Do you Hackintosh?

[forster]

I just wondered if anyone in the community uses a Hackintosh, whether just for curiosity, experimentation, or as a system to get real-life work done (most likely video and music production Id guess, or just general day to day consumption of media).

 

I currently run a Ryzen based Hackintosh as a daily driver, it's great and the only thing that I really can't get access to is Adobe Lightroom (not a big deal as I use Photoshop). I'm running a Ryzen 3600 on an Asus Tuf X570 plus Wifi with 32 gig of ram, really only because I like to use macOS messaging integration (I use an iPhone), and I am an amateur hobbyist when it comes to a piece of tech I try and tinker with it as much as possible.

 

I've had several Hackintosh machines in the past, an intel 4770k/Gigabyte board hack, and just picked up a Dell e5470 laptop which worked great with macOS too.

 

So, would be interested in anyone else's experiences, especially if you have jumped into using Opencore as opposed to Clover - my Ryzen machine is using Opencore and it seems to give a much more of an authentic 'Mac' experience i.e. my Apple TV app works, which I haven't managed to get working on my old intel systems. 

[Brandon H Supervisor]

my last attempt at a hackintosh failed miserably; but that could have to do with the hardware in my computer wasn't compatible enough. (edit: my last attempt was also like 6-7 years ago too so processes could have improved for getting it going)

I've heard it's rather nice once running properly though.

 

I do like MacOS, just wish it wasn't officially locked to their hardware.

[firey]

Personally I never have.  I installed OSX years and years ago on Virtual Box using Chameleon or something like that.  I have a MacBook Pro and I actually really like how well OSX Runs.  I have a Dell Laptop with similar specs to the MPB and it feels way more sluggish with Windows 10 than the MBP with OSX feels.

[adrynalyne]

I’ve done it, but it’s simply not worth it knowing in the back of your mind the next update will likely break it al to hell. 

[forster]

True enough, it's always a risk, I like to think of it as a challenge 😉

[adrynalyne]

4 minutes ago, forster said:

True enough, it's always a risk, I like to think of it as a challenge 😉

I need a machine that works though. If it was a hobby, sure. 

[forster]

Just now, adrynalyne said:

I need a machine that works though. If it was a hobby, sure. 

Yeah its always the issue, I know if I want to use my Dell laptop full time Im going to have to switch out the wifi card inside it, which I dont really want to do. Intel-wise is the safest, and use a Gigabyte board. The Hackintosh Reddit and tonymacx86.com are excellent resources. I'm sorely tempted to build a 9900k Hackintosh, but I really can't even use both the full-tower systems I have at once right now, never mind a totally overkill 'build on a whim' third machine just because I want to.

[ZakO]

I have OSX running as a secondary OS on my Dell XPS that I can boot into on the rare occasions I need to push an app store update through Xcode.

 

I used a MacBook Pro for 5 years before this and honestly running it on the XPS 13 barely feels any different once it's set up. Minor updates (10.15.x -> 10.15.y) rarely cause any issues, so it's really only once a year with major updates (10.x -> 10.y) that you need to worry. I'm still using Clover and while I don't use OSX full time anymore, I feel like it's stable enough on the XPS that I could, if I wanted to. 

[adrynalyne]

12 minutes ago, ZakO said:

I have OSX running as a secondary OS on my Dell XPS that I can boot into on the rare occasions I need to push an app store update through Xcode.

 

I used a MacBook Pro for 5 years before this and honestly running it on the XPS 13 barely feels any different once it's set up. Minor updates (10.15.x -> 10.15.y) rarely cause any issues, so it's really only once a year with major updates (10.x -> 10.y) that you need to worry. I'm still using Clover and while I don't use OSX full time anymore, I feel like it's stable enough on the XPS that I could, if I wanted to. 

Dunno. A minor update took out my Clover setup. That was the time I decided it wasn’t worth it anymore. 

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

No.  When I need to look at my employer's macOS-based programs or to check if something works in Safari, I use a regular (if somewhat old) MacBook Pro.

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

[Steven P. Administrators]

I tried maybe 6 years ago (with my, then new, i5-4440 PC build) when @Timan tried to convince me Mac is better than Windows 😛 

[Joni_78]

I've been doing it since Maverics. First with a laptop, but it never really worked 100%.

