Hackintoshing Guide: Part 2 - Installation | How-To Geek

Building a Hackintosh: Installing Mac OS X Snow Leopard

Do you possess hardware compatible with a hackintosh? Excellent! This guide will detail the process of installing Mac OS X Snow Leopard on a custom-built PC.

In the preceding section, we explored the fundamentals of hackintoshing and identified compatible hardware components. If you haven’t yet reviewed it, please do so first. Today, we will put that hardware to use, bringing your hackintosh closer to reality. This part focuses on the installation of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, with the option of later upgrading to Lion, depending on your preference.

Please understand that this guide provides a general framework for hackintoshing. Individual experiences will vary based on the chosen hardware. However, the goal is a fully functional hackintosh.

Alternative Installation Methods

While guides exist for directly installing Lion on a PC without Snow Leopard, support for those methods is limited. Furthermore, Lion is more iOS-focused and may be better experienced on a genuine Mac. The tonymacx86 method benefits from a dedicated forum for assistance and a wealth of successful builds and guides. You can readily follow established builds, saving time and effort in hardware compatibility research.

Before proceeding, familiarize yourself with the tonymacx86 F.A.Q.s.

Essential Downloads

After assembling your computer, you’ll need to download several files from the tonymacx86 website’s downloads section. Registration is required to access these downloads, and is recommended for potential forum support.

• iBoot
• iBoot legacy (an alternative for CPUs incompatible with standard iBoot)
• MultiBeast

iBoot is a utility for booting from the Mac OS X Install Disc. Burn it to a CD or DVD using a program like ImgBurn. Copy MultiBeast to a USB thumb drive. Additionally, download the Mac OS X v10.6.7 update combo. While 10.6.8 is available, 10.6.7 is generally more stable. Finally, consider a DSDT (Differentiated System Description Table) if available for your motherboard. Check the DSDT database; if your motherboard is listed, download the corresponding DSDT to the USB drive. A DSDT is optional.

With all necessary files gathered, you are prepared to begin the installation process. Keep a record of all installation steps for reference.

Tip: Having a secondary computer available is beneficial for troubleshooting and accessing the tonymacx86 forums.

Preliminary Setup

Before starting, ensure a minimalistic hardware configuration:

• Only a USB keyboard and mouse connected.
• A single SATA hard drive, preferably formatted and empty. Disconnect any other drives.
• An optical drive connected to a SATA port.
• If you have more than 4GB of RAM, temporarily remove some.
• Use a single monitor connected to a single video card.

Next, adjust your BIOS settings. These may vary depending on your motherboard manufacturer, but generally include:

• Selecting “Load Optimized Defaults” or a similar option.
• Restoring any CPU overclocking to default settings.
• Setting the BIOS to AHCI mode for SATA configuration.
• Prioritizing the optical drive as the first boot device.
• Enabling HPET (High Precision Event Timer) and setting its value to 64 if possible.

Consult the tonymacx86 forums for specific guidance related to your motherboard. Save all BIOS changes before exiting.

Initiating the Installation

Reboot your computer with the iBoot disc inserted. If it doesn’t boot, try the iBoot legacy disc. Once iBoot loads, you’ll see the tonymacx86 logo and a CD icon labeled “iBoot” – this is the chameleon prompt.

Eject the iBoot disc and insert your Mac OS X Snow Leopard install disc. Refresh the screen by pressing F5. The CD icon should now read “Mac OS X Install DVD”. Press ENTER to begin loading files.

You may see the Apple logo and a spinning loader. If the installation doesn’t proceed smoothly, resulting in a kernel panic or an inability to load, use the following boot flag at the chameleon prompt before pressing Enter: PCIRootUID=1 -x -v. -v enables verbose mode, displaying detailed system activity. -x activates safe mode, and PCIRootUID=1 identifies your video card.

Tip: Record any successful boot flags and points of failure for future reference.

Once the installer screen appears, the process is similar to installing on a standard Mac. Select your preferred language and continue.

At the next screen, access Disk Utility (Utilities > Disk Utility). Select your hard drive, click the Partition tab, and choose “1 Partition” with a “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” format. Name the partition appropriately.

Click Options and ensure “GUID Partition Table” is selected. Apply the changes and partition the drive.

Exit Disk Utility and continue with the installation. Customize the installation by deselecting unwanted components. Click Install and monitor the progress. It typically takes 15-20 minutes.

Upon completion, you may receive either an “Install Succeeded” or “Install Failed” message. Regardless, the installation is complete. Restart your computer, swapping the install disc for the iBoot disc.

Boot from the hard drive, which should now be listed with an Apple icon. If booting fails, review your BIOS settings and consult the tonymacx86 forums.

Tip: Use the -v boot flag to observe the loading process and identify any potential issues.

You may see the Mac OS X installation video. After that, you’ll be prompted to configure your Mac. This should be straightforward.

Post-Installation Configuration

After reaching the desktop, some hardware components may not function optimally. This is normal. Run the Mac OS X v10.6.7 update combo from the USB drive, but do not restart immediately.

Run MultiBeast from the USB drive. Select UserDSDT and System Utilities if you have a DSDT; otherwise, select EasyBeast and System Utilities. Run the MultiBeast installer.

Do not immediately enable all devices. After restarting, some previously working components may cease to function due to the update. Re-run MultiBeast, starting with System Utilities. For non-functional devices, explore the “Drivers & Bootloaders > Kexts & Enablers” section. Install one kext at a time, reboot, and test. If a kext doesn’t work, remove it from the Extensions folder (S/L/E).

Tip: The “PCI Root ID Fix” and “IOUSB Family Rollback” options in MultiBeast can resolve common issues.

This concludes the installation of Snow Leopard on your hackintosh. Remember to consult the tonymacx86 forums for assistance with any challenges you encounter. Reinstallation is acceptable, and practice will refine your skills.

In the next part, we will explore upgrading to Lion and setting up dual-booting with Windows.

Screenshots sourced from various locations, including contributions from the author. This guide aims for simplicity and clarity, but success is not guaranteed. For further assistance, contact the author on Twitter or post questions on the tonymacx86 forums.