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You're welcome.

If you're genuinely interested in running macOS on a Dell XPS (and you don't already own the laptop), I recommend the XPS 15 9550. The primary reason is that you can find a better deal on a used 9550, but there are some other tradeoffs between the 9550 and the 9560. The 9550 gets you working WiFi out of the box, but not Optimus graphics support. The 9560 comes with a Killer NIC, which will need to be replaced. The Dell XPS 13 line suffers from coil whine, which is bad enough that most reviewers recommend against that model.

I dual boot Windows and Sierra on mine, but Windows is always updating when I try to use it. So, I tend to prefer the macOS side.

Almost everything works for me except the SD Card reader. I'm a student, not a video editor, so that isn't a big deal for me. But, it is something to be aware of.

The rest of it works nearly flawlessly. It is one of the nicest laptops I've ever owned, and I highly recommend it as a MacBook replacement.

The best place to start would be over at InsanelyMac, although wmchris' guide is the one to actually follow.

So I'm curious - who makes nice Linux/BSD-friendly laptops which are at least marginally like my 2015 MacBook Pro?

I'm using a Dell XPS 15 9550 running Sierra.

Decent keyboard, great battery life, amazing (touch) screen, and it dual boots OS X and Windows. It's technically a 15" laptop, but because the screen has such small bezels it's more like a 14" form factor.

You might also look into System76 laptops, which are specifically designed for Linux.

Serious question:
Is there already a history of installing Linux on Surface Pro tablets and getting improved battery life?

There are issues with some of the type covers not being supported in Linux.

I use OS X on my Surface Pro 3 and I get about the same battery life as when in Windows.

This is exactly why I'm going the Hackintosh route. Better hardware at a much better price.

I needed an OSX machine for school, and after looking at the [expensive] offerings from Apple, I decided to go the Hackintosh route. I first turned a Surface Pro 1 into a Hackintosh running Yosemite. 95% of the machine worked flawlessly, the exception being the built-in wifi. Later, I moved to a Surface Pro 3, of which about 80% works (at this point I can have a battery meter or the touch screen, but not both simultaneously. I went with the touch screen). I love both of them, and use the SP3 on a daily basis. I also have a Hackintosh desktop running El Capitan which is faster, better, and less expensive than any of the equivalent Apple offerings.

You can put together a powerful Skylake based desktop for under $1000 using the CustoMac Buyer's Guide. It takes a lot of reading and some practice to get right at first, but once it's up and running you'll not regret it.

You can also run a full OS_X on the surface 3. Makes more sense than IOS or Android on that hardware.
Wifi not working yet, but as lumpy said, wifi doesn't work in Windows 8.1 either, half the time. (fix the bugs ffs!)

http://www.insanelymac.com/for...

Running OS X in a VM is easy if you do it right, at least it was for me. In my experience, trying to get it to run on VirtualBox was pure hell, but getting it to run in a VMware product is pretty easy if you use this (this is the newest version for the latest versions of VMware products; there's an older one by the same guy if you're running an older VMware product).

Oh ... right. You could try the new "service pack". I hear it fixes a lot of the current Windows 7 things :)

You do know that you can disable multiple unnecessary processes from that list, right?

Notably:
1) acrotray.exe - Adobe Acrobat Reader tray helper, not necessary to load on startup to read .pdf files
2) ehmsas.exe - ***Media Center Media Status Aggregator, can unload if you're not using the Vista Media Center
3) ehtray.exe - ***Media Center Tray Applet, same as #2
4) ipoint.exe - Can unload if you can settle for a normal mouse instead of your IntelliMouse (or don't need the 'extra button mapping' feature)
5) iTunesHelper.exe - iTunesHelper is only for launching iTunes when you plug in your iPod/iPhone (maybe syncing as well?)
6) itype.exe - Can unload if you use the default keyboard instead of the Intellitype Pro (or maybe 'extra mapping' see #4)
7) jusched.exe - JUSched is a monthly Update Scheduler for Java, can be unloaded
8) mobsync.exe - Can unload if you're not using the Mobile Microsoft Sync Center
9) MoeMonitor.exe - MOE Monitor can be unloaded if you're not using the Live Mesh, otherwise keep
10) wmdc.exe - Windows Mobile Device Center can be unloaded if you're not using it
11) wmpnscfg.exe - Network Sharing for WMP can be unloaded as well if you're not using it

*** - Disclaimer: Some places recommend not to disable these two (and maybe others), but I have done so without any problems (presumably because I don't use the Vista Media Center). Your results may vary, I'm not liable, etc.

