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.

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Qbressler

Anyone who claims that they got this to working is BS or they dont know what they're looking for. I've been trying to go to freestockcharts.com but it requires Silverlight2 and not 1. PPC users cant even download Siverlight2.

Chomp

This does not work on Non-Intel based macs. The people that are saying, "It worked great!" probably have intel based macs, and therefore didn't even need to do this. Or the hackintosh guy who says he got it worked on his Lenovo. The reason that works, is BECAUSE THAT IS AN INTEL PROCESSOR! All of the people with G4 and G5 macs need to contact Netflix, and Apple. This is the only way you can get them to realize they are missing out on Revenue. It costs Netflix more money to ship you a disk then it does to stream a video online. Also, there is a section in Contact Netflix where you can contact their Investor Relations. This also needs to be done, so that they begin questioning why they are missing out on added revenue. If they can support Watch Instantly on a Wii(powerpc processor) then they should be able to do the same for these Macs.

Anne Keener

i just got a used mac with tiger 4, any new comments on how to watch netflix on it. thanks much

Swlker

didn't work!

Mattebernier

I tried this, and yes, Silverlight installed on my powerpc, but netlix watch-instantly still doesn't work. Not at all. same message...

Spam

What makes no sense is that I can watch netflix on my netbook with an 1.6 ghz atom cpu just fine, but not on an mac g5. How is a G5 mac slower than a netbook?

Dfg

Since netflix works on Roku can somebody code a roku emulator for PPC and run the Roku software on it ?

JamesinSF

This worked like a charm on a hacked Lenovo S10 using OS X 10.6. Thank you.

jc

was able to download the silverlight 2 from 3.0 package with your tip. But it didn't work. I am running Safari 4 and Firefox 3.6. Any thoughts?

rkree

I watch Netflix on my TV via Roku. Now this junk Silverlight from Microsoft pops up.

rich4321

Sorry to say this, but the PPC users should just accept the fact that Silverlight and Netflix just won't work for PPC, sadly. But if your goal is to watch Netflix, you can always go to eBay to buy a used Intel CoreDuo Mac Mini for $300-$400 if you get lucky, not only you can watch Netflix, you can use the Mini to do many more while you can still keep your PPC for other tasks or sell it to defray the cost.

Brian Maxwell

I have tried this several times and still it will not let me play netflix on a G4 iBook Mac OSX 10.4.11
I have followed the instructions as written above. and I still get the message that I need an intel based Mac. Even after taking out the Installation Check. What else can I do. I have tried both Safari and Firefox but neither work. I can't afford a new lap top. This is the only thing I can't get to work.

sassylou

I've got a Pismo running 10.4.11.
Installed Silverlight using the quick hack here.
Installed User Agent Switch...

I've bypassed the Netflix page blocking me about the requirements page..and it takes me to the movie play page..however it keeps telling me I'm almost ready to watch a movie with the installer link there...however, I've already installed Silverlight...I need one more clue to bypass "Install Silverlight" page.

Almost there.

any more hints or clues as to how to jump this one hurdle?

KoKo

The real hurdle is about facing reality. Much as I commiserate (I'm posting this with my good ol' Power Mac G5) the ppc platform is the latest of a long illustrious succession of Apple products that have orphaned architectures and operating systems.

Of course it's not just an Apple thing: Many once-cutting-edge platforms of other brands can't handle the latest software either. Not many of us invest much time trying to get a Macintosh 1 or IBM-PC to log onto Netflix for similar reasons.

We can still enjoy our PowerPC computers with what they still run well, while accepting it that their heyday is in the past. I find it more gratifying and productive these days to get a Hackintosh education, instead of compounding my frustration with what my old G5 will never run in future.

MonoKulen

thx a lot!!

joojooflop

thanks so much!! i was able to install silverlight with no problem!!! *genius!!!*

jeffhoog

install yes, watch netflix no...

rweflyn

Heck with watching Netflix streams on the computer! For less than $300 you can get one of the newer BluRay players that will run both Netflix and Pandora flawlessly and on your much bigger TV screen... duh!

