Author Topic: Mac OS on a PC? (Read 6708 times)

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **on:** Sat, 19 December 2009, 18:16:24 »

I have experience with Ubuntu and Windows operating systems, the only major OS I have practically no experience with is Mac OS. Being that all my computers are PCs, I was wondering if there was a way to install Mac OS on an x86 machine.

ch_123 · « **Reply #1 on:** Sat, 19 December 2009, 18:22:03 »

There are hacked versions of OS/X out there that will run on a regular PC. Problem is that they are tweaked for newer Intel/AMD chips, and may not work on an older PC like yours (older versions were PPC only and therefore you can't run them without an emulator, which make them ungodly slow)

If you want, you can accquire images of the classic Mac OS quite easily (I think Apple has some of them posted up for free), and an open source 68k/PPC emulator like Basilisk II, you will need a ROM image, but Googling around should net you one.

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #2 on:** Sat, 19 December 2009, 18:29:15 »

So these hacked versions will not work on Pentium 4s?

ch_123 · « **Reply #3 on:** Sat, 19 December 2009, 18:32:34 »

Depends on what revision of Pentium 4 you have. If you have one of the later Prescott cores, you're in luck. Earlier Northwood and Williamette ones are problematic because they only support SSE2 instructions, and OS/X makes use of a lot of SSE3 ones.

Also, I think the latest OS/X is 64-bit only, but I'm not 100% sure about that one.

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #4 on:** Sat, 19 December 2009, 18:34:08 »

I'll look into it.

ch_123 · « **Reply #5 on:** Sat, 19 December 2009, 18:37:04 »

Download CPU-Z, it will tell you very quickly what sort of Pentium 4 you have, and whether it supports SSE3 or not.

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #6 on:** Sat, 19 December 2009, 18:43:21 »

Ok there are two installations I have found, one is a one-step install, the other is a 3 step install. The one step install does not say whether it supports SSE2 or not, but the disk boots on my PCs. The three step install says "SSE3 and SSE2 only" on the download, but for some reason it has taken more than 24hrs for it to download. Once I get that copy burnt to disk, I'll get back to you guys and tell you more.

Also, I am thinking that all my P4s are Northwoods, I'll verify that once I run Everest on them.

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #7 on:** Sat, 19 December 2009, 18:51:23 »

As i thought, my P4s are Northwoods and only support up to SSE2. I will have to try that 3 step install and see if that will work. If not, I will have to stick with Windows and Ubuntu, because I would rather not use the emulators, they just aren't the same.

ricercar · « **Reply #8 on:** Sat, 19 December 2009, 21:53:01 »

Even if you can boot, the Darwin-loader hacked MacOS X installers are quite finicky about exact hardware. Over on UMPCportal.com, we have a number of people who can't install if their Ethernet controller is enabled in BIOS, blah blah blah.

I've torrented three different images, and I own EVERY version of Mac OS, and I still can't get it installed on my non-Apple hardware. YMMV.

ch_123 · « **Reply #9 on:** Sun, 20 December 2009, 04:47:31 »

This. I installed it onto a spare PC of mine and neither sound nor ethernet would work. It was cool to have tried it, but ultimately useless. Shame it didn't work inside VMs... Maybe it does now?

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #10 on:** Sun, 20 December 2009, 07:10:01 »

I think I might have to stick with Windows then... or buy some cheap old Mac. Anyone got any old Macs they would be willing to part with?

ch_123 · « **Reply #11 on:** Sun, 20 December 2009, 07:40:12 »

I once happened upon a Mac SE. It was a nice machine, but the monitor died as I used it. Repairing the monitor would involve a simple capacitor replacement, but discharging the CRT sounds scary, so I'd rather not.

ricercar · « **Reply #12 on:** Sun, 20 December 2009, 12:23:55 »

Quote from: ch_123;143862

Shame it didn't work inside VMs... Maybe it does now?

Ha. Marketing. I worked at VMware when Apple released MacOS X for Intel. We had it running in a VM within 3 hours. And that includes travel and checkout time at Fry's to buy the OS.

Within an hour of posting the success on the internal junk email list, the VMlawyers told us that it never happened.

