EBIOS read error: Device timeout / Block 0x0 Sectors 0

[rjdoherty]

Update 1/1/2012 @ 10:00 PM

I decided to try for the 6th time to redo the UniBeast process with the second USB drive, even though the previous attempts all ran to success and still resulted in the EBIOS read error.

I booted up the MacBook Pro, started Disc Utility: erased the USB drive, selected 1 partition with Master Boot Record, Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and clicked apply. I then ran UniBeast and the process ran to success (again). I put the UniBeast USB drive into a USB 2.0 port, pressed F12 at the boot screen and selected USB HDD. I finally got to the Chimera Boot Screen!

At the Chimera Boot Screen I selected the USB drive and pressed enter. The Apple logo appeared against the gray background but never proceeded from there. After about 10 minutes my monitor went black like it was no longer receiving a signal.

Troubleshooting attempted so far:

• GraphicsEnabler=No[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Boot in Single-user mode - type -s[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Boot in Verbose mode - type -v[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Boot in Safe mode - type -x[/*:m6ou6rrp]

Despite rebooting and attempting the installation using each of these flags, my monitor still goes black after about 10 minutes on the gray Apple logo screen and doesn't proceed any farther. The activity light on the USB drive is still flashing like there's activity, but nothing else.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy New Year All!

I searched the forums for "EBIOS read error" and found several posts, but none of them quite described my issue, which led me to post the following:

The build: CustoMac Pro (the 2nd version with the mSATA SSD):

• Intel Core i7-2600K[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• AMD Radeon HD 6870[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• 60GB OCZ Nocti Series mSATA SSD 3Gb/s[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• 1TB Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 7200RPM 6Gb/s[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• 16GB Kingston Technology HyperX 1600 (PC3 12800) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Sony 24X SATA Internal DVD+/-RW Drive AD-7260S-0B[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Cooler Master GeminII S Copper Base Aluminum Fins 5 Heatpipes CPU Cooler[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Corsair Professional Series 650-Watt 80 Plus Certified Power Supply[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Corsair Carbide Series 400R Mid Tower[/*:m6ou6rrp]

The procedures followed:

• I followed the UniBeast Guide on a MacBook Pro running Lion to create a bootable 8GB USB drive using the OS X Lion USB Thumb Drive purchased from the Apple Store. I have tried using two different USB drives, and both times the process ran to success.
  [/*:m6ou6rrp]
• I followed Lnx2Mac "Optimal BIOS Configuration" guide to set my Gigabyte BIOS (Version F8) accordingly, paying particular attention to enable all Advanced CPU Core Features, setting the PCH SATA Control Mode to AHCI, and enable HPET Support to 64-bit mode.[/*:m6ou6rrp]

The issue:

• I plug the USB drive created via the UniBeast method into any one of the 12 USB ports (8 USB 2.0, 4 USB 3.0), reboot and press F12 to select the boot device. I select USB-HDD and press enter. The screen goes black, then:

  EBIOS read error: Device timeout
  [list6ou6rrp]Block 0x0 Sectors 0

appears and repeats every few seconds until my machine reboots itself. I have never been able to get to the Chimera Boot Screen.[/list:u6ou6rrp]

Troubleshooting attempted so far:

• Used a second 8GB USB drive to attempt the UniBeast method.[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Disconnected all devices except for the UniBeast USB, a PS/2 keyboard, an HDMI monitor and the power cord. No other USB devices connected.[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Disconnected the 1TB hard-drive, left only the on-board mSATA SSD connected.[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Disconnected the on-board mSATA SSD, left only the 1TB hard-drive connected.[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Switched the 1TB hard-drive from SATA3_0 to SATA3_1 to SATA2_2 to SATA2_3.[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Removed all but one 4GB memory module, left in DDR3_1.[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Reset CMOS to factory default, loaded Optimized Defaults then followed Lnx2Mac "Optimal BIOS Configuration" guide to set my Gigabyte BIOS (Version F8) again.[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Retried the installation using every open USB port.[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Installed Windows 7 64-bit just to make sure it wasn't hardware related. Windows 7 installs perfectly on the mSATA SSD and recognizes the 1TB hard-drive as well. All USB ports work.[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Ran Memtest86+ for three 100% successful passes.[/*:m6ou6rrp]
• Plugged the UniBeast USB into the MacBook Pro used to create it - the drive is recognized as an OS X Lion Installer.[/*:m6ou6rrp]

No matter what I do, I cannot get beyond the "EBIOS read error" messages. Several times the message changed to:

EBIOS read error: Device timeout

• Block 0x32402 Sectors 0

which repeated 4 times until the screen presented a single "\" which just stays on the screen indefinitely. The machine does not reboot itself when the "\" is displayed, but it does not proceed to the Chimera Boot Screen either.

I'm hoping that I've simply overlooked some simple step, and I'm finally posting here to see if anyone can shed any light on what I may have done wrong. If you think it'll help I can post every single BIOS setting, just let me know.

Thanks in advance,
Ryan

 

[jester969]

Are you using the USB 2.0 port? Do not use the USB 3.0 ports.


I am going to go out on a limb here...turn off in BIOS the legacy storage function. :?

 

[redshift82r]

I'm at the twigs and clutching frantically at the leaves...... However, did you by chance happen to not tick the Master Boot Record under options before formatting the USB as a Mac OS Extended ???

Edit****** Afterthought - also try the following if you did tick MBR during partition process.

1. Hit delete at post, enter bios setup, select 1st boot device as also usb-HDD, 2nd device hard disk.
2. Save and exit , and just let it boot up via the USB that way.

