gfxutil: cannot convert from hex to bin, invalid hex inputfile '/tmp/Chameleon/devprop/chameleon-devprop.hex'!

 

The file /tmp/Chameleon/devprop/chameleon-devprop.plist does not exist.

Confirmed i have the same message, another issue to open.

5) I would also change the order and put "About" on top and "Advanced" at the bottom. Or use an alphabetic order?

I think that About could stay at the bottom with the advanced just before it.

 

6) I have a vertical scroll bar on the injection panel, which is rather strange because there's nothing to scroll there (I don't have any device-properties).

Mee to.

 

7 I would also rename "Boot From" into "Startup "Drive" and change the font size/weight of devices on this panel when said panel is locked.

no idea...

 

TIP: Go to System Preferences -> Chameleon without smbios.plist and look at the default values;)

Nothing strange for what i can see without smbios.plist

 

And what about adding a new panel to extract ACPI tables?

Something like the one in DSDTSE? it's a good thing i think.

 

I also see room for another panel with more technical data about SMBIOS and ACPI addresses – which in turn could be used to speed up the boot process.

I hope the SMBIOS part will expanded soon.

 

I have also some minor cosmetic problem in the italian localization a string too long and the wrong icon set. Now 'ill report the issue on the forge.

Master Chief

Posted

7) no idea...

What I mean is that everything on this panel is disabled... except for the data in the tree view on it.

 

BTW: My use of "Startup Drive" in item 7 should have been "Startup Disk".

 

Nothing strange for what i can see without smbios.plist

Some of the check boxes are checked, even without having data from smbios.plist

 

Something like the one in DSDTSE? it's a good thing i think.

Anything that can extract the tables will do. And if that has to come from DSDTSE... so be it.

 

I hope the SMBIOS part will expanded soon.

Like loading SMBIOS from disk maybe?

rekursor

Posted

...

Some of the check boxes are checked, even without having data from smbios.plist

 

 

Anything that can extract the tables will do. And if that has to come from DSDTSE... so be it.

 

 

Like loading SMBIOS from disk maybe?

Thanks A LOT to all for your kind comments and useful feedback, I corrected almost all the details you mentioned,

They will appear in next rc soon ...

Some are complete new development but exciting like opening all acpi tables -> very useful :D

 

I have a question:

Once I am capable of dumping these table in say~/tmp/ACPI

should I :

- Open the acpi dir (easy for me to implement thx for considering that)

- Open the acpi dir and run the default editor on these files (not much harder but puts an incertitude on the capabilities of the opener (might not be multi-file capable)

- Open only the files with a text viewer (no syntax highligting, would wish not to reivent DSDTE if possible :D )

- Open the files with custom editor same remark for higlighting

 

I am also AMAZED by the fantastic work of my team mate DIEBUCHE, many thanks to him for this new look :D

Master Chief

Posted

I have a question:

Once I am capable of dumping these table in say~/tmp/ACPI

should I :

- Open the acpi dir (easy for me to implement thx for considering that)

...

That's the one. Don't bother... You Can't Please Everyone.

 

Now about the ACPI patcher; Why not have one new property in the plist called "ACPI Tables" and use that for all to be added ACPI table names (just DSDT without the .aml) in a comma separated list, in the order of importance. This way you won't have to replicate code like a MAD man (which is something Andy does too much for my taste).

rekursor

Posted

That's the one. Don't bother... You Can't Please Everyone.

 

Now about the ACPI patcher; Why not have one new property in the plist called "ACPI Tables" and use that for all to be added ACPI table names (just DSDT without the .aml) in a comma separated list, in the order of importance. This way you won't have to replicate code like a MAD man (which is something Andy does too much for my taste).

I can right now (almost) automatize the whole acpi tables .aml files extraction, just has to solve few technical problems but it runs (out of the prefpane).

Now putting the names would not be useful until we code the acpi table loading, which is on the todo list but ...

I lack time right now as I also have lot of (paid) work to do but I will see...

Master Chief

Posted

I can right now (almost) automatize the whole acpi tables .aml files extraction, just has to solve few technical problems but it runs (out of the prefpane).

Good news.

 

Now putting the names would not be useful until we code the acpi table loading, which is on the todo list but ...

I lack time right now as I also have lot of (paid) work to do but I will see...

Nobody here is waiting for you to burn out over this so please, take a step back.

 

@Andy, or whoever wants to pick this up, feel free to PM me because I am more than willing to offer a helping hand. The result will be a generally accepted coding style, and a much much smaller and more readable source file.

banini_jeque

Posted

I still badly want someone to fix generateCRTCTimings so that I can get 1024x768x32@75 when I boot my Zotac ION. I've been studying C++, so eventually I may figure it out, but that could be a long time. :D

rekursor

Posted

Good news.

 

 

Nobody here is waiting for you to burn out over this so please, take a step back.

 

@Andy, or whoever wants to pick this up, feel free to PM me because I am more than willing to offer a helping hand. The result will be a generally accepted coding style, and a much much smaller and more readable source file.

I released an RC4 taking in account most of the feedback you folks gave me and also now features an acpi table extraction ...

I have no idea why the scroller is showing as I checked it is in autohide mode (?)

As usual it's here:

http://forge.voodooprojects.org/p/chameleo...eonPrefPane/bin

 

@Chief: Who's andy btw ?

