August 5, 2009
PC EFI V10.2 beta
PC EFI is a bootloader based on chameleon2 source code, v 10.3 brings one new feature, a cd/dvd-rom reading driver for ide mode(compatibe/legacy and enchanced/native).
The driver based on mindrvr from ata-atapi.com.
it doesn’t work with ahci(it will not detect dvd drives in ahci mode, hard drives still work fine).
it’s beta, so its only for testing, driver may not work for you.
known issues: sata ports 5-6 doesnt work, so I disabled scanning of those.
plz test it if you can, in different configurations, and send feedbacks.
if it freezes at black screen with white text , before gui appears, make a camshot of it and post in comments, with you configuration (mobo model, which ports connect to device(which device)).
here is how it works for me, video was a bit edited to make it less booring.
link to bootloader – boot.zip
link to sources – sources.zip
to install v10.2 – if you dont have pcefi v10.x or Chameleon2RC1 installed yet, download and install Chameleon2RC1 (not RC2)
then just replace old boot file with new one.
so far it was tested only with some intel controllers, wasnt tested with ite/jmicron/nvidia/amd controllers
You absolutely need to insert a mac os x install dvd when trying it, if you want dvd icon to appear in gui.
Thanks to fassl for support.
Comments(44)
Freaking awesome. Can you boot /Extra/Extensions from a device other than the cd/dvd root device? I.e., can you boot a retail DVD but use /Extra/Extensions and/or custom kernel from the hard drive?
if not /Extra/Extensions.mkext (or Extensions folder) found on dvd drive , then booter use Extra mkext from boot volume (the volume where partition was installed), its default attitude of chameleon2
Hey Netkas,
I just tried v10.2 and i get this with AHCI disabled,
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/8976/img0002tdk.jpg
Then i get a black screen that doesn’t change.
Setup:
GA-EP45C-DS3R
Q900 @ 2.5
2 Sata HDD in Port 1 & 2
Dvd Drive ( IDE )
///thanks for report, i really didnt test this ITE port on gigabyte, btw what osx drivers u use for it ?
///you need to have macosx install dvd in drive to see dvd icon in gui
///no inserted cd found in drive X – means bootloader cant read anything from this drive and will not try to read it anymore
///try to change sata0-3 native mode to enabled (in bios), this is option right after ahci setting. osx itself doesnt like legacy mode iirc.
Hey thanks for the reply,
I’m just using dsmos,kext disabler.kext and openhaltrestart.kext. hex strings for graphics and dsdt for audio. I’m not using any other drivers
Strange because it says no inserted cd found in drive 1 even tho i have 10.5.6 retail dvd in drive.
I changed sata0-3 to enabled in bios but same deal after it say no cd found it hangs on blank screen .
btw I’m booting from a usb stick with v10.2 installed on would this make a difference?
Well, that means ITE controller doesnt work with this booter.
and you didnt really need to disable ahci, because ahci mode is only for intel controller in this case.
to get this to work you would need a sata dvd drive
yeah I’m in need for an upgrade anyway so i will be shopping at w/end, good work tho netkas keep it up
THANKS!
Before i will try this new boot file i have question.
Why reinstall RC1 if RC2 is installed.
I have RC2 + last EFI 10.x installed.
I will follow your recommend to install RC1, no problem, but want also learn why thats recommended / a must.
i heard of some problems of rc2 and pcefi v10.x
but if it works for you then no need to reinstall
Hi Netkas,
Again, great job!!!
Thanks to you and Fassl!!!
Also, is it your voice we heard?? 😉
Joshua.
best config is when dvd-drive connected to one of this ports – sata1-sata4(or sata0-sata3 on gigabytes)
Just wow,
you know, I always went with the crowd and used chameleon RC1 and 2, but after updating to 10.5.8 and having a 50 second bootup time on a retail install using only DSDT and an ICH driver, I was like wtf is going on. So as a last desperate attempt, I replaced the boot file on my EFI partition with 10.2 PC-EFI, and wow, back to the good old days of 25 second bootup times! Thanks again! =)
I’m also getting “no inserted cd found in drive 1” from mine, with 10.5 retail DVD – it’s a Pioneer IDE (not SATA) DVD drive on an Intel Bad Axe 2 (Intel D975XBX2) motherboard (there is only one legacy IDE connector on the board). OS X reads the disc just fine, but the bootloader can’t see the disc. At least is sees the drive, though!
