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hackintosh on a NetBook?

Z

Zisa

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 10, 2009
38
0
I would love to own a NetBook. With prices dropping (the ThinkPad 10.2" is currently £220, or I am thinking of a free Dell with Vodafone) - it is a no brainer. Ideal for carrying with you all the time (more practical to use than a Blackberry)

However, it comes with Windows!

Not sure if this is the right forum or right section, but - has anyone successfully installed Tiger or Leopard on one of these machines?

Putting aside the legalities and support from Apple, I would love to run a decent OS on these machines.

Unless that is, Apple makes one of these? If so, my worry is that they would be double the cost.
 
mkrishnan

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Zisa, if you do some Google searching, there are detailed instructions posted on the net for at least a good handful of netbooks, with the MSI Wind and Dell Mini 9 being particularly popular for installing Leopard.

(Not putting aside legalities, there isn't really even a loosely non-sketchy way of putting Tiger on them, since you cannot buy a Tiger/Intel license, and we do ask that you not discuss piracy on MacRumors).

An excellent resource to help you is OSx86 / InsanelyMac:

http://www.osx86project.org/

They have guides on the various things that need to be done to get it to run as well as the limitations, if any, depending on the hardware.
 
silverblack

silverblack

macrumors 68030
Nov 27, 2007
2,680
840
After a quick Google search on "Leopard + netbook + compatibility", you will find that choosing the right brand and model of netbooks is the first, yet very important step of hackintosh a netbook.

The top 3 choices are MSI Wind, Dell Mini 9, and Lenovo S10. For other brands and models, your results would not be nearly as good, with many non-functioning hardware/features. Installation guides can be found in the forums of each of these machines. While some involve bit torrent download of illegal OS X iso, others are based on installation using the legit retail Leopard DVD (which you need to buy from an Apple retailer).

In any event, things don't work out of the box. The installation involve many patching steps required to accommodate the non-Apple hardware. The installation instructions are scattered around several places. So be prepared to invest a lot of time and effort, and you may need to go through the process a few times before it works. It is definitely not recommended for the faint of heart.

Having said that, the result (when you do get it to work) can be very rewarding. You will get a 'working Mac' for a much lower price. In addition, it gives you a whole new level of understanding OS X, and it makes you appreciate your genuine Apple computers a lot more.

Finally, don't expect your hackintosh netbook to be 100% perfect. To name a few issues:
- OS X is not designed to run on 1024x600 screen resolution, sometimes things don't fit and you can't scroll
- the trackpad on these netbooks are not real multi-touch, there is a hack to mimic this, but it's not even close
- just like jailbreaking iphones, future software updates may make your netbook unusable. You'll need to keep checking back with the forum for solutions.

If you can live with the cons, then you'll find the pros to be very rewarding. PS. I am typing this post on a hackintosh netbook.

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=7274327#post7274327
 
silverblack

silverblack

macrumors 68030
Nov 27, 2007
2,680
840
darngooddesign said:
Just thought I'd add that Leopard will feel like you are using a 1.33Ghz G4.
Click to expand...

Did you actually own one, or are you just saying it?
In my experience, it feels more like a Mac mini with Intel Core Solo processor. Very reasonable for web-related work, but not recommended for cpu intense work like video editing.
 
D

darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
17,978
9,542
Atlanta, GA
mkrishnan said:
I've seen this result a few times now.... does anyone know which iBook G4 "Penny" benchmarked? There's a fairly substantial difference between the first 800MHz one and the final 1.42 (I think?) GHz one.... Neither is a C2D, but....
Click to expand...

If you hit the "Read" link you would have seen this:

compare it with a late-2004 G4 iBook –Power PC G4 @1.33 ghz + 768mb Ram + 160gb 5400rpm Hard Drive
 
C

chuckcalo

macrumors regular
Jan 27, 2009
114
0
The iBook / Powerbook G4 run OS X 10.5.6 as good as the netbooks. Here's the comparison chart:

xbench.jpg



However the small screen vs 12" is a plus. Also you don't get a dvd drive, I would suggest you getting an ibook g4 instead of a hackbook. The overall experience is just not the same, if I knew this before I would had never bought the aspire one; however it was the only thing that dragged me to the world of Mac. In my case, I have an Aspire One running OS X exclusively. I swapped the internal wifi card with a Dell 1390 and I now have airport, everything is working except for sleep, but Hibernation does work so I'd say everything works.

