AfterDawn: News

Apple had Wired remove Hackintosh video

As some of you may know Mac OS X operating system does not actually require an Apple computer. Even though Apple tries to protect its precious OS from spreading to generic PCs, we've seen couple of how-tos and tutorials on bypassing the price tag of an Apple-branded computer.

To make it a more commonly known fact, Wired released a video tutorial on installing Mac OS X on a netbook in December. Not as a surprise to those who have heard about Apple's confrontations against a company called Psystar, Wired didn't get to spread the word for long. Apple requested the removal of the video from Wired's Gadget Lab yesterday.



The video -- and text -- tutorial features step-by-step instructions on how to download a copy of OS X Leopard from The Pirate Bay and install it into your MSI Wind netbook.

Apple didn't file a lawsuit and apparently they didn't want to do anything else about it either because Wired still hosts the text version of the hack -- including the link to TPB for OS X download. Obviously the video wasn't removed from the Internet either and you can still watch it on Gizmodo.


Written by: Matti Robinson @ 15 Jan 2009 6:59

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• 19 comments

• pensfan12

  Why would you actually buy a Mac if this is so easy to do? Apple uses the same hardware so you would get the same results.

  15.1.2009 07:40 #1

• navskin

  As mad as this may sound, apple are in the same battle with the apple cloner Psystar, but psystar found that apple had not copyrighted OS X correctly. So you are allowed to install os x on your pc and may end up losing the war to psystar so then they will have to do the support for the genric PC market. I think that apple are going to sweep this battle under the rug for now.

  15.1.2009 08:31 #2

• Matt898

  I have never really had any exp with any of the Mac OS. I always kind of got the impression that there was not as much software available for them as there was Windows. Is it any good ? Maybe this will be a good time for me to check it out.

  15.1.2009 09:15 #3

• Moomoo2

  With the plummeting respect for newer versions of Windows, (ie Vister and se7en,) could now be a time when Mac OS could be taken off of the Mac Hardware and simply be a viable operating system option? Or is MacOS still too much of a niche product for the masses to adopt, despite the fact that it has a more gradual learning curve than Windows and is overall much simply for the non-computer savy?

  15.1.2009 12:13 #4

• Hunt720

  Hmm..
  
  I wonder if I could install it on my PS3 somehow?
  
  .. or if it would even be worth it. :p

  15.1.2009 16:15 #5

• mickK

  heh installing mac OSX on your PC is possible but it is not as easy as it looks. if your building a new PC then you can search on the net for what hardware it will accept. if your trying to use it on an existing PC then you will run into tons of hardware compatibility problems. personally i was able to get mac OSX installed in a virtual machine on vmware and was able to play around with it but in the end I didn't like it compared to windows. who knows maybe because with the virtual machine you can't get any of the eye candy graphics.

  15.1.2009 17:21 #6

• 21Q

  I don't understand why this is big news. Haven't we've always been able to do this on any pc?
  

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  15.1.2009 18:20 #7

• ZippyDSM

  Apple os has always been about proper hardware to run a solid OS, dis the GUI all you want it was stable.
  
  Now we have it trying and not trying to become a generic OS..... heres a thought...why not make a generic OS version and keep offering the Solid OS version?

  15.1.2009 21:01 #8

• Burnasty

  If you like mac osx, alot of the eye candy came from the unix community. Try ubuntu, you can add all of the features of mac osx.

  15.1.2009 22:12 #9

• BTFan

  What a coincidence, I'm using a "Hackintosh" right now, on a 320$ Acer Aspire T180 PC with:
  
  AMD Athlon 64 3800+
  2GB DDR2
  160GB SATA
  Nvidia GeForce 6150SE
  
  Everything works, including ethernet, USB & firewire ports, DVD+/-RW drive etc. except for the graphics card. I could use everything as usual except for iMovie, Cover Flow in iTunes and Photo Booth, because of the graphics.
  
  Still though, it's REALLY worth it instead of paying minimum 600$ for a crappy Mac Mini with no display, keyboard and mouse (BYODKM).

  15.1.2009 22:55 #10

• xnonsuchx

  Originally posted by Hunt720: Hmm..
  
  I wonder if I could install it on my PS3 somehow?
  
  .. or if it would even be worth it. :pI think Mac OS X (while still PowerPC-compatible) running on 256MB RAM and no video acceleration would be too limiting and annoying to be useful. MacOS 9 might be more realistic, but currently only Linux exists for PS3 as a computer OS.

  16.1.2009 03:39 #11

• SProdigy

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: Apple os has always been about proper hardware to run a solid OS, dis the GUI all you want it was stable.
  
  Now we have it trying and not trying to become a generic OS..... heres a thought...why not make a generic OS version and keep offering the Solid OS version?They won't do it because of the hardware support from vendors, or they would have to open up their kernel. Apple is satisfied with being "stable" (because they support only their hardware) so they can claim superiority in the "I'm a Mac" commercials.
  
