Why cant you install OS X on a normal computer?
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macdude425
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You CAN install OS X on a standard PC, however, that doesn't make it legal. And please don't ask for advice on how, because this thread WILL be locked (most likely by me.)
Anyways, the reason they don't WANT you to run OS X on run-of-the-mill PCs is simple. Apple is not only a software manufacturer, it is also a hardware manufacturer. Cut out any reason to buy their hardware, and you can guess what happens...they lose most of their revenue, and it will take forever for them to recover.
Anyways, the reason they don't WANT you to run OS X on run-of-the-mill PCs is simple. Apple is not only a software manufacturer, it is also a hardware manufacturer. Cut out any reason to buy their hardware, and you can guess what happens...they lose most of their revenue, and it will take forever for them to recover.
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They get their stability by limiting their hardware compatibility... making it installable on all PC's would make it have to work with A LOT of other hardware.
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Yes, they come in packages. There are 5 packages:
1. Mac Mini
2. iMac
3. Macbook
4. Macbook Pro
5. Mac Pro
1. Mac Mini
2. iMac
3. Macbook
4. Macbook Pro
5. Mac Pro
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Normal Computer = BIOS
Intel Macs = EFI
Intel Macs = EFI
Qiranworms
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Traditionally the reason was that Macs had a different CPU architecture. They used PowerPC processors while other computers use x86-based processors. Software must be compiled for a specific architecture, hence not being able to install OS X on any standard computer at the time.
Now it's a little different. Apple has switched their CPU architecture to x86 by now using Intel processors. As a result, their operating system is now compiled for that, so that it would be theoretically possible to run on any x86 machine, but Apple wants to remain a hardware company selling machines running exclusive software, so the installation looks for a hardware indicator (I believe there is a chip for this, I can't quite remember) that tells the installer the machine is indeed a Mac. That and standard PCs use a BIOS while Apple's use EFI, but if this was the only prevention, it would be an easy issue to deal with.
Now it's a little different. Apple has switched their CPU architecture to x86 by now using Intel processors. As a result, their operating system is now compiled for that, so that it would be theoretically possible to run on any x86 machine, but Apple wants to remain a hardware company selling machines running exclusive software, so the installation looks for a hardware indicator (I believe there is a chip for this, I can't quite remember) that tells the installer the machine is indeed a Mac. That and standard PCs use a BIOS while Apple's use EFI, but if this was the only prevention, it would be an easy issue to deal with.
StillwaterIT
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One word: VMWare
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StillwaterIT said:
Yeah that would be the illegal, slow, unstable option I mentioned above.
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