Run Mac OS X on Your Netbook
Mac OS X can run on the Dell Mini 9 netbook.Apple hasn't yet issued a mini MacBook, but a tiny fashion-oriented laptop would seem even more stylish if it could run the sleek Mac OS X. Good news: Many of the newer netbooks can.
The upside is that you get a trendy OS X netbook that's perfect for Web browsing, light e-mail, and other simple, portable tasks. The downside? Certain hardware features might not work, the installation process ranges from annoying to harrowing, and by making the switch you could possibly void your warranty. Plus, you're wading into legal and ethical issues.
Accepting Apple's EULA (end-user license agreement) means that you agree to use OS X only on Mac hardware. You break that agreement as soon as you install Apple's software on a non-Apple netbook.
Additionally, many of the netbook installation methods discussed on the Internet rely on a pirated, hacked version of Apple's OS with updated hardware drivers. It's illegal to download OS X for this project--so don't do it. Also, you should be uncomfortable with the potential for hidden surprises lurking within pirated software. What's to stop a nefarious hacker from inserting code to log your passwords?
Using the Apple disc and a little minor trickery, I was able to get my legally purchased copy of OS X to run on a Dell Mini 9 netbook whose original OS was Ubuntu Linux. The general process of getting OS X to run on a PC (explained in detail at Gizmodo) relies on a bootloader disc or USB drive. The bootloader primes the system to recognize the OS X installer, which runs from an external USB or DVD drive.
Depending on your specific netbook, the setup can be finicky. The Dell Mini 9 was the netbook on which I had the most success with the OS X-disc installation--it does okay as long as it has 8GB of memory--while most other netbooks would work only with the pirated download. Even after a successful installation, Wi-Fi, ethernet, audio-in/-out, sleep, and certain other features might not work properly. (You might want, or need, to replace certain netbook parts to enable those features.) For more details, see this hardware-compatibility issues chart.
All told, the process, not to mention the uncertain results, are un-Mac-like. But the lure of forbidden fruit is hard to ignore.
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