Author Topic: Bad resolution in Chameleon’s boot screen after upgrading the graphic card  (Read 8140 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

brunosky

  • Observer
  • Posts: 10
Hello,
I’ve just upgraded the graphic card from nVidia GeForce 8800 GT 512 MB to ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB (that’s because I’m waiting for the new 27” Apple LED display).
With a certain surprise, I’ve noticed that now the Chameleon’s boot screen resolution is lower than before: initial images look very bad and stretched.
I’ve read this interesting article:
http://www.macbreaker.com/2012/06/how-to-set-your-hackintosh-bootscreen.html
(“At boot time, your Hackintosh's bootloader can only display the basic resolutions programmed into your graphics card”) where changing VESA modes by editing the Video BIOS (VBIOS) in a process that needs to be done in Windows is considered the only real solution.
It’s true that the problem exists only at the boot, and that when Mac OS X 10.9 starts everything is OK, but I’m asking if there could be a different fix.
Thanks in advance for reading my post and to this great forum!

Long Live the Mac Pro 1,1!

Gringo Vermelho

  • Forum Moderator
  • Posts: 611
  • The gray monster energy hat
Editing your video card BIOS is the only way, and you'll see the same thing on your 27" Apple display once it arrives.
http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/211294-information-on-vesa-modes-in-atinvidia-bios/

There's also the resolution.dylib module for Chameleon but I believe it only works with Intel on-board video.

You can get a non-stretched image by setting a lower theme and boot resolution that matches the aspect ratio of your display. There are two places in theme.plist where resolution is set, and then of course you must set Chameleon's "Graphics Mode=" flag.

If you're running Windows or Linux you'll see the same thing happening during boot.
10.9.5 - ASUS P8Z77-V Pro - i5 3570K - GTX 660 - Chameleon 2.3 svn-r2xxx
How to...
Install Chameleon: http://forum.voodooprojects.org/index.php/topic,649
Make your own Chameleon boot CD: http://forum.voodooprojects.org/index.php/topic,484.msg2131.html#msg2131

brunosky

  • Observer
  • Posts: 10
Thanks a lot for your prompt response, Gringo.
I've tried the resolution.dylib module, and in fact it didn't help.
You're very kind and professional, as usual.  :)
« Last Edit: October 30, 2013, 09:38:35 PM by brunosky »

Gringo Vermelho

  • Forum Moderator
  • Posts: 611
  • The gray monster energy hat
Thank you, we aim to please! I'm sorry I can't help you with this matter.

I have a variation of the same issue myself.
I've got a Dell U2312HM connected via display port to a GTX 660. 1920x1080 is set in both theme and boot.plist.

The Chameleon theme and Apple boot screen show at the correct aspect ratio and there's no stretching, just black space around them.
But here's the weird part, 1920x1080 actually appears on the list of available VESA modes that you can bring up at GUI. Chameleon just doesn't seem to want to use it.  :o
I've determined that it's using 1600x900, which is not on the list of available modes.
« Last Edit: November 12, 2013, 07:54:36 AM by Gringo Vermelho »
10.9.5 - ASUS P8Z77-V Pro - i5 3570K - GTX 660 - Chameleon 2.3 svn-r2xxx
How to...
Install Chameleon: http://forum.voodooprojects.org/index.php/topic,649
Make your own Chameleon boot CD: http://forum.voodooprojects.org/index.php/topic,484.msg2131.html#msg2131