How to Build Your Own Hackintosh
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OS X is out there. You’ve seen it in coffee shops, on TV, in the laps of hipsters at the local taqueria. There‘s no shame in wondering what all the fuss is about. Hell, it’s healthy to mix it up a little bit. If only the idea of sending Steve Jobs and the rest of Apple, Inc. thousands of your hard-earned dollars didn’t send you into a cold sweat that only a game of Left4Dead can cure. Still, OS X is the subject of many glowing reviews. Even hardcore PC users are singing its praises. If you have the itch to try out OS X, but you’re not down with shelling out the cash for a new Mac, we have one word for you: Hackintosh.
When Apple announced the move to Intel processors for its computer lineup, the search was on for a practical way to install OS X on non-Apple hardware. Over the years, the best way to achieve this feat was to patch a retail version of the OS X install from Apple. Users would scour the Internet for the patches—always hoping that what they downloaded was indeed the correct patch, and not some virus or trojan horse ready to wreck havoc on their PCs.
But these days the quest for OS X needn’t be so perilous. Read on to see how an inventive little USB device can let you easily dual boot OS X on non-Apple hardware, using a legitimate copy of OS X.
The Heart of the Hackintosh
The EFI-X USB dongle ultimately makes our Hackintosh possible, but your other PC components matter as well
EFI-X USB Dongle
The EFI-X dongle ($235, http://efixna.com) is the Hackintosh builder’s dream. The device, which plugs into a motherboard’s USB port, works by creating a full EFI environment inside a tiny USB microcomputer. EFI, or Extensible Firmware Interface, was created by Intel to replace the aging BIOS on PCs. Apple’s Unix-based Macs use EFI instead of BIOS. The EFI-X gives users the ability to run EFI-based and BIOS-based operating systems on one machine.
The module contains the hardware drivers of all the equipment on its hardware list. The EFI-X bootloader screen gives you the option to pick which operating system you would like to load at startup. Once you have OS X installed on your machine, the EFI-X must be connected to your machine at all times. If you want to build two Hackintosh systems, you need to purchase two EFI-X dongles.
The EFI-X isn’t without its drawbacks. You can’t just throw any hardware in a tower and start playing with iChat and Final Cut Pro. You need to be sure you use only hardware that has pre-installed drivers on the EFI-X. EFI-X has a complete list of compatible hardware on its site; below we tell you the parts we chose.
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo
Like the current Macs on the market, the EFI-X works with Intel Core 2 processors. AMD fanboys can complain about Intel’s market share, its lack of innovation, and aggressive plots to remove all its competitors until the cows come home—it’s not going to change the fact that you can’t build a Hackintosh with an AMD CPU. In our machine we used a 2.67GHz Intel Core 2 Duo.
Motherboard: DFI P45
Because the EFI-X comes with pre-installed drivers for hardware, the list of compatible motherboards is necessarily limited. EFI-X supports Gigabyte P35, P45, and X48 chipset boards, with support for Gigabyte X58 boards reportedly coming soon. Or you can choose from one of two DFI P45 chipset motherboards. We went with DFI’s LanParty DK P45-T2RS Plus ($160 street, www.dfi.com.tw).
Videocard: GeForce 9800 GTX
To help you see all your beautiful OS X goodness on screen, ATI and Nvidia cards are supported by the EFI-X. While EFI-X supports the ATI Radeon HD 3870 and Radeon HD 2600 XT cards, ATI knows that Apple is best buds with Nvidia and cautions that ongoing support of these cards is uncertain. Compatible Nvidia cards include the 7000, 8800, and 9800 series graphic cards. We went with a two-year-old PNY XLR8 GeForce 9800 GTX ($140 street, www.nvidia.com) because it’s cheap and readily available.
Storage: Seagate 1.5TB
We initially started our project with a SATA hard drive and an IDE optical drive. The EFI-X kept hanging on the OS X install disc, so we switched over to a SATA optical drive and that solved the problem. In order to build a multi-OS machine you’ll need a SATA HDD for each OS. We installed OS X Leopard on a 1.5TB drive and Windows Vista on a 1.5TB drive. If we plan on adding another OS, we’ll have to throw another SATA drive in our rig. Partitions and Apple’s Boot Camp don’t work with the EFI-X device.
It Takes Two to Tango
Your Hackintosh will be a dual-boot machine, meaning it will run both Windows and OS X. We recommend installing whatever flavor of Windows you prefer before beginning your journey into the world of Mac. We attempted several OS install scenarios and found the path of “regular Windows install, followed by Hackintosh” yielded the best results. We installed Windows Vista in our machine, against the warning of Justin Long.
