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Snow Leopard on Unsupported PowerPC Macs

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
Larsvonhier said:
Here´s the latest XNU v1504.9.37 kernel source archive (10.6.8 including ppc).
I just extracted it from the Apple opensource website using Sitesucker. All *.html junk removed, so it should be the
clean and complete source code set.
Click to expand...

I've been tinkering with that source too, but at least some comments I've seen indicate that it is stripped of any devices/drivers because they are proprietary. So, not quite sure how usable it will be for our purposes. You will also need to download some extra packages to build. You need relpath in bootstrap_cmds package and several things in the cctools package. Right now, I can't find the libstream package, which is needed to build a lib in the cctools package. Yay!

Part of my morbid curiosity is to build a new kernel which will not panic if it doesn't recognize hardware, just to see if my machine melts down. :)

Key link to a lot of open source stuff that Apple released: https://opensource.apple.com

Here is one link that is somewhat helpful: https://dinomite.net/blog/2006/01/13/darwin-kernel-compile/
 
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Try using darwinbuild via macports as it should automatically set the correct build environment and resolve the dependencies. I was about to do this myself but after just getting home from work my G5 has decided not to boot - i’m hoping it’s not a power supply or processor failure. Don’t have any spare PRAM batteries laying around either.

You’ll need to install command line tools from 10A096 installer, followed by building MacPorts from source and then $port install darwinbuild

Hopefully i can get back up and running soon.
 
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Hi @Larsvonhier,

I'm trying different versions of the radeon kexts to see if there are any
"relevant" performance differences".
The ones from the Leopard Build you tested for the Rage Cards are
there more for the Radeons and are they more uptodate than the 10.5.8 ones?

Best regards,
voidRunner
 
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Yesss back up and running and making progress!

screen.jpg
 
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Installing darwinbuild was helpful, but I also need ctfconvert from dtrace which has given me nothing but errors to compile in XCode. Trying to make it work right now.

Then I can build that stinking kernel. :)
 
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B S Magnet said:
Whoa! 😮 Does Software Update actually work on d2?

I’ve so far been unable to make it work on d1.
Click to expand...

No it doesn’t work initially, it’s only started to work since i’ve been upgrading the system with frameworks apps and binaries from the various dev builds + 10.5.8, as well as installing Apple applications and the recently compiled cups. I’m not sure which action has resulted in that particular outcome as of yet - i get carried away and continue to patch until something breaks. I’ll review the current system vs the original when i have a full day free and put some notes together so that they can be shared on the wiki post.
 
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Hi @ChrisCharman,

It must be cups because in my G5 which still only has the minimal changes
that @Larsvonhier mentioned in the begining it's also working and suggesting the
upgrade to 10.6.3.
In this system the "first" where I installed OSX Server SL 096 I haven't touched
the original frameworks at all except for the ImageIO because of the distorted images.

Best regards,
voidRunner
 
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vddrnnr said:
Hi @ChrisCharman,

It must be cups because in my G5 which still only has the minimal changes
that @Larsvonhier mentioned in the begining it's also working and suggesting the
upgrade to 10.6.3.
In this system the "first" where I installed OSX Server SL 096 I haven't touched
the original frameworks at all except for the ImageIO because of the distorted images.

Best regards,
voidRunner
Click to expand...

Hi Void,

Yeah that would make sense as i recall after implementing those same changes that @Larsvonhier detailed, i recieved a software update notification for 10.6.3, Java and a few others before i changed too much at once and bricked that install.

I was substituting those same frameworks and others from 10A222+ builds on my first install of 10A190 all at one time so couldn’t narrow it down.

I’m using that original partition as a test bed so that i can restore and patch without concern and the one in the screenshot is my main ‘stable’ version that i’m trying to only patch with proven methods or original apple code. I have 10.5.8 on the second drive and then all known dev installers on separate partitions so i can access them all from each OS. Bit of a headache at times but lots of fun!
 
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Well, I give up for now.

Going to give it a couple of days. I switched over to a Firewire external drive, but while the speed booting-wise is better, I'm still have all kinds of issues switching out Frameworks for testing. For example, I just started with Quartz/QuartzCore from the Snow Leopard release (ppc compatible), and the Snow Leopard dev build won't boot. One error message that it was needing xml.dylib, and lots of error messages about the failure to launch login.window. When I tried to replace the dylibs, Finder crashes on Leopard. Oh well. I'll keep tinkering here and there, but I will give it a day or two.
 
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Hi @NathanJHill,

I had those xml errors when I tried using a different version of Quartz too.
You can replace the dylib in /usr/lib with the one from SL DVD if it is still
PPC but if I recollect then you start getting other errors with other
frameworks that have dependencies on Quartz ( missing symbols, etc ).
Maybe in your case because you are trying to use newer it may niot be
the same. :-D

I also think that for this one we might need to go backwards and not
forward for the non supported cards like the older Radeons and
Geforces because something in SL PPC does not play well with AGP cards...

Best regards,
voidRunner
 
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vddrnnr said:
Hi @Larsvonhier,

I'm trying different versions of the radeon kexts to see if there are any
"relevant" performance differences".
The ones from the Leopard Build you tested for the Rage Cards are
there more for the Radeons and are they more uptodate than the 10.5.8 ones?

Best regards,
voidRunner
Click to expand...
Hi @vddrnnr ,
at a quick glance all the other non-x1900 driver bundles at ATI/AMD were linked to the same download for 7xxx-9xxx cards, so I´d guess nothing more to expect from there...
 
