Dell XPS 15 L501X Waste of Money & Time ???

[iMonz]

Thanks, a lot iMonz, for your guide!

You're welcome .

I got through the worst of it all. Didn't need 3.1 of MultiBeast, after all since all of that stuff is available in 3.2. Just made sure to install everything in the order mentioned. Also, you should probably mention that it requires 4GB or less in the beginning since this will prevent some headaches later on. Though, I get that this guide is meant for your exact build (we have the same except for the RAM, it looks like). Think anyone with L501X can benefit from the guide, maybe just adjust flags for their own components. (btw, the flags are incorrect with Google Translate, use the original txt for that part of they just won't be accepted by iBoot or not work right).

Yes, you're right, I have read about RAM issues in other posts too...I'll update the Guide to inform users about this issue. I'm also going to translate the Guide in English, so you will not need Google Translate too ( even if my English is bad as you can see , maybe I can translate the Guide and send it to you to correct the english form ) .
By the way: everythings is working as write in the Guide, I tried last Sleepenabler.kext and the sleep seems to works too but non properly: you need to force shutdown to make notebook really sleep. After that when you go to wakes notebook up you'll can you can work from where you left off.

I'm working my way to getting all of the components to work, needed a break since I'm triple-booting and each OS has its own issues to work out. But I tried the NVDIA Update and it doesn't seem to have worked for me. Don't know why, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.

That's the reason I suggested MultiBeast 3.1, it install Chameleon 2.0 RC5 r699 that makes Graphics works properly...r700 (istalled by MultiBeast 3.2) seems to make it not working. I don't know if is a Chameleon problem or not...so, have you removed "PCIRootID=1" flags from your com.apple.Boot.plist? If you did probably the problem is with Chameleon.
On the other hand, to make WiFi works you can simply bought a compatible WiFi card like Atheros AR5B93. As I wrote into the Guide I found it on eBay for 15€ only from US...someone told me that it should work out of the box, I'm still waiting for it and when it arrives I will let you know... I think it's worth buying, I do not think drivers will come out for it soon.

So, to answer the OP, I don't think it's a waste of time or money. Drivers will come...eventually.

I agree with you. This notebook can be a perfect MacBook Pro .

Regards.

 

[M4ciek]

Thanks for reply

But you still didn't confirm that all except sleep and wifi works

Could you check hdmi and (or) display port output?

 

[darkeyez]

But I tried the NVDIA Update and it doesn't seem to have worked for me. Don't know why, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.

That's the reason I suggested MultiBeast 3.1, it install Chameleon 2.0 RC5 r699 that makes Graphics works properly...r700 (istalled by MultiBeast 3.2) seems to make it not working. I don't know if is a Chameleon problem or not...so, have you removed "PCIRootID=1" flags from your com.apple.Boot.plist? If you did probably the problem is with Chameleon.

Ohhh....I would've used 3.1 but I couldn't find it anywhere, even t*****ts. Maybe you can send it to me and I'll do the process over or overwrite Chameleon somehow. I didn't have the "PCIRootID=1" flag in my com.apple.Boot.plist. I can post exactly what it says here if you like, but I thought it was strange that it was missing. I didn't change anything.

Hope you'll update us on your Wifi card. I think the L501X has stronger specs than even the Macbook Pro, so I really hope it works out.

 

[darkeyez]

actually, I just checked and R699 is included in 3.2. Maybe I just installed the wrong one.

 

[iMonz]

Thanks for reply

But you still didn't confirm that all except sleep and wifi works

Could you check hdmi and (or) display port output?

HDMI out works without sound. I can't try DisplayPort beacuse I don't have any device with that port.

Ohhh....I would've used 3.1 but I couldn't find it anywhere, even t*****ts. Maybe you can send it to me and I'll do the process over or overwrite Chameleon somehow. I didn't have the "PCIRootID=1" flag in my com.apple.Boot.plist. I can post exactly what it says here if you like, but I thought it was strange that it was missing. I didn't change anything.

No, it's ok: you MUST remove PCIRootUID=1 flag, as I wrote in my Guide, we need "PCIRootUID=1" flag to boot up the first time, after update to 10.6.6 PCIRootUID became useless. What appened to me was after I installed NVidia Update the graphics didn't work yet, I still had PCIRootUID flag into com.apple.Boot.split....after deleting that flag the graphics started to function properly. So, I think that flag was the problem...maybe I'm wrong.

