20" iMac Booting Discussion

[joelypolly]

Since the 20" hasn't be able to boot I would like all discussion to go here so it makes it easy for people to see.

UPDATE: Its working
http://forum.osx86project.org/index.php?s=&showtopic=12257&view=findpost&p=78398

Indeed XP was rejecting the Res size and you can fix this by doing the following:

1)Use the xom.efi file I posted for 20" iMacs
2)when you boot and see the Windows XP logo, press F4 to enter console. Now press F7 to enter Video console
3)You'll see X Resolution [1680]: <--enter 640 here, press enter
4)Now, you'll see Y Resolution [1050]: <--enter 480 here, press enter
5)Now, you'll see Bytes Per Pixel [32]: <--enter 32 here, press enter
6)Hit enter for all other values
7)XP will boot and install correctly, follow the howto.txt in the regular download package if you need further instructions.

I'm typing this form Windows XP on my iMac 20" right now, works great with the exception of video (when you get XP booted, you need to disable Hardware Acceleration in order to make it usable). Once drivers are posted for it, this should be pretty sweet!

Steve

 

[Meemoo]

Hasn't been able to boot at all?

 

[joelypolly]

Someone managed to get it to boot but not all the way. Still issues with the framebuffer.

 

[esoteric0]

i get through the formatting screen, and then it hangs when it's supposed to be copying files from the cd. guess a little more work needs to be done, but i'm sure they'll figure it out soon.

 

[joelypolly]

I'm going to attempt uploading this file to MR (nevermind didn't work). It's an updated xom.efi for 20" Intel iMacs. We aren't done testing it but it should work.

Enjoy, and huge thanks to blanka!

http://d10.yousendit.com/E/34P5YIBRHYS54216UNYZEFN3ZO/xom.efi

(let me know if there's problems with that link.)

This is the "newish" version for the 20" iMac if people want to test. Report back on results and hopefully we can get a working release before the end of the weekend.

 

[BlueRevolution]

problems finding display drivers maybe? I mean, how much difference is there between the 17" and the 20" aside from slightly larger numbers?

not that I should be mistaken for a moment for someone who knows what he's talking about.

 

[Compufix]

That got me to the setup screen, trying now as we speak...report back what I find here.

OK, one thing, the partitions are totally not like what the directions say. I get an E partition (EFI) and a Partition2 says F but I can partition it. I picked one that will work, so we will see what happens. I might have the luck of the Irish with me.

I am going to lunch now, report back what I find.

I have the same issue now....sitting at the copying files screen. Will try to reboot.

 

[esoteric0]

This is the "newish" version for the 20" iMac if people want to test. Report back on results and hopefully we can get a working release before the end of the weekend.

that's the one i tried, no luck. the first version that was released didn't even get to the format screen.

 

[Steve1496]

That got me to the setup screen, trying now as we speak...report back what I find here.

OK, one thing, the partitions are totally not like what the directions say. I get an E partition (EFI) and a Partition2 says F but I can partition it. I picked one that will work, so we will see what happens. I might have the luck of the Irish with me.

I am going to lunch now, report back what I find.

I have the same issue now....sitting at the copying files screen. Will try to reboot.

I chose the free space that is *under* the E partition. In other words, it reads something like this:
E: Partition 1 (EFI) [FAT32]
--x MB free

You'll want to choose the Unpartitioned space under Partition 1 (E), I believe that worked for me.

The other obvious issue is getting to Copying Files and it doesn't go anywhere. The bad sign is if you click the Caps Lock key, the light won't come on. This might be a little hard to get going but I'll work with Blanka to see what can be done.

The good thing is we got VGA going!

 

[Compufix]

well send me a private or post here, I will be checking. I will be more than happy to test, and yes, I choose the right one and now when it boots I see a partitioning screen like the one you have in the docs. I will try a few more times to see if it goes.

 

[Compufix]

BTW I saw a post on onmac.net forum that says XP Home SP2 worked when XP Pro SP2 did not. I only have access to XP Pro SP2, so that is what I have. If you need anything specific let me know.

I will most likely be taking this 20" iMac home this weekend to continue and "play" with it.

 

[Steve1496]

BTW I saw a post on onmac.net forum that says XP Home SP2 worked when XP Pro SP2 did not. I only have access to XP Pro SP2, so that is what I have. If you need anything specific let me know.

