can mac OS work on a custom computer?

OS X can only be used on Apple computers unless you use an emulator like PearPC. Not an emulator will run OS X slower(a lot slower) than a true Mac. You can always run Linux on your custom PC.

Grant

When you say "computer", be aware that Macs are computers too. Technically, you can build a Mac, but it's just a hassle, and it's unsupported.

Brian

I would think that as long as the CPU is Intel and the other hardware is supported by OSX then shouldn't be a problem.

Not sure is OSX is coming in a CD bootable in such a machine or has a generic installer, but with Intel Macs coming out soon shouldn't be too far off I would think.

I would think that as long as the CPU is Intel and the other hardware is supported by OSX then shouldn't be a problem.

Mark,

Apple has said that they will not allow OS X to run on any other platforms beside Mac. Even if it was found to be possible, it'd be against the law to do so.

Brian

Indeed, it would be illegal, but apparently someone has got the developer version to run on an intel box (obviously without the TPM). I remember news about this a month or so ago. Not sure how well it ran, though.

Brian Again you seem to be missing something. If Apple did not want OSX running on anything other than a Mac then why would they build OSX to run on Intel processors and therefore presumably machines built to different specifications, like most Windows boxes are.

If Apple did not want OSX running on anything other than a Mac then why would they build OSX to run on Intel processors

Mark,

There are multiple reasons for switching to Intel processors. Cost, availability, good speed to power usage ratio, and marketability are just a few. Apple is not releasing OS X as a stand-alone product to be installed on custom made PC's. This is official. That would change them from being a hardware manufacturer that makes software to a software manufacturer that makes hardware.

This would be a fatal move from Apple because their marketshare makes hardware the main basis of profit. On top of that, Apple wouldn't be able to control the type of hardware, and thus OS X would be much more buggy and bloated like Windows.

Lastly, I'm not pulling this out of nowhere, I'm basing this on official statements from Apple. Phil Schiller, Apple's Senior Vice-President has said "We will not allow running Mac OS X on anything other than an Apple Mac."

I'm sorry, but you can't be more wrong about Apple not wanting to sell OS X for vanilla, custom, hacked-up PC's.

Brian

Someone will get OSX running on PC's though I'm sure. Apple will obviously be keeping the hardware specifications to what it wants to have in the architecture but may be harder to impose than what they think, with OSX being opensource and all.

with OSX being opensource and all.

Ummmmmmmm, OS X is not opensource Mark. I don't know where you got that from. OS X does have some pieces that are opensource(like the underlying core), but OS X is not opensource. And Apple has stated that they would not allow OS X to run on anything but Apple hardware. Whether the succeed or not is pure speculation.

Grant

That's what I meant the core of the os, sheez thought you guys would know the difference stop taking my comments so literally. Thought you would know the difference and what I meant, obviously I was wrong.

I'll word my replies better next time for the youg'uns

Mark,

Saying Mac OS X is opensource, and that certain technologies of OS X are opensource are two completely different statements. So saying one should never be thought of being the other. Saying so is just wrong. Sorry. And by the way, far from being a "youg'un".

Grant

You can use Darwin, of course.

But, unless .. well I dont think this is what you had in mind 🙂

http://www.opendarwin.org/

But its nice.

As for OS X on Intel hardware - thats a) too early and b) wont run on cheap boxes but apple hardware running intel processor technology.

Or to put it in other words: For a stable, fun giving OS X machine, you wont came around getting some apple hardware ... which... actually is nicer anyways hehe ^^

I'm going to get the last of the G5's with G5 chips in them, I'm not sure about this Intel in a Mac shenanigans, just won't feel like a 'Real' mac with an Intel processor under the hood. 😟

The only way I know of custom computers again as stated wouldn't be with Apple's legal dept.'s blessing for sure.

However it is technically possible and has been done as the wiki article states quite clearly.

Now why would you want a custom computer is a bit beyond me. You gain the headaches of a custom computer such as compatibility issues, and various possible resulting bugs in the OS X running on such unknown configuration.

Even with a real Mac that can use 3rd party hardware, there are certain core features such as wireless networking where I consider getting a real Airport Express card for wireless connectivity well worth the extra monetary expense to gain the greatest degree of compatibility in the Mac world. Knowing that the AE card is also 802.1g lets me still retain compatibility with all the PC networking gear out there.--one small example where the only other options with this current machine are plug in USB devices which are already a software driver, and "arm wrestle the device until it works" nightmare with PCs; something I'd gladly do without by buying Apple.

There are two different worlds. In PC world we talk about how cheap we could get a computer or build it as if some legitimate source of pride should come from that and at ad-nauseam we talk about specs like parrots for a companies marketing department. In Mac world, except for recent PC converts, you really hear people talk about what they do with their computers instead.