Hackintosh Experiences of a Hackintosher BarCamp KL ‘09

What, Why Hack ≠ hacking into servers; Hack = how to coax and coerce Mac OS X into a non-Apple box Why? Why not? Cost / Savings Testing, development Too dangerous for a real Mac My Mac is too pretty and delicate to be touched by mortals

Hack ≠ hacking into servers;

Hack = how to coax and coerce Mac OS X into a non-Apple box

Why?

Why not?

Cost / Savings

Testing, development

Too dangerous for a real Mac

My Mac is too pretty and delicate to be touched by mortals

What did I use? Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 @ 2.4GHz Gigabyte GA-G31M-S2L mainboard 2x 2GB DDR2-667 in dual channel mode Gigabyte nVidia GeForce 8500 GT 512MB graphics WD 160GB SATA HDD Generic DVD-RW/DL optical drive iATKOS 5 (10.5.5) NVkush drivers for nVidia X86 ACPI (includes PS/2 keyboard and mouse drivers) Intel SATA (AHCI) driver RealTek R1000 family drivers Azalia Audio drivers

Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 @ 2.4GHz

Gigabyte GA-G31M-S2L mainboard

2x 2GB DDR2-667 in dual channel mode

Gigabyte nVidia GeForce 8500 GT 512MB graphics

WD 160GB SATA HDD

Generic DVD-RW/DL optical drive

iATKOS 5 (10.5.5)

NVkush drivers for nVidia

X86 ACPI (includes PS/2 keyboard and mouse drivers)

Intel SATA (AHCI) driver

RealTek R1000 family drivers

Azalia Audio drivers

Same-Same… but Different? Dwindling choices Huge variety Peripherals Small subset Huge variety Chipset Intel Only - those w/ SSE3 All kinds! CPU EFI Mostly BIOS Firmware Macs PCs Feature

Different, but Same-Same Original Retail or Patched Installer? Apple USB or PS/2? Gung-Ho or Chicken Little?

Original Retail or Patched Installer?

Apple USB or PS/2?

Gung-Ho or Chicken Little?

Lotta Questions How do I know which patched disc to use? You don’t. How do I know which accessory from which manufacturer to use? You don’t. How do I know which chipset is in X? Boot into a Linux Live CD on that hardware that you are trying to install Mac OS X onto and use the boot messages to tell you what is in the machine. Is there are a surefire way to install OS X? Nope. Should I use X driver or Y driver? Who knows? Check the forums, check the HCL, and then try it and see.

How do I know which patched disc to use?

You don’t.

How do I know which accessory from which manufacturer to use?

You don’t.

How do I know which chipset is in X?

Boot into a Linux Live CD on that hardware that you are trying to install Mac OS X onto and use the boot messages to tell you what is in the machine.

Is there are a surefire way to install OS X?

Nope.

Should I use X driver or Y driver?

Who knows? Check the forums, check the HCL, and then try it and see.

A few more questions What is a kext? A Mac OS X system extension package. It is actually a folder containing a specific arrangement of files that either provide extra OS functionality, or driver files. Will System Update work? In 9/10 cases, no. To get this to work, you must make your config as close to a real Apple Mac as possible. I.e., no PS/2 drivers - use a real Apple Keyboard. Mouse not necessary, can be any USB type. X was working just fine before, but after I configured Y, it doesn’t anymore! Why? Yep, that sounds about right. Keep trying.

What is a kext?

A Mac OS X system extension package. It is actually a folder containing a specific arrangement of files that either provide extra OS functionality, or driver files.

Will System Update work?

In 9/10 cases, no. To get this to work, you must make your config as close to a real Apple Mac as possible. I.e., no PS/2 drivers - use a real Apple Keyboard. Mouse not necessary, can be any USB type.

X was working just fine before, but after I configured Y, it doesn’t anymore! Why?

Yep, that sounds about right. Keep trying.

Really Handy Things to Have Detailed hardware info about the target PC Pen and paper Another PC A real Mac A Linux Live CD or USB thumb drive A USB keyboard & mouse Even better, a real Apple USB Keyboard Norton Ghost A lot of patience. Determination. Time

Detailed hardware info about the target PC

Pen and paper

Another PC

A real Mac

A Linux Live CD or USB thumb drive

A USB keyboard & mouse

Even better, a real Apple USB Keyboard

Norton Ghost

A lot of patience.

Determination.

Time

Key Things to Remember It probably won’t be 100% functional in the 1st install. Work to solve one driver incompatibility at a time, installing kexts and reboot. Don’t try solve several things at once unless you know it will work - you’re just going to make life difficult for yourself. Be patient and persevere, you’ll get there in the end. When you fix something, it may “un-fix” something else. Do you research and try to start with hardware known to give fewer problems. Make notes of configurations that worked.

It probably won’t be 100% functional in the 1st install.

Work to solve one driver incompatibility at a time, installing kexts and reboot.

Don’t try solve several things at once unless you know it will work - you’re just going to make life difficult for yourself.

Be patient and persevere, you’ll get there in the end.

When you fix something, it may “un-fix” something else.

Do you research and try to start with hardware known to give fewer problems.

Make notes of configurations that worked.

Resources Google Osx86project.org <- HCL! Insanelymac.com <- solutions treasure trove Presenter’s Name: Jason Tay [email_address]

Google

Osx86project.org <- HCL!

Insanelymac.com <- solutions treasure trove

Presenter’s Name: Jason Tay

[email_address]