Forums | MacLife

Ironically, it's the volume licensing deals to OEMs that are leading to the so called "cracks".

Individual copies of Windows must be activated by contacting Microsoft, either by phone or by internet connection.   The key that's printed on the license certificate can only be used once-- so Windows calls back to MS to make sure that it's a unique key.

Volume licensing keys, such as those issued to Lenova, Dell, and others can be used in volume, and Windows doesn't confirm that the key is unique and not on the blacklist-- (that would waste the installers time).

Share your own key, and you shoot yourself in the foot. Share a volume licensing key, and thousands of others can join in on the fun.

Bren wrote:

Mr. T wrote:

Modern hackintoshes are easier than ever to get going, and work absolutely flawlessly...

From what I've seen in the OSX86/Hackint0sh forums elsewhere on the Web, this is not the case. Still lots of questions about compatibility, and still lots of people needing help because they're getting no sound or their monitor resolutions or FireWire or USB or some other really essential part of the equation is not quite working the way it needs to.

The people with trouble fall into two categories: There are those who buy hardware without researching whether or not it will work, and there are those who download hacked installation discs and wonder why they can't update.  90% of the posts are simply from complications either of the above.  On top of that, osx86project's HCL is useless because it's never updated, and the term "fully working without patching" is ambiguous.

In reality, there's a general, straightforward method for installing a retail disc onto any supported hardware, give or take a few kexts (drivers).  The ideal hackintosh website needs to have the following characteristics:
• It needs to be centered around this general retail installation method -- aka "vanilla installation."
• It needs to provide a kext database for various chipsets.
• There should be a chipset forum, with sub-forums for all known chipsets.
• There should be a motherboard forum, with sub-forums for all known motherboards.
• There should be an OEM forum, with sub-forums for all known desktop and laptop models.
• There should NOT be a general "installation forum" where people can inquire about "x" driver, or "y" motherboard.

If someone makes something like this, I think you'd be amazed at how easy it really is.  In the meantime, your best bet is picking a motherboard with a good installation tutorial.  If you don't see the words "retail" or "vanilla' anywhere, then keep looking until you do.  I found a good one for my GA-EX58-UD5.  It's wordier than it needs to be, but to some consider that a good thing.

Last edited by Mr. T (2009-09-28 11:34 am)