Installing Displaylink driver on another system HD

sultanmakende · 11-11-2015, 03:48 PM

Hi,
I need to open / view the package contents of the display link installer (2.2) dmg so that I can copy the necessary files to a system HD of a mac pro running Lion (10.7.5), that I have mounted on my mac mini desktop, which is running Mavericks (10.9.5).
This is because I think the Video card on the mac pro has died and I want to verify this and also get on with some urgent work that I was in the middle of.
However, the Lion system disk for the Mac pro will need the DisplayLink driver installed before the USB to video adapter out will work.
The Mac pro seems to still be starting up ok, but with no video, it's hard to tell.
The DisplayLink installer will only allow me to install the driver on the host mac mini start up disk, not on the externally mounted mac pro one.
So any work arounds to somehow get the Display link driver onto the mac pro start up disk would be much appreciated.

sultanmakende · 11-13-2015, 09:32 PM

Is there no one out there who can help me with this?
I should be able to install the driver on another start up drive but it just won't let me. I've even tried going back to display link 1.7 because I saw a post saying that 1.7 will allow this, but I tried it and it won't.
I've tried starting the blind mac (no video card) in target mode but all the displaylink versions only allow you to install on the disk you used to start up on.
Surely there must be a way?

falcom · 11-18-2015, 08:08 PM

Try using target mode and booting from the other machine's drive. If that works then you should be able to install the driver "directly". See http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/answe...acs-hard-drive for details.

hope that helps,

Mark

sultanmakende · 11-19-2015, 03:36 PM

Hi Mark,
thanks, but I already tried that.
The problem is that the OSX version on the early quadcore Mac pro (Lion 10.7.5) isn't compatible with the CPU of the 2014 Mac Mini so I cant boot the mac mini from the Mac pro's HD.
It seems like the only way will be to somehow hack into the package contents of the displaylink installer file, extract all the necessary files, playlists etc. and manually copy them over to the correct directories of the Mac pro's drive.
Some of the locations for these files will also probably be hidden and I could really mess things up if not done properly.
So if there is a real tech freak out there who could give me precise instructions, on how to do this, I would really appreciate it.
Many thanks again for trying to help,
Dave.

falcom · 11-20-2015, 06:18 PM

Ouch, I'm sure you've also considered it but using screen sharing would be a nice way to work around this to. Assuming you don't have it enabled it may still be easier to figure out how to enable that on a remote disk then to do a full driver install.

good luck,

mark

sultanmakende · 11-21-2015, 02:25 PM

Indeed the screen sharing option is activated on the Mac mini but unfortunately, not on the Mac Pro. If I could find the screen sharing prefs file on the Mac Pro system HD and somehow change the script to active for all users?. But I'm more of a hardware man and for any terminal commands etc, I would need precise instructions. In fact I'm not even sure if Terminal can be used from one computer to another.
Many thanks for your suggestions and any further ideas from anyone would be greatly appreciated

saudor · 11-25-2015, 04:00 AM

is upgrading lion to mavericks not an option? Mavericks, at least in my opinion is magnitudes better due to its much nicer memory management, better use of spaces, etc. (plus rosetta was dropped since lion so i doubt you're relying on that... i think)

As for upgrading, a possible route would be to plug in the hard drive into the mini (either by USB or target mode), boot from a mavericks USB and install over the lion HD

sultanmakende · 11-26-2015, 07:40 PM

Don't get your answer, my issue is trying to install a driver on a Macpro with no working video card, nothing to do with OS upgrade

saudor · 11-26-2015, 09:59 PM

But if you can upgrade your mac pro to mavericks, you can put the disk inside your mac mini (and the CPU will be supported). At that point, install the displaylink drivers like normal. Then take the disk out, put it back in your mac pro.

sultanmakende · 11-26-2015, 10:15 PM

Ahh, ok now I get it, thanks for the idea Saudor.
But.... the drive is an old style SATA and won't fit in the Mac mini.
Do you know If I would be able to install /upgrade the OS via firewire?
Also I think it now has to be done via the Apple store /internet, so not sure if at all possible and it might turn out that the Mac Pro wont boot from the Mac Mini / Mavericks install.
I will do some research, but if you already know how, then you could save me some time

11-11-2015, 03:48 PM	#1
sultanmakende Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 10	Installing Displaylink driver on another system HD Hi, I need to open / view the package contents of the display link installer (2.2) dmg so that I can copy the necessary files to a system HD of a mac pro running Lion (10.7.5), that I have mounted on my mac mini desktop, which is running Mavericks (10.9.5). This is because I think the Video card on the mac pro has died and I want to verify this and also get on with some urgent work that I was in the middle of. However, the Lion system disk for the Mac pro will need the DisplayLink driver installed before the USB to video adapter out will work. The Mac pro seems to still be starting up ok, but with no video, it's hard to tell. The DisplayLink installer will only allow me to install the driver on the host mac mini start up disk, not on the externally mounted mac pro one. So any work arounds to somehow get the Display link driver onto the mac pro start up disk would be much appreciated.