Now, even if you hate Apple, Inc. with all your heart and soul, you need to purchase a retail copy of OS X ($130, www.apple.com) for every machine you install it on. If you plan on making Macs and/or Hackintoshes a family affair, you can purchase a family pack for $200 for use on five machines. Apple doesn’t require validation codes or a call in to their HQ for verification. Please don’t abuse Apple’s trusting nature.
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aso chudi
January 14, 2012 at 11:18pm
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nandu312
June 02, 2010 at 10:42am
instead of core 2 duo, could one can have this setup in core 2 quad ? and what about i7 core processors?
P.S. will nvidia geforce 9400 GT work too ?
poira gelo
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TheViper
January 12, 2010 at 8:00am
I successfully built a Hackintosh for my daughter in college who is a Communications major for LESS money then what was quoted in this article. It all comes down to taking your time and knowing how and where to shop for your parts! (Which by the way, in case you were wondering, all the components are NEW)
Thanks MAX PC. She now can have her Video Production team over to her dorm when needed to work on projects with Final Cut instead of being subjected to 1.5 hours of time blocked off at 10:00 pm or later in a Mac lab.
aka-none
January 06, 2010 at 7:41pm
I compared my mac pro (before I bought it) dual quad xeon E5440, and it was $50 more to by the apple machine. Xeons are not free dude.
So what do I get with the apple? NO incompatibilities with cards, drivers, or software. I got tired of the few hundred I saved in building my own windows machines in exchange for always having to putz with it every-time someone came out with a driver upgrade.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
January 14, 2012 at 7:33am
Its amazing, looking at the time and effort you put into your blog and detailed information you provide. I'll bookmark your blog and visit it weekly for your new posts.
JohnMD1022
November 13, 2009 at 11:15am
It turns out to be all phony. $10 worth of hardware coupled with unauhtorized use and sale of Open Source software.
Here's the lowdown:
http://tinyurl.com/lh7mem
TheViper
November 04, 2009 at 8:05am
Has anyone built a Hackintosh using a Core 2 Quad Processor? If so, are there any "glitches" or certain things to look for on the install of the software?
cretony38
September 25, 2009 at 9:48am
and 8 gig thumb drive will work for booting from a targeted disk for this install. So if I build a Hackintosh can I run it with parrellels and boot from XP Win7 and OSX?
gendoikari1
August 22, 2009 at 12:40pm
I think you can put OSX on an AMD rig, but not with vanilla OSX. You have to download a modified installer (the only name I remember is iDeneb), and run that instead the OSX install disc. An added bonus is that the EFI-X dongle thing is not needed if you use the modified installer.
gendoikari1
August 22, 2009 at 12:46pm
And also, the Apple Tax is evident when my Alienware Aurora costs the same as a stock Mac Pro, yet manages to kick its ass (except RAM).
Mine:
Phenom II x4 925@2.8 GHz
NVidia GeForce GTX 295
750 GB HDD
4GB DDR2-800
$2500
Mac Pro:
Intel Xeon @2.66 GHz
NVidia GeForce GT 120 (I believe a GeForce 9500)
640 GB HDD
3GB DDR3-1066
$2500
boarder428
August 22, 2009 at 7:33am
These Hackintoshes are interesting, I've been thinking about building one for a while but still researching. Building your own pc is a very exciting and fun hobby in my opinion! Currently all my pc's dual boot with some version of windows and Linux. Learning multiple os's is fun and I think it's time to give Leopard a try. I was wondering what the install order would be to tri-boot W7, Leopard, and Ubuntu since installing Ubuntu changes boot loader to "Grub"! Can grub boot Leopard as well? Of course Windows is always first but which would be second in the line up Leopard or Ubuntu?
Second off, I don't quite understand the efi dongle thing, as "nate5532 - Hack Mack" states you don't need the dongle. I thought the dongle was necessary for hardware communication? If I read his post correctly he's just installing the os's on seperate HD's and choosing which drive to boot to thru the Bios?
Anybody have any Input on this?
azkoncept6
July 24, 2009 at 6:22pm
Now if only maxPC can write an article on hackintoshing a netbook... Imagine that!
fuzz_64
July 19, 2009 at 5:34pm
It's a very interesting concept but would Apple try to sue users who have OSX on a regular PC since the OS is licensed for Mac computers only?
It's kinda like how Apple is now blocking Palm Pre's from using iTunes to sync since they are not ipods.
Grim_Reaper
June 27, 2009 at 1:33pm
I have successfully installed OSX86 on various PC desktop and laptop makes, models, and configurations including Uno SSE2, SSE3 and Duo Intel processorized ones. One nice thing about converting a PC into a Hackintosh/Frankenmac is that, for equivalent hardware, the PC runs the MacOS and compatible software faster than a real Mac. Some are more OSX and Mac software compatible than others due to the motherboard and other hardware they use. Drivers are a big problem and they usually get broken with each iteration of the MacOS. When a Hackintosh/Frankenmac is running well with the desired software, it is wise to leave it alone and be happy that it does what you want with little or no problems and not update to the newest MacOS iteration. Most people aren't able to get a Hackintosh/Frankenmac working because they're consumers, not creators, and should buy a Mac, even a used one, which runs the Mac software needed such as Final Cut Express or Pro, or similar software which has no PC equivalent.