That's over half of the list (11/21) and I'm sure there are other optional ones (NVIDIA Driver helper service sounds like one).

If you'd like to run unnecessary programs to add to the total, however, I would* recommend BonziBuddy as well with the familiar mascot.

* - No, I would not .

"The threat from Apple is somewhat contained because OS X only runs on premium-priced Apple hardware"

I thought they recently produced an x86 version. Historically, if Apple opened up the OS and allowed third party hardware manufacturers to carry it, OS X would be on every desktop in every home and office across the planet.

Have a look at the InsanelyMac forums, all the info is there. Unfortunately the signal to noise ratio is quite low, but you can generally find what you're looking for. I have to say though, if you're not willing to invest a good chunk of time setting up your Hackintosh, don't bother. If you thought running Linux was hard, you ain't seen nothing yet ;)

Another hint (assuming you really want to do it), consider dedicating a whole drive to OSX instead of a single partition; you avoid many problems and it's safer too.

Then boy, do I have news for you that you ain't gonna like: Mac OS X Leopard on PC hardware!

(Sorry I couldn't help feeding the trolls, but I think their head will explode after reading that :)

http://www.insanelymac.com/ - check out the forums. It's very easy if you don't mind a bit of work and some fragility around the point releases of OS X.

Well they ported some portions of Linux(sorry fanboys) to the iPhone, apparently enough to at least boot it and use it without sound, touch, wireless or any other major iPhone pluses.

And as far as it being a 'real donkey punch' to the industry, MS actually writing an app for it pretty much confirms this, although they have also written ads in Flash despite marketing Silverlight :p.

I mainly used it for Maple V. When I had an nVidia card I also used it to play Team Fortress II with my windows friends.

One thing to consider: the applications you describe run fine in any virtualization software, where as 3D games do not. Even if your virtualization software supports 3D it might have a very heavy overhead. Apparently Hardware Lighting is 87% slower in Parallels 3. Thus it is reasonable that getting popular 3D intensive applications to run in Wine is a priority.

Also note that CrossOver Office is based on Wine, and that some software producers officially support Wine (e.g. Google supports running Picasa under wine). So, despite its problems I still like Wine... I also like Wine Is Not an Emulator ;)

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?s=64f3739b65d34dc1e9ed83f26151baac&showtopic=138694 That said, I'm still having trouble getting OSX86 to work on my Intel box, so hackeat emptor. I don't know how to write my own sound drivers for my PC Intel motherboard, so that's hangup there...

Seems to have been rather common "knowledge"/belifs earlier:
http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=65786

I appologise that I was incorrect.
I thought they had stored the key there.

Where are the keys store / how are they decrypted? I'm to lazy to read all that stuff.

Because, with other methods, you need hacks, and updates require more hacks. The idea here is that you can use a virgin install of OS X and it Just Works.

So, just like BOOT-132?

Actually, I would be surprised if it's not just BOOT-132 on a bootable USB, and nothing else.

You still need a custom hacked Kernel to do it, this removes that need. Even hackintosh's need a custom DVD, this will install with an off the shelf Leopard DVD.

Not anymore. this is pretty much just a boot-132 live cd, on a very overpriced usb flashdrive. I redid my hackintosh this way a few weeks back installed straight off my retail dvd, loading only extra kexts for unofficially supported hardware (and of course dsmos and disabler) off the boot cd..

Who says you cant just go out and buy a copy of OSX and modify and run it via hackintosh? All that is needed to get around the install is to emulate the EFI on boot and there's a program out now that does that thanks to some reverse engineering by someone in the hackintosh community. With that you can even run the Apple update. This also works on AMD CPUs as well. Might have some problems running things that use PCI slots, but certain soundcards do have drivers out there. Honestly, I don't give a rat's butt what Mr. Jobs thinks (and his "oh no, you have to buy my overpriced [now pc hardware other than the EFI mobos Intel makes for them] hardware to run my OS). I should be able to do with the software once I purchase it at full price, so long as I am not distributing my copy to everyone else.

