How safe is it to link your Apple ID to a Hackintosh?

[AlexF98]

I have a lot of Apple products. That being both hardware, but perhaps more prominently, software. In particular, software purchased through the iOS and Mac App Stores, some of which cost a small fortune to buy.

I'm currently looking at building a Hackintosh for the first time. Following the iDiot's Guide to iMessage forum, you need to select the current Mac version that matches closest with your system's CPU. For me, that's an i3 8100. This matches nicely to an iMac 19,1 - otherwise known as the latest model 2019 Retina 4K iMac 21.5, a model that is obviously in production today.

Could this mean that Apple will assign the serial number generated for my config.plist in Clover Configurator to an actual 2019 iMac, causing conflict in Apple's cloud services and creating issues with my Apple ID?

Is it possible to use an outdated Mac model in the config.plist file to avoid this potential conflict, whilst maintaining reliable access to Apple's iCloud services, or is this concept a fallacy altogether?

Also, if I find a serial number that I'm happy with and seems to work reliably, can that config.plist be carried across if I were to fresh install MacOS for major software updates, as I typically do on my actual MacBook (assuming all system hardware remains the same)?

Final question, I'm going to be using a BCM94360CS2 WiFi card in my build, a card that's natively supported in MacOS. The guide referenced earlier only seems to suggest steps for Ethernet, how can this be carried across to WiFi?

It would be interesting to hear your thoughts and experiences with this. Thanks.

 

[trs96]

It would be interesting to hear your thoughts and experiences with this.

There's no reason you can't create another Apple ID to use with your first hackintosh and ones that you set up in the future. If you'd like, you could even use the name of someone else in your family that lives at the same address.

Could this mean that Apple will assign the serial number generated for my config.plist in Clover Configurator to an actual 2019 iMac, causing conflict in Apple's cloud services and creating issues with my Apple ID?

Is it possible to use an outdated Mac model in the config.plist file to avoid this potential conflict, whilst maintaining reliable access to Apple's iCloud services, or is this concept a fallacy altogether?

When you apply all the steps in the iMessage guide you will check with Apple to make sure the serial you generate is not the same as one that is already in use with a genuine Mac like the 2019 iMac. If you do that there is nothing to worry about. If you're worried about Apple generating the same one you've got sometime in the future, it's probably a one in a hundred million chance of that happening. they don't sell that many iMacs in contrast to iPhones.

Here's a randomly generated serial for a 2012 Mac mini. C07HQ0FQDWYN
It's got 9 letters and 3 numbers in it. There's not much of a chance that they will build one and match exactly what you've created for your hack. Don't worry about it.

 

[AlexF98]

Thanks for your reply.

There's no reason you can't create another Apple ID to use with your first hackintosh and ones that you set up in the future.

I'd love to use some of the software from the Mac App Store that is linked with my Apple ID (e.g. FCPX), which is my main issue. Whilst it would be nice to integrate the iCloud services, I could perhaps negate this and use another Apple ID whilst I become comfortable with the process.

The main issue is not that Apple haven't used a serial number in the past, it's rather, will they use it in the future? With the iMac 19,1 being an 'in-production' Mac, this may be a concern. Do Apple register your Hackintosh's serial number as an actual Mac when you go through the iCloud setup process? In which case, of course, it would never be overwritten!

 

[trs96]

I had added this to post #2 just before you posted above.

If you're worried about Apple generating the same one you've got sometime in the future, it's probably a one in a hundred million chance of that happening. they don't sell that many iMacs in contrast to iPhones.

You can always check back once in awhile and see if your serial is unique if you are worried about this. Below is what you should see to determine that your serial is ok.

 

[trs96]

Do Apple register your Hackintosh's serial number as an actual Mac when you go through the iCloud setup process? In which case, of course, it would never be overwritten!

This is highly unlikely as they only give serial numbers to the Macs that they build. They are registered in their database before they even get sold to a customer.

 

[AlexF98]

Also, if I find a serial number that I'm happy with and seems to work reliably, can that config.plist be carried across if I were to fresh install MacOS for major software updates, as I typically do on my actual MacBook (assuming all system hardware remains the same)?

Final question, I'm going to be using a BCM94360CS2 WiFi card in my build, a card that's natively supported in MacOS. The guide referenced earlier only seems to suggest steps for Ethernet, how can this be carried across to WiFi?

Any thoughts on these issues?

 

[trs96]

Any thoughts on these issues?

Yes, you can fresh install macOS and carry over your config.plist and serial numbers.
The preferred way to initially connect to the Mac App Store is with an Ethernet connection. Install the Wifi card after that.
You only do this after completing the steps in the iMessage guide. Don't sign into iCloud or the app store before that.

 

[AlexF98]

Yes, you can fresh install macOS and carry over your config.plist and serial numbers.
The preferred way to initially connect to the Mac App Store is with an Ethernet connection. Install the Wifi card after that.
You only do this after completing the steps in the iMessage guide. Don't sign into iCloud or the app store before that.

Understood, thanks for your help and expertise!

 

[trs96]

Understood, thanks for your help and expertise!

If you want to be 100% certain that Apple will not create a new Mac in the future with your generated serial all you have to do is change the place of manufacture to the US. Remove the C0 right at the beginning of the new serial you've generated in Clover Configurator and replace it with a US code. There is no chance that they will start making iMacs in the USA so you are safe from the remote chance Apple would produce an iMac with your exact serial number.

C0 refers to China where most new Macs are made today. Replace the C0 with G8 and you're good to go. No worries. Every serial that CC generates for an iMac 15,1 or newer always starts with C0. I believe that Foxconn (C3) makes most all of the iPhones and iPads that Apple sells. Desktop iMacs are currently made by Tech Com / Quanta and have C0 in the serial.

These are the codes for the two primary Chinese manufacturing plants Apple currently uses.

 

[soeryobadja]

Yes, you can fresh install macOS and carry over your config.plist and serial numbers.
The preferred way to initially connect to the Mac App Store is with an Ethernet connection. Install the Wifi card after that.
You only do this after completing the steps in the iMessage guide. Don't sign into iCloud or the app store before that.

hi @trs96

Would like to check about my following case:
1. I have built a successful hack, which successfully connect to iCloud and AppStore by following the iMessage guide.
2. Recently, I do a fresh install and I connected to AppStore with it. Went smooth, (luckily) not connected yet to iCloud.
3. Not knowing what happened. the next day, my Apple ID was blocked, but I can reactivate the AppleID again.
4. I just realized when tweaking my config.plist, that the config.plist I put did not have any ROM since I did not tick the UseMacAddr0 in the config.plist.

If I put the ROM using MacAddr0 in my config.plist, will this make any problem?
I have not yet logged in to iCloud, just AppStore.

Thanks.