[SOLVED]Trouble with GA-P55M-UD2, i5-760, gts-250

[scales11]

Re: Trouble with GA-P55M-UD2, i5-760, gts-250

Well I decided that I wouldnt give up that easily, so I decided to try once more. In my previous attempts I had been trying to get things running on a dual booting, computer with multiple partitions.

This time I tried a fresh install onto an 80gig ide drive with nothing other than OSX. I had to use the nvidia-iboot disc since the supported wouldnt work. After the OSX install I was able to boot up using the disc. I then installed 10.6.4 and multibeast. I first tried installing just the proper dsdt.aml file and system utilities, but resulted in a computer that would start to boot, but then put a circle with a slash on top of the loading apple logo and seemingly stop.

I had to use an older tonymacx86 iboot disc to get into osx because after the update and multibeast the nvidia-iboot disc would no longer get me anywhere. Once back into osx, I re-ran multibeast the exact way that tonymac did in the above video. When I tried booting into osx then, I had to use the busratio=22 and also passed the -v to see the output. The system hangs at a waiting for root device or something after polling the firewire.

I have tried passing the -x and graphicsenabler=yes options too, ( i usually need the -x when installing and normally booting) but ultimately after the update I am unable to boot into osx without the older tonymacx86 disc. Any other ideas guys as to where things are going bad?

 

[scales11]

Re: Trouble with GA-P55M-UD2, i5-760, gts-250

anybody using a gts-250? Perhaps the problem is with my vid card? it says supported in the wiki....

 

[Vendetta]

Re: Trouble with GA-P55M-UD2, i5-760, gts-250

Not sure how much I can help, being a n00b and all, but I had luck on my recent build (as of last night), so I thought I might just throw out a few things I noticed from your posts.

I'm using the same board and processor, different GPU. The first thing I noticed is that you used the Nvidia iBoot. I used the iBoot supported, and it worked great. Given that you have the same board and CPU, I'd think you could as well, but I could be wrong. Not sure it makes a difference anyways. I also noticed that you were trying to select both the Easybeast and UserDSDT. Not sure that's necessary, and maybe that's causing issues for you? I just chose UserDSDT, and followed the video that Tony pointed out to you.

The last thing, which maybe is too obvious to point out would be your BIOS. I assume you've updated to the newest BIOS, and are using the proper DSDT file?

Actually, there is one more thing; your HDD. Would it make a difference that it's IDE? [I'm using a SSD (SATA)].

Those are the things I noticed that were different from my build. I hope you get it figured out, because man this is great!

 

[scales11]

Re: Trouble with GA-P55M-UD2, i5-760, gts-250

Vendetta, Thanks for your input! Sometimes us newbs can still be helpful I will try and be more specific about the build and my process in the points you made.

I'm using the same board and processor, different GPU. The first thing I noticed is that you used the Nvidia iBoot. I used the iBoot supported, and it worked great. Given that you have the same board and CPU, I'd think you could as well, but I could be wrong. Not sure it makes a difference anyways.

I initially tried to use the supported boot disc, and here is how it went.
boots to chameleon screen->swap disc for osx->press f5->chose osx->white apple screen comes up, little circle is swirling->black screen->nothing.... (I am pretty sure I tried it with the "-x" flag too and the same thing happened)

When I used the nvidia-iBoot disc i was able to get into the install screen no prob and everything initially installed fine (NOTE: I did have to pass the "-x" but then everything installed and worked ok)

I also noticed that you were trying to select both the Easybeast and UserDSDT. Not sure that's necessary, and maybe that's causing issues for you? I just chose UserDSDT, and followed the video that Tony pointed out to you.

I first tried just installing the correct DSDT.aml file and the options that the video showed but the boot just took me to the same black screen. I then tried installing easybeast and NO dsdt.aml file but did not have any different luck.

The last thing, which maybe is too obvious to point out would be your BIOS. I assume you've updated to the newest BIOS, and are using the proper DSDT file?

I have updated my bios to 11, which was the latest as of last week.

Actually, there is one more thing; your HDD. Would it make a difference that it's IDE? [I'm using a SSD (SATA)].

This could be a problem, I am not sure though and I do not have another sata readily available for me to try it on. Perhaps I can get one this weekend and try.

Another thing I have recently tried was using the -v option at boot to try and figure out why the screen is going black upon boot, is there another way for me to monitor more of the details to debug this?

As always thank you to anyone who has ideas or suggestions. I am willing to try the entire process over so I can get this working. The computer is actually not mine but a friends so I have not had as much time as I would have liked to get things working. He is a mac user and I was trying to upgrade him to a nice and cheaper PC that could handle some games etc with windows.

 

[Vendetta]

Re: Trouble with GA-P55M-UD2, i5-760, gts-250

I wish my suggestions were of more help to you.

There are just so many variables, it's hard to troubleshoot them all over the internet. Nearly anyone else around here is better qualified to help you than me, but I'm surprised that it's the GPU that's giving you issues. That's assuming that your bios settings are correct, and that you were attentive to the other caviats (using the blue sata ports, RAM in slots 1 and 3, no peripherals plugged in, etc.). You seem quite familiar with the process by now, and you know what you are doing, so it seems it's the GPU (or IDE drive).