For more information, check out this site. Their faq will tell you the basics and they also have a list of hardware people have sucessfully installed OSX with here as well as a list of sound card drivers for pci if you do a search.

Who says you cant just go out and buy a copy of OSX and modify and run it via hackintosh? All that is needed to get around the install is to emulate the EFI on boot and there's a program out now that does that thanks to some reverse engineering by someone in the hackintosh community. With that you can even run the Apple update. This also works on AMD CPUs as well. Might have some problems running things that use PCI slots, but certain soundcards do have drivers out there. Honestly, I don't give a rat's butt what Mr. Jobs thinks (and his "oh no, you have to buy my overpriced [now pc hardware other than the EFI mobos Intel makes for them] hardware to run my OS). I should be able to do with the software once I purchase it at full price, so long as I am not distributing my copy to everyone else.

For more information, check out this site. Their faq will tell you the basics and they also have a list of hardware people have sucessfully installed OSX with here as well as a list of sound card drivers for pci if you do a search.

boot-132 already allows you to boot retail leopard dvds

like the Intel reference implementation on uefi.org

Are you referring to DUET of the Tianocore project? Others agree with you. It's shocking that every mainstream source is talking about this as black magic. To put it bluntly, it's an implementation of EFI that loads after the BIOS - something you can achieve in software for nothing.

I might have actually purchased a license from them if they would just let me.

Until then: http://www.insanelymac.com/

There is no TPM to bypass. You need to force decrypt certain binaries. However, there is a TPM Project that Apple has under APSL. (iow, open source.)

Shortly after Kalyway finishes it, I expect.

Right. Because if it had the options I wanted it would cost less.

Less than what? Another Mac? Or a Windows PC?

If you mean a comparable Windows PC, then perhaps you don't know than Mac prices are comparable to equivalent Windows PCs, ie similar configurations.

Or do you mean a Mac you built yourself? That I can't answer as I don't know how much a Hackintoch, er try this, cost.

> Don't even think about trying to put OS X on your PC without first purchasing a legitimate copy of Mac OS Leopard.

Fine. I bought a copy and a $500 PC. Here's how to install it:
http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=74964

Easy to maintain, super stable, and better app support than my old Linux install...

I used to run Kalyway 10.5.1 on my Dell Inspiron e1505 - it all ran pretty flawlessly. Some hardware drivers had to be hacked, and I couldn't get my video card to run at a native resolution.

But it was only a couple weeks before I got tired of it. IMO, part of the charm of a Mac is... y'know... the actual Mac.

Anyway, I used this guide for Dell Centrino Duo laptops, and other posts on the same site are extremely helpful if you're really interested in trying Mac OS X on a PC. Check the "OSx86" section, and especially this thread.

I used to run Kalyway 10.5.1 on my Dell Inspiron e1505 - it all ran pretty flawlessly. Some hardware drivers had to be hacked, and I couldn't get my video card to run at a native resolution.

But it was only a couple weeks before I got tired of it. IMO, part of the charm of a Mac is... y'know... the actual Mac.

Anyway, I used this guide for Dell Centrino Duo laptops, and other posts on the same site are extremely helpful if you're really interested in trying Mac OS X on a PC. Check the "OSx86" section, and especially this thread.

I used to run Kalyway 10.5.1 on my Dell Inspiron e1505 - it all ran pretty flawlessly. Some hardware drivers had to be hacked, and I couldn't get my video card to run at a native resolution.

But it was only a couple weeks before I got tired of it. IMO, part of the charm of a Mac is... y'know... the actual Mac.

Anyway, I used this guide for Dell Centrino Duo laptops, and other posts on the same site are extremely helpful if you're really interested in trying Mac OS X on a PC. Check the "OSx86" section, and especially this thread.

I use my Hackintosh with nearly the same hardware for everyday. It replaced a Hackitosh I used everyday since 2006. The main difference mine has with hers (and the parents) is the lack of the 8xxx series Nvidia card and a better CPU. Since those are brand new they have a little more trouble to work than a 7xxx series card (like my 7900 GS). In fact, almost every problem the parent poster has (except the network thing) has to do with the newness of the graphics card.

