Author Topic: Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)  (Read 126264 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« on: September 13, 2009, 11:33:23 PM »
3 vfaqs actually unrelated to our forum:

1. I installed Chameleon on my real Mac and now all hell broke loose! HELP! BIG PROBLEM PLZ!

2. I want to put Mac OS X on my PC! How do I get started?

3. Chameleon won't boot my 16 OSs! HELP! Chameleon Bug? This sucks, I want to go back to xyz bootloader!



Chameleon Basics & a myth(buster):

1. What is Chameleon?

2. How do I obtain Chameleon? Where can I download Chameleon from?

3a. Will Chameleon turn my PC / generic hardware / cheap box into a Mac?

3b. Why?

3c. But I see all those listings/places on the web that sell ready-made hackintoshes? Some claim that their machines run Chameleon!



Installing, Upgrading, Downgrading & Uninstalling Chameleon:

4. How do I install Chameleon?

5. How do I install Chameleon manually? How do I upgrade/downgrade Chameleon?

6. Can you make a step-by-step guide for installing Chameleon manually? I'm new to this and I'd like a pointer...

7. Where should I install Chameleon? EFI or MacOS X partition? What's the deal with EFI? Will it turn my PC into a real Mac?

8. I want to get rid of Chameleon. Where's the Uninstall button?



Customizing & Fine-tuning Chameleon:

9. Whoa! I installed Chameleon, I can boot to OS X just fine, how do I go about fine-tuning my system?

10. How do I fine-tune my /Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist? How can I make a boot option to have a permanent effect? What's the syntax for com.apple.Boot.plist options?

11. How do I fine-tune my kexts? What's the best kexts for my system? What's the deal with kexts vs. mkext?

12. What about Themes? The Default one is OK can I have more? How do I change Themes? I want to create my own, how do I get started?



Miscellanea:

13. Great work! What can I do to help the development of Chameleon? I'd like to give something back.

14. What about Chameleon's latest feature about BlahBlah?

15. Unofficial member-contributed Tools, Utilities, Documentation and Helpful Posts.

16. HELP! I have a question about xYz and no one answers! HUGE PROBLEM! Where are you guys?



Version 1.0:
-Basic FAQ (according to the most asked questions in our forum) 
 
Thanks to Blackosx, BladeRunner, Gringo Vermelho, tempolo + anyone else (I might be forgetting now) who took time to document / provide help to others in the form of step-by-step tips/guides.

Version 1.1:
- minor editing (typos, etc),
- section of Customizing & Fine-tuning Chameleon now includes a Themes FAQ(#11),
- FAQ#10 polished to demarcate Kernel Flags from Booter Options 
- the section of Miscellanea now includes the contributions of our funky members. You guys rock, thank you :)
- FAQ#6 now includes a note about guides/"guides".

More info will be integrated when we get out of v2 beta.

Memo to self: I have to come up with a better idea regarding the FAQ's layout because its a royal pita to edit.
« Last Edit: June 14, 2011, 05:50:31 PM by Blackosx »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2009, 09:42:13 PM »
1.  I installed Chameleon on my real Mac and now all hell broke loose! HELP! BIG PROBLEM PLZ!

We're really flattered :o but Chameleon is made to work on hacks (hackintosh, or whatever you call a non Apple-made computer). Chameleon emulates some functionalities of a real Mac.

It's your hardware, do what you want with it, just don't come here crying and bugging the developers about it.

We already have two threads about this bad idea and that's all. Further topics about it will just get locked/deleted.

Bad Idea: Chameleon was installed on my real Mac and now it won't boot
Why Installer breaks boot for Macs and how to fix it
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 04:07:46 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2009, 09:47:49 PM »
2. I want to put Mac OS X on my PC! How do I get started?

If you're seeking a whole-picture guide to OSx86, you're better off looking elsewhere.  It's really easy these days too, there must be a zillion places offering a gazillion of guides(*) to do this. 

