[GUIDE] Mavericks on Dell Latitude E6420

[docentore]

Hey there,

 

I have followed your guide and managed to install 10.9.4 on my E6420. Thanks for the guide and files BTW

 

I have one problem though. When I play any mkv file in vlc I'm getting no video. I assume it is a problem with HD3000 and gl/cl acceleration. Any advice?

 

Specs:

E6420 A21

i5-2540m

HD3000 with 1366x768 (0126:8086 rev 09)

 

Thanks!

[MilkmanZ]

Hi Guys. So I've finally hunkered down to try and do this thing.

 

I used this guide, and following jruschme's lead I used Herve's 1600 x 900 DSDT and transplanted it into jake lo's e6420 Extra pack from his signature (I believe that was the one he was referring to). 

 

Doing both a regular and verbose boot, I get the kernel panic over the apple logo "Kernel Extensions in Backtrace: com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement..."

 

I assume this is because my CPU is slightly different. Here are my specs:

 

e6420

BIOS A21

i5-2520M (Not the 2540M that people seem to have made work)

HD3000 @ 1600 x 900

 

I also couldn't find HPET settings in BIOS A21 (I read something about that not sure if it matters here)

 

If someone could point me to the correct files for the i5-2520M, that would be excellent. If it isn't as easy as that, I can post pictures of the specific panics I'm getting, and more info as needed.

 

Thanks  so much for your help, and patience.

 

-KW

[jruschme]

That sounds like the SSDT file is not compatible. You could try booting without one, though I suspect you'd get the same KP.

[MilkmanZ]

That sounds possible. I don't think I have the right ssdt. I booted without one, and it did the same thing...

[Jake Lo]

Use bootpack from Herve's guide here. You have the same specs as his except CPU.
Use SSDT from my bootpack E6220 from my signature below with i5-2520m.

Report your result.

[Hervé]

Guys, seriously, generate your own SSDT files using RampageDev's tuto (on his blog); it's based on Piker's generator tool. Anyone can do it.

[MilkmanZ]

So quick update,  I tried your method, and I get a grey screen of death with a cursor that I can move for about 5 seconds, then it freezes.

 

I will take your suggestion Herve, and try to make my own.

 

Thanks Guys!

[docentore]

Ok, so I created my own SSDT and DDST. 

 

Are there any particular patches I should apply to my DDST?

I'm still having issues with playing .mkv files.

 

Cheers

[Hervé]

I guess you meant DSDT. Do not confuse DSDT table extraction from BIOS with what you call "creation". Extracting a DSDT to then use the generated .aml file "as is" is basically useless. OS X / Chameleon can perfectly use the table from BIOS directly.

 

You only use a DSDT file if you've had a need to patch the table. This is not mandatory per sé, some systems work perfectly without a patched DSDT. Furthermore, attempting to extract a DSDT when a DSDT.aml file is already used... simply regenerates that file! In other words, it's totally useless.

 

In the case of the E6420, I believe all bootpacks already provide a patched DSDT so you should be covered from that angle.

 

Just place your SSDT file in /Extra and make sure it's loaded. You should then see a real difference in terms of SpeedStepping using tools such as HWMonitor.

[docentore]

Thanks Hervé, this explains a lot. I'm just trying to resolve the video issues I'm having - lags when playing video clips, no video on mkv, choppy/messed controls etc. Apart from that my dell is working grand with sleep, Atheros card (after adding atheros kext). I haven't tried Ethernet yet.