When Apple switched to the Intel platform in 2005, enthusiasts from all over the world set out to install MAC OS X on regular PCs (Hackintosh). Four reasons stood in the way of the implementation of this idea. 2 physical and 2 legal. The fact is that to start a MAC computer, it is not the usual BIOS that is used, but its own EFI bootloader. The second reason is the SMC chip that is installed in every Mac computer. It generates keys to launch all MAC OS X system applications. Thanks to our compatriot under the nickname Netkas, we managed to bypass these two limitations by creating an EFI bootloader emulator (Chameleon, Chemera, Clover) and an SMC chip emulator (FakeSMC.kext). These two software solutions are enough to install MAC OS on a PC.
The legal reasons why such an installation is not possible lie in the license agreement that the user must accept when installing MAC OS. The first reason prohibits the installation of the operating system on computers NOT manufactured by Apple. The second prohibits users from any modification of the operating system system files. It is worth noting here that modern Hackintosh installation methods leave system files pristinely clean. Therefore, this warning can be ignored. If all of the above doesn’t confuse you at all, let’s check how easy it is to install MAC OS X on a modern PC.
In my case I chose the following configuration:
- Asus H81T R2 motherboard
- Processor Intel Core i3-4170 (3M 3.7Ghz)
- 2 x 4Gb DDR3L 1600Mhz RAM
- 128Gb mSATA SSD SanDisk
- 500Gb SSHD Seagate
- WI-FI Broadcom (BCM94322HM8L)
Preparing for installation
To create an installation flash drive we will need:- Any MAC computer with MAC OS X installed
- Apple ID account
- Internet access
- Flash drive 16Gb (preferably USB 3.0)
Step #1. Creating a bootable USB flash drive
On a MAC computer, you need to go to the AppleStore and download the MAC OS X El Capitan distribution:
The distribution weighs about 6Gb and downloading it will take some time. Therefore, now is the time to start preparing the installation flash drive. To do this, you need to launch Disk Utility, select the installation flash drive and click erase:
Let's call it “INSTALL” so that there is no confusion in the future:
Now we need to download the “UniBeast” application, which will upload the downloaded El Capitan distribution onto a flash drive and prepare it for the successful installation of MAC OS X on a PC. Also, after installation, we will need the “MultiBeast – El Capitan” post-installer, which will install the EFI emulator and the necessary drivers on the system disk. The latest version of “UniBeast” and “MultiBeast – El Capitan” can be downloaded from. After downloading, drag them to your desktop.
After the El Capitan distribution has been downloaded from the AppleStore, you need to run “UniBeast” and select the installation flash drive:
Select the operating system for future installation:
Select boot method - UEFI:
Make sure the selected parameters are correct and click Continue:
The process of transferring the distribution to the flash drive will begin:
After successfully creating a bootable USB flash drive, you need to copy the previously downloaded “MultiBeast” to it:
The bootable USB flash drive is ready. We extract it from the MAC computer and go to our PC.
Step #2. Installing MAC OS X on PC
To install MAC OS X in the motherboard BIOS, you need to change some parameters (depending on the board, its manufacturer and BIOS type). In our case, with the Asus H81T R2 motherboard, for successful installation, you only need to change one thing. To launch the BIOS, while the computer is booting, press and hold DEL:- Boot / Secure Boot Menu / OS Type - Other OS
- Ai Tweaker / CPU Core Voltage / Offset Mode - 0.12v
- Monitor / CPU Fan Control / CPU Fan Profile - Manual
- CPU Upper Temp - 75
- CPU Fan Max Duty Cycle – 60
- Advanced / System Agent Configuration / Graphics Configuration / IGP Flat Panel – Disabled
- Boot / Wait For F1 If Error – Disabled
Let's call it “SYSTEM” so that there is no confusion in the future:
Further installation of MAC OS X is no different from installation on MAC computers:
After installation, the system will restart the computer. And there is one important point here. Since the EFI and SMC emulator are not yet installed on the system disk, after rebooting we must boot from the flash drive again. To do this, while the computer is booting, you need to press and hold F8. In the menu that appears, select “UEFI: USB USB Hard Drive (14900MB)” and press Enter. Now we can already see 2 loading options. From the system disk “SYSTEM”, or from the bootable flash drive “INSTALL”. We need "SYSTEM":
After loading MAC OS from the system disk, we are taken to the El Capitan desktop:
Step #3. Post installation
Now you need to install emulators for the EFI bootloader, SMC chip and drivers for the sound and network cards. To do this, you need to run the “MultiBeast” post-installer from the flash drive and select the audio driver:
SMC chip emulator (required) and system monitoring program and its plugins (optional):
Network card driver:
EFI bootloader-emulator Clover UEFI:
Select the installation path: drive “SYSTEM” and click Install:
After successfully installing the bootloader and drivers, you can remove the flash drive and restart the computer from the system disk. If your system has a processor with an Intel HD 4600 graphics core, then you do not need to do any further manipulations. This kernel works out of the box. But I specifically chose a processor with an HD 4400 graphics core to show how easily you can run equipment similar to that used in Apple computers on a Hackintosh. This applies not only to Intel graphics, but also to Wi-Fi adapters and Nvidia/AMD graphics cards. For this we need the “Clover Configurator” program. You can download its latest version.
