Running Mac OS X on x86 PC!

[S.MULLA]

a new emulator called PearPC seems to be able to run OS X on x86 machines:

http://pearpc.sourceforge.net/index.html

Check out the screenshots:

http://pearpc.sourceforge.net/screenshots.html

source:aqua-soft.org [forum]

[CyBeRiA]

damn...is that 1024x768? ugh, i may have uploaded the wrong copy...

[Starman]

I tried installing server and it stalled. Just a heads up.

Mike

[CyBeRiA]

at what point does it stall?

[XiXora]

fast? want to try to give us a video representation of that? :D

oh also install the rest and how mant mhz does it say? 10? :)

[CyBeRiA]

well, it's now finished checking the volume and is working on the base install .... so about 12 minutes to go through the screens, select my custom install (got rid of the other language support and all the printer stuff), check the volume, and get started installing the packages... i dunno if that's fast or not

[KlyX]

No one a solutions for my problems in my last post?

[Southern Patriot]

Darn! :laugh: *sigh* Too bad it wasn't real! I want OSX... but Mac's are expensive. :pinch:

You can pick up a Mac capable of running OS X on eBay for less than $300. Sure, it won't be extremely fast, but it will run OK.

[CyBeRiA]

here's my config file. i switched the ram to 256 (but i haven't restarted ppc to see if it worked)

# PearPC Configuration File

#
# Resolution
#
# 0: 640x480x8 (indexed)
# 1: 640x480x15
# 2: 640x480x32
# 3: 800x600x8 (indexed)
# 4: 800x600x15
# 5: 800x600x32
# 6: 1024x768x8 (indexed)
# 7: 1024x768x15
# 8: 1024x768x32
#
# The indexed modes are unsupported.
#
# default: 4
ppc_start_resolution = 4


#
# Redraw interval (in ms)
# must be between 1 and 999
#
# If you set this higher, PearPC will spend less time doing redraws (and so run faster)
# but feel less responsive. You should adjust this to your computer speed and personal
# preference.
#
redraw_interval_msec = 200

#
# Loader
#

#
# Boot method
#   this can be
#   1. "auto", prom will boot the first bootable partition found (default)
#   2. "select", prom will show you a list of bootable partitions
#   3. "force", prom will load and boot the local file prom_loadfile
#
prom_bootmethod = "auto"

# Example of how to use "force":
#prom_bootmethod = "force"
#prom_loadfile = "test/yaboot"
#prom_env_bootpath = "disk"

#
# bootargs: don't change unless you know what you are doing
# machargs: set to "-v" to get a verbose startup
#

#prom_env_bootargs = ""
prom_env_machargs = "-v"

#
# This is needed if you want to boot Mac OS X
#

prom_driver_graphic = "video.x"


# This will adjust the position of the initial page table (don't change)
#page_table_pa = 104857600

#
# CPU Config
#
# Processor Version Register
# Defaults to 0x00088302
# Only change if you know want you are doing
#
#cpu_pvr = 0x00088302


#
# Main memory (default 128 MiB)
# must be >= 64 MiB
#
#memory_size=0x10000000

#
# IO Devices
#

#
# PCI IDE Config
#
# Drive type will be set according to file extension:
#  .img: Harddisk (filesize must be multiple of 516096)
#  .iso: CD-Rom
# Or you can override this by specifying the type via
# pci_ide0_master_type / pci_ide0_slave_type

pci_ide0_master_installed = 1
pci_ide0_master_image = "osx.img"
pci_ide0_master_type = "hd"

pci_ide0_slave_installed = 1
pci_ide0_slave_image = "darwin.iso"
#pci_ide0_slave_image = "/dev/cdrom"
pci_ide0_slave_type = "cdrom"

#
# Network (unavailable on windows)
#
pci_3c90x_installed = 0
pci_3c90x_mac = "de:ad:ca:fe:12:34"

#
# USB
#
pci_usb_installed = 1

#
# NVRAM
#
nvram_file = "nvram"

[KlyX]

I try it with this config... Thanks

[Lexcyn]

You can pick up a Mac capable of running OS X on eBay for less than $300. Sure, it won't be extremely fast, but it will run OK.

Yay that's cool! I'm going to check that out tonight ;)

[zkorpio]

It looks like Finder doesn't work... I have the same problem as "KlyX". I have tried some changes on my config file but no results. You can get to System Preferences by clicking on Date and Time when the bar is "on"... and after that you can click and open "about... System Profiler".

[KlyX]

hmm... so I'm thinking about reinstall without IE and this tools... if this works?

[zkorpio]

Anyone have tried the (F11) "compose key sequence"... ? to quit or open apps...?

just wondering

[KlyX]

Hmmm... I can't click to anything whitout problems. can you give a step by step to kill the app?

[KlyX]

Aha, got into the time and date menu...

[htmlguru4242]

This is probably a dumb question, but what does this emulator do about hte Mac BIOS? I know that with old 68k emu's, you'd need a ROM image. How is this handled on newer macs and hte emulator?

[Fozzieb]

its not emulating a mac, its a power pc

[SoapyHamHocks Member]

After I installed OSX I changed the config file from prom_bootmethod = "auto" to prom_bootmethod = "select" and I get the following screen when booting.

IMAGE

[volrathxp]

You actually got it to run something at the desktop? I hadn't heard a report of the desktop being "functional". Cool!

I can run iPhoto and iTunes, albeit not fast and can't do much with em but I can definitely move around the desktop and do stuff.

[Redestium]

I can run iPhoto and iTunes, albeit not fast and can't do much with em but I can definitely move around the desktop and do stuff.

Outstanding. :D

[volrathxp]

another good tip i found is to set the redraw interval to like 50, it speeds up at least redrawing the screen a bit.

[KlyX]

hmm, I talked to the programmer and he tells me, that the problem with the Finder is known. And he will fix it for the next release.

[rocks1985]

Can PearPC utilize a PC's GPU?

[LeoKesler]

After I installed OSX I changed the config file from prom_bootmethod = "auto" to prom_bootmethod = "select" and I get the following screen when booting.

IMAGE

Same problem... no boot partition

[jbb]

And if you put a very high redraw interval value (in ms), it refreshes the display less often, but speeds up dramatically the cpu/mem/hd side of things.

It makes it very slugglish to use, BUT makes it much faster to boot!

I'd suggest using like 600 (if not higher) for the first long install, then 50 (if not lower) to play with the emulator once OSX is installed... and impress your mates!

Cheers,

JBB