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Acer Aspire Switch 11 / SW5-171 tablet

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Jan 9, 2014
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Motherboard
Gigabyte H270M-DS3H
CPU
i7-7700K
Graphics
GTX 660
Mac
  1. iMac
Hi!


Borrowed for couple of days Acer Aspire Switch 11, model identification SW5-171, to find out is it good idea buy for myself such device as a “hackpad” candidate. Actually it’s a tablet with keyboard dock.
Searched forums, seems nobody tested yet osx on such device. Now i’m here, getting a help. In starting point main problem is graphics. Bootloader Clover, using hd4400_4600 default config list from RehabMan’s bitbucket. Same config list worked well early for default 10.10.2 install on Lenovo Flex 2-14 with HD4400. But that’s not good anymore for Switch 11, which have HD4200 graphics controller. Comparing Intel’s datasheets, seems like no big difference with HD4400, mainly as i understood HD4200 does not support virtualization technology, which we do not miss on hackintoshes… rest of hardware similar.
Installation attempts so far: Booting up with Clover goes fast and well, until to the OSX install screen, then lcd goes black. Suspected that install didn’t crash, just graphical issue. Next attempt, connected external monitor to the micro hdmi, hitted verbose boot, external monitor dark (no picture), on laptop screen drivers loading, when OSX loading screen suppose to show, laptop monitor goes dark and picture transforms to the external monitor thru the HDMI. Using external monitor i was able install the 10.10.2 nicely, after reboot same situation, drivers loading on laptop screen graphical things continues on external monitor. Otherwise 10.10.2 run’s well on external monitor,detected as HD4400 with 1536 mb video ram detected, kexts loaded…
Of course so far not all drivers resolved, like audio and so on… First priority is resolve graphics.
I was able install 10.9.2 , just for testing purposes, using the same Clover configuration, with small difference, now everything “happening” in laptop screen, external monitor stays dark all the time. I can boot from laptop screen, Mavericks detects videocard as HD4400, with 7mb vram, kexts not loaded, acceleration not working… but at least internal lcd works…
Clover graphics settings, inject Intel yes, ig-platform id 0x0a260006
Tests installed on external usb 3.0 ssd, few kexts used, voodoops2 controller, fakesmc, genericUSB, for 10.10.2 additionally fakepciid and fake 4400_4600 the last one seems consist suitable id 0x0a1e8086…
Main hardware components:
cpu core i3-4012Y 1,5 Ghz Haswell
graphics Intel HD4200
lcd Full HD 1920x1080
disk 60gb ssd (NGFF)
ram 4gb 1600mhz (2 x 2gb onbord, soldered)
wifi AR9462 (not for osx), even don’t know is it replaceable, soldered or separate card installed (case not opened yet)
audio ALC283 (took linux dump)
touchpad seems to be Synaptics , but voodoops2 controller does not recognize trackpad clickpad , also sys pref says no trackpad available, pls connect bluetooth version… but in real life dock hardware keyboard and touchpad works, only clicking not available
touchscreen so far even not recognized in system report USB section, just missing
1 x usb 3.0 port, tablet
1 x usb 2.0 port, dock
1 x free place in dock for normal 2.5 hdd or ssd (extended pro 171P version equipped with hdd)
webcam recognized by osx, working not tested
Any good ideas what to test for next ? how to get graphics working

Linux lspci and lsusb hardware results:
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Haswell-ULT DRAM Controller [8086:0a04] (rev 0b)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:0a1e] (rev 0b)
00:03.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation Haswell-ULT HD Audio Controller [8086:0a0c] (rev 0b)
00:04.0 Signal processing controller [1180]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:0a03] (rev 0b)
00:14.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation Lynx Point-LP USB xHCI HC [8086:9c31] (rev 04)
00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation Lynx Point-LP HECI #0 [8086:9c3a] (rev 04)
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation Lynx Point-LP HD Audio Controller [8086:9c20] (rev 04)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation Lynx Point-LP PCI Express Root Port 3 [8086:9c14] (rev e4)
00:1d.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation Lynx Point-LP USB EHCI #1 [8086:9c26] (rev 04)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation Lynx Point-LP LPC Controller [8086:9c43] (rev 04)
00:1f.2 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation Lynx Point-LP SATA Controller 1 [AHCI mode] [8086:9c03] (rev 04)
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation Lynx Point-LP SMBus Controller [8086:9c22] (rev 04)
00:1f.6 Signal processing controller [1180]: Intel Corporation Lynx Point-LP Thermal [8086:9c24] (rev 04)
01:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Qualcomm Atheros AR9462 Wireless Network Adapter [168c:0034] (rev 01)


Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:8000 Intel Corp.
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 006: ID 0bda:0129 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTS5129 Card Reader Controller
Bus 002 Device 005: ID 04ca:300d Lite-On Technology Corp.
Bus 002 Device 008: ID 06cb:2991 Synaptics, Inc.
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. USB-2.0 4-Port HUB
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 04f2:b474 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 

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Hi!


Borrowed for couple of days Acer Aspire Switch 11, model identification SW5-171, to find out is it good idea buy for myself such device as a “hackpad” candidate. Actually it’s a tablet with keyboard dock.
Searched forums, seems nobody tested yet osx on such device. Now i’m here, getting a help. In starting point main problem is graphics. Bootloader Clover, using hd4400_4600 default config list from RehabMan’s bitbucket. Same config list worked well early for default 10.10.2 install on Lenovo Flex 2-14 with HD4400. But that’s not good anymore for Switch 11, which have HD4200 graphics controller. Comparing Intel’s datasheets, seems like no big difference with HD4400, mainly as i understood HD4200 does not support virtualization technology, which we do not miss on hackintoshes… rest of hardware similar.

