Moving from Chameleon/Mavericks to Clover/Sierra on Dell XPS 210

[sbhachu]

Hi all, 

 

I've been using my trusted (thanks to this website my hack installation with Mavericks on my Dell XPS 210 for the last couple of years. It's been rock solid but it's time to upgrade. 

 

I want to do a clean install of Sierra using Clover using the USB installation method but I'm a little stuck.

 

I have managed to install the installation files of Sierra and configured clover on the USB stick but once I have rebooted, the installation process hangs.

 

I think its due to the config.plist file not being correct (as I used an example file).

 

I have tried:

 

1. Using Clover configurator to generate me a config file but this doesn't work doesn't generate a config file.

2. I looked here (http://www.osxlatitude.com/edp/compatibility/) but the Dell Vostro 200 

Clover bootpack link doesn't seem to be working.

 

Is there a way I can generate a Clover config.plist file from my existing installation (which uses Chameleon)?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

 

[Hervé]

Alternatively, you can simply switch to latest Enoch bootloader and retain all your existing Chameleon setup.

 

The differences will be:

1. the new kernel.plist in /Extra (with specific new kernel parameters)
2. the need to copy (not move) kexts to /Library/Extensions to load/cache them (kext from /E/E will only be injected if new boot option KernelBooter_kexts=Yes is used. Useful as a backup when you want to boot without cache which ignores /L/E...)
3. ideally remove defacto-obsolete myHack.kext in /S/L/E

 

You can check my D630/E6220/E6230 guides for El Capitan to that effect (Sierra uses exact same process).

[sbhachu]

Thanks Hervé, knew you would be able to help

 

I am going to follow your D630 guide as I want to wipe the HDD and do a fresh install of Sierra. Can I check a couple of things before I start?:

1. For the copy D630n boot pack step, should I just copy my existing /Extra folder to the USB installer?
2. In the step to copy the kernel can I just use your linked page El Captain Vanilla_kernel_10.11.6.zip for Sierra? 

[Bronxteck]

yes and yes also follow Herve's suggestions above. the only difference is that you must make sure your smbios is compatible with 10.11. it should be most likely.

[sbhachu]

OK thanks. I've used my existing Extra folder and dropped in the new kernel.plist file as this:

<?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>KernelBooter_kexts</key>

<string>Yes</string>

<key>KernelHasswell</key>

<string>No</string>

</dict></plist> 

I assume this is correct.

 

I've also copied my existing /Extra/Extensions kexts to /Library/Extensions.

 

1. AppleACPIPS2Nub.kext

2. ApplePS2Controller.kext

3. FakeSMC.kext

4. Intel82566MM.kext

5. lspcidrv.kext

6. NullCPUPowerManagement.kext

7. Patched_10.7_AppleRTC.kext

 

When I try to the boot from the USB, I get the error Can't find boot file '/System/Library/Kernels/mach_kernel'.

 

I have created the /System/Library/Kernels folder which has the file kernel. Any pointers?

[Hervé]

Erm, for the kernel, do not use El Capitan's, obviously! Use Sierra's.

 

Arf, never posted them... Bear with me...

[Bronxteck]

I don't think its called mach_kernel anymore. just kernel. remove mach_

[Hervé]

You can re-use the same kexts you used for Mavericks but I'll make a few comments:

• Patched_10.7_AppleRTC is obsolete beyond Lion. If you need to patch Mav/Yos/EC/Sierra's AppleRTC kext (all v2.0) because you experience CMOS resets or long BIOS POST at reboot due to CMOS writes, you can patch the vanilla AppleRTC kext as follows: 

Find: 75 2E 0F B6
Replace by: EB 2E 0F B6

If you can't patch the kext yourself, we can post the modded version. Note that the patched kext can go to /Library/Extensions whilst retaining the vanilla version untouched in /S/L/E. Only the patched kext will load.

 

• If you retain NullCPUPowerManagement, you'll have no native CPU speedstep, which is highly undesirable. If you have a C2D or C2Q CPU, you can get native CPU SpeedStep through a combination of FakeSMC tuning + appropriate SMBIOS profile.
• You can remove the reference to kernelHasswell (should single "s") if you don't have a Haswell CPU/platform.
• Only use KernelBooter_kexts=Yes if you want to inject kexts placed in /Extra/Extensions. You should copy your add-on kexts there anyway, in case you need to boot without cache since that ignores kexts placed in /L/E.
• You will need to add boot option CsrActiveConfig to the org.Chameleon.boot.plist and set the value to, say, 3. It's mandatory to disable SIP and load your add-on kexts priot to building the cache.
• In case you don't already know this, Sierra requires a CPU with SSE4 instructions set. You have not provided your XPS210 specs but if your CPU does not meet that key criteria, you'll be limited to El Capitan until you upgrade your CPU to a SSE4-capable model. I know XPS210 could be fitted with Allendale models (eg: C2D E4500) and these won't do.

[sbhachu]

Thanks Hervé

 

The spec of my machine is Core 2 Duo E6600 2.40GHz, 8GB DDR2-533, NVIDIA GeForce GT610. 

 

As you say, my processor won't work in Sierra and I've also read the GT610 card currently is not supported either.

 

I'll retry the install and follow your instructions with El Capitan. I'll remove Patched_10.7_AppleRTC and NullCPUPowerManagement  (I'll leave the rest) and see how the system behaves.

 

I'll give you an update once done

[Hervé]

I confirm that Conroe E6600 bears no SSE4 instructions sets and, indeed, GeForce GT610 was reported unsupported by several users.