Mac OS X : Install Silverlight 2 on non-Intel systems (ie powerpc or osx86 installs)

Contributed by seamonkey420

December 7, 2008

Tagged: Apple Mac

This is a quickie guide on how to install Microsoft’s Silverlight 2.0+ browser plugin for non-Intel based systems running OSX (including PowerPC and Hackintosh setups, ie Atom cpus and AMD).

If your a Mac user running an older PowerPC setup (ie G5 or older system) or are running OSX on windows hardware, you prob noticed you can’t install Silverlight 2.0 due to the processor check. This can be a bummer since Netflix for OSX only works using the Silverlight 2.0 framework.

This recipe explains how to remove the CPU check in the installation package.

1. Download the Silverlight 2.0 DMG file from Microsoft

2. Mount the DMG file (double click it)

3. Copy the pkg file ( Silverlight2.0.pkg ) to your desktop.

4. Right-click (or ctrl+click) on the .pkg file on your desktop and choose “Show Package Contents”

5. Browse to: Contents > Resources and then Right-click on “InstallationCheck” and choose to “Move to Trash”

This removes the CPU check that prevents the install.

Now close that Finder window and run the .pkg file we just edited. Silverlight should now install without any problems!

This technique may be applicable to other applications w/installation checks.

Previous recipe | Next recipe |

Lee

Unfortunately NetFlix does a processor check as well. So this workaround is defeated.

seamonkey420

i've been able to stream netflix via my msi wind and osx leo. have not tried on a powerpc cpu though. thanks for the heads up on netflix cpu check

Cory

It's easy enough to install a User Agent Switcher plugin and tell Firefox to pretend it's got an intel processor. The problem is the Silverlight 2.0 plugin was written for Intel, and won't work witgh PPC, even with a successful install. If anyone knows a way around this, then I'd love to hear it.

elvato

Does it really work?
I have a powerPc and followed the steps.

The plugin installs fine, but when i open a silverlight page i got the "get silverlight" logo..

Josiah

I get the same thing... I don't think it really works...

Maurice

Plugin installs on my G5 and G4 but I stil get
"get silverlight" in Safari and Firefox.
The plugin is in the Library folder.

sarah

I just tried it and it worked!! WOO HOO! :) I'm watching a netflix movie on safari right now!

Alison

Did you do anything else? How did you get around the netflix website's check?

Adam

Really? Are you sure you have a powerpc processor? Is it a g4, or is it a g5? what computer do you have/what generation is it? I did this and it installed, but i get the "get silverlight" issue every time.

P.S. I have a 1.2 ghz g4 ibook from a few years ago... any ideas anybody?

Ian Muir

The underlying problem with this is that the underlying framework will be seriously unstable. The SilverLight 2.0 plugin is based on the .NET framework. The plugin is essentially a compact verson of the framework.

Most of the SilverLight specific stuff (animation, async requests, etc) will work fine, but any apps that tap into the framework will likely cause the plugin and possibly your browser to crash.

Ian Muir

Just realized that I use the word underlying too much.

Glenn

Installs fine. But how do you get it to work?

When I open a silverlight page I get the "get silverlight" logo.

Unregistered

The trick is how would you circumvent a processor check and trick netflix to think your ppc is a intel mac? Any thoughts?

Denis

I used it on a G5 so to access the radio/video of SRC [http://www.radio-canada.ca/] that had upgraded its Web site and required "absolutely" Silverlight 2.

For this purpose it works perfectly. I am not very knowledgeable in computing so I don't know any other applications that use Silverlight 2.

Thank you seamonkey420

Scott

In safari, enable the develop menu (prefs>advanced) and set the user agent as safari 3.1 mac. I can get passed all the processor warnings.

micaela

so i followed the instructions to download and install silverlight on my G4 mac, then i enabled the develop menu and set the user agent to safari 3.1 mac, then when i go to watch instantly i still get the "install the microsoft silverlight plug-in now" page :(

i even tried restarting my browser and restarting my computer alltogether. is there a step i'm missing?

silvia

shame I can't go any further than step 4.
“InstallationCheck” command doesn't show anywhere.

sob!

c

doesn't seem to work with OS 10.4.11 and Safari 3.1.2. Any suggestions other than buying a whole new Intel based Mac?

rippedoff_reader

Yes, SL2 will install that way -- but netflix online streaming *still* won't work on the ppc Mac. Not even if you change your browser's ID string. I hate idiots like you, writing fake howto crap and causing people to waste their precious time.

ganesh

Thanks!