Gutter96
June 15, 2009 at 2:01pm
As an owner of an EFI-X rig. I will say this. My machine is FASTER than a Mac with similar specs, easier to upgrade than a Mac & cost WAY less than a similar equipped Mac. Apple won't "brick" these units because they don't care. They are still selling you a copy of OS X. Plus the install base for this device is for people who like to tinker with hardware, not every Tom, Dick & Harry on the block. Most people just buy an Apple Mac because they want the warm, fuzzy feeling of Justin Long's Kool-Aid going down their throats. They are either too lazy, or too stupid to learn how to use Windows properly. I currently run OS X and Vista on my EFI-X rig, and I really like being able to choose my OS without having to pay the "Mac Tax". Oh, and another thing. To they guy who said "just buy a low end Mac for $699 or a nice new Mac laptop for $999", show me where to buy a dual core, Intel Mac running Leopard with descrete graphics, 4GB RAM & a 22" LCD for that price... Just food for thought.
nekollx
June 15, 2009 at 2:06pm
or just point them further down thsi blog where i speck out a IMac and Mac Pro Tower with comparible specs and show the apple tax is nite black text.
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
Comb0Breaker
June 11, 2009 at 11:25am
Not all PC manufactures are cheaper than the Apple models. A few months ago there was an article here on how Lenovo was the first "real" PC manufacture to ship the new Intel Xenon processors, but they Lenovo are pricy. a 2.66Ghz D20 is more than the Apple MacPro base model.
ujx385
June 10, 2009 at 5:09am
Ok guys by my math this rig is aproching 900 bucks. Why not just but a low end mac for 600 or a nifty bottom of the line mac laptop for 999.
nekollx
June 10, 2009 at 8:23am
Read down, i posted the specks for Apple of a simerally specked Imac and Mac Pro Tower.
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
Stinky Fartface
June 09, 2009 at 1:14pm
$235 seems a lot to risk on a device that could potentially be broken with a firmware update. What assurance is there that the EFIX cannot be bricked by Apple?
nekollx
June 09, 2009 at 1:24pm
To be faira firmare update could brick that $250 video card, that $100 HDD or the $240 CPU chip.
Theirs always the risk of a firmware brick.
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
ween23
June 09, 2009 at 12:06pm
i dont care about macs. i dont know if any PC geeks will ever bild one. EFI-X dongle is $235.. i would use it to up grad to a better Video card.
majorsuave
June 09, 2009 at 11:19am
I might be interested in acquiring a Mac PC without OS X installed. I could then use the good looking hardware to run Win XP and Linux as dual boot system.
I see no reason at all to install OS X on an otherwise perfectly fine PC. I rather have choice when it comes to third party apps and parts.
And then there`s games.
k11k
June 09, 2009 at 10:07am
With the price of the parts provided, its a lost cause. I just built a medium powered PC/MAC that does what?, NOTHING. Atleast with PC it can still play games. Why not try and give us a way to truly build a low cost MAC, oh wait its called LINUX.
nate5532
June 09, 2009 at 12:26pm
Low cost mac? Get a dell mini 10 laptop for $400 new. 100% osx compatible out of the box. see http://www.osx86project.org/ and look for a guide.
nekollx
June 09, 2009 at 10:29am
Just did a quick check for a comparable iMac (will do the pro tower next)
20 inch iMac (smalest one you can get new right now)
2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB memory
320GB hard drive
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics
$1,199.00
edit: add a addition 175 to upgrade fro ma 320 GB hd to a 1 TB drive.
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
nekollx
June 09, 2009 at 10:40am
pro tower
One 2.66GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (i7)
3GB (3x1GB)
NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 512MB
One 18x SuperDrive
1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s x2
no dispaly
no wifi
$2,899.00
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
nate5532
June 09, 2009 at 9:13am
A few things about this article
I built a hack-mac over a year ago and for $700 I had components that rivaled the $2500 mac pro. Overall, installation went smoothy. I used a kernal patches and such instead of a retail copy (which is on my list of things to buy, it is well worth the $$). I just wanted to test it before I dropped the coin on the software. Dual boot with windows was a pain in my ass, but it works. Install windows first, it is a partition hog. I reccomend using 2 hard drives. The EFI-X thing is cool, but only if you are rich or not computer savvy. I don't have a fancy dual boot interface come up when I boot, I just hit F12 and select the drive of the OS I want to load.
