Can someone with a PC run a MAC OS on it?

[Jamastiene]

Not trying to start something here, but I know many of you use Macs here. I have always been curious about that.

[Omphaloskepsis]

1. You can.. But I would not do it.

The next update from Apple will likely break your computer. Apple makes its money from hardware sales. There are copies of OS X floating around but they will break if you try to install the next update.

[Jamastiene]

3. Hmm, I was kind of hoping to play around.

Maybe I'll just save up.

[Kutjara]

2. There are hacks around that will let you do it.

They basically fool OS X into thinking that the PCs BIOS startup instructions are actually the EFI instructions that OS X uses. Once you've got OS X installed, you'll have to hunt around for drivers that will work with your hardware. Since Apple only supports OS X on the limited range of hardware that it makes, you might find you have to make do with generic drivers for your video card, sound card, etc.

Still, a lot of people have done it and there are how-tos all over the web from people who've had varying degrees of success. The best installations seem to be those that try to mimic as closely as possible the hardware configuration of the desktop Mac Pro, since that's the best way to ensure you'll have properly working drivers.

Install OS X on a PC laptop, however, and you'll end up with many things not working.

[Jamastiene]

4. Thanks for the answers, y'all.

I've always been curious about this, because I'm truly neither "pro-Mac" nor "Pro-Pc." I'm right in the middle, but not happy that I am forced to make Bill Gates richer, when there might be something more fun average users who like to tinker can do that would work either way.

[Kutjara]

5. It's much easier the other way, of course.

The MacBook I'm typing this on runs both OS X and Vista (both in 64bit mode). I use OS X 90% of the time, but switch to Windows when I need to do C#/.NET development or when I want to watch videos on TV using my XBox 360 as a Media Center Extender. It's nice to have both options, and would be even nicer if people could just install OS X on any old PC.