All you need to do to run hardware acceleration on the IGP HD 4400 is to let the system know that the driver that is designed for Intel graphics adapters can work with it. To do this, run “Clover Configurator” and open the hidden EFI partition on the system disk:
In the two necessary sections, enter the parameters as in the pictures:
Graphics/Inject Intel: true
Graphics/ig-platform-id: 0x0d220003
Devices/FakeID/IntelGFX: 0x04128086
Then you need to download and copy the files:
FakePCIID.kext FakePCIID_Intel_HD_Graphics.kext
V EFI/CLOVER/kexts/10.11
Reboot
As you can see, the modern method of installing MAC OS X on compatible hardware often takes less time and effort than installing Windows, its drivers and updates. Also, deep knowledge of command line management is not required, as was the case just a few years ago. With the installation method discussed, there is no need to modify system files. The system is completely safe to update to the next versions as part of cumulative updates.
As a result, we got a fast and stable system for a very reasonable price. Almost everything started up. Sound and network card, WI-FI, native power/processor frequency management, sleep/deep sleep mode, AirDrop, wake on WI-FI, USB 2.0 and 3.0, DVI and HDMI outputs. The system works quite comfortably with DSLR FULL HD Video in Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, as well as with RAW images in the graphic editors Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
In terms of operating speed, we slightly overtook the fastest current Mac Mini with an Intel Core i7-4578U processor, and if you install a Core i5-4590S processor, you can assemble a small and angry monster that can successfully compete with the latest iMac models.
Step #4 (Optional). Improvements
Trim Commands for Your SSDBy default, in MAC OS X, support for Trim commands is enabled only for Apple's own SSD drives. But fortunately, they left the option to enable this functionality for third-party drives. To do this, enter the command in the terminal: “ sudo trimforce enable” Enter the administrator password and press “ twice” Y" After this, the computer will automatically restart.
If you have other ideas for improvements, I will be happy to add them to the manual.
Join our group
There are many stereotypes. For example, "Apple users belong to an elite group who value appearance over functionality" and "Macs cost more than x86 Windows PCs and deliver less for the same price." But times are changing, and today Apple computers are assembled on x86 microprocessors and based on Intel chips. Thanks to the integrated Bootcamp utility, users can install not only Mac OS X, but also Windows - an option that x86 PCs do not have. From this point of view, you get two computers in one. But there is a cheaper option: instead of buying an Apple dual boot, you can build your Mac using common components. Understandably, the installation will be more fiddly than on a “real” Mac and will take more time. In addition, no one guarantees that all functions will work on a “self-assembled” Mac; we will pay attention to this in our article.
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Installing patched Mac OS X takes about 20 minutes. Click on the picture to enlarge.
Hackers have been working on building their own Macs since OS X first came out for Intel processors. The goal is to create an affordable platform that is easy to install and provides good performance. What we should end up with is a Mac (PC based) that can boot Mac OS X and Windows XP/Vista; a platform that unites two worlds. Such a computer will allow the user to plunge into the world of Mac, and, if necessary, switch to installing Windows.
The problem is that Apple doesn't offer an official version of Mac OS X for regular PCs (at least not yet), so experienced hackers have created their own modified versions that are constantly updated and improved. Moreover, enthusiasm for the Apple operating system is visible not only in the forums; even ardent Microsoft fans are interested in looking at the user-friendly and stable Mac OS. The software is now available for Power PC and Intel platforms, and even older PPC applications can run on Intel systems thanks to the built-in Rosetta real-time emulator.