EDIT: here you can se my com.apple.Boot.plist. It's very simple and works great for me.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>Graphics Mode</key>
	<string>1366x768x32@60</string>
	<key>GraphicsEnabler</key>
	<string>Yes</string>
	<key>Kernel</key>
	<string>mach_kernel</string>
	<key>Kernel Flags</key>
	<string>arch=i386</string>
	<key>Timeout</key>
	<string>1</string>
</dict>
</plist>

 

[darkeyez]

No, it's ok: you MUST remove PCIRootUID=1 flag, as I wrote in my Guide, we need "PCIRootUID=1" flag to boot up the first time, after update to 10.6.6 PCIRootUID became useless. What appened to me was after I installed NVidia Update the graphics didn't work yet, I still had PCIRootUID flag into com.apple.Boot.split....after deleting that flag the graphics started to function properly. So, I think that flag was the problem...maybe I'm wrong.

I'm sorry, dude. My Noob is showing! Something was lost in translation. I've been wondering why you wrote "Extra" in your instructions for editing the com.apple.boot.plist. I had no idea where it was located so I used Google to find out. Been going to the one in the root instead of the one inside the Extras folder! I only realized it when I was about to re-install NVIDIAUpdate and I saw that it said it will be installed inside "Extra".

Once I opened that com.apple.boot.plist and made the change, the graphics card works! Full resolution. It's recognized completely I think except for 1gb of RAM. I remember in Win7 it's detected with 2GB. But I think it'll be ok unless you know of a fix.

 

[iMonz]

I'm sorry, dude. My Noob is showing! Something was lost in translation. I've been wondering why you wrote "Extra" in your instructions for editing the com.apple.boot.plist. I had no idea where it was located so I used Google to find out. Been going to the one in the root instead of the one inside the Extras folder! I only realized it when I was about to re-install NVIDIAUpdate and I saw that it said it will be installed inside "Extra".

Once I opened that com.apple.boot.plist and made the change, the graphics card works! Full resolution. It's recognized completely I think except for 1gb of RAM. I remember in Win7 it's detected with 2GB. But I think it'll be ok unless you know of a fix.

It's ok, I'm really happy that now works for you .
Yes, it recognaise only 1GB of VRAM to me too...is not a problem I think.

 

[Thomasssss]

Hi!

I ask my question again. Is there anybody who got the NVIDIA GT420M video card working? I have the i5-560M cpu and GT420M video card version and the current status of my SL is a mess. No sleep, no wifi, and bad resolution because no video card recognised. And I'm stuck there for almost one month.

Is there any improvement with this model?

Thx!

Tom

 

[darkeyez]

Hi!

I ask my question again. Is there anybody who got the NVIDIA GT420M video card working? I have the i5-560M cpu and GT420M video card version and the current status of my SL is a mess. No sleep, no wifi, and bad resolution because no video card recognised. And I'm stuck there for almost one month.

Is there any improvement with this model?

Thx!

Tom

I forget so I'll ask again, have you tried the NVIDIAUpdate plus the com.apple.boot.plist tweak in iMonz's guide? I think it's meant to work for your card as well.

 

[darkeyez]

I did a triple-boot on my system (Win7+Ubuntu+OSX SL). OMG it was sticky! I think in total it took about 60hrs of my time. Had to re-format and reinstall everything at one point. But I happened upon the right guides courtesy of Google and managed to get it all to work smoothly with the beautiful Chameleon bootloader facilitating it all. (I'm using the Hackintosh2 theme).

I want to work out the remaining OSX issues and see how Final Cut Pro runs, but I need a day or two of sleep not to mention a break from this computer screens.

If anyone's interested in triple-booting with the L501X system, I'll be happy to post the guides I used and tips on what to take from each. Maybe one day I'll cull together my own guide.

@iMonz:
By the way, what I said about the 4GB to install OSX, for some reason it wasn't an issue the second time around. Did it all without removing any RAM. Plus I ditidn't get the fancy "Welcome" video the first time but I got it the second time. Weird.