Netkas,
Is there a way to hide the message befor the bootloader about the drives found. Also, it takes few seconds of boot time to display that.
It’s also ugly.
Cheers!
el_Charlie, its because it beta version to discover bugs,
does it work for you ?
Tim, Brady, try this version http://rapidshare.de/files/48048377/boot.html
it uses different reading algo (which is hell slow tho, reading kernel in 2-3 mins, but getting to gui faster than previous version)
Thanks. Will try at lunchtime today.
hey Netkas,
Just tried the new one you uploaded and now it just hangs on screen with the white writing : (
Heres a screen shot http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/1057/img0013kgo.jpg
( Sorry about image quality )
Also if i disable “Onboard IDE Controller” in Bios i get this http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/4982/img0015qof.jpg but it hangs on a black screen after 🙁
i see, so i need to make it ignore ite/jmicron ide controllers
So no hope whatsoever for ide Cd-Drives. 🙁
Tried the alt booter, but it’s a no go. I see it detects the drives, but then the text goes by so fast I can’t see what it says before it reboots the machine. I’ll try to take a video of it when I get home from work tonight.
oh sorry, reboot was caused by error in code, fixed it
first booter, lets call it hybrid – http://is.gd/25lpU
second booter, lets call it slow – http://is.gd/25lGA
Hey,
That 1 step further for me,
Hybird and slow both let me boot to OS from HDD without dvd in drive were previous versions didn’t so that alot better 🙂 . But both hybird and slow hang on screen with white writing when i put retail dvd back in drive. 🙁
спасибо 🙂
PS: ответил на лайфе…
Tried the new alt booter. It doesn’t reboot anymore, but it still can’t see that a disk is in the drive. Here’s a photo (sorry, it’s blurry)
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/4879/photoryl.jpg
Netkas,
The bootloader works fine, but I hate the text lines and it delays the boot time for about 10 seconds.
Otherwise it works as it should.
Cheers!
>Otherwise it works as it should.
does it detects dvd disk for you ?
Hello,
I’ve the same errors as Tim with a DVD Drive on ICH7-M ATA/100. It is the only drive on this port.
Is SATA required for this to work?
i’m not sure to have understood
i’ve a acer laptop with sata ich9-m controller.. and chameleon 2.0 rc2. i’ve a dsdt but from the beginning of the creation of the world me and other 5930g world user’s have the same problem.. a random hang on boot. the moment is after the waiting for boot device.. and 2 times on 5 the boot continues .. or not.
You think I can have a better way with your boot?
bye
ugokind, i have same bug on my 5920g, but its offtopic here 😛
Hey, i dont know why but boot installation from DVD with this relase dont work… all time DVD Retail 10.5 is inside DVD Drive i was try many times but bootloader dont show me DVD Disc Icon 🙁
Well, I try 5 methods:
1- Netkas PC_EFI 10.2 compilation in a pendrive – Dark Screen of Death =P
2- My PC_EFI 10.2 Compilation (without GUI) – Chameleon prompt, boot crashes, only ctrl+Alt+del still OK.
3- Netkas PC_EFI 10.2 compilation in Hard Drive – Shows the selector loading the kalyway partition as default, but when I press any key of keyboard, the bootloader crashes! Only ctrl+Alt+del still OK.
4- My PC_EFI 10.2 Compilation (without GUI) – Chameleon prompt: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 … boot kalyway, if I press any Key, boot loader crashes! Again I need to use ctrl + ALT + DEL!
5- My PC_EFI 10.2 Compilation (without GUI) – Boot.plist with Wait=Yes flag, boot crashes and dont show-me the partition list.
