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What do I need to put Mac OS X on a custom build?

Discussion in 'Other Hardware' started by davisjaron, May 3, 2009.

  1. davisjaron TechSpot Member Posts: 79

    I'm a big mac fan... I'm actually a certified Apple Product Professional (apple sales training basically) and I can tell you almost anything about apple computers, especially iMacs, which are my favorite. But I don't know everything, honestly.

    My question, for anyone who knows, is what would I have to have, hardware wise, in order to build a computer and be able to put Mac OS X on it?

    Does it require a certain type of motherboard, or is it just a hard drive requirement? I know it's possible, I just don't know what it takes, ya know?

    I know this is technically an OS question, but it's about the hardware part, so I put it here in general hardware...
    davisjaron, May 3, 2009
    #1

  2. SNGX1275 TS Special Forces Posts: 11,891   +117

    SNGX1275, May 3, 2009
    #2

  3. jobeard TS Ambassador Posts: 12,210   +118

    my understanding is there's a proprietary eprom on all Macs to deter the OS
    from booting on just any hardware -- including the newest Intel chips.

    at the moment I can't find the reference, but there it is for what it's worth.
    jobeard, May 3, 2009
    #3

  4. SNGX1275 TS Special Forces Posts: 11,891   +117

    Right. So you need a custom built OS X disk, or a way to emulate the EFI. Some company sells a USB thing that you plug in and that takes care of the EFI so you can install from a retail OS X disk.
    SNGX1275, May 3, 2009
    #4

  5. LNCPapa TS Special Forces Posts: 3,946   +120

    LNCPapa, May 3, 2009
    #5
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