Can Mac OS installed in PC?

[sunrobby]

Windows XP now can be installed on Mac since Apple machine use Intel. But how about Mac OS, is it just a matter of time when Mac OS can be installed in PC?

[mgmktx]

It cannot be installed on a PC....legally.

[sunrobby]

legally? my friend's tried inserting my mac os cd (from MBP) to his pc but can't attempt to install it. My friend thought he could do it since apple use intel. You mean it can't be installed on a PC legally, so means actually it can be installed?

Originally Posted by mgmktx

It cannot be installed on a PC....legally.

[mad jew]

Any version of OSX supplied by Apple will not install on PCs. OSX supplied with a machine is licensed to be used only with that machine, and no other machine. Therefore it is a violation of the EULA if you do use it on another machine, Mac or otherwise.

[bousozoku]

Originally Posted by sunrobby

legally? my friend's tried inserting my mac os cd (from MBP) to his pc but can't attempt to install it. My friend thought he could do it since apple use intel. You mean it can't be installed on a PC legally, so means actually it can be installed?

It likely can't be installed on another Apple-manufactured machine, but the legal version is incompatible with generic x86 PC hardware.

[robbieduncan]

Originally Posted by sunrobby

legally? my friend's tried inserting my mac os cd (from MBP) to his pc but can't attempt to install it. My friend thought he could do it since apple use intel. You mean it can't be installed on a PC legally, so means actually it can be installed?

There are ways and methods but you need to significantly alter the install DVD to do it. As noted this is illegal. There are websites out there to tell you how to do this but you'll have to find them for yourself.

[miniConvert]

Originally Posted by mad jew

Any version of OSX supplied by Apple will not install on PCs. OSX supplied with a machine is licensed to be used only with that machine, and no other machine. Therefore it is a violation of the EULA if you do use it on another machine, Mac or otherwise.

You have all the good answers! Share 'em about, eh?

[sunrobby]

the answer im actually looking is like bousozoku said, but still confuse why mac os can't be installed on x86 pc while windows can be installed on apple machine. logically, they are now can be installed on any intel machine.. so im actually just confuse about the technical way why mac os wont fit x86 pc, not about legal or ilegal issue..

[Digitalclips]

Originally Posted by sunrobby

the answer im actually looking is like bousozoku said, but still confuse why mac os can't be installed on x86 pc while windows can be installed on apple machine. logically, they are now can be installed on any intel machine.. so im actually just confuse about the technical way why mac os wont fit x86 pc, not about legal or ilegal issue..

As I am sure many others are too, good job it isn't too easy though eh?

[bousozoku]

Originally Posted by sunrobby

the answer im actually looking is like bousozoku said, but still confuse why mac os can't be installed on x86 pc while windows can be installed on apple machine. logically, they are now can be installed on any intel machine.. so im actually just confuse about the technical way why mac os wont fit x86 pc, not about legal or ilegal issue..

If you sold a product which was your main source of income and you also sold an accessory that caused your product to be endearing and essential, would you suddenly re-design the accessory so it also enhanced your competitors' products? I think not. It would probably cause sales of your main product to drop.

This is exactly what's happening with Macs and Mac OS X. Microsoft doesn't make hardware so they want Windows to run on as many machines as possible. Most x86 PC manufacturers could care less what operating systems run on their machines as long as they can sell them.

[Dane D.]

sunrobby:
Windows XP now can be installed on Mac since Apple machine use Intel. But how about Mac OS, is it just a matter of time when Mac OS can be installed in PC?

The answer, bousozoku, gave in his last post was the proper answer. Without an Apple computer, one cannot have OS X. Besides who in there right mind would what to install OS X on a generic computer. Save your money up and buy an Apple computer. Blunt, but to the point.

[yg17]

Originally Posted by sunrobby

the answer im actually looking is like bousozoku said, but still confuse why mac os can't be installed on x86 pc while windows can be installed on apple machine. logically, they are now can be installed on any intel machine.. so im actually just confuse about the technical way why mac os wont fit x86 pc, not about legal or ilegal issue..

