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[Guide] Success! Install 10.8 on old unsupported Mac

MAC MAN JW

MAC MAN JW

macrumors 6502
Jul 12, 2011
320
17
Buffalo,Ny
I think all of us who own a 2006-2009 mac that are unsupported by mountain lion shell email apple and tell then what we think of not supporting our 4 year old mac that was $1000+ New when a 2006 $350 windows laptop will work with the newest version of windows coming out this year. i know apple is a hardware company but only 4 years for $1000+ i think that is just to little. But i will always use :apple: products as i hate Windows:D. Someone needs to make a Mountain Lion assist like they did with Leopard (I know that was only to fake the CPU speed on PPC Macs) and Mountain Lion assist would have to ad .kext files but it can not be that hard right;)
 
4

416049

macrumors 68000
Mar 14, 2010
1,844
2
Your thread should be stickied, I have an early 2008 macbook and will definitily try it out.

Thanx for the info
 
hackerwayne

hackerwayne

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 17, 2012
789
12
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
maril1111 said:
Your thread should be stickied, I have an early 2008 macbook and will definitily try it out.

Thanx for the info
Click to expand...

Yes, please try and report back results.. Please note that 2008 Macbook has a different identifier as well as a different graphics card - It uses the X3100 and has the identifier MacBook3,1 this guide might not work for you. Ill try it with my 2008 MacBook later and write a different guide for it ;), anyway, how to get this thread stickied? =)

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MAC MAN JW said:
I think all of us who own a 2006-2009 mac that are unsupported by mountain lion shell email apple and tell then what we think of not supporting our 4 year old mac that was $1000+ New when a 2006 $350 windows laptop will work with the newest version of windows coming out this year. i know apple is a hardware company but only 4 years for $1000+ i think that is just to little. But i will always use :apple: products as i hate Windows:D. Someone needs to make a Mountain Lion assist like they did with Leopard (I know that was only to fake the CPU speed on PPC Macs) and Mountain Lion assist would have to ad .kext files but it can not be that hard right;)
Click to expand...

I agree with you, if apple change the way they check the requirements in the GM version when we're out of luck. :( Thats the end for my Mac Pro 2006. As for Mac Pro, no kext is required if you have upgraded your original graphics card to atleast GT210 and above (7300GT isnt supported) I only tested this on my Mid 2007 MacBook2,1 i will try with the MacBook3,1 that uses the X3100 later.
 
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hackerwayne

hackerwayne

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 17, 2012
789
12
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
stewacide said:
I assume you need a modified OSInstall.mpkg to get the installer running. That's what people have needed in the past to get OSX on unsupported hardware anyway.

edit -- Check out the guide here: http://osx.mechdrew.com/guides/advanced3.shtml

You might also just try using the Lion OSInstall.mpkg, although if that Macbook has only 1gb of ram you'd need to modify it for that anyway.

Do that, add the Lion kexts and set their permissions, and cross your fingers.
Click to expand...

The installer kernel panicked on both supported and not supported system when i try to use Lions OSInstall.mpkg =(
 
S

stewacide

macrumors regular
Jan 6, 2002
196
39
You could try unpacking the ML OSInstall.mpkg and editing the pertinent lines (adding your system identifier, lowering the ram reqs, allowing i386). Unless it's being checksummed, which doesn't seem like Apple's style, it should work.
 
K

karsten

macrumors 6502a
Sep 3, 2010
891
122
stewacide said:
You could try unpacking the ML OSInstall.mpkg and editing the pertinent lines (adding your system identifier, lowering the ram reqs, allowing i386). Unless it's being checksummed, which doesn't seem like Apple's style, it should work.
Click to expand...

i'm trying that but i dont see what to change in there.
 
K

karsten

macrumors 6502a
Sep 3, 2010
891
122
added the MP 1,1 board identifier in the plists on the InstallESD.dmg but still get the message can't be installed on this machine :/

UPDATE: I got past the machine check- had to edit those plists in the InstallESD.dmg and also the distribution file in the OSInstall.mpkg. Will try to install and will report!

