Help, can't boot on this build. GA-Z68M-D2H i5-2500K 10.6.7

[rob00]

Help! I can't figure this out. By all research and build recommendations, it should work right out of the box. Here is my set up, all from my 3 week careful research right here on tonymaccx86.com.

Hardware build:
- motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68M-D2H (BIOS V.F4 as per DSDT.aml database)
- CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K
- memory: Corsair Vengeance Blu 4 GB PC3-12800 1600mHz DDR3
- Storage: SATA hard drive and DVD drive

hardware-wise everything confirmed working well. windows 7 installed and working properly. BIOS: HPET set to 64-bit mode, IDE set to AHCI mode.

Hackintosh software installation:
- iBoot + MultiBeast method
- boot w/ iBoot CD and install OS X 10.6 from retail Snow Leopard DVD, reboot
- boot w/ iBoot CD and into HD with OS X 10.6, open MultiBeast but don't run it, run MacOSXUpdCombo10.6.7.dmg but don't reboot, run MultiBoot with DSDT.aml on the desktop, remove iBoot CD and then reboot.
- HERE IS WHERE I AM HAVING THE PROBLEM:
my hackintosh will reboot, OS X 10.6.7 bootloader will start to boot from the hard drive (I see the apple and the progress bar reversing), then I get the big light grey screen with the apple but it will stop there. No hard drive activity, not keyboard/mouse.


some observations:

- If I boot w/ iBoot CD and choose the hard drive, then everything works great, and it seems like the installation on the hard drive went ok. no hard drive errors, and everything works well once I get to the desktop - i just have to use the iBoot CD.

- I can tell that the bootloader is installed on the hard drive because I can see the beginning process of it. it just stops once it gets passed the black screen with the reverse progress bar. Why is the bootloader stopping midway?

- even though I am using the DSDT provided from on the DSDT database, I cannot get the sound to work, and the video resolution is limited to 1024 x 768 instead of 1080p that the HD3000 should provide. is there a .kext I can download for the audio and for the HD3000 video if I cannot use the DSDT?

- I tried MultiBeast many different ways, using DSDT, EasyBeast setting, and the individual settings. none of the variations seem to make a difference on the bootloading stopping midway.

- Since my build is a 1155 Sandy Bridge system, I installed the UpdateHelper before upgrading to 10.6.8 (so that I can eventually upgrade to Lyon). However, even with a successful UpdateHelper installation, my 10.6.8 installation went wrong. After the reboot, the screen would be black although there would be hard drive activity.

I am not sure why I am having such a hard time. All the hardware were pre-screened to be compatible. I followed all the instruction. I just spent $600 on this, and 3 sleepless nights installing and re-installing things multiple times and in multiple ways, yet I can't get it to work.

I need some fresh eyes and some encouragement. what am I overlooking? Help! If I can get this build to work, it would be such a killer system.

 

[jca99]

my hackintosh will reboot, OS X 10.6.7 bootloader will start to boot from the hard drive (I see the apple and the progress bar reversing), then I get the big light grey screen with the apple but it will stop there. No hard drive activity, not keyboard/mouse.

I had a similar experience that took a few days to figure out, you can check it out here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=39599

- even though I am using the DSDT provided from on the DSDT database, I cannot get the sound to work, and the video resolution is limited to 1024 x 768 instead of 1080p that the HD3000 should provide. is there a .kext I can download for the audio and for the HD3000 video if I cannot use the DSDT?

Until you're booting from the hard drive you won't be able to tell what's working and what's not. I do know that HD3000 is not supported in 10.6.8, you would have to go to 10.7 or use a PCI-E card.

- Since my build is a 1155 Sandy Bridge system, I installed the UpdateHelper before upgrading to 10.6.8 (so that I can eventually upgrade to Lyon). However, even with a successful UpdateHelper installation, my 10.6.8 installation went wrong. After the reboot, the screen would be black although there would be hard drive activity.

The system was starting up but you just had no video. This is because of the HD3000.

I need some fresh eyes and some encouragement. what am I overlooking? Help! If I can get this build to work, it would be such a killer system.

Don't lose faith, it will work. You will have to use a different video card to get it all working.

 

[rob00]

Don't lose faith, it will work. You will have to use a different video card to get it all working.

Thank you for the encouragement. It is a very good point - I got mixed up because many of the guides here on tonymacx86 are for Lyon and not for Snow Leopard and the HD3000, as you point out, is only Lyon supported.

I'll keep trying with a different video card and keep you posted, and really thanks for the kind words.

 

[rob00]

Replaced video card (nVidia GeForge 6200 discrete PCIe card) and read your other post ("Post subject: Re: Can only start up with iBoot") and gave it another go... unfortunately, no success.

