Asus Eee PC 1000HE Netbook and OS X – Updated!
Update: here’s how I installed it: How-to: install OS X on Asus Eee PC 1000HE netbook
Update: here’s the pseudo-live blogging as I tried to get things to work (with varying degrees of success).
7:59 PM: OS X (iDeneb 1.3) installed. I installed a bunch of kexts and have some additional drivers and things to install. So far, so good. I went about a different installation method and it proved far more successful than the previous one. I’m making no claims to have the first Asus Eee PC 1000HE netbook with OS X on it, but I’m yet to see pictures elsewhere. Video (crappy and jittery, assuming Cycorder lets met export it) later (I really need new cameras — the iPhone sucks as one). Pictures are at the bottom of the post since I’ll be updating here as things progress.
8:38 PM: Resolution is now the appropriate 1024*600; sound works; working on wireless now. Fingers crossed since I haven’t checked to see if Asus switched wireless cards or not. I like to live dangerously.
9:15 PM: No love with the wireless. Took the access panel off of the bottom of the Asus Eee PC 1000HE netbook and found that the wireless card is labeled as an AzureWaze AR5891. Will add a picture of what the panel allows access to after I fight with the wireless card a little more.
9:20 PM: Forgot to add that I’m yet to get the integrated camera working, though I’ve also not tried. I figured it’d work without any intervention, but apparently not.
10:09 PM: I’m about done with fighting for one day. Something odd I’ve noticed when installing, and just now after rebooting from Windows, the trackpad drivers don’t load properly sometimes and the result is that the mouse cursor jumps down the screen a couple inches at a time and is incapable of being moved left or right. It eventually gets stuck in the bottom left corner and the only solution is to reboot or shutdown and start again.
10:22 PM: I give up for the day. My gut tells me that Asus used a wireless card that doesn’t have OS X support yet despite Ralink putting out drivers. I stumbled onto some page or another that pointed to the same problem with one of the other 1000 models. It’s still early in the Asus Eee PC 1000HE netbook’s life, so with a little time, perhaps other drivers (or some workaround) will surface. For now, I’ve tried three different drivers (there’s one left, but I not betting it’s worth much in this specific instance) and none of them worked. I have no new devices in the Network control panel nor does switching the radio on in the Ralink program seem to do anything since it doesn’t detect any devices. A problem for another day.
This is a super quick post that I’ll flesh out a little bit later, but I spent a good amount of time yesterday messing around with my brand-spanking-new Asus Eee PC 1000HE netbook and tried, in vain, to get OS X to install.
Perhaps, more correctly, I should say I tried to get OS X to run. I was able to get it installed, but it froze every time I tried to boot. I don’t know enough about the low-level functioning of OS X to troubleshoot what the actual problem is, nor do I have the exact spot where it was stalling, but I’ll post that later.
For now, I tried iDeneb 1.3 and iDeneb 1.4 on the Asus Eee PC 1000HE netbook, and while both installed without a hitch, as said, OS X refused to boot. The boot loader is there and lists OS X and Windows, but it’s just…dying.
I’ll update this today or tomorrow once I have a little more to share and work with. I do have some troubleshooting to do, but I’m just too inpexerienced with OS X on non-Apples to say I’ll be able to get it work.
Anyhow, more about OS X on the Asus Eee PC 1000HE netbook later. And if anyone has any experiences, please post them and any specifics that’ll help others to get it working. Cheers.
See the updates at the top of the post! See the pictures below!
OS X running after install on Asus Eee PC 1000HE netbook
OS X running after install on Asus Eee PC 1000HE netbook
Asus Eee PC 1000HE netbook bottom panel removed
I have a 1000HE on its way from Amazon and hope to do the same. Please keep us posted. Thanks Todd
I didn’t have any issue loading it.
all when well in for the installation. I also use iDeneb 1.3
No kidding? Did you do anything special to get it working? I followed the guide here: http://www.enik.ch/2008/10/osx-leopard-1055-on-the-eee-1000h/ and as I said, had no luck getting it to boot. Install? Fine. Boot? Nada.
I’ll play around with it again once I get a little more time to research, but that gives me a little hope that I was just missing some option or another.
