Hackintosh on a Dell Studio XPS [Retail install GUIDE]

I've tried using EmpireEFI as well as installing OS X from a USB CD drive, but was screwed over by the infamous "still waiting for root device" error, I'd imagine this is because of the 435MT model I have using Jmicron; though I am not sure.

On my fantastic and terrible journey to get OS X working on my 435MT I have realized that the parts Dell used in this series greatly varied; so this guide is meant for people who can't get Empire EFI working, and have the Radeon 4850 435MT model.

What you need:
- An 8G USB stick
- Retail Snow Leopard (10A432)
- Myhack installer
- VoodooHDA.kext (for sound.)
- Modded Radeon4800controller.kext
- Netkas Radeon drivers
- EVOenabler.kext
- OSX 10.6.1 and 10.6.2 update
- An already working hackintosh
- iAtkosv7i / Working Hackintosh or regular Mac. (for USB preparation)
- Kext utility


Installation

1) Preparing your USB stick. (Prasys did a wonderful guide on this that explains in greater depth)

I formatted my USB stick under GUID in disk utility, after doing that I restored the OSX image to it and applied myhack with the following settings:



2) Restart your computer and boot onto your install partition with -x -v flag.

3) Give it some time, eventually the installer will load and from here enter Disk Utility; format your HDD in GUID. after you finish you can begin installing.

You can do a full install with printer drivers and additional languages; but I opted to do a barebones install; mostly because I kept reinstalling multiple times to cut down on downtime while I was experimenting...

4) I found I had to move the mouse a little bit every 5 minutes or so during install to prevent it from locking up (I don't know why it did this..)

5) After install,use your USB stick to boot into the OSX partition with -x -v flags on, It may take a little while, but eventually OSX will load in gimped graphics mode; It will have no sound as well.

Run myhack again and apply the same settings you applied your USB install stick to your Snow Leopard Partition; restart your PC and boot into your Snow leopard partition off your HDD, not your USB stick.

6) Now that you're able to get into OS X, get this Radeon 4850 package from kexts.com

Install only these from the 7 Drivers .pkg


Now you will be able to boot into OSX without needing to use -x flag, however the display will stutter and your monitor won't have proper resolutions, do NOT try to skip to step 7; if you do not install these you will be hit by a "Still waiting for root device" error upon reboot. I'm not sure why.

To fix the resolution issue and enable the complete function of your HD4850 you need to use EVOenabler and a modded ATI4800controller, I've included them in the post.

7) Install Kext utility, after Kext utility is installed drag the EVOcontroller and ATI4800controller onto Kext utility one at a time, and it will install them.

Now shutdown your PC, while it is off, connect your monitor to the Radeon port on the right; when you turn your PC back on you will be able to boot into OSX 10.6 with fully enabled graphics and it will recognize your monitor; everything will work perfectly.

.... Until you update to 10.6.1.

Upgrading your OS X

When you use the 10.6.1 package it will reduce your graphics to gimped graphics mode again, after upgrading you must connect your monitor to the left Radeon port again, as it will no longer recognize the port on the right; the reason is because the ATIcontroller kext has been modified.

This issue is easily solved however, simply go to your root folder and enter System -> extensions and copy your ATI4800controller.kext to your desktop.

Right click the kext on your desktop and "Show Package contents", open the "Contents" folder and open info.plist, scroll down until you find content similar to this.

0x94401002 0x944a1002

you will want to change 0x94401002 to 0x94421002.

After editing the should look as follows:
0x94421002 0x944a1002

Edit nothing else and save the changes to the file, after saving drag the ATI4800controller.kext you have just edited onto kext utility to install it, shutdown your computer and attach the monitor to the Radeon port on the right again; your graphics will be fixed for the 10.6.1 update.

To upgrade to 10.6.2 you just simply(lol) have to repeat the above steps; when I tried to do an upgrade form 10.6 to 10.6.2 in this fashion my graphics freaked out; however doing it in steps allowed me to upgrade and keep my graphics in working order.

Reduced Size Screenshot of SL 10.6.2 running on my XPS, 1920 x 1080 I changed the dock because I don't like the 3D one

ATIcontroller and EVOenabler kext:

http://www.mediafire.com/?dwmjuio2nzo

by Keagi