  Okay, so OSX is good for the internet users and for keeping your collection of music and photos, but outside of basic use or the high end design industry, good luck finding apps for your needs.
  
  As for Windows, the 7 Beta appears to be on the right track and will make Vista a distant memory.
  
  For all of the "Mac vs. PC" bickering, I'm tired of hearing it. They are both dependent on one another and must coexist. MS is the oldest and largest 3rd party software provider on the Mac platform. Likewise, where would the iPod and iTunes be without PC's?

  16.1.2009 08:48 #12

• ZippyDSM

  Quote:Originally posted by ZippyDSM: Apple os has always been about proper hardware to run a solid OS, dis the GUI all you want it was stable.
  
  Now we have it trying and not trying to become a generic OS..... heres a thought...why not make a generic OS version and keep offering the Solid OS version?They won't do it because of the hardware support from vendors, or they would have to open up their kernel. Apple is satisfied with being "stable" (because they support only their hardware) so they can claim superiority in the "I'm a Mac" commercials.
  
  Okay, so OSX is good for the internet users and for keeping your collection of music and photos, but outside of basic use or the high end design industry, good luck finding apps for your needs.
  
  As for Windows, the 7 Beta appears to be on the right track and will make Vista a distant memory.
  
  For all of the "Mac vs. PC" bickering, I'm tired of hearing it. They are both dependent on one another and must coexist. MS is the oldest and largest 3rd party software provider on the Mac platform. Likewise, where would the iPod and iTunes be without PC's?They don't have to have vendor support as just opening it up for PC hardware and selling it as such will generate revenue all by itself.
  
  By constricting a revenue stream to much you make less money, if you allow a small alternative stream to flow from it you make moeny from nothing with little to no consequence.

  16.1.2009 08:55 #13

• SProdigy

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: They don't have to have vendor support as just opening it up for PC hardware and selling it as such will generate revenue all by itself.
  
  By constricting a revenue stream to much you make less money, if you allow a small alternative stream to flow from it you make moeny from nothing with little to no consequence.I wasn't clear enough. The reason MS gets so much flack is because of companies like Nvidia, who had intolerable driver issues with the Vista launch.
  
  That's just an example of what might happen should Apple "open up" OSX for currently "uncertified" PC hardware. They don't want to risk their "stability" (read: monopoly on hardware and "no errors/bsod" marketing ploys) by doing so.

  16.1.2009 12:03 #14

• RusSnajp

  hah lol , thanks for spreading it even more. omg

  16.1.2009 21:10 #15

• jlrm365

  I don't often comment on news stories, but this story deserves a comment. I consider myself a fairly educated computer user, but had not considered ever doing this. As a result, I did not know it was possible. Now, because of this article (which is because of the noise that Apple is making), I do.
  
  When are big companies ever going to learn? The louder one protests, the more people are going to hear about it. Some people might have installed OSX on a PC, but you can be sure that a LOT more will now try it - if only out of curiosity.

  17.1.2009 06:34 #16

• jfpolo

  It is really interesting to read what people without real knowledge could write, if you choose well the hardware you can get a really well working Hackintosh where everything play as intended; also the misconception about the lack of software for the Mac, the only lagging parts I found are gaming and the decryption of dvd's, not that the platform don't have that kind of software, but is really lacking the depth found in the Windows platform, but in contrast, you don't have to worry about viruses and malware ( at least not yet ) and the degradation suffered by windows OS use. If you people want more detailed information, a good start point is the InsanelyMac website. ( This comment was wrote in a Hackintosh with Leopard 10.5.5 and an Asus P5K-VM mobo with a dual core E7200 and 3GB of ram who works as good as any Mac )

  17.1.2009 22:30 #17

• BTFan

  Originally posted by jlrm365: I don't often comment on news stories, but this story deserves a comment. I consider myself a fairly educated computer user, but had not considered ever doing this. As a result, I did not know it was possible. Now, because of this article (which is because of the noise that Apple is making), I do.
  
  When are big companies ever going to learn? The louder one protests, the more people are going to hear about it. Some people might have installed OSX on a PC, but you can be sure that a LOT more will now try it - if only out of curiosity.If you just figured this out now, I'm sorry but you lived under a rock under the computer world.

  17.1.2009 22:34 #18

• tdhelder

  What is amazing to me is if Microcrap did something like this we would be screaming for their corporate backsides. Can you repeat after me "Monopolistic Practices." I hate Microsoft, and used Mac's for years, just ask Lisa, but then they just turned into Microsoft Mini. Add to that Job's finding religion, come on, rejecting a dictionary app because you can look up a dirty word. Next thing you know he will be remotely turning off our tv's because of some wardrobe malfunction during a half time show. So as for me, I am moving over to Ubuntu, I am currently on my last XP system, everything else is Ubuntu or Memeo.

  17.8.2009 02:37 #19