[SOLVED] Booting installer with new Alienware m17 r4 (2021)

[Feartech]

It might be a bit out of scope to ask, but it seems to me according to their own support (Alienware is Dell)

Configuring NVIDIA Optimus or AMD Switchable Graphics for High Performance on your Alienware System | Dell Canada

That Nvidia Optimus should be available on non gsync model. With your knownledge, does it seem to you that I understand it wrong, or there could be some models that dont have gsync, support Nvidia Optimus and Optimus by definition requires monitor to go through IGPU

my laptop has nvidia optimus

<---

i used to use a ssdt file to disable the nvidia

then i had to mod the bios to update the microcode otherwise high Sierra and later OS wouldn't install

whilst in there, i was able to disable the nvidia card

my hdmi port is routed through the intel graphics so i can still use the hdmi and also the mini dp port as well

you could extract or download your bios file from dell website and open it up with the attached file and there may be a way to disable nvidia, but if it is hardware limitations for your lcd and nvidia etc, then it may not be possible to disable the nvidia

this is probably the drawback of trying to use a gaming machine for hackintosh

 

[jamesst20]

my laptop has nvidia optimus

<---

i used to use a ssdt file to disable the nvidia

then i had to mod the bios to update the microcode otherwise high Sierra and later OS wouldn't install

whilst in there, i was able to disable the nvidia card

my hdmi port is routed through the intel graphics so i can still use the hdmi and also the mini dp port as well

you could extract or download your bios file from dell website and open it up with the attached file and there may be a way to disable nvidia, but if it is hardware limitations for your lcd and nvidia etc, then it may not be possible to disable the nvidia

this is probably the drawback of trying to use a gaming machine for hackintosh

I attached my BIOS but I don't think I'm able to see anything from it but it could be a lack of experience from my end

 

[Feartech]

I attached my BIOS but I don't think I'm able to see anything from it but it could be a lack of experience from my end

not able to read that properly, you may need to try and extract it with afudos

 

[jamesst20]

not able to read that properly, you may need to try and extract it with afudos

OMG ! There was an hidden shortcut in Windows 10 to enable "Advanced Optimus Mode" and it's working now!!!

I was not able to get my keyboard working though. Would you happen to have an idea? I think it says l2c under Windows device manager

 

[Feartech]

OMG ! There was an hidden shortcut in Windows 10 to enable "Advanced Optimus Mode" and it's working now!!!

I was not able to get my keyboard working though. Would you happen to have an idea? I think it says l2c under Windows device manager

hey! that is great news on your video issue! well done!

VoodooPS2Controller.kext should take care of the keyboard there is also another kext called ApplePS2Controller.kext which you could try instead

 

[jamesst20]

hey! that is great news on your video issue! well done!

VoodooPS2Controller.kext should take care of the keyboard there is also another kext called ApplePS2Controller.kext which you could try instead

I tried VoodooPS2Controller.kext, it enables the trackpad but it's extremely laggy, but nothing for the keyboard.
I tried VoodooI2C and the trackpad is butter smooth, but still no keyboard

I'm gonna go ahead and try ApplePS2TController.

I also have another weird bug, the brightness goes very low during boot and then comes back fine after 5 minutes. The brightness has no effect prior 5 minutes, but then work just fine after.

Edit: Where do I get ApplePS2Controller?

 

[Feartech]

I tried VoodooPS2Controller.kext, it enables the trackpad but it's extremely laggy, but nothing for the keyboard.
I tried VoodooI2C and the trackpad is butter smooth, but still no keyboard

I'm gonna go ahead and try ApplePS2TController.

I also have another weird bug, the brightness goes very low during boot and then comes back fine after 5 minutes. The brightness has no effect prior 5 minutes, but then work just fine after.

Edit: Where do I get ApplePS2Controller?

try VodooPS2Controller.kext but disable the trackpad part, use VoodooI2C for trackpad

test by trying different VoodooInput as that comes with both VoodooPS2Controller and VoodooI2C

ALS0.aml may help with the brightness issue

 

[jamesst20]

try VodooPS2Controller.kext but disable the trackpad part, use VoodooI2C for trackpad

test by trying different VoodooInput as that comes with both VoodooPS2Controller and VoodooI2C

ALS0.aml may help with the brightness issue

I tried this https://github.com/RehabMan/OS-X-Clover-Laptop-Config/blob/master/hotpatch/SSDT-ALS0.dsl but no luck. Was I supposed to customize it before compiling?

I added VoodooPS2Controller and I already had VoodooI2C and VoodooI2CHID. I don't know what "disable trackpad means" but I got this warning:



Is that what you meant? I pressed yes. Still no keyboard

Edit: Brightness issue fixed: WhateverGreen.kext with -igfxblr boot-arg.

 

[jamesst20]

I tried this https://github.com/RehabMan/OS-X-Clover-Laptop-Config/blob/master/hotpatch/SSDT-ALS0.dsl but no luck. Was I supposed to customize it before compiling?

I added VoodooPS2Controller and I already had VoodooI2C and VoodooI2CHID. I don't know what "disable trackpad means" but I got this warning:

View attachment 518517

Is that what you meant? I pressed yes. Still no keyboard

Edit: Brightness issue fixed: WhateverGreen.kext with -igfxblr boot-arg.

Hopefully it helps somehow (see images)

Edit: I made a dedicated thread https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/alienware-m17-r4-2021-keyboard-not-working.312934/

 

[jamesst20]

not able to read that properly, you may need to try and extract it with afudos

Hi again

I think we might still need to edit my bios: my thunderbolt video output is using Nvidia according to Windows. Do you think we might be able to update that?

Would you know how to unlock "hidden menu" ?

Also, there is a newer version of AMIBCP v5.02.0031 which didn't give me any error when opening the bios dump. I can see interesting strings such as "External Gfx Card Primary Display Configuration" or

(008B) 64MB
(008C) 128MB
(008D) 256MB
(008E) Auto

Which makes me think I could have customized IGPU memory.