MacBuild Intel Checklist

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This checklist is in progress.

OS X Triage

Getting Started

Attach keyboard/mouse, monitor, network cable, and power cord (as necessary)

Install components for triage

  • If working on a standard desktop system (PowerMacG4 and PowerMacG5):
    • Install a tested/wiped HDD
    • Install tested RAM in each available memory slot
    • Install a tested battery
  • If working on a system with a built-in display (Laptop, iMacG4, iMacG5):
    • Install tested RAM in each available memory slot
      • NOTE: certain models (iMac G4s in particular) use SODIMMs (laptop memory) instead of/in addition to standard desktop memory. Go ahead and use untested memory for the SODIMM slot, as we'll test that memory later in the process
    • Install a tested battery if it is easily accessible (if the system uses a 3.6v battery, it can be done while installing RAM)
    • Install an AirPort/AirPort Extreme wireless card if not already present
  • If working on an oddball system (e.g. Mac mini):
    • Ask an instructor for further direction

You may need to install more parts than specifications require in order to test the system (e.g. you may need to install more RAM in a system than we'd actually need for building because we want to test all the RAM slots at once). If that's the case, remember to remove any excess components after the triage is complete.

Hardware Testing

Wipe the Hard Drive (PPC only): ONLY COMPLETE THIS STEP IF YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO SWAP IN A WIPED HARD DRIVE

If it isn't easy to replace the hard drive with one that is wiped we'll need to wipe the hard drive that is in the computer. This specifically applies to all Mac laptops and iMacG5s with iSight: Boot to the network by starting the computer and holding down the N key. At he first boot prompt choose w (ltsp disk wiper). When the computer stops at a log-in prompt, change to alternate terminal 7 by selecting the control-alt-F7 keys simultaneously. When you get the tty7 prompt, type disktest and select return. This should start the S.M.A.R.T. test. If the drive passes the S.M.A.R.T. test it will automatically start the badblocks test which will wipe the disk.

The badblocks test usually takes 4 or more hours to run.

Reset the NVRAM (PPC only)

To reset the NVRAM we must first boot into Open Firmware. We do this by starting the computer and holding down the option-apple-O-F keys simultaneously. When the Open Firmware screen comes up you can type the following commands in the specified order:

  • reset-nvram
  • set-defaults
  • reset-all

The system will reboot after the reset-all command is entered.


Boot into OS X

From an external FireWire HDD (for PPC systems)

  • Connect the OS X 10.4 FireWire HDD to the system
  • Connect the FireWire HDD to a power source
  • Make sure the FireWire HDD is turned on (there's a power switch on the back of the drive)
  • Hold the Option key on the keyboard while system starts up to enter the Startup Manager
  • Select the FireWire drive from the Startup Manager to boot into OS X 10.4

From an external USB HDD (for Intel systems)

  • Connect the OS X 10.5 USB HDD to the system
  • Connect the USB HDD to a power source
  • Make sure the USB HDD is turned on (there's a power switch on the back of the drive)
  • Hold the Option key on the keyboard while system starts up to enter the Startup Manager
  • Select the USB drive from the Startup Manager to boot into OS X 10.5

Log into OS X

  • If a warning box appears while you are logging in, just click "ignore"

Confirm hardware

  • Click on the System Profiler icon in the dock.
  • Check the ATA and Memory sections of System Profiler to confirm that it matches what you've added to the system so far
    • If it fails to see the HDD or reports the amount of memory incorrectly, the system may have a bad logic board and end up getting recycled. Ask an instructor for troubleshooting assistance
  • Check the Disc Burning section of System Profiler to see what the optical drive in the system can do

Test CD writing and erase hard drive

If you determined that the optical drive in the system can write CD-RWs, do the following:

  • Erase a rewritable CD disk
    • Insert a CD-RW disk
    • Open up Disk Utility (Click on the Disk Utility icon in the dock)
    • Click on the optical drive on the left sidebar of the Disk Utility window
    • Click on the Erase tab that comes up on the right side of the window
    • Confirm that it will perform a quick erase, and click on the Erase button
    • When the erasing is complete you'll get a dialog box. Choose Open Finder from the drop down menu and click OK. This will mount the disk on the desktop.
  • Write to a blank rewritable disk
    • Select the burnme.cdr file in the left panel of Disk Utility and click the Burn button at the top of Disk Utility.
    • The disk should automatically eject when finished. If the disk icon still appears of the desktop, drag it into the trash.
  • Erase the internal hard drive so that the Mac OSX installer will recognize it
    • Select the hard drive in the left hand pane
    • Choose the Erase tab
    • Clock on the Erase button at the lower right
    • Quit the disk Utility application

Check if WiFi works

  • Click on the AirPort icon near the upper-right corner of the screen
  • Check to see if the Freegeek wireless network shows up on the list

Disconnect the wired network, select Freegeek from the list, open up a browser, and navigate to any web page. If you see the Free Geek click-through page, it works.

Test the memory

This test should only be run if you were not able to install all tested memory (in the case of laptops and iMac g4 internal memory).

  • Open "rember" by clicking on the icon in the dock.
  • click ok, leave selected default settings, and run the test.
    • The test should take 3-5 minutes

Stress test the cpu

  • Click on the cpu test icon in the dock
  • choose primenet as the test type and start test
    • This should take 3-10 minutes

Stress test the gpu

  • drag your mouse arrow to the very bottom right-hand corner of the screen.
  • A black screen should come up with lots of colorful moving dots which are being generated by the gpu.
  • Look for any artifacting (obvious glitches, lines, popping lights, cross hatching). Any artifacting points to gpu failure.
  • Also check to see that the frames per second number at the bottom left-hand of the screen stays consistent.
  • If everything looks good, you can exit the screen by moving your mouse out of the corner.

For Intel computers install Ubuntu 10.04LTS

(this is more of an outline at this point, more details to come)

  • Boot to i386 Ubuntu 10.04 desktop disk
  • When desktop appears, open a terminal and run badblocks
  • When badblocks is succesfully completeted, close terminal and click on install icon
  • follow prompts and install ubuntu
  • after reboot, select System-> Hardware drivers and activate B43 wireless driver
  • Open System->Synaptic Program Manager and add the freegeek repository to the list of repositories.
  • sudo apt-get install freegeek-build-utils
  • run updates (may take 20-30 minutes)
  • reboot computer
  • Select System->Preferences->Screensaver and deselect the lock screen option
  • test optical drive by blanking CD-RW and writing file to CD-RW. Also read a data DVD. No reason to play a DVD video.
  • Play audio CD
  • test wireless
  • do battery test if laptop
  • do printme

Preparing Computer for End User

Generate "printme" report for system

  • In a terminal, type printme
  • Enter your volunteer ID in the Volunteer ID field
  • Job should be Builder
  • Type should be Apple or Apple Laptop
  • Choose whether the computer is covered or not (if it has an Uncovered Electronic Device sticker on it somewhere, it's NOT covered. If it does NOT have a Uncovered Electronic Device sticker, it's covered)
  • Choose whether the computer is an FG-PDX system or not (if it has a FG-PDX sticker, it's covered. If it does NOT have a FG-PDX sticker, it's NOT covered)
  • Notes should include the following information:
    • processor type and speed
    • optical drive info
    • wireless card info
  • Print to LaserJet 5si MX (This printer is referred to as Double when on an Ubuntu Operatnig system at Free Geek)

Power down the system, attach the printme sheet.

Shut down and remove excess components

  • Ask an instructor to confirm what, if anything, should be removed from the system (excess memory for example).

Clean the system and remove any stickers from the previous owner

Take the system to the store or place on storage shelf as appropriate.

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