Should restore support for 'hackintosh' netbooks

A workaround has been developed to restore Atom processor support in Mac OS X 10.6.2, a Russian hacker claims. The technique relies on a custom version of the Mach kernel, which must be installed using Terminal because of the need to gain root access. Once active, the kernel should support so-called hackintosh netbooks, most likely to use Atom chips.

It is not certain why the v10.6.2 update disabled Atom compatibility for Macs, which has generally been uninterrupted since it was first discovered. Apple does not, however, produce anything with Atom CPUs, and it may be unlikely to use them in the future, even for projects like an upgraded Apple TV or an upcoming tablet. The company currently prefers specialized mobile processors, or else more powerful Intel designs like the Core 2 Duo. The new code may be designed to deter hackintosh netbooks.

by MacNN Staff