They promised it last week, and now they’ve delivered: Atom support is back, although apparently implementing the fix isn’t the easiest project. Still, the ball’s in Apple’s court now. Is this going to turn into a Palm Pre-iTunes thing, or will Apple just let it lie? [Yahoo]

I say almost, because there was still some noticeable frame dropping. But still, I could actually watch HD flash video (windowed and full-screen) without it stuttering like a slideshow. One issue with YouTube: the CPU pretty much went into overload once the video was playing, and on the third viewing I had to Force Quit Firefox to wrestle back control.

But this is good news for hackintoshes, and netbooks in general. In my post earlier today about AnandTech’s Flash 10.1 CPU-utilisation tests, some Giz readers with netbooks reported that they’ve noticed a difference, too. Let’s post those comments here so other readers can see what sort of netbook you have, and if Flash 10.1 is worth trying.

For the record, my MSI Wind U100 has 2GB of memory, a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor and integrated Intel 945 graphics. (Pic above is of the Dell Mini 9).

All of Psystar’s motions for summary judgment were denied, while all of Apple’s were granted. That means that Apple got exactly what they wanted, while Psystar got exactly what they didn’t want.

Don’t worry, there will be a trial. The court still needs to determine (*deep breath*):

Apple’s allegations of breach of contract; induced breach of contract, trademark infringement; trademark dilution; trade dress infringement; and state unfair competition under California Business and Professions Code § 17200; and common law unfair competition.

Phew! So yeah, at this point it’s looking less like a trial to determine Psystar’s legitimacy, more like a trial to decide how much they owe Apple.

Now, I’m no lawyer, but from where I’m standing this case is looking pretty grim for Psystar. I’ll leave it to you legal types to explain exactly what all this means in the comments, because all I know is that it can’t be good. [Groklaw via 9 to 5 Mac, image via walknboston]

The (main) man behind the NetbookInstaller software, which takes care of enough of the under-the-hood tweaks to make netbook hackintoshing approachable, heard the plaintive cries of his flock and handed down a decree from on high:

The kernel will be fixed. It’ll just take a few weeks.

This certainty, combined with the flip-flopping Atom compatibility in earlier 10.6.2 builds, points to the breakage as an intentional choice, not just some incidental bug.

Update: Actually, there’s an interesting case to be made: The 10.6.2 killed Atom in all builds of the update. Interesting. —Thanks, Eduardo!

Even better, for anyone who dove straight into the 10.6.2 update only to find themselves very suddenly without a working netbook, there’s a quick fix: Downgrade your kernel! Using the same instruction set you can do a partial (excluding the kernel) upgrade to 10.6.2, but you’re probably just best off waiting until everything is patched-up right and proper. [Meklort, MyDellMini]

[OS X Daily]

Enough with the back-and-forth already, Apple. If you’re going to kill Atom support then just kill it. Don’t toy with us, taking and giving like some sort of some sort of merciless god.

The video above shows what happens if you try to boot the latest 10.6.2 developer build on a Hackintosh. As you can see, not much. So if you’re running OS X on Atom hardware, hold off on any upgrades until this whole mess gets sorted out. [OS X Daily]

While CrunchGear was able to get Rebel EFI working, it is important to point out that we tried several times to get the software up and running with no success on the exact same computer. Then we got this email from a frustrated reader:

Two weeks ago, I purchased Psystar’s RebelEFI software. While I own several Macs, I also have a fairly new PC with a Core 2 Duo and Intel motherboard that I thought would be a perfect specimen.

Before I purchased the software, I downloaded the trial version of RebelEFI. Sure enough, I was able to boot and install OS X 10.6. I installed the RebelEFI utility in OS X and because it was a trial, the hardware compatibility feature was disabled. (Why this feature would be disabled in a trial version?) I called Psystar with several questions and asked what would happen if some of my hardware was not compatible? The sales person told me that they would be able to access the software’s hardware compatibility list and be able to supply me with drivers for the incompatible hardware.

I purchased the software and ran the hardware compatibility test. It showed me lack of compatibility for my video, audio and USB 2.0, however there was no way to send them the results of this test. When I questioned this, I sent Psystar a tech support ticket through the software’s Customer Support feature. I was told in a reply that I would have to fill out a DCR form. I asked what a DCR form is and where I could find it. (They assumed I would automatically know this information).

After not hearing anything for a week, I tried calling Customer Support and was greeted with a message that support is only handled via email. I again asked the same question via email and 3 days later I received a PDF file in response. It basically says I have to send Psystar my computer for them to make it completely compatible. WHAT???? At no point during the purchase was I told I may have to send them my computer. I am now in the process of trying to get my money back.