This forum is for Voodoolabs software only.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2009, 12:51:56 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2009, 09:50:59 PM »
3. Chameleon won't boot my 16 OSs! HELP! Chameleon Bug? This sucks, I want to go back to xyz bootloader!

If multi-booting a ton of different OSs in a single computer is your game, then you're supposed to understand the basics of multi-booting. It's a good idea to read the README & BootHelp.txt files too. If you know what you're doing and can reproduce a bug, please file a bug report.

Use whatever bootloader/software you like and be happy. No one is forcing you to use Chameleon. Calling names won't get you very far.

Some tips/vfaqs on multi-booting:

Another "Linux Not Showing Up"
Booting Linux from Chameleon
Modify Vista BCD after Chameleon install
Windows 7 RC1 and Macintosh on the same drive
Blinking cursor after install
[SOLVED] possible to boot WinXP from a GUID partitioned drive w/ Chameleon 2.0?
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 04:08:09 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #4 on: September 14, 2009, 10:06:55 PM »
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 04:08:18 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #5 on: September 14, 2009, 10:24:08 PM »
2. How do I obtain Chameleon? Where can I download Chameleon from?

Either from the Offical Downloads section of our forum or from the official blog.

Please note that by now Chameleon releases are mirrored in blogs/sites/forums all over the net. Official releases will only be available from the two sources mentioned above. Also note that lot of people tend to confuse other bootloaders with Chameleon. In short, you can use whatever you like, just go to the same place/person for support/questions.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 04:08:27 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Re: Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #6 on: September 14, 2009, 10:36:01 PM »
3a. Will Chameleon turn my PC / generic hardware / cheap box into a Mac?

No.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 04:08:36 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Re: Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #7 on: September 14, 2009, 10:40:41 PM »
3b. Why?

Because.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 04:08:44 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Re: Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #8 on: September 14, 2009, 10:44:02 PM »
3c. But I see all those listings/places on the web that sell ready-made hackintoshes? Some claim that their machines run Chameleon!

It's your money, it's your call, just don't deceive yourself: There's real Macs that you buy from Apple and there's hacks that you build yourself (usually for the kicks of it). If you want to pay someone to build a hack for you, that's fine. Just remember to go to the same person for support.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 04:08:52 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Re: Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #9 on: September 14, 2009, 11:04:20 PM »
4. How do I install Chameleon?

Either manually or via an installer package. The best way is to install manually.

There're newbie-friendly installer packages but:
• There're still options that have to be understood (they just come in the form of "click me" buttons).
• Some users reported unexpected results when using the installer.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 04:09:00 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Re: Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #10 on: September 15, 2009, 12:17:13 AM »
5.  How do I install Chameleon manually? How do I upgrade/downgrade Chameleon?

Download and extract the version that you're after (usually the latest) and take a look inside the folder. There's a folder containing documents (README & BootHelp.txt) about installing and configuring Chameleon (we also maintain a copy of these documents here in the forum). If you do not understand a bit then you should keep reading (no picking) or use the installer and cross your fingers that you'll click the right buttons. Honestly, if you don't understand what's going on then you're better off reading about it.

The lengthy version of installing Chameleon is this:

• You install boot0 (or chain0) file to the MBR. [This is stage 0, responsible for loading stage 1]
• You install the boot1h file to your partition's bootsector. [This is stage 1, responsible for finding the boot file]
• You install the boot file to your partition's root directory (/). [This is stage 2, the main bootloader that loads kernel, KEXTs and other Chameleon-related files]
• You create a folder called Extra in the root (/) of your partition, that contains Chameleon-related files (KEXTs, com.apple.boot.plist, Themes etc.).

Tip: Make sure that you're using the modified fdisk that's included inside the i386 folder.

Tip: Make sure that you're installing Chameleon's files into 1 single place to avoid the SNAFU being discussed here: Bad Idea: Installing Chameleon into both OS X & EFI partitions.

Tip: boot0 & boot1h get installed in places you wouldn't look at regularly. The rest of the files go into one single place. Visual reference can be found here.

