Dell XPS 18 - Is it possible?

[esaylors]

SUCCESS!!!!

I made it to the first Installation screen using those bootflags. Now on to attempt to install. I will update once I get through or hit another hurdle. Thanks RehabMan!

 

[RehabMan]

SUCCESS!!!!

I made it to the first Installation screen using those bootflags. Now on to attempt to install. I will update once I get through or hit another hurdle. Thanks RehabMan!

You will need to use:
IGPEnabler=No -x -v

When you go to boot your installed partition after the OS X installer finishes and restarts (until you get proper DSDT fixes for graphics...)

 

[esaylors]

You will need to use:
IGPEnabler=No -x -v

When you go to boot your installed partition after the OS X installer finishes and restarts (until you get proper DSDT fixes for graphics...)

Noted. Thank you! I have written it down at the bottom of the installation log that I am keeping, documenting the process that works for this machine. I'm putting it all down in guide format so I can post it once i'm done along with kexts and dsdts that I've used.

The part that stinks is that the wireless Keyboard and Mouse that goes with this system is plugged in via an internal USB... and there are only two USB ports on the exterior of this machine. I've left the original keyboard and mouse at home. I am needing a total of 4 ports now in order to plug in a keyboard and mouse while I'm at work (and nobody around me has an extender...), along with the installation usb and the external hard drive to install it on... I'm crying on the inside... It's working and staring at me silently screaming "Install me..." and I cant... This is going to be one long afternoon until I get home and can install this thing now that I can move on!

 

[esaylors]

Installation was a success! I'm very thankful to be able to post that! However, I've noticed right off the bat that the following does not work (and some of these you may be saying "duh" but for documentation sake, I'm putting it)

Wifi (and I have no Ethernet port... luckily I have other Mac installations that I can use to download multibeast/files to install)
Screen Resolution (only option is 1024 x 768)
Sound

What I know works:
Bluetooth (I have an apple keyboard that I used with my ipad. It picked up the keyboard as soon as I turned it on and it works flawlessly!)

Unknown Status:
Capability to play videos - Cant get on the internet to find out!

I'm going to download multibeast and do some research to install kexts. Will update once I get something.

 

[esaylors]

From what I'm reading, my wireless card isn't compatible with OS X (Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 2230 + Bluetooth 4.0) which is weird because the Bluetooth that seems to be integrated with it works perfectly fine. I think I used to have a wireless USB hub, but I think I may have thrown it away. And since my device doesn't have an Ethernet port, I'm stuck without internet on it until I can either a) find a solution to fix this or b) find and/or buy a wireless usb dongle.

 

[esaylors]

Oh, also, I downloaded multibeast and moved over the downloaded file via usb, and it told me "'Multibeast' can't be opened because it is from an unidentified developer" and it will not let me run it to install kexts. I am afraid I might have to do everything by hand. Any suggestions?

 

[RehabMan]

Installation was a success! I'm very thankful to be able to post that! However, I've noticed right off the bat that the following does not work (and some of these you may be saying "duh" but for documentation sake, I'm putting it)

Wifi (and I have no Ethernet port... luckily I have other Mac installations that I can use to download multibeast/files to install)

I read your later messages. Yes, Intel WiFi is not supported. You'll need to replace it with something compatible.

Screen Resolution (only option is 1024 x 768)

What is your native screen resolution? The best way to do this is with DSDT patches...

Sound

Need to find/build patched AppleHDA. Google 'patch AppleHDA guide', follow the instructions to get a codec dump from Linux then search for an existing one. Requires DSDT patches in addition...

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, also, I downloaded multibeast and moved over the downloaded file via usb, and it told me "'Multibeast' can't be opened because it is from an unidentified developer" and it will not let me run it to install kexts. I am afraid I might have to do everything by hand. Any suggestions?

See SysPrefs -> Security & Privacy.

- - - Updated - - -

From what I'm reading, my wireless card isn't compatible with OS X (Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 2230 + Bluetooth 4.0) which is weird because the Bluetooth that seems to be integrated with it works perfectly fine. I think I used to have a wireless USB hub, but I think I may have thrown it away. And since my device doesn't have an Ethernet port, I'm stuck without internet on it until I can either a) find a solution to fix this or b) find and/or buy a wireless usb dongle.

BT is on USB bus whereas WiFi is on PCIe bus. They are separate devices that live on the same card, much like all the separate devices that live on a motherboard.

 

[esaylors]

OK. Thank you for all that information. I will look at getting a wireless USB, and possibly switching out the internal Wifi card at a later date.

I have no idea how to patch a DSDT file, but I guess I will be learning really quick. Tomorrow after work, I will go and find a wifi USB. I will have to do research to make sure I get the right one.

Right now i'm stuck as to where to start adding kexts... because nobody has done this device before, I am going into it blindly and I hate that... but my suffering will assist those in the future with this device.. (Hopefully...)

The great news is that sleep works without any problems so far (I left right after booting and setting it up the first time to go get dinner, and came back about 30 mins - hour later and it woke up fine.)

 

[esaylors]

What is your native screen resolution? The best way to do this is with DSDT patches...

1920 x 1080 is the recommended resolution (in which it was set to) in Win8. How might I patch the DSDT?

 

[RehabMan]

1920 x 1080 is the recommended resolution (in which it was set to) in Win8. How might I patch the DSDT?

Follow here: https://github.com/RehabMan/Laptop-DSDT-Patch

Download & setup MaciASL as instructed in the README. Then run MaciASL
- it will load your "System DSDT" (because you have on DSDT installed at /Extra/dsdt.aml)
- now click Compile
- if you have errors, fix them or ask for help here (post your DSDT), if not continue...
- click Patch
- select "HD4000 High Resolution" from the left and click Apply
- also apply the following patches "Brightness Fix" and optionally: "Rename GFX0 to IGPU"
- when you're done applying patches, click Close
- choose File Save As, /Extra/dsdt.aml, format: ACPI Machine Language Binary

Boot with GraphicsEnabler=No IGPEnabler=No. You should get full resolution with HD4000 QE/CI...

If not, post ioreg: http://www.tonymacx86.com/audio/58368-guide-how-make-copy-ioreg.html

You can always boot DSDT=Null if there is a problem booting with the installed DSDT.