Quote from: ricercar;143828

can't get it installed on my non-Apple hardware. YMMV.

This was sloppy and inaccurate. I've installed it on an Intel Atom-based Samsung machine.

I'd gotten everything working (Touch screen, audio, video, USB HID, USB other) except networking, because Samsung used an Ethernet controller OEM and wifi controller OEM (Atheros) that Apple has never used on their hardware. The only net connection I could get was with a Sierra Wireless mobile broadband 3G modem (installs its own drivers), and that was too expensive to use as my only connection.

ch_123 · « **Reply #13 on:** Sun, 20 December 2009, 12:29:43 »

Quote from: ricercar;143932

Ha. Marketing. I worked at VMware when Apple released MacOS X for Intel. We had it running in a VM within 3 hours. And that includes travel and checkout time at Fry's to buy the OS.

Did you create the aprropriate... 'workarounds' yourself, or did you get them off the internet?

I tried installing 10.5 into VMware Workstation 6, but it kept dying, even though I followed the appropriate guides.

microsoft windows · « **Reply #14 on:** Sun, 20 December 2009, 13:35:24 »

Those "evil inside" stickers are so funny I forgot to laugh.

ricercar · « **Reply #15 on:** Sun, 20 December 2009, 13:54:11 »

Quote from: ch_123;143933

Did you create the aprropriate... 'workarounds' yourself, or did you get them off the internet?

It was 100% internal VMware, members of the Workstation 5 engineering team with 100% consumer MacOS. We didn't need no steenking workarounds. We'll boot any OS. ;-) Uh, unless you listen to lawyers.

(Besides, to the best of my knowledge, there was no Internet source for hacked Darwin loaders the day of Apple's MacOS X Intel release.)

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #16 on:** Sun, 20 December 2009, 20:46:06 »

Well I think I may have found a copy of Mac OS X that works on my PC. I am just finishing up the install now. I'll keep you guys posted.

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #17 on:** Mon, 21 December 2009, 08:08:13 »

I have installed the os on the hard disk, but i a having trouble installing the patch. It says to unzip the patch file onto a usb flash drive and to run mac os setup and open the terminal and install the patch that way, but i type in exactly what the guides tell me, and it says there is no such file or directory. I am going to have to ask someone at school fo help, they might know more about hackintosh's than i do. Maybe i didn't find the right patch. Anyone else have experience with a hackintosh? I could use the help.

D-EJ915 · « **Reply #18 on:** Thu, 24 December 2009, 14:33:23 »

If you want to use classic there is an emulator which works fairly well, I don't recall the name of it though.

ricercar · « **Reply #19 on:** Thu, 24 December 2009, 16:19:57 »

Quote from: D-EJ915;145090

If you want to use classic there is an emulator which works fairly well, I don't recall the name of it though.

Basilisk, Fusion are two, but you need a 68040 ROM image, which is a warez thing unless you own a 68040 Macintosh. I used Fusion in the Pentium 1/Windows NT era, and it was ssssllllooooowwwww. Probably run faster than real 68040 hardware on a decent Core2Duo. Heh.

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #20 on:** Tue, 29 December 2009, 22:27:20 »

Update: I have had a successful installation of Mac OS X Leopard on my Dell Dimension 4600 for about 2 weeks now, and I have finally gotten it to work just as I would like it. I only have two issues with it.

1. Mac OS X will not boot directly from the hard disk. It must be assisted by the Mac OS X DVD install disc. Not a big deal.

2. Cannot find display drivers for my graphics card. I have to endure 1024x768 on a monitor that can handle 1152x864, not a big deal. It displays in full color. However, I have to endure the torture of a 60Hz refresh rate on a CRT monitor. Awful. Also, the current driver does not have 3D support, so I can't play the cool games I use to play at school like Nanosaur 2 and Otto Matic. I guess I can stick with Snood for now.

