I think Linux is a great OS to start learning about computers because you can do anything you want with it and tweak it however you want. You can even make it look like Mac OS X if you'd like. 😛 I enjoy using Ubuntu just as much as I love using Mac OS X. They're both great operating systems. I only use Windows now for my games.
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Can I build a PC and load Mac OSX onto it?
- Thread starter joefinan
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I think Linux is a great OS to start learning about computers because you can do anything you want with it and tweak it however you want. You can even make it look like Mac OS X if you'd like. 😛 I enjoy using Ubuntu just as much as I love using Mac OS X. They're both great operating systems. I only use Windows now for my games.
HLdan
macrumors 603
Your last line doesn't give you the rights or reason to install Mac OS X on your generic hardware in any way shape or form. Also you really shouldn't be promoting the fact that you did any of this as if it's a perfectly viable solution because it's not. Don't make it sound like it's as simple as shoving the Leopard disc in and wah lah OS X's installed! There are a lot more headaches behind it, the hackintosh website certainly has a lot of posters in tears trying to do the wrong thing. You are helping no one in preaching your success story.
The question should have been is it possible. Hell yes its possible
but
HERE IS THE PROBLEM!
When you do this you are more than likely to be LOCKED into the current version you can find, and it's not just stick in the disk and it loads up you have to do command line commands to setup things ala Linux/Unix but once done it should run 98% of the things you want..
Than when apple updates things, its possible it will break things. I do not want my sensative data on questionable hardware.
I tried this for a while and gave up, bout an iMAC and love it.. Really was hoping for a 2.8ghz Mini with at least a 256 3d card in it!! Come on Apple you can do this today and GROW the userbase even more!
but
HERE IS THE PROBLEM!
When you do this you are more than likely to be LOCKED into the current version you can find, and it's not just stick in the disk and it loads up you have to do command line commands to setup things ala Linux/Unix but once done it should run 98% of the things you want..
Than when apple updates things, its possible it will break things. I do not want my sensative data on questionable hardware.
I tried this for a while and gave up, bout an iMAC and love it.. Really was hoping for a 2.8ghz Mini with at least a 256 3d card in it!! Come on Apple you can do this today and GROW the userbase even more!
Oh well, dont lose sleep over my actions, I sure dont. Some people dont consider it wrong to do what they want with the stuff they buy.
I did my research before buying the computer and made sure all the parts would give minimal hassle. So for me and everyone else who has the right components it is just popping in the disc and "wah lah leopard is installed". Anyone with common hardware can easily find instructions online, then its just a matter of following those instructions.
Father Jack
macrumors 68020
Sorry to disagree .. 🙁
e.g.
you cant compare the case for a Mac pro with any case you can get for a PC
IMO Mac hardware (including the case) is way better than the pc equivalent.
It's not just the OS that makes Mac's superior ... 😎
Luzzio
macrumors regular
Possibly. But at the price they charge you could get parts for your PC which are in a different league.
I love my Mac though.
*sigh*
I didn't ask for right nor reason - I asked if it is possible.
It sounds like a viable solution to me.
They're helping me.
To stainlessliquid - thanks for sharing your experiences. And you're right, the Mac Mini isn't right for me as I can't expand it and the Mac Pro is just far too much cash!
teknikal90
macrumors 68040
That's no way to speak of the Mac Pro (even if it is true).😱
Breach of contract is absolutely not a crime. It is a civil offence. EULAs are not legally binding contracts under UK/European law.
Cromulent
macrumors 604
That is why I said it was breach of contract...
Installing Mac OS X on a PC is not illegal though. There is no law in any country that specifically forbids it.
MacUser2525
Suspended
In fact there are laws that specifically allow reverse engineering for compatibility purposes and most EULA's are not worth the paper they are printed on depending on the laws of the country you are in and there are clauses in all of the EULA's that tell you this your local rights are preserved not matter what the EULA says. That said it is extremely easy to build a PC that will run OSX without any major problems you just want to choose your hardware carefully for compatibility. I did it it works well and my legally purchased copy of Leopard runs just fine on it plus I saved a **** load of money doing it.
Woah I never thought this was actually possible - I thought there was some special "bit" of a Mac computer's hardware that told the OS that it was actually a Macintosh. Haha but does that mean that internally there is nothing different between what's in a Mac and what's in a PC (external cosmetics notwithstanding)?
