# OSX Leopard on an Acer Laptop



## pf03ho (Dec 27, 2007)

Hey Guys,

I am thinking about getting an iMac 24" soon, but before I do, I want to make my switch to Apple as easy as possibly. Although I have used Macs before, never for a very extended period of time. Since I just box an external hard drive, I figured I could move all my files to it and install 'hackintosh'.

I havent read too much on it, but is it simple to install? Worth it at all? I would like to try it for a few weeks so that I can make sure switching to Apple is the right move for me.

Thx


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

Given the problems people have had re-activating Windows after doing something like this, I'm not going to recommend doing that. If you're not worried about that, I'm still not going to recommend it because it's illegal.

My suggestion instead is:

1. If there's a retail Apple (corporate) Store near you, stop by periodically and tell the salespeople what you just told us. They would be pleased as punch to help, and let you spend as much time as you like on their demo machines. They also have little seminars (free!) and offer a $99/year one-on-one weekly training session.

2. Indie Mac dealers can also be very helpful in this regard.

3. A Macintosh User Group like the one I help run (see my sig) is a GREAT place to start learning about the Mac, and more importantly the Mac *community.*

4. And of course there's this place -- just ask Sitting Bull or any of the MANY switchers we've had join the ranks in the last few months. Let me put it this way -- there's no talk of moving back. 

BTW, good choice on the iMac 24". Hell of a great machine.

Cheers!


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## Abysmal (Mar 14, 2005)

What is the model of the Acer laptop.. and to preserve your windows files I would you just replace the laptop hard drive with a new one to run it as a hack.. Its a lot easier to preserver everything than have to go back and play with partitions and files..


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## pf03ho (Dec 27, 2007)

Abysmal said:


> What is the model of the Acer laptop.. and to preserve your windows files I would you just replace the laptop hard drive with a new one to run it as a hack.. Its a lot easier to preserver everything than have to go back and play with partitions and files..


I have an Acer Aspire 5000. I have no idea how to do that though. Not very comp-savvy.


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## NBiBooker (Apr 3, 2004)

pf03ho said:


> I have an Acer Aspire 5000. I have no idea how to do that though. Not very comp-savvy.


Then a Hackintosh is the last thing you should try. Listen, you're not going to get a good feel for Mac OS running it on second-rate hardware that it wasn't designed to be used on. 

Try a Mac out at an Apple store, borrow a friends for a few days, join a MUG, but don't try and create a FrankenMac.


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## Chealion (Jan 16, 2001)

Creating a Hackintosh is also technically illegal. Installing it violates the EULA used for installing Mac OS X, it isn't supported and at best is just a hack - meaning if you run into any issues you're on your own. I would strongly discourage making a hackintosh beyond the standing illegality of creating one. (The PC is legal to make, installing OS X on it violates the EULA making it illegal)


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## Darien Red Sox (Oct 24, 2006)

Has aneyone hear tryed this. I have a old doorstop sitting around my house that this could at least put to use. I am sure even if Lepord dose not run will on a PC it would run better that XP.


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## screature (May 14, 2007)

Chealion said:


> Creating a Hackintosh is also technically illegal. Installing it violates the EULA used for installing Mac OS X, it isn't supported and at best is just a hack - meaning if you run into any issues you're on your own. I would strongly discourage making a hackintosh beyond the standing illegality of creating one. (The PC is legal to make, installing OS X on it violates the EULA making it illegal)


Thanks Chealion for getting the word out about violating the EULA, I don't know why but there seems to be a rash of interest in doiing so around here right now.


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## NBiBooker (Apr 3, 2004)

screature said:


> Thanks Chealion for getting the word out about violating the EULA, I don't know why but there seems to be a rash of interest in doiing so around here right now.


I've seen alot of that as well. Some people just can't grasp that a Mac is the result of amazing software on superb hardware. Trying to run Mac OS X on a commodity PC may work, but it's not a Mac. 

And it's illegal.


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## EvanPitts (Mar 9, 2007)

screature said:


> Thanks Chealion for getting the word out about violating the EULA, I don't know why but there seems to be a rash of interest in doiing so around here right now.


Perhaps because Apple is missing the boat when it comes to any number of popular form factors, like something in a 10-12" laptop, or a mini-tower style for desk use. Not to mention the cost, that one could buy three or four small laptops for the cost of an MBA - and end up with some actual ports to connect things too, unlike the MBA. The MacPro is a pretty hefty investment, and not only that, it is a pretty giant machine, compared to a regular sized machine.