Josh

So, I take it nobody has real/working steps to watch Netflix "Watch Instantly" on a PowerPC/PPC Mac? I have been looking everywhere and have not found a solution.

People who tell PPC users to buy a new computer are missing the point, I have a $3300 G5 tower purchased in 2006, I should have to spend close to $3K again to get a comparable Mac Pro (the only benefit at this time being Silverlight/Netflix)??? That is ridiculous.

One thought want to try is Virtual PC 7 with Windows XP installed in Leopard on the G5, I can not find anyone saying they have tried it...

PPCforMe

Virtual PC 7 is not compatible with Leopard, Tiger is the last compatible Mac OS X. (Unless Microsoft was mistaken, or you have found a way around that.)

wood911

Tried it. The CPU Virtual PC emulates is not compatible with silverlight

Andre

Great idea. But...
I did'nt find how to download Silverlight 2 on a PPC mac.
Microsoft detects PPC and constraints you to download Silverlight 1.
So...

Andre

You can download Silverlight from http://www.itv.com/silverlight2/

Bob

Silverlight 1.0 is universal binary for PPC and Intel. Silverlight 2 does not support PPC and the unmanaged code portion of the product is not universal binary - it is Intel only. So, while you may be able to defeat the installation CPU check, the binaries are Intel only so they can't/won't run on a PPC.

Lorde

Well, I too have wasted many hours trying to bypass the ludicrous Netflix border, I di succeeed with the method
on my MSi wind running Leopard... That's about as good as I can do... I am truly pissed that Jobs can't kiss some flex ass and take care of his old customers..Screw apple, Screw Microsof and really screw Netflix..

Jack

Thank you! This worked on my hackintosh lenovo s10 on leopard 10.5.6. I have tested netflix and some online radio and it has been flawless.

Aprile

The steps worked, but it still will not appear on the browser. If you navigate to your Library>Internet Plugins folder you can do a get info on Silverlight plugin and it still says (Intel) and therefore does not actually install even though it says it does. I'm not using Safari though, I'm using Firefox 3.0.7. And for what I need silverlight for, I HAVE to use firefox because i have another toolbar installed that i must use....

SteveJ

Puzzling; I got Silverlight to install on by G4 Mac mini running 10.5.6.
Running either Firefox or Safari, I can go to
http://silverlight.net
and click on the "See It" button; I get sent to the TRT sight and the video is correctly displayed (using Silverlight, I assume). So Silverlight on a PPC seems to work. But I can't get Netflix to work; I still get the "Our apologies" message.

lou

that is silverlight 1.0 not 2.0

Aprile

Ya, it does with silverlight 1.0, but 2.0 really is not possible. The site I need to use requires 2.0 (itv.com)

SteveJ

So maybe the solution is to give up, spend $100 and buy the Roku player (sigh).

Pete Goss

Oh yea it install ok now, but firefox don't see it as a plugin!!!

stephen

This will not work. You can test it and verify it yourself if you feel the need. Anyone claiming to have it working is either misguided or lying.

Whilst the method of installation; removing the upgrade check script does allow the plugin to be installed, the plugin is built for the intel architecture only.

Plug-ins for one architecture cannot be loaded by a program running in another architecture, so this wouldn't work even if if there was some kind of bizarre reverse Rosetta system that allowed PPC machines to execute intel code (which there isn't).

Give it up folks.

pat

thanks!!!!

tommyrick

Thanks! that worked for the install but it won't load the plug-in successfully when I go to websites that require silverlight. I get an error message... /Users/tmyrick/Desktop/Picture 2.png and this happens with the recommende 1.0 version too.

lou

It doesn't let me delete the installation check file... even though it isnt locked and says I have read write access in the info. Any thoughts?

ineedmicrosoftsilverlitehelp

this dosent work for me it just opens a blank safari window and nothing elce happens

stevenmckeown

Thanks works a treat!

CATEGORIES

Mac OS X : Install Silverlight 2 on non-Intel systems (ie powerpc or osx86 installs)

This is a quickie guide on how to install Microsoft’s Silverlight 2.0+ browser plugin for non-Intel based systems running OSX (including PowerPC and Hackintosh setups, ie Atom cpus and AMD).

POPULAR RECIPES

TECH-RECIPES BLOGS