Mac OS X on any computer? FAIL

Send your computer to a shady hackintosh company that refuses to accept any responsibility for devices shipped to their lab? Yeah…I don’t think so. But here’s the proof (click to enlarge):

As the days have worn on, Psystar’s response to this customer’s issue has deteriorated to the point that they are no longer responding to his attempts to email for a refund. In fact, they’ve stopped taking customer-support calls entirely and have switched to a far less personal email-based help program.

In other words, a $US50 solution to run OS X on a PC sounded too good to be true, and it looks like it is. So, I’m inclined to go with a flat out DO NOT BUY on this one. However, let me put the question to you — have you purchased this software? Did you experience a similar problem? [Thanks Brian!]

The current recommendation is to stick with 10.6.1 if you’re running Snow Leopard, or 10.5.8 if your Hackintosh has Leopard. You could also try upgrading to 10.6.2 using an older or modified kernel.

If this is a conscious strike by Apple, it’s likely the Hackintosh community will find a work-around, but it’s definitely something to watch before your next update. [OS X Daily]

Why You Should Do This

Last time we threw together a guide like this, things were different. Snow Leopard was but a glint in Steve Jobs’ eye, and in terms of hardware, the Mini 9 was the best thing going — it was pretty much the only netbook you could guarantee would work perfectly. Not to mention the hackintosh process was much, much more complicated. And riskier! And yet, despite all this, it was easy to recommend loading a Mini up with OS X, because to put it bluntly, the results were fantastic.

But the Mini 9 was a bit too small for regular use, and even if it’s still pretty easy to buy one, it’s not officially part of Dell’s product line anymore. Fast forward to now: the Mini 10v is a (quite similar) replacement for the 9, with a slightly larger screen, 160GB HDD standard and 1GB RAM. Most importantly, the keyboard is a bit larger, and the price is wonderfully low: $US300/AU$549 for a netbook that’s completely ready for hackintoshing. Or to put it another way, the 10v is a $US300/AU$549 Apple netbook.

And it isn’t just the hardware that’s changed, it’s the software. Snow Leopard is fast—faster than 10.5—and its new interface features, like Dock Expose, make using OS X on a netbook even easier. Finder is faster, Quicktime has a new interface. It’s a pretty big upgrade from Leopard, is what I’m trying to say.

And installation tools have changed, too. Netbook hackintoshing used to be an all-day process, with external optical drives, Terminal commands, and numerous terrifying driver tweaks. Today, there are simple software utilities to take care of this for you. So let’s recap: Since 2008, the hardware has gotten cheaper and better, OS X more mature, and the installation process easier. Oh yeah, and Snow Leopard retail costs $US30/AU$39. There’s never been a better time to hackintosh — not by a long shot.

That said, one thing hasn’t changed. The same disclaimer:

Even though we’re using a standard retail-purchased copy of OS X, the disclaimer: Apple does not like Hackintoshing. It violates the OS X EULA, and probably won’t make the Dell folks too happy either, should you need to return your hacked Mini 9 for service. So, as always, proceed at your own risk.

Anyway.

What You’ll Need

• Dell Mini 10v. The stock version, at $US300/AU$549, works perfectly.

• BIOS version lower than A06 (A05, A04, A03 all work fine)

Downgrade instructions are available here, though they require a Windows PC for creating a bootable DOS flash drive

• Retail copy of OS X 10.6.x (NOT an OEM copy that comes with a new Mac). An ISO will do fine here.

• An 8GB (or larger) USB flash drive, the faster the better. External HDDs will work too.

• A Mac with a working optical drive, for preparing your flash drive

• Netbook BootMaker (a Mac application)

Preparing Your Flash Drive

The 10v doesn’t have an optical drive, and it’s a pain in the arse to have to go find one, burn a new disc, and do things the old-fashioned way. Installing from a USB flash drive is much, much easier.

1. Insert your flash drive and OS X Retail install disk into your computer

2. Open Disk Utility (searching in Spotlight is the easiest way to get to this)

3. Select your flash drive from the list on the left. Make sure to select the drive itself, not any partitions you may have written to it before.

4. In the right panel, select the “Partition” screen.
5. From the dropdown menu, select “1 Partition,” then click “Options” below the partition map.

6. Select “Master Boot Record”. This will ensure that your Mini 10v can boot from your flash drive. Select a name for your partition—doesn’t really matter what—and apply your changes. Keep in mind this will delete anything you have on your flash drive right now, so back it up if need be.

