Filed under: OS, Snow Leopard
It's alive: Intel Atom support returns to 10.6.2
The day that Apple killed Atom support with the release of 10.6.2 was a sad one for many in the hackintosh community. Just as many expected, however, Atom support has returned; and no, Apple had nothing to do with it.InsanelyMac forum member teateam has developed a replacement kernel for installation on Atom-powered, hackintosh netbooks. Keep in mind that this is bleeding-edge stuff here and not for the faint of heart. Nevertheless, this development bodes well for those of you running your own version of a MacBook mini.
[via Macworld]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tom said 6:07PM on 11-19-2009
(Reposting my explanation from one of the earlier OMFG apple hates hackintosh articles on another site. Shows how easy this fix actually was. Also shows how a simple program logic cleanup turned into the blogosphere catching on fire.)
I decided to browse through the kernel code in 10.6.2 (now that it’s out), and here is what I found.
What specifically “killed” the Atom is in xnu-1486.2.11/osfmk/i386/cpuid.c, around lines 600.
In the past, the kernel would check if the CPU family was 6, and if the model number was higher then 13. This basically means any Intel CPU newer then the Pentium M – Dothan (used in the Apple TV) was supported.
The new code now specifically checks for family 13, 14 (Yonah), 15 (Merom), 23 (Penryn), 26 (Nehalem), 30 (Fields), 31 (Dales), and 46 (Nehalem_EX). The Atom is 28, so it doesn’t pass the check, and hits code at line 649 that panics with “Unsupported CPU”.
Interestingly, in xnu-1486.2.11/osfmk/i386/cpuid.h, code was added to define families 28, 30, 31 and 46. Even though the kernel now panics with 28, “CPUID_MODEL_ATOM” is defined where it wasn’t before.
I can’t say for certain why the change was made, but to me, it was a rework of a previous flawed check (is CPU family 13 or higher), and replaced it with one that checks for exactly what the kernel wants. There is a decent bit of code in the kernel that is optimized specifically for certain processors, so it makes sense to improve the high level checks.
Oh, and there is a comment in cpuid.c that says “suck it atom hackers”.
(Certain parts of this post in regards to code comments may or may not be true).
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daniel said 7:13PM on 11-19-2009
Great post.
Just one question then.. I have a hackintosh running the marvelous (and powerful) Q6600 Kentfeild Family processor. In your list, I didn't see Kentfeild, yet my desktop hackintosh runs just great.
Many thanks
Daniel
Tom said 8:24PM on 11-19-2009
The Q6600 is identified as a Family 6 Model 15, so it passes the same check as the Merom family laptop processors.
Tom said 8:26PM on 11-19-2009
Odd, my comment didn't post. Anyhow, the Q6600 identifies as a family 6 model 15, same as the merom chips did. Not sure why Intel had the overlap.
mechdrew said 6:16PM on 11-19-2009
A fix has been available over at MyDellMini for over a week. Why is this news today?
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Greenie said 6:30PM on 11-19-2009
Because no one has hear of mydellmini so no one knew about the fix.
mechdrew said 6:54PM on 11-19-2009
That's interesting, I found MyDellMini because of TUAW.
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/10/09/the-little-leopard-laptop/
It's in the comments. So yeah, I think people have heard of it.
Dave said 10:14PM on 11-19-2009
Lately TUAW has not been posting anything unless it's been reported by other blogs and news sites for a few days.
Whatever... MyDellMini.com is my source for hackintosh info, not TUAW.
BTW, meckdrew, thanks for all your work on the Dell Mini project!
alexbates said 6:30PM on 11-19-2009
+1 This is not new news... lots of people have been running 10.6.2 with a kernel patch over at InsanelyWind for a long time. And it is really easy to install... users have made a Installer package that replaces kernel after running Software Update and before reboot.
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Joshua Ochs said 6:37PM on 11-19-2009
We've been doing the same on the Eee for a week or more as well. http://ipis-osx.wikidot.com/
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S.B said 6:57PM on 11-19-2009
So "TUAW" is condoning the use of Hacks for OSX.