 

Call for HELP for internationalization of spanish file in the prefpane,

Here's the english (reference) file to translate:

Chameleon.strings.zip

The only thing you need to do is carefully translate the text (but not the comments /* .. */ lines)

Take care not to inadvertently change any IDs that our toochains need to reincorporate the file in its xib file.

 

Thanks !

Master Chief

Posted

I released an RC4 taking in account most of the feedback you folks gave me and also now features an acpi table extraction ...

Thanks for this update. And I can confirm that most of the issues are resolved now. Only three left to kill (table view enabled when it should be disabled, scrollbar when there is nothing to scroll and checkboxes enabled without having smbios.plist).

 

BTW: had to install it twice but it works. No idea why, but it is working now. I also ran the ACPI extractor, which extracts the new or modified tables. Not the BIOS factory tables... and this being part of the BIOS panel. Can this be changed to dump the BIOS tables instead?

 

I have no idea why the scroller is showing as I checked it is in autohide mode (?)

Well. I wasn't the only person so there has to be something.

 

@Chief: Who's andy btw ?

See post #588 and follow ups here.

 

I was under the impression that his patch might be incorporated, but there is IMHO quite a bit of work to be done before it should be accepted.

Smith@@™

Posted

I released an RC4 taking in account most of the feedback you folks gave me and also now features an acpi table extraction ...

I have no idea why the scroller is showing as I checked it is in autohide mode (?)

As usual it's here:

http://forge.voodooprojects.org/p/chameleo...eonPrefPane/bin

 

I have try the rc4, it works great. The option for extract ACPI tables works well also. Thanks :(

rednous

Posted

Rekursor,

 

2.0.0 RC4 works perfectly for me :rolleyes: you've done veeeeeeery nice job :(

rekursor

Posted

Thanks for this update. And I can confirm that most of the issues are resolved now. Only three left to kill (table view enabled when it should be disabled, scrollbar when there is nothing to scroll and checkboxes enabled without having smbios.plist).

 

BTW: had to install it twice but it works. No idea why, but it is working now. I also ran the ACPI extractor, which extracts the new or modified tables. Not the BIOS factory tables... and this being part of the BIOS panel. Can this be changed to dump the BIOS tables instead?

 

 

Well. I wasn't the only person so there has to be something.

 

 

See post #588 and follow ups here.

 

I was under the impression that his patch might be incorporated, but there is IMHO quite a bit of work to be done before it should be accepted.

Very interesting work, I'll have a look

For the checkboxes set, it's a feature, because the prefpane optimizes the number of options to write to bootConfig file to minimum,

so options that are defaulted to yes are checked when not present, which is logically correct IMHO.

 

 

 

 

 

Blackosx and possibly smith@@,

 

I found again some loose parts of code (twice the same code but different algos ...) for searching for DSDT,

a return NULL for an int value that should be -1 for fd,

so I decided to clean that up, it works great for me now :

 

So here the DEBUG boot file for you folks:

dsdt_uid_fix.tar.gz

 

It's incredible how many parts of the booter code quality can still be improved,

 

at least this new code does not duplicate badly essential dsdt detection code ...

 

Tell me what you think ;)

yeehaa

Posted

@rek: i cannot understand why you would want to add an option to extract acpi tables. some of the tables have been known to "not extract" when done from osx and once extracted and loaded thro chameleon the next time its gonna dump the table which we injected in the first place. so for every user the table extraction is a one time thing and do u need that option on the prefpane? just a question and tryin to help avoid confusion when users start dumpin tables which they injected!

Smith@@™

Posted

I have try the last boot and works, i see the implemantation of acpi tables like in andy boot, very good; i try with ecdt.aml and the booter load it ;)

My question: UpdateACPIVersion from 1 to 4 works in this boot like in andy booter, right?

UpdateACPIVersion=Yes in com.apple?

 

My system type is set to 4 and works great yet with this version;)

 

I think that this version can become an RCpre;)

 

Hi

rekursor

Posted

I have try the last boot and works, i see the implemantation of acpi tables like in andy boot, very good; i try with ecdt.aml and the booter load it ;)

My question: UpdateACPIVersion from 1 to 4 works in this boot like in andy booter, right?

UpdateACPIVersion=Yes in com.apple?

 

My system type is set to 4 and works great yet with this version;)

 

I think that this version can become an RCpre;)

 

Hi

Thanks Smith@@ !

 

Blackosx what about your pciroot uid problem ?

THe KiNG

Posted

I have try the last boot and works, i see the implemantation of acpi tables like in andy boot, very good; i try with ecdt.aml and the booter load it ;)

Weird tried it and here ECDT.aml was not loaded(both leopard/snow)

With Andy one worked.

 

I'm more then happy with new ACPI stuff!

Hope to fix all soon.

 

@rekursor AndyVand didnt register on chameleon repo?

I don't see any of his stuff there...

rekursor

Posted

Weird tried it and here ECDT.aml was not loaded(both leopard/snow)

With Andy one worked.

 

I'm more then happy with new ACPI stuff!

Hope to fix all soon.

 

@rekursor AndyVand didnt register on chameleon repo?

I don't see any of his stuff there...

Hey King,

I don't load custom acpi table afaik but it is in the pipe,

I didn't see any of them yet (I need the voodoo project nicknames so I can add them)

They are welcome to help of course !

 

EDIT: I tried to add 'andyvand' and it is not yet a registered nickname in the repository,

please tell him that he has to register there...



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