A couple of questions, please help!

[chaoscreater]

Hi all, i'm new here. I've never used a MAC or made my own Hackintosh be4, so plz forgive my noobness. I have read all the FAQs and basics and done a fair bit of research, I'm just about to get started but have a couple of questions that I couldn't find any answers/solutions for, so please bare with me here. Ok, so here're my questions:

 

1. My main purpose of installing a Hackintosh is so I can use the iOS SDK to develope iOS apps/games, as the SDK only works on a MAC. Will I be able to use that (assuming I got Hackintosh working), because from what I know so far, there're a few files that can't be run on a Hackintosh, even they're made for the MAC.

 

2. Where do I download KEXT files?? There're many different builds for Hackintosh, people use different motherboards, ethernet cards, graphics cards etc. I've been searching around and couldn't find KEXT files for the hardwares that I use, is there a site to download them? The only one I could find is this:

 

http://www.kexts.com/

 

however, it doesn't contain any of the KEXT files that match my hardwares....

 

 

3. After each upgrade, we must replace the KEXT files right? So if i'm not wrong, they're kinda like drivers, which means there'll be different versions of course. So this kinda relates to my 2nd question, where do we get KEXT updates, and are they version specific? If YES, does that mean whenever we update OSX, e.g. from 10.6.4 to 10.6.5, then we have to replace the KEXT files with a newer version? 

 

 

4. This is the guide I'll be using, I've already finished reading it and it seems very easy and well explained, and it's pretty up to date as well as it was posted on 25th October 2010, which is only 3 weeks ago:

 

http://lifehacker.com/5672051/how-to-build...ight-easy-steps

 

anyway, in that guide it was shown how to install up to OS X v10.6.4, but right now the current version available is v10.6.5. So basically, do i just update to v10.6.4, and then update to v10.6.5 and then apply the KEXT files and then I can restart?? Or do i have to restart after updating to v10.6.4, and then update to v10.6.5? I ask this because for Windows, sometimes you have to restart for the upgrade to complete or take effect, before you can install a newer upgrade over the old one, but since i've never used a MAC, I don't know if this is the same or not.

 

So that's all my questions, I'm still a little confused about some terms like DSDT, I did read them but haven't seen any guides mentioning anything about it, I just wanna follow simple instructions to get this done, just like jailbreaking an iDevice with one touch of a button.....

 

 

anyway i'm planning to use these hardwares for my Hackintosh:

 

Pentium 4 3.4Ghz (Prescott SL7KM)

 

Geforce 8800GT

 

ASRock G41M-S3 motherboard

 

Corsair 2GB DDR3 ram

 

 

 

 

I know the Pentium 4 will work since it supports SSE3 & SSE2, but for the motherboard i'm not so sure, and I couldn't find any KEXT files for my 8800GT either.......anyway please help with those questions, I will reward you a giant cookie if you do, and will be very much appreciated.

[dothacker]

10.6.3 to 10.6.4 is a piece of cake, i've done it numerous times but then again, different motherboards... so enter at your own risk. after that, you can restart and see if you have a hackintosh still. then you backup your kexts (more importantly the USB), then update to 10.6.5, or you can just stay on 10.6.4 and ignore the update for now.

 

the 8800GT, if i wasn't mistaken, is supported with the flag GraphicsEnabler=Yes if you're using the newest bootloaders (ie. Chameleon 2 RC5 r619, PC_EFI 10.6). try putting "-v GraphicsEnabler=Yes" flags when you boot darwin. if not, use the nVidia injectors.

[3.14r2]

1) No comments on that, I don't use iOS dev kit.

 

2) Installing OS X on a PC IS NOT THE SAME THING AS INSTALLING Windows on a PC. It is not like "piece of cake" thing. You should know that OS X IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE INSTALLED AND USED ON OTHER COMPUTERS THEN Mac! Therefore it will not be as easy as installing Windows. Windows is created (meant) to be installed on almost any PC - OS X is not.

In order to install and run OS X on a PC, some technical issues must be solved. This accordingly requires knowledge of what and why has to be done. If you don't know - do not install!

Hardware in OS X is supported differently. You can't just download a driver and install it so a device would star working. Most manufacturers have drivers for Windows (sometimes Linux), only some of them have OS X drivers. OS X by default supports (for the most part) only devices included in Mac computers. Here we discuss how and what should be done in order to make a certain devices to work (if it can be done at all).