This article is intended to inspire our readers. It will help you independently conduct an experiment on assembling a platform based on ordinary components on which Mac OS X will run. The components themselves are inexpensive, so you won’t spend a large budget. As a result of our experiment, we were able to obtain a Mac with 2D graphics capable of handling office and multimedia applications. Gamers will have the option to install a more powerful 3D card and boot into Windows for additional 3D performance. Many people will probably want to get a system that can boot into both Windows and Mac OS.
We met with a hacker who is part of the OSX86 community.
Apple sells its version of the operating system (Mac OS X 10.5 - Leopard) for 129 euros in the online store. We met with a well-known hacker from the OSX86 community who showed several tricks to make the installation process easier. We started with the official and legally purchased version of the Mac OS X operating system, which our friend installed on a regular PC using a number of utilities. In the end, all components of PC and Mac computers are identical; the only significant difference can be considered the special BIOS for Mac ( EFI - Extensible Firmware Interface). On Intel Macs, Apple's own boot loader and drivers for the HFS+ file system are baked directly into the EFI-BIOS, preventing the console or command line from launching.
Today on the Internet you can find various DVD images created by such hackers like JaS, Uphuck or ToH. They have helped fuel interest in a modified version of OS X, ironically called Hackintosh, whose kernel and boot loader run on regular PCs.
Of course, the case is not the most beautiful, but the system can boot into both Mac OS X and Windows XP. Click on the picture to enlarge.
According to the information we have, the market has been ready for some time for Apple to open up its OS to a wider audience. This is hardly surprising. In the end, we have a very mature and stable OS. Apple gained attention thanks to two revolutionary steps, namely: moving the entire line to Intel processors, as well as the ability to dual boot into Windows through the Bootcamp utility. This happened in 2005, but the community's enthusiasm shows no sign of fading.
In the end, it's not the performance of the hardware we chose that makes this project so fascinating. In fact, the main reason is the low price, which allows you to build a very affordable Mac system. If you find this project interesting and plan to assemble a Macintosh with your own hands, then you should select components in such a way that they work well under both Windows and Mac OS X.
Official installation DVDs for Mac OS X. Version 10.4.8, known as Tiger.
Choosing the right components
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The basis for a self-assembled Mac is a mini-ATX case. Click on the picture to enlarge.
The configuration we offer in this article is just an example to show how you can build a Mac using inexpensive, off-the-shelf components. If you would like to discuss which components would be best suited, please contact relevant forum .
In our experience, motherboards based on Intel 965P or 975X chipsets are best suited for such a project. The newer Intel P35 chipset (with ICH 9 southbridge) also works, although not in all configurations. In most cases, any problems you may encounter will appear when you install a corrected copy of the installation DVD; the installation program will simply crash. Therefore, it may take a little patience before you find the right combination of components and BIOS settings. If you want to prevent possible problems, then choose a motherboard Intel D975XBX or its successor D975XBX2. These two models presented the least amount of problems when installing Mac OS X, regardless of the image we used. We also got good results with the motherboard Foxconn G9657MC, which became the basis for the system in our article. But do not forget to disable integrated graphics before installation.
Then we decided to choose processor that will run in our self-assembled Mac. We tested several Intel processors, from the aging Pentium D 805 and Pentium EE 840 to the modern Core 2 line. In the end, we chose the affordable Core 2 Duo E6750, which provides plenty of power at stock clock speeds and overclocks well. You can find more information about CPU overclocking in our article " Intel Core2 E6750 and Q6600: overclocking duel"The two motherboards we mentioned turned out to be very picky when it comes to choosing a processor. We often had to do a hard reset of the BIOS settings, including removing the CMOS battery, in order for the boards to pass POST. However, this behavior does not seem unusual to us, we have already encountered this in previous tests.
Video card also plays an important role. Modified versions of OS X provide basic driver support for older ATI and nVidia video cards. For our experiment, we took ATI X1600 and X1650 video cards, choosing support for the X1000 line driver during installation. The X1950 graphics card should also perform well, since Apple sells it as an upgrade for Mac Pro systems. However, there may be problems with the new cards, since Apple OS X does not have the same gaming support as Windows with the DirectX API. However, new nVidia models from the GeForce 8800 line should be better supported. However, again, how many games are there for OS X that can load the video card to the maximum?
