Gigabyte P55A-UD4P

[iGirl]

Gigabyte P55A-UD4P - Boots to Installer, No Mouse/Keyboard

Trying to update from "Snow Leopard" 10.6.8 --> "Mavericks" 10.9
So far it's a no-go. Tried boot flags individually, together, none, safe boot - no joy. :/

System: Gigabyte-P55A-UD4P, Intel Core i5 (Socket 1156), 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3, Nvidia GeForce 9500 GT 1024 MB VRAM, 2x1TB Western Digital SATA hard drives, Optiarc DVD RW.

With -v flag it gets to a point where it says the following and stops:
can't load kext com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController

This is the "High Definition Audio" kext, right? My mobo has the 889 chip that requires the legacy audio, but in the past when updates messed with that kext I just lost my sound until I restored the legacy kext. It's never halted booting before.

With -x flag it stops at a message like:
Single bank of RAM (128)

If I use npci=0x3000, GraphicsEnabler=No, PCIRootUID=0 (solo or in combo) it gets to the point where it should be changing the screen resolution over (the point in SL where my screen briefly turns blue before the login screen). Instead the screen goes blank and all drive activity stops.

I created the USB installer with Legacy USB included (since I seem to need it under SL I assumed I'll need it under Mavericks too).

I didn't change any BIOS settings (perhaps wrongly assumed if SL has been running fine 10.9 would too).

Any suggestions?

 

[iGirl]

Ok, I can get it past the previous stop points. It mounts the hard drives. Screen doesn't just go black, monitor goes into standby like it does when there is no video signal. I've let it sit for 10 minutes and it's pretty clear it's stalled out, but the screen is off so no clue what is is (or isn't) doing. I never get to the install screen. Drive activity light on USB and tower stop flashing. Have tried boot flags:

GraphicsEnabler=No
npci=0x3000
npci=0x2000

Not sure what else to try.

I should mention this system has another (physical) drive with Windows 7 Pro on it, in which I use software that requires Virtualization Technologies. I haven't tried disabling that in the BIOS yet, but I did run across an OS X boot flag "dart=0" (assuming that actually has anything to do with it).

 

[geminii]

I am definitely anxious to see if Mavericks works on my setup. It looks like we have a comparable system, but I have an AMD Radeon 6870 video card so I wonder if that card is supported or not. I am also still running 10.6.8 so not sure if Mavericks can upgrade from that version.

Has anyone else had luck with the upgrade?

 

[iGirl]

Ok, I've also tried:
GraphicsEnabler=Yes (no difference yes or no)
PCIRootUID=1 (that's what it is in my SL boot.plist)
"Graphics Mode"="1024x768x32"
"Graphics Mode"="800x600x32@60"
No difference, still kills signal to monitor

I have also tried going into the BIOS and enabling/disabling:
Virtualization Technologies
No-Execute Memory Protection
High Precision Event Timer (HPET)
HPET Mode both 32 and 64 bit settings
Init Display both PCI and PEG (the card is actually in a PCI Express slot, but it makes no difference what I set this to)

Still no joy.

Before anybody suggests it, I can't disable Intel integrated graphics as a possible fix. The motherboard doesn't support it and my Core i5 doesn't have integrated graphics. I've seen mention of some "infamous Bluetooth error" (not so infamous I've heard of it, however). I gather that the boot hangs or dies when Bluetooth is initialized? Well, I DO get a glimpse of the word "Bluetooth" just before the screen dies (my computer does not have Bluetooth).

It's late so I think I'll give up for now. Maybe when I check in later someone will have figured out what is causing this.

 

[alexargo]

I'm having similar issues. I have a P55-UD4P with a Nvidia GTX 260. If I do "-v GraphicsEnabler=Yes PCIRootUID=1" I can get it to boot into the install and get the mouse cursor on the screen. After a while it just froze though in the installer. Couldn't move mouse. Once I made it to the part where you select the language but it wasn't responding to my mouse/keyboard.

 

[cardofgiant]

I am getting the same thing for the most part. I don't see anything about bluetooth.

 

[iGirl]

I didn't see anything about Bluetooth either, until I caught about half a second glimpse of the word right before the signal to the monitor was killed. So I couldn't see whatever else that line actually said about Bluetooth (no idea if it was just a notice or an error message).

Edit: After I finally got it to go to the installer screen (see post below) I had time to read the line. It' pretty much just says that Bluetooth init failed (because there is no Bluetooth). It wasn't actually a stop error and was unrelated to losing the monitor signal.

 

[iGirl]

Gigabyte P55A-UD4P - Got to Installer Screen. Now what?

Seems I was on the right track with the Graphics Mode flag, just wasn't using the right numbers. You have to give the "native resolution" of the monitor (in my case it's full HD). Getting anywhere with my rig required a bunch of boot flags:

-v GraphicsEnabler=Yes "Graphics Mode"="1920x1080x32" PCIRootUID=1

That will get me to a white screen with a pointer in the upper left corner.
Wait 3 minutes and the installer language selection dialog comes up.
But both mouse and keyboard won't work. Also tried plugging them into the two USB 3.0 ports, but that didn't work either.
I DID create the bootable flash drive with the "LegacyUSB" option in Unibeast.

So that's where I'm stuck. I can SEE the installer, I just can't interact with it at all.

 

[RayMacx64]

I used -v GraphicsEnabler=Yes PCIRootUID=1 and can get to the install screen and everything works except at the end of the install it gives a message that it failed. I have tried at least 10 times and still no luck..........

 

[iGirl]

I've tried every trick I know of regarding USB Mouse/Keyboard not working.

Removed AppleHPET.kext from Extensions
USBBusFix=Yes
USBLegacyOff=Yes
EHCIhard=Yes

Tried turning "Legacy USB" support on/off in BIOS
Tried unplugging and plugging back in to same/different port
Tried USB 3.0 ports
Tried changing USB 3.0 from EHCI to XHCI (the latter prevents me even getting to the grey screen with the pointer)
Tried putting the "legacy" USB kexts directly in the S/L/E folder

Nothing works.

Given the issues many others are having who managed to actually run the installer I'm beginning to think maybe I'm better off just sticking with a perfectly running Snow Leopard system than risk a partially or completely non-functional Mavericks system. :/