Not having an easy time with Lenovo T410

[SimplyRyan]

I've seen dozens of articles online about people having success with the Lenovo T410, with various hardware configurations. For the most part, all iterations of this laptop come with one of two Graphics setups, either Switchable Graphics with First Gen IntelHD integrated (does not work)/nVidia NVS3100M discrete (works with GraphicsEnabler=Yes) or Intel HD3000 integrated (works out of the box).

I have a Lenovo T410 with switchable graphics and an i5 520m. If you set the graphics to discrete only in the BIOS, everything is supposed to work just fine. Now what I can't understand is why, in all of my searching I've never even ONCE come across people having ANY of the issues I've had, for example:

1) not being able to boot ANY version of the Mac OSX Installer. Most people say they either use the iBoot/retail method or unibeast (lion and above) and it just works. No boot flags, added kexts, etc. In the end I was FINALLY able to install Snow Leopard (no newer version of osx than that) by using disk utility to copy the Snow Leopard 10.6.3 DVD to USB and then installing Multibeast on that, and THEN replacing mach_kernel with the modbin 10.0 kernel.

2) On top of that, I had to remove ALL of the graphics kexts (AppleIntelHD* and NVDA*) from /s/l/e on the multibeast snow leopard usb I created.

3) After encountering dozens of errors (pci, acpi, bluetooth, firewire, etc.) which I had to correct one by one, I finally figured out through trial and error that I needed to add "GraphicsEnabler=No" and "busratio=18" in order to finally just reach the installer.

3) I had to repeat the entire process for installing subsequent combo updates (starting with 10.6.7, copying AppleACPIPlatform.kext and IOPCIFamily.kext from 10.6.7 to 10.6.8). Also had to use anv kernel 10.8 in order to boot.

So my question is, how is it that despite having a laptop with a CPU and GPU that many other users are reporting success with can I not even boot into Unibeast on any version of OSX about Snow Leopard, much less install or boot a functioning system?

 

[RehabMan]

I've seen dozens of articles online about people having success with the Lenovo T410, with various hardware configurations. For the most part, all iterations of this laptop come with one of two Graphics setups, either Switchable Graphics with First Gen IntelHD integrated (does not work)/nVidia NVS3100M discrete (works with GraphicsEnabler=Yes) or Intel HD3000 integrated (works out of the box).

I have a Lenovo T410 with switchable graphics and an i5 520m. If you set the graphics to discrete only in the BIOS, everything is supposed to work just fine. Now what I can't understand is why, in all of my searching I've never even ONCE come across people having ANY of the issues I've had, for example:

1) not being able to boot ANY version of the Mac OSX Installer. Most people say they either use the iBoot/retail method or unibeast (lion and above) and it just works. No boot flags, added kexts, etc. In the end I was FINALLY able to install Snow Leopard (no newer version of osx than that) by using disk utility to copy the Snow Leopard 10.6.3 DVD to USB and then installing Multibeast on that, and THEN replacing mach_kernel with the modbin 10.0 kernel.

2) On top of that, I had to remove ALL of the graphics kexts (AppleIntelHD* and NVDA*) from /s/l/e on the multibeast snow leopard usb I created.

3) After encountering dozens of errors (pci, acpi, bluetooth, firewire, etc.) which I had to correct one by one, I finally figured out through trial and error that I needed to add "GraphicsEnabler=No" and "busratio=18" in order to finally just reach the installer.

3) I had to repeat the entire process for installing subsequent combo updates (starting with 10.6.7, copying AppleACPIPlatform.kext and IOPCIFamily.kext from 10.6.7 to 10.6.8). Also had to use anv kernel 10.8 in order to boot.

So my question is, how is it that despite having a laptop with a CPU and GPU that many other users are reporting success with can I not even boot into Unibeast on any version of OSX about Snow Leopard, much less install or boot a functioning system?

Not a desktop. Moved to laptop support.

See guide: http://www.tonymacx86.com/yosemite-...-booting-os-x-installer-laptops-unibeast.html

 

[SimplyRyan]

update:

after a LOT of trial and error, I've been able to "walk" this install up from 10.6.3 all the way to 10.8.5. Here are some notes

10.6.3 initial install. must boot with busratio=18. If you run into issues with the graphics, you may need to remove all of the IntelHD* IntelSN* and IntelFrame* and NVDA* kexts. After install, with graphics set to discrete, QE/CI should work with GraphicsEnabler=Yes

10.6.8 combo update.
You'll need to use AppleACPIPlatform.kext and IOPCIFamily.kext from 10.6.7 in order to boot.

10.7 xMove method
I could not get this to work with unibeast for love nor money, so I ended up resorting back to the old xMove method. busratio=18 may or may not be necessary. PCIRootUID=1 and npci=0x3000 needed to boot.

10.7.5 combo update
need to roll back IOUSBFamily.kext, AppleACPIPlatform.kext and IOPCIFamily.kext

10.8 unibeast method
nothing to report here. this worked fine with a unibeast USB

10.8.5 combo update
Bluetooth does not work after upgrade, need to roll back IOBluetoothFamily.kext and IOBluetoothHID.kext to 10.8.4 in order to work.

10.9 Unibeast

can not get it to boot. It hangs on bluetooth, which I know to be a graphics related issue. Without modifying anything, the installer goes to a black screen, which I'm assuming I'd probably be able to see if I had a way to connect a monitor to the Display Port.