Todd: aside from the OS X issue I’m experiencing, it seems like a pretty solid machine. I’ll do a write-up on it soon, time permitting, but I imagine you’ll have yours before then and will be able to judge for yourself.
I saw this article and thought of your blog post: http://ipis-osx.wikidot.com/supported-os-x-distributions
You may want to work with the people over there. Maybe a solution can be found through collaboration?
Well I had preorder my 1000he but I guess not early enough. I wont receive mine till the 11th or so. I have thought about getting the MSI wind since they have been able to get most of the hardware to work with OSX. Your impressions? Will someone be able to get the ethernet working on this one? Keep us posted on your progress with OSX and your overall impression of the laptop. I
Hey, I also have an EEEPC 1000he… thinking of putting OSX on it because I really can’t stand Windows… i’ve been trying to get used to it again but once you use OSX… it’s really hard to go back.
Looking forward to hearing if you get wifi and ethernet working… I’m also curious to know if all the blue keys at the top work (the function keys)
Thanks for giving this a go!
I used all those settings but the installation doesn’t get passed the gray apple screen with the circle below it. I tried iDeneb 1.4, same thing. Now I got this working on my bro’s 1000 H but I traded it for this 1000 HE.
On the 1000 H you have to install a BIOS (hacked?) but there’s no mention on this here. Keep up the nice work and hope to see an update on this.
MLBD: check out the other post: How-to: Install OS X on Asus Eee PC 1000HE netbook. It’s a little more detailed and has a longer comment thread.
Lots of things still don’t work, but it looks like some of the trouble I’ve had has been worked around or just plain proven to work anyway (the camera comes to mind).
This is all great news! Why don’t you give the Boot-132 + Retail install a try. I found that it offers more stability and it’s 100% vanilla so you can troubleshoot what KEXT are needed.
http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=128274 – This post is the tutorial I followed to get it working on my Desktop
He has a link to a Boot-132 disc builder (OS X only) that would greatly help in making a working boot disc for everyone to use. Not to mention as I said above it’ll give you the chance to swap out KEXT without the hassle of reinstalling or fixing permissions all the time.
Hope you can get Wireless to work! Good luck!
Apparently some people got the AR5B91 working on wireless with an aspire one, so maybe it will work with the 1000HE as well.
http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=138351&mode=linearplus
I have followed the guide, the installation has succeeded perfectly, but osx does not work during boot stuck the image of the apple. Starting with-v no error message appears, but the system remains locked.
iDeneb 1.3 is ok, now working, but my wireless dont work
This is not for faint hearted but I removed the hard-drive connected it to my MacBook via USB, installed OSX (Retail Copy), put it back and boot via Boot132 CD and it works. No luck with WiFi yet.
can someone try this driver with the stock wifi card and let us know how it works thanks. it’s been reported to work: http://www.ralinktech.com.tw/data/drivers/STA_RT2860%20D-1.1.2.0%20UI-1.6.9.0_2009_01_09.dmg
It does not work on my 1000he. card is still not detected. Where did you find that file?
Crap! I found it here: http://ipis-osx.wikidot.com/forum/t-134394 that user said it worked.. i was so hopeful. Did you try turning off quick boot (or whatever it’s called) in the BIOS?
Yep. It’s disabled.
http://www.ralinktech.com/ralink/Home/Support/Macintosh.html
2860 driver works for me.
I have Bluetooth disabled in latest BIOS 0906. Connected to my wifi net after installation and reboot with the Ralink wireless utility. Then went to Network in System Preferences…it said it detected a new adapter and I configured and applied the TCP/IP settings.
Posted via wireless from my 1000he
Anyone have anymore luck with the wi-fi? My 1000HE is perfect . . . other than the wi-fi not working.
i bought an Asus Eee PC about a month ago and i am still amazed of its compact size and how lightweight it is. `
i always use my Asus Eee PC when i am travelling. It is very convenient to carry on any place.
`
Asus Eee is not only portable, it is also one of the most affordable netbooks you can buy. Asus is also a good brand which means quality and reliabilty.
my Asus Eee PC broke down a couple of months ago. I bought a new one which is still an Asus Eee, i love this netbook.