3 try 2 with the 6870 removed from the machine and your HDMI plugged into the on board HDMI port. You'll need to set the on board video ram parameter as per tonymacs guide, and make sure the integrated perishables section of bios has use on board graphics enabled.

Good luck!

 

[rjdoherty]

Are you using the USB 2.0 port? Do not use the USB 3.0 ports.


I am going to go out on a limb here...turn off in BIOS the legacy storage function. :?

I actually got to the Chimera Boot Screen after performing the UniBeast install for the 6th time - I don't know what the issue was from the previous attempts, but I can at least get there now. I have since disabled legacy storage function, but I was able to get to Chimera successfully with it enabled. Should I re-enable?

I edited my post above - now the system hangs at the gray Apple logo screen until my monitor goes black. I've tried each of the recommended boot flags, and all end up with the same result.

 

[rjdoherty]

I'm at the twigs and clutching frantically at the leaves...... However, did you by chance happen to not tick the Master Boot Record under options before formatting the USB as a Mac OS Extended ???

Edit****** Afterthought - also try the following if you did tick MBR during partition process.

1. Hit delete at post, enter bios setup, select 1st boot device as also usb-HDD, 2nd device hard disk.
2. Save and exit , and just let it boot up via the USB that way.

3 try 2 with the 6870 removed from the machine and your HDMI plugged into the on board HDMI port. You'll need to set the on board video ram parameter as per tonymacs guide, and make sure the integrated perishables section of bios has use on board graphics enabled.

Good luck!

I definitely ticked MBR. I can get to Chimera now, but can't get any farther (despite using all of the recommended boot flags). I'll try your third recommendation now and post an update.

 

[redshift82r]

I'm at the twigs and clutching frantically at the leaves...... However, did you by chance happen to not tick the Master Boot Record under options before formatting the USB as a Mac OS Extended ???

Edit****** Afterthought - also try the following if you did tick MBR during partition process.

1. Hit delete at post, enter bios setup, select 1st boot device as also usb-HDD, 2nd device hard disk.
2. Save and exit , and just let it boot up via the USB that way.

3 try 2 with the 6870 removed from the machine and your HDMI plugged into the on board HDMI port. You'll need to set the on board video ram parameter as per tonymacs guide, and make sure the integrated perishables section of bios has use on board graphics enabled.

Good luck!

I definitely ticked MBR. I can get to Chimera now, but can't get any farther (despite using all of the recommended boot flags). I'll try your third recommendation now and post an update.

Yep , number 3 should do it for you. Once you've got Lion installed, pop the card back in and boot up, you should be fine. Also ignore the iPads autocorrect - Don't go mad looking for the integrated perishables section of your BIOS !!! Try the integrated peripherals section instead

 

[rjdoherty]

Yep , number 3 should do it for you. Once you've got Lion installed, pop the card back in and boot up, you should be fine. Also ignore the iPads autocorrect - Don't go mad looking for the integrated perishables section of your BIOS !!! Try the integrated peripherals section instead

No worries, I understood what you meant.

We're definitely getting somewhere - I pulled out the Radeon card, used GraphicsEnabler=No at the Chimera screen, and this time I quickly made it to the language screen on the Installer. The system seems to hang here.

My keyboard is unresponsive at the language selection screen. I can't use Enter to select English; can't use the arrows to navigate, nothing. Do I need a mouse connected for this installation?

 

[redshift82r]

Yep , number 3 should do it for you. Once you've got Lion installed, pop the card back in and boot up, you should be fine. Also ignore the iPads autocorrect - Don't go mad looking for the integrated perishables section of your BIOS !!! Try the integrated peripherals section instead

No worries, I understood what you meant.

We're definitely getting somewhere - I pulled out the Radeon card, used GraphicsEnabler=No at the Chimera screen, and this time I quickly made it to the language screen on the Installer. The system seems to hang here.

My keyboard is unresponsive at the language selection screen. I can't use Enter to select English; can't use the arrows to navigate, nothing. Do I need a mouse connected for this installation?

Only two more issues to fix to get you working.

Bad news number 1 : There is no support for PS/2 keyboards in Mac os/x, soooooo yes you will need a mouse (USB) AND keyboard (USB). I plug in my ps/2 keyboard with one of those old green ps/2 to USB adaptors. Works fine. Note that the MB will recognise the ps/2 keyboard for the purposes of changes to bios etc and chimera will recognise it for selection of boot disk, but it will stop working once OS-X is loaded.

Or you can go the Bluetooth route, but I would strongly advise starting with USB until you have it up and running.

Keep going , you are nearly there !

 

[redshift82r]

Afterthought just in case it's not clear. Lion WILL recognise a ps/2 keyboard IF it's plugged in via a USB adaptor.

 

[rjdoherty]

Only two more issues to fix to get you working.

Bad news number 1 : There is no support for PS/2 keyboards in Mac os/x, soooooo yes you will need a mouse (USB) AND keyboard (USB). I plug in my ps/2 keyboard with one of those old green ps/2 to USB adaptors. Works fine. Note that the MB will recognise the ps/2 keyboard for the purposes of changes to bios etc and chimera will recognise it for selection of boot disk, but it will stop working once OS-X is loaded.

Or you can go the Bluetooth route, but I would strongly advise starting with USB until you have it up and running.

Keep going , you are nearly there !

I had a feeling. That's fine, after getting this far a little USB keyboard/mouse issue is nothing! I'll pickup the adapter tomorrow and post an update. In the mean time, thanks for your help so far.