Other than those 2 issues, it runs flawless. I can now say I have a successful Hackintosh.

ricercar · « **Reply #21 on:** Wed, 30 December 2009, 03:25:44 »

i hates you now. i can't haz hackintosh.

pikapika · « **Reply #22 on:** Wed, 30 December 2009, 19:08:46 »

setting up a hackintosh is more complicated than installing ubuntu linux now :-)

itlnstln · « **Reply #23 on:** Thu, 31 December 2009, 08:10:36 »

Ripster, your vignettes are getting a little disturbing.

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #24 on:** Thu, 31 December 2009, 10:41:41 »

Quote from: pikapika;146683

setting up a hackintosh is more complicated than installing ubuntu linux now :-)

I agree, but it wasn't as hard as I expected it to be. I just had to look up the instructions on how to install it. Now it works great. I am using the good old IBM Model M 1391401 ant the IBM TrackPoint L40 with this computer, and it works fine except that I keep forgetting that it is Alt not Ctrl that is the option key.

CaptainKirk · « **Reply #25 on:** Tue, 05 January 2010, 02:48:17 »

OSx86 won't run in a VM AFAIK. But I installed it on my PC once. Worked fine--sound, internet, and, eventually, even dual monitors. I since moved on, but anyhow it worked for me. Kalyway I think it was called.

Oqsy · « **Reply #26 on:** Sun, 10 January 2010, 00:16:51 »

subscribed. i have xmas cash that was already being stashed away for building a hackintosh from the ground up. currently have a processor, monitor, keyboard, mouse, case, and desk for it all

The rest will be purchased one at a time as each item is confirmed to work with OSX on Intel machines and bought for the lowest price I can find. I doubt I'll get a fantastic value per dollar versus a PowerPC but it should be less than half the price of one retail with performance that's at least in the ballpark with the official Mac product. Right now I'm stuck on finding a soundcard and ethernet capable motherboard that is OSX-friendly and will work with the spare processor I have on hand. Great thread and I'll be back for advice I'm sure!

ch_123 · « **Reply #27 on:** Sun, 10 January 2010, 06:07:09 »

Quote from: pikapika;146683

setting up a hackintosh is more complicated than installing ubuntu linux now :-)

Installing Ubuntu is complicated?

D-EJ915 · « **Reply #28 on:** Sun, 10 January 2010, 12:13:17 »

http://fyrskeppsvagen.com/tips/basilisk/download/index.html

I see on here it says

"stick this floppy in a Mac, copy the getROM app to the Mac, run it, grab the ROM"

so you can use this if you have one

I am selling my Centris 660AV if someone wants it

It is a 25MHz 68040 with 72MB ram.

D-EJ915 · « **Reply #29 on:** Sun, 10 January 2010, 12:46:12 »

It depends I think, the 660AV and 840AV are kind of bastard macs in that they have special AV chips in them. They also have floating point units unlike the LCs so they are probably faster than the LCs. I have a performa which has a 33MHz LC chip and I dunno I think they are probably similar in performance although the resolution is much much higher on the centris (1100 pixelsx something)

D-EJ915 · « **Reply #30 on:** Sun, 10 January 2010, 13:19:14 »

actually I checked and my performa has 72mb the centris has 36mb lol. My performa is the desktop variety but it's limited by some measly video memory.

The only issue with the centris is it takes a few power ons (I believe, I always do it) for the video to show up.

Anyway I am a big fan of having the actual hardware so even though it has quirks I enjoy writing documents on my centris, I can go online, IM and go on IRC but really I can get on it and not have any distractions lol.

D-EJ915 · « **Reply #31 on:** Sun, 10 January 2010, 13:30:31 »

I don't think the performa can actually take much more, maybe replace the 4mb one with an 8mb or 16mb one but it has to be single-sided. And I have a ton of simms so if you need some I can give you some as well. I tried the 64MB one in the centris but it didn't seem to like it so the most I got was 2 16mb sticks.

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #32 on:** Mon, 11 January 2010, 19:13:08 »

Update: I have gotten Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.6 on my Dell Dimension 8400, runs great, it works well, just no display drivers, so no CI/QE support. Also, it constantly displays at 1024x768 at 60Hz, which is a pain. I tried graphics mode, but there is an issue with it and it never worked. Oh well, stuck with it this way.

News:

Author Topic: Mac OS on a PC? (Read 6708 times)