[Guide] Success! Install 10.8 on old unsupported Mac

[Cloaked Alien]

- you have to be on 10.7.5, the last Lion version
- is it a genuine copy of ML? Or a downloaded copy? These can be stripped down, be sure to get a genuine, full, installer-app

Now I have read quite a bit, but probably not enough since I have to ask. But I gather that those of us that wants to have a hassle-free-installation without any manual hacks has to get a hold of the _installer_ for 10.8.3 or earlier?

How does one obtain a legal copy of anything but 10.8.5? I'm dying to try it MLPF =)

Worst case I can do without built-in bluetooth and wifi. I only need to get 10.8 running on my mid 2007 Mac Mini so that I can install the latest xcode =)

 

[mishendr]

Now I have read quite a bit, but probably not enough since I have to ask. But I gather that those of us that wants to have a hassle-free-installation without any manual hacks has to get a hold of the _installer_ for 10.8.3 or earlier?

How does one obtain a legal copy of anything but 10.8.5? I'm dying to try it MLPF =)

Worst case I can do without built-in bluetooth and wifi. I only need to get 10.8 running on my mid 2007 Mac Mini so that I can install the latest xcode =)

No. You obviously didn't read enough, the last few pages of this post clearly state that you can use 10.8.5 with the 10.8.4 option in MLPF. This becomes clear when using MLPF. Follow the guide, and it will work.

 

[chrisrand]

Thanks! Seems I need to wipe the dust off an old 64 GB SSD and start the experiments

Hello hwojtek.

I was wondering if you had any time to play with the kext for the Broadcom CrystalHD working on Mountain Lion in 64-bit?

Thanks

 

[hwojtek]

I was wondering if you had any time to play with the kext for the Broadcom CrystalHD working on Mountain Lion in 64-bit?

Almost (as in "I fried the SSD while attempting a firmware update").
I know for sure, however, that when I run Lion forced 64-bit mode, the acceleration is disabled (and the kext won't load).

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Finally caved in and installed MLPF with ML on my late-2006 Macbook Pro, with 3GB RAM.

While I found the instructions in the beginning of this thread horrible, and for some reason couldn't find the website which I know has existed at some point, I gave it a shot. Turns out that the most reliable instructions are located in the MLPF app itself, and somewhat different from the OP in this thread. The only major problem then, was how obtain the install file for ML. Turns out that the MLPF description is wrong (As I took the naming of the file quite literally) and that the file downloaded from the App Store is called exactly what is required. I used MLPF 0.3 with 10.8.5 from the App Store, and it worked more or less as expected. After installation I didn't get the "Could not finish installation" error as described, but a hard reset and rebooting into the install partion and running MLPF worked as expected (Couldn't restart either again, but again a hard reset did the trick).

ML is now running as expected, and since flash movies in 720p from youtube runs perfectly (Actually, I had problems with full screen flash in Lion, and this is not present anymore!), I expect that hardware acceleration is working. Audio, wireless and bluetooth also appear functioning.

Now I just have to fix Messages, which is the main reason for me trying this out.. 8) Edit: Ran a round of Repair Persmissions, and that fixed it! WOnderfull!

Donated 20$ to the guys behind, and I consider it well spend.

Edit: The machine really seems much faster now with ML over Lion... Could be a fresh install of course, but even with Spotlight indexing, it is very responsive.

Edit: Facetime, iCloud and microphone also working as expected.

 

[chrisrand]

Almost (as in "I fried the SSD while attempting a firmware update").
I know for sure, however, that when I run Lion forced 64-bit mode, the acceleration is disabled (and the kext won't load).

This maybe a little off-topic, but I asked if you got the Broadcom CrystalHD working because I just got my hands on a cheap Atom based 11.6" Tablet (ExoPC) that I have successfully hacked Mavericks on, but since its a GMA3150 the kext was never released for Lion or above in 64bit so there is no QE/CI. But there is a Broadcom CrystalHD in there, so I was hoping somewhere on the internet some clever hacker has made it work.

