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Updating a Real iMac

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macinoff

macinoff

Joined
Jul 22, 2011
Messages
10
Motherboard
Asus P5Q Deluxe
CPU
Q9550
Graphics
EVGA GTX 660Ti
Mac
  1. iMac
  2. MacBook Air
  3. Mac mini
Classic Mac
  1. 0
Mobile Phone
  1. iOS
I have an early 2006 iMac that started life as a core duo and is now a 2.33 Ghz core2duo. The Lion installer stops the installation and tells me It can't be installed on this computer. It never gets to unpacking the packages for installation.

Any suggestions on how to either Change the Serial Number or the Model Identifier to bypass the installer? Pretty sad that my Hackintosh could run Lion and not my iMac...

Would the XMove work to do the install?
 
Well, considering it's not supported by Apple since the CPU upgrade, it kinda is a Hackintosh...
 
Is your iMac on at least 10.6.6? if not there is the problem.

also burn your lion to DvD and boot to it for a fresh install once you get it downloaded.
 
true that...:)

I think the issue is that Lion requires a 64bit CPU, which yours is only a 32bit..if my memory serves me well. I do see some discussions on booting Lion using 32bit and maybe those tutorials could clear things up a bit.

Here are some related links and Good luck!

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=263134

macinoff said:
Well, considering it's not supported by Apple since the CPU upgrade, it kinda is a Hackintosh...
Click to expand...
 
It is tied to the original model of the iMac, as the original model identifier was a core duo and not a core 2 duo the install will stop. This has been noted on the MacMini's as well.

:(
 
Mac Pro
GA-P55M-UD2 |  i7 870 |  Radeon HD 5770
bwhinnen said:
It is tied to the original model of the iMac, as the original model identifier was a core duo and not a core 2 duo the install will stop. This has been noted on the MacMini's as well.

:(
Click to expand...

There's that, and as I understand it, the original EFI on the machine is likely 32-bit, whereas a newer system's EFI would be 64-bit. I've heard of other people having issues on some machines with this... usually fixed with a firmware update
 
The CPU is 64 bit, I installed a T7600? Core2duo in it. I have the latest Snow Leopard version.

I created a boot USB drive off of my Macbook, but when I go to boot the iMac with it, it gives me the Circle with a slash through it. Same with a bootable DVD.

I tracked down a file in the Essentials.pkg called PlatformSupport.plist which contains a list of supported boards

I'm pretty sure this is what Lion installer is looking at when checking the Model or Serial number. I added my board to the list and got sidetracked doing something else.

I'll try and re-add this to the DMG and attempt to do the install that way. I was hoping there was one of the hackintosh tools that could help with this. Maybe Pacifist to do the install??? It would be nice if there was an EFI tool to change the serial or model number. It would save a lot of effort.

Here's the PlatformSupport.plist just in case anyone was wondering.

My Model is iMac4,1

Code: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>SupportedBoardIds</key>
	<array>
		<string>Mac-F2268DC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F22C86C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F22587C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F2218FA9</string>
		<string>Mac-F2218EA9</string>
		<string>Mac-F42D86A9</string>
		<string>Mac-F22C8AC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F22586C8</string>
		<string>Mac-942B59F58194171B</string>
		<string>Mac-F226BEC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F4218FC8</string>
		<string>Mac-942459F5819B171B</string>
		<string>Mac-F4218EC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F2208EC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F22C89C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F22587A1</string>
		<string>Mac-F42787C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F221DCC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F42388C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F223BEC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F4238CC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F222BEC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F227BEC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F4208AC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F22788A9</string>
		<string>Mac-F4238BC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F221BEC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F2238AC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F4208EAA</string>
		<string>Mac-F22788C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F22589C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F4228EC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F22788AA</string>
		<string>Mac-F42C86C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F4208CA9</string>
		<string>Mac-942C5DF58193131B</string>
		<string>Mac-F2238BAE</string>
		<string>Mac-F42289C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F2268CC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F4208DC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F2218FC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F2218EC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F4208DA9</string>
		<string>Mac-F42D89C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F4208CAA</string>
		<string>Mac-F42D89A9</string>
		<string>Mac-F2268AC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F42C89C8</string>
		<string>Mac-942452F5819B1C1B</string>
		<string>Mac-F42786A9</string>
		<string>Mac-F42D88C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F42187C8</string>
		<string>Mac-94245B3640C91C81</string>
		<string>Mac-F42D86C8</string>
		<string>Mac-F2268EC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F2268DAE</string>
		<string>Mac-F42C8CC8</string>
		<string>Mac-F42C88C8</string>
		<string>Mac-94245A3940C91C80</string>
		<string>Mac-F42386C8</string>
		<string>Mac-942B5BF58194151B</string>
		<string>Mac-F42189C8</string>
	</array>
</dict>
</plist>
 

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Bingo! We have Liftoff! LOL

That was it. I used Geekbench to grab the board ID of my mac (shows up in the report after you run it), Located the PlatformSupport.plist on my Lion boot drive under

/System/Library/CoreServices/

edit the file to add my board

$ diff PlatformSupport.plist PlatformSupport.plist.prev
23d22
< <string>Mac-F42787C8</string>


Rebooted from the Lion disk and all is good. I just need to modify the package and add it back into the DMG to do an upgrade on my iMac's internal hard drive.

This should also work for anyone who upgraded their core solo or core duo Mac Mini's to a core2duo.
 

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Congrats! Huston, we have a signal. :)

Btw, bravo on changing the CPU for it. I think the iMac will serve you well sir!

macinoff said:
Bingo! We have Liftoff! LOL

That was it. I used Geekbench to grab the board ID of my mac (shows up in the report after you run it), Located the PlatformSupport.plist on my Lion boot drive under

/System/Library/CoreServices/

edit the file to add my board

$ diff PlatformSupport.plist PlatformSupport.plist.prev
23d22
< <string>Mac-F42787C8</string>


Rebooted from the Lion disk and all is good. I just need to modify the package and add it back into the DMG to do an upgrade on my iMac's internal hard drive.

This should also work for anyone who upgraded their core solo or core duo Mac Mini's to a core2duo.
Click to expand...
 
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