Installing Lion on a Dell Inspiron 1720 / 1520 [VERSION 2]

This is Version 2 of this guide, as I felt the 1st version wasn't getting a high enough success rate. I am hoping that this one is better. Many thanks and credit to all for your help with this, and as always, thank you to Tony for hosting this forum and making all of this possible!

Many of you may be long term followers of this thread: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=1877 where there has been a lot of success installing Snow Leopard on our Dell Inspiron 1720 Laptops. Now it's time to get going with Lion. This tutorial assumes that you want to install a fresh copy of Lion as opposed to upgrading.

What system is this intended for?

This guide is intended for users with Dell Inspiron 1720's and 1520's. I cannot promise that it will work for any other system, but by all means, give it a go. My Inspiron 1720 has the PM965 chipset, so you'll probably get best results if you have the same

You will need:

1. Your Inspiron running Snow Leopard 10.6.8 (or another Mac capable of downloading the Lion upgrade app from the App Store)
2. The purchased upgrade app from the app store
3. An 8GB key drive (not external USB HDD)
4. The files attached to this post.
5. Patience
6. Coffee

Recommendations and Disclaimers

1. In case your new installation does not boot and you need to make adjustments, I recommend you have a working Snow Leopard system on either your 2nd HDD (1720 users) or external USB HDD so that you can make changes to your new Lion install quickly and with less headaches.
2. PLEASE backup all your data, and remember that I am not responsible for loss of data, sleep or hair.
3. Please read the post in it's entirety before you begin and make note of things listed in the section 'If something goes wrong...'
4. You MUST check that you have your BIOS set to AHCI not ATA, and Execute Disable bit must be Enabled or you will get instant reboots.

Firstly, we will need to create our USB installer... This is, unfortunately, the longest part of the process because Apple have decided to release Lion via the App Store using this hashed up installer.

Instructions:

1. Navigate to the Lion Update app and Show Contents
2. Use app ShowAllFiles.app to show hidden files
3. Locate the InstallESD.dmg file in /Contents/SharedSupport and mount it
4. Open "Mac OS X Install ESD" and mount BaseSystem.dmg
5. Open Disk Utility and Format your USB key drive with 2 partitions, make the 1st 200MB and call it "Boot" and make the 2nd fill the rest of the space - make sure the partition type is GUID
5. Restore the mounted BaseSystem.dmg to the 2nd partition on your USB drive and rename it "Lion_USB"
6. Goto Lion_USB and locate the Packages alias in /System/Installation and delete it
7. Copy the packages folder in the root of "Mac OS X Install ESD" to same location as alias you just deleted on USB
8. Copy mach_kernel and kernelcache from "Mac OS X Install ESD" to root of Lion_USB
9. Unzip the LionGMInstall.zip and enter command into terminal making sure the destination is Lion_USB (see included instructions).
10. Unzip USB_Extra.zip folder and copy to root of Boot - please note that the DSDT is for an Inspiron 1720 with the Nvidia 8600M GT and T7500 CPU (replace with your own if necessary)
11. Run the Chameleon installer and install to Boot. If it says that you cannot install to Boot, you may need to close the installer and reopen.
12. Goto S/L/E on Lion_USB and delete AppleHDA.kext
13. Copy the 2 Kexts in "Modified IOPCI and AppleACPI for 10.6.8 and Lion.zip" to S/L/E on USB (you may need to delete the ones in there first)
14. Make a cache of S/L/E on Lion_USB and E/E on Boot by dragging each respective folder to Kext Utility.
15. Open Lion_USB, and copy the Extensions.mkext in /System/Library to System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup
16. Get info on Lion_USB and make sure that "Ignore ownership on this volume" is checked
17. Use ShowAllFiles app to hide hidden files

Now you're set to boot from USB! Insert the USB installer into the target Inspiron (if not the one you have used to create it) and reboot. At the BIOS screen tap F12 and select "USB Storage Device" from the list. You should see the Chameleon boot screen. Tap any key to stop the countdown, highlight Lion_USB then (optionally) type "arch=i386 -x -v" and press enter (use if you have problems booting). After a short while you should see the Lion Installer.

When you see the installer, open disk utility format your selected hard drive with 1 partition and call it "Lion". The name is important for the next step, but you can rename the drive after everything is completed. Make sure that the partition type is GUID. Exit Disk Utility and follow the installer's prompts to install Lion on your hard drive. Please note, that you can not customise the installation by clicking the 'Customise' button as you may have done in Snow Leopard (you will find that the list is blank). Just continue through until the installation is finished and automatically reboots - but leave your USB stick attached!

