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@bronxteck you asked me "have you tried adding the chameleon module for Sata into the Extra/modules folder?" I'm not familiar with the module you are referring to. Are you refering to IOAHCIBlockStorageInjector.kext? If so, No I've not tried it, as my understanding is this kext is intended to solve the problem of internal drives appearing as external, but does not effect in any way the initial recognition of the drives in the first place, which should be noted that the installation finds the drive without any issues using IOATAFamily.kext If you are refering to something else, please clarify or point me to it. Thank you

@twitzgall, Thank you. however these are the same kexts I've already tried.

have you tried adding the chameleon module for Sata into the Extra/modules folder? Are you refering to IOAHCIBlockStorageInjector.kext? If so, No I've not tried it, as my understanding is this kext is intended to solve the problem of internal drives appearing as external, but does not effect in any way the initial recognition of the drives in the first place, which should be noted that the installation finds the drive without any issues using IOATAFamily.kext

UPDATE: Sadly, even after inserting a EVGA GeForce GTX 650 1GB (Kepler chip) video card, which should be natively supported, I am still unable to get the minitower 745 past the "Still waiting for root device" error (tried both 10.7.5 and 10.8.5) I have tried all the boot flags and PCIRoot=0 and =1 options and so on and so forth. I have the IOATAFamily.kext fix to enable SATA/AHCI support. I ran a Linux boot utility from another OSX/x86 site that analyzes all the hardware and oddly it shows my 745 is using Intel ICH7 level controller. All other documentation I have on this system says the chipset should have ICH8. I must have gotten an oddly configured system. I suspect that not having ICH8 is the issue, and there are posts that seem to indicate that ICH8 offers much better chance of success. I will continue to search for a kext that supports ICH7, but so far haven't found one. I wish to thank everyone who tried to help me out, especially Hervé. Having spent countless hours and ever increasing level of frustration, I'm afraid I am throwing up my hands. Perhaps after stepping away for awhile I will try again. Good luck to everyone in your pursuit of a working system! Michael

Question regarding the compatibility list matrix chart. I am clear on what the various symbols in the chart mean, except for one. The symbol that looks like circular double arrows (very similar to a sync symbol). It seems to be mainly found under the WiFi column, so "I'm guessing" it means 'variable or depends or subject to change'. But that also is very close to what I would think the Question Mark symbol means as well. If the meaning of the symbols is documented on the forum, my apologies, I REALLY tried to look for it before posting this message. A suggestion might be to add a simple Legend on that page explaining what the symbols mean. Thank you

@leptitdav Regarding Herve's comment on the CPU, note that later models of the Precision 390 did have Core2Duo, I know because i have 390 with a C2D 6600 2.4GHz. So you should check your machine, it may have a C2D (look up the Service Tag at Dell.com if unsure, it will tell you the configuration). Assuming you ever upgrade the video card you may still want to give it a try. I have not tried installing as I also have the older FX 4500 Quadro in the Precision 390. I am working on installing an Optiplex 745 now with a new Geforce GTX 650 video card, if that works, I'll probably buy another 650 card and try to get the 390 working as well.

Thanks Hervé. I have the 745 mini tower, not the SFF, but I don't think that should matter, they all have the same Q965 chipset. I just ordered a EVGA GeForce GTX 650 1GB (Kepler chip), which according to another well known OS X x86 site, is natively OOB supported in L, ML and Mav. I have the IOATAFamily.kext fix, plus the kext to support the gigabit Ethernet, and I will try to install ML when my card arrives. Do you recommend GraphicsEnabler On or Off? It's still not clear to me if insertion is necessary with ML.

@twitzgall Yes, please I would really like all information/files etc on how you got your 745 running. I had basically given up. I have the same base setup (mini tower) as you with the exception that I have a NVIDIA 7300GS card, but willing to get ATI if that will work. I had previously tried Lion 10.7.3 through 10.7.5 and was getting stuck on the "Still waiting for root device" error after reboot but had not tried 10.8. I know about needing IOATA kext to solve the problem of Disk Utility seeing the disk during install in AHCI mode. I also have BCM5722D.kext which enables the Broadcomm 57xx family. I am familiar with MyHack, that is what I used to create my 10.7 USB installer. If you are willing to assist me, send me a private message and we can share email address, or we can continue on this forum. Again, any help much appreciated!

Gents, I realize Blancmaison is using the USFF, and I am using the MiniTower version, but my research says all the Optiplex line uses GMA965, aka X3100 graphics? My tower does have a separate PCIe x16 discrete add-on graphics card OPTION, so in my case, I tink the Q965 applies, but in the USFF I don't think there is room for a PCIex16 slot, so maybe it's just the regular G965?

