Any Danger in DSDT/EFI emulation?

[dmangstars32]

Ok weird problem...and I'm hoping to get some help before i boot into OSX86 again.

Recently I added a second hard-drive with a new OS86x to my perfectly running Windows 7 64-bit install. I set S3 power mode to run properly (I have been running in S1) After installing it, the OSX86 ran fine...or so I think, I have nothing to compare it to, seemed fast. But my windows went all wonky.

Windows 7, I guess you can say it was Stuttering? It would go FAST---SLOW---FAST---SLOW---FAST---SLOW for my entire session (games were the weirdest....Left4Dead 2 for instance would go 60FPS for a bit, then 30FPS, Then 60, then 30, regardless of what was happening). I put up with this for a few days, thought it was windows related, but after trying just about everything, I was like..."OK this has something to do with my new BIOS settings. After getting a bit freaked out, I went ahead and installed the latest BIOS update, and when all my settings went back to default...I re-customized everything that I had before (memory timings, voltages, fan speeds, ect) but I left power back at S1 for now. Booted to windows...we are good, running 110% again. I noticed in the BIOS update that there was a fix for possible memory timing issues with S3 mode when resuming from sleep. But I never put my computer into sleep mode (in windows or OSX86). I've never had a memory timing issue before, could this be related to the stuttering?

So the question is...

Any known problems with windows 7 and S3 being set from S1 post install? (I know this is a Mac fourm, but I'm sure someone out there had to have changed S3

Any chance the EFI emulation was doing something evil to my BIOS that the update wiped?

I didn't modify my DSDT after installing OSX because everything worked. It detects my i7 920 as a Quad Core Xeon...I didn't bother changing anything else because I was afraid of screwing up a working install, could this be screwing up my Bios? Should I grow some [insert whatever masculine thing here] and just try modifying my DSDT.

AND THE MAIN QUESTION

I'm really not afraid of killing the OSX86 install by tinkering, I just don't want to damage my mobo, since this is my primary system. I don't want to be flashing my BIOS all the time either whenever there is a problem. Maybe loading defaults would have fixed the problem too, I don't know, since I did both at the same time. I just want to know if DSDT/EFI emulation via Chameleon has any possibility of doing permanent BIOS/Motherboard damage or if it is even able to change settings (I have a windows app that allows me to change my Bios settings inside the OS...so this is were I'm relating it to). I'm really new to this, and I usually avoid low-level programing stuff on my primary machine. However, I really want to buy FCP for some home editing so I don't have to go into the office every time for a quick project. I'm holding off from booting it again for now (or changing power back to S3 mode), and any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!

 

[Daioptych]

Yes, improper values in DSDT can damage your hardware(for example, bad power states can damage your cpu).

 

[FatShenanigans]

Yes, improper values in DSDT can damage your hardware(for example, bad power states can damage your cpu).

Theoretically I agree with this idea but has anyone actually damaged their CPU doing this? Based on my own tinkering I've found that either OSX either ignores my edits or kernel panics. There isn't much middle ground for desktops. I'm just thinking out loud since I read this thing all of the time but it's usually just in the form of warnings.

I'd think that overclocking is far riskier. Who is the forum overclocking guru? Where's Jocelyn84? She seems to be pretty hardcore - maybe she can shed some light on this.

 

[FatShenanigans]

AND THE MAIN QUESTION

I'm really not afraid of killing the OSX86 install by tinkering, I just don't want to damage my mobo, since this is my primary system. I don't want to be flashing my BIOS all the time either whenever there is a problem. Maybe loading defaults would have fixed the problem too, I don't know, since I did both at the same time. I just want to know if DSDT/EFI emulation via Chameleon has any possibility of doing permanent BIOS/Motherboard damage or if it is even able to change settings (I have a windows app that allows me to change my Bios settings inside the OS...so this is were I'm relating it to). I'm really new to this, and I usually avoid low-level programing stuff on my primary machine. However, I really want to buy FCP for some home editing so I don't have to go into the office every time for a quick project. I'm holding off from booting it again for now (or changing power back to S3 mode), and any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!

Since it's emulation, no unless you see your temperatures spiraling out of control and you just sit there and stare at it like a goon

Seriously though I've been my computers to a pulp out of OCD, PMS, ADD, and everything else in between and there's nothing that ever happened that a few -s boots, kext cache cleaner deep cleans, fsck, hfs_fsck, etc didn't fix.

