[bmaltais]

Good night folks!

I want to rethink the whole installation solution for OSX on the Mini 9 and 10v. What I mean by that is going back to the drawing board and make the solution even easier than it is now.

What I have in mind is to use an installation package that would do all it need without the user intervention. This might mean splitting DellEFI in two main product. The 1st would be the core boot loader, driver and custom dsdt.aml installer. The second product (or maybe multiple) would be for individual packages. For example, one installer for the touchpad, one for remote CD, one for hibernation, etc.

This way we could modularise the whole thing and focus development on individual aspects instead of trying to cram everything in one solution.

What do you think?

Also, Dell will send me a free Mini 10v evaluation unit so I can continue to support the Mini 10v users. Talk about a nice company!

The goal would be to build an installation package (dellefi.pkg) that could be run from a terminal at the end of the OSX installation process... similar to what the dellefibootmaker solution does but in a much nicer way. So you would essentially:

1. Install OSX from a USB key
2. Possibly apply the desired combo patch
3. Run the dellefi.pkg installation
4. Reboot
5. Enjoy OSX on the Mini
6. Install individual customization packages

I know Merklot wanted to convert DellEFI into an installer at some point. I am not sur if he went anywhere with that.

Cheers and looking forward to your comments

[OSX2009]

This definitely sounds like a great idea...I'm all for it

[meklort]

I tried converting it to a package, however I was unable to make certain aspects of it work, specifically some of the hardware detection code.

Since most of what DellEFI does is patching files, I don't believe it would be best to have a dellefi.pkg do the installation as it would essentially be a package of scripts.

So basically, what I'm saying is to not make dellefi a package (but still make some changes to it), and instead concentrate on the initial install via the boot maker.
What I would like to see is instead of a (manual) post install script, add something that will install automatically (yes, it may have to be a package with the script even though I just said otherwise) or add a startup menu item for it.

Also, take a look at the latest commit in svn, hopefully you like it.

[Casper]

That sounds like a great idea although I wonder if making it too easy will be like waving a red flag at a bull (apple).
It may actually force their hand into producing a netbook of their own. I guess they cant complain too much since it helps their software sales and gets more windows users like myself using their products.

[bmaltais]

Originally Posted by meklort

What I would like to see is instead of a (manual) post install script, add something that will install automatically (yes, it may have to be a package with the script even though I just said otherwise) or add a startup menu item for it.

I have redone the bootloader installation portion of DellEFI as a package. You are right that it is essentially a package that essentially put the /Extra folder on the desired volume and then run a smart script that install the boot loader on the selected volume.

I just ran it from my iMac and selected a USB drive as the destination volume and the bootloader got installed in the right destination! So this is essentially a great proof of concept and is looking good for a simple installation package that will essentially replace "postinstall" with something nicer and much smarter ;-)

Now I need to add the custom DSDT generator and the kext patching section.

After running the DellEFI.pkg you should get a fully functional Mini.

[bmaltais]

OK, good news. I now have a functional DellEFI.pkg that does:

1. Install the /Extra folder in the selected volume (hidden option)
2. Install the boot loader
3. Install the kext and build the ext cache
4. Install a custom DSDT.aml

2 - 4 are selectable so you ma or may not chose to install them.

So far the OSX 10.5.6 + 10.5.7 patch + this boot like a champ with audio/video and is 100% fully functional!

I guess I could convert the other options as other install choices and be done with the whole thing ;-)

[bmaltais]

Converting DellEFIBootMaker into a package will also allow for an easier installation of all that is required on a USB key a package allow for picking the installation location. This way one can name his USB key partition whatever he want.

The installation sequence I have in mind is:

0. Restore Installation CD to an 8+ GB USB key
1. Use DellEFIBootMaker.pkg to prep the USB key
2. Install OSX from USB key
3. Install combo 10.5.x update
4. Install DellEFI
5. Reboot
6. Enjoy a fully functional OSX installation

[bmaltais]

Originally Posted by meklort

Also, take a look at the latest commit in svn, hopefully you like it.

Wow, I see you have been busy. I have not downloaded the source yet as I just looked at the trunk this morning and saw all the work you did! Hopefully we can combine both our effort to make for a smooth installation process for all the platforms out there.

If the NetbookInstaller app could be pure Objective-C and shell scripts it could be possible to use it instead of the DellEFI.pkg installer I was working on... this would be the best solution as it would do all that is required independently of which Netbook you have...

[meklort]

I can definitely make it command line easily since everything it put inside classes. Making it run shell scripts is already possible too. making it command line would let you embed it in a package and have it run during the installer automatically and do all of the detection and /Extra and bootloader installation.

The main problem I had with a .pkg file is that I was unable to modify the choices users had for installing packages (you might have better luck though). I could detect what hardware was available, but I could not have it show any choices based on that (at least not easily).

[bmaltais]

Originally Posted by meklort

I can definitely make it command line easily since everything it put inside classes. Making it run shell scripts is already possible too. making it command line would let you embed it in a package and have it run during the installer automatically and do all of the detection and /Extra and bootloader installation.

The main problem I had with a .pkg file is that I was unable to modify the choices users had for installing packages (you might have better luck though). I could detect what hardware was available, but I could not have it show any choices based on that (at least not easily).

Since this installer is to be run right after installing the OS and the combo update (if desired) it does not matter what the user can and can't install since we should only install the minimum required things to get OSX to boot properly and be stable.

The other things (like trackpad, etc) could be added afterward via some sort of NetbookUtils that the installer could drop in the Applications/Utilities section.

The NetbookBootMaker installation package could let users select which Netbook they want to install on and it could drop a netbook specific installer on the USB key... or we simply make a netbook specific NetbookBootMaker for each and not have to worry about user selection.