Herve, Decided to see if I could get the D830 going (got frustrated with Optiplex 745). Turns out I have the model with GMA X3100 running WSXGA+ 1680x1050, so when i boot from the USB installer, my screen is blank. Is there a possibility you folks could create a bootpack (revised DSDT) that supports WSXGA+ 1680x1050 (Lion), pretty please?

Herve, I've tried various combination of flags. PCIRootUID=0,=1=2 USBBusFix=Yes/No, nothing so far. I removed the add on graphic card before I even started this exercise, so that shouldn't be effecting anything. That card has never been in the machine during this process. Was waiting to get everything else working with built in HD3000 first before introducing another variable. Maybe the HD3000 is the problem? And I should bypass it and go straight to my add on card, which is Nvidia 7300GS PCIe I decided to use the -x flag to boot into safe mode. It did boot, then I think I made a mistake by then trying to run InstallEDP, not realizing that the program is unable to complete entirely if booted in safe mode. This left the Extras folder quite a mess with all kinds of left over files, and now the machine won't boot at all. I will have to restore back to the backup Extras folder, and then keep trying configuration flags I guess. QUESTION: if there is a flag or option in the org.chameleon.plist, for example USBBusFix=Yes, if I enter a counter flag at the command line during boot, does that OVERRIDE any setting in the org.chameleon.plist file? So if I said USBBusFix=No on the command line, does that override the Yes flag in the plist file? There are pre-built option in the org.chameleon.plist file put there by the MyFix utility, I don't know if I need to edit the plist file, or can just override them on the command line.

Herve, Yes I went through the threads, nothing specifically helpful. I tried various combinations of the flags you mentioned, nothing working yet. I decided to use the -x flag to boot into safe mode. It did boot, then I think I made a mistake by then trying to run InstallEDP, not realizing that the program is unable to complete entirely if booted in safe mode. This left the Extras folder quite a mess with all kinds of left over files, and now the machine won't boot at all. I will have to restore back to the backup Extras folder, and then keep trying configuration flags I guess. QUESTION: if there is a flag or option in the org.chameleon.plist, for example USBBusFix=Yes, if I enter a counter flag at the command line during boot, does that OVERRIDE any setting in the org.chameleon.plist file? So if I said USBBusFix=No on the command line, does that override the Yes flag in the plist file? There are pre-built option in the org.chameleon.plist file put there by the MyFix utility, I don't know if I need to edit the plist file, or can just override them on the command line.

Alan, I'm currently trying to get a 745 mini tower up and running, on mine, the built in graphics is HD3000, C2D E6600 2.4GHz, DDR2 667MHz ram. You mentioned you had the big tower before and got it running? After solving the IOATA kext problem, I got the install to complete, but on reboot, I'm stuck on 'Still waiting for root device'. My USB stick is created using 10.7.5 as the base, then the Optiplex Lion bootpack on this site, with the IOATAFamily.kext added. I've tried a number of suggestions (switching back to Legacy mode from AHCI, disconnect SATA optical drive, change the boot order of SATA devices, connect to different SATA port on the MB), nothing has worked. Would really like to know how you got your mini tower working. My next thing to try based on Herve's suggestion is to build an install based on 10.7.0 or 10.7.2, not .5. Sadly, I don't have copies of 7.0 or 7.2 anymore so will have to find one. Michael

Todmeister, I'm trying to install Lion 10.7.5 on an Opti 745. LIke you I had to the IOATAFamily Kext to solve the problem with not seeing the SATA hard drive during install. I removed all add on graphics card for now (one thing at a time) and using the built in Intel HD3000. After adding IOATA, the installation completed, but after rebooting, I now stall with the 'Still waiting for root device' error. Did you encounter this? If so, how did you resolve? On another note, once I get this up and running (eventually), I plan to add in a Nvidia 7300GS, very similiar to your card. You mentioned adding in 64-bit versions of NVEnabler.kext and NVInject.kext ....may I ask where you obtained these kexts? Regards your wifi, over on the tonycrapx86 site, on the custom build section, there is a wifi addon card listed for desktops that apparently is supported natively by OS x out of the box. TP-LINK TL-WDN4800 Dual Band Wireless N900 PCI Express Adapter, 2.4GHz 450Mbps/5GHz 450Mbps, IEEE 802.1a/b/g/n, WEP/WPA/WPA2 If anyone else has any thoughts about the 'Still waiting for root device' error, please feell free to reply. Thanks all.

Yes I did, I actually created a new USB from scratch, added IOATA to the E/E and ran the necessary MyHack update/My Fix. I don't think I would have gotten past not seeing the SATA drive without the IOATA added. Thanks for your help!