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There is not much space inside the mini-ATX case to install the motherboard. Click on the picture to enlarge.
If you want to watch digital TV under OS X, that is good news. Terratec's line of USB tuners, such as the Cinergy T2, work flawlessly with the help of the program Elgato eyeTV. Terratec even offers official drivers for Mac OS X that can be installed in seconds.
We recommend using SATA components only, even if some OS X images, like JaS, promise IDE support. Additionally, if you plan to create a dual-boot system, as we did, you should install at least two separate hard drives - one for Windows, the other for Mac OS X. The third hard drive can be used to store common storage between the two operating systems. documents, as long as you format it to the correct file system, of course. Windows XP and Mac OS X (in version v10.4 "Tiger") can read and write to FAT32 partitions, which speaks in favor of this file system. NTFS, on the other hand, is read-only under OS X. In addition, SATA components reduce the clutter of cables inside the case, which is important since we used a rather cramped micro-ATX case.
Below is a detailed list of components that we used for our experiment.
| Hardware configuration of a self-assembled Mac | |
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Duo E6750, standard Intel cooler (overclocking possible) |
| Memory | DDR2-800, 2 GB, Crucial |
| Video card | ATI X1650 Pro, 256 MB, PCI Express |
| Frame | Inexpensive Barebone Asus V3-P5G965, Mini-ATX form factor |
| Motherboard | Foxconn G9657MC |
| HDD | 2 x Samsung 250 GB |
| Optical drive | DVD Writer Samsung SH-S203N |
| Fans | 80/100 mm Papst |
| Thermal paste | Liquid Pro |
| OS | Mac OS X (10.4.8) licensed |
What is the cost of our Mac based on the components listed? About 700 euros. But it’s worth noting that we conducted a number of tests on Intel D975XBX and D975XNX2 motherboards, which are ideal for a self-assembled Mac, but they were not included in a mini-ATX case. These boards can be found for around 170 euros.
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Our barebone case came with a power supply installed. Click on the picture to enlarge.
Thermal paste with metal particles provides good thermal conductivity.
Assembly of components
If you've made it this far, chances are you've built at least one computer and don't need step-by-step instructions. Therefore, we will talk about the assembly only in general. If you choose a mini-ATX case, it is important to first mount key components such as the processor, cooler, memory, hard drive and video card, and only then install the motherboard into the case. Since our goal was to build a system for office applications and graphics editing tasks, and not for 3D games, a video card with passive cooling was enough for us. We chose the ATI X1650 Pro video card with a PCI-Express interface. If you plan to overclock the processor, we recommend replacing the stock Intel cooler with the Zalman CNPS9700 LED model. Since there is very little space inside a mini-ATX case, we recommend that you be careful with your wiring.
Socket 775 for all Core 2 processors (except Penryn). Click on the picture to enlarge.
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For our purposes, a standard Intel cooler was quite sufficient. Click on the picture to enlarge.
Due to the fact that the CPU and video card have relatively low heat generation, the air flow inside the case is quite low. We chose a 100mm fan for the front of the case and another 100mm or 88mm fan blows air out from the back. We have added support for memory cards by installing a "card reader". We chose the model for the 5.35" bay. Mac OS recognizes all media connected via USB. The remaining assembly steps are shown in our gallery.
Installing a video card - passive cooling is quite enough. Click on the picture to enlarge.
Preparing the cables and using cable ties is the first step to ensuring that the internal cable management is good and thoughtful.
2 GB of memory is enough for both OS X and Windows XP/Vista. Click on the picture to enlarge.
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View of the assembled computer. Good components are not expensive at all, but provide excellent performance. Click on the picture to enlarge.
An important step in installing Mac OS X on a PC is choosing the right DVD image that best suits both your chosen hardware and your needs. There are several variations of OSX86 images on the Internet, created by hackers such as JaS, Tubgirl, Uphuck and ToH. DVD images can be distinguished by OS X release number or cat name, such as "Tiger" for 10.4.x and "Leopard" for the newer version 10.5.x. Since the ToH Leopard image did not run flawlessly on our system, we decided to use the JaS 10.4.8 image, updating it to 10.4.9 after installation. So all our tests were done using the updated JaS image. Of course, you can install the ToH Leopard image, but we recommend holding off on this decision for now. Fortunately, new updates appear almost every day, improving both the installation procedure, component support, and overall stability.
