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Installing Snow Leopard (and Rosetta) into Parallels on modern Intel Macs

SL / Rosetta / early 2011 MBPro's

Hi,
I'm debating whether an early 2011 Macbook Pro w/ SL installed would be a better option for me than getting the latest Macbook Pro w/ Mt. Lion installed. If I purchase the latest mbpro and use it exclusively in SL server within Parallels will I have better, worse or about equal performance than an early 2011 mbpro? I currently run a mid-2009 mbpro w/10.6.8 and I"m satisfied w/the 2.8ghz c2d performance. Seeing as how I don't edit video, run games or do much in Photoshop am I missing something or am I better off with the early 2011 mbpro? :confused:
 
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I have found that Snow Leopard in a virtual machine seems actually faster than running it natively on a 3 or 4 year old machine, so you probably gain in performance.
 
disappearing cursor problem fixed!

According to a post on the Parallels forum:

"This issue is fixed as of build 8.0.18608. Be sure to update Parallels Tools in the Snow Leopard Server VM (should be done automatically)"
 
Oh I hope so!! That was the real killer for using Parallels for Snow Leopard Server.

It seems like the hours I spent on the phone to Parallels support about that problem was worth it!!
 
OK, I have now dumped VMware to run Eudora in Snow Leopard Server. The disappearing cursor was the killer for Parallels, but now that is fixed, Parallels is just a much better experience.

For a start, shared folders work. Secondly, the sound works without having to muck around with drivers. Thirdly, it has a snapshot mechanism which takes care of backup. (On VMware, I had to set up Time Machine within the Snow Leopard system to back it up.)
 
it works, but...

Hello,

I did all this

-install Parallels 8 in ML, and SL (with Rosetta) in Parallels and it did work
-to be legal, I bought and installed Server version of SL.

Works very well but a lot of PPC apps will not work like I expected.

If an app needs software acceleration, it will not work slowly: it will not display ANYTHING at all. ex. : www.macjoy.com and a lot of games and some other software too (I hear problems with iWorks too).

Parallels say that's because they can't support acceleration in a OS X host because Apple doesn't share the needed info to the developper.

(There is no such problems with other type of guest OS)

Does someone maintain a list of PPC apps that will run correctly in this setup? (and those who will not)?

This is frustrating because this solution gave hope to a lot of Rosetta fans.
On new MacBook, it is not possible to have dual system as with the 2011 series.

I'm thinking about other solutions...
 
Both Parallels and VMware are based on supporting current operating systems, ie,various versions of Windows, Mac OS X Lion and Mountain Lion.

That Snow Leopard works is probably more of a coincidence than anything else. Same for Linux, OS/2, etc.

It is unlikely they will spend any time fixing these problems unless lots of people report the problems they are having. This means report *to Parallels* and *to VMware*, not here!
 
I do not understand the steps!!! Help, plis

gilby101 said:
There is a problem with the original instructions from MichaelLAX for those using Mountain Lion as the host system. This is because Mountain Lion mounts disk image files as read-only. As a result STEP ONE does not work - everything else is ok.

Follow MichaelLAX’s instructions in STEP ONE points 1 to 3. Then continue with:

4. Launch Terminal (/Applications/Utilities/); cut and paste or carefully type the following 4 commands into Terminal and, after each, hit Return/Enter:

5. Change to the directory where the image is located.

cd Desktop

6. Mount the disk image in a way that allows any changes to be kept in a ‘shadow’ file.

hdiutil attach SuperDrive.cdr -shadow

7. Add the important file to the mounted image with this (including the quotation marks):

touch '/Volumes/Mac OS X Install DVD/System/Library/CoreServices/ServerVersion.plist'

8. Unmount the disk image by ‘ejecting’ the ‘Mac OS X Install DVD’ in Finder. At this point you have two files - SuperDrive.cdr and SuperDrive.cdr.shadow on the Desktop.

9. Create a new DVD/CD master disk image ’SuperDrive-Server.cdr’ which is the same as SuperDrive.cdr, but with the change included.

hdiutil convert -format UDTO -o SuperDrive-Server.cdr SuperDrive.cdr -shadow

10. Quit Terminal and continue with STEP TWO, using SuperDrive-Server.cdr in place of SuperDrive.cdr. If you wish you can now delete SuperDrive.cdr and SuperDrive.cdr.shadow - they are no longer needed.

Credits: The use of the shadow file is from post #407 by eldes.com. I had previously (post #322) used a sparse image - either works but I like the shadow file technique better though I don’t think it is any quicker.
Click to expand...

I have read 100 times this. I can not understand. I have tried as much as I could, but I swear to God I can not understand it.

Please can anyone explain the steps as if I were a child, or even a monkey?

Not even understand if this process should do so only on a machine with Snow Leopard. Can also be done on a computer with Mountain Lion?

Thank you.
 
Basurero said:
I have read 100 times this. I can not understand. I have tried as much as I could, but I swear to God I can not understand it..
Click to expand...

