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m.musashi
September 1st, 2006, 07:59 PM
I'm an Ubuntu/windows dual booter and, to make a long story short, I'm starting to lose patience with the windows half. I'm not here to bitch about it. I just want to try something new. Don't get me wrong. I love ubuntu and expect I will continue to use it for some time. I just can't quite get to the point where I'm being productive.

So, I'm thinking of installing OSX on my laptop and dual booting with ubuntu. What I don't know is how well this will work. Does anyone have any experience with this? What boot loader would I use? GRUB? Can I keep windows too - just in case? How well does OSX run on non-apple hardware? Will OSX on a Dell be essentially the same as OSX on a powerbook?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

dabear
September 1st, 2006, 08:01 PM
Drop it, you would have a lot of trouble getting 3d acceleration, sound and wifi working. At least I had when installing osx86, on a desktop PC.

A laptop without wifi is no laptop :p

LotsOfPhil
September 1st, 2006, 08:40 PM
Will OSX on a Dell be essentially the same as OSX on a powerbook?

This won't work. The apple OS does checks to make sure it is running on apple hardware. If it's not apple stuff, it won't load up. There are people that are trying to get around it, but I don't think they are having much luck.

If you want to run OS X on a laptop, you are probably stuck buying an apple laptop.

daniel of sarnia
September 1st, 2006, 08:54 PM
it's been done for a while now, google it. Because from what I uderstand it violates the dmca, and this site being hosted in the USA means that even linking to a page that tells how to do it can get the owner of ubuntu forums in big trubble. Pleas do not talk about this here!!!

m.musashi
September 1st, 2006, 09:21 PM
Let me clarify. Let's assume I go here (http://www.apple.com/macosx/tiger/) and buy the intel version of OSX. Will it work just fine? Is it worth the effort?

taurus
September 1st, 2006, 09:47 PM
Let me get this right. You don't think you are productive with Ubuntu and want to pay for that OSX or whatever hell they call it!!! What makes you think you will be productive with that OS? You are just going to waste your money...

dabear
September 1st, 2006, 09:52 PM
Let me clarify. Let's assume I go here (http://www.apple.com/macosx/tiger/) and buy the intel version of OSX. Will it work just fine? Is it worth the effort?
Sorry, no. You would need a patched ISO, but I am not gonna give you any links.

givré
September 1st, 2006, 09:54 PM
Let me clarify. Let's assume I go here (http://www.apple.com/macosx/tiger/) and buy the intel version of OSX. Will it work just fine? Is it worth the effort?
It can't work fine because you'll not have wifi driver, proper graphic driver, proper sound driver...MacOS work great for Apple cumputer, but after...
You can try, but i think it's more like trying to get running hurd.

m.musashi
September 1st, 2006, 10:15 PM
Let me get this right. You don't think you are productive with Ubuntu and want to pay for that OSX or whatever hell they call it!!! What makes you think you will be productive with that OS? You are just going to waste your money...
I can't get some things to work well in ubuntu. I'm not complaining but when it doesn't work I boot windows. I'm getting sick of windows and thought OSX might be an alternative. I want to experiment. I'm not interested in buying a mac but since it runs on intel now I thought I might be able to run on it a pc. Note that I also said assume I buy it.


Sorry, no. You would need a patched ISO, but I am not gonna give you any links.
No wories, man. I'm not asking for links.


It can't work fine because you'll not have wifi driver, proper graphic driver, proper sound driver...MacOS work great for Apple cumputer, but after...
You can try, but i think it's more like trying to get running hurd.
Yes, I think I'm beginning to understand. Apple released OSX for intel but only on a mac. I had the misguided notion that Apple was trying to move more into the mainstream. I'm not going to drop $1500 bucks to see if I like OSX but if I can try it and decided I like it I might. Wouldn't that be a good move for Apple?

taurus
September 2nd, 2006, 12:22 AM
If something doesn't work in Ubuntu, there is a reason and always a solution so it's up to you whether you want to ask for it!!! But if you feel like experimenting, why don't you try freeBSD/netBSD!

maniacmusician
September 2nd, 2006, 12:49 AM
some of the posters have made good points...i'm not trying to force ubuntu onto you, i'm just curious, what is missing in ubuntu for you that you want for increased productivity?

RAV TUX
September 2nd, 2006, 01:43 AM
I'm an Ubuntu/windows dual booter and, to make a long story short, I'm starting to lose patience with the windows half. I'm not here to bitch about it. I just want to try something new. Don't get me wrong. I love ubuntu and expect I will continue to use it for some time. I just can't quite get to the point where I'm being productive.

So, I'm thinking of installing OSX on my laptop and dual booting with ubuntu. What I don't know is how well this will work. Does anyone have any experience with this? What boot loader would I use? GRUB? Can I keep windows too - just in case? How well does OSX run on non-apple hardware? Will OSX on a Dell be essentially the same as OSX on a powerbook?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

I have two suggestions for you:

1. dual boot Ubuntu/PC-BSD

or

2. dual boot Knoppix/PC-BSD

m.musashi
September 3rd, 2006, 01:29 AM
some of the posters have made good points...i'm not trying to force ubuntu onto you, i'm just curious, what is missing in ubuntu for you that you want for increased productivity?
I love ubuntu and expect I will always be using it. Right now I use it about 80% on my desktop but less so on my laptop. The main problems on a desktop relate to proprietary software - namely macromedia - as well as dvd backup software. I've not messed with wine but I'm not really interested in going that route. On the laptop side, sleep/hibernation don't work, macromedia again and I seem to have a shorter battery life and the computer runs hotter. Moving between wireless networks (like school to home) is also a bit of a hassle. I suspect with time most of these issues will be resolved and if I had the skills may be fixable now.