 

There are few websites dedicated to the subject of installing OS X to a PC (not Mac). This site is one of them. Use Google to find other resources. I suggest downloading from this site and other sites as well. Before you download something, you should probably know what is needed to be downloaded. In other words make sure you know your hardware and how it is (if it is) supported by OS X.

 

3) As per above - OS X IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE INSTALLED AND USED ON OTHER COMPUTERS THEN Mac! Therefore there are different methods of installation making it to work. Mainly it is a Retail disk method and a Patched disk method. A patched disk is a retail OS X disk modified to be used with a PC. A patched disk contains many modified files. So OS X installed from such a disk may be "vulnerable" to some updates as some essential modified system files are replaced with newer original versions.

 

OS X installed from a retail disk is much more less "vulnerable" to updates as most system files are original and even updated system usually works as before (depending on the hardware used and other factors).

 

To conclude the retail install method is much more safe to update and may not require to replace any system files (depending on the hardware used and other factors).

 

4) The guide is for a different hardware then you have. You need the guide with similar hardware as you have. It is very important to have a compatible hardware then installing OS X. Or many issues can be faced. Check if these components you have are compatible:

CPU

Motherboard (chipset)

VGA card

LAN card

WLAN (if any)

Audio card

There is a BIG difference what CPU is used. Some CPUs can be used with original OS X kernel and some can only work with a patched kernel. The CPU you have, most likely could only be used with a patched kernel.

 

On updates... Updates in OS X are done in different manner then in Windows. There are two types of software (OS X version) updates - combo and delta. Combo updates ANY VERSION to the current one (from 10.6.x to 10.6.5). Delta updates to a newer version from a previous version (10.6.1 to 10.6.2).

 

On DSDT... It is a complicated subject and YOU SHOULD PERFECTLY KNOW what you are doing, as DSDT is hardware specific. Even the same motherboard with the same CPU can have different DSDT if some other components are different or BIOS settings differ. Also here in this forum you may find MANY TOPICS on the subject - just bother to search.

 

On VGA... VGA cards can be made to work not only by using a driver (NOT THE DRIVER IS THE PROBLEM, BUT HOW OS X "HANDLES" hardware, esp. VGA cards) as OS X has build-in drivers for many nVidia cards (and for some ATI cards). The problem is how to "force" OS X to use the build-in driver for the particular card.

 

Installing OS X is not fun, cool&geeky. It requires knowledge and understanding of what you are doing.

[Gringo Vermelho]

/EDIT.. yeah what The Round One said. My post below basically says the same thing in a slightly different way.

 

2. Where do I download KEXT files?? There're many different builds for Hackintosh, people use different motherboards, ethernet cards, graphics cards etc.

Rule number one of Hackintosh Club is "know your hardware".

 

Kernel Extensions are available all over the place. Being new to this, your problem is not finding them, it's that you don't know exactly what you're looking for.

 

In some cases you won't need to download anything - you can work with the kernel extensions that ship with OS X.

 

Your video card is most likely already supported by the drivers that ship with OS X, all you need is an injection method. You can use the Chameleon GraphicsEnabler, Injectorxxx.kext, Device-Properties "EFI" String or DSDT injection. GraphicsEnabler is the simplest method, NVEnabler is the most complete. Google/forum search each one to learn more.

 

However, if the OS X nvidia drivers don't "recognize" your video card then injection will not work.

In most cases you can fix this yourself by adding your video card's device ID to the relevant kernel extensions. Google 'guide for all nvidia boards' for more information about this.

 

As for sound and ethernet, in many cases (especially on modern motherboards with an Intel chipset) it's possible to use existing OS X drivers, but, as FKA puts it, tickled a little bit to work with your hardware. But unlike the nvidia drivers, sometimes adding or replacing device IDs is not enough, depending on your hardware and the available solutions, sometimes you have to do more, and sometimes there are community provided drivers that'll work better than the Apple drivers, or add support for hardware that don't ship in real Macs.

 

To find specific files or modifications for your hardware (like on-board sound and LAN) you need to search by make and model, and if you can throw device ID into the mix as well it will help. If you have Windows installed, you can use the Windows Device Manager or El Coniglio and oldnapalm's "System Information Tool" (available here on IM, use the search to find it) to look up device IDs. There are many ways to find this information, proceed any way you like.

 

You'll be going nowhere fast until you know exactly what hardware you have.