Do yourself a favour and buy Snow Leopard Server (from Apple). No need for any of the strange antics required for the not-server Snow Leopard.
 
Equally important is for you to explain to us in some detail why you want to install Snow Leopard into Parallels.
 
MichaelLAX said:
Equally important is for you to explain to us in some detail why you want to install Snow Leopard into Parallels.
Click to expand...

I installed SL Server without problems. I want to use freehand. Apparently everything works fine, except coherence. That's no problem. I have seen no solution, but do not know how. The major problem is that when I use the tool polygon object in freehand, the pointer disappears!.

I have Parallels Desktop 8 Build 8.0.18354

Is it really better to have Snow Leopard? Is it enough SL Server to use Freehand and Abobe CS 5/6?

Thank you very much.
 
Basurero said:
I installed SL Server without problems. I want to use freehand. Apparently everything works fine, except coherence. That's no problem. I have seen no solution, but do not know how. The major problem is that when I use the tool polygon object in freehand, the pointer disappears!.

I have Parallels Desktop 8 Build 8.0.18354

Is it really better to have Snow Leopard? Is it enough SL Server to use Freehand and Abobe CS 5/6?

Thank you very much.
Click to expand...

Stay with Snow Leopard Server.

Coherence should work property with Parallels 8.

The disappearing pointer was fixed with the latest update to version 8.

If you continue to have either or both of these problems, post over at the Parallels Support forum

AND/OR: submit a support ticket with Parallels.

Be sure to come back and let us know how it works out for you!
 
MichaelLAX said:
Stay with Snow Leopard Server.

Coherence should work property with Parallels 8.

The disappearing pointer was fixed with the latest update to version 8.

If you continue to have either or both of these problems, post over at the Parallels Support forum

AND/OR: submit a support ticket with Parallels.

Be sure to come back and let us know how it works out for you!
Click to expand...

Hello again! First, thanks for your help.

I changed the version of Parallels. Now I have installed 8.0.18494. I installed Snow Leopard Server. I installed Freehand. Freehand is the only reason I install Snow Leopard Serve within Mountain Lion. Well, the problem with the pointer in Freehand persists. I came to Parallels support forums and have found people with the same problem, but have not received a response.

http://forum.parallels.com/showthre...ppear-when-SmartMouse-is-Off&pointer+freehand

In addition to this problem, which is serious, coherence does not work, or maybe I do not know how.

I would appreciate help with these problems, especially the problem of the pointer in Freehand.

Thank you very much in advance.
 
Disappearance of pointer in freehand - one solution

I found a solution to the problem of disappearing Freehand cursor when it is installed in Snow Leopard or Snow Leopard Server on Parallels Desktop 8 with Mountain Lion native. It may not be a perfect solution, but it works.

I have a mac book pro late 2011. Not sure if that will be important.

System Preferences / Universal Access / Mouse

Modify the size of the pointer. Move the bar until the pointer increase the minimum.

Now the pointer will not disappear in Freehand.

Waiting for a better solution, hopefully my solution will serve for others to be as happy as me.
 
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Great find! Be sure to post your solution over at the Parallels Support forum, too!

Did you get Coherence to work?
 
Installing Snow Leopard Server on parallels 8

I would enquire re the initial setting up and the insertion of the codes cited for Parallels 7. Are these needed for Parallels 8? I have the uptodate version.

Also regarding stage 1, I already have disc images of both the installation and tools. They are labelled

OSX Server 10.6.dmg
OXS Server 10.6 - Admin Tools.dmg

The installation disc image seems to install straight away into Parallels using the disc image facility.

Would therefore ask if I have to put in the four codes that are cited as

cd Desktop

6. Mount the disk image in a way that allows any changes to be kept in a ‘shadow’ file.

hdiutil attach SuperDrive.cdr -shadow

7. Add the important file to the mounted image with this (including the quotation marks):

touch '/Volumes/Mac OS X Install DVD/System/Library/CoreServices/ServerVersion.plist'

8. Unmount the disk image by ‘ejecting’ the ‘Mac OS X Install DVD’ in Finder. At this point you have two files - SuperDrive.cdr and SuperDrive.cdr.shadow on the Desktop.

9. Create a new DVD/CD master disk image ’SuperDrive-Server.cdr’ which is the same as SuperDrive.cdr, but with the change included.

hdiutil convert -format UDTO -o SuperDrive-Server.cdr SuperDrive.cdr -shadow

10. Quit Terminal and continue with STEP TWO, using SuperDrive-Server.cdr in place of SuperDrive.cdr. If you wish you can now delete SuperDrive.cdr and SuperDrive.cdr.shadow - they are no longer needed.

Are these stages necessary or do I just use Parallels and install directly from the disc images that I already have.

Not sure if these steps are for the making of the disc image but I already have this.

Sorry if this seems pedantic but I'm not a techie and need instructions for dummies.
 
The Server version of Snow Leopard will install into Parallels 8 with no special steps required.

I have listed a step by step procedure for Snow Leopard Server here
 
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