I asked about osx because it is supposedly a "just works" os but in my ignorance I didn't know that was only true if you buy mac hardware.

Senori
September 3rd, 2006, 01:33 AM
Wouldn't that be a good move for Apple?
In the end, most of Apple's revenue comes from hardware, not software. The main reason OS X even exists is to differentiate their hardware and make it more appealing than that of, say, Dell.

maniacmusician
September 3rd, 2006, 01:59 AM
I love ubuntu and expect I will always be using it. Right now I use it about 80% on my desktop but less so on my laptop. The main problems on a desktop relate to proprietary software - namely macromedia - as well as dvd backup software. I've not messed with wine but I'm not really interested in going that route. On the laptop side, sleep/hibernation don't work, macromedia again and I seem to have a shorter battery life and the computer runs hotter. Moving between wireless networks (like school to home) is also a bit of a hassle. I suspect with time most of these issues will be resolved and if I had the skills may be fixable now.

I asked about osx because it is supposedly a "just works" os but in my ignorance I didn't know that was only true if you buy mac hardware.

I see, that makes sense. it is unfortunate that it takes so much work and skill sometimes to totally perfect the linux experience. I hope some of these issues are fixed for you in the upcoming Edgy release.

hanzomon4
September 3rd, 2006, 03:43 AM
Ars ran test on OSX with a macbook-pro Powerbook and a Dell Inspiron 9100 here's the link Performance (http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/macbookpro.ars/5)

I know it sucks not being able to.... Well hard as hell to run OSX on non mac hardware.
It can be done, If you want to see what works and what don't check these two sites out osx86project.org (http://www.osx86project.org/) and osx86-wiki (http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page).

The wiki has all sorts of info, from what hardware works the best, how to install, driver list, tips and tweaks, just everything you need know.

Also could post links to post ,if you made post, that give more detail about some of the problems you describe, I'm no guru but will help if I can.

m.musashi
September 3rd, 2006, 03:44 AM
In the end, most of Apple's revenue comes from hardware, not software. The main reason OS X even exists is to differentiate their hardware and make it more appealing than that of, say, Dell.
Profit is profit. But I guess it is difficult to make an os that runs on anyting. Ubuntu is probably one of the most univerally compatible and none of the major hardware makers seems to be outright supporting it. Apple would probably be hard pressed to have even as much success as ubuntu has.


I see, that makes sense. it is unfortunate that it takes so much work and skill sometimes to totally perfect the linux experience. I hope some of these issues are fixed for you in the upcoming Edgy release.
For an ox that has no direct hardware support, ubuntu has done a lot. I have nothing but admiration.

m.musashi
September 3rd, 2006, 03:49 AM
Ars ran test on OSX with a macbook-pro Powerbook and a Dell Inspiron 9100 here's the link Performance (http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/macbookpro.ars/5)

I know it sucks not being able to.... Well hard as hell to run OSX on non mac hardware.
It can be done, If you want to see what works and what don't check these two sites out osx86project.org (http://www.osx86project.org/) and osx86-wiki (http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page).

The wiki has all sorts of info, from what hardware works the best, how to install, driver list, tips and tweaks, just everything you need know.

Also could post links to post ,if you made post, that give more detail about some of the problems you describe, I'm no guru but will help if I can.

Thanks for the info. As for my ubuntu issues, they are not dissimilar from what many people have reported. I have solved most of the biggies or they solved themselves with the 6.06 release. The only real issues for me now are laptop related support that I hope will be addressed in edgy. I can do most of what I want.

teet
September 3rd, 2006, 06:37 AM
Thanks for the info. As for my ubuntu issues, they are not dissimilar from what many people have reported. I have solved most of the biggies or they solved themselves with the 6.06 release. The only real issues for me now are laptop related support that I hope will be addressed in edgy. I can do most of what I want.

Hang in there. The developers really do a good job with adding laptop support. For example, with my laptop

Warty = No sleep/hibernation or wireless
Hoary = No sleep/hibernation but wireless worked with NDISwrapper
Breezy = No sleep, but hibernation worked and wireless with NDISwrapper
Dapper = Everything worked "out of the box"

You mentioned that your laptop seemed to run hotter in linux. Your CPU frequency scaling may not be working properly. Open up a gnome-terminal and type
cat /proc/cpuinfo to see if your laptop is "downshifting" to a lower speed when it's idle.

-teet

m.musashi
September 4th, 2006, 03:33 AM
I added a panel object that supposedly monitors the frequency. It seems to scale to 800mhz or so on my pentium m 2ghz processor. I guess that means it's working but it seems to scale up to the full 2ghz when I do just about anything - including scrolling down a web page. Does that seem reasonable?

teet
September 4th, 2006, 03:48 AM
My laptop only has two frequencies it can use (1.06 ghz and 733 mhz) and it swaps between the two rapidly and often. It will "kick up" whenever I open up an application or something. It does not do this when I simply scroll on a webpage though.

I assume your laptop has many more speeds available. Since my laptop only has a "low" and "high" setting, it is reasonable to conclude that it won't switch speeds as much as a laptop with 4 or 5 different speeds available. Thus, I can't really say if this is normal or not.

-teet

givré
September 4th, 2006, 06:22 AM
I added a panel object that supposedly monitors the frequency. It seems to scale to 800mhz or so on my pentium m 2ghz processor. I guess that means it's working but it seems to scale up to the full 2ghz when I do just about anything - including scrolling down a web page. Does that seem reasonable?
Scrooling down a webpage is more ressource hungry than what we can think :cool: .