Here is what I did:

1. Re-formatted the 500GB hard drive
2. Load iBoot, start OS X retail DVD 10.6
3. Use iBoot to start new Snow Leopard partition.
5. Move my DSDT.aml and MultiBeast to the desktop.
4. Install 10.6.7 Combo.
5. Run MultiBeast before reboot with:
UserDSDT
System Utilities
Audio -> ALC8xxHDA and ALC889
Disk -> IOAHCIBlockStorageInjector
Network -> Realtek Gigabit Ethernet 2.0.6
Boot Options -> 64-bit Apple Boot Screen
Software -> Kext Helper b7
6. Reboot

At this point it should boot from the hard drive but never does.

When it tries to boot from the hard drive, I again see the boot loader progress bar roll down, then the white screen with the grey apple, and then no disk activity. nothing else happens. And this time, when I use the iBoot CD to bootload and try to get into the hard drive, i get a kernel panic attack, so I can't even find out how far the 10.6.7 install got.

I don't have a single clue why the boot loader is stopped dead and there is no hard disk activity.

i tried installing Chimera 1.6.0 from the standalone installer, but i dont think it helped. should it help?
at all

 

[rob00]

So another few hours of reinstalling in different ways. Here are some results. maybe someone else can see what I am missing or can give me more ideas:

I installed 10.6 and multibeast without upgrading to 10.6.7 and without using the user DSDT from the DSDT database. then, I was able to boot from the hard drive. So the bootloader works if I easy-multibeast and don't upgrade to 10.6.7 yet.

I still do not have sound, no network card, and who knows what else is not yet supported on my motherboard. I hope I will be able to find all the kexts for my GA-Z68M-D2H.

HAS ANYONE OUT THERE BEEN ABLE TO GET THIS SPECIFIC MOTHERMOARD TO BE FULLY 10.6.7 WORKING? i thought i researched it to be. am I the only one having problem with this MB? or should I send this MB back and get a different MB? or will I solve my problems if I go to 10.7? Has anyone gotten this specific motherboard fully working under 10.7? i don't want to buy OS X 10.7 if not.

I need to sleep, it's 5 AM

the kernel panic was from installing Chimera 1.6.0 from the standalone installer.

 

[Going Bald]

Problem is still gfx support. No support for HD3000 until 10.7.x, and no OOB support for any GeForce6xxx or 7xxx gfx cards after 10.6.2.

Got a local store that has a 8800GS on hand? They are usually less than USD$50 and I have seen them in Lion builds, so I guess the support for them is still there.

You might try this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814121473

I have seen it in several HTPC builds.

 

[rob00]

Thank you so much for the reply. You have no idea how much you are helping! Thank you.

So my problems would be fixed if I go for Lyon 10.7, right?
But, how do I upgrade to 10.7 if I can't get passed 10.6.2?
I still have to get my system working at 10.6.7, i.e. need to get a working graphics card nVidia 8800 or something?

is there a way to directly install 10.7 without having to go through 10.6.7 upgrade? I wish I could just buy a 10.7 install DVD like I bought the Snow Leopard install DVD

 

[rob00]

Looking for video cards I already own before I purchase new ones, here are 2 more I found:

1. Radeon X1950Pro IceQ3 Turbo VIVO (HDCP) 256MB GDDR3 256-bit ATI-Cross Fire

2. nVidia GeForce 9600GSO 768MB DDR2

Are any of these 2 video cards supported under 10.6.7? should I give it a try with them, or are they known not to work, so I should not waste another 3 hours trying and just go get a 8800 video card?

 

[jca99]

2. nVidia GeForce 9600GSO 768MB DDR2

Are any of these 2 video cards supported under 10.6.7? should I give it a try with them, or are they known not to work, so I should not waste another 3 hours trying and just go get a 8800 video card?

From what I can tell the 9600GSO should work in 10.6.7, or .8, or Lion. I would go with that one.

 

[WonkeyDonkey]

Here is what I did:

1. Re-formatted the 500GB hard drive
2. Load iBoot, start OS X retail DVD 10.6
3. Use iBoot to start new Snow Leopard partition.
5. Move my DSDT.aml and MultiBeast to the desktop.
4. Install 10.6.7 Combo.
5. Run MultiBeast before reboot with:
UserDSDT
System Utilities
Audio -> ALC8xxHDA and ALC889
Disk -> IOAHCIBlockStorageInjector
Network -> Realtek Gigabit Ethernet 2.0.6
Boot Options -> 64-bit Apple Boot Screen
Software -> Kext Helper b7
6. Reboot

At this point it should boot from the hard drive but never does.

First of all, did you run UpdateHelper at the end of Step 3 above and then reboot before carrying on ? It *shouldn't* matter for 10.6.7 but has actually worked for me in the past.

Second, Ive had issues with older Nvidia cards not being able to boot into 64-bit mode a few times. Try using the 32-bit selection first until you get a working bootable system and then look at changing to 64-bit.

Third, which version of Multibeast are you using ? Ive also had issues using newer versions of it and have gotten things to work by reverting to an older version (3.9.0 springs to mind right now).

Step 3 and Step 4 (And possibly Step 5, shown twice above) appear to be in the wrong order. Can you confirm the exact order of the steps you took ?