MacUser2525
Suspended
Well there is it is called the EFI firmware that is used in a Mac but that is easily bypassed by the EFI bootloader that is installed which emulates the system calls from BIOS to EFI when booting then a .kext called dsmos loads that takes over when OSX is running other than that it is a pretty simple process to have it working, the components are basically the same in a Intel Mac machine vs PC and are interchangeable most times other than the logic boards/motherboards for a PC.
I'll do it....
I hate all the endless opinionated bickering that happens on many forums, not just this one. On a car care forum I once followed an almost endless thread about the best car wax. I bought a can of the leading contenders, applied them to different areas of different cars, kept records of ease of application, durability, and ease of maintenance. It didnt take much money or time and I knew what wax worked best for me on my car. Knowledge trumps opinion every time!
I have a self-built PC sitting here unused.
Intel D975XBX2 motherboard
C2D E6700 CPU
4GB RAM
Western Digital Raptor and Caviar hard drives
eVGA GeForce 8800 GTS video card
If stainlessliquid will point me in the right direction (I understand that links of this sort shouldnt be posted here), then I will do an OS X installation on my unused box - - keeping accurate and unbiased records of each step. Ill then post a hopefully unbiased report on the experience. Ill respond to questions for a week or so before removing OS X from the non-Apple hardware.
I have the Tiger disc that came with my Mac mini and the Leopard disk that I purchased. By buying and using these disks Ive agreed with the limitations of Apples SLA. I feel morally bound to be a person of my word and comply with the SLA, however I also believe that bending the rules (and apparently also my morals) in the furtherance of knowledge brings good karma.
Knowledge is freedom!
I hate all the endless opinionated bickering that happens on many forums, not just this one. On a car care forum I once followed an almost endless thread about the best car wax. I bought a can of the leading contenders, applied them to different areas of different cars, kept records of ease of application, durability, and ease of maintenance. It didnt take much money or time and I knew what wax worked best for me on my car. Knowledge trumps opinion every time!
I have a self-built PC sitting here unused.
Intel D975XBX2 motherboard
C2D E6700 CPU
4GB RAM
Western Digital Raptor and Caviar hard drives
eVGA GeForce 8800 GTS video card
If stainlessliquid will point me in the right direction (I understand that links of this sort shouldnt be posted here), then I will do an OS X installation on my unused box - - keeping accurate and unbiased records of each step. Ill then post a hopefully unbiased report on the experience. Ill respond to questions for a week or so before removing OS X from the non-Apple hardware.
I have the Tiger disc that came with my Mac mini and the Leopard disk that I purchased. By buying and using these disks Ive agreed with the limitations of Apples SLA. I feel morally bound to be a person of my word and comply with the SLA, however I also believe that bending the rules (and apparently also my morals) in the furtherance of knowledge brings good karma.
Knowledge is freedom!
I think it is fun to do it, though I have not got the chance. It cost less money, and you can even get a faster computer with osx (for example, you can use a better video card).
It is true that apple make good looking computers, but if you are willing to spend the same amount of money, you can get a nice looking pc too.
It is true that apple make good looking computers, but if you are willing to spend the same amount of money, you can get a nice looking pc too.
I'd love to see you attempt something like that. At the same time, Apple will release the iGrill to place on the top of the Mini to cook on from the extra heat in such a small space.
robo456
macrumors 6502
Just as a sidenote for people that want to 'try' this out...
You can't just slap your OSX dvd in your PC and expect it to work. In addition to that, the online updates usually don't work and alot of the features will not work either.
Back when I looked into it when it first came out 'sound' didn't work. Heh. Anyway, there's no 'quick-fix' to get a cheap OSX computer except buying a second hand one. Yes, it's possible to load it on a custom PC (I think I stopped at 10.1.x or something) but it's not for novices. It's really for people who like to dabble, read a TON of forums, and so on.
It was too much of a pain keeping up on stuff, so I ended up snagging a new mac mini single core 1.5 from Compusa when they closed down for 300 bucks a year or two ago.
There's no free lunch.
--rob
You can't just slap your OSX dvd in your PC and expect it to work. In addition to that, the online updates usually don't work and alot of the features will not work either.
Back when I looked into it when it first came out 'sound' didn't work. Heh. Anyway, there's no 'quick-fix' to get a cheap OSX computer except buying a second hand one. Yes, it's possible to load it on a custom PC (I think I stopped at 10.1.x or something) but it's not for novices. It's really for people who like to dabble, read a TON of forums, and so on.
It was too much of a pain keeping up on stuff, so I ended up snagging a new mac mini single core 1.5 from Compusa when they closed down for 300 bucks a year or two ago.
There's no free lunch.
--rob
Father Jack
macrumors 68020
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