 

Don't forget you need to use a patched kernel for your Pentium 4, it is not supported by the vanilla kernel.

Because of this, you will not be able to follow the lifehacker guide you've linked to as it is, but the basic, general principles are the same.

[Alessandro17]

Installing OS X is not fun, cool&geeky. It requires knowledge and understanding of what you are doing.

 

Wow! Can I put that in my sig? (only joking ).

[FKA]

Wow! Can I put that in my sig? (only joking ).

 

and there was me thinking I was 'Super Fly!'

[Gringo Vermelho]

cue *theatrical sobbing*

 

That sentence hurt my feelings more than the famous "nobody helps anybody around here".

 

 

If what I'm doing is not even "fun, cool and geeky" anymore then what's left??

 

*lol*

[chaoscreater]

Oh wow, I posted this yesterday night and went to sleep and bam i get so many replies in the morning......

 

Hmm not quite the answers I was hoping for, I'm slightly more confused now than I was before........

 

 

 

 

/EDIT.. yeah what The Round One said. My post below basically says the same thing in a slightly different way.

 

 

Rule number one of Hackintosh Club is "know your hardware".

 

Kernel Extensions are available all over the place. Being new to this, your problem is not finding them, it's that you don't know exactly what you're looking for.

 

In some cases you won't need to download anything - you can work with the kernel extensions that ship with OS X.

 

Your video card is most likely already supported by the drivers that ship with OS X, all you need is an injection method. You can use the Chameleon GraphicsEnabler, Injectorxxx.kext, Device-Properties "EFI" String or DSDT injection. GraphicsEnabler is the simplest method, NVEnabler is the most complete. Google/forum search each one to learn more.

 

However, if the OS X nvidia drivers don't "recognize" your video card then injection will not work.

In most cases you can fix this yourself by adding your video card's device ID to the relevant kernel extensions. Google 'guide for all nvidia boards' for more information about this.

 

As for sound and ethernet, in many cases (especially on modern motherboards with an Intel chipset) it's possible to use existing OS X drivers, but, as FKA puts it, tickled a little bit to work with your hardware. But unlike the nvidia drivers, sometimes adding or replacing device IDs is not enough, depending on your hardware and the available solutions, sometimes you have to do more, and sometimes there are community provided drivers that'll work better than the Apple drivers, or add support for hardware that don't ship in real Macs.

 

To find specific files or modifications for your hardware (like on-board sound and LAN) you need to search by make and model, and if you can throw device ID into the mix as well it will help. If you have Windows installed, you can use the Windows Device Manager or El Coniglio and oldnapalm's "System Information Tool" (available here on IM, use the search to find it) to look up device IDs. There are many ways to find this information, proceed any way you like.

 

You'll be going nowhere fast until you know exactly what hardware you have.

 

Don't forget you need to use a patched kernel for your Pentium 4, it is not supported by the vanilla kernel.

Because of this, you will not be able to follow the lifehacker guide you've linked to as it is, but the basic, general principles are the same.

I don't understand this, doesn't Pentium 4 support SSE2 & SSE3? I checked mine using CPU-Z and it does, so what kernel-patching is required for this?? I thought patching are required for those that don't support SSE2 or SSE3?? And where do I find patched kernels??

 

Also, I DO know my hardware, I stated them in the first post. I just don't know what KEXT files I need for them. If KEXT aren't the equivalent of drivers for Windows, then what are they? Why do we have to use them for?? I'm confused with this now....

 

 

 

 

Anyway thanks for all your input guys, but I just wanna clarify a few things......I KNOW that Hackintosh hardware setups are all different, not all of them are compatible, I get that. But as far as I know, the bootloaders and all those programs to get it OS X to install and working is pretty much the same, just that the only thing you have to worry about is whether your hardware is compatible or not. So can you guys please spare me the lectures on those and please direct me at websites (which i asked for) on what patches, KEXTs or whatever that I may need can be downloaded from?? 

 

 

Note, that I'm not asking for guides, I already have one (even though it uses different hardwares), I can find guides quite easily as well. Also, I'm NOT asking for direct download links for KEXT or patches that are "specific" to my hardwares (of course if you're kind enough you can provide that, i'm more than welcomed if you do). But what i'm asking for is just a website similar to http://www.kexts.com/ where it lists all the files in sections. But like i stated in my first post, that site doesn't contain much.

