[Minerva]

Please, forgive me for bothering you again with my basic question about installing SL on the Dell Mini 10v.
Between the old method and the new releases I begin to be a bit lost, as I'm also not very good about technical terms.
I've been reading a lot around in the forum, but I can't get the whole idea about the process I've to follow, including the little cares to be done (BIOS, USB legacy enabled and disabled...and so on). Could you tell me in a easy way what I need and how should I proceed to put on this wonderful computer the best OS I've ever used? I would be very thanksfull, really!

What I have:
- Lacie USB pen (8GB)
- a retail copy of SL
- an iMac with SL installed
- a Dell Mini 10v (1 giga RAM, 160GB HD)
- lot of patience
- some questions

What I haven't:
- specific knowledge ( )
- other help than this precious forum

Am I asking too much? Sorry about that... ...and thanks in advance!

[bmcclure937]

These are the steps you would need to take :

1. Restore OSX DVD (10.5.x or 10.6) to USB drive (using iMac)
   1. Insert DVD and USB drive
   2. Open Disk Utility (Applications/Utilities).
   3. Click on USB drive icon that states the capacity of the drive (i.e. 7.1 Gb, 7.6 GB, etc.).
   4. Open the Partition tab.
   5. Set:
      • Volume Scheme: 1 Partition
      • Name: OSXDVD
      • Format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
      • Options...: Master Boot Record, then click OK.
   6. Click Apply.
   7. Click Partition.
   8. When Partition is finished, open the Restore tab
   9. Drag "Mac OS X Install DVD" from the left pane into the Source field in the right pane.
   10. Drag OSXDVD from the left pane into the Destination field in the right pane.
   11. Click Restore, then click Restore in the popup window.
   12. Enter your password, and then wait approximately 25 minutes to 2 hours.
   13. When restoration is finished, close Disk Utility and eject the DVD.
2. Run NetbookBootMaker (this version) to patch the USB
   1. Open the NetbookBootMaker application.
   2. If a warning prompt shows up asking, "Are you sure you want to open it?" click Open.
   3. For USB Partition, select OSXDVD.
   4. Press "Prepare Boot Drive".
   5. Enter your password, then click OK.
   6. **NOTE THAT THE APP MAY LOOK LIKE IT HAS FROZEN... IT HAS NOT, LET IT RUN!!**
   7. On the popup window that says done, click OK, then exit the NetbookBootMaker app.
3. Make sure Legacy USB is enabled in BIOS (for booting from USB)
   1. More details
4. Boot Mini (9 or 10v) to patched Install USB [note, if "pinwheel of death" appears... wait up to 10 minutes. if not, reboot to USB]
5. Install Snow Leopard
   1. A grey screen with your USB drive name, icon, and a five second time will appear. Just let the timer run out.
   2. The Apple logo, then a spinning wheel, will appear. (If the spinning wheel does not appear, try power cycling the netbook and booting again. Otherwise, check the Troubleshooting guide.)
   3. Once loaded, select your language and press Continue.
   4. Press Continue on the Welcome screen.
   5. Press Agree.
   6. Go to Menu Bar>Utilities>Disk Utility....
   7. Select your internal drive.
   8. Go to the Partition tab.
   9. Configure:
      • Volume Scheme: 1 Partition
      • Format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
      • Options...: GUID, press OK.
   10. Press Apply, then Partition.
   11. When finished, closed Disk Utility.
   12. Select your newly-formatted drive, press Continue.
   13. Press Customize, deselect (as necessary):
       • Additional Fonts
       • Language Translations
       • Printer Drivers
       • X11
   14. Press Done, then Install.
6. Once the installation has completed remove your USB drive and reboot

Rough instructions from THIS THREAD


Detailed instructions provided from the following guide. In no way, shape, or form do I claim these instructions as my own work. Props to mechdrew.

NetbookInstaller 1: USB Installation via Mac | Guides | OS X | mechdrew

[Minerva]

Oh god!
I've sent my donation, but I think I should send another one!
Thanks to you, Meklort and Mechdrew: thank you very, very much!
Really...I'm impressed about the way everybody's really helping here.

[bmcclure937]

No problem glad you feel "at home" and welcomed at MyDellMini

We try to be as helpful as possible. I guarantee you will enjoy your Mini and that the installation will not be as hard as it seems. After you do it the first time you will wonder why you ever thought it was so difficult. Thanks to meklort for the amazing work on NBI/NBM because the installation would not be nearly as easy without those wonderful tools!

