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Greetings! Help me write a DSDT primer!
I've been looking all over for a good primer on exactly what a DSDT.aml file is and where it fits into the scheme of things. As far as I can tell, there is no thread devoted as a full-out FAQ about what it is, where it comes from, how you can get one from your Windows OS, how to edit it for your MacOS, whether or not the one you create for your MacOS will affect the one in the bios that your Windows or Linux OS uses. There is a lot of great information on the forum already about this, but it would be nice to have a simplified explanation cobbled together in one place. Please help me correct mistakes. I'm learning as I go, so your patience is helpful too! If a similar/better thread/page exists, please let me know, and I'll point to that instead.
DSDT FAQ/Primer
Q: Where does my DSDT.aml file come from?
A: Every intel-based computer has a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). According to wikipedia, the main job of the bios is to load the operating system. Part of the prerequisite for doing that job is also identifying what hardware is available to the operating system, and which piece of hardware will act as the boot device. The bios is firmware stored on the modern motherboard in a flashable, non-volatile memory chip known as a ROM. "DSDT.aml" exists as a file amongst other files in the BIOS on the ROM of your motherboard.
Q: What does a DSDT.aml file do?
A: This tonymacx86 'psa' video was created by Adamsmasher. A summation of this video is as follows:
A: No! You must at least have the same motherboard as the person whose DSDT you are borrowing. As Adamsmasher points out, it's a unique 'thumbprint' of your system's hardware: CPU, Motherboard, Hard drives, CD/DVD drives, thumb drives, ports, networking, audio, etc. Using a DSDT from the wrong motherboard could make a mess of your hardware. <Just exactly how much of a mess needs to be spelled out here. Any help would be greatly appreciated.>
Q: How do I obtain, edit and use my DSDT.aml file?
A: A compatible DSDT may be available for download from the DSDT database for your motherboard. If your motherboard still says 'coming soon!' or doesn't show up, you could prowl the forum for one or create one yourself. Database submissions are often kindly posted on the forum in specific threads by volunteers who have gotten their hackintosh to work. For instance, here is a Gigabyte Socket 775 Submission Thread and this is the Gigabyte Submission Thread for 1156 or 1366 DSDT's. A thread for Sandybridge (Gigabyte Socket 1155) DSDT submissions is found here. You could start with one of these if you need a hand up. If you have built your hackintosh successfully and want to help others, you can upload your working DSDT to the appropriate submission thread. From there, a friendly forum admin will (hopefully) magically make the DSDT 'vanilla' and make it available from the main DSDT database for download.
The current method for retrieving your own DSDT involves having a "mostly-working" OSX hackintosh booted and running on your system. For instance, you might not have a fully-functional sound card yet or a fully-functional network card. Your video might be vastly simplified. On July 16, 2010, carbine posted three useful links on how to obtain your motherboard's DSDT.aml file, how to edit it and how to install it for your hackintosh. <There may be better examples now. Please suggest.>
Q: What does 'Vanilla' mean?
A: It means plain, unadorned, simplified, most-easily-adapted version of whatever: a DSDT, a kernel, an installation, etc.
Q: Once I get the DSDT.aml file I want, what do I do with it?
A: First you'll need to edit it for the specifics of your hardware using one of the editors above. Then, once it's edited, follow the instructions from the iBoot/Multibeast install page. You'll place the DSDT on your desktop during the mac install and then run Multibeast selecting 'UserDSDT'. See the directions there to continue. They're fairly straightforward. Once you have accessed the user DSDT from multibeast, hardware functionality for your motherboard and some things like networking and audio may now become visible and useable by the installed Mac OS.
Q: Will changes made by multibeast affect my system BIOS and thus my other operating systems in a multiboot machine?
A: The Chameleon Bootloader looks first at the BIOS but then if a DSDT.aml is found while completing the install in multibeast, Chameleon uses this specific DSDT.aml file to load your system's settings. It does not affect the bios existing on the motherboard, but is instead stored along with Chameleon bootloader on the Mac OSX-bootable hard drive. However, some motherboards will allow you to edit your DSDT.aml file and then upload it to the BIOS without resetting your CMOS. This may have good or bad consequences for existing multi-os systems that are already working with the unmodified DSDT.aml in the BIOS. <Examples might be helpful.> Instructions for doing this can be found...<Help me answer this...>
Q: Why is this in the basic subforum instead of DSDT subforum?
A: The DSDT subforum seems more about specific challenges, whereas this subforum seems to be more about strategy than specifics.