 

Couple of years ago I build a desktop for my work machine and for some casual gaming and it has worked with zero problems. All you really need is the right hardware, Clover and three kexts. I wouldn't take an iMac over this.

 

https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/331330-streacom-db4-fanless-mini-itx-build/

 

[Technique]

I was going to have a go at it back in around 2016-17. I had read a bit on it at the time and had the links to do it, but i was on an AMD system and IIRC it was easier on an Intel.

 

It was purely for one game which i played a ton at the time. It was a shooter and for some reason the fire rate on a couple of the main weapons in the game were true on Mac/iOS devices but not on Android/PC. You could always tell when you came up against a Mac or an iOS player.

 

IIRC they dumbed down the fire rate for all users which meant it was pointless me going for a hackintosh in the end.

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

I did.  I put OS X on a Dell 10 mini and it was rock solid and worked fine on the small screen too.

The I built a Hackintosh system at home and it was mostly ok but not great.

Those serve as my route in to eventually just buying a Mac Mini for desktop and Macbook Pro for everything else.

[margrave]

I still think Apple should just sell the OS with the caveat that it 'runs better on Apple hardware' and just tell people that drivers must be gotten from the hardware manufacturers.

[adrynalyne]

2 hours ago, margrave said:

I still think Apple should just sell the OS with the caveat that it 'runs better on Apple hardware' and just tell people that drivers must be gotten from the hardware manufacturers.

Agreed. Been saying it for years and it would create competition which is good for the consumer. 

[Joni_78]

18 hours ago, margrave said:

I still think Apple should just sell the OS with the caveat that it 'runs better on Apple hardware' and just tell people that drivers must be gotten from the hardware manufacturers.

+1

 

I for example use money on App Store and other Apple services on hacintosh. If this would someday end, I would just go back to Windows because there is not any hardware on Apple that would fit for what I need. Mac mini is too little, iMac has internal monitor and Mac Pro is too much for what I need. iMac usually has had the hardware best suited for my needs, but I want to pick the monitor myself.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

5 hours ago, Joni_78 said:

+1

 

I for example use money on App Store and other Apple services on hacintosh. If this would someday end, I would just go back to Windows because there is not any hardware on Apple that would fit for what I need. Mac mini is too little, iMac has internal monitor and Mac Pro is too much for what I need. iMac usually has had the hardware best suited for my needs, but I want to pick the monitor myself.

iMac also has the issue of soldering components so it's not very user upgradable or repairable ...

[threesixtyflip]

I did it years back when I think I got Snow Leopard running on an old Celeron D that I was using for school but then I just bought a MBP, although it is getting on in age a bit now (its a 2012 model).

 

@forster how did you get it running on your Ryzen if you don't mind me asking? I have a Ryzen 5 2600X and am struggling to find decent info about it.

 

Thanks! 🙂

[forster]

16 minutes ago, Asharae said:

I did it years back when I think I got Snow Leopard running on an old Celeron D that I was using for school but then I just bought a MBP, although it is getting on in age a bit now (its a 2012 model).

 

@forster how did you get it running on your Ryzen if you don't mind me asking? I have a Ryzen 5 2600X and am struggling to find decent info about it.

 

Thanks! 🙂

@Asharae I was lucky enough to find someone who had the same board as me over here and he was kind enough to attach his original bootloader. Since that starting point I've revised and updated it. This my motherboard but there's a good list of success stories on that forum with other boards and setup, mostly it's the board that's the decider as to whether you can get it to run on AMD. After that, you need to add the AMD patches for your processor to the config.plist, and have the right boot flags as per your setup.

 

I use Opencore, I used to use Clover, and before that the old pirated Apple bootloader that someone famously tried to sell for public computer builds. Those were the days :) 

 

There's basically two types of people you will find over there, and on the reddit, half will say that they will help and give you a resource that works or to start on, and the other half are very much of the opinion that you should read all the websites and learn everything the hard way. Admittedly, the resources and explanations for Opencore are getting better, but its still aways from a 'one size fits all'.

