techwiki:osx_pc

Intro For OS X on PC

  • Best Way to Try Mac: getting a Mac Mini or MacBook Air/Pro and enjoy
  • 2nd Best Way to Try Mac: install OS X on VirtualBox and enjoy
  • 3rd Way and Hardest way: install OS X on PC and ready to fix tons of driver issues and hopefully can enjoy
  • since each version of OSX is designed and made for specific period of Mac hardware, so each of version OSX has its own guide.
  • each version of OSX has specific targeted hardware drivers, so old version may not work on new hardwares, and new version may not work on old hardwares.

2018 OS X on PC

  1. Mac OS High Sierra 10.13 on VirtualBox and downloads
    • cmd code after setup vm “macHS” is VM name
      cd "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\"
      VBoxManage.exe modifyvm "macHS" --cpuidset 00000001 000106e5 00100800 0098e3fd bfebfbff
      VBoxManage setextradata "macHS" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemProduct" "iMac11,3"
      VBoxManage setextradata "macHS" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemVersion" "1.0"
      VBoxManage setextradata "macHS" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiBoardProduct" "Iloveapple"
      VBoxManage setextradata "macHS" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/DeviceKey" "ourhardworkbythesewordsguardedpleasedontsteal(c)AppleComputerInc"
      VBoxManage setextradata "macHS" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/GetKeyFromRealSMC" 1
  2. fix or adjust screen resolution higher
    • code:
      method 1:
      VBoxManage setextradata "yourVMName" "VBoxInternal2/EfiHorizontalResolution" "1920"
      VBoxManage setextradata "yourVMName" "VBoxInternal2/EfiVerticalResolution" "1080"
      method 2 (works on VBox 5.2.8):
      VBoxManage setextradata "yourVMName" "VBoxInternal2/EfiGraphicsResolution" "1920x1080"
      
      1280x720
      1920x1080
      2560x1440
      2048x1080
      3840x2160
      5120x2880
      1280x800
      1280x1024
      1600x900
      1440x900
      
      method 3 (not work on 5.2.8):
      VBoxManage setextradata "yourVMName" "VBoxInternal2/EfiGopMode" "N"
      
      Where N can be one of 0,1,2,3,4,5 referring to the 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1900x1200
    • all the config info is actually stored in the yourVMName.vbox text file, if you closed the virtualbox, you can use normal command line or text editor to change it.
  3. Share Folder through mac VM and host
    1. create a folder on Host machine, select the folder, right click and share (for security, you may like only share that folder with your account on Host and within Private network only)
    2. note, make sure your account has a password on Host machine, check User Account setting on control panel
    3. on mac VM, in Finder, Cmd+K to Connect to a Server, type ip 10.0.2.2 (same Host ip for all mac VM) and confirm connect, on login, type your Host user name and password to mount the disk
    4. now you can access host disk from VM
    5. to show the Mounted disk on mac desktop, open Finder, Cmd+, to open Finder preference, and check connected servers to show on desktop.

2017 Hackintosh Info

2016.02 OS X on PC

  • 2016.02 based information
    • currently latest OS X is “OS X El Capitan 10.11”

So, Here is all in one video guide on how to do that:

  • notes from above:
    1. Install VirtualBox 5.0.16
    2. create 64 bit latest mac os with the vmdk loaded, with name like “OSX1011_EC”
      • if you can't create 64bit os as with only 32bit option, make sure you enable Virtualization in Bios setting and your CPU is indeed 64bit.
    3. system tab:
      1. 4096 MB RAM; no Floppy; ICH9; USB Tablet; APIC and EFI and Clock
      2. 2 CPU and rest default
    4. display tab:
      1. 128 MB VRAM, 1 monitor, 100%' no acceleration
    5. storage:
      1. that vmdk and optical
    6. audio : defaut
    7. network:
      1. enable, NAT
      2. Advanced: Intel Pro1000 MT server 82545EM and default
    8. ~~~ Important ~~~
    9. Run code in cmd in admin mode, Replace “OS X NAME” with your virtual machine name, like “OSX1011_EC”
      Code for Virtualbox 4.x.x:
      cd "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\"
      VBoxManage.exe modifyvm "OS X NAME" --cpuidset 00000001 000306a9 04100800 7fbae3ff bfebfbff
      VBoxManage setextradata "OS X NAME" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemProduct" "MacBookPro11,3"
      VBoxManage setextradata "OS X NAME" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemVersion" "1.0"
      VBoxManage setextradata "OS X NAME" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiBoardProduct" "Iloveapple"
      VBoxManage setextradata "OS X NAME" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/DeviceKey" "ourhardworkbythesewordsguardedpleasedontsteal(c)AppleComputerInc"
      VBoxManage setextradata "OS X NAME" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/GetKeyFromRealSMC" 1
      