We start installing the patched Mac OS on our self-assembled Mac.
Without going into details, the different images from Tubgirl, Uphuck and JaS differ only in hardware support and compatibility. So, your system may hang early on when installing from one distribution, although another image may work without problems. The behavior depends mainly on the chipset, in particular on the south bridge (ICH5, ICH6, ICH7 and ICH9).
After experimenting with different chipsets, motherboards, and DVD images, we can say that Intel chipset motherboards have the least problems, especially the 965P or 975X. On the other hand, you may encounter serious problems if you try to integrate RAID arrays that are partitioned and formatted in NTFS under Windows. There is no standard approach here, since the solution depends on the version of the southbridge of your board. In the most severe cases, we simply installed a blank hard drive and reinstalled both operating systems (Windows and OS X).
Language selection - you can change the language at any time.
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The first screen of the Mac OS X installer. Click on the image to enlarge.
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Important: select the target hard drive in the installation program. Click on the picture to enlarge.
When the installation process begins, the program will prompt you to select a disk to install OS X. If you do not have a ready-made partitioned disk, the easiest way is to go to the menu, select Disk Utility and partition the disk as you require. For our experiment, we recommend a separate hard drive.
Some Mac OS X images will only work when AHCI is enabled, others will only work when AHCI is disabled.
Installing drivers for video card, network and sound
Disk partitioning for Mac OS X. Click on the image to enlarge.
If any components do not work after installation is complete, then they are not supported by the selected DVD image. But you shouldn't despair. Many companies have begun to offer drivers for Mac OS X, which can be installed directly or integrated through patches, and these can already be found in the relevant forums. In particular, you should take care of searching for drivers for sound and network/WiFi cards. Again, motherboards with Intel chipsets (965p or 975X) and Intel network adapters (82573L/82573E) will most likely work right away, you won’t have to look for drivers. In our tests, motherboards with integrated Intel LAN chips performed flawlessly. On the other hand, Realtek network and sound chips are not supported by most OS X images, so you will have to look for drivers for your version. If your WiFi card is based on a Ralink chip, then you're in luck, as the company offers drivers for Mac OS X on its website.
1-Gbps Ethernet under OSX on Intel 975XBX2. Click on the picture to enlarge.
Software Updates: Beware of OS Kernel Patches
Our experimental OS X system is different from a traditional OS X installation on an Intel Mac, so you should be wary of OS kernel updates obtained through the Software Update utility. This utility lists available updates for your platform, including new versions of Quicktime and iTunes, even firmware updates, etc. In some cases, the utility updates the operating system itself, which will damage the installation of our experimental system. However, most updates need to be installed, as they improve the stability and security of the OS. However, find and use a version that has been patched to fit your DVD image. All other applications can be updated via network/internet without any problem.
Beware: Kernel upgrade from 10.4.8 to 10.4.10.
Searching for updates.
Very user friendly: change the interface language and keyboard layout. Click on the picture to enlarge.
A boot manager, such as Boot iT, allows you to select the OS to boot. Click on the picture to enlarge.
With Mac OS X 10.4, Apple gives users the ability to install Windows XP or even Vista on a Mac using the Bootcamp utility. If you are using a patched version of Mac OS, this option is not available. Therefore, another solution needs to be found.
The easiest way is to change the boot sequence of hard drives in the BIOS so that the OS boots from the Windows hard drive first. Then, when Windows starts to boot, press F8 to select the operating system you want to boot.
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Selecting the boot priority from disks in the BIOS, but the boot manager is simpler and more convenient. Click on the picture to enlarge.
But there are many programs that allow you to switch boot between OS installed on your computer. For example, you can take the Boot iT boot manager, which worked very well during our experiment.
Ready for the transition? Mac Software
Minimal but modern: Office:mac 2004 on OS X.
So, the operating system is installed and working stably. What's next? Since our goal was to create an office Mac, we needed utilities and applications. Apple's own browser, Safari, comes pre-installed on Mac OS X, but Firefox and Opera are available for the Mac platform. Microsoft Office has become the de facto standard office suite in the corporate world, and the good news is that it is also available for Mac. We installed the version Office:mac 2004 for Mac and felt right at home. However, as far as we know, some users have encountered problems transferring files from Outlook to its Mac counterpart Entourage. That's set to change with Office:mac 2008, due out early next year and similar in functionality to Office 2007 on Windows.