I will most likely be taking this 20" iMac home this weekend to continue and "play" with it.

Yeah I only have Home SP1 and Pro SP2 CDs so I couldn't test this..if it is true, then it is probably an issue with one of the files that XP Pro loads (and Home doesnt).

 

[Compufix]

Another post. when following directions, you are asked to replace the ENTIRE i386 folder with the patch, instead of just replacing the files IN the i386 folder. I am re-burning my XP Pro SP2 now, and lets see what happens. I will assume the same thing, since it never gets to actually copying.

FYI, nada.....still locked at same point. It created folders, then hangs at copying files.

So close, but oh so far ....

 

[Steve1496]

Forgot to update MacRumors on 20" status: It appears the issue is related to disk size issues. It's not easy to fix but we'll hopefully have a working version out in a few days.

 

[joelypolly]

Some thing to try:
Install XP in a Qemu environment, stop after it finishes copying the files to the drive before it has finished setup. Then restore the image over the msdos partition and see if that will help with installing. You can convert the drive over to NTFS after windows is installed.

 

[balamw]

It appears the issue is related to disk size issues.

Now that's somewhat unexpected since both of the common drives in the 17" and 20" are both above the 137GB LBA limit that usually causes trouble. Is this a new hard drive size barrier?

B

 

[dotdotdot]

XP SP2 has no harddrive limit barrier (neither does SP1)...

It just shows how different the 20" and 17" iMacs are, and how different XP Home and XP Pro are.

 

[Steve1496]

Now that's somewhat unexpected since both of the common drives in the 17" and 20" are both above the 137GB LBA limit that usually causes trouble. Is this a new hard drive size barrier?

B

It's not the disks problem (as we can see so far) but actually is a problem with the way the patch is handling the disk. We don't have too much info on the problem yet but we've had a few people send in MBR logs to analyze.

 

[esoteric0]

The Wiki says that booting is working on the 20" imac using the linked xom file. should that be changed, or am i the only one that can't get it working?

i tried installing MCE with the slipstreamed dvd and xp pro sp2 with no luck.

 

[Rusdude]

The Wiki says that booting is working on the 20" imac using the linked xom file. should that be changed, or am i the only one that can't get it working?

i tried installing MCE with the slipstreamed dvd and xp pro sp2 with no luck.

Wiki has an alpha (i.e. test) version of the new file posted by Steve himself (right?), which they THOUGHT might work, but it doesn't as of yet.

 

[esoteric0]

Wiki has an alpha (i.e. test) version of the new file posted by Steve himself (right?), which they THOUGHT might work, but it doesn't as of yet.

exactly, which is why i think the wiki should be changed. it leads poor schmuks like me on ;-)

 

[joelypolly]

There has been a number of reports of it working.
Follow these steps.
After selecting XP in the boot screen press F4 and then F7 before you hit enter.
There enter 640 for width and 480 for height and then hit enter for the rest of the parameters.

Boot ur cd and install.

 

[esoteric0]

There has been a number of reports of it working.
Follow these steps.
After selecting XP in the boot screen press F4 and then F7 before you hit enter.
There enter 640 for width and 480 for height and then hit enter for the rest of the parameters.

Boot ur cd and install.

i'm not home so i can't try it right now, but would this help with the installation process failing to copy setup files after formatting the windows partition? video is at fullscreen by then anyway.

 

[joelypolly]

i'm not home so i can't try it right now, but would this help with the installation process failing to copy setup files after formatting the windows partition? video is at fullscreen by then anyway.

No idea... But there are photos already posted and a number of people have said it works

 

[Steve1496]

Indeed XP was rejecting the Res size and you can fix this by doing the following:

1)Use the xom.efi file I posted for 20" iMacs
2)when you boot and see the Windows XP logo, press F4 to enter console. Now press F7 to enter Video console
3)You'll see X Resolution [1680]: <--enter 640 here, press enter
4)Now, you'll see Y Resolution [1050]: <--enter 480 here, press enter
5)Now, you'll see Bytes Per Pixel [32]: <--enter 32 here, press enter
6)Hit enter for all other values
7)XP will boot and install correctly, follow the howto.txt in the regular download package if you need further instructions.

I'm typing this form Windows XP on my iMac 20" right now, works great with the exception of video (when you get XP booted, you need to disable Hardware Acceleration in order to make it usable). Once drivers are posted for it, this should be pretty sweet!

Steve