7. Once this is done, move from the “Partition” screen to the “Restore” screen

8. For your Source, select (by dragging) the OS X install disk from the left panel. Make sure this is the item called something to the effect of “Mac OS Install DVD”, not “Optiarc DVD” or some other hardware title. For the destination, drag your newly-prepared partition over. Click restore.
This will at least an hour, so go have a sandwich or something. Or even better, make sure your Mini 10v is ready for the install, as outlined in the next section.

Ok, once that slog is done, it’s time to let Netbook BootMaker do its magic. And let me be clear: it is magic. What this utility will do is install a special bootloader on your flash drive, which allows your netbook to begin an OS X install. It also throws in a few driver tweaks, to make sure your 10v, y’know, works.

9. Running BootMaker is easy—just open the app, select your OS X partition on your newly-minted flash drive, and tell it to GO GO GO.

Aaaaand that’s it! You’re ready to start hackintoshing.

Installing OS X

First, you’re going to need to do some light prep on your 10v.

10. Jump into the BIOS, since we’re going to need to check on a few things. You can do this by restarting the 10v, and hitting F2 as the Dell logo first shows up.

11. Double-check to see if you have the right BIOS. As long as it’s lower than A06, you’re fine. If not, refer back to the “What You’ll Need” section.

12. Cycle over to the “Advanced” screen, where you’ll see a list of options. USB BIOS Legacy support should be enabled, as should Bluetooth.
13. Now cycle over to the Boot screen. This is where you tell your 10v which drive to boot from. Generally, this will the hard drive where your OS is installed. Since we’re installing an OS today though, you’re going to want to select “USB Storage”, and move it to the top by pressing the F6 key.

14. Once you’re done, press F10 to save and exit. If you’re ready to dive straight into the install, make sure you have your prepped USB drive plugged in and ready to go.

15. Plug your computer in, if it’s not already. You don’t want your netbook to die halfway though — this will only lead to sadness.
Next time you boot, assuming you’ve got your flash drive plugged in, you should see this screen. You’ll see a spinning pinwheel for a few minutes; just leave it. Your computer is thinking.

16. HAHA, BEHOLD! This screen, it’s awfully Apple-y! But you’re not done yet. Let the install complete, following the prompts as you go. When it asks you where to install OS X, select and clear the entire HDD of your device. This will delete everything, so make sure you have your stuff backed up.

After about an hour, you’re done. Seriously — that’s it. Your first boot will take longer than normal, and your desktop may freeze for minutes at a time. Give it some time to figure everything out. Within about 10 minutes, your desktop should be ready to go.

Odds and Ends

By and large, your install should work out of the box. Sleep, shutdown/startup, sound, keyboard shortcuts, battery indicators and anything else you can think of should be present. One thing that’s immediately irritating, though, is the trackpad: it’s kinda shitty. Here’s what you need to do:

17. Go here, and download the attached trackpad driver.

18. Open Finder on your 10v, and press CMD+Shift+G (on this keyboard, that’s Alt+Shift+G.) In the box that comes up, typed “/Extra” and press enter. This will bring you to a hidden folder. Copy the .kept file you’ve download into the Mini10vExt folder, making sure to back up the one you’re replacing.

19. Run the app in the “Extra” directory called UpdateExtra, which will alert OS X to the new drivers. Restart your computer.

You should see, as you could before, a panel in the OS X preferences where you can adjust trackpad settings. Play with them as you like — two finger scrolling is great. The main difference with the new driver, though, is that it kills the bottom part of the trackpad, where the two buttons are supposed to be. This makes clicking and dragging, which was just about impossible before, work perfectly.

The only other issue you’re likely to run into is the occasional too-big settings screen. Here’s an obscenely clever workaround for that.

So There You Go

You’ve got yourself a fully-functioning, beautifully small Snow Leopard netbook, which’ll do 90 per cent of what a 13-inch MacBook can, at 70 per cent the size and about 25 per cent of the cost. Mine’s close to perfect: With an extended battery, I’m pushing seven hours of battery life with Wi-Fi, which makes my MacBook pro look like a LOSER. And tiny extra bit of size over the Mini 9 means the keyboard is just large enough to work on, meaning this thing isn’t just a toy — it’s a decent investment. This, from a guy with banana fingers.

Anyway, buckets of thanks to the DellMyMini forums, especially users MechDrew and Bmcclure937.

So that’s about it! Please add in your experiences in the comments — your feedback is a huge benefit to our how-to guides. Good luck with your own Hackintoshing!