If you work a lot with graphics and photographs, then you will probably be pleased that the Mac platform includes all the well-known Adobe applications, such as Photoshop and InDesign. For Mac there are many applications for video editing and animation, you can choose between your own application Apple Final Cut Studio / Final Cut Express and Adobe Premiere Pro.
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Still looks fresh: Office:mac 2004 running Mac OS 10.4.8. Office:mac 2008 already requires 10.4.9 (Leopard). Click on the picture to enlarge.
But for working with files, for example, there are much fewer utilities. In particular, Total Command (formerly Windows Commander), a popular program among many users, is not available on Mac. The closest thing we found in terms of functionality is this program Disk Order 2.5.1. At least Disk Order is capable of reading Windows NTFS partitions. Cyberduck FTP client is also a useful program, it can even open an SFTP connection with an iPhone, which we just indicated in the article dedicated to iPhone unlocking .
Apple has decided to make Quicktime Player the default OS X media player, along with iTunes, of course. If you need a more flexible player, then look towards the well-known VLC player. Utility Flip4Mac, officially recommended by Microsoft, allows you to play WMV files. Finally, DivX codec along with the DivX player are also available for Mac, so you can enjoy HD video in resolutions up to 1,920 x 1,080 on a self-built Mac.
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View DivX video in high resolution under Mac OS X 10.4.8. Click on the picture to enlarge.
Conclusion: The self-assembled Mac brings two worlds together
We ran tests using an overclocked Pentium D: 3.81 GHz under Mac OSX.
Until recently, the Mac was a closed hardware platform that was virtually impossible to change or upgrade. Yes, you could safely forget about the upgrade, unless, of course, you consider increasing RAM a serious upgrade. But when the Apple product line switched to Intel components, the difference from a regular PC was practically erased. Only a special BIOS (EFI), which includes its own boot loader and file system driver (HFS+), distinguishes a regular PC from a Mac and does not allow installing Apple OS 10.4 (Tiger) or 10.5 (Leopard) on regular home PCs.
Hackers belonging to the OSX86 community have been releasing so-called DVD images for some time now, which allow the installation of a patched version of OS X on regular PCs. One of these hackers visited our laboratory and showed the entire process of hacking the OS X operating system from beginning to end. We want to emphasize that our self-assembled Mac with selected and tested components is for experimental and educational purposes only. However, do not forget that to assemble such a project you will need patience and some effort. Our configuration is just one example and is intended to inspire enthusiasts to try a similar experiment again.
It must be said that we are completely satisfied with the results. We achieved our goal of dual booting Windows XP or Vista on the same computer as Mac OS X, each on its own hard drive, of course. If you look at our modest configuration, you can find many ways to update and strengthen it. We wanted to create a hybrid system for working with graphics and photos, as well as for office applications at an affordable price. But this is not a quick and easy solution for those who want to see results in five minutes. Together with a legal copy of Mac OS X, our project cost less than 700 euros.
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Mac OS 10.4.9 user interface on our custom Mac. Click on the picture to enlarge.
Apple is trying to increase the number of its devices on the market, winning over broad masses of consumers. This is evident in the number of iPods and iPhones sold each quarter. The same is true for Apple Mac computers. Since Apple switched to Intel components and also allowed users to boot into Windows, Mac sales have skyrocketed. In any case, Apple's mature and stable operating system, now available in the latest version 10.5 "Leopard", is only available for Apple computers, such as the Macbook (laptop) or iMac and Mac Pro (desktop PCs). So the company's growth strategy doesn't seem to mesh well with its market expansion efforts.
The situation may change as soon as Apple wants to enter the market and compete fairly, that is, without relying on a specially modified hardware platform. On the other hand, other problems may arise regarding, for example, compatibility with components for the x86 platform, not to mention stable drivers. For Microsoft, such a move could mean the emergence of its first real competitor in the field of operating systems, especially since Windows Vista is not selling as well as Microsoft would like. Mac OS for personal computers (not from Apple) could be an attractive alternative, even if at first it would be limited to a small community of enthusiasts who would then popularize the new OS among ordinary users.
So will XP/Vista get a Mac OS competitor soon? In the near future, most likely not. Still, most users grew up on different versions of Windows OS, and they are unlikely to immediately want to switch. Unless, of course, Apple provides some compelling arguments for such a move.
