The Darwin bootloader is used to boot OSx86 as it is compatible with BIOS unlike the usual method for booting OS X on a real Mac using EFI. Barely any motherboards have EFI so using Apple EFI to boot is not a good solution, however there is work being done to boot a virtual EFI partition from BIOS and also to flash Intel EFI compatible motherboards with Apple EFI modules. However we’re going to look at how you can use the bootloader to your advantage.
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Apple released their first security update of the new year for OS X, 2007-001. This update fixes a number of security flaws within Quicktime 7.1.3. Reports say it is safe for Hackintoshes, replacing Quicktime.framework and Quicktimestreaming.component files. This update is NOT for 10.4.9 nor 10.5!

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SWsoft's Beloussov claims that in Spring normal beige box PCs will be able to run OS X under Parallels as a software upgrade will "coincidentally" make it easier to run OS X while they take advantage of the new virtualisation technologies found in Intel CPUs nowadays. Although this sounds great it really doesn't amount to much and is neither offcial from Apple nor a native install. So while virtualisation is good I'm gonna stick with my native OSx86!

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It seems that our Russian hackers have done it again and after releasing a slew of Leopard patches for kernels they have now cracked the kernel from the upcoming 10.4.9 update that is set to be released as possibly the final Tiger installment of OS X. This patch works on builds 2117 and 2120 of 10.4.9. However this is only a preliminary patch as it only gives support for Intel SSE3, HPET processors (NX-bit patch already applied). Also needed is R3D3.kext, an updated R2D2 designed tow ork with Leopard. Currently R3D3 only works with 32bit systems but will be fixed shortly. See this thread for details and where to get the patch.

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Semthex has discovered that the OS X system uses a computers MAC address to generate a unique key for that computer. This key is then used by DRM to make sure that content only plays on that specific machine. So what happens if you upgrade say the motherboard which has said unique MAC address? Well you lose all your DRM content.

However all is not lost, Semthex has found a cunning way around this problem by making the computer generate a different unique key by othet means so your DRM content will work elsewhere. An Apple Tech note (TN1103) describes this:

"The primary MAC address is associated with a particular system main logic board. So while the address is stable, it will change should the system's main logic board need to be replaced. Or, a customer may simply want to transfer their licensed content to a newly-purchased computer. DRM solutions relying on the primary MAC address should provide a means for users to re-register their licensed content to a different MAC address."

To read Semthex's full article and fix read here. You can then modify your IONetworking.kext to fix this flaw.

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