This article is inaccurate about one thing tho. AMD chips are well capable of running OSX with the right software, please refer to www.osx86project.org/ - they include wiki's of what hardware is compatible. A little research can save you headaches and $$ in the long run. It is not, however, compatible with a retail install to my knowledge.
Also on osx86's wiki, there are a couple of laptops (the dell mini 10 comes to mind) that the hardware is 100% compatible with osx, making the install a snap, and they start at $400! Not much more money than the EFI-X, lol. Another option is to purchase a preinstalled desktop box starting at $599 at http://store.psystar.com/featured/open3-osx.html.
Happy Hacking!!!
ericmckenna
June 09, 2009 at 5:14am
Since it's unlikely that someone would only need to buy the dongle, Whats the final cost of the components?
horzo
June 09, 2009 at 7:37am
I come up with about $900 assuming 2GB RAM and using some slightly different (but compatible) components than suggested here. In other words, it would be cheaper to buy a Mac Mini if all you wanted was a cheap OS X box to play around with.
This method just gives you much better hardware for less than Apple would charge.
randall-stross
June 09, 2009 at 4:56am
Great article. I always wanted to build my own mac...
Randall Stross
http://enhilex.com
gxc90
June 12, 2009 at 7:59am
I was wondering if there is a spec sheet for the "Hackintosh" PC using AMD processors (Athlon x2, Athlon II x2, Phenom, Phenom II). and if this USB device is available in Canada?
nekollx
June 12, 2009 at 8:07am
READ T?HE FUCKING ARTICLE
Appel is run on intel, the X chip has a list of compatible hardware.
How hard is it for you to grasp "no you cant make a hackitosh with amd" unles you want to go the old "i can't patch" route
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
Tclynch
June 09, 2009 at 1:56am
Wow, let me know where your buying your Macs as everywhere I look they're WAY overpriced.
arkweld
June 09, 2009 at 9:00am
but you know what else is?
Almost every gaming system reviewed by MPC or put out by Voodoo, Alienware etc.
$8000 for a BFG gaming rig? Who the hell buys that stuff? Any gamer who uses a PC should be building his own machine.
At least when you buy a Mac you are getting custom hardware. Most "gaming" PCs use off-the-shelf parts and cases that have just been painted a better color.
fuzz_64
July 19, 2009 at 5:43pm
Ummmm.. FYI I pulled the RAM and hard drive out of a Macbook and used it in a clients Lenovo laptop.. there's nothing custom about it except the motherboard.
mesiah
June 09, 2009 at 8:15pm
lmao custom hardware. Just because apple designed their own cases you call that custom hardware? Take a look inside. Its the same crap that everyone else puts in their machines. We arent in the days of motorola processors anymore. It's all Intel and nvidia under the hood of that expensive mac. Its no more custom than an HP or a dell.
Khaled
June 09, 2009 at 1:08am
I dunno, ever since Apple switched to intel I don't see the "price difference" between Macs and PCs.
When I bought my T7400 based macbook pro over 2 years ago I went online and compared it to similarly specced windows-based notebooks (notice SIMILARLY SPEC not comparing a pentium dual core to core 2 duo, a T7000 to T9000 etc so those MS laptop hunters ad are just fooling the consumers) when I compared the MBP to similar machines by ASUS and SONY I actually found that the MacBook Pro cost the same and sometimes less!
Now it's been 2 years and I never needed to format this machine to "speed it up" in fact with every mac osx update (including a full OS upgrade) it got improved (software improvements of course, software update actually improve it).
The price argument is false (assuming you are comparing brand new machines of course) since 2007.
Excellent guide by the way, I might get me one of those chips because I don't want a Mac Pro Xeon machine
foamcup
June 09, 2009 at 5:23am
Nobody has to format a machine to 'speed it up'. All those people who format and re-install once a month are idiots. My mom has been running the same XP install for 7 years and it runs fine.
DOOMHAMMA
June 09, 2009 at 3:29am
Your data is 2 years old and you are not a market analyst. Congratulations on irrelevancy.
Excellent article anyway, even here the price problem exists in the do-it-yourself mac. As you have to drop $235 on a device that makes it all happen.
zippzom
June 09, 2009 at 3:19am
But its on the lower end (macbook) that macs are far more expensive. The Macbook pro and Mac Pro are relatively decent deals, but the Imac and the Macbooks are ripoffs. Try configuring a 13" laptop on the dell website, and even with discrete graphics and a 15" screen it'll still be cheaper.
nekollx
June 09, 2009 at 9:15am
Actually the Mac Pro tower is a rip off as well, 2 GB of ram from Apple is more then a Netbook! but go to say MacGurus or Newegg and its half that. Wich is still twice the PC component.
Wish i had this article a year ago, could have saved the company a bundle for our office mac.
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
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