GA-P55A-UD4P

G'day,
I note that there have been others with similar issues to myself, but I'm unsure where to head from here. I went out and bought the retail disk to make things easier..

I've attempted both the CD and USB installation methods to no avail.
The CD method -
One of two things happen -
a) it will mount the ramdisk and then simply timeout with an EBIOS Timeout error.
b) it actually boots, but freezes at USBMC Identifier

The USB method -
Two things happen
a) It will boot fine after a few EBIOS timeout errors, and then allow me tostart the install before stating that it is missing "support files" about 5 minutes into the process. I have checked the USB key, and tried with a brand new one, and both do this.
b) It reboots automatically just after the ramdisk mount section. This happened this morning on the new USB key (a 32Gb job).

I have a working Leopard install, thanks to PCWiz's VMware image, so I've been utilising that. The only issue there is that I cannot set up the disk prior to starting, but seeing as you can do that as part of the install, that's not a drama. Thing is though, I built this computer (i.e. chose Intel over AMD) so that I can finally have a decently working OSX86 machine, and do not want to use another VM.

Any thoughts as to what I can do?
I'm using the correct DSDT file for the mb.

Specs:
MB: GA-P55A-UD4P
CPU: Intel Core i5 750
GPU: Nvidia GTX260
The DVD drive is indeed PATA.
The hdds are SATAII, with one plugged in to the GSATA port, which is the only way I can get it discovered in OSX.

I'm happy to go out and spend money if I need to, but only if I do actually need to.
I've just flashed the BIOS to the F6 release.

I have just attempted it again with an older SATA DVD-RW drive, but that was even worse. It mounted the ramdisk (i.e. preboot.dmg) and then rebooted, no rhyme or reason given.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Grover.

What brand of GTX 260? I'm in the process of uploading an ISO for you as I have the same card and board.

Edit: Try this http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?3mrjjk03m2d

Did you say PATA (IDE) CD/DVD drive? That may be the problem- I've not been able to use the Boot CD method with an IDE CD/DVD drive.

I've tried with both a PATA BlueRay drive - plugged in to the GSATA port on the board, and an older DVD-RW SATA drive plugged in to the IDE port on the board. Both failed.

I'm pretty sure the card is a GigaByte GTX260, but I can't find the box that it came in. I wouldn't have thought that the brand would make much of a difference, does it? The chipset is the same as any other of the 15 or 16 different GeForce GTX260 cards out there.

I'll try the new ISO and let you know.
Thanks for the help!

Neil

groverjones said:

I've tried with both a PATA BlueRay drive - plugged in to the GSATA port on the board, and an older DVD-RW SATA drive plugged in to the IDE port on the board. Both failed.

I'm pretty sure the card is a GigaByte GTX260, but I can't find the box that it came in. I wouldn't have thought that the brand would make much of a difference, does it? The chipset is the same as any other of the 15 or 16 different GeForce GTX260 cards out there.

I'll try the new ISO and let you know.
Thanks for the help!

Neil

Click to expand...

Two things! First why's the Pata drive going into the Gsata port and the Sata drive going into the IDE Port?? >.> Either way use the blue ports not the white Gsata ones.

Second, the reason I asked which brand is because most 260's are DVI X 2, but I think your card is DVI/VGA (these can be problematic). Let me know what your outputs are.

It's impossible to boot from a PATA/IDE optical drive, it just doesn't work.
Also, the GSATA controller doesn't allow you to install ****.
You need to enable AHCI and both the optical drive and the hard drive needs to be connected to the blue Intel SATA connectors.
I have the none A version of the board and once I figured that out it was dead easy to get everything up and running.

Apologies for the miscommunication in the previous post - I have attempted with both a PATA - connected to the IDE port - and a SATA - connected to both the ESATA and GSATA ports set to both AHCI and IDE - and neither has worked. In the case of the IDE drive, it simply reboots after attempting to mount the ramdisk, and in the case of the SATA drive it either freezes before starting the installer, or comes up with EBIOS Read Errors and reboots after 4 or 5 of these.

The graphics card is a dual DVI out, and is connected via DVI to the monitor.

I've been locked in a battle with an app I'm developing for a client so have had no further chance today to test out the ISO that Jocellyn posted for me earlier. I'm about to test this out now.

Cheers,
Neil

EDIT: I've attemped the new iso and it made no difference.

Ok, let's take it from the beginning.

1. Have you upgraded to the latest motherboard BIOS version?
2. Only use the Intel chipset SATA connectors, all connectors won't allow to install Snow Leopard using this method. Make sure you have a SATA hard drive and optical drive (converters might not work) connected to the blue ports on the motherboard.
3. Enable AHCI in the BIOS for the PCH controller, leave native mode as enabled.
4. Make sure you've set up to boot from CD and that the hard drive you want to install Snow Leopard to is the first hard drive in the list of hard drives if you have multiple drives.
5. Change HPET mode to 64-bit in the power settings.
6. Save and exit the BIOS.

This works, guaranteed and if it doesn't, then you've either got a hardware fault or you're using some other hardware than you listed. The GSATA and eSATA ports will under no circumstances allow you to install Snow Leopard, for please forget about them and concentrate on the six blue SATA ports on the motherboard.

OK, progress has been made.
I rebuilt the USB key using the ISO that Jocelyn provided and managed to install OSX.
Alas, it complains at the end that it cannot create the start disk - "the bless tool was unable to set the current boot disk."
I followed instructions available elsewhere (umount -f, repair permissions) but this had no effect, and I am unable to boot the disk - even with a -x -v utilising the USB key as the boot device.

Any thoughts as to the next step?

Cheers,
Neil

Oh, I'm using the GSATA ports because OSX is not detecting anything in the ESATA ports.
I've seen others with this same issue.