# Asus X53SJ: iATKOS ML2Drivers and Extra – package

By Mateusz Kaczanowski in Miscellaneous 0 Comment

Requirements

  • Asus X53SJ or another iATKOS ML2 hardware compatible Notebook/PC (hardware specification)
  • Access to MacBook/iMac or Virtualbox with MacOs X installed
  • iATKOS ML2 image (link)
  • At least 6 GB pendrive
  • Some free space on disk / let’s say 10GB should be enough
  • A lot of patience 🙂

Goal

In this short tutorial we’re going to run MacOs X Mountain Lion on Asus X53SJ Notebook (with Intel Core i3 2310M CPU) using iATKOS ML2. From my experience this is the fastest and the most painless way to make it working. In the download section I’ve uploaded the kext drivers and a bit modified DSDT.aml which I found on osx86.net (with turns off nvidia hybrid/optimus graphics)

What works?

  • Graphics – Intel HD 3000 turned on, Geforce 520m turned off (MacOs does not support Nvidia Optimus technology, I hope that someone will port bumblebee/primusrun :P)
  • Wireless (ath9k, AR9285), built-in intel realtek (RTL8111/8168)
  • Audio (Intel HDA)
  • Laptop battery, sleep
  • Hardware sensors
  • Bluetooth
  • Touchapd as PS2 mouse (can’t scroll)
  • WebCam

TODO:

  • Function keys – some of function keys works (brightness, clone screen) but multimedia keys still doesn’t work :/
    I have spent a lot of time trying to fix them but without a success. The hotkey device (WM1) is found by AsusWMI kext module, but system seems to ignore the function keys calls. In the post installation section I put workaround.
  • Wifi led light
  • Elantech/2 trackpad

Preparing the installer

In order to "burn" iATKOS .dmg image on pendrive you have to have an access to working MacOs system. So if one of your friends owns a Mac go to him and bur the .dmg using DiskUtility.

In other case, you’ll have to install MacOs X on virtual machine such as VirtualBox.

  1. Convert .dmg to iso (use for i.e dmg2iso)
  2. Use ISO as installer CD
  3. Use "Mac OS X Server 64bit", iATKOS ML2 is not hybrid. Works in 64bit mode.
  4. Setup only one "1 processor". Sometimes kernel panics (with cpu code) while Disk Utility is burning the image on flash disk.

Sample tutorial is here

Disk preparation

MacOS X uses file system called "hfs+". In order to create such partition you’ll need gparted with addons:

apt-get install gparted hfsutils hfsprogs

Then create partition hfs/hfs+ partition.

Installation

Eventually! We’re going to boot iATKOS ML2 installer.
Installation is quite easy process. Just follow the instructions.

To enable journaling on partition click Tools -> Disk Utility -> Enable journaling.
Before finishing installation click Customize and check the following options:

  • Smbios MacBook Pro 8.1
  • Hardwatre sensors
  • Intel HD 3000 (disable intel HD 4000)
  • Disable all nvidia and ati drivers (important!!! With more than one graphics driver booting halts on DSMOS has arrived")
  • Sleep fix
  • Wireless
  • Bluetooth

That should be enough. After reboot chameleon (bootloader) should start.
I recommend you to first boot in verbose mode (with -v flag).

What if installer panics?
Try to boot with "-v". It seems problem is coused by framebuffer (I suppose), "-v" gives verbose output.

What if installer crashes during installation?
Make attempts and pray 🙂

Drivers

This is the most important and problematic part of bringing up MacOs X to live.
In the download section you’ll find my Extra folder which should be copied to /Extra.
Kexts can be installed by i.e champlist or kext installer. Or simply copy them to /S/L/E (/System/Library/Extensions/) and rebuild kernel cache.

Be careful with the kext’s. iATKOS ML2 is 64bit system, so use only 64bit drivers to avoid problems.

Post installation

First of all you should switch: option key < –> command key in Preferences -> Keyboard Settings.

Secondly as it was mentioned before multimedia keys does not work :/ I can’t really live without them so I wrote very simple AppleScripts to turn the volume up/down. The scripts are executed by shortcuts: Alt+arrow down, Alt+arrow up, triggered by QuickSilver application.

Volume Down

set current_volume to output volume of (get volume settings)

if current_volume is less than 100 then
    set current_volume to current_volume - 10
end if

set volume output volume current_volume

Quick silver has built in plugin that handles the iTunes. Easy job!

What about mounting ext3/ext4 disk?
I couldn’t find free and safe soulution for mounting ext4 in rw mode:/ If not free then …??? PAID;
Paragon Ext FS is the best soulution I’ve found.

What about external monitor?
Dsub doesn’t work well. I’ve been looking for solution for a long time. Someone, somewhere wrote that MacBook’s doesn’t have dsub and that is the reason of failure. Possible…
Solution: Connect your monitor via DVI or HDMI. I use HDMI -> DVI cable and everything works just great!

Do you hear noises while watching youtube?
Install VoodooHDA prefpane and check "Use SSE2", then scroll "reduce noises".

What if I want to play Heroes 3?
This is top 1 on my games list. Use WineSkin.

What if I want to have better terminal such as guake in Linux?
Terminal is one of the most used tools by me, so as you can see on video iTerm2 is awesome.

Last step is checking if everything works well. Check your kernel logs (dmesg) and bootloader logs (bdmesg).

Demo

Sources: Drivers and Extra – package