"TUAW" has been leaning to that way of reporting for some time; so now we see that all the little Hacks and Cracks for OSX Snow Leopard will Be Reported at "TUAW" from now on.
I really wonder how long that will last..???
Whats Next "TUAW" Links to direct downloads of "Snow Leopard" BurnAble Images ?
Enough Already.
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daniel said 7:17PM on 11-19-2009
Oh grow up and stop whining.
If you don't like the reporting then go somewhere else, instead of winging how the world is 'oh so unfair'.
For your information, I have probably spent in the region of five or six thousand dollars on Apple hardware and Software. I have also 'Hackintosh'd' another machine for a side project.
When will people like you learn. Just because you don't like something, doesn't give you the right to stop others saying it.
Oomu said 8:40PM on 11-19-2009
I spend 326 billions of $ to apple
I made a WOOD statue in the forest to the glory of Jobs
I built a whole chapel for St Jonathan Ive
and STILL, it does NOT give me the right to stomp on intellectual property.
-
of course you can hack YOUR computer in your house, and speak about in whatever forums you want to share knowledge
but TUAW is making a dangerous game.
TUAW is NOT doing you a favor in putting the spotlight on your nice forums and website.
You should stay underground and don't make Apple believes it's so easy it could be a threat.
Apple will not hesitate to walk on you and ask to remove all website and forums about hackintosh, whatever your LOVE to the nice fruity computer.
Apple don't want your love
Apple never sold you the right to hack os X. whatever the mighty money you gave to them.
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if you want freedom in software, you want Linux.
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S.B said 9:50PM on 11-19-2009
Thank you for your post,
You put it out more eloquently and directly, My point exactly as you stated, Do what you will but keep it behind the door, I can care less what others do in their own private homes, but as a developer i do care about long winded Blogs pointing to a place that Can break my I.P.
This is very dangerous, And folks like daniel don't understand now with the Summery judgment confirming the "ELUA" Validity Apple will use this to their benefit as they should.
We have a growing problem in the software industry that has hit what we call a "Milestone of Nowhere" It's a belief that a private developer of software will not go after a individual or a small group of individual's due to the fact of Bad Press for that said Developer.
This has all changed now, the past 8 months has strengthened the Software developers resolve and now with the Summery Judgement in favor of Apple It is a WIN for all Developers, and the facts are that society frowns highly on crooks and this new precedent by the federal court will give all us developers the tools we need to go after even the "Little Guy's" that think they are beating the system... This is changing and will shock allot of underground users.
I love when someone like daniel post and blast the Moral high ground of the Crook and thief, only to back it up with i have more then you do and my "Balls" are bigger so that makes me a spokesman for the morally deficient. (ROTFL) Please....
I an a successful developer, the anonymity of the internet can hide the real user, but by reading the posters responses you can tell the mentality and maturity level of the posters that think and believe that they can do what they want then personal attack a opinion to factualness their own poor belief system, It pains me to see people like daniel believe that what they do is morally and feasible correct.. But they may do whatever in the privacy of their own homes.
Good Post Oomu, i should have taken more time to describe what i meant when i posted the first time, But thought it was unnecessary, I stand here now to correct the last post in combination with your thoughts also and hope that all the rest of the misunderstood posters like daniel see that it is not about them and the world does not revolve around a few malcontent's that are misguided.
Oomu said 8:41PM on 11-19-2009
"When will people like you learn. Just because you don't like something, doesn't give you the right to stop others saying it.
"
tell that to the DMCA. truly a "nice" law.
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THJ said 7:48AM on 11-20-2009
I wish there was a button to hide all the morals/ethics trolls and the 'omg i read this yesterday on x' trolls.
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IanC said 8:30AM on 11-20-2009
After reporting on idiotic iPhone hacking, not surprising that they would directly report on hackintoshing. *rolls eyes*
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Chris said 8:59PM on 12-07-2009
If Apple (and other companies) want to prevent all unauthorized use of software, there is an easy enough way for them to do it: Put everything protected by copyright in the cloud and never allow direct access to it by the public. Apple (and other companies) should stop wasting court time for a problem they allowed to occur.
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