instructions for using Empire EFI 1.085 Atom compatible Boot CD to Install Snow Leopard 10.6 (original retail)
System Specs for system that this guide was written for:
Intel Motherboard D945GCLF with Intel Atom 230 CPU
2 Gigabytes of DDR2 533 MHz Memory (Generic)
Seagate 120 GB ST3120026AS Sata hard drive
HL-DT-ST Sata Dual Layer DVD +/- DVD Burner
Onboard Intel GMA 950 Video
Onboard Realtek R1000 Network card
Onboard Sound card
Cooler Master CM-360 Case
Apevia Java Power 500 Watt 24 Pin ATX Power Supply
Software needed: Empire EFI 1.085 Atom compatible Boot CD found here
Realtek R1000 Kext, and Kext Utility file found here
VoodooHDA Kext (found on the Empire EFI 1.085 Boot CD)
DSDT.aml file for a D945GCLF series (needed to have ability to chose supported resolutions higher than 1024 x 768 32 bit. Found here
Instructions:
download the Empire EFI 1.085 Atom compatible Boot CD Iso images using the link I provided at the start of this guide. You may want to try both versions of the iso on a rewritable disk to determine which works better for you. On my particular D945GCLF Motherboard I have to use the regular version as the Legacy version has the same isolinux image is corrupt error that caused me to develop the USB Snow Leopard on a D945GCLF Guide found on my blog.
Boot your system using the Empire EFI Boot CD, after it has booted eject it and insert your Snow Leopard install DVD and then wait until the drive stops flashing and then press F5, this should refresh the menu options so that you now see Mac OSX Install DVD instead of Empire EFI.
Press Enter to Boot your Mac OSX Install DVD and start the OSX Snow Leopard Operating System Installation.
make sure you partition your hard drive as a MacOS Journaled drive with GUID format, select the desired fonts,etc. and then install Snow Leopard.
If you get an error about the system not being able to bless the drive don't panic, this is common, you'll be using the empire efi boot cd to boot your system until you get the myhack bootloader software installed.
When the install finishes reboot your system, remove the Snow Leopard install DVD and reinsert your empire efi boot cd and allow the system to boot from it.
At the chooser screen select the hard drive (named to whatever you named it to during the instal)l and then hit enter to boot. If you want to watch a verbose boot to watch for errors press the down key after selecting this disk and choose the verbose option and then press enter to boot.
after the system has booted you'll want to go into the post-installation folder on the empire efi disk, and run the myhack installer.
If you are using a USB keyboard and Mouse, then all you'll need to do is do a standard install for Myhack, but if you are using a PS2 Keyboard or Mouse you need to do a customized install and select PS2Controller in addition to the other selected options. This will add the needed Kext file to make your PS/2 Devices work.
Note: I don't advise using the sleep enabler kext, as you'll run into problems with updating your kernel if you use this kext, it's not really needed unless you absolutely want or need the ability to put your hackintosh to sleep.
After Myhack is done installing remove the Empire EFI Boot CD and then restart your Hackintosh. If everything went ok you should now be able to boot into OSX from the myhack (chameleon) bootloader that you installed.
Next we're going to work on getting your sound card and network card working.
copy the realtekR1000.kext I gave you a link for to /system/extensions along with the voodoohda.kext file from the post-install folder on the Empire EFI Boot CD and then run Kext Utility to update your kext caches and fix your file permissions
If you get an error about either of these two kexts being installed improperly before Kext Utility finishes running don't worry as Kext Utility will fix the problem before it finishes running. All you need to do now is reboot your hackintosh and if everything went ok, you should now have a working network card and a working sound card in Snow Leopard.
Next we are going to work on giving you the ability to select resolutions for your video display so you aren't stuck at 1024x768. This will require two things to be done.
1. You'll need to open finder (the two tone blue smiley face in the lower left corner on the dock) and go to the /Extra folder, copy the com.apple.boot.plist file that is in the folder to your desktop so we can edit it. double click on the file on your desktop and use textedit to remove the following info Graphics Mode 1024x768x32 This info hard codes the display to only display at 1024 x 768 32 bit resolution so we need to get rid of it. after editing this save the file and then copy it back into the Extra folder. You'll get a prompt for your password, if you created one for your user account enter it, otherwise just click ok.
2. copy the DSDT.aml file I provided the link to earlier into the /Extra Folder Then reboot your Hackintosh. When you reboot you should now have the ability to change your display resolution
before you install the 10.6.2 update from apple's website be sure to install the Nawcom 10.6.2 kernel found here
After installing the new patched kernel you should be able to download the 10.6.2 update directly using the Apple update utility.
After running all of the updates you should wind up with a fully patched and operational Hackintosh system.
Congratulations.
If you run into any problems head over to the insanelymac forum to ask for help
The main thing to remember when asking for help.
1. Patience, it may take a couple of days before someone answers your question, don't get pushy and don't keep posting the same question over and over.
2. scan the forum and make sure that someone else hasn't posted a similar problem, if they have you may already have the answer to your question.
3. understand that running a hackintosh isn't for the average person, you have to be willing to work on problems by yourself if you can't get anyone to assist you. Being pushy or disrespectful of others on the forum will cause your questions to be ignored.
4. Remember you're on your own if you do decide to build your own hackintosh. If you want a smooth out of the box experience, you should probably save up the money and buy yourself a real Macintosh system from Apple. I'm too cheap to do this, and I'm the kind of person that I think it's fun when you have to work a little to get something to run the way you want it to.
Having warned you about these things, I hope those of you who do decide to continue with building your hackintosh have fun and learn a lot from the process.
I remain your obedient servant
Doctor Evil 30564