Not only that, but M$ is missing the boat because removing XP from the market is a pretty big disaster considering that they may (or may not) have a replacement ready in three or four years - and Fi$ta is nothing more than marketing garbage that no one can figure out what version to use. They could have done better without the whole Home, Home Professional, Business Mediocre, Business Premium, Ultimate, Ultimate Professional Premium - things that make the "low end" appear to be shoddy garbage. Really, people have suffered with all of the crazy problems with XP for so long and want to move on - and since no one can actually run Fi$ta for anything practical (and it won't run on most machines anyways), there is a great deal of interest in OSX in general.

And I don't think I'd go around saying that the Mac is "superb hardware" these days, considering all of the problems they have been having - though better than whatever crud Dell shovels into a box...


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## NBiBooker (Apr 3, 2004)

Hey, I said superb, not perfect and I'd take Apple hardware over any other PC box manufacturer any day.


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## K_OS (Dec 13, 2002)

NBiBooker said:


> I've seen alot of that as well. Some people just can't grasp that a Mac is the result of amazing software on superb hardware. Trying to run Mac OS X on a commodity PC may work, but it's not a Mac.
> 
> And it's illegal.


Amazing software yes, superb hardware maybe. Apple uses standard pc components in there comps within a amazingly designed package, why do you think its so easy to install OS X on a comp that costs less than $500.00 to build. The people that build and install OS X on something they build don't do it to break the law they do it to learn and they do it for the challenge.

Laterz


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## satchmo (May 26, 2005)

screature said:


> Thanks Chealion for getting the word out about violating the EULA, I don't know why but there seems to be a rash of interest in doiing so around here right now.


When you can pick up a cheapo PC laptop for $400 instead of $1100 for a MacBook, the reasons are obvious.

Not saying it's right...but regardless of OSX being superior, it's simply a matter of dollars and cents. It's wanting something they know is better but perhaps can't afford.

I suspect Apple will slowly move the price of it's laptops downward, but the price divide will always be there. Maybe it just needs to be closer, so the temptation to hackintosh it will be gone.


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## Abysmal (Mar 14, 2005)

NBiBooker said:


> And it's illegal.


Give it time, apple will sell its os for generic equipment soon enough.. Their hardware now and for years is standard hardware that they have tweaked for their OS.. no different than any other system builder.. ( Acer / IBM / Compaq / etc )..

I do however disagree on the EULA Violation.. If I am to use it exclusively on Apple branded hardware, then they should have ask me and not sold me my copies at the Apple Store..

I would love to see Apple enforce the EULA.. I'm no lawyer, but I don't think its enforceable.. Morally wrong, yes, but thats another matter.

With all of the Apple equipment I have bought over the years, they should just give me a laptop for being a loyal customer.

Will it still be breaking the law if I install osx on an LG laptop considering they make most if not all of the parts in Apple products..

Abysmalbeejacon


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

Abysmal said:


> I would love to see Apple enforce the EULA...


People say that without realizing what Apple could do to enforce that EULA. You don't want to se them enforce it and neither does Apple want to enforce it. 

Have you seen all the software/hardware piracy prevention techniques out nowadays. We don't want that and the best way of not having to deal with that is to comply with Apple's EULA.


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## Chealion (Jan 16, 2001)

Abysmal said:


> Give it time, apple will sell its os for generic equipment soon enough.. Their hardware now and for years is standard hardware that they have tweaked for their OS.. no different than any other system builder.. ( Acer / IBM / Compaq / etc )..


Given Apple is predominantly a hardware program I really doubt that in the near future. Apple's core business is their computers, the iPod, the iPhone, the Apple TV and such - all hardware. The software is run on their hardware but their money maker is predominantly hardware and can be construed as a subsidy for the software or at worst a hardware dongle for their software.


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## SoyMac (Apr 16, 2005)

Abysmal said:


> Give it time, apple will sell its os for generic equipment soon enough.. ...


And the next day there will be a "Closed" sign hanging at 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California.

Apple already learned its lesson.
There is no way Apple will ever license its OS again to generic hardware makers. 

"Apple clones" are the usual wishful thinking of Windows users who believe that hardware and software have no value (understandable: why would Windows users believe otherwise?) and want Apple quality without paying for it.

There are two reasons we will not see cheap Apple clones licensed by Apple:

1. The same reason we don't see cheap Lambourghini clones licensed by Lambourghini.

2. Apple would go out of business in a heartbeat as its OS circled the globe via P2P and disc "lending", and the polyester-wearing, Wal-Mart-Worshiping, non-tippers flocked to the beige-box, Apple-running piece of crap that was 9¢ cheaper than the box beside it, and avoided the Apple-branded hardware like a cat bypasses a race track.


