OS X on Thinkpad x60?

[delingren]

I have salvaged a Thinkpad x60, equipped it with an 60G SSD and 4GB of RAM (only 3 is recognized by the BIOS though). It's a bit old, but it's surprisingly not too slow running Windows 8.1 for web surfing and emails.

I'm wondering if anyone has installed OS X on this laptop. If so, what's the highest version you'd go. Here is some information about this setup:

CPU:
Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo T7200

Chipset:
Northbridge Intel i945GM rev. 03
Southbridge Intel 82801GHM (ICH7-M/U) rev. B0


Graphics:
Mobile Intel(R) 945 Express

I believe this chipset has been used by some version of MacBook at some point. So I guess the support should be pretty good.

 

[RehabMan]

I have salvaged a Thinkpad x60, equipped it with an 60G SSD and 4GB of RAM (only 3 is recognized by the BIOS though). It's a bit old, but it's surprisingly not too slow running Windows 8.1 for web surfing and emails.

I'm wondering if anyone has installed OS X on this laptop. If so, what's the highest version you'd go. Here is some information about this setup:

CPU:
Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo T7200

Chipset:
Northbridge Intel i945GM rev. 03
Southbridge Intel 82801GHM (ICH7-M/U) rev. B0


Graphics:
Mobile Intel(R) 945 Express

I believe this chipset has been used by some version of MacBook at some point. So I guess the support should be pretty good.

What is the graphics device?

 

[delingren]

This is what I got from CPU-Z. I believe the GPU is an Intel GMA 950.

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Display Adapters
Display adapter 0
Display name	\\.\DISPLAY1
Name	Mobile Intel(R) 945 Express Chipset Family (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM 1.0)
Board Manufacturer	Lenovo
Memory size	256 MB
PCI device	bus 0 (0x0), device 2 (0x2), function 0 (0x0)
Vendor ID	0x8086 (0x17AA)
Model ID	0x27A2 (0x201A)
Performance Level	0
Display adapter 1
Board Manufacturer	Lenovo
Memory size	256 MB
PCI device	bus 0 (0x0), device 2 (0x2), function 1 (0x1)
Vendor ID	0x8086 (0x17AA)
Model ID	0x27A6 (0x201A)
Performance Level	0
Win32_VideoController	AdapterRAM = 0x10000000 (268435456)
Win32_VideoController	DriverVersion = 8.15.10.2697
Win32_VideoController	DriverVersion = 8.15.10.2697
Win32_VideoController	DriverDate = 10/01/2012
Win32_VideoController	DriverDate = 10/01/2012
Monitor 0
Model	()
ID	LEN4000
Serial
Manufacturing Date	Week 0, Year 2005
Size	12.1 inches
Max Resolution	1024 x 768 @ 49 Hz
Horizontal Freq. Range	0-105 kHz
Vertical Freq. Range	0-50 Hz
Max Pixel Clock	60 MHz
Gamma Factor	3.5

 

[RehabMan]

This is what I got from CPU-Z. I believe the GPU is an Intel GMA 950.

Supported by Snow Leopard 32-bit. Not sure about 64-bit... And not sure about Lion. Definitely not supported ML or higher.

 

[delingren]

Thanks! I'll give Snow Leopard or Lion a try. If it's a no go, I'll stick with Ubuntu.

 

[delingren]

I tried to run Lion on it. It was sort of working, but the display driver seemed very unstable. It'd freeze up quite frequently. Keyboard, USB, Ethernet are all working. Trackpoint and audio are not. But I haven't tried to make them work.

Then I realized the biggest caveat is the Wifi. It has an Intel 3945ABG mini PCIe card, which is not supported. Neither can I replace the card. Thinkpads white list a set of cards that can be used. There is a modified BIOS out there to remove this limitation for some models, but not x60. So this might be a lost cause. Oh well, I guess I'll settle with Ubuntu.

Thanks! I'll give Snow Leopard or Lion a try. If it's a no go, I'll stick with Ubuntu.

 

[RehabMan]

I tried to run Lion on it. It was sort of working, but the display driver seemed very unstable. It'd freeze up quite frequently.

Did you use 32-bit? I don't think your graphics device is supported by 64-bit. And even in the 32-bit case, there is probably things you need to do (GraphicsEnabler=Yes).

Then I realized the biggest caveat is the Wifi. It has an Intel 3945ABG mini PCIe card, which is not supported. Neither can I replace the card. Thinkpads white list a set of cards that can be used. There is a modified BIOS out there to remove this limitation for some models, but not x60. So this might be a lost cause. Oh well, I guess I'll settle with Ubuntu.

There are ways to deal with it, but get a bit involved (FakePCIID + rebranded AR9280, for example)...

 

[delingren]

Huh, I completely forgot about it. I'll fiddle with it and see what happens

Did you use 32-bit? I don't think your graphics device is supported by 64-bit. And even in the 32-bit case, there is probably things you need to do (GraphicsEnabler=Yes).

Has anyone tried Coreboot? It's supposed to work with Thinkpad x60.

There are ways to deal with it, but get a bit involved (FakePCIID + rebranded AR9280, for example)...

 

[delingren]

Not much luck on Lion . I'll probably just give up, considering how much hassle it is to make wifi working. And since it will never run Yosemite anyways (i.e. no handoff), there isn't much advantage to run OS X compared to Linux.

Huh, I completely forgot about it. I'll fiddle with it and see what happens