Yes, it can be done. No, it can't be done legally.


I think that about sums up this thread.

[thewhitehart]

Originally Posted by bousozoku

If you sold a product which was your main source of income and you also sold an accessory that caused your product to be endearing and essential, would you suddenly re-design the accessory so it also enhanced your competitors' products? I think not. It would probably cause sales of your main product to drop.

This is exactly what's happening with Macs and Mac OS X. Microsoft doesn't make hardware so they want Windows to run on as many machines as possible. Most x86 PC manufacturers could care less what operating systems run on their machines as long as they can sell them.

To original poster: Additionally, if you're wondering why Windows can be installed on a mac and OS X cannot be installed on a pc, Apple uses Boot Camp to trick Windows to thinking that it is loading off of an old fashioned BIOS rather than EFI. OS X (in its native, unscrewed around with form on the DVD) needs EFI and will not boot off of a pc's BIOS.

Like Bousozoku said, it would hurt Apple's hardware business to let OS X be installed on generic pc. Contrary to the belief that Windows on a mac will deter developers from making mac apps, allowing Windows to boot on a mac can only increase sales for people who want to switch but need Windows apps.

[gnasher729]

Originally Posted by yg17

Yes, it can be done. No, it can't be done legally.


I think that about sums up this thread.

Whether installing MacOS X on a non-Apple computer is legal or not is up to debate. What is definitely illegal is to make copies of MacOS X, so at the very least you would have to delete it from the Macintosh it came with - which makes the whole thing rather pointless.

[bousozoku]

Originally Posted by gnasher729

Whether installing MacOS X on a non-Apple computer is legal or not is up to debate. What is definitely illegal is to make copies of MacOS X, so at the very least you would have to delete it from the Macintosh it came with - which makes the whole thing rather pointless.

I believe that you can check a number of threads which quote the End User License Agreement as saying something like "the software may be installed on a single Apple computer" so installing it on other hardware is illegal.

[iJed]

Yes it can be installed on a PC. If you want more information go here. Doing so may well be illegal but the linked site is most certainly not.

The reason the normal Mac OS X disk will not boot on standard x86 hardware is probably primarily the lack of EFI support on the majority of PCs. The modifications needed include using a version of the Darwin core with bios support.

[ReanimationLP]

Yeah, it has been done and can be done.

You can also run Mac OS 9 legally on your PC by using SheepShaver.

[xper]

I am both a Mac and PC user and i would love to have the option to install OsX on both my Mac and PC for the simple reason:

I love Apples design, Mac Pro, Mac Book Pro, Apple cinema all looks fantastic and the performance is really great.
I use the Mac for media production like photos and videoediting and the system works great for that.
But the big disadvantage of the Macs is the huge lack of expansions, sure Mac Pro can incorporate 4 harddrivas with 500gb each and so on, but the PC market is huge, there is tons and tons of computershassies, soundcards, graphiccards, optical drives, motherboards and so on, i like that choice, i like the way that i could easily put 16 harddrives into a single PC.
But after i bought or upgraded my PC to my strict configuration i still end up with a horrible OS, WinXP (i rather have WinXP then Linux).
So i really would love to have the ability to install Mac OSX on my PC.

I do not believe that Apple will lose that much on release there OS for all platform, if they released there os on every platform they will get more software marketshares.
I dont think that Apple will end up selling that much less of there hardware either, people that currently buy Apple computers and Apple switcher like the Macs for what it is.
I think that Apple would benefit from releasing there os for the PC users.
If they did, i still would buy Macs for the simple reason that they are great.

[RacerX]

Originally Posted by gnasher729

Whether installing MacOS X on a non-Apple computer is legal or not is up to debate.

Ditto what bousozoku said... there isn't any debate, it is illegal to install Mac OS X on hardware that didn't originally come with a version of the Mac OS. And more to the point, there shouldn't be any copies of Mac OS X for Intel that are not expressly tied to an existing piece of hardware. One copy of Mac OS X for Intel for each Intel based system Apple has released.