I hope you get it figured, and I'll keep checking back on your progress, and update if I learn anything that may help you.

 

[scales11]

Re: Trouble with GA-P55M-UD2, i5-760, gts-250

UPDATE:
After following the iBoot-Multibeast tutorial I would get to chameleon and then regardless of which flags I passed, I would shortly after be left at a blank screen.

Because this time I used a sata drive and still got the error I believe the error had something to do with the video card. After more and more searching, I stumbled upon a few posts at other forums saying that the gts 250 needed to be specified at boot. I dont quite understand all this, but I was able to get the system to boot into osx by following this tutorial:
http://aquamac.proboards.com/index.cgi? ... thread=509

I also removed the NVDAN, NVDAR, and NVSMU files from the sysyem/libraries/extensions/

I also ran the keytex utility at the end

I do not know which step helped or what they all mean so I am looking for someone with more knowledge to help me out.

I am currently able to boot into osx using chameleon and no flags but am stuck at 1024x768 (sound and ethernet work, and graphicsenabler=yes flag did not do anything)

HELP ANYONE I AM SO CLOSE

 

[scales11]

Re: Trouble with GA-P55M-UD2, i5-760, gts-250

Forgetting my last post, does anyone know why after a fresh install+update+multibeast I am unable to boot using either the iboot-nvidia or the iboot-supported? I can only boot using the old p55 boot disc. I also am curious why I cannot use the iboot-supported with my hardware. Anythoughts?

 

[scales11]

Well I did it.

It took me a while to figure out what was going on but as with many cases the solution can be more simple than you think...Here is what happened:

I always installed using the nvidia-iboot, which worked fine and osx seemed fine but then went wacko once i updated to 10.6.4. After slamming my head against the wall and searching through countless forum posts, I was quite sure that my problem had something to do with my video card, gts 250 1gb. I finally realized that the DVI port does not work with the supported-iboot disc or 10.6.4. Once I switched to a vga cable, I had no problem using the supported-iboot disc and installing 10.6.4 perfectly. I then could setup the dvi to work. I did so by following this guide:
http://aquamac.proboards.com/index.cgi? ... thread=509

I did have to delete a few NV***.kext files to get the dvi to work, but it worked!

I did not however delete the GeForce.kext (dunno if that matters)

Feeling confident, I decided to start fresh and setup multiple partitions for win7 and osx to each boot from. Win7 installed fine, then osx did as well. However, I was unable to boot off the drive without using the supported-iboot disc. Turned out that I needed to repair the GUID table from within OSX for it to work (took me a few hours to debug that one). Finally I was able to setup the DVI using that same tutorial. And as of now, things are working.

ADDIDITIONAL QUESTIONS:
-My video card still shows up as "unknown" when I look at the system Info

-I also dont have any other resolution options other than the monitor's native. (detect display doesnt do anything)

-I dont fully understand the whole kext thing and was wondering whether me adding that hex string in my apple.boot would be as good as using an actual kext for the video card.
the kext is found here 3/4 down the page, skyfluff attached it.
http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index. ... 3489&st=20

-can I update my system the "normal" way now or am I at risk of breaking something. ie. that new graphics update thing....

 

[Vendetta]

Well I did it.

It took me a while to figure out what was going on but as with many cases the solution can be more simple than you think...Here is what happened:

I always installed using the nvidia-iboot, which worked fine and osx seemed fine but then went wacko once i updated to 10.6.4. After slamming my head against the wall and searching through countless forum posts, I was quite sure that my problem had something to do with my video card, gts 250 1gb. I finally realized that the DVI port does not work with the supported-iboot disc or 10.6.4. Once I switched to a vga cable, I had no problem using the supported-iboot disc and installing 10.6.4 perfectly. I then could setup the dvi to work. I did so by following this guide:
http://aquamac.proboards.com/index.cgi? ... thread=509

I did have to delete a few NV***.kext files to get the dvi to work, but it worked!

I did not however delete the GeForce.kext (dunno if that matters)

Feeling confident, I decided to start fresh and setup multiple partitions for win7 and osx to each boot from. Win7 installed fine, then osx did as well. However, I was unable to boot off the drive without using the supported-iboot disc. Turned out that I needed to repair the GUID table from within OSX for it to work (took me a few hours to debug that one). Finally I was able to setup the DVI using that same tutorial. And as of now, things are working.

ADDIDITIONAL QUESTIONS:
-My video card still shows up as "unknown" when I look at the system Info

-I also dont have any other resolution options other than the monitor's native. (detect display doesnt do anything)

-I dont fully understand the whole kext thing and was wondering whether me adding that hex string in my apple.boot would be as good as using an actual kext for the video card.
the kext is found here 3/4 down the page, skyfluff attached it.
http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index. ... 3489&st=20

-can I update my system the "normal" way now or am I at risk of breaking something. ie. that new graphics update thing....

Wow, I'm glad you got it working! It's interesting to me though just how many problems can arise just from a GPU swap. I haven't had to deal with manually deleting any kexts or anything of the sort. Everything seemed to work out of the box, with only a little bit of tweaking in Multibeast.

I'm glad you got it working, but I do hope someone chimes in to let you know if the new updates will break your build. I know that in the new graphics update, it seems to be working for most people without issues.