11-13-2015, 09:32 PM	#2
sultanmakende Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 10	Still stuck with no way to install on another system drive Is there no one out there who can help me with this? I should be able to install the driver on another start up drive but it just won't let me. I've even tried going back to display link 1.7 because I saw a post saying that 1.7 will allow this, but I tried it and it won't. I've tried starting the blind mac (no video card) in target mode but all the displaylink versions only allow you to install on the disk you used to start up on. Surely there must be a way?

11-25-2015, 04:00 AM	#7
saudor Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 22	is upgrading lion to mavericks not an option? Mavericks, at least in my opinion is magnitudes better due to its much nicer memory management, better use of spaces, etc. (plus rosetta was dropped since lion so i doubt you're relying on that... i think) As for upgrading, a possible route would be to plug in the hard drive into the mini (either by USB or target mode), boot from a mavericks USB and install over the lion HD __________________ Sig. Bandwagon: MBP (2010 15") i5@2.4GHz/8gb/SSD+ 1tb Data Doubler/CAX BT 4.0 • BVU165 DL HackPro (NZXT 410): Z170XP-SLI/i5 6600k@4.0GHz/16gb/gtx660/2x SSD/2x 2tb Data/BT 4.0 Last edited by saudor; 11-25-2015 at 04:02 AM.

11-26-2015, 09:59 PM	#9
saudor Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 22	But if you can upgrade your mac pro to mavericks, you can put the disk inside your mac mini (and the CPU will be supported). At that point, install the displaylink drivers like normal. Then take the disk out, put it back in your mac pro. __________________ Sig. Bandwagon: MBP (2010 15") i5@2.4GHz/8gb/SSD+ 1tb Data Doubler/CAX BT 4.0 • BVU165 DL HackPro (NZXT 410): Z170XP-SLI/i5 6600k@4.0GHz/16gb/gtx660/2x SSD/2x 2tb Data/BT 4.0

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11-18-2015, 08:08 PM	#3
falcom Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 11	Try using target mode and booting from the other machine's drive. If that works then you should be able to install the driver "directly". See http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/answe...acs-hard-drive for details. hope that helps, Mark

11-19-2015, 03:36 PM	#4
sultanmakende Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 10	Hi Mark, thanks, but I already tried that. The problem is that the OSX version on the early quadcore Mac pro (Lion 10.7.5) isn't compatible with the CPU of the 2014 Mac Mini so I cant boot the mac mini from the Mac pro's HD. It seems like the only way will be to somehow hack into the package contents of the displaylink installer file, extract all the necessary files, playlists etc. and manually copy them over to the correct directories of the Mac pro's drive. Some of the locations for these files will also probably be hidden and I could really mess things up if not done properly. So if there is a real tech freak out there who could give me precise instructions, on how to do this, I would really appreciate it. Many thanks again for trying to help, Dave.

11-20-2015, 06:18 PM	#5
falcom Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 11	Ouch, I'm sure you've also considered it but using screen sharing would be a nice way to work around this to. Assuming you don't have it enabled it may still be easier to figure out how to enable that on a remote disk then to do a full driver install. good luck, mark

11-21-2015, 02:25 PM	#6
sultanmakende Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 10	Indeed the screen sharing option is activated on the Mac mini but unfortunately, not on the Mac Pro. If I could find the screen sharing prefs file on the Mac Pro system HD and somehow change the script to active for all users?. But I'm more of a hardware man and for any terminal commands etc, I would need precise instructions. In fact I'm not even sure if Terminal can be used from one computer to another. Many thanks for your suggestions and any further ideas from anyone would be greatly appreciated

11-26-2015, 07:40 PM	#8
sultanmakende Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 10	Don't get your answer, my issue is trying to install a driver on a Macpro with no working video card, nothing to do with OS upgrade

11-26-2015, 10:15 PM	#10
sultanmakende Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 10	Ahh, ok now I get it, thanks for the idea Saudor. But.... the drive is an old style SATA and won't fit in the Mac mini. Do you know If I would be able to install /upgrade the OS via firewire? Also I think it now has to be done via the Apple store /internet, so not sure if at all possible and it might turn out that the Mac Pro wont boot from the Mac Mini / Mavericks install. I will do some research, but if you already know how, then you could save me some time