10.6.2 Breaks Hackintosh Atom Netbooks: Reports

[Paul Daniel Ash]

If you have a netbook with Intel’s Atom processor that's running Snow Leopard, you may want to be careful about loading the coming 10.6.2 update. Users with access to the latest developer build of the maintenance release have noted changes that disable support for Atom processors, the Intel chip widely used in netbooks.

OS X Daily passes on the recommendations of Stellarola, who worked on Wired Gadget Labs' own inhouse hackintosh:

In the current developer build of 10.6.2, Apple appears to have changed around a lot of CPU related information. One of the effects of this is Apple killing off Intel’s Atom chip.
Among other things, Sleepenabler.KEXT is now ineffective and will need a new version. It is now suggested to run CPUPM with a proper DSDT.

Though Apple has long engaged in a hack-and-mouse game with users who load the proprietary operating system on third-party hardware, some observers see the latest salvo in the war as a direct shot at competitors with low-cost netbooks. Others have suggested it may be yet another sign of the imminent Apple tablet's arrival. The device has long been rumored to have a price point much higher than low-end netbooks, and so, the thinking goes, Apple may be warding off competition in the ultraportable market.

Stellarola also notes that similar restrictions in Leopard 10.5.9 may disable the Atom, and so advises any pre-Snow Leopard hackintoshed Atom netbooks to stick with 10.5.8.

image via Wired Gadget Lab

[mikerlx]

1st wow 10.6.2 had no idea of 10.5.9?

[rwin84]

Apple vs. MS is getting interesting... Revamped retail stores, disabling intel chips, scathing ad campaigns, FUN!

[loocfa]

wow, i wondered how long this would take, this is becoming more and more popular, im sure someone will figure a hack around it, thats half the fun right?
im thinking of getting a mini dell 10 running osx for my wife, anyone thinking they are good or bad? personally i have a macbook pro

[djnikk]

Apple vs. MS is getting interesting... Revamped retail stores, disabling intel chips, scathing ad campaigns, FUN!

Yeah, but in this case, it's more like Apple vs. HP, Dell, Acer.... I never liked netbooks anyway

[Michael Essany]

Interesting stuff!

[jedinight]

hmmm,does this mean there comming out with a netbook/tablet?Seems kinda bold to me!to remove support for a processor?just for the heck of it?

[Paul Daniel Ash]

"hack-and-mouse" is the stupidest thing I've ever written, but it was early and it popped into my mind; I'm going to leave it up there as a reminder not to try and play word-games ever...

[TooSlo]

All I san say to this is "wow."

I understand that they are wanting to leverage themselves to only have OSX on their tablet, but this is just plain bad form on Apple's part.

I absolutely loved my netbook when I had one, and will be purchasing another for remote access when I don't want to lug around my work laptop.

The totalitarian grip of Apple is getting tighter and tighter after each and every update, patch, version upgrade...

[nighthawk283]

I still trying learn how to load Snow Leapord on my Laptop

[MikePA]

im thinking of getting a mini dell 10 running osx for my wife, anyone thinking they are good or bad? personally i have a macbook pro

You need a 10v, or a Mini9, to run OSX.

I have a Mini9 running 10.6.1 and a 10v running a dual boot with 10.6.1 and Windows 7 Professional. I prefer the 10v but only because the keyboard is configured like a standard keyboard while the Mini9 has some of the keys in different places. Both the Mini9 and 10v run 10.6.1 well. My 10v has 2 gigs of memory and a 500 gig hard drive, although you can't order it with this configuration from Dell. Their max is 1 gig and 160 gig. You have to install these upgrades yourself.

[Blowfish64]

Apple is the new Microsoft, and Microsoft is the new Apple. Microsoft has no qualms about people running their OS on any system including Macs. Apple on the other hand knows that its products are sub-par and have to resort to restriction to keep their customers and cash flow rather than actually innovating. Apple is just coasting these days. I think they'll be surpassed by more open OS'es in the coming years.

[Treeml]

Apple don't care about the low end of the market, they make there money through their hardware. Their entire business model depends on their hardware being over priced and beautify designed, and up until now it has worked incredibly well, have you seen their profits? Unlike Microsoft, who makes their money from SOFTWARE it's in their interest to get windows installed on ever computer ever made from the beginning of time. That's why we don't refer to PC's as a Mic computer. That would be funny if they both sold hardware, you could be a Mac or a Mic lol.

It's not about the OS being installed on other hardware, because they don't want to share their OS. They don't want to share their HARDWARE. Making an OS specific to their hardware, is the key for them, they seriously don't give a crap about the low end of the market, because those people won't buy their computers, and their business model works just fine without them.

[KartRacer]

Apple is the new Microsoft, and Microsoft is the new Apple. Microsoft has no qualms about people running their OS on any system including Macs. Apple on the other hand knows that its products are sub-par and have to resort to restriction to keep their customers and cash flow rather than actually innovating. Apple is just coasting these days. I think they'll be surpassed by more open OS'es in the coming years.

I'd say Apple computers are far from sub-par in any way, shape, or form. OS X has many many advantages over Windows 7 and vice versa. I believe they lock you into hardware to keep the chances of major problems way down and not having to depend on outside vendors writing drivers and the like from dropping the ball like in Vistas case. Vista was a really good operating system, it was just ruined with crappy drivers and extremely slow rollout of third party hardware drivers and killed it's reputation. Apple's way of making you use their hardware may suck, I want to build a massively powerful Hackintosh rather than buy an overpriced Mac Pro, but when it comes to laptops they can't be beat. Desktops are a totally different story, you can build a much faster desktop than an iMac would ever hope to be much cheaper than they want. If I could have an iMac and a Hackintosh I would.

The two have high and low points. I will never ever buy a PC from HP, Dell and so on ever again. The build quality is crap at best and they are ugly function and form wise. The only PC I still have is my HP ex470 and its miles ahead of anything Apple offers and I'll keep it until something better comes along, but I seriously doubt Apple will make a competing product. They could probably make something really nice, but the way they want to nickle and dime you I wouldn't buy one.

[sn0ws]

I think that netbooks support for OSX is part of the plan and that there will always be a hack to in able OSX to run on these platforms until Apple releases one of their own.. Once they do the sales will drop dramatically of the netbooks with atom. The only positive I see in carring a netbook right now is the option to use OSx on some of them. Otherwise I would just carry my 13" macbook with me.. I mean whats 4 inches... ? I'm not cramped for space on the go. my 13'' is as big as a legal pad and I don't really need anything smaller.

[MikePA]

...until Apple releases one of their own.. Once they do the sales will drop dramatically of the netbooks with atom.

So, you're saying Apple will be announcing a netbook for $250? Right.

The only positive I see in carring a netbook right now is the option to use OSx on some of them.

Quite the myopic view, as if the only viable operating system for a netbook is OSX.

...I don't really need anything smaller.

Good for you however your experience is hardly universal.

[rony1434]

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