If you have any advice for me, I am all ears.

 

[hwojtek]

If you have any advice for me, I am all ears.

It's no-go in Mavericks, there is not a 64-bit CrystalHD kext, sorry.
I have Lion hackinstalled on an upgraded 1st-gen Intel Mac Mini and forced to run 32-bit. This works (at least in XBMC and VLC) with the kext from https://code.google.com/p/crystalhd-for-osx/

 

[artix232]

Help

Hello Everyone!

I need someones help. I have got macbook 4,1.

I have the .app in application folder (ver 10.8.4) (4.46GB)

I have MLpostfactor 0.3 v.

I tried many times. Mlpostfactor doesn't copy files into INSTALL Partition.
As a reason of this, I can't boot from it.
When I checked the size it says that it's only 1 GB on Install Partition.

Please help me. What am i doing wrong ? Why just me seem to have this problem?

For any help I will be grateful!

 

[Rastafabi]

Hello Everyone!

I need someones help. I have got macbook 4,1.

I have the .app in application folder (ver 10.8.4) (4.46GB)

I have MLpostfactor 0.3 v.

I tried many times. Mlpostfactor doesn't copy files into INSTALL Partition.
As a reason of this, I can't boot from it.
When I checked the size it says that it's only 1 GB on Install Partition.

Please help me. What am i doing wrong ? Why just me seem to have this problem?

For any help I will be grateful!

That's strange… You might try using a different USB stick/drive, or format it in a different way using disk utility (GUID, HFS+).
Else you should redownload ML from the App Store (10.8.5 is okay), as it might got corrupted.
If this does not work ether you should try getting hands on a different Mac - 10.7.5+ (a virtual OS X works, too).

 

[artix232]

That's strange… You might try using a different USB stick/drive, or format it in a different way using disk utility (GUID, HFS+).
Else you should redownload ML from the App Store (10.8.5 is okay), as it might got corrupted.
If this does not work ether you should try getting hands on a different Mac - 10.7.5+ (a virtual OS X works, too).

Thank you for your fast reply.

I already tried 3 USB sticks. All of them work perfectly fine. I Formatted every time as GUID and HFS +. Still same.
I will try downloading it again frm the App Store.
But Does anyone else know what might be the reason of not copying files onto INSTALL partition ?

 

[artix232]

I just tried and still same

Does anyone know why is it not copying files on Install Partition ?

 

[artix232]

is really noone willing to help ?

 

[Rastafabi]

is really noone willing to help ?

Please… A bit more objectivity would fit here well. It's not that no one wants to help, it's that no one knows to help or does have to do things which are more important, okay?

Show the package contents of the Install app and find the InstallESD.dmg inside /Contents/Resources/SharedSupport and mount it.
Now enable showing hidden files in the finder (google) and mount the BaseSystem.dmg. Restore it to your desired drive with Disk Utility.
Now copy the Packages folder from the InstallESD to /System/Installation/ on the USB drive.
Now rerun MLPF and select the prepared drive.
As MLPF works via copying rather than restoring it should work now.

 

[artix232]

Please… A bit more objectivity would fit here well. It's not that no one wants to help, it's that no one knows to help or does have to do things which are more important, okay?

Show the package contents of the Install app and find the InstallESD.dmg inside /Contents/Resources/SharedSupport and mount it.
Now enable showing hidden files in the finder (google) and mount the BaseSystem.dmg. Restore it to your desired drive with Disk Utility.
Now copy the Packages folder from the InstallESD to /System/Installation/ on the USB drive.
Now rerun MLPF and select the prepared drive.
As MLPF works via copying rather than restoring it should work now.

Hey! Thanks for your help! I did what you said.
Unfortunately, Even if this time i was able to create bootable install partition. After choosing it in Boot menu it stuck. The mouse looks like its loading but nothing really happens.