The only exceptions now are the developer versions of 10.5, which are not only restricted to Apple hardware, but also covered by an NDA.

[zephead]

Part of the reason Apple doesn't want OS X to be installed on any x86 PC is the fact that Apple makes sure everything inside the computer works seamlessly with the OS. They know what they put into it will work for you. If OS X is licensed to PC mfr's, they'll be using whatever internal hardware they choose, as well as the buyer will want to put in any internal hardware they'd want to use. When the hardware doesn't work, or it takes a lot of effort for it to work (i.e. driver problems), it'll take away from the "it just works" factor, which is a good selling point for switchers.

[Peace]

Until the Apple store sells OS X for "PC's" you can't install OS X on a "PC".Period.

It's called piracy and is illegal.


Wasteland material

[gnasher729]

Originally Posted by bousozoku

I believe that you can check a number of threads which quote the End User License Agreement as saying something like "the software may be installed on a single Apple computer" so installing it on other hardware is illegal.

If an end user agreement is legally binding.

In most European countries, an end user agreement is basically a contract that you haven't negotiated, and therefore only legally binding if it doesn't contain anything that would be considered an unfair restriction.

I bought a MacBook. I except that I can replace the memory, and take the memory out of the MacBook and put it into some other computer. And I expect that I can replace the harddisk, and put the harddisk from the MacBook into another computer. Now can you tell me why Apple should be allowed to tell me that I can't install Linux on the MacBook, and install MacOS X on another computer?

[jmsait19]

Originally Posted by gnasher729

If an end user agreement is legally binding.

In most European countries, an end user agreement is basically a contract that you haven't negotiated, and therefore only legally binding if it doesn't contain anything that would be considered an unfair restriction.

I bought a MacBook. I except that I can replace the memory, and take the memory out of the MacBook and put it into some other computer. And I expect that I can replace the harddisk, and put the harddisk from the MacBook into another computer. Now can you tell me why Apple should be allowed to tell me that I can't install Linux on the MacBook, and install MacOS X on another computer?

its a software licensing agreement. i don't know what is hard to understand here. when you click the accept button, then you accept the agreement. unless your law has overturned the language in that agreement as an unfair restriction (which i don't think they would in this case), i would imagine it still stands...


also, if i remember correctly, when installing OSX, the install button actually reads "update." this is because all boxed copies of OSX are actually updates to the version that you bought with your computer. Apple doesn't sell standalone copies of OSX, they are all updates.

that is why when people argue about the update price when apple releases new versions and people complain about update pricing it doesn't make sense, because they are all updates.

[apfhex]

Originally Posted by jmsait19

also, if i remember correctly, when installing OSX, the install button actually reads "update." this is because all boxed copies of OSX are actually updates to the version that you bought with your computer. Apple doesn't sell standalone copies of OSX, they are all updates.

That is 100% false. Every retail copy of MacOS X sold is a full version. The installer may say "Upgrade" if it detects a previous version installed. IIRC the only version of OS X that required a previous version installed was 10.1, which was a "free" upgrade to 10.0 users. Of course you could buy a full retail version of 10.1 as well.

I'm pretty sure it's been debated whether or not some EULA's are actually legally binding. At any rate, I would say it's Fair Use to install it on non-Apple hardware if you want to for personal use, though officially it remains illegal and discussion on how to do it might not be permitted by MacRumors rules (but I'm no mod *shrugs*).

[bousozoku]

Originally Posted by gnasher729

If an end user agreement is legally binding.

In most European countries, an end user agreement is basically a contract that you haven't negotiated, and therefore only legally binding if it doesn't contain anything that would be considered an unfair restriction.

I bought a MacBook. I except that I can replace the memory, and take the memory out of the MacBook and put it into some other computer. And I expect that I can replace the harddisk, and put the harddisk from the MacBook into another computer. Now can you tell me why Apple should be allowed to tell me that I can't install Linux on the MacBook, and install MacOS X on another computer?

It's still their software. They own it and they are selling you a licence to it, implicit or explicit. They control where you can use it.