To use the 10.6.3 DVD you *must* use NBI 0.8.4 RC1 or later. If you do, it will install without issues.

The 10.6.4 update also applies without any issues (again, tested with 0.8.4 RC1). NBI automatically runs [...]]]> Meklort just finished testing both the 10.6.3 dvd and updating to 10.6.4. Everything looks good for users of NBI / NBBM.

To use the 10.6.3 DVD you *must* use NBI 0.8.4 RC1 or later. If you do, it will install without issues.

The 10.6.4 update also applies without any issues (again, tested with 0.8.4 RC1). NBI automatically runs after the update and patches the machine. Afterwards, it works just like before.

One user commented that the new kernel does not change the pm version, and as such, you need to manually specify pmVersion=19 (or =0) if you use SleepEnabler.kext instead of the native power management.

via 10.6.3 DVD + 10.6.4 Status « Meklort’s Blog.

Source: Linux on the iPhone: Android on [...]]]> If you own an iPhone 3G, you are tech savy and want to test run Google Android here is your chance!

Source: Linux on the iPhone: Android on iPhone 3G.

Many users on the MyDellMini forum have installed using Mechdrew’s NetbookCD and related guides. At the moment, NetbookCD [...]]]> In a recent post Meklort stated that he will focus on simplifying the installation experience even more for the 0.8.4 release. his main goal is to make NetbookBootMaker supported on multiple platforms (or a version of it for each).

Many users on the MyDellMini forum have installed using Mechdrew’s NetbookCD and related guides. At the moment, NetbookCD can patch an OS X install DVD at runtime by using a special kext and a console version of NetbookBootMaker. This will be incorporated into both NetbookInstaller as well as NetbookBootMaker.

The following changes are planned (some already completed or in progress):

• NetbookBootMaker is in the process of being rewritten. It will no longer patch the installation dvd, instead NetbookBootMaker will install a postboot ramdisk (as with NetbookCD) that will patch the dvd (or usb drive) at runtime. This means that tiger will be a supported host OS.
• NetbookBootMaker will be ported to Windows (using Cocotron). NetbookBootMaker will be able to at least create both usb devices used for the two usb install method, although I'm also planning on getting it working with just one usb drive.
• Look into creating an app for Linux, however creating the usb drives can easily be done already.
• NetbookInstaller will automatically be run after a system update. A modified chameleon will run NetbookInstaller (via a ramdisk) if it detects the /System/Library/Extensions.mkext is newer than /Extra/Extensions.mkext. This should only happen if the user installs an OS update, or installs a kext to /S/L/E.
• NetbookInstaller and NetbookBootMaker will support 64bit targets. The main reason for the 64bit support is for the new Atom cpus from Intel, as well as netbooks with the Atom 330 cpu.

In other words 0.8.4 will focus on unifying the various installation methods so that a common code base can be used, as well as to simplify the amount of work a user needs to do to install OS X.

Since 10.5 is no longer in development, NetbookInstaller will no longer support Leopard. You can use an older version, such as 0.8.3. This is being done to simplify application as well as to reduce the download size.

via NetbookInstaller Plans (Specifically 0.8.4) « Meklort’s Blog.

It turns out that if the RAMDisk property [...]]]>

In order to simplify the NetbookCD install process, we need some way to patch the dvd *after* it’s been loaded up. There are a few different ways to do this, however the easiest way is to use a feature built directly into the kernel, XNU.

It turns out that if the RAMDisk property exists in the device tree, xnu will automatically setup and mount a memory device that was previously loaded by the bootloader (in our case, Chameleon). Chameleon already supports loading ramdisks, so I’ve modified it to load a second, “Postboot.img” ramdisk form the preboot ramdisk (only way to get it off of the previously removed cd), and then setup the correct properties for the kernel. Now, in the event that apple removes the automount feature in xnu, we can easily write a simple kernel extension that does the equivalent (by using the mdevadd function).

I’ve uploaded an example postboot image as well as the patches to chameleon. They could be a *lot* better, but they work. The uploaded patch includes the following changes:

• Notifies xnu of a ramdisk, if it loads one.
• Modifies chameleon to look for Extensions/10.x/Extensions.mkext in the ramdisk like it does in the boot drive. (This allows for one boot cd instead of two like the current releases).
• Included some of the hibernation patches from netkas / pcefi 10.4.
• Modifies the memory layout so that a larger ramdisk can be used (NOTE: this is *not* needed, I only used it so that I could boot PureDarwin Nano from a ramdisk).
• The included patch also includes backing up the original dsdt (which has been used for some time with NetbookInstaller).

read the rest via How To: Turn a Dell Mini 10v Into the Ultimate OSX Netbook.

What is left to do before releasing [...]]]> Meklort and I worked on the project again last night and things are shaping up quite well.  The NetbookBootMaker is now reverting back to the DellEFI method of caching kext for the installation.  We ran into too many issues with the new method… like Kernel Panic and missing Quartz Extreme.

What is left to do before releasing an alpha version of the solution is to iron out some bugs from the GUI and to integrate it in the DVD menu items for easy recovery of broken Netbook OSX install.

This should make this so much easier for people.  But you will need access to a Mac and an 8GB+ USB key… small price to pay to get piece of mind installation.

Sugar Labs has announced that the rather splendidly monikered Sugar on a Stick v1 Strawberry is immediately available, and can be used to reboot any PC or netbook directly [...]]]> The popular open-source Sugar Learning Platform, a Linux based OS that was developed for the OLPC project, is now available to run from a 1GB USB flash drive.

Sugar Labs has announced that the rather splendidly monikered Sugar on a Stick v1 Strawberry is immediately available, and can be used to reboot any PC or netbook directly into Sugar.

“One year after its founding, Sugar Labs is delivering on its education promise for its second million learners,” commented Walter Bender, founder and executive director.

How to run OLPC software from a £5 USB stick | News | TechRadar UK.

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