But if you have a P55 board you won't be adding any code that speed step since it does that perfectly with 10.6.3 (at least on my boards) without the need for any CPU P or C states like before.

I don't dual boot on any of my important systems that do what you are describing so I don't know whether or not Windows uses the DSDT. I am no Chameleon expert but you raise an interesting question that I can probably answer based on what I DO know about Chameleon and especially DSDT.

Let's assume that Windows 7 would use the DSDT that allows us to emulate a bios that can suit OSX if we are using Chameleon. The solution is simple (if Windows 7 boots in this way from the bootloader) - select to boot into windows but then type a command such as

/Extra/Windows/DSDT.aml

You'd need a stock DSDT from your motherboard without any edits to sit in a Windows folder in your Extra folder. The command would tell Chameleon to use that file as the one Windows would use to boot instead of the default.

But does the DSDT edit or change the bios permanently? Not unless you go into Windows and inject in with some sort of low level editing tool. The software based tools that allow you to change your bios settings on the fly are all Windows based and specific to that motherboard from the manufacturer. As far as I know, nothing like that exists for Mac and probably doesn't exist for hacks either. I can't imagine many people wanting to permanently change their bios on the fly using home-brew software on a large scale.

Getting FCP is a big deal and a big investment. This is one of those apps that you should only use on your Hack if you are absolutely sure that it is solid as a rock since it is very crash prone, especially if your network gets out of order (en0 vs en1). Personally I'd say that if you are doing editing on your system and you are not confident in your hackintosh skills, I wouldn't take the chance with dual booting. Giving my blessing to put FCP on a Hack without said hack skills is already pushing my ethical limits, not for the TOS or any of that crap but rather since I don't want to feel bad if your system goes belly up with an update that you didn't intend to perform. I admit that I run everything and anything on my own systems including that and I help people maintain Logic Pro on their backup systems but I only gained that kind of confidence after about 4 months of studying this for around 2 hours average per day. Only in the past 6 months since then do I feel that hacks are both powerful enough and stable enough to run FCP and Logic Pro.

Hope this helps - but best advice is to single boot and only run FCP after you have your DSDT checked by at least 2 gurus and can run your system around 28-33C at idle while using 2-4 total add on kexts as well as having full USB power when your system wakes up - so obviously your system should be able to sleep (autosleep) as well.

Lots of requirements, I know, but as I said, FCP is a big investment and I'm not talking about the money

EDIT - make that 35-45C since you are using an i7 with the 1366 socket - but all of the other prerequisites should be the same

 

[dmangstars32]

thanks FatShenanigans for the thoughtful reply.

I think I should clarify, I wasn't booting into windows 7 off the bootloader. I was just doing hard drive selects at the Bios. and the problem was still occurring.

After Googling around a bit, it seems that the stuttering I was experiencing could be directly related to memory timings. So I'm thinking this issue had something to do with S3 mode messing up my Timings (maybe it was reported in the BIOS, maybe it was not...the MFG didn't really clarify in the update anyway, all it said was "Corrects issue where memory timings change after S3 resume on some configuration"). Hopefully the BIOS update I did fixed this problem for good. It's good to know that it was something I changed (or a Mobo bug) rather then the DSDT injecting something...that was my primary concern, so thanks for putting that question to bed!

I guess I should get my DSDT stuff correct (Wah...seems hard). Now that I'm less worried about screwing something hardware up! The cooler on my CPU looks like something you would see on a Suped up Honda, so overheating isn't really much of a concern (I've OCed from the 2.6 stock to almost 4Ghz stable at a high but an acceptable 60C idle)...I like running stock though...sits around 42-43C (at least until my warranties expire )

As for "investing" in FCP, this really isn't an issue. The projects I would need it for would be quick edits and fixes, and the software would be provided to me via a volume license. It's more of a backup for the day that I call in sick, and **** hits the fan at the office. I'll keep all my main edits to here at the office (need access to my soundboards and VTRs of course!) The ability to use FCP was my monetary excuse in my head for buying the extra harddrive and copy of SL. This is more of a geek, I want to because I can, project (and so I can finally learn unix troubleshooting as well as I know windows). Even from installing OSX86 my knowledge about the OS has increased 1000%, so it's been a worthwhile venture to me already. If there ever comes a time that my day job is FCP editing at home, buying a MacPro will be a nice $4000 tax write off .

Thanks again for the help!