GA-Z77X-UP5 TH won't boot without -x option

[blackholesun66]

Hi,
this is my first Hackintosh, so sorry for some noobish questions.

So far I have tried to follow the guides for Mountain Lion 10.8.2.
Maybe I messed up some settings with Multibeast 5.2.1 by trying too much different options.
But it boots from the right SSD, and the system is going up with -v, but stops shortly before login screen.

The shell shows this text:
>AppleIntelE1000(Info): Link is Up 100Mbs FullDuplex...

Then it's waiting for a while and prints:
>consider RebuildOfPrelinkedKernel com.apple.Kext.OsvKernelDSPLib triggered rebuild

and after some more waiting:
>smb_smb_negotiate .... Support for the Server SPEEDPORT.IP (my router) has been deprecated (PreXP), disconnecting

When i boot with -x, the system comes up, I can login, and run Multibeast, or other SW.
But it feels like the graphics card is not well supported (some flickering, red squares), also no audio right now.

BIOS is F11, model ID: iMac 13,1

Can someone help? I already spent a few days on the install, and can't find a solution.
Thanks a lot

 

[Middleman]

Hi Blackholesun,

To install on your board, please try to follow my guide here, ignoring Alfa's thread to do a clean install with a pre-formatted GPT/GUID partition drive - even if you have 'installed' OSX already - because the bootup files on the installed drive may clash with the Unibeast installer.
>http://www.tonymacx86.com/lion-desktop-support/71839-ga-z77x-up5-th-install-issues.html#post512725

Make sure that your hard drive is connected to the white SATA Port0 on the board and set your BIOS settings as close to the ones I have:

Init Display First AUTO
Primary PEG AUTO
Internal Graphics Enabled
Internal Graphics Memory Size 64MB
DVMT Total Memory Size MAX
Intel Rapid Storage Technology Disabled
AHCI On
2nd Marvell Controller Off
Legacy USB Support Enabled
USB 3.0 = Enabled
XHCI Handoff Enabled
EHCI Handoff Enabled
Intel Virtualisation Enabled
VT-d Disabled
High Precision Event Timer On

Using your Unibeast USB stick, boot with -v -x if using the Intel DVI connection; or boot with -v -x GraphicsEnabler=No PCIRootUID=0 npci=0x2000 on the Nvidia GTX660 via its first DVI socket.

Once that is set, you should/can install with the Nvidia GTX660Ti card plugged in with DVI or last HDMI socket (near the card's screwhole).
At the Chameleon boot prompt, try typing in -v -x GraphicsEnabler=No PCIRootUID=0 npci=0x2000 to boot into the system.

Once that is clear and you've installed OSX onto your drive, install with Multibeast 5.1.3 found here >http://www.tonymacx86.com/downloads.php?do=cat&id=6&page=2 the following drivers:

USERDSDT
Without DSDT Realtek ALC898
Hnak's Intel1000ESD Network drivers
Nvidia last option

Then save and quit Multibeast and then install the latest Nvidia Mac GEForce drivers:
>http://www.nvidia.com/object/macosx-304.00.05f02-driver.html

Once that is done, go to /Extras folder and right-click org.chameleon.Boot.plist using Open With > Textedit, like this:

<?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>
<dict>
	<key>EthernetBuiltIn</key>
	<string>Yes</string>
	<key>GenerateCStates</key>
	<string>Yes</string>
	<key>GeneratePStates</key>
	<string>Yes</string>
	<key>GraphicsEnabler</key>
	<string>No</string>
	<key>Kernel</key>
	<string>mach_kernel</string>
	<key>Kernel Flags</key>
	<string>npci=0x2000 darkwake=0</string>
	<key>Legacy Logo</key>
	<string>Yes</string>
	<key>Timeout</key>
	<string>2</string>
	<key>UseKernelCache</key>
	<string>Yes</string>
</dict>
</plist>

Then save the file (just press Save) and quit the system, and reboot. Upon reboot you
should be able to boot straight in...

 

[blackholesun66]

Hi Middleman,

thanks so much for your help. You rule!
I don't know how, but after the first try to reinstall, my USB stick couldn't boot anymore. Only after a complete overwrite and new formatting of the stick, i could install the ML on the SSD again.
But now it seems to work quite well.
Audio (over green port) is working

Next steps will be a dual boot option for win, and building a Fusiondrive.

But the bootsequence seems to be very long with the SSD. After loading the chimeira screen, the monitor goes white for quite a while, before the loginwindow appears. Is that normal?

And do you have any experience with the fusiondrive? Is it worth the effort, or is it better to stay with SSD for system and apps, and HD for data, docs, etc?

Best wishes for the new year !!

 

[goseph]

Wow, same problem like i had.
It was the VT-D setting in bios.
http://www.tonymacx86.com/mountain-...n-1240v2-gtx-670-gigabyte-ga-z77x-up5-th.html

 

[Middleman]

Hi Blackholesun66,

You're welcome! And glad you're happy with the setup! It's a fantastic system to have I can tell you!

For the slow boot sequence, I improved it by updating to Gigabyte's F11 bios. That seemed to solve most of my problems of slow speed -
and I would advise just taking snapshots of your BIOS settings before the update because they will reset to default when its done.