HD4200 works the same as HD4400/HD4600. See here: http://www.tonymacx86.com/yosemite-...tel-hd4200-hd4400-hd4600-mobile-yosemite.html

Installation attempts so far: Booting up with Clover goes fast and well, until to the OSX install screen, then lcd goes black.

Did you try different ig-platform-id values? InjectEDID?

Of course so far not all drivers resolved, like audio and so on… First priority is resolve graphics.
I was able install 10.9.2 , just for testing purposes, using the same Clover configuration, with small difference, now everything “happening” in laptop screen, external monitor stays dark all the time. I can boot from laptop screen, Mavericks detects videocard as HD4400, with 7mb vram, kexts not loaded, acceleration not working… but at least internal lcd works…

HD4400 not working in that case. You're seeing the effect of VESA graphics drivers.

touchpad seems to be Synaptics , but voodoops2 controller does not recognize trackpad clickpad

Could be the trackpad is not PS2 or is not Synaptics. You should check ioreg to see what is happening.
 
Did you try different ig-platform-id values? InjectEDID?
... just a simple thing i forgot, which i mostly do, tick the Clover's InjectEDID box...
InjectEDID did the thing together with InjectIntel + FakeID 04128086 , nothing more needed, after install 1536mb Vram detected, acceleration work at full. Only problem is that now external screen over HDMI "fly's", needs adjusting, but i leave that thing for the future. There is bunch of other things which needs to be resolved.
One thing i noticed was acpibatterymanager problem, when i copied kext to EFI>CLOVER>kexts>other then after reboot tablet hanged, did not probed verbose mode yet (dealing with other things). System loading comes almost to the welcome screen, on the screen corner is already mouse cursor visible (screen himself black) and hangs forever, even power button shutdown did nothing, only reset with paperclip helps. Removing acpibatterymanager system starts again functioning normally. Obviously patching needed, can Clover do something on fly? or dsdt patch needed ?
Thanks advance.
 
... just a simple thing i forgot, which i mostly do, tick the Clover's InjectEDID box...
InjectEDID did the thing together with InjectIntel + FakeID 04128086 , nothing more needed, after install 1536mb Vram detected, acceleration work at full. Only problem is that now external screen over HDMI "fly's", needs adjusting, but i leave that thing for the future. There is bunch of other things which needs to be resolved.
One thing i noticed was acpibatterymanager problem, when i copied kext to EFI>CLOVER>kexts>other then after reboot tablet hanged, did not probed verbose mode yet (dealing with other things). System loading comes almost to the welcome screen, on the screen corner is already mouse cursor visible (screen himself black) and hangs forever, even power button shutdown did nothing, only reset with paperclip helps. Removing acpibatterymanager system starts again functioning normally. Obviously patching needed, can Clover do something on fly? or dsdt patch needed ?
Thanks advance.

All kexts should be installed to /S/L/E. Kext injection (Clover/kexts) should be used only when needed (installer, recovery partition, etc).

For battery patching: http://www.tonymacx86.com/yosemite-...de-how-patch-dsdt-working-battery-status.html
 
Thanks. Spent time so far mostly looking for the touchscreen driver, which seems right now impossible.
On mobo installed I2C hid controller where connects touchpad and touchscreen. Seems no I2C drivers available so far for OSX. Hardware is similar as Dell Venue Pro 11 or Surface Pro 3. Did read forums and got answers, no and no touchscreen, even Touch-Base did not decided do they start develope the I2C driver in the future. Maybe someone in some other time takes seriously and writes driver....
Otherwise great small "hackpad", you can change M.2 wireless card (tested), acer does not have whitelist issue, or change SSD (M.2 too). So, if you not need touchscreen, then go for it, you'll get 11.6" "hack air".
Did not resolved all driver issues yet.... touchscreen issue cools down a little-bit motivation.
 

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Dealing with acpi tables, did i got right that useful tables are only DSDT, SSDT1 and SSDT5, rest of ssdt's may send to trash ? and also how to get rid of these nasty parse error messages in DSDT/SSDT, how to treat them ? example i use ACPI 4.0 in Maciasl preferences i got zero errors, when i use 5.0 i got 16 parse errors. But 4.0 is too old ? should use 5.0 ?

thanks
 

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Dealing with acpi tables, did i got right that useful tables are only DSDT, SSDT1 and SSDT5, rest of ssdt's may send to trash ? and also how to get rid of these nasty parse error messages in DSDT/SSDT, how to treat them ? example i use ACPI 4.0 in Maciasl preferences i got zero errors, when i use 5.0 i got 16 parse errors. But 4.0 is too old ? should use 5.0 ?

thanks

It appears you did not disassemble correctly. Make sure follow the guide (iasl -da -dl *.aml).
 
Okay, disassembled with iasl. Placed Acpi 5.0 option back in Maciasl, now compiling i have 4 errors, never seen something similar, how to patch ? took screenshot
thanks
 

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Okay, disassembled with iasl. Placed Acpi 5.0 option back in Maciasl, now compiling i have 4 errors, never seen something similar, how to patch ? took screenshot
thanks

Errors cannot be diagnosed without the code as context. Post native files.
 
Attached disassembled tables
 

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