UPDATE 2: After hitting accept it just hangs on a dialog box saying 'checking(null)...'
 
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hackerwayne

hackerwayne

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 17, 2012
789
12
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
karsten said:
added the MP 1,1 board identifier in the plists on the InstallESD.dmg but still get the message can't be installed on this machine :/

UPDATE: I got past the machine check- had to edit those plists in the InstallESD.dmg and also the distribution file in the OSInstall.mpkg. Will try to install and will report!

UPDATE 2: After hitting accept it just hangs on a dialog box saying 'checking(null)...'
Click to expand...

You should use a compatible system to install first, then edit the files.
 
4

416049

macrumors 68000
Mar 14, 2010
1,844
2
hackerwayne said:
Yes, please try and report back results.. Please note that 2008 Macbook has a different identifier as well as a different graphics card - It uses the X3100 and has the identifier MacBook3,1 this guide might not work for you. Ill try it with my 2008 MacBook later and write a different guide for it ;), anyway, how to get this thread stickied? =)

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I agree with you, if apple change the way they check the requirements in the GM version when we're out of luck. :( Thats the end for my Mac Pro 2006. As for Mac Pro, no kext is required if you have upgraded your original graphics card to atleast GT210 and above (7300GT isnt supported) I only tested this on my Mid 2007 MacBook2,1 i will try with the MacBook3,1 that uses the X3100 later.
Click to expand...

Just noticed that I may have difficulties doing this as a dev account is needed but i will try to get access to mountain lion, hopefully soon :/
 
hackerwayne

hackerwayne

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 17, 2012
789
12
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
maril1111 said:
Just noticed that I may have difficulties doing this as a dev account is needed but i will try to get access to mountain lion, hopefully soon :/
Click to expand...

As i said on previous post, you might be able to get it from "the bay full of pirates" i hope you know what i mean ;)

feel free to delete this post if it violates the forums T&C :rolleyes:
 
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4

416049

macrumors 68000
Mar 14, 2010
1,844
2
hackerwayne said:
As i said on previous post, you might be able to get it from "the bay full of pirates" i hope you know what i mean ;)

feel free to delete this post if it violates the forums T&C :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I will try and yes i do know what you mean :cool:

hackerwayne said:
Lol.. Forumer ayilm1 copied the method used in this thread and repost it as another thread. :mad:
Click to expand...

Report his first post (by clicking the red triangle below the username and give alink to this one so his is deleted. :)
 
A

ayilm1

macrumors newbie
Dec 5, 2010
15
0
hackerwayne said:
Lol.. Forumer ayilm1 copied the method used in this thread and repost it as another thread. :mad:
Click to expand...

You can't claim that I copied something unless you already had a guide on it. How do you know someone didn't use a similar method of installation before you did? My post is nothing more than procedure of how I did it. Aside from that, from where I see it, you installed using one machine and booting a modified install disk. I installed by running the installation on a supported machine beforehand. To be honest, you'd have to be fairly petty and needy if you feel the need to make such a big deal out of a tiny dilemma.
 
hackerwayne

hackerwayne

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 17, 2012
789
12
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ayilm1 said:
You can't claim that I copied something unless you already had a guide on it. How do you know someone didn't use a similar method of installation before you did? My post is nothing more than procedure of how I did it. Aside from that, from where I see it, you installed using one machine and booting a modified install disk. I installed by running the installation on a supported machine beforehand. To be honest, you'd have to be fairly petty and needy if you feel the need to make such a big deal out of a tiny dilemma.
Click to expand...

Dude, please read the posts, i have already have a full guide on this.
 
A

ayilm1

macrumors newbie
Dec 5, 2010
15
0
hackerwayne said:
Dude, please read the posts, i have already have a full guide on this.
Click to expand...