As for the dual boot Windows that should be easy - just install it onto another hard drive.

If you want Fusion Drive for the setup, I can honestly say it will definitely improve things. Boot-time is extremely fast (within 8-12 seconds) and there's no slowdown to the system - in fact it all feels very peppy and fast.

For the data, yes ideally one should separate the two between system apps and personal data/work - but honestly speaking if you back up your system constantly there's no reason why you shouldn't try using a Fusion Drive - the other alternative would be a RAID system run on a separate enclosure. Backup for instance using Thunderbolt is incredibly quick on this system - 1GB data in 1 minute - so I cannot see why you shouldn't try it. For bootable backups I use shirt-pocket.com's Superduper to create a clone.

I would advise if you want to set it up, to placing your Fusion SSD on white SATA Port0, and Fusion HD on white SATA Port1. If you want Windows place it as SATA Port 2; and any DVD drives on Port 3. I would advise also to choose SSD/HD drives which work with this setup. My best recommendation is a Samsung 830/840 series or OCZ Agility 3, coupled with a 1TB or 2TB from Toshiba/Hitachi. Don't choose Intel or Kingston SSDs for this as they are problematic (I found) with this motherboard when setting up.

Also for the Fusion Drive backup, one thing you need to know is that a cloned Fusion Drive copy will not work unless you take out the /Extras folder hidden in the EFI partition, which will have inside it the UUID of the Fusion Drive (once you have it working). The easiest way to solve this is once you've cloned the drive, to copy over the EFI partition from the Unibeast stick to the EFI partition of the cloned drive using Terminal. You can do this using the sudo dd command.

 

[goseph]

Guys, just to make sure:
how are you going to built a Fusion drive?

Is it the same like using a SSD and a regular HDD by having 2 Partitions?
Like 500GB (Samsung 840 SSD size) and 2000GB Western Digital HDD?

Or what are the advantages / disadvantages of a "Fusion Drive"?
Links appreciated!

Thanks

 

[blackholesun66]

I'll try to follow this guide (I'm not yet ready for it):
http://www.tonymacx86.com/mountain-...-drive-using-tonymacx86-tools-chimera-17.html

Fusiondrive will combine two media (SSD + HD), so that you see just one device. It's is managed by the OS.
But I don't know how it works, and how it decides, what to put on the SSD, or on the HD part.

Does anyone know, if the firewire slot of the Z77X can be used? Or do I have to buy a pci card? I'll have to get my FW audio system going (Focusrite Saffire Pro 40).

 

[Middleman]

Goseph & Blackholesun66,

Fusion Drive is a new feature of Mountain Lion 10.8.2 to speed up how the systems drive are used. Using Apple's CoreStorage technology introduced since Lion 10.7.4, it is using the FileVault encryption technology to help create an encrypted and basically RAIDed drive for use by the OS.

What it does is two things. First by using an SSD in conjunction with a disk-based HD, it helps to improve both read & write access speeds compared to conventional drives, the performance of which is fourfold ie. 97Mbps normal HD read/write vs 400Mbps read/write on a real Fusion Mac. The second is that less used files are put onto the hard drive part of the Fusion drive. The result of this is a drive which accesses files and programs like SSD speeds, but has the large capacity of a normal hard drive.

How does the Fusion Drive work the data? Well the Fusion Drive fills the first drive's space to the brim, and then fills the second slower drive afterwards. Say the SSD is the first drive and has a capacity of 240GB, then the data copied over will fill all of the SSD's space first before 'spilling over' to the HD drive. So any files that are on the SSD side will be quick loading. However over time, any files that are less accessed by the Fusion Drive's SSD side will, during quiet periods of disk-use, be copied and/or replaced to the HD drive by the OS. So if you use apps like Photoshop or Final Cut Pro/iMovie a lot for example, then gradually over time they will work and open a lot faster than normal. That's basically how Fusion Drive works...

And to answer your query Blackholesun66, yes the Firewire 400 port works on the Z77X Gigabyte board.

 

[DoFoT9]

Wow, same problem like i had.
It was the VT-D setting in bios.
http://www.tonymacx86.com/mountain-...n-1240v2-gtx-670-gigabyte-ga-z77x-up5-th.html

Hi all, first post I think - always been lurking around though..

I've grabbed the Z77x-UP5 (Wifi) + 560Ti + 3570k, and I've virtually had NO luck installing OSX with UniBeast. It will always hang around "Ethernet MAC Address", or "BlueTooth" using -v, and it will always always Kernel Panic even with -x/-f/etc. F11 BIOS.

Really at a loss here, I do NOT have the Disable VT-D option through BIOS, because of (I think) an unlocked CPU?
Tried everything I can think of, removed multiple components, even running off the HD4000 alone ventured in the same results...

Anybody had a similar experience? I bought this board as I understood it was basically an OOTB install...

 

[blackholesun66]

Hi Middleman,

hope you're not on holidays
I've reverted my Fusiondrive, as I can't see really advantages for it.
But now, going back to SSD-HD combination, I can't boot without my USB stick. When it's plugged in, I'll get this boot menu in bios:



When I select it, I can boot with SSD on chimeira screen.
Hopefully I don't have to begin from scratch again, as there are already apps and fonts installed.

Kind regards