Hey everyone, total noob so bar with me. I downloaded the iso, burnt it and I am installing it on a Dell Dimension 4400 (Stock - on HCL for 10.5.2) and I go through the entire installation without any issues but after the installation is completed and the computer restarts, it just goes into an endless reboot cycle. How can I get this to not happen?

**EDIT** After I did a screen capture on -v, right after the EFI loads is when the computer reboots

Originally Posted by theorist80

Hey everyone, total noob so bar with me. I downloaded the iso, burnt it and I am installing it on a Dell Dimension 4400 (Stock - on HCL for 10.5.2) and I go through the entire installation without any issues but after the installation is completed and the computer restarts, it just goes into an endless reboot cycle. How can I get this to not happen?

**EDIT** After I did a screen capture on -v, right after the EFI loads is when the computer reboots

Hi Theorist, try installing iATKOS v2.0i without customize the installation, and make sure your using AHCI mode in the BIOS :hack:

I have the v2.0i as well and installation goes through just fine but i still end up in the endless restart mode. Dell Dimension 4400 does not have AHCI mode in the BIOS. I have checked for BIOS updates but there are none on the Dell website.

**EDIT** My fault...the version on it is the stock A05 and there is A06 on the website so im updating the BIOS and reinstalling the OS to see if that might do it

well I tried the BIOS update and it didnt do anything. There is no AHCI support for the BIOS so I am kinda at a loss. What can I do? Im not understanding why if its on the HCL for 10.5.2 and my configuration is the same as the one listed, then why does it not seem to work. When I get to the "press F8 for startup options" I do a "-v" and did a pause and this is what i get before it restarts itself:

Darwin/x86 boot v5.0.1.32
511MB memory
VESA v3.0 64MB (NVidia)

Loading Darwin/x86
Loading kernel mach_kernel
Loading HFS+ file: [mach_kernel] from 422d480.
Loading HFS+ file: [mach_kernel] from 422d480.
LoadDrivers: Loading from [/System/Library/Extensionms.mkext]
Loading HFS+ file: [/System/Library/Extensionms.mkext] from 422d480.
Loading HFS+ file: [/System/Library/Extensionms.mkext] from 422d480.
EFI enhanced bootloader build: ToH

Any ideas?

Hi theorist, I have in the office a Dell Dimension 8400, do you think the BIOS is similar, I can check if is possible the installation :/

Update: man I just check my Dell Dimension 8400, it have BIOS Version A05.

In the bios look for DRIVES section:

it gonna show you something like this:
- Diskette Drive
- Sata 1
- Sata 2, etc
- Pata

In the end, it say SATA OPERATIONS, go there and you will see RAID/AUTODETECT/AHCI

Good luck

Icchansen,

Appreciate all the help and the fast replies. My system is as follows:

Dell Dimension 4400 (purchased in 2002) (was running A05..updated to A06)
2.0GHz Intel Pentium 4
512MB DDR
64MB Nvidia GeForce 2 MX400
1 40GB IDE Drive

The stock motherboard does not have SATA support. I can hook up a SATA drive to the USB with my SATA to USB adapter but that is about it. When I check the BIOS, there is no AHCI because it does not support SATA.

Is the x86 strictly a SATA configuration?
Will the x86 installation work on the Optiplex GX240/270/280 versions of Dell because I dont see them on the HCL?

USB will work, about the Optiplex GX240, you have the specs?

Another new symptom...if I leave the 10.5.2 disk in the drive and let the computer go through its countdown it pulls up the apple load screen and then goes to the grey "press shutdown or restart" screen...and that is an endless restart loop as well.


I have GX 270's and a couple GX280s

GX270 is as follows:

Dell Optiplex GX270 (BIOS A02)(Hyper-Threading Enabled)
3GHz Intel Pentium 4 (800MHz FSB)
512KB L2 Cache
80GB Western Digital IDE Hard Drive
1Gig DDR (333MHz Dual Channel) RAM
128MB AGP Video Card (unknown type right this second)


I also have a GX280 on hand, here are its specs:

Dell Optiplex GX280 (BIOS A04) (Hyper Threading Enabled)
3GHz Intel Pentium 4 (800MHz FSB)
1MB L2 Cache
80GB Maxtor SATA Hard Drive
2Gig DDR2 (533MHz Dual Interleaved) RAM
(UNKNOWN VIDEO RIGHT THIS SECOND)

I did find out that no matter what command (-x,-s...anything) after i press F8...it will still just loop into an endless reboot. Any Ideas?

Try with the second one, if iatkos doesnt work try using another distro

Im trying the Dimension right now with a USB attached SATA drive to see if maybe that might do some good. If it doesnt work then Im going to jump over to the GX280 and in the mean time Im going to download a few other installations and see how things go. I will post back with updates. Thanks a ton for your help!