[Minerva]

Originally Posted by bmcclure937

No problem glad you feel "at home" and welcomed at MyDellMini

We try to be as helpful as possible. I guarantee you will enjoy your Mini and that the installation will not be as hard as it seems. After you do it the first time you will wonder why you ever thought it was so difficult. Thanks to meklort for the amazing work on NBI/NBM because the installation would not be nearly as easy without those wonderful tools!

Yes, I do feel at home.
Even if here everybody seems to know a lot about computers and so on, I've never had the impression of bothering someone with my questions or lack of understading at the first explanation. This behaviour makes an enormous difference, for a beginner like me.
You all do not make people who do not know as much as you feel like stupids!!

Ok...I think I'll try this WE, or next week at the latest!
I'm thrilled about the whole thing, barely can't wait...

Ehi!
Have you changed Dell Mini?
As far as I remember you had a Mini9...!
In the Dell italian site I could only find the 10v with 1GB RAM and 160GB HD...I'd love to get the same model: must be great, I guess!

Are those things (HD and RAM) upgradeable?

[Thyraz]

bmcclure937's post points to both versions of NetbookBootmaker (0.82 final and 0.83 RC1 testing)

If you use 0.82 stick with his tutorial.
Ignore the rest of my post.


If you don't mind some extra work and wanna use 0.83RC1 (for example because of a better Touchpad driver) here is some exta info:


In 0.83RC1 there is a Bug that the NetbookInstaller won't be installed.
But because of the new Touchpad driver I think choosing 0.83 RC1 is worth it.

Simply do this instead of Step 6 fom bmcclure937's tutorial:

Originally Posted by Crisu

Ok - and if the installation has completed, you have to start from the usb-drive/stick AGAIN!!! This is very important, because the 0.8.3-version of NetBootMaker has a little bug, that Netbookinstaller isn't installed at all. This should be done by yourself.

Ok, you start again your system from USB-stick (holding F12 when system starts), and now you are again in the SL-installation. Here you choose in the menubar "Utitilites", and now "Netbookinstaller".

you have to choose following options:

1.) Choose your partition OSX

2.) Install Chameleon 2 RC3
3.) Install Mini10v extentions
4.) Generate a system specific dsdt.aml file
5.) Enable Remote CD
6.) Disable hibernation
7.) Fix Bluetooth

Choose Install, and when reboot your system from HDD.

Some additional tips:


Use method 1 from here:
http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/os-x...sleep-10v.html

To get Audio after Sleep in Snow Leopard with a 10v.
Takes about 15-20 seconds after wakeup, then it will be reactivated.



Also the Hibernate isn't turned off correctly.
So you loose about 1GB diskspace

See my post here for how to turn it off:
http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/104703-post217.html

[Minerva]

Thanks Thyraz!
I see what you mean...I'm not afraid about extrawork, I'd like to try out things in order to get the best combination DellMini/SL.
I'll study a bit what you've posted and comeout with some questions, surely!



---------- Post added at 04:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:15 PM ----------

Questions about the first post of bmcclure937:
- Point 2 has still to be done on the iMac, right?
- About the point 4...it means that I have to turn on the DellMini after having insert the USB pen?

[Thyraz]

Yes, Point 2 is still on the Mac, and Point 4 is booting the Mini from the USB-Device u prepared.

Insert in the Mini, ensure that USB-Legacy is activated in the Bios and press F12 after power-on.
This should bring up a list of boot-devices.

Select USB and press Enter.

[bmcclure937]

I would still highly recommend (for a beginner) using the method I outlined. This ensures they are not using a Release Candidate (especially RC1) of NetbookBootMaker. Obviously, Release Candiates are in testing and still contain bugs. They do usher in improvements, but the overall solution may be rough around the edges.

For the simplest install method, I would highly recommend .8.2a [final]. Once NetbookInstaller .8.3 has been polished up a little bit more then you could upgrade (which is as easy as downloading the new NetbookInstaller and running the application)

.8.3RC2 should be out by the beginning of next week and then testing will continue on .8.3...


For now, the easiest method to use is the one I detailed

[Minerva]

Originally Posted by Thyraz

Yes, Point 2 is still on the Mac, and Point 4 is booting the Mini from the USB-Device u prepared.

Insert in the Mini, ensure that USB-Legacy is activated in the Bios and press F12 after power-on.
This should bring up a list of boot-devices.

Select USB and press Enter.

Thanks! Now I've understood!

Originally Posted by bmcclure937

I would still highly recommend (for a beginner) using the method I outlined.

...

For now, the easiest method to use is the one I detailed

Ok! Got it! I'll go for that one!

---------- Post added at 05:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:56 PM ----------

Other questions: concerning the wireless and the BT.
Does make any difference having the Dell 1510 (802.11n) instead of the Dell 1397 (802.11 b/g)?
And: does the BT work?