It doesn't find out what hardware it's running on. The stock kernel has a driver for the TPM module. When it doesn't find a TPM module the kernel panics. You have two options, emulate a TPM module with the correct keys, or replace the driver with one that gives the kernel the answer it wants.

This is the basis for the "hackintosh"

I'd hazard a guess that it would be pretty easy to get this going on VirtualBox using iBoot + Multibeast.

http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com/