You might want to check the following links:

http://www.aspireoneuser.com/
http://msiwind.net/
http://mydellmini.com/

I'd still get a iBook G4.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4505598&CatId=4360
 
silverblack

silverblack

macrumors 68030
Nov 27, 2007
2,680
840
iBook or PowerBook with ppc processor can only run Windows via the old Virtual PC, which is verrry slllooooowwww...

Most people that own a hacked netbook would dual boot Win XP, or even Windows 7 (public beta) with OS X. Win 7 apparently is netbook friendly and runs VERY well on 'lower' spec'd notebooks.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Apple hardware (Aluminum Macbook, Macbook Air, iPod video, iPhone, iPod shuffle). But a 2-lbs netbook, dual booting Win/OS X, with fast N-wifi card and 2 GB of RAM, is not something I can buy from Apple now.

At least for me, my primary reason for hackintost netbook is not cost, but for fun. For $300 (which is less than the SSD I just ordered for my Macbook) I can hack it away not worrying about breaking it - wouldn't do that on my MB...
 
C

chuckcalo

macrumors regular
Jan 27, 2009
114
0
Clearly he is not planning to run Windows on it .. And, if you follow all of the instructions given by people for your desired netbook I'm sure you won't break anything.
 
Richdmoore

Richdmoore

macrumors 68000
Jul 24, 2007
1,956
355
Troutdale, OR
Link to Mini 9 Hackbook Help

Hey, I just purchased a Dell Mini 9 to try out the hackbook thing. I figure that if I can't get it to work, I can always either sell it or give it away to family once I restore the Linix on it (I have never used anything other than Windows & Mac, and don't want to learn yet another operating system.)

Anyway, if you want to find out the steps to convert a Dell Mini 9, this forum is mandatory reading:
http://www.mydellmini.com/forum/

This forum convinced me to buy a Dell 9 and give it a shot.

(Oh, and FYI it looks like the Mini 9 works, but not the Mini 10 or Mini 12, because the Mini 9 uses a good deal of same components as the Macbook Air.)
 
P

paolo-

macrumors 6502a
Aug 24, 2008
831
1
Richdmoore said:
(Oh, and FYI it looks like the Mini 9 works, but not the Mini 10 or Mini 12, because the Mini 9 uses a good deal of same components as the Macbook Air.)
Click to expand...

Yup, the graphic card in the mini 10 and 12 isn't supported and is one of the biggest lacking things in hackintosh. The mini 9 uses a gma950, like the macbook did a while back.
 
Z

Zisa

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 10, 2009
38
0
chuckcalo said:
The iBook / Powerbook G4 run OS X 10.5.6 as good as the netbooks. Here's the comparison chart:

xbench.jpg



However the small screen vs 12" is a plus. Also you don't get a dvd drive, I would suggest you getting an ibook g4 instead of a hackbook. The overall experience is just not the same, if I knew this before I would had never bought the aspire one; however it was the only thing that dragged me to the world of Mac. In my case, I have an Aspire One running OS X exclusively. I swapped the internal wifi card with a Dell 1390 and I now have airport, everything is working except for sleep, but Hibernation does work so I'd say everything works.

You might want to check the following links:

http://www.aspireoneuser.com/
http://msiwind.net/
http://mydellmini.com/

I'd still get a iBook G4.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4505598&CatId=4360
Click to expand...

Funny enough, this is what I am now looking at on eBay. I played with the Dell 9" in the shop at the weekend, and found the keyboard notpractical (I have fat fingers). I like the Lenovo and the Samsung 10" netbooks, though.

However, am i better off buying a second hand 12" iBook instead? I mean, 2" cannot be that much bigger?
 
ux4all

ux4all

macrumors regular
Jan 26, 2009
187
44
Chicago, IL, USA
To each his/her own

I used Boot 132 on an Asus 901 and had no issues. Unlike the other hackintosh routines, this one allows use of Software Update and all the bells and whistles. Sound WORKS, WIFI works, ETHERNET (now) WORKS...

JMHO. I am in the process of installing a touchscreen on the 901 too. Not sure how easy that is to pull off on a Dell or MSI.
 
Acorn

Acorn

macrumors 68030
Jan 2, 2009
2,642
349
macrumors
ux4all said:
I used Boot 132 on an Asus 901 and had no issues. Unlike the other hackintosh routines, this one allows use of Software Update and all the bells and whistles. Sound WORKS, WIFI works, ETHERNET (now) WORKS...

JMHO. I am in the process of installing a touchscreen on the 901 too. Not sure how easy that is to pull off on a Dell or MSI.
Click to expand...

does the touchscreen come with mac calibration software. I know it comes with a windows version but does it have mac. otherwise no way to calibrate the screen.
 
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