Is it Possible to Run Mac OS on a PC Without Upgrading Hardware?

Yes, it is possible to run Mac OS, commonly known as Hackintosh, on a PC without upgrading the hardware. However, before proceeding, you will need to ensure that your hardware is compatible. This process can be complex, but with the right steps, you can achieve a seamless experience.

Why and How It Works

From my personal experience, I have searched several Hackintosh forums and watched multiple YouTube videos to guide me through the process. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous failures. However, I did manage to find a solution that worked for both a Lenovo Edge 73 desktop and a Lenovo V330 laptop, running macOS Ventura. Here are the detailed steps that made it possible.

Preparation

To start, you will need a Mac laptop and at least two 16GB USB drives. The trick is to ensure your hardware is compatible before proceeding. Here’s a step-by-step guide to follow:

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Attach 16GB USB Drive to Mac Laptop: - Insert one of the 16GB USB drives into your Mac laptop. - Open Disk Utility. - Format the USB drive: Choose the drive, then select the format as Mac OS Extended (Journaled), ExFAT. Name the drive "USB" for easy remembering. - Open Terminal: In the Finder, navigate to Go Applications Utilities Terminal. - Type the command sudo and press Enter. Drag the Install macOS Ventura file from the macOS Applications folder into the Terminal window. - In the Terminal, type diskutil list to find the volume name and note it. - In the Terminal, type: /Applications/Install macOS --volume /path/to/USB (replace /path/to/USB with the actual path of the USB drive you just formatted). - Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the bootable USB drive creation process. - After the process is done, download and install the Opencore configurator app. - Visit a website that provides pre-made EFI files matching your processor’s code name (Intel website is recommended). For example, if your processor is Kaby Lake, find the corresponding EFI file. - Launch the Opencore configurator app. Mount the EFI partition of the bootable macOS Ventura USB drive. - Place the pre-made EFI file into the EFI partition. - Eject the bootable macOS Ventura USB drive and reboot your PC to install macOS:

May need to enter the BIOS or UEFI settings: During boot, if prompted, enter the boot menu. Select the USB drive: Highlight the USB drive and boot from it. Follow the on-screen instructions: The installer will guide you through the installation process.

After the installation, you can use a second 16GB USB drive as an external hard disk if you prefer not to install it on the internal hard drive.

Post-Installation

Once the installation is complete, you can install additional software like SAP, network printers, and shared printers. I have tested running macOS Ventura on both the Lenovo Edge 73 desktop and Lenovo V330 laptop without any issues. I have successfully installed and used shared printer mail, and all software worked smoothly due to the genuine OS, and the correct EFI file was used.

Note

Wi-Fi: Only LAN works: until now, I have not found a solution for Wi-Fi; only a LAN connection works on both systems. The internal Wi-Fi on the laptop remains unsupported, but this does not affect the overall functionality of the Hackintosh setup.

Conclusion

Running Mac OS on a PC without upgrading hardware is possible with the right preparation and steps. With the correct hardware setup and a thorough understanding of the process, you can enjoy all the benefits of macOS on your PC.