 

OR, maybe something like this:

 

http://www.insanelymac.com/osx86db/

 

where you can find everything you need from different sections. So ya, my point is that I KNOW what my hardwares are, the main step here is to find all the relevant files I need for them, this is the only thing i'm asking for help with, so please focus your answers on that only, thanks.

[Gringo Vermelho]

It doesn't matter if your Pentium 4 has the SSE2 and SSE3 instruction sets, like Pentium Ms, Ds and AMD CPUs, it will not work with an unpatched kernel.

I suggest you read this and everything else on the blog that's related to running OS X on a PC:

http://tgwbd.org/darwin/xnu.html

Also read the "Voodoo Kernel User Documentation" pdf and the Voodoo Kernel developer interview, you can find both in this topic:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=209192

The same topic also has patched kernels for 10.5.5 - 10.5.8 attached.

 

You can find a patched kernels for 10.6.x elsewhere on Insanelymac. Use the search.

 

If you know what you need to know about your hardware, then do as I suggested earlier to find the kernel extensions that you need.

 

I don't recommend using those sites with kext collections, all the kernel extensions that are there come from other sites, most from this very forum. You wouldn't download the latest nvidia driver from majorgeeks.com, would you? Try to find the original source of the release, this will make sure you get the latest available version and whatever else accompanies the kernel extension that you're looking for - such as important information on how to configure, tweak, what not to do etc etc.

 

Good luck.

[3.14r2]

Wow! Can I put that in my sig? (only joking ).

That sentence hurt my feelings

Oops, forgot to ad "" after the sentence! Sorry!

[chaoscreater]

It doesn't matter if your Pentium 4 has the SSE2 and SSE3 instruction sets, like Pentium Ms, Ds and AMD CPUs, it will not work with an unpatched kernel.

I suggest you read this and everything else on the blog that's related to running OS X on a PC:

http://tgwbd.org/darwin/xnu.html

Also read the "Voodoo Kernel User Documentation" pdf and the Voodoo Kernel developer interview, you can find both in this topic:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=209192

The same topic also has patched kernels for 10.5.5 - 10.5.8 attached.

 

You can find a patched kernels for 10.6.x elsewhere on Insanelymac. Use the search.

 

If you know what you need to know about your hardware, then do as I suggested earlier to find the kernel extensions that you need.

 

I don't recommend using those sites with kext collections, all the kernel extensions that are there come from other sites, most from this very forum. You wouldn't download the latest nvidia driver from majorgeeks.com, would you? Try to find the original source of the release, this will make sure you get the latest available version and whatever else accompanies the kernel extension that you're looking for - such as important information on how to configure, tweak, what not to do etc etc.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

Ok thanks, i'll give those a try.

 

 

Ya ur right, i would prefer to get all the files from their original sources if possible, the thing is there're so many custom KEXTs around, in fact most of them ARE custom ones uploaded by other people, there doesn't seem to be an official site such as ATI or Nvidia where you get monthly driver updates from......therefore it's annoying for me, especially new to the Hackintosh thing to find all the files i need.

[Gringo Vermelho]

there doesn't seem to be an official site such as ATI or Nvidia where you get monthly driver updates from......therefore it's annoying for me, especially new to the Hackintosh thing to find all the files i need.

Haha, monthly "official" driver updates for PCs running OS X? You're joking right?

 

Are you aware that there is no-one "running" this, that nobody is "in charge"? All the files and all the information is provided by hobbyists who do whatever it is they do in their spare time, because they enjoy it. OSX on a PC is not somebody's "product", therefore there are no guarantees, and you cannot "get your money back", you can't complain - nobody owes you anything and you're not "entitled" to anything.

Think about this:

 

If you think that something should be done differently around here, then it's your job to do something constructive about it.

 

If you feel that installing OS X on your PC is annoying, then maybe you shouldn't attempt it. Because it's supposed to be fun.

I just wanna follow simple instructions to get this done, just like jailbreaking an iDevice with one touch of a button.....

There is no such thing. Your PC is not an iDevice, it's quite the opposite. Which is why Apple's wonderful OS doesn't work on it out of the box.

If that's what you'd like, I whole-heartedly suggest that you buy a Mac and forget about installing OS X on your PC.

 

Installing OS X on your PC for the first time will never be convenient, simple or easy, there is a learning curve, you have to research, read, study. You should read 3.14r2's initial reply to you again - every word he wrote is true (except that last bit ). From what you've been saying in your posts following his reply, I don't think you understood it.

anyway please help with those questions, I will reward you a giant cookie if you do, and will be very much appreciated.

