How to buy (by downloading) full OS-X Mountain Lion without owning a Mac

[defbref]

Today, after doing more research, I found where I can order the disk for Mountain Lion. (http://store.apple.com/us_smb_78313/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion-consumer-single) I've scoured the Apple site forever looking for this and finally found it tonight via Google. I'm assuming that with this, I'll have no need for Snow Leopard, that Unibeast, etc will take over and configure things as needed. Of course, I don't really want to use Snow Leopard at all because of the graphics card issue.

Did you read the link? its not a disk:

What do you receive: An email with a content code for the Mac App Store.

 

[Going Bald]

Today, after doing more research, I found where I can order the disk for Mountain Lion. (http://store.apple.com/us_smb_78313/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion-consumer-single) I've scoured the Apple site forever looking for this and finally found it tonight via Google. I'm assuming that with this, I'll have no need for Snow Leopard, that Unibeast, etc will take over and configure things as needed. Of course, I don't really want to use Snow Leopard at all because of the graphics card issue.

No, you will still need the Snow Leopard disk. What you get from the Mountain Lion order at the site you link is an email with an order code you can use to download the app. You do not get physical media. You still can't use your Power Mac running 10.5 to create UniBeast USB installer - you must be running 10.6.x or later.

So your path would be:
1. get all your parts together and build
2. iBoot (Ivy Bridge or Haswell) + SL retail DVD to install 10.6.3
3. Update to 10.6.8
4. Use your order code to download ML
5. Create UniBeast USB
6. Install ML, run MultiBeast
7. Reboot.

Enjoy

 

[tomdellinger]

Oh crap! I didn't see that. Sometimes I just don't get Apple. I can't for the life of me figure out why they dress that page up to look like you're actually buying something tangible. I mean, what's up with all this delivery nonsense??? Happily, I was able to cancel this morning. Last night I ordered everything for the Mac Pro and the disk for SL this morning. My game plan is now to get it put together, create the unibeast boot drive with my neighbor's Mac and load that into the Hackintosh. And for this initial installation, I'll use the inexpensive GT120 card. I do have reservations about upgrading to Mavericks right now though as I'm not sure if it's going to have compatibility issues with some older software I depend on. (Photoshop CS4 and in particular, some associated plug ins). I suspect I'll be totally OK with just upgrading the OS to Lion in order to move to the much higher performing graphics card I ordered (GTX 670). I'd take it to Mountain Lion, but in my research I see there are some known problems in its support of Photoshop CS4. What little research that's out there so far, Mavericks is supposed to support it, but my plug ins are a total crap shoot. I think I'd be totally happy hanging with Lion. All I'm looking for is a good solid base to work with my photos. I have no interest in newer software unless I absolutely have to go there. Its mostly just more bells and whistles as far as I'm concerned and I'm convinced I have everything I need right now to make the kind of images I want.

 

[MacMan]

Today, after doing more research, I found where I can order the disk for Mountain Lion. (http://store.apple.com/us_smb_78313/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion-consumer-single) I've scoured the Apple site forever looking for this and finally found it tonight via Google. I'm assuming that with this, I'll have no need for Snow Leopard, that Unibeast, etc will take over and configure things as needed. Of course, I don't really want to use Snow Leopard at all because of the graphics card issue.

That is for a Mountain Lion download code, not a disk.

The only version of OS X that is available on a disk is Snow Leopard.

 

[sundanc3]

You should be able to use the built in Intel HD graphics for your install of SL if I'm not mistaken.

 

[tomdellinger]

I see what you're saying. It looks like I can run the monitor via the VGA port on the back of the motherboard. I've never done that before, but I think that'll work. I was looking at that very good video on installing SL and upgrading to ML earlier and I can see how that would work. Thanks for suggesting that.

 

[Adrian B]

I see what you're saying. It looks like I can run the monitor via the VGA port on the back of the motherboard. I've never done that before, but I think that'll work. I was looking at that very good video on installing SL and upgrading to ML earlier and I can see how that would work. Thanks for suggesting that.

Apple does not support VGA off the motherboard - it can work off a GPU (there are technical reasons as to why this happens - thats a whole different subject thread)

Use DVI-D or HDMI between motherboard and TV/monitor. I suspect that using Intel HD graphics may give you problems in other areas such as working ethernet (to upgrade), by all means try but be aware you might need to use an older GPU to get it working sufficiently to allow the installation.

Further info on suitable older GPUs to try can be found in the wiki page : http://www.tonymacx86.com/wiki/index.php/Graphics_Card_Database

The Nvidia 8800, 9500 & 210/220 options work well :thumb up:


Adrian B

 

[heddhunter]

Last night I ordered everything for the Mac Pro and the disk for SL this morning. My game plan is now to get it put together, create the unibeast boot drive with my neighbor's Mac and load that into the Hackintosh.

If your neighbor is going to get Mavericks on a Unibeast USB stick for you, you don't need the Snow Leopard DVD at all. You'll boot your new Hack direct from the USB drive and go straight to Mavericks.

The only reason you would need Snow Leopard is if you had no other way of getting the Unibeast USB stick created.

 

[Going Bald]

Last night I ordered everything for the Mac Pro and the disk for SL this morning. My game plan is now to get it put together, create the unibeast boot drive with my neighbor's Mac and load that into the Hackintosh.

If you are using your neighbor's Mac to create UniBeast USB installer, you do not need the SL DVD at all.
Can you use the neighbor's Mac to download Mountain Lion with your code?

 

[tomdellinger]

Well....my neighbor isn't the most tech savvy person in the world and she told me she's forgotten or lost her password and isn't doing well with her interactions with Apple. And....she's running 10.5.8 with no plans to upgrade anything. I should be able to insert the SL DVD in her machine and create the Unibeast stick with that, I think. And that would be enough to get me started on my machine. My thinking is that once I have SL installed, I could then either take it to Mavericks or purchase the code to upgrade to ML. (I cancelled the original order for ML and got SL instead)