If you don't want to replace it temporarily, then your best bet for ease is wait for a 10.4.3 disk to show up on the Pirate Bay in a few months. By then all the problems with 8xxx series cards should be fixed. Here is a guide for that motherboard to help you.

Honestly my policy with Hackintosh is that I love it for myself (four core Mac for less than half what a Mac Pro costs) but I would not subject my friends and family to it (well, except my mom, but she lives in the same town as me for support). The main reason for keeping it to myself is that you can't upgrade without following a guide. At first I thought that was not that bad (I just told my mom "don't ever except any upgrades") but I learned the hard way that computer users are conditioned to just click "Yes" to everything without reading what it says, and so upgrades happen and OSX86 installs get screwed. If you think your GF can have good mouse control and you or her can get through that guide then give it a shot in a few months. OSX86 overall is VERY stable in my experience when set up right, and can be very rewarding.

These aren't clones. They're Hackintoshes done for you and then shipped out. The OS isn't legit, iLife isn't legit, and you're dumping entirely too much money on the hardware that they're shipping out as there's no software cost at all.

I've got to wonder why Software Update isn't working on them, even though they've admitted to using the EFI loader hack. In my experience, only OS updates (ie 10.5.1->10.5.2) are potentially dangerous anymore, and I managed to update from 10.5.1 to 10.5.2 without issue on an oldish Shuttle AMD barebones box here after patching EFI/Vanilla kernel.

It's almost trivial to get a vanilla kernel up & running on an Intel hackintosh now, only slightly more difficult on an AMD box -- there are even several quite good pre-packaged installers now with 10.5.2 that do everything for you if you don't like to get your hands dirty.

All that said, it's going to be funny when all of the people duped into buying these can't update to 10.5.4 or whatever and end up with a bricked box. At least if you do it yourself, you develop the skillset to boot into single user mode, disable kexts, remove caches etc.

Maintaining a functioning, stable, up-to-date Hackintosh (with Quartz Extreme running properly etc) is a lot like keeping a '60s Volkswagen running. Not particularly difficult, but you build up the skills over time and it takes quite a bit of patience. I think there are going to be a lot of pissed off people once they realize what they've bought into.

Installing OS X on PCs is old news. Certain Gigabyte motherboards come with hardware that OS X has driver pre-installed for, and everything else is community supported.

Here's a "fake" forum if you are lookiung for more info: http://www.insanelymac.com/

looking at the pictures from http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=28012 (unfortunately registration is required) it looks like this drive could probablly be fitted with no problems..

It would actually be really easy. Seeing as it has been done for quite a long time already. http://www.insanelymac.com/ http://wiki.osx86project.org/ People have been running "Vanilla" copies of OSX on intel based hardware for quite some time. That means, the kernel, and components of OSX are unmodified. As far as Apple can see it's a real Mac.

This and this will get you started.

I'm using the following parts:

Ultra Wizard mid-tower (free after $40 rebate, no shipping, from Frys)
Thermaltake 500w "Modular" power supply
Intel "Bad Axe 2"
Intel E4500 (Allendale) C2D 2.2ghz processor
2GB G.Skill DDR
80gb Seagate SATA HDD
IDE CD-RW/DVD-RW (LiteOn or AOpen, I forget, doesn't matter)
nVidia 8600gts PCIe video

Works great with OSX, though the machine spends most of its time in XP (Can't play the games I play in OSX, natively).

Long live Cedega. Quote of Crossover Games announcement.

"If I bought whole computers instead of building them from spare parts I'd buy a mac."

You can build a mac from spare parts. See here:
http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
or here:
http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showforum=137
or here:
http://forum.osx86scene.com/

Of if you decide to buy a cheap pc for your project, here's the instuctions:
http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=74964

"If I bought whole computers instead of building them from spare parts I'd buy a mac."

