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[Mac Pro] How do I boot from my Mac OS X Install DVD with 8800GT?

TheSpaz

TheSpaz

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 20, 2005
7,032
1
Okay, I got the 8800GT card, now I have to revert back to 10.5.2 and I CAN'T do that because I can't boot from the Install DVD anymore. I figured I would outsmart the computer by plugging the display into the old 7300 card and then booting but, I get a kernel panic every time. What do I have to do if I need to re-install OS X? Unplug my computer, open it, take out the 8800, put the computer back together, boot from DVD, install, and then reinstall the 8800? This is ridiculous!
 
TheSpaz said:
Okay, I got the 8800GT card, now I have to revert back to 10.5.2 and I CAN'T do that because I can't boot from the Install DVD anymore. I figured I would outsmart the computer by plugging the display into the old 7300 card and then booting but, I get a kernel panic every time. What do I have to do if I need to re-install OS X? Unplug my computer, open it, take out the 8800, put the computer back together, boot from DVD, install, and then reinstall the 8800? This is ridiculous!
Click to expand...

Just wondering as I don't know but why you need to go back to 10.5.2 and what does it have to do with the nVidia card?
 
I'm not an expert but Leopard dvd is 10.5.0 and the 8800GT will only boot starting from 10.5.2.

I believe you will have to put back your 7300 in its place; re-install Leopard (if that's what you want to do) and than do all the updates before re-connecting the 8800
 
TheSpaz said:
Okay, I got the 8800GT card, now I have to revert back to 10.5.2 and I CAN'T do that because I can't boot from the Install DVD anymore. I figured I would outsmart the computer by plugging the display into the old 7300 card and then booting but, I get a kernel panic every time. What do I have to do if I need to re-install OS X? Unplug my computer, open it, take out the 8800, put the computer back together, boot from DVD, install, and then reinstall the 8800? This is ridiculous!
Click to expand...

You can create a new Install DVD consisting
of your old one + the 8800GT display drivers.
 
TheSpaz said:
I don't even know where the drivers are located to even try that.
Click to expand...

Drivers are in '/System/Library/Extensions'.

You can compare what's on your disk with
what came on the DVD.

Then again, if you're not comfortable with
that, you could ask Apple for a new DVD.

The argument for them giving you one is
compelling, I'd say.
 
TheSpaz said:
...I CAN'T do that because I can't boot from the Install DVD anymore...
Click to expand...
Actually you CAN install from the DVD without being booted from it. You just need another bootable partition or external drive to install/boot onto, and, only want to perform a 'First Time' Install. I do not think an 'Upgrade or 'Archive and Install' will work using this method. One more reason to use a 'System Only' partition and keep everything else on other Partitions/Disks. The only reason you need to boot to the DVD is if you only have one bootable partition, you need to format that drive, your only existing System is so FUBARed that it won't run long enough to install a new OS from, or you need to do an 'Archive and Install'.

Example - In my case it would be easy, I would boot to my System BackUp partition. I would use Disk Utility to erase my main System partition. I would then run TinkerTool and tell it to 'Show hidden and system files' and relaunch the Finder. Then insert DVD, open the System/Installation/Packages/OSInstall.mpkg package. From there, it's just like installing while booted from the DVD. You can even install the Combo updates to the new install while not booted to it.

I would highly recommend that those people in your position keep a bootable System backup partition handy ;)

Oh, make sure you run the OSInstall.mpkg, not the OSInstall.pkg.
Good Luck
 
What if I put the install DVD into my brother's PowerBook G4, put my Mac Pro into target disk mode, boot from the DVD in the PowerBook G4, then select my Mac Pro drive in the list of drives, then do an Archive and Install.
 
Infrared said:
Drivers are in '/System/Library/Extensions'.

You can compare what's on your disk with
what came on the DVD.

Then again, if you're not comfortable with
that, you could ask Apple for a new DVD.

The argument for them giving you one is
compelling, I'd say.
Click to expand...

Any idea what the drivers are named?
 
TheSpaz said:
What if I put the install DVD into my brother's PowerBook G4, put my Mac Pro into target disk mode, boot from the DVD in the PowerBook G4, then select my Mac Pro drive in the list of drives, then do an Archive and Install.
Click to expand...

I don't think that would work because there are 2 different versions of OS X. One for Intel (your MAC PRO) and the other for PPC (the PowerBook). When you try and install OS X from the PowerBook onto the target disc mode Disk it will most definitely install the PowerPc version. Therefore, you would not be able to boot the Mac Pro.
 
TheSpaz said:
Any idea what the drivers are named?
Click to expand...

