Install process for i3-3240 that worked for 10.8 not working with 10.9

[freeradicalx]

A few months ago I put together a cheap 10.8 server with a Gigabyte GA-B75M-HD3 and an i3-3240, which I didn't notice had unsupported HD2500 graphics. Luckily I had an old GeFore 8400 GS 512MB lying around and got everything working with the following process:

1. Create MBR/HFS+ USB install media via Unibeast 10.8 option and App Store 10.8 installer.
2. Boot without GeForce card installed from USB with -x -v and install 10.8 to a drive.
3. Boot from drive with -x -v and run Multibeast with no special options.
4. Install GeForce card, reboot with VGA in graphics card without problems.

During boot in step 2 I'd see an error ("WARNING: IOPlatformPluginUtil : getCPUIDInfo: this is an unknown CPU model 0x3a") and a power management warning (" -- power management may be incomplete or unsupported") but it would continue on loading Lnx2Mac's ethernet drivers and everything else and the installer would come up anyway.

However I recently decided to start fresh with 10.9 and install to a new drive using the same method. I create an MBR/HFS+ USB installer for 10.9 using Unibeast and an App Store copy of the 10.9 installer. I uninstall the GeForce card from the rig and plug VGA into the motherboard. I boot from USB with -x -v and instead of continuing on through the unsupported CPU error, it just hangs there forever.

Did 10.9 drop support for something HD2500-related that 10.8 had? With the 10.8 installer I could at least safe boot, but with 10.9 I can't even get that far. Any ideas how to get around this or at least what's causing it? Many thanks.

Parts:
Intel Core i3-3240 Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz
Gigabyte GA-B75M-HD3 (rev. 1.0)
4GB (2 x 2GB) OCZ PC3 12800

 

[varoonpalakodety]

Hey there! I use the same MoBo (GA-B75M-D3H) and I have the i5-3450 (HD 2500)! I don't have a separate GFX card. I get the CPU error too but that's ok. All you have to do is update 10.8 to 10.8.3+ (best 10.8.5) and you can get the full 1080p resolution on your HDMI/DVI monitor (no VGA).

But.. I have trouble with installing Mavericks too. PJALM was confident that it would work but somehow I can boot only in safe mode. I tried with a patched DSDT with HD 2500 from PJALM's repos. But it didn't work for me. They closed the chat option and so I can't ask about this. Let's wait till someone comes along and help us with Mavericks installation.

 

[freeradicalx]

After some tinkering and lots of thinking (Forever a n00b...) I got the 10.9 unibeast USB installer to boot, here's what I did:

HOW TO BOOT INTO 10.9 INSTALLER ON HD 2500 GRAPHICS CPU WITH ADDED DISCREET CARD
1. Install discreet card (As mentioned mine's a cheapo $30 GeForce that I've had since I can't even remember)
2. Plug monitor into card's DVI port
3. Boot GraphicsEnabler=yes -x -v
4. Dance the SafeBoot Dance until you see the Welcome/language screen!

I'm gonna go ahead and install now, we'll see if I can boot without safe mode after the install.

 

[varoonpalakodety]

So.. Did you get it done?

 

[freeradicalx]

Yup! After installing Chimera with no other options selected I can boot just fine, no safe mode or anything. Just like 10.8.

I should note though, we actually have different mobos, although they are very similar. I have a GA-B75M-HD3, you have a GA-B75M-D3H. I got the two confused a couple times when I was in the process of purchasing mine. So your mileage may vary.

 

[varoonpalakodety]

Yeah.. A different Mobo. But.. Essentially the same chipset and the same graphics. So.. This should be working too. I wonder what I did wrong!

 

[freeradicalx]

Even though HD 2500 support was added in 10.8.3 and I was, like you, about to boot into the 10.8 installer without a discreet GPU in safe mode, I was never able to boot into the Mavericks installer the same way. My guess is that the Mavericks installer dropped some sort of support that was included in the 10.8.3+ installer related to HD 2500 (Go Apple...). So while I'm sure there's some way to hack your way into it I have no idea how it'd be done because I used my GeForce card to get in.

My suggestion is to pick up or borrow a cheap $30 card that's natively supported and boot while plugged into it with GraphicsEnabler=yes (Which the old cards require). Once you're in you can probably re-enabled HD 2500 support and switch back.

 

[varoonpalakodety]

Actually I'm planning to build a new hack with Haswell as I'm moving away from home for a while. As for the existing one, I'm thinking of getting an AMD/ATI card. PJALM used to say that this was better than GeForce when it comes to OS X! I'll post my result as soon as it gets done. Thanks for your feedback.