I've been looking all over for a good primer on exactly what a DSDT.aml file is and where it fits into the scheme of things. As far as I can tell, there is no thread devoted as a full-out FAQ about what it is, where it comes from, how you can get one from your Windows OS, how to edit it for your MacOS, whether or not the one you create for your MacOS will affect the one in the bios that your Windows or Linux OS uses. There is a lot of great information on the forum already about this, but it would be nice to have a simplified explanation cobbled together in one place. Please help me correct mistakes. I'm learning as I go, so your patience is helpful too! If a similar/better thread/page exists, please let me know, and I'll point to that instead.
DSDT FAQ/Primer
Q: Where does my DSDT.aml file come from?
A: Every intel-based computer has a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). According to wikipedia, the main job of the bios is to load the operating system. Part of the prerequisite for doing that job is also identifying what hardware is available to the operating system, and which piece of hardware will act as the boot device. The bios is firmware stored on the modern motherboard in a flashable, non-volatile memory chip known as a ROM. "DSDT.aml" exists as a file amongst other files in the BIOS on the ROM of your motherboard.
Q: What does a DSDT.aml file do?
A: This tonymacx86 'psa' video was created by Adamsmasher. A summation of this video is as follows:
The osx86project wiki gives a little more detail:Adamsmasher said:
Q: Will any DSDT.aml file do?osx86project said:
A: No! You must at least have the same motherboard as the person whose DSDT you are borrowing. As Adamsmasher points out, it's a unique 'thumbprint' of your system's hardware: CPU, Motherboard, Hard drives, CD/DVD drives, thumb drives, ports, networking, audio, etc. Using a DSDT from the wrong motherboard could make a mess of your hardware. <Just exactly how much of a mess needs to be spelled out here. Any help would be greatly appreciated.>
Q: How do I obtain, edit and use my DSDT.aml file?
A: A compatible DSDT may be available for download from the DSDT database for your motherboard. If your motherboard still says 'coming soon!' or doesn't show up, you could prowl the forum for one or create one yourself. Database submissions are often kindly posted on the forum in specific threads by volunteers who have gotten their hackintosh to work. For instance, here is a Gigabyte Socket 775 Submission Thread and this is the Gigabyte Submission Thread for 1156 or 1366 DSDT's. A thread for Sandybridge (Gigabyte Socket 1155) DSDT submissions is found here. You could start with one of these if you need a hand up. If you have built your hackintosh successfully and want to help others, you can upload your working DSDT to the appropriate submission thread. From there, a friendly forum admin will (hopefully) magically make the DSDT 'vanilla' and make it available from the main DSDT database for download.
The current method for retrieving your own DSDT involves having a "mostly-working" OSX hackintosh booted and running on your system. For instance, you might not have a fully-functional sound card yet or a fully-functional network card. Your video might be vastly simplified. On July 16, 2010, carbine posted three useful links on how to obtain your motherboard's DSDT.aml file, how to edit it and how to install it for your hackintosh. <There may be better examples now. Please suggest.>
Once you have a compatible DSDT or have extracted your own from your system's BIOS, you can edit it. This page contains a list of editors. Apparently, the most popular editor right now is DSDT Simple Editor (also known as DSDTSE) by EVOsx86 Teamcarbine said:
Q: What does 'Vanilla' mean?
A: It means plain, unadorned, simplified, most-easily-adapted version of whatever: a DSDT, a kernel, an installation, etc.
Q: Once I get the DSDT.aml file I want, what do I do with it?
A: First you'll need to edit it for the specifics of your hardware using one of the editors above. Then, once it's edited, follow the instructions from the iBoot/Multibeast install page. You'll place the DSDT on your desktop during the mac install and then run Multibeast selecting 'UserDSDT'. See the directions there to continue. They're fairly straightforward. Once you have accessed the user DSDT from multibeast, hardware functionality for your motherboard and some things like networking and audio may now become visible and useable by the installed Mac OS.
Q: Will changes made by multibeast affect my system BIOS and thus my other operating systems in a multiboot machine?
A: The Chameleon Bootloader looks first at the BIOS but then if a DSDT.aml is found while completing the install in multibeast, Chameleon uses this specific DSDT.aml file to load your system's settings. It does not affect the bios existing on the motherboard, but is instead stored along with Chameleon bootloader on the Mac OSX-bootable hard drive. However, some motherboards will allow you to edit your DSDT.aml file and then upload it to the BIOS without resetting your CMOS. This may have good or bad consequences for existing multi-os systems that are already working with the unmodified DSDT.aml in the BIOS. <Examples might be helpful.> Instructions for doing this can be found...<Help me answer this...>
Q: Why is this in the basic subforum instead of DSDT subforum?
A: The DSDT subforum seems more about specific challenges, whereas this subforum seems to be more about strategy than specifics.
