iAtkos ML2
If you're interested in running Mac OS X, but you don't want to pay ridiculous prices for a normal Mac, then a Hackintosh just might be for you. In this guide, I'll show you how to install Mountain Lion on your PC with the iAtkos distro.Distros are pirated copies of Mac OS X that have been modified to work with a PC. If you don't have any qualms with the legal issues regarding distros, they're actually the most convenient way to set up a Hackintosh. Thanks to MacBreakerfor providing the original instructions.
Step 1: Requirements
- An existing Windows computer/Mac/Hackintosh: This is the computer where you will download and set up iAtkos. Either Windows or Mac OS X will work. If you're using a Windows computer, it needs to have a DVD/Bluray burner (just about every DVD/Bluray drive nowadays can act as a burner, too).
- A Hackintosh-compatible computer with 10 GB+ of free space: This is the computer where you will install OS X Mountain Lion. It can be the same computer as the one mentioned in the previous point. If your computer already has Mac OS X Lion installed, iAtkos will just update Lion to Mountain Lion normally, without deleting any of your apps or files.
However, not every computer will work with Mac OS X. Be sure to read the Hackintosh compatibility guide (will be posted soon) very carefully, to check whether or not your computer qualifies. Also, OS X Mountain Lion takes up about 10 GB of space on its initial installation, so the computer where you install Mac OS X must have at least 10 GB of space in its hard drive. However, that's only the bare minimum; if you plan to install Mac OS X for day-to-day use, I recommend allocating at least 50 GB of space. It's preferred that you use a completely empty hard drive for this, but if your computer already has Windows installed on your hard drive, be sure to create an appropriate hard disk partition for OS X Mountain Lion beforehand (by following Step 1 of my guide to MBR partitions) (will be posted soon).
- iAtkos ML2 (Free): iAtkos is by far the most popular distro of OS X Mountain Lion. I won't go into details, but you can download it from just about any bittorrent website by using a bittorent client (it's about 5 GB in size). The standard method of installing Mountain Lion on a PC requires you to modify a retail copy of OS X Mountain Lion with Unibeast, but iAtkos already does all of this for you. In this guide, you will write iAtkos onto a USB drive or DVD, and boot your computer from iAtkos to install Mac OS X.
This guide describes how to install iAtkos ML2. You can also use iAtkos ML3, an updated version that only works with motherboards with UEFI (a guide regarding motherboards with UEFI will be posted soon). If you're not sure which version to use, just use ML2.
- A dual-layer DVD, Bluray disc, or empty USB drive (8 GB or larger): If you are setting up iAtkos from Windows, you have to write iAtkos onto a dual-layer DVD or Bluray disc (normal DVDs don't work because iAtkos is slightly too large).
However, if you're setting up iAtkos from Mac OS X, you can use a 8 GB or larger USB drive instead of a dual-layer DVD. You will need to erase all of the files on your USB drive beforehand, so make sure to back up its contents first. You can reuse this USB drive for normal stuff after you finish installing Mountain Lion. You cannot write iAtkos onto a USB drive from a Windows computer. If you really want to use a USB drive from Windows, install Mountain Lion on a virtual machine (a newer guide for this will be posted soon) and set up an iAtkos USB drive on there instead. Be sure to install the VirtualBox Extension Pack to view USB drives from your virtual machine.
- TransMac ($48, 2-week free trial): If you're using a Windows computer to set up iAtkos, you need to use TransMac to write ("burn") the iAtkos disk image file onto your dual-layer DVD or Bluray disc. You don't actually need to purchase TransMac; the free trial works fine.
- Carbon Copy Cloner ($40, 2-week free trial): If you're using a Mac to set up iAtkos, you need to use Carbon Copy Cloner to write the iAtkos disk image file onto your USB drive. You don't need to actually purchase Carbon Copy Cloner; the free trial works fine.
- Multibeast (Free): Multibeast is a collection of kext files (will be mentioned later) that your Hackintosh will need to run properly, after the initial installation. If you're using a Mac to set up iAtkos, you will also need Multibeast before the initial installation. Be sure to download the newest version 5 of Multibeast, not the older versions 3 or 4 (which are for Snow Leopard and Lion, respectively).
- A Hackintosh-compatible computer with 10 GB+ of free space: This is the computer where you will install OS X Mountain Lion. It can be the same computer as the one mentioned in the previous point. If your computer already has Mac OS X Lion installed, iAtkos will just update Lion to Mountain Lion normally, without deleting any of your apps or files.
However, not every computer will work with Mac OS X. Be sure to read the Hackintosh compatibility guide (will be posted soon) very carefully, to check whether or not your computer qualifies. Also, OS X Mountain Lion takes up about 10 GB of space on its initial installation, so the computer where you install Mac OS X must have at least 10 GB of space in its hard drive. However, that's only the bare minimum; if you plan to install Mac OS X for day-to-day use, I recommend allocating at least 50 GB of space. It's preferred that you use a completely empty hard drive for this, but if your computer already has Windows installed on your hard drive, be sure to create an appropriate hard disk partition for OS X Mountain Lion beforehand (by following Step 1 of my guide to MBR partitions) (will be posted soon).
- iAtkos ML2 (Free): iAtkos is by far the most popular distro of OS X Mountain Lion. I won't go into details, but you can download it from just about any bittorrent website by using a bittorent client (it's about 5 GB in size). The standard method of installing Mountain Lion on a PC requires you to modify a retail copy of OS X Mountain Lion with Unibeast, but iAtkos already does all of this for you. In this guide, you will write iAtkos onto a USB drive or DVD, and boot your computer from iAtkos to install Mac OS X.
This guide describes how to install iAtkos ML2. You can also use iAtkos ML3, an updated version that only works with motherboards with UEFI (a guide regarding motherboards with UEFI will be posted soon). If you're not sure which version to use, just use ML2.
- A dual-layer DVD, Bluray disc, or empty USB drive (8 GB or larger): If you are setting up iAtkos from Windows, you have to write iAtkos onto a dual-layer DVD or Bluray disc (normal DVDs don't work because iAtkos is slightly too large).
However, if you're setting up iAtkos from Mac OS X, you can use a 8 GB or larger USB drive instead of a dual-layer DVD. You will need to erase all of the files on your USB drive beforehand, so make sure to back up its contents first. You can reuse this USB drive for normal stuff after you finish installing Mountain Lion. You cannot write iAtkos onto a USB drive from a Windows computer. If you really want to use a USB drive from Windows, install Mountain Lion on a virtual machine (a newer guide for this will be posted soon) and set up an iAtkos USB drive on there instead. Be sure to install the VirtualBox Extension Pack to view USB drives from your virtual machine.
- TransMac ($48, 2-week free trial): If you're using a Windows computer to set up iAtkos, you need to use TransMac to write ("burn") the iAtkos disk image file onto your dual-layer DVD or Bluray disc. You don't actually need to purchase TransMac; the free trial works fine.
- Carbon Copy Cloner ($40, 2-week free trial): If you're using a Mac to set up iAtkos, you need to use Carbon Copy Cloner to write the iAtkos disk image file onto your USB drive. You don't need to actually purchase Carbon Copy Cloner; the free trial works fine.
- Multibeast (Free): Multibeast is a collection of kext files (will be mentioned later) that your Hackintosh will need to run properly, after the initial installation. If you're using a Mac to set up iAtkos, you will also need Multibeast before the initial installation. Be sure to download the newest version 5 of Multibeast, not the older versions 3 or 4 (which are for Snow Leopard and Lion, respectively).
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