You can build a mac from spare parts. See here:
http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
or here:
http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showforum=137
or here:
http://forum.osx86scene.com/

Of if you decide to buy a cheap pc for your project, here's the instuctions:
http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=74964

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=72493 and watch the video i made http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om7mziP0Jdk

You could just use Apple's OSX on your x86 hardware directly. There are loads of tutorials online:

Leopard on SS3-enabled processor
Leopard on SS2-enabled processors

If neither of those work, then Google "jas 10.4.8 sse2 sse3" for the version that works on most people's systems. It's pretty easy stuff and both of the forums about have ample amounts of do-it-yourself help.

wait, what, you were serious? you actually threw up OSx86 (as cool as it is) as a realistic option for people thinking of switching to a Mac through frustration with Windows? With all the 'can't update' fun that that entails? Heaven help them if they have a Centrino laptop. I looked for info on using my 2200BG card under this in Jan 06 - was the only device not supported on my laptop. I followed threads. 22 MONTHS LATER, no-one has got a single Intel wireless device running. So there goes a good 80-90%+ of potential laptop users.

(Ignore my previous post that's what I get for messing with my settings without my glasses on.)

There are lots of ways to install OS X on any hardware. So you can do it right now, if you're serious. Stability or features or not guaranteed.

Here is one place: http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
and their forum: http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showforum=85

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/964/install_osx_tiger_on_intel_usb_drives_windows

http://www.uneasysilence.com/os-x-proven-hacked-and-running-on-an-ordinary-pc/

http://asendure.wordpress.com/2006/10/01/osx86-how-to-install-mac-os-x-on-vmware-server-amd-64/

So, go install it already. It is what I will probably do with my next machine. OS X/Linux and XP for games/Vista for games with DX10.

There are lots of ways to install OS X on any hardware. So you can do it right now if you're serious. Stability or features or not guaranteed. Here is one place: http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page and their forum: http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showforum=85 http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/964/install_osx_tiger_on_intel_usb_drives_windows http://www.uneasysilence.com/os-x-proven-hacked-and-running-on-an-ordinary-pc/ http://asendure.wordpress.com/2006/10/01/osx86-how-to-install-mac-os-x-on-vmware-server-amd-64/ So, go install it already. It is what I will probably do with my next machine. XP/ OS X/ maybe Linux /Vista for games with DX10.

But will it run Li- Oh. Right. Never mind.

That question is answered, but a few may also wonder if they can get OS X (patched) to run on it.

Details of the chipset might help predict success or problems.

So, yes, Linux does have some catching up to do. ;-)

The JMicron controller isn't on a PCI card, so the support needed has to be in the motherboard BIOS (or EFI) if the interface is to function at boot time. There is SOME support there, but it has issues. Hopefully these can and will be addressed with BIOS updates.
Let your motherboard vender/manufacturer know these things matter to you and check for available updates.

I've also seen other ugly behavior on some boards, such as external SATA ports not working if RAID is enabled internally.

I haven't dealt with it personally, but it appears that some issues people are seeing are dependent on which features are selected in the BIOS.

While DRM is a form of incompatibility this does not mean that every form of incompatibility is DRM.

Encrypted binaries that check hardware before allowing decryption is not incompatibility.

Apple makes Mac OS X for their own hardware which is not just a generic PC.

Yes.

If vmware where to emulate a real intel Mac, Mac OS X would run on it. However... vmware does not, so Mac OS X does not.

No, you have no understanding at all what the issues are here. Here's a cluestick to beat yourself with before posting in future.

Interesting tidbit here:

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=3 2798/.

***
In an attempt to out-maneuver OSx86 kernel hackers, Apple has changed their APSL open-source license. Semthex, who has worked on a few of the more popular hacked kernels himself, found this passage in their new license: "This file contains Original Code and/or Modifications of Original Code as defined in and that are subject to the Apple Public Source License Version 2.0 (the 'License'). You may not use this file except in compliance with the License. The rights granted to you under the License may not be used to create, or enable the creation or redistribution of, unlawful or unlicensed copies of an Apple operating system, or to circumvent, violate, or enable the circumvention or violation of, any terms of an Apple operating system software license agreement." While the license only applies to source posted after this license modification, it will cover all sources beyond those associated with OS X 10.4.8. Another clever security change from Apple.
***

Makes me wonder why is it only Microsoft that ever gets mentioned negatively in this "impartial" Slushdolt world. Does Steve feed you all the Apple-Aid intravenously?

Slashdot is a waste of bits and bytes...

easy? no

impossible? no

http://www.insanelymac.com/

from what i hear osX runs great on a 945 chipset motherboard and pentium d ;)