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Our computer, of course, won’t win a design prize, but it works well. The mini-ATX case contains components that work under both Mac OS X and Windows. Click on the picture to enlarge.
Is Mac OS X, on its own, sufficient for everyday office tasks? Is it possible to do without Vista or XP? Several editors of Tom's Hardware Guide have already answered this question and switched to Mac OS. Of course, you will have to put up with a limited selection of applications, especially utilities.
For installation and further comfortable work with the MAC OS X operating system, purchasing compatible equipment is an extremely important point. This post provides more compatible hardware and additional options. This month we added an updated Intel Core processor with Haswell architecture for desktop systems and an updated 9-series motherboards. The equipment listed here is the easiest way to build a compatible PC with MAC OS X.
Motherboards for Hackintosh 9 seriesFor geeks, new motherboards from Gigabyte 9-series are listed. Socket 1150 sockets are used here. Similar to the 8 series and the same 4th generation processors are suitable Intel Core i. Still, we recommend using the 8 series of motherboards. The new 9 series has not yet been tested for compatibility.
CPU coolers
Let me remind you that all processors Socket 1150 comes with a standard cooler. I recommend installing these coolers if you decide to engage in overclocking. These coolers were chosen because they work flawlessly.
Video cards for hackintosh
One of the most important points when building a hackintosh is choosing a compatible video card. You should be guided not only by cost, but also be sure of compatibility. The video cards shown in the table are fully compatible and do not require the installation of kexts. Now you can use video cards in tandem. Note: video cards 6xx/7xx do not work in Snow Leopard.
Space video cards for hackintosh
Alternative graphics solutions NVIDIA.
RAM for Hackintosh
It is very important to choose the right RAM for your Hackintosh. I recommend at least 8GB DDR3 1600MHz 240-Pin dual-channel memory.
Hard drives for hackintosh
I recommend using a solid state drive (SSD) for your system as the system drive for maximum performance and traditional hard drives for storing your data. The listed equipment is known to work without problems.
Hard drives for data storage
The listed hard drives were chosen for their good capacity and reading speed. I do not recommend using these disks for the system. Disks may cause error boot0 and it will need to be solved somehow.
Power supplies for hackintosh
High quality power supplies.
Cases for hackintosh
When you choose, pay attention to the size. mATX or ATX.
When Apple switched to the Intel platform in 2005, enthusiasts from all over the world set out to install MAC OS X on regular PCs (Hackintosh). Four reasons stood in the way of the implementation of this idea. 2 physical and 2 legal. The fact is that to start a MAC computer, it is not the usual BIOS that is used, but its own EFI bootloader. The second reason is the SMC chip that is installed in every Mac computer. It generates activators for launching all MAC OS X system applications. Thanks to our compatriot under the nickname Netkas, we managed to bypass these two limitations by creating an EFI bootloader emulator (Chameleon, Chemera, Clover) and an SMC chip emulator (FakeSMC.kext). These two software solutions are enough to install MAC OS on a PC.
SpoilerTarget"> Spoiler: Full instructions in pictures
After downloading, drag them to your desktop.
After the El Capitan distribution has been downloaded from the AppleStore, you need to run “UniBeast” and select the installation flash drive:
Select the operating system for future installation:
Select boot method - UEFI:
Make sure the selected parameters are correct and click Continue:
The process of transferring the distribution to the flash drive will begin:
After successfully creating a bootable USB flash drive, you need to copy the previously downloaded “MultiBeast” to it:
The bootable USB flash drive is ready. We extract it from the MAC computer and go to our PC.