 

Fingers crossed you get it sorted, my build is really stable, updates fine, and Ive got my head around enough of the jargon that I can update my plist file kind of okay but its still hit and miss with my level of understanding.  Let us know how you get on :) 

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

On 4/12/2020 at 2:25 PM, margrave said:

I still think Apple should just sell the OS with the caveat that it 'runs better on Apple hardware' and just tell people that drivers must be gotten from the hardware manufacturers.

It would hurt the brand ultimately.  Non-tech users would ignore the advice and there would be a litany of "Apple doesn't work on my Toshiba" posts, which other non-tech users would latch on to.

33 minutes ago, forster said:

the other half are very much of the opinion that you should read all the websites and learn everything the hard way

Elitist idiots, cannot stand that type.

[margrave]

I don't think it would hurt it. Windows is doing it currently and doing quite well.

 

In the past Apple licensed other hardware manufacturers to make Mac devices, and they had to stop it because they made better ones, cheaper.

 

It didn't hurt the brand as much as it showed how overpriced they are, and how Apple has been taking advantage of the uninformed/uneducated.

 

A luxury computer to me is a joke. It makes sense with cars thanks to extra features like heated seats, etc. What luxury features can be placed on a computer?!

 

Heated keyboard? Oh wait they did have those heated batteries for a while. Which illustrated how they are buying cheap hardware and charging a premium for it for no reason other than an Apple logo being placed on it.

[forster]

2 minutes ago, margrave said:

I don't think it would hurt it. Windows is doing it currently and doing quite well.

 

In the past Apple licensed other hardware manufacturers to make Mac devices, and they had to stop it because they made better ones, cheaper.

 

It didn't hurt the brand as much as it showed how overpriced they are, and how Apple has been taking advantage of the uninformed/uneducated.

 

A luxury computer to me is a joke. It makes sense with cars thanks to extra features like heated seats, etc. What luxury features can be placed on a computer?!

 

Heated keyboard? Oh wait they did have those heated batteries for a while. Which illustrated how they are buying cheap hardware and charging a premium for it for no reason other than an Apple logo being placed on it.

Ish - I cant defend the overpriced gear that they sell. But given that I pretty much run my Hackintosh full time it's not because Ive anything against Windows, I just really like the integration. I like the newer wireless keyboard and trackpad, they have been the best performing bits of bluetooth gear Ive used for purpose.

 

Also, heated seats are nice on a cold day - why would you not want them 😛 

 

I do get a bit bored of the 'on you're using something else other than me and thats stupid' line, if someone makes a choice for something as trivial as an electronic device I hardly think it's worth calling names. If you dont like it, dont use it, move on, it's fine.

[threesixtyflip]

Thanks for the info @forster I shall have a bit of a dig around and see what I can get going 🙂

 

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

9 minutes ago, margrave said:

I don't think it would hurt it. Windows is doing it currently and doing quite well.

No they aren't.  Microsoft plunge a LOT of time and effort (hence, cash) into ensuring that their OS works on as many devices as possible.  You said that Apple shouldn't do this but rather say "Hey it works fine on our gear".  They are very different things and it absolutely would damage the Apple brand.

 

10 minutes ago, margrave said:

In the past Apple licensed other hardware manufacturers to make Mac devices, and they had to stop it because they made better ones, cheaper.

That is one interpretation.  The other is that Apple stopped such practices because they wanted to bring their operations back home and own the ecosystem fully.

 

11 minutes ago, margrave said:

It didn't hurt the brand as much as it showed how overpriced they are, and how Apple has been taking advantage of the uninformed/uneducated.

Or just those who have bought into the ecosystem by choice.  Apple gear being "overpriced" is a common comment, but also commonly disputed for a number of cases.  When you factor in the ecosystem, the resale and so on - it's not actually as bad as people make out.

 

13 minutes ago, margrave said:

A luxury computer to me is a joke. It makes sense with cars thanks to extra features like heated seats, etc. What luxury features can be placed on a computer?!

That's YOUR call for YOU.  You are not the entire market.

 

13 minutes ago, margrave said:

Heated keyboard? Oh wait they did have those heated batteries for a while. Which illustrated how they are buying cheap hardware and charging a premium for it for no reason other than an Apple logo being placed on it.

And here's where you just go silly and show that you're really just being anti-apple.  Which is fine, but don't feel that your stance is shared by everyone.