I don't want a giant cookie, I want you to post a list of your hardware - with device IDs (I told you how to get those) - then a more experienced user will be able to point you in the direction of a working driver for each component - if it exists.

 

Post make and model of your

 

Motherboard chipset - north and southbridge

On-board sound

On-board LAN

And post the device ID of your Geforce 8800 GT.

 

Nobody can sensibly answer any of the questions that are raised in your initial post without that information. But I can tell you this: If you do your homework and set up everything right (hardware and available drivers permitting!) you will be able to install and update OS X as if it was installed on a real Mac, use your iOS developer tools the way you want, and not worry about having "updated kexts".

[Alessandro17]

@ Gringo Vermelho

 

Wow, I am reading brave statements (the truth, in fact) we had almost forgotten. Well done!

[dothacker]

Haha, monthly "official" driver updates for PCs running OS X? You're joking right?

 

Are you aware that there is no-one "running" this, that nobody is "in charge"? All the files and all the information is provided by hobbyists who do whatever it is they do in their spare time, because they enjoy it. OSX on a PC is not somebody's "product", therefore there are no guarantees, and you cannot "get your money back", you can't complain - nobody owes you anything and you're not "entitled" to anything.

Think about this:

 

If you think that something should be done differently around here, then it's your job to do something constructive about it.

 

If you feel that installing OS X on your PC is annoying, then maybe you shouldn't attempt it. Because it's supposed to be fun.

 

There is no such thing. Your PC is not an iDevice, it's quite the opposite. Which is why Apple's wonderful OS doesn't work on it out of the box.

If that's what you'd like, I whole-heartedly suggest that you buy a Mac and forget about installing OS X on your PC.

 

Installing OS X on your PC for the first time will never be convenient, simple or easy, there is a learning curve, you have to research, read, study. You should read 3.14r2's initial reply to you again - every word he wrote is true (except that last bit ). From what you've been saying in your posts following his reply, I don't think you understood it.

 

I don't want a giant cookie, I want you to post a list of your hardware - with device IDs (I told you how to get those) - then a more experienced user will be able to point you in the direction of a working driver for each component.

 

Post make and model of your

 

Motherboard chipset - north and southbridge

On-board sound

On-board LAN

And post the device ID of your Geforce 8800 GT.

 

Nobody can sensibly answer any of the questions that are raised in your initial post without that information. But I can tell you this: If you do your homework and set up everything right (hardware and available drivers permitting!) you will be able to install and update OS X as if it was installed on a real Mac, use your iOS developer tools the way you want, and not worry about having "updated kexts".

 

I think I just found my new hero!

[Hagar]

Rule number one of Hackintosh Club is "know your hardware".

 

Actually, that is number two, number one is "Always back up" a minor detail

[chaoscreater]

Haha, monthly "official" driver updates for PCs running OS X? You're joking right?

 

Are you aware that there is no-one "running" this, that nobody is "in charge"? All the files and all the information is provided by hobbyists who do whatever it is they do in their spare time, because they enjoy it. OSX on a PC is not somebody's "product", therefore there are no guarantees, and you cannot "get your money back", you can't complain - nobody owes you anything and you're not "entitled" to anything.

 

Uhh, that's exactly what i was saying, you just elaborated it........that's my whole point and i think you misunderstood, i'm agreeing with you here, not disagreeing. This is exactly why i said that it's not possible to get monthly updates for KEXT files or any other files coz everything is made or maintained by others who do this as a hobby or whatsoever......which is why it's hard for me to locate certain files that i need, when i can use a site that provides multiple files in different sections for different hardwares, again kinda like kexts.com or OSx86 Database. I'm just saying, i wish or i hope there is a site like that, kinda the same thing as asking for a universal general guide that applies to everyone, instead of hundreds of different guides for different hardware setups. I'm just trying to explain that for a newbie that just got into this Hackintosh scene, it's quite annoying to search everywhere for scattered files that i need, instead of getting them from a general site that contains a collection of all the files posted by others.

 

 

 

 

Anyway i'll get back to you on the hardware IDs and the stuff that you asked for, this whole time i'm on a mini vacation with my laptop so will give you those infos once i get back.

[3.14r2]

Anyway i'll get back to you on the hardware IDs and the stuff that you asked for...

This application (there is a Windows version also) should help you to identify most of important components (devices).