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## NBiBooker (Apr 3, 2004)

SoyMac said:


> And the next day there will be a "Closed" sign hanging at 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California.
> 
> Apple already learned its lesson.
> There is no way Apple will ever license its OS again to generic hardware makers.
> ...


Bang on.


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## rickgerhart (Jan 23, 2008)

*project hackintosh*

i have been a mac owner since the mac plus. i have two now!. building a hackintosh has always caught my interest and is on my todo list. it doesn't take much surfing to find the how to's of hachintosh even ebay is a source. many pc ...example asus eepc will run os x almost natively. and is you surf long enough you'll find bios flashes for asus pc to make the switch to os x even easier. Steeling, Piracy or learning experience? who cares. Apple has always treated me good but i still want to play..


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## RunTheWorldOnMac (Apr 23, 2006)

Abysmal said:


> Give it time, apple will sell its os for generic equipment soon enough.. Their hardware now and for years is standard hardware that they have tweaked for their OS.. no different than any other system builder.. ( Acer / IBM / Compaq / etc )..



Never gonna happen...the day this happens is the day that Apple closes it's doors.


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## mc3251 (Sep 28, 2007)

NBiBooker said:


> Bang on.


I agree as well. Apple sells the complete package, and it is at a premium price, but it is demonstrably superior at both the HW and SW level. I think they would severely undercut their own market share if they let 3rd parties sell Mac clones.


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## Reveeen (Aug 26, 2008)

pf03ho said:


> I have an Acer Aspire 5000. I have no idea how to do that though. Not very comp-savvy.


I am not sure I am following your reasoning.

(you are going to have to excuse me: rant directly ahead)

You buy a "bottom of the barrel" laptop and somehow *think* that some kind of worthwhile experience is to be had by running osX on it?

Let's LOOK at the specs:
AMD Turion 64 ML-28 or higher with 512KB
SiSM760GX Chipset
SiSM760GX integrated 3D graphics controller
SIS 900 NIC
Realtek AC'97 audio
Agere modem
Broadcom wireless

1) processor not supported (yes there is a hack)
2) chipset not supported (no hack, you are on your own)
3) video not supported (no hack, you are on your own)
4) NIC not supported (there are hacks, none are dependable)
5) audio sort of supported
6) modem not supported
7) wireless maybe supported, depending on the model number

This whole exercise becomes moot with no chipset/video support.

I am not telling you that it is ok to run osX on non-Apple hardware, but if that was your intention, you missed the mark when you purchased your laptop.


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## rei (May 6, 2005)

Uhh...yeah...one of those people where if you write Microsoft in shorthand with M$, that pretty much disqualifies your opinion.

I ran a Hackintosh on the most compatible hardware for over a year (with the Asus P5W DH Deluxe and various video cards X1950XT Pro to Geforce 8800GTX) with in-depth research and participation on the osx86 forums and it does not compare to a real Mac except that it is cheaper. In this regard, it's like Linux. Try it if your time is worthless. "Little" things like wake-on-sleep, hibernation, power-saving, Wifi may or may not work.


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## Reveeen (Aug 26, 2008)

Yes...........ok

So you plunk your laptop on your desk, then you find yourself adding a USB keyboard because the maker of your laptop used some strange keyboard controller, then the installer doesn't "see" your off brand hardrive controller, so you add a USB hardrive, then you have no trackpad, so you add a USB mouse, then because your video has no acceleration because it's not supported, you add in a Matrox USB video card, hack a driver, and add a monitor. Communication with the world becomes important, so you add a USB hub (because you've run out of USB ports), and find a compatible USB>NIC.

Now what have you got? (whatever it is it certainly isn't a "laptop" any more)

Hacking a Mac is relatively easy, but what most (windoze users?) seem to forget is that in this case the software dictates the hardware, not the other way around, that they are used to.


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## anachronism (Aug 13, 2006)

I've done it twice. My desktop runs OSX fine after an audio driver dump. Its a neat thing to get up and running but its really limiting unless you are one of the lucky ones that is actually able to install a vanillia kernal and get software updates. I'd rather use Vista or Kubuntu Linux.

My Certified Data laptop (rebranded Compal HGL30) works as well but the GO 7600 graphics card doesn't provide video acceleration. Again, just done for curiousity's sake.

In my opinion Apple's EULA is rather thin, since all you would really need to have is a hard drive from an Apple computer. Afterall, its the hard disk where the operating system is installed and Apple brands all their HDs with a nice little logo. It could probably be argued that there not being an Apple logo anywhere on the machine is irrelevant since you don't install OSX onto the case.


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