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What i find... it seems we are in the old trouble 😅

www.insanelymac.com

GeForce 6200 AGP on SL

Hi, I have an AGP GeForce 6200 that worked well on Leopard with almost all of the injectors(NVdarwin, NVEnabler, NVInject, EFI Strings, etc) but on Snow Leopard it just boots on a blue screen and then the blue screen changes to a darker blue and then back to the first blue and so on. Only with NV...
www.insanelymac.com

Snow Leopard not working with AGP/PCI Family of cards, or will not so easy, like we want to.
 
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Has anybody tried using the AGP Ati enabler that circulated in the Hackintosh community? I haven’t had a chance to test it yet but have the archive.
 

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armdn said:
What i find... it seems we are in the old trouble 😅

www.insanelymac.com

GeForce 6200 AGP on SL

Hi, I have an AGP GeForce 6200 that worked well on Leopard with almost all of the injectors(NVdarwin, NVEnabler, NVInject, EFI Strings, etc) but on Snow Leopard it just boots on a blue screen and then the blue screen changes to a darker blue and then back to the first blue and so on. Only with NV...
www.insanelymac.com

Snow Leopard not working with AGP/PCI Family of cards, or will not so easy, like we want to.
Click to expand...

Here is a success try on Pentium 4 + AGP +SL

InfiniteMac OSx86 - View Single Post - Anyone FULL CI/QE/resolution on any AGP Video Card in Snow Leopard??

OSx86 & Mac OS X support, run OS X on x86 PC. SIMPLE and no clutter.
infinitemac.com infinitemac.com

www.mediafire.com

Working_AGP_enabler

netkas ATY_Init.kext working on SL AGP gfx 6200
www.mediafire.com
 
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I re-read old topics on insanely mac, and found something. AGP driver for PowerPC-macs is AppleMacRISCPCI.kext. It seems this is a point to check for it.
[automerge]1590255551[/automerge]
ChrisCharman said:
Has anybody tried using the AGP Ati enabler that circulated in the Hackintosh community? I haven’t had a chance to test it yet but have the archive.
Click to expand...
This one is intel only.
 
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armdn said:
I re-read old topics on insanely mac, and found something. AGP driver for PowerPC-macs is AppleMacRISCPCI.kext. It seems this is a point to check for it.
[automerge]1590255551[/automerge]

This one is intel only.
Click to expand...

AppleMacRISCPCI is available as an Apple OpenSource Project. Not sure if the source for Netkas ATY_init is available - if it is there’s potentially some use for it?

I’m thinking along the same lines as @Larsvonhier and @vddrnnr at this point - i think we may end up working on at least two builds for compatibility reasons with a third potential option being to create a ‘10.5.9’ updater with anything that proves backward compatible with Leopard; so A96 with legacy frameworks and components and then the most recent ppc compatible dev build (currently A190) with as much backported from 10.6.0-10.6.8 as we’re collectively able to achieve. Amazes me that we’re already seeing progress at such a fast pace on this. The online Apple and PowerPC community never ceases to bring a smile to my face!
 
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davidstahl said:
Has Any One Got The Airport Wifi Working On The PPc 10.6 Beta Snow Leopard working Yet
Click to expand...
Need to replace whole IO80211Family.kext with all inside kext plug-ins. In 10.6 IO80211Family.kext is builded as intel only binaries.
 
Hughmac said:
@netkas can you please confirm this as Intel only or can it be used on PPC?

Cheers :)

Hugh
Click to expand...
armdn said:
Need to replace whole IO80211Family.kext with all inside kext plug-ins. In 10.6 IO80211Family.kext is builded as intel only binaries.
Click to expand...
Clarification:
In 10A96 the Brcm43xx binary inside IO80211Family is PPC, in 10A190 it‘s intel only. Tried to replace only that component in A190, does not work due to more dependencies.
 
Larsvonhier said:
Clarification:
In 10A96 the Brcm43xx binary inside IO80211Family is PPC, in 10A190 it‘s intel only. Tried to replace only that component in A190, does not work due to more dependencies.
Click to expand...
I didn’t have 10A96... 😅
 
Even more weird:
Airport in 10A96 works on some machines with appropriate card.

10A190 out of the box, nothing (due to intel-only Brcm kext in 802.11 family.)

Copied only that Brcm kext over -> crash on boot due to dependencies missing.

Copied over whole A96 802.11 kext -> boots, recognizes card, outputs card Mac address, but no way to turn on Airport in menu bar or settings.

Copied over 802.11 kext from 10.5.8 -> same situation. HW is recognized, but not to be turned on.

What am I missing?

Kext info shows that they load and register.
 

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Larsvonhier said:
Even more weird:
Airport in 10A96 works on some machines with appropriate card.

10A190 out of the box, nothing (due to intel-only Brcm kext in 802.11 family.)

Copied only that Brcm kext over -> crash on boot due to dependencies missing.

Copied over whole A96 802.11 kext -> boots, recognizes card, outputs card Mac address, but no way to turn on Airport in menu bar or settings.

Copied over 802.11 kext from 10.5.8 -> same situation. HW is recognized, but not to be turned on.

What am I missing?

Kext info shows that they load and register.
Click to expand...
May be you missed AirPort menu to replace? Did you test connectivity or wi-fi networks recognition?

Can you upload whole IO80211Family.kext and AirPort.menu from /S/L/CoreServices/MenuExtras (like that or something) from 10A96?
[automerge]1590320219[/automerge]
Also, Apple80211.framework from 10A96 must be placed instead of same in 10A190.
 
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