Apple OSX on non-mac hardware

i know a couple of people on here have done this. my dad is thinking of getting a macbook, and i want to try putting OSX on his current desktop so he can give it a try before he buys.

is this a good idea, or is he constantly going to run into problems because it isn't mac hardware and end up hating the OS?

and if this is one of those taboo topics, i'm sorry bit-tech. please don't ban me.

 

Well not remanded. As the OS is locked for MAC OS, so you will need to hack the OS. Also the OS has been tested for SPECIFIC hardware configuration. Meaning if you don't everything exactly as a MAC, then the OS will be VERY unstable.

If you father thinks that he will get any performance increase in doing photoshop or video editing, or wtv... from all the benchmark I saw, its all a bunch of BS Apple crappy miss information marketing. (I think they stop doing it now)

As for your house Administrator (you?!) , it might actually be annoyed to have a MAC (or Linux or any other OS), if you don't know much about the OS when a system problem arrives. Unless you don't care or you like those types of challenges.

 

Whether it's a good, functional system or not will depend entirely on the hardware in his current computer. Check the compatibility list for the current version or for older versions. If his hardware is all on that list, it should run just like a factory-built Mac. If it's not, don't bother.

 

thanks. that's what i was looking for.

 

Yup, It won't run "Very Unstable".

Bassically, any new intel chipset will work. Most nvidia ones don't. Except for NForce4. ALMOST Any video card will work now. But if you want it to be as close to a real mac as possible you need PC-EFI and an intel system. That way you can run an unmodified kernel and use all the software updates.

Oh, and don't rely on that wiki. It hasn't been updated.

 

Hang on are you guys talking about OS X Mac? I.e. the latest version that runs on Intel Macs. Or OSx86, which will work just fine.

http://geektechnique.org/projectlab/285/getting-to-grips-with-osx86

 

i don't want to mess up my booting by installing it, but is it possible to install the latest OSX into VMWare?

 

Just buy the mac and be done with it. If you want to "try-before-you-buy", go to a Mac store and ask the staff for a demo then have a go yourself. It's what I did before I dropped my money on two.

This OSX86 is good with the right hardware, but still no where near as good as a real Mac.

 

I allways tought OSX86 was illegal... OSX may only be installed on Mac hardware.

Which is nowhere near as good as a decent PC J/K

 

Just FYI, i liked OSX when i had it on my computer very much.
I installed it on a amd x2 just fine, and it actually ran just fine with two broken sticks of ram, whereas windows didn't (and linux just used badram).
Now i tried it on my x60 thinkpad, works fine, boots & runs off a usb hdd.

 

Depends. Apple developers (e.g., myself) can install it on whatever they want. But judging by the contents of this thread not many of them are.

 

Sorry to threadjack a bit, but how is it illegal to use software on whatever you want, assuming you legally purchased it?

I have a friend who tried OSX86 for a bit, it had some issues with some of his hardware, but was usable.

 

IF the EULA says "MAC OS must run on an Apple approved computer, assembled by Apple, if you do you would be prosecuted at the maximum extend of the law ....".
Then it would be illegal, as you would agree at this license to install your MAC OS, and it won't be on installed on a MAC

 

It's very do-able, and with the newer releases of install discs for the purpose, very easy and for me at least, very stable so far.
Obviously though you'd have to figure out what keys are actually what considering that you'd be using a Windows keyboard which makes things a little more complex for the first 15 mins.
Then there is remembering that things like copy is "command-V" and not CTRL+C (so you'd be windows key + C etc) and also some keys plain don't work, for instance I can't get my end key to perform the relevant function that it's meant to, either because the OS doesn't support that feature or that my keyboard mapping is off, which however I don't know.

As to legality, as far as I am aware GoodBytes is correct.

 

iirc i read somewhere that you could install OSX legally on "apple branded" machines. so i'll put a sticker on the front of it.

i know it's probably illegal. that's not what i was asking about. i just wanted to know if it was a "it works or it doesn't" sort of thing, or if it was sketchy.

 

Yup, well put.

 

Because you don’t purchase software, you purchase the right to use software how the manufacturer wants you to use it.

 

PM me the hardware in the pc.

 

it's an nvidia mcp61 motherboard. it's not on any hardware compatibility list. i don't think i'm going to bother trying.

 

Dell D600.