 

[artix232]

Does anyone know how to solve this ?

 

[artix232]

Please,

I just really wanna have mountain lion on my macbook.

 

[Rastafabi]

Hey! Thanks for your help! I did what you said.
Unfortunately, Even if this time i was able to create bootable install partition. After choosing it in Boot menu it stuck. The mouse looks like its loading but nothing really happens.

When does the mouse look like whether it's loading (beach ball?)? Within the EFI-bootmenu or after the system tried to boot (grey screen with apple logo and loading circle)?

First try resetting nvram (boot with cmd+alt+p+r until you heard a third boot sound) and smc (remove the power cable and the battery and hold the power button for at least 5s)

If it's not fixed try hitting and holding cmd+v right after selecting the boot menu entry. Or try hitting cmd+s and follow the onscreen instructions. Else try holding shift while booting from the stick until a progress bar appears (may take some time until finished).
If you still can't boot try again from the beginning (without smc/nvram) .

 

[artix232]

Hey!

Thank you for your answer!

I meant beach ball! After the system tried to boot
anyways I will try doing what you said

 

[schul]

install and 10.4.7 Lion Partition Does the clearing?

Complete Guide Thank you,
My MacBook4, x in Mountail Lion Upgrade succeeded,
The remaining was used in the previous version and install 10.4.7 Lion Partition Does the clearing?

 

[artix232]

I don't know how did you do that.

I do still have a beach ball when booting from Install partition.

 

[indiecraig]

Please,

I just really wanna have mountain lion on my macbook.

I had a similar issue. It was a problem with my Lion install. I used the extra partition (prepared for Mountain Lion) to install a fresh copy of Lion. I then used that operating system to prepare an MLpostfactor USB drive. I reformatted the fresh Lion partition, installed ML to it using the USB stick, copied my data over from the (apparently defective) Lion install and all was well. A few weeks later I deleted the Lion partition and expanded the ML partition to fill the space.

Been using that install for many months now, no issues.

 

[artix232]

thank you for your advice I will try it!

 

[artix232]

It worked

 

[srihari83]

Graphic acceleration on 10.8 with GMA X3100 64bit kexts?

Hi, I want to install ML 10.8 on my MB3.1. I'm running Leopard on a Macbook 3.1 Core 2Duo 2.2Ghz with Intel GMA X3100 card & 64bit EFI. I can't use MLPF without buying Lion 10.7 first & then buying ML 10.8!! So I want to buy & clean install ML 10.8 with usb drive boot. Has anyone tried it?? & do you get proper graphics acceleration with the 64bit kexts you find online for ML 10.8?? could you please post the 64bit kexts for Intel GMA X3100 in case it is working for any of you?? Any help is much appreciated!
driver files needed: AppleIntelGMAX3100GLDriver.bundle; AppleIntelGMAX3100VADriver.bundle; AppleIntelGMAX3100.kext; AppleIntelGMAX3100FB.kext; AppleIntelGMAX3100GA.plugin

 

[Rastafabi]

Hi, I want to install ML 10.8 on my MB3.1. I'm running Leopard on a Macbook 3.1 Core 2Duo 2.2Ghz with Intel GMA X3100 card & 64bit EFI. I can't use MLPF without buying Lion 10.7 first & then buying ML 10.8!! So I want to buy & clean install ML 10.8 with usb drive boot. Has anyone tried it?? & do you get proper graphics acceleration with the 64bit kexts you find online for ML 10.8?? could you please post the 64bit kexts for Intel GMA X3100 in case it is working for any of you?? Any help is much appreciated!
driver files needed: AppleIntelGMAX3100GLDriver.bundle; AppleIntelGMAX3100VADriver.bundle; AppleIntelGMAX3100.kext; AppleIntelGMAX3100FB.kext; AppleIntelGMAX3100GA.plugin

Won't work until MLforAll will released his patched kext.
Here you'll find an example (running ML 64 on the even older GMA 950).