We now need to boot from the USB stick again and once again start the installer as we need the terminal to move some files around (if you have a working SL install, you may choose to skip the first terminal commands and read on). So boot back into the installer and open the Terminal.app. Enter the following commands:


If you have a bootable system on a second or external drive, add the 2 extensions from "Modified IOPCI and AppleACPI for 10.6.8 and Lion.zip" to S/L/E on your HDD and replace the existing ones and delete AppleHDA.kext.

In either case, now type this terminal command:

Enter your password if needed and wait for the process to complete. You are now ready to boot into your newly installed system. So close the terminal and reboot the system and press F12 at the BIOS one last time and boot from your USB stick. This time, select "Lion".

If all goes well, you should see the Setup Assistant. Run through the Setup Assistant remembering NOT to select your wifi network when asked (select other setup, then my mac does not connect to the internet) as it will send your system information to Apple. When you hit the desktop you have a couple more things to do:

Post Install Instructions

1. Copy the Extra folder from Lion_USB to Lion
2. Add the kexts from "Extensions for HDD.zip" to E/E on Lion
3. Edit your com.apple.Boot.plist file to include "GraphicsEnabler=Yes" and, if you want ethernet, "max_valid_dma_addr=1024" in the kernel flags.
4. Unzip "AppleHDA.kext from 10.6.2.zip" and add to S/L/E on Lion
5. If you want ethernet, unzip AppleBCM440XEthernet.kext.zip and add to S/L/E on Lion
6. Run the Chameleon installer selecting Lion
7. Make a cache of S/L/E and E/E on Lion by dragging each respective folder to Kext Utility.
8. In Lion, copy the Extensions.mkext in /System/Library to System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup
9. If you have the Nvidia card, open the terminal and type "sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0" (this will set your sleep mode so sleep isn't broken).
10. Eject your USB stick and reboot…

Note: I have found that the first time you boot from your installed Lion system on your HDD you need to enter "arch=i386 -x -v" at the chameleon boot screen. You should only need to do this once, so don't enter it again after you have followed the post install instructions.

If something goes wrong...

1. Read the post again. Make sure you have not missed something.
2. Did you add the required files in S/L/E and use Kext util on E/E and S/L/E?
3. Did you remove Lion's AppleHDA/kext?
3. If you use the Broadcom Ethernet Kext, you MUST add "max_valid_dma_addr=1024" to your boot flags or you will find that your system will hang at boot time stating "Waiting for root device...".
4. If, after you have installed and you have replaced the extensions in S/L/E, you still have a Kernel Panic stating something like AppleACPI platform mismatch or unable to find driver for this platform, it's most commonly (in my experience) incorrect permissions in one of the extensions (probably AppleACPIPlatform.kext). If so, boot your working install or the installer on your USB stick, open a terminal and type "sudo diskutil repairpermissions /Volumes/Lion".
5. Did you check your BIOS Settings? See Recommendations and Disclaimers.
6. Please boot in verbose (enter -v at prompt) and post whatever the error is if you need further help

Any problems, please post and I will do my best to help.

Enjoy the big purry cat of goodness

EDIT: IMPORTANT: If you have the T9500 CPU, you may need to omit using the AppleACPI and IOPCIFamily from 10.6.7 - try booting with the Lion ones first.

EDIT: Added BIOS Settings to check.

EDIT: Attached IO80211Family.kext from 10.6.7, try this if your Wifi doesn't work and it's one from a Mac or same broadcom chipset.

i used Tony's xMove method to do my Lion install for my laptop.
because i was familiar with it on my desktop install.
i decided to carry on and tweak it a little bit for the Dell 1720.

for my post installation experience.
i had to rollback a few kexts to make my Lion install work.
AppleACPIPlatform.kext --> 10.6.7
IOPCIFamily.kext --> 10.6.7
AppleHDA.kext --> remove due to VoodooHDA.
IO80211Family.kext --> 10.6.7
i had to toggle back to 32-bit mode to allow OSX to recognize my wifi card.
after that it was okay when i reverted back to 64-bit mode.

had to do countless reboots to find the combination above. and hours of reading.
hope this helps.

Very detailed guide indeed! Thanks!!!
Will try it later and post my findings.