You upgrade/downgrade to a different version of Chameleon by replacing your old /boot file with the one from the release that you're after. You may want to read again the lengthy version of the installation process, it also explains how you "uninstall" Chameleon.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 04:09:10 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Re: Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #11 on: September 15, 2009, 12:25:06 AM »
6. Can you make a step-by-step guide for installing Chameleon manually? I'm new to this and I'd like a pointer...

Again, the README file included with Chameleon actually contains step-by-step instructions. There's no point in listing here another imaginary example with diskXsY examples, your setup won't be identical anyway.

In addition to the README file, Gringo Vermelho created a [How-to] manually install Chameleon 2.0 to an EFI/GPT drive guide, here in our forum. Gringo Vermelho also posted a step by step guide to building a Chameleon BootCD.

By now, there must be a trillion of other guides on how to install Chameleon scattered around other blogs/forums/sites. If you'd like to follow any of them that's fine. Just go back to them for support or questions. Anything official will be included in this forum only.

---

A note about guides:

Just like anything else, there's guides and there's "guides". More precisely, there's documentation about a piece of software (i.e. Chameleon's README & Boothelp.txt) and there's a cookbook approach like "Yo dudz check my SnoLeo install guide. Easy Vanilla Guaranteed" ) about installing Chameleon/OSx86.

The choice - of course - is yours, but keep in mind that:

- A dude documenting his installation steps is not a big deal. Even though his intentions are good (help others), you can do the same thing (document your installation steps).

- If you follow a cookbook approach elsewhere, you'll most likely ask questions here that won't make sense (since you do not understand what you're doing). Following fancy scripts/commands that will impress your neighbour but leave you clueless, will only end in tears.

- Not all hacks are built alike. Hacks even with the same motherboard but different graphics card, require different customization.

- Forget the whole "easyness" myth (some of us, seasoned/experienced/developers members are used to congratulate one another for pushing things forward but that does not mean that building a hack is easy for people with no technical background).

- 95% of the hacks documented around sites/blogs/forums are broken (not as in cracks in your PC case but as in a half-baked, crawling Mac OS X installation).
« Last Edit: January 29, 2010, 10:19:49 PM by Blackosx »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Re: Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #12 on: September 15, 2009, 12:29:01 AM »
7. Where should I install Chameleon? EFI or MacOS X partition? What's the deal with EFI? Will it turn my PC into a real Mac?

Wherever you like (or wherever fits your needs/taste best). EFI is a hidden partition in the GUID Partition Table scheme. Beginners will (most likely) find it easier to install Chameleon to the partition that holds their Mac OS X installation.

One advantage of installing Chameleon into the EFI partition is the ability to have a 100% vanilla installation of Mac OS X, because all your hacked/extra files will reside in a hidden partition leaving your retail installation untouched.

One disadvantage of installing Chameleon into the EFI partition is that you have to manually mount, unmount and maintain it in good order every time you want to make changes to it.

Nothing will turn your generic hardware into a real Mac, get over it.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 04:09:31 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Re: Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #13 on: September 15, 2009, 12:31:58 AM »
8. I want to get rid of Chameleon. Where's the Uninstall button?

No problem, use whatever you like. There's no uninstall button, you just have to replace Chameleon with a different bootloader.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2009, 11:18:50 AM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives

rocksteady

  • Global Moderator
  • Posts: 233
  • Root Down
Re: Chameleon FAQ (v1.1)
« Reply #14 on: September 15, 2009, 12:36:26 AM »
9. Whoa! I installed Chameleon, I can boot to OS X just fine, how do I go about fine-tuning my system?

If you're able to boot just fine then you got the most important kexts/options for your hardware right ;)

The next steps are:
• Fine-tune your /Extra/com.apple.Boot.plist
• Fine-tune your kexts (tailored to your own specific hardware)
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 04:09:50 PM by rocksteady »
Stop bitching, start coding or documenting or both..

P5Q-EM : Q6600 : 8GB RAM : 8800GT : SATA Drives