      
      Code for Virtualbox 5.0.x:
      cd "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\"
      VBoxManage.exe modifyvm "OS X NAME" --cpuidset 00000001 000106e5 00100800 0098e3fd bfebfbff
      VBoxManage setextradata "OS X NAME" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemProduct" "iMac11,3"
      VBoxManage setextradata "OS X NAME" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemVersion" "1.0"
      VBoxManage setextradata "OS X NAME" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiBoardProduct" "Iloveapple"
      VBoxManage setextradata "OS X NAME" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/DeviceKey" "ourhardworkbythesewordsguardedpleasedontsteal(c)AppleComputerInc"
      VBoxManage setextradata "OS X NAME" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/GetKeyFromRealSMC" 1
  1. Now, start the OS X virtual machine, it should boot to the welcome screen for new Mac
    1. choose country and keyboard, no internet if asked
    2. don't transfer any information
    3. no location
    4. no apple id
    5. Agree
    6. user name and acc and pass
    7. timezone
    8. no share info
  2. Wow, here is the Mac
  3. To do a quick fix on resolution
    1. Turn off your virtual mac and close VirtualBox
    2. then, here is the code working like above code, with your virtual machine name, like “OSX1011_EC”
      Code Add to Virtualbox:
      cd "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\"
      VBoxManage setextradata "OS X NAME" VBoxInternal2/EfiGopMode N
      
      Where N can be one of 0,1,2,3,4,5 referring to the 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1900x1200
    3. restart the mac, and you should have the bigger screen

Additional Notes

additional reference (not tested)

2015 OS X on PC

  • I tried and failed install OS X on pc many times,
  • in the end, I just stick with my working virtualbox copy of OS X Snow Leopard, which in the end no use, because each OS X update make software compatibility a big issue.
  • so other than opening Mac specific stuffs, no use most time.

2014 OS X 10.10 - Yosemite on PC

The created USB disk can boot native mac as well.

  • Method 1: making the OSX USB disk on a Mac
    • it is simple as old times, open “Disk Utility”,
    • select the tagert USB disk on left panel, and load the OS dmg image file on right panel
    • and write the disk image into USB
  • Method 2: making the OSX USB disk on a PC
    • use a tool called “Transmac” on PC to format the USB disk (>8GB) as Mac Disk Format
    • then use “Transmac” to restore the OS dmg image into the USB disk

result should looks like this:

  • required:
    • original OSX installer USB disk
    • PC with motherboard that support UEFI boot method
    • harddisk with GPT-partioned table
    • be able to see EFI partion on the OSX installer USB disk
  • Step 1: check PC bios settting:
    • AHCI enabled
    • CSM auto
    • bios: UEFI or UEFI and traditional bios
    • os type: other os
  • Step 2: put clover boot files on EFI partion of USB disk
    • unzip Clover_v2k_r2953_USB.zip and put “boot”, “CLOVER” folders under root fold in EFI partion of USB
  • required:
    • exisiting windows installed harddisk
    • OSX disk image
  • Step 1: prepare windows disk partion
    • use windows disk management tool to get a 8GB disk partition.
    • use Leopard HD install helper to write the OSX disk image into that partion (make all thing unchecked)
  • Step 2: prepare boot sector
    • install windows version Chaemeleon, SVN2.3Ver2433 and above, on windows
    • then use a WinPE to activate windows partition
    • boot into windows, and copy “Extra” folder from OSX disk image, into installed OSX system.

2010 OS X Leopard on VirtualBox

It requires

Follow this guide to install with Display and Sound fix

Here are my Steps:

  1. open VirtualBox, as Operating System “Mac OS X Server”, with RAM and a new virtual hard disk, finish
  2. select the new created Virtual Machine, go to “Setting”,
    1. under “System” > Motherboard tab > uncheck “Enable EFI”, leave rest as default
    2. under “Storage” > load the Hackintosh OS X cd iso (recommend “Hazard”) into the virtual drive
  3. start that Virtual Machine
    1. at installer screen, go to Utilities menu of the Mac OS X interface,
    2. choose “Disk Utility”, format the virtual drive
  4. after disk is ready,select the disk, click “Customize” button
    1. check Chameleon RC5 (just choose one boot loader) or HDD will not boot
  5. continue the install process
  6. done, when restart, make sure boot from harddisk, or press “F8” at start when not boot
  7. enter normal OS X setup, finish
  8. as for the sound drive and wifi drive, check online forums to find a answer according to your hardware configuration
  9. reboot

2010 OS X Leopard on PC

Lots of guides and modified OS download online, here are some links.

  • techwiki/osx_pc.txt
  • Last modified: 2021/08/28 08:50
  • by ying