can i have microsoft vista and mac linux running on a single computer.?
Thursday, June 11th, 2009 at
05:19
Mac advertises they can use linux and microsoft on the same computer. i want to do that too. is it possible to do it on a homemade computer.
Tagged with: Linux • Microsoft
Filed under: Microsoft
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If you want to do this easily and remaining within the bounds of the software license, the answer is no.
The Mac OS, OS X, is coded to only run on specialized Mac hardware. Even though new Macs now run on Intel chips, there are specialized chipsets on the motherboards that are necessary in order to install and run OS X.
Now there are a number of people and websites out there that detail how to get around this limitation and install OS X on a standard homemade PC (for example: http://lifehacker.com/348653/install-os-x-on-your-hackintosh-pc-no-hacking-required). However, it is a very involved process and there are certain hardware limitations that you must meet and others that will greatly ease the process. Note as well that the EULA for OS X states you can only legally install on Mac hardware… however, I feel that as long as you fully pay for the software what you do with it in the privacy of your own home is up to you. (In other words, do not steal or bootleg the OS. If you want to use OS X purchase a legitimate copy. If you DO manage to get it working on a standard PC, use it only for your own personal computing… don't turn around and try to sell the PC or use it in a way that violates the service contract. A bit of home hacking I have no problem with… but the moment you start stealing software or trying to profit from something that technically violates the license, you've gone too far…)
So… depending on your skill level and the type of hardware you are dealing with, this is something that theoretically could be done. However, this is not something that can easily be done.
Now… if you want to run any flavor of Windows on a homemade computer and a distro of Linux that you CAN do easily. Most versions of Linux are open license and will co-exist on a computer very nicely with Windows. Simply follow the instructions on the site you download your Linux distro from.
Remember that while OS X is based on Linux, it is still a proprietary, for-pay operating system while most distros of Linux are free and open for any kind of experimentation you would wish to try.
So… there are your options. Windows + Linux, no problem. Windows + OS X, problems. Windows + Linux + OS X… well, you're bolder than I! 🙂
Good luck!