EDIT:
no sooner had I written that than I finally had success booting into the installer. I was finally able to get somewhere by deleting all of the graphics kexts (AppleIntelHD* AppleIntelSN* and AppleIntelFrame* and NVDA*), setting graphics to integrated and booting with -v -f. installing now. I'm sure I'll have to sort a lot of things out after install is completed.

Ignore everything else. Just use clover and install mavericks. Never was able to boot up after install. Clover on the other hand works flalwessly. All I had to do after installing was add kexts for Ethernet, Battery, Trackpad/keyboard, Sound and Airport. I'm using an Atheros AR9285 which works perfectly after adding pci0168,2b to AirportAtheros40.kext.

*** NOTE
I haven't bothered with compiling a dsdt.aml for this laptop yet. Everything works as it should without it so why bother? If you want battery, you have to delete AppleSmartBatteryManager.kext and AppleACPIPlatform.kext, and then install the rollback of AppleACPIPlatform.kext (version 16 I think) and VoodooBattery.kext. Works flawlessly.

For keyboard and trackpad, the PS2 kexts packaged in the latest version of multi beast work fine.

For audio, use VoodooHDA.kext 2.8.2, the most recent version packaged with multi beast.

For LAN, AppleIntelE1000e.kext packaged with multibeast

For Wifi, I used an Atheros AR9285 which works fine by adding pci168c,2b to AirportAtheros40.kext.

everything else pretty much works OOTB; QE/CI, sleep, bluetooth, iMessage, FireWire, etc.

I haven't tested eSATA (I assume it doesn't work)

I haven't tested the multi card reader (assuming it needs VoodooSDHC.kext with ID injected)
pcmcia card reader works OOTB. I have a 21-in-1 card reader, read an sdcard and memory stick pro2duo.

VGA out does not work. The computer detects that there is another screen attached, but doesn't display anything.
VGA works when booted with monitor attached.

DVI out on my dock does not work. I'm assuming that only DP out is going to work.

 

[TomLinconnnnn]

update:

after a LOT of trial and error, I've been able to "walk" this install up from 10.6.3 all the way to 10.8.5. Here are some notes

10.6.3 initial install. must boot with busratio=18. If you run into issues with the graphics, you may need to remove all of the IntelHD* IntelSN* and IntelFrame* and NVDA* kexts. After install, with graphics set to discrete, QE/CI should work with GraphicsEnabler=Yes

10.6.8 combo update.
You'll need to use AppleACPIPlatform.kext and IOPCIFamily.kext from 10.6.7 in order to boot.

10.7 xMove method
I could not get this to work with unibeast for love nor money, so I ended up resorting back to the old xMove method. busratio=18 may or may not be necessary. PCIRootUID=1 and npci=0x3000 needed to boot.

10.7.5 combo update
need to roll back IOUSBFamily.kext, AppleACPIPlatform.kext and IOPCIFamily.kext

10.8 unibeast method
nothing to report here. this worked fine with a unibeast USB

10.8.5 combo update
Bluetooth does not work after upgrade, need to roll back IOBluetoothFamily.kext and IOBluetoothHID.kext to 10.8.4 in order to work.

10.9 Unibeast

can not get it to boot. It hangs on bluetooth, which I know to be a graphics related issue. Without modifying anything, the installer goes to a black screen, which I'm assuming I'd probably be able to see if I had a way to connect a monitor to the Display Port.

EDIT:
no sooner had I written that than I finally had success booting into the installer. I was finally able to get somewhere by deleting all of the graphics kexts (AppleIntelHD* AppleIntelSN* and AppleIntelFrame* and NVDA*), setting graphics to integrated and booting with -v -f. installing now. I'm sure I'll have to sort a lot of things out after install is completed.

Ignore everything else. Just use clover and install mavericks. Never was able to boot up after install. Clover on the other hand works flalwessly. All I had to do after installing was add kexts for Ethernet, Battery, Trackpad/keyboard, Sound and Airport. I'm using an Atheros AR9285 which works perfectly after adding pci0168,2b to AirportAtheros40.kext.

*** NOTE
I haven't bothered with compiling a dsdt.aml for this laptop yet. Everything works as it should without it so why bother? If you want battery, you have to delete AppleSmartBatteryManager.kext and AppleACPIPlatform.kext, and then install the rollback of AppleACPIPlatform.kext (version 16 I think) and VoodooBattery.kext. Works flawlessly.

For keyboard and trackpad, the PS2 kexts packaged in the latest version of multi beast work fine.

For audio, use VoodooHDA.kext 2.8.2, the most recent version packaged with multi beast.

For LAN, AppleIntelE1000e.kext packaged with multibeast

For Wifi, I used an Atheros AR9285 which works fine by adding pci168c,2b to AirportAtheros40.kext.

everything else pretty much works OOTB; QE/CI, sleep, bluetooth, iMessage, FireWire, etc.

I haven't tested eSATA (I assume it doesn't work)

I haven't tested the multi card reader (assuming it needs VoodooSDHC.kext with ID injected)
pcmcia card reader works OOTB. I have a 21-in-1 card reader, read an sdcard and memory stick pro2duo.

VGA out does not work. The computer detects that there is another screen attached, but doesn't display anything.
VGA works when booted with monitor attached.

DVI out on my dock does not work. I'm assuming that only DP out is going to work.

Thanks for sharing! useful and wonderful report!