Talk:Mac operating systems/Mac OS on non-Apple-labeled computers

Mac OS on non-Apple-labeled computers
Although a violation of Apple's EULA, running OS X operating systems compiled for x86 or x86_64 ("Intel 64") on a non-Apple PC is possible using several approaches.

Installation of Mac OS X requires a Mac OS X Installer emulator, the most straightforward of which is a USB flash drive–type Installer emulator. Once the installation has been successfully completed to the hard drive, the hard drive may be booted using the emulator portion of the USB flash drive as a "helper" and a boot loader Installer may be downloaded and used to place the boot loader on the hard drive's boot blocks. Thereafter, Mac OS X may be booted from the hard drive alone; the installed boot loader takes care of any required device injection and/or kernel patching.

Mac OS X is generally compatible with any Intel desktop-based system or Intel-based motherboard, ICH6 or later, however compatibility past Snow Leopard cannot be assured with ICH6. Compatibility with ICH7 and with Lion and 945 (G)MCH has already been demonstrated and proven. Compatibility with ICH7 or later and any associated MCH/(G)MCH is quite good, certainly including Lion, and possibly also including Mountain Lion. Mac OS X compatibility with Intel laptop- or netbook-based systems is quite variable but has been successful on a few Intel Atom-based netbooks.

In 2008, Miami-based manufacturing company Psystar Corporation announced a $399 clone called OpenMac that came with a barebones system that can run Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Threatened with litigation, Psystar changed the name to Open Computer. Apple filed a lawsuit with the company and asked that Psystar be ordered to stop producing clone systems, recall every system sold, and pay monetary damages. Eventually, Apple prevailed in court, and the Open Computer's production was ceased. Psystar itself appears to be defunct now, as the company's website is gone.