For NVidia in general:

Code: 
/System/Library/Extensions/GeForce.kext
/System/Library/Extensions/GeForceVADriver.bundle
/System/Library/Extensions/GeForce2MXGLDriver.bundle
/System/Library/Extensions/GeForce3GLDriver.bundle
/System/Library/Extensions/GeForce8xxxGLDriver.bundle
/System/Library/Extensions/GeForceFXGLDriver.bundle
/System/Library/Extensions/GeForceGA.plugin
/System/Library/Extensions/NVDAResman.kext
/System/Library/Extensions/NVDANV10Hal.kext
/System/Library/Extensions/NVDANV20Hal.kext
/System/Library/Extensions/NVDANV30Hal.kext
/System/Library/Extensions/NVDANV40Hal.kext
/System/Library/Extensions/NVDANV50Hal.kext

I'm not sure which are specifically for the 8800GT.
'kexstat' on the command line will tell you which
extensions have been loaded, so that may help
to narrow down the list somewhat.
 
You can save yourself this hassle now and the hassle in the future if you have to install again by getting a new disk. You can get an updated copy from apple for $17.
 
chas0001 said:
I don't think that would work because there are 2 different versions of OS X. One for Intel (your MAC PRO) and the other for PPC (the PowerBook). When you try and install OS X from the PowerBook onto the target disc mode Disk it will most definitely install the PowerPc version. Therefore, you would not be able to boot the Mac Pro.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I realized that after I posted... I might try making that custom boot DVD with the 8800 drivers loaded on it. What I'm gonna do is take any file with a date that is newer (in the Extensions folder) than the factory DVD and put it on my custom DVD. Hopefully that will work. Are DVD/CD Master disk images read/write or write only? ... or do I have to make a read/write disk image?
 
TheSpaz said:
Yeah, I realized that after I posted... I might try making that custom boot DVD with the 8800 drivers loaded on it. What I'm gonna do is take any file with a date that is newer (in the Extensions folder) than the factory DVD and put it on my custom DVD. Hopefully that will work. Are DVD/CD Master disk images read/write or write only? ... or do I have to make a read/write disk image?
Click to expand...

How do you make an OS X copy?. I'd like to carry a copy of Leopard in my laptop bag in case I hose my system while on the road, but I don't want to carry my original in case it gets damaged. I have the retail copy. Do I need a dual layer disk for that? And how do you make it bootable? Or is a 1-1 copy using Disk Utility enough to take care of all of that? As in create a .dmg and then burn it.
 
krye said:
You can save yourself this hassle now and the hassle in the future if you have to install again by getting a new disk. You can get an updated copy from apple for $17.
Click to expand...

How do I purchase this $17 disc?
 
TheSpaz said:
How do I purchase this $17 disc?
Click to expand...

Seconded, where can this disk be ordered from? Do I have to return my Leopard retail disk as proof of purchase?

I was planning to sell my 1900XT after an upgrade but it seems that might not be possible at the moment.
 
tyr2 said:
Seconded, where can this disk be ordered from? Do I have to return my Leopard retail disk as proof of purchase?

I was planning to sell my 1900XT after an upgrade but it seems that might not be possible at the moment.
Click to expand...

I talked to a Mac Genius at the Apple Store yesterday and he was fully prepared to trade out my 10.5.0 disc with a 10.5.2 or 10.5.3 disc until he found out that all they have for retail discs are 10.5.1 so far. He told me to wait until Apple starts shipping a 10.5.3 disc and come back and he'll trade my 10.5.0 with 10.5.3. Sweet!
 
TheSpaz said:
I talked to a Mac Genius at the Apple Store yesterday and he was fully prepared to trade out my 10.5.0 disc with a 10.5.2 or 10.5.3 disc until he found out that all they have for retail discs are 10.5.1 so far. He told me to wait until Apple starts shipping a 10.5.3 disc and come back and he'll trade my 10.5.0 with 10.5.3. Sweet!
Click to expand...

Hmmm....I wonder if this 10.5.3 disk will have upgraded Boot Camp drivers on it.....drivers that would be suitable for running the 8800GT under Windows XP.
 
TheSpaz said:
I talked to a Mac Genius at the Apple Store yesterday and he was fully prepared to trade out my 10.5.0 disc with a 10.5.2 or 10.5.3 disc until he found out that all they have for retail discs are 10.5.1 so far. He told me to wait until Apple starts shipping a 10.5.3 disc and come back and he'll trade my 10.5.0 with 10.5.3. Sweet!
Click to expand...

Interesting indeed. Thanks.
 
My Mac Pro w/ 8800GT came with a 10.5.1 disc and it loads fine. Just a heads up if you needed it right away.
 
My retail 10.5.1 disc has GeForce 8xxx drivers on it.
Maybe you should ask the guy at the Apple store to trade you and see if it works?
 
killr_b said:
My retail 10.5.1 disc has GeForce 8xxx drivers on it.
Maybe you should ask the guy at the Apple store to trade you and see if it works?
Click to expand...

If its one of the new January 08 Mac Pro's then it came with a 10.5.1 disc that has the drivers on it.
 
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