The developer is porting classic Mac OS to PowerPC-based systems with ArtX-derived chipsets, specifically Nintendo GameCube, Wii, and Wii U. This project, initiated on June 22, 2025, marks the first time classic Mac OS has reached a functional desktop state on this hardware outside of Apple's original CHRP clones.
The porting process required significant modifications to the OpenBIOS environment and the Trampoline bootloader. The developer implemented custom drivers for EXI-based devices, such as the SD Gecko and EXI-IDE, while bypassing hardware-specific assumptions regarding memory mapping and interrupt controllers that were originally designed for PCI-based systems.
Extensive patching was necessary to resolve bugs within the Mac OS kernel and m68k-based 'SuperMario' code. These fixes addressed issues ranging from incorrect interrupt controller initialization and hardcoded hardware checks to memory corruption caused by missing peripheral components. The developer also implemented a fake SCSI driver to facilitate disk access.
The project reached a milestone where the system successfully boots to the desktop. The developer utilized the Dolphin emulator for low-level debugging, specifically for testing EXI-IDE drivers. Future plans include refining the power management driver to support proper shutdown and restart functionality.