The guide that you added was edited after my post. Seriously, take my word for it, we're not going to find a reasonable agreement to this. It's Newton and Leibniz all over again. Just let it pass and take comfort in the fact that you were able to install OS X onto unsupported hardware. This isn't high school. No one is going to snigger at you in doubt of whether you implemented this first. Even though statistically many more people have probably done exactly what you and I have done before us. What about these people? Aren't we technically taking their credit?
 
hackerwayne

hackerwayne

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 17, 2012
789
12
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ayilm1 said:
The guide that you added was edited after my post. Seriously, take my word for it, we're not going to find a reasonable agreement to this. It's Newton and Leibniz all over again. Just let it pass and take comfort in the fact that you were able to install OS X onto unsupported hardware. This isn't high school. No one is going to snigger at you in doubt of whether you implemented this first. Even though statistically many more people have probably done exactly what you and I have done before us. What about these people? Aren't we technically taking their credit?
Click to expand...

It was edited to add a few model identifier as well as a the kext install method.
 
A

ayilm1

macrumors newbie
Dec 5, 2010
15
0
hackerwayne said:
Anyway thats :eek:fftopic: Lets just merge the thread k? Any idea on how modify the installer to make install possible without a compatible mac?
Click to expand...

Glad to see you handling this like a gentlemen :). Hard to find people who aren't arrogant and self promotive. The base installation package loaded in Lion was OSInstall.mpkg. Hackintoshers (not sure if that's a forbidden word) originally created patched disks for the Lion Beta by using the OSInstall from Snow leopard. Perhaps editing PlatformSupport in the install ESD as well as replacing the OSInstall.mpk with the one from Lion, we might be able to get it running.
 
hackerwayne

hackerwayne

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 17, 2012
789
12
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ayilm1 said:
Glad to see you handling this like a gentlemen :). Hard to find people who aren't arrogant and self promotive. The base installation package loaded in Lion was OSInstall.mpkg. Hackintoshers (not sure if that's a forbidden word) originally created patched disks for the Lion Beta by using the OSInstall from Snow leopard. Perhaps editing PlatformSupport in the install ESD as well as replacing the OSInstall.mpk with the one from Lion, we might be able to get it running.
Click to expand...

I tried the OSInstall.mpkg from 10.7.0 original Lion InstallESD, the ML Kernal Panicked as soon as it boots up.. I tried using a more unlikely way, but it works.. I used the h@ck!nt0sh way by loading a Chameleon into the original untouched installer, and under com.apple.chameleon.plist, i added model identifier MacBook6,1. It boots up fine and installs fine, but 10 mins later the installer itself hang and i have to force reboot it.

EDIT: The Mac booted into the chameleon boot screen instead of the original apple boot screen, and i started the installer by typing in GraphicsEnabler=yes -v
 
A

ayilm1

macrumors newbie
Dec 5, 2010
15
0
hackerwayne said:
I tried the OSInstall.mpkg from 10.7.0 original Lion InstallESD, the ML Kernal Panicked as soon as it boots up.. I tried using a more unlikely way, but it works.. I used the h@ck!nt0sh way by loading a Chameleon into the original untouched installer, and under com.apple.chameleon.plist, i added model identifier MacBook6,1. It boots up fine and installs fine, but 10 mins later the installer itself hang and i have to force reboot it.

EDIT: The Mac booted into the chameleon boot screen instead of the original apple boot screen, and i started the installer by typing in GraphicsEnabler=yes -v
Click to expand...

Did you check the log to see where it stopped?
 
A

ayilm1

macrumors newbie
Dec 5, 2010
15
0
hackerwayne said:
OK, bad news.. Using the chameleon method, CLKernal plugin failed.. which means, Finder will not work. have to get this sort out. pics explaining the problem will be up soon
Click to expand...

I think the key problem with trying to get the installer booting properly is that after installation, we'll still need to add the ID of the machine to the PlatformSupport list. That is, unless basesystem.pkg is unpacked and the plist is changed from there.
 
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