Conclusion, the boot loader is OK, but I have problems to use partition selector.
Yeah, I forgot:
Asus P5K-se (P35-ICH 9)
Core 2 quad Q6600
2 GB Ram
Ge-Force 8400 GS.
Is there an option to disable the CD-ROM driver?
////yeah, use 10.1
[…] V1 or PC_EFI v10.1/V10.2 (Chameleon V2 RC1). If you plan to use Chameleon V2 RC2 , do get PC_EFI v 10.2 or V […]
I can confirm that an auto-installer pkg that I found somewhere for Chameleon 2 RC1 with PC_EFI 10.1 boot file booted an OSInstall.mpkg install of Snow Leopard okay from my retail disk.
[…] has come out with a new bootloader for Snow Leopard PC-EFI 10.2, but it’s still in beta and not meant to be used in full production. You’ll need a new […]
Netkas, this is a great bootloader for 64 bit, but causes KP in 32 bit.
if I send you the Screenshot of KP can you assist with debugging?
32 bit works fine from the original bootloader for 10a380 and 10a394 from projectsnow.
thank again for your time and expertise.
HBP112358
hi
I am trying to compile EFI sources by make all make pkg …
the make file finishes without errors … but the size of boot is only 124k not 300k ?
ind it is not working no GUI …
Please Help
/// make embedtheme
way not the add this code for booting snow and loading DSDT.aml
incase you use a DVD and need to swap disks ?
sprintf(dirspec,”bt(0,0)/Extra/%s”,dsdt_filename);
fd=open (dirspec,0);
if (fd<0)
{
sprintf(dirspec,"rd(0,0)/Extra/%s",dsdt_filename);
fd=open (dirspec,0);
if (fd<0)
{
verbose ("No DSDT replacement found. Leaving ACPI data as is\n");
return setupAcpiNoMod();
}
Thanks
Netkas, i’ve installed chameleon on the hard drive with GUID in which i’m suposed to intall Snow Leopard. Then i replaced the boot of that HD with the boot you leave above. And when i run it, it only shows two options: to boot my MacHD or SnowLeopardHD ( obviously there’s nothing in SnowLeopardHD so it cant boot anything ) but i can’t see the DVD option to boot the Snow Leopard DVD retail…
( i’ve tried to boot with the USB but i don’t know why it doesnt recognize my usb when booting )
thanks anyways, great work
Hi, thanks for the awesome job!
But i cannot get it work on my PC. My Mobo is GIGA 965P DS3, with Inter Duo Core2 E6300 running on it.
The problem is after booting I only got a black screen and can only reboot. Once when I pressed Ctrl+Alt+Del I saw Chameleon UI flashed up, the other trys just reboot immediately.
I have two hard disks and two DVD devices. The one I put MAC OS X installation disk in is plugged at SATA0.
I also tried to enable/disable AHCI, Native SATA (sorry I have no clue what these are…), etc. Almost tried everything but cannot get it work.
Is there help I can get here? thanks!
Hi netkas I have a problem
http://img43.imageshack.us/i/img0041x.jpg/
http://img14.imageshack.us/i/img0042kz.jpg/
I have an intel MB D975xbx2
intel Quard Core @ 2.4
8 GB ram @ 800 MHz
The disk and the optical drive are on the one of the 4 first Sata ports
Hi netkas,
i was wondering is it possible to modify the Original Snow Leopard DVD to boot on the PC directly without having to change the Bootloader CD with the Snow Leopard DVD or using USB Flash drive or Hard Drive?
I created a DMG image of the SL Install DVD and made all the modifications as with the USB Flash drive and used the Disk Utility from my MBP to Burn the DVD but it wont boot from the PC.
i restored the same image to a USB flash and it works just fine it loads the bootloader on the PC with no problems!
what am doing wrong? is it possible to apply the modifications to the original dvd and burn it to work on PC or i have to use the USB Drive?
Thanks for the great project! 🙂