Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Hack for installing FaceTime on Leopard 10.5 ?

I

iPhonePhan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 26, 2007
173
0
Apple FanBoy Land
Hey folks,

I've got a friend still running Leopard 10.5 but he wants to install FaceTime. I know FaceTime requires 10.6.4 but I wanted to get your input on any hacks that might get it to run on 10.5.

I'm a n00b hacker and modified the plist file within the app and set the OS minimum to 10.5 but it still fails to run. Is there anything anyone else has tried that's worked? Should I be looking in other areas within the mpkg file or .app ?

Thanks!
 
khalilmedawar said:
That would be great ... i' m in the same situation .
Click to expand...

Glad to see I'm not the only one.

Here's what I'm now working on to get this to work.

I XAR-ed the mpkg file and took a look at the contents. Turns out there's a distribution script that runs a check for 10.6.4 before running the install scripts. I went ahead and modified the distribution script and changed it to check for at least 10.5. I repackaged the app and renamed it to FazeTime.

I'm gonna have my friend try it out on his 10.5.8 machine and then report back results. If it works, I'll try and post a download link (with a caveat of course that this may brick your machine so I'm not responsible for anything ! ;-)

Anyone else try this method and get interesting results ?
 
Surely said:
Why not just upgrade to Snow Leopard? It's only $29. <----Serious question.
Click to expand...

It's not for me, it's for my friend. The problem is that he tried to install SL twice and two times it failed on his brand new MacBook pro late 2009 edition. He doesn't want to risk having to reinstall his machine again if it should fail to install and I understand.

And just for reference, both the upgrade and a fresh install failed.
 
iPhonePhan said:
It's not for me, it's for my friend. The problem is that he tried to install SL twice and two times it failed on his brand new MacBook pro late 2009 edition. He doesn't want to risk having to reinstall his machine again if it should fail to install and I understand.

And just for reference, both the upgrade and a fresh install failed.
Click to expand...

Late 2009 MacBook Pro? That came with Snow Leopard.....:confused:
 
iPhonePhan said:
When he got it in August it was Leopard preinstalled and had the SL upgrade CD included in the box ;-)
Click to expand...

Ah.

To me it seems like it would be a lot easier to back up the MBP, try installing SL, and then if it fails, migrate the data back.

Or to make a Genius Bar appointment, explain the installation issue, and get them to do it or to replace the SL disc.

But good luck with the hack.... it will be interesting to see if it is possible.
 
No dice, yet....

So my friend tried the custom installer I created but it doesn't seem to have gone through and installed at all. I'll keep hacking at it this evening and see what I get.

I might also try and install this on a really old Mac Mini that's got a custom Leopard install (though I won't know if the camera works ;)

I'll get back to you guys later with any interesting updates.
 
iPhonePhan said:
So my friend tried the custom installer I created but it doesn't seem to have gone through and installed at all. I'll keep hacking at it this evening and see what I get.

I might also try and install this on a really old Mac Mini that's got a custom Leopard install (though I won't know if the camera works ;)

I'll get back to you guys later with any interesting updates.
Click to expand...

I tried this last night. After extracting facetime.app from the installer, I edited the minimum version in the info.plist file to 10.5.8. This removed the x from over the icon, but the app would crash as soon as it was launched.

So no avail, unless you know of another solution, I don't think this is possible.
 
Edit SystemVersion.plist

Aneisch said:
I tried this last night. After extracting facetime.app from the installer, I edited the minimum version in the info.plist file to 10.5.8. This removed the x from over the icon, but the app would crash as soon as it was launched.

So no avail, unless you know of another solution, I don't think this is possible.
Click to expand...

What you have to do is edit the systemversio.plist to say 10.6.4 on both product version strings and 10F37 In system build string and save reboot, and boom your system thinks its snowleopard. im installing iLife '11 on 10.5.8 right now. lol
 
How do you do this?

Gmoney147852 said:
What you have to do is edit the systemversio.plist to say 10.6.4 on both product version strings and 10F37 In system build string and save reboot, and boom your system thinks its snowleopard. im installing iLife '11 on 10.5.8 right now. lol
Click to expand...