Thank you so much, I finally got it working
For me the two changed Kexts made all the difference!

Great guide, thank you so much, now have a fully running Lion install,
with everything working great!

Out of the box:
Wifi
Bluetooth
Graphics (had the graphics already enabled in the .plist)
But I probably will install a another Graphic Kext (NVEnabler) in S/L/E,
the performance seems better!

Post-Install:
Ethernet
Battery
Sound

Not yet working:
Sleep
Airdrop (probably the Wifi card is not compatible?)

Great job! Thank you very much!!!

Did you got Airdrop working on your Machine? It doesn't appear in the side menu.
Would be nice to have it working, but it's not that important for me at the moment.

So, thanks, again, if there is anything else I can post, please let me know.

posting.php?mode=reply&f=170&t=26283#

After booting with Lion_USB Stick startup stops with "nstat_lookup_entry failed:2". specs are the same as yours, ellnic, but I have a Dell 1390 WLAN Card. Where could be the problem? THX

Hi to All!!!


First of all say thanks for this excelent Guide.

I Followed all the steps up to 17. Boot with the USB stick on and with arch=386 -x -v

But unafortunatelly can´t boot i have these:

nstat_lookup_entry failed: 2
nstat_lookup_entry failed: 3
Previous shutdown cause: 3
DSMOS has arrived

Could you let me know what´s wrong??? I Have Inspirion 1720 with T5750.

Is the trouble related with DSDT????

Thanks in Advance

xotet said:

Hi to All!!!


First of all say thanks for this excelent Guide.

I Followed all the steps up to 17. Boot with the USB stick on and with arch=386 -x -v

But unafortunatelly can´t boot i have these:

nstat_lookup_entry failed: 2
nstat_lookup_entry failed: 3
Previous shutdown cause: 3
DSMOS has arrived

Could you let me know what´s wrong??? I Have Inspirion 1720 with T5750.

Is the trouble related with DSDT????

Thanks in Advance

Click to expand...

Hi there! I am not a specialist, just speaking from my experience and thanks to this great guide (and Kexts) successful Lion install on my Inspiron 1720!

When I used the DSDT provided here, I could boot into Lion, but it wouldn't work in Snow Leopard, so I guess, it could be the DSDT. Although, until recently, I didn't used one at all, and still everything worked well in Snow Leopard. Hope it didn't broke anything

For me the two changed Kexts and deleting Apple HDA worked well.
It's exactly as described above! Good luck!

Hi Guys,

thanks for the help provided,

Ok re runed kext utility with S/L/E and E/E.

Also confirmed the Kext´s versions are correct deleted the new ones.

( both AppleACPIPlatform and IOPCIFamily appears higlighted green don´t konw if it´s important)

(I Always booting with arch=386 -x -v)

Still have the same messages but finally booted but touchpad don´t work.

Is there a trouble to be fixed in postinstall?

Thanks in advance and sorry for my bad english.

Good you were able to boot!

In my case, trackpad didn't work as well, haven't used the Kexts from Kext.com, but will try. I had to install the Keyboard Kext to S/L/E with Kext Utility to make Trackpad working, just in case it won't work otherwise.

Hope it works!!!

Great forum, thanks for all the help and info!

Hi Everyone, sorry for the very delayed reply. I changed my CPU to a T9500 the other day and have been having some teething issues.

@xron - I haven't seen the airdrop feature either, does it only show up when 2 compatible mac's are around? Do you have another mac to test with?

I have had no joy with the trackpad prefpane in Lion at all, the one I had no longer works, and I always boot in 64 bit so I guess it's not on the cards for now. When I get my system functional again, i'll have another look.

@jaxparo - You're almost there with that command, you are just missing "/Volumes/" before Lion_USB. It's easier if you do it this way: "sudo tar xjvf [drag Lion_OSInstall_GM.tar.bz2 here] -C [drag Lion_USB here]" you will see what I mean.

@heavyinfo - It may be that your HPET (high precision event timer) is not correctly set in your DSDT. Google DSDT Editor. The first link should be InsanelyMac. Download the app, it has an auto patch feature. Open your DSDT, Run the HPET (not New HPET) patch on your DSDT, then compile and save as .aml (save as a copy in case something goes wrong!). Name the DSDT test.aml and place in the Extra folder alongside your original DSDT. Reboot and at the Chamelon prompt type "DSDT=test.aml" this will boot once from your modified DSDT and you can test sleep.