Chameleon Bootloader

Chameleon Bootloader

Chameleon Bootloader is an open-source bootloader for computers to boot into macOS on non-Apple hardware. It supports a wide range of hardware and allows installation and use of macOS on PCs.
opensource bootloader macos nonapple-hardware pcs

Chameleon Bootloader: Open-Source macOS Bootloader for Non-Apple Hardware

Chameleon Bootloader supports a wide range of hardware, enabling the installation and use of macOS on PCs, providing a unique solution for those who want to run Apple's operating system on non-standard devices.

What is Chameleon Bootloader?

Chameleon Bootloader is an open-source bootloader developed to boot computers into macOS operating system on non-Apple hardware. It was created to enable macOS installation on generic PCs by providing the necessary drivers and extensions.

Some key features of Chameleon Bootloader include:

  • Supports a wide range of hardware including graphics cards, network cards, USB controllers etc.
  • Automatic detection of hardware and loading of appropriate drivers/kexts.
  • Boot menu to select macOS, Windows or other OS installations.
  • Graphical and text-based boot modes.
  • Support for UEFI and legacy BIOS booting.
  • Scripting to customize boot process and inject kext files.
  • Active development and updates to add new hardware support.

By using Chameleon on a regular PC, it is possible to install macOS and have it work smoothly with the various hardware components. It serves as a boot bridge between non-Apple systems and macOS. For hobbyists and hackintosh enthusiasts, Chameleon has been an essential factor in running macOS on PCs for several years.

Chameleon Bootloader Features

Features

  1. Boots macOS on non-Apple hardware
  2. Supports a wide range of hardware configurations
  3. Open source codebase
  4. Graphical user interface for selecting boot options
  5. Supports hotkey booting for fast OS selection
  6. Automatic hardware detection and configuration
  7. UEFI and legacy BIOS support

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free to use

Active development community

Allows macOS to be run on cheaper hardware

Very customizable and hackable

Mature and stable codebase

Cons

Can be tricky to set up correctly

Limited support for very new or obscure hardware

Booting macOS on non-Apple PCs violates license

Updates may break compatibility with some hardware


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