How exaxtly do you do this? Im a newbie... Thanks!
 
codyliger said:
How exaxtly do you do this? Im a newbie... Thanks!
Click to expand...

Go to /System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist. Open with your favorite text editor and change the build version to 10F37 and buth product versions to 10.6.4. Save. reboot, install.:D Glad i could be of some help, now i just need to download facetime, where do i get it from??? lol i got iLife '11 working fine.
 
Gmoney147852 said:
Go to /System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist. Open with your favorite text editor and change the build version to 10F37 and buth product versions to 10.6.4. Save. reboot, install.:D Glad i could be of some help, now i just need to download facetime, where do i get it from??? lol i got iLife '11 working fine.
Click to expand...

Um I believe u just go to apple.com and search FaceTime and it will bring up the page. Or look Under the new MacBook air page and it will have the beta download link there. And thanks for the help!
 
Hey.. I followed your directions and changed the info.. and now when i try to install FaceTime.. it tells me.."You are missing a critical security patch. Please use Software Update to install Security Update 2010-005."

I already installed that update but it keeps saying that. I also rebooted 2x.. Please help! :( Running 10.5.8 with all the latest updates!
 
Well the dude said he was able to install faceTime on his Leopard.. so I don't know!
 
Djmx said:
Hey.. I followed your directions and changed the info.. and now when i try to install FaceTime.. it tells me.."You are missing a critical security patch. Please use Software Update to install Security Update 2010-005."

I already installed that update but it keeps saying that. I also rebooted 2x.. Please help! :( Running 10.5.8 with all the latest updates!
Click to expand...

Make sure what ever text editor you use has root priveledges, im not going to go into detail, there are plenty of tutorials, but make sure it saves, the systemversion.plist HAS to save for it to work.
 
Gmoney147852 said:
Make sure what ever text editor you use has root priveledges, im not going to go into detail, there are plenty of tutorials, but make sure it saves, the systemversion.plist HAS to save for it to work.
Click to expand...

If anyone needs help text me 318-762-4241, and i can provide more detailed instructions.
 
Hey.. I am as root users.. it saves the plist. BUT i'm getting that security update error.. it's aleady freaking UPDATED!!! :mad:

Btw I texted you....! phone number ends with ***-***-5066
 
BTW guys.. if you have "Chax" installed on your Leopard 10.5.8 as soon as you change it to 10.6.4 it disappears and does not show up.. other applications might act funky.. Guess the real TRUE way there is no way.. unless we can only make "FACETIME" think it's SL.. if anyone else has any idea let me know!
 
Upgrade

Well I gave in and just upgraded for 32 bucks to snow leopard. That wasn't bad now the only thing is backing all my stuff up I used time machine but I really think I'm just going to start all over... Thanks for all the help u guys
 
Hey, i cannot save the .plist file!!! HELP PLEASE! i says i dont have access and obviously doing what textedit says to do doesnt help! says to go to the get info pane and set rights there... also where do you guys learn this stuff? I get so mad because i want to be a wiz like yall but im not im just starting off please help me with that too!
 
codyliger said:
Hey, i cannot save the .plist file!!! HELP PLEASE! i says i dont have access and obviously doing what textedit says to do doesnt help! says to go to the get info pane and set rights there... also where do you guys learn this stuff? I get so mad because i want to be a wiz like yall but im not im just starting off please help me with that too!
Click to expand...

I thought you said you upgraded to 10.6? You don't need to do any hacks, just upgrade to 10.6.4 and install the security upgrades via software update.

Honestly, hacking 10.5 to get Facetime sounds kind of like a lame hack considering 10.6 is only $30 for not dealing with all this trouble.
 
GimmeSlack12 said:
I thought you said you upgraded to 10.6? You don't need to do any hacks, just upgrade to 10.6.4 and install the security upgrades via software update.

Honestly, hacking 10.5 to get Facetime sounds kind of like a lame hack considering 10.6 is only $30 for not dealing with all this trouble.
Click to expand...

Yeah but I have to wait for it to come in the mail sometime next week I know it's kinda lame but it will be my first hack and makes me feel smart!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back