10neg9

Hey rweflyn,
Some of us in the technologically advanced world use a computer connected to a projector (which happens to be much bigger than any TV screen... duh!) and the computer that is connected to the projector can even, now this might surprise you rweflyn, connect to pandora or itunes or rhapsody or napster or youtube or hulu, surf the net, purchase goods from ebay, play video games...............and on and on. So spending more money on another device is redundant when the device (a computer) can do everything except stream netflix movies.

Daddy

I guess your technology advanced system doesn't work eh? douche

rweflyn

Not really news to me; I have a Mac Mini AND an AppleTV hooked up to my big screen (65") The Mini plays in full 1080p. It's nice to have options. Is that high tech enough for you? Still, I'd bet the BluRay player would cost a lot less than your projector, especially if it is capable of the higher resolutions. Now, if you bought the projector from a pawn shop, well... duh?!

10neg9

rweflyn,
I'm not one to bicker. I responded to your initial comment because its annoying when searching for a solution to a problem and all you find are smartass comments which exacerbate your frustration. I prefer to read comments like jeffhoog, "install yes, watch netflix no...". My goal, along with other powerpc mac users using netflix, is to find a way to stream netflix video exclusively on our macs. Advice about using other equipment is not the goal of this forum. Anyway, I only recently acquired a dual core G5 2.5 Ghz with 8 gb of ram, optical audio, liquid cooled, and dual dvi video which makes it comparable if not superior to many computers on the market today. I was going to use it to replace a windows media center pc that I currently use, but when I found out that I could not stream netflix from the G5 I was hoping to find a solution. Unfortunately, this does not seem possible so I will return to my windows machine and use the G5 for something else.

rweflyn

I read through these forums occasionally for tips to simplify my life. In your "technologically advanced" world, you have managed to invest good money trying to upgrade yesterday's technology to perform the tasks of today and tomorrow. Why keep beating that dead horse my friend? Others (Daddy) on this board also see the real reason for your frustrations. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you need to get off that merry-go-round and get a grip.

Josh

You are obviously not searching forums for "tips to simplify my life" if you are reading and responding (negatively) to this posting at all since it is about getting Silverlight 2.0 to work on PPC and you obviously don't think anyone should bother and should just invest another $2K+ on a new Mac.
I think you are the one that needs to "get a grip" and don't worry so much about what others are trying to do.

rweflyn

Clearly much a do about nothing...
I do understand the intent of the original post, but because most posters kept saying it wouldn't work (at least with Silverlight 2.0), I offered a fairly cheap alternative and now have all the PPC owners still in denial and throwing tantrums.
So, in conclusion:
- My original idea - get a BluRay player that does Netflix - $150 (my son just bought one last week and it does NetFlix).
- A MacMini, not "2K+" but more like $600-800. This is a dream machine as a complete home entertainment media server!
- Upsetting people who keep "trying to do" things with their computers that they clearly can't do and seeing them so in denial and upset about it - priceless!

Eric

What if what someone isn't trying to watch Netflix? What do you do then, I dobt very much that a BluRay player would help very much with http://www.atitesting.com

Eric

doubt

JC

are you sure this worked on a non-intel mac? how do you avoid the netflix processor check?

dakara

thanks a bunch! this worked for me, and i was able to use the "watch instantly" option in netflix with no problem (using firefox).

stevenmckeown

Thanks works a treat!

ineedmicrosoftsilverlitehelp

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

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?

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.

pat

thanks!!!!

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.

Pete Goss

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

SteveJ

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

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

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

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....

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.

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..

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.

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...

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...

wood911

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

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.)

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.

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?

silvia

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

sob!

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?

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.

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

Unregistered

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

Glenn

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

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

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.

sarah

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

balero98

Nice one. I just landed on the moon and am watching a Netflix movie projected onto all of Australia.

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?

Alison

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

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.

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...

Lee

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

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.

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

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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).

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