Hack runs Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard on non-Apple PC

“Preface: In no way do we condone or recommend trying out this hack, as it breaks the Mac OS X EULA,” Justin Berka reports for Ars Technica.

“Ever since Apple’s transition to Intel processors, a small contingent of users has been calling for the ability to run OS X on non-Apple Intel and AMD hardware. Apple hasn’t bowed to such a request just yet, and probably never will. Of course, Apple’s refusal hasn’t stopped some enterprising hackers from getting OS X running on non-Apple hardware, despite the fact that such use is illegal according to the EULA. Recently, hackers have taken things even further, and have been able to get Leopard running on non-Apple hardware alongside Windows Vista. It’s a neat trick, but the complicated process and illegality will probably confine this hack to the most die-hard OS X-on-x86 fanatics,” Berka reports.

Full article here.

MacDailyNews Note: Apple Inc.’s Software License Agreement for Mac OS X (10.4 Tiger) states, “This License allows you to install and use one copy of the Apple Software on a single Apple-labeled computer at a time.”

67 Comments

  1. Now, I saw a guy at a Starbucks in New York last week with TWO Apple stickers on the lid of his Dell laptop. He was probably trying to cut down on the SHAME of owning a Dell and being surrounded by MacBooks, PowerBooks and iBooks and MacBook Pros (literally).

    So do Apple stickers on your DOSBox™ allow you to install and run a crippled version of Mac OS X on crippled hardware?

  2. Wait, just a second! Mr. Reeee is onto something here (if MDN’s take is accurate)!

    The EULA says Apple-labelled computer. If you stick an Apple label (as in those big white Apple stickers you get when you buy an Apple product), you can legally defend yourself by saying it is in fact a computer with an Apple label, hence Apple-labeled.

    Of course, there is still that issue of hacking the OS disc in order to install this on hardware that wasn’t manufactured by Apple…

  3. Haha, the stickers! I had one on my old Toshiba laptop, before I got my Mac. Two of my friends said my computer was a poser, and pulled the sticker off. The computer hasn’t worked since. I find it rather comical, my computer liked being a poser so much it just refused to work once it had to go back to being a plain old Toshiba Satellite. Of course it was thanks to that computer ceasing to function that I was finally able to justify getting a Mac, so maybe it was a good thing. Still funny though.

  4. Apple should be happy for the OSX86 project. it lets people try OSX on the custom made Core 2 Duo / AMD machines they have for XP/Vista. Then they go out and buy a mac because it’s an easier to maintain solution than relying on hacks.

    stop the fanboyism please. you make the mac community look bad.

  5. Just imagine all those PCs out there running a better OS… then maybe we can put all that computing power to good use and solve some of the world’s problems… starting with the demise of Microsoft Windows. We can doooo iiiit!!

  6. @ M@c, was that you the other day taking a picture of my beat up truck with the white Apple sticker? Other than the sticker, I haven’t figured out why someone was taking my picture on the interstate. It kinda freaked me out.

  7. From the article:

    And even if you were feeling frisky enough to try this at home, the process is daunting. There are 46 steps in all, comprising some illegal downloads, lots of command line work, burning, patching, and even some finger-crossing.

    46 steps?? ROTFLMAO!!

    Folks, Apple has won! The hackers are delusional! If it takes 46 steps to install OS X on a non-Apple PC, then for practical purposes, it’s impossible!

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