Step #2. Installing MAC OS X on PC
To install MAC OS X in the motherboard BIOS, you need to change some parameters (depending on the board, its manufacturer and BIOS type). In our case, with the Asus H81T R2 motherboard, for successful installation, you only need to change one thing. To launch the BIOS, while the computer is booting, press and hold DEL:
Boot / Secure Boot Menu / OS Type - Other OS
This option allows you to boot operating systems other than Microsoft Windows in UEFI mode. But based on my experience using these motherboards, I would like to add some optimizations. Firstly, these are advanced processor power management capabilities. This will significantly reduce heat generation, and therefore the noise level at maximum loads, which is quite important in compact systems. For our ward Core i3-4170, the optimal settings will be:
Ai Tweaker / CPU Core Voltage / Offset Mode - 0.12v
Monitor / CPU Fan Control / CPU Fan Profile - Manual
CPU Upper Temp - 75
CPU Fan Max Duty Cycle – 60
After this setting, the heat dissipation of the processor is reduced and the cooling fan becomes much quieter. And at maximum loads, saving electricity from the outlet will be about 15W. You can also disable unnecessary functions:
Advanced / System Agent Configuration / Graphics Configuration / IGP Flat Panel – Disabled
Boot / Wait For F1 If Error – Disabled
After saving the BIOS settings, it’s time to connect a bootable USB flash drive to the USB.3 port and boot from it. To do this, while the computer is booting, you need to press and hold F8. In the menu that appears, select “UEFI: USB USB Hard Drive (14900MB)” and press Enter. The download from the flash drive will begin. After selecting the operating system language, you need to select Utilities - Disk Utility in the upper left corner and prepare the installation disk:
Let's call it “SYSTEM” so that there is no confusion in the future:
Further installation of MAC OS X is no different from installation on MAC computers:
After installation, the system will restart the computer. And there is one important point here. Since the EFI and SMC emulator are not yet installed on the system disk, after rebooting we must boot from the flash drive again. To do this, press and hold F8 while your computer is booting. In the menu that appears, select “UEFI: USB USB Hard Drive (14900MB)” and press Enter. Now we can already see 2 loading options. From the system disk “SYSTEM”, or from the bootable flash drive “INSTALL”. We need "SYSTEM":
After loading MAC OS from the system disk, we are taken to the El Capitan desktop:
Step #3. Post installation
Now you need to install emulators for the EFI bootloader, SMC chip and drivers for the sound and network cards. To do this, you need to run the “MultiBeast” post-installer from the flash drive and select the audio driver:
SMC chip emulator (required) and system monitoring program and its plugins:
Network card driver:
EFI bootloader-emulator Clover UEFI:
Select the installation path: drive “SYSTEM” and click Install:
After successfully installing the bootloader and drivers, you can remove the flash drive and restart the computer from the system disk. If your system has a processor with an Intel HD 4600 graphics core, then you do not need to do any further manipulations. This kernel works out of the box. But I specifically chose a processor with an HD 4400 graphics core to show how easily you can run equipment similar to that used in Apple computers on a Hackintosh. This applies not only to Intel graphics, but also to Wi-Fi adapters and Nvidia/AMD graphics cards. For this we need the “Clover Configurator” program. You can download its latest version.
All you need to do to run hardware acceleration on the IGP HD 4400 is to let the system know that the driver that is designed for Intel graphics adapters can work with it. To do this, run “Clover Configurator” and open the hidden EFI partition on the system disk:
Next, in “Clover Configurator” open the system boot configuration file “Config.plist”:
In the two necessary sections, enter the parameters as in the pictures:
Graphics/Inject Intel: true
Graphics/ig-platform-id: 0x0d220003
Devices/FakeID/IntelGFX: 0x04128086
Then you need to download and copy the files:
FakePCIID.kext FakePCIID_Intel_HD_Graphics.kext
in EFI/CLOVER/kexts/10.11
Reboot
As you can see, the modern method of installing MAC OS X on compatible hardware often takes less time and effort than installing Windows, its drivers and updates. Also, deep knowledge of command line management is not required, as was the case just a few years ago. With the installation method discussed, there is no need to modify system files. The system is completely safe to update to the next versions as part of cumulative updates.
As a result, we got a fast and stable system for a very reasonable price. Almost everything started up. Sound and network card, WI-FI, native power/processor frequency management, sleep/deep sleep mode, AirDrop, wake on WI-FI, USB 2.0 and 3.0, DVI and HDMI outputs. The system works quite comfortably with DSLR FULL HD Video in Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, as well as with RAW images in the graphic editors Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
In terms of operating speed, we slightly overtook the fastest current Mac Mini with an Intel Core i7-4578U processor, and if you install a Core i5-4590S processor, you can assemble a small and angry monster that can successfully compete with the latest iMac models.
Step #4 (Optional).
Trim Commands for Your SSD
By default, in MAC OS X, support for Trim commands is enabled only for Apple's own SSD drives. But fortunately, they left the option to enable this functionality for third-party drives. To do this, enter the command in the terminal: “sudo trimforce enable” Enter the administrator password and press “Y” twice. After this, the computer will automatically restart.
PS Venza: Taken somewhere on the Internet.
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