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

[pierinolapeste]

Cannot do it on Mountain Lion

Tried it but upon creating the new disk image from Snow Leopard, the icon "Install Mac OS X.app" shows the "forbidden" red sign on it and when I try to write the first terminal command "...ServerVersion.plist" it answers "read -only file system". MacBook Pro 2.8 GHz i7 , OS X 10.8.1 , Parallels 7.0.15098. I tried to create the image on another computer still on Snow Leoprd and run the terminal command, everything OK on that computer but when I copied it to the Mountain Lion one, the "Forbidden" sign suoperimposed on the install icon appeared again. I checked with the "ls" command and the modified "ServerVersion.plist" is here.

Thanks for any help.

 

[BuffaloBill]

Apps dosn't work

Hi there
Thanks a lott for this verry usefull guid. I followed it verry carefully, and i was able to create a new virtual machine with Snow Leopard. Updates worked, seemst to be fine so far.

How ever, my PowerPC Apps won't run. "Rise of Nations Gold" for example compains, that it needs 32VRAM of grafic card to run. I tried to increase the RAM-Space of the VM till 1GB. When i go to "About this mac" (in the VM) and see my graphic card, it shows me the correct RAM, but the game is still complaining. I tried de-install and installing again, with no change.

"RailroadTycoon 3" is just crashing without any error, on start up. also after reinstalling.

Both Games are working in the "Host" Environment. I still run Snow Leopard as Host as well as i'm unwilling to update till i found a solution for my games

 

[MichaelLAX]

Cannot do it on Mountain Lion

Tried it but...

Thanks for any help.

UPDATE your copy of Parallels 7 to the latest version: 7.0.15106 (Build 786747; August 3, 2012).

Did you complete ALL of the STEP ONE steps in Snow Leopard?

Once copied over, you should commence using this file in subset 4 of STEP TWO when you chose an image file. It does not require double-clicking on in.

Let me know if these solve the problem...

 

[MichaelLAX]

Hi there
Thanks a lott for this verry usefull guid. I followed it verry carefully, and i was able to create a new virtual machine with Snow Leopard. Updates worked, seemst to be fine so far.

How ever, my PowerPC Apps won't run. "Rise of Nations Gold" for example compains, that it needs 32VRAM of grafic card to run. I tried to increase the RAM-Space of the VM till 1GB. When i go to "About this mac" (in the VM) and see my graphic card, it shows me the correct RAM, but the game is still complaining. I tried de-install and installing again, with no change.

"RailroadTycoon 3" is just crashing without any error, on start up. also after reinstalling.

Both Games are working in the "Host" Environment. I still run Snow Leopard as Host as well as i'm unwilling to update till i found a solution for my games

It seems that the virtualization companies (Parallels, VMWare, etc.) cannot or do not recreate complex graphic cards in the virtualized environment.

Hence it seems that in order for you to continue to run your PowerPC gaming that requires complex video cards will need to continue to run your older hardware.

If you want or need to upgrade to Lion/Mountain Lion as well, on the same Mac, you will need to incorporate the "dual-boot" method of operation:

Partition your current internal hard drive or attach an external hard drive and install Snow Leopard on it. Then using the System Preference - Startup Disk, you can boot from one environment to the other as needed.

Not as elegant or convenient as running concurrently as using Parallels 7, but it should work for you as you decided to upgrade.

 

[MichaelLAX]

Michael,

It worked beautifully... This has saved my life.

Keith

Congratulations Keith!

Let us know which PowerPC programs you use in virtualized Snow Leopard!

 

[pierinolapeste]

I tried but.....

Thank you Michael for your help. I did update Parallels, but that is not the problem, I don't even get to the point of opening Parallels if the .cdr image is blocked as you see in the image that I posted. I tried to create an entire VM on an older machine still on SL and copying to the new one, no way. I t seems that the devils at Apple read your posts and found a way to block this installation. I tried to create the .cdr and open it in the SL machine connect it by WiFi and instruct Parallels on the ML machine to use that image, no way. Every time the installing image "Touches" the ML machine it becomes blocked.

 

[MichaelLAX]

I may have added these two suggestions after you read my post:

Did you complete ALL of the STEP ONE steps in Snow Leopard?

Once copied over, you should commence using this file in subset 4 of STEP TWO when you chose an image file. It does not require double-clicking on in.

ALSO can you iChat with me NOW? I am MichaelLAX...

UPDATE: I did not hear from you on iChat.

If you complete ALL of the STEPS in Snow Leopard, I guarantee that it will work in Mountain Lion; many others have had complete success with updating from Lion to Mountain Lion. The only problem seems to be initial creation in Mountain Lion.

So complete and get your final Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvn file (about 15 Gigs) and move it over to your home folder/Documents/Parallels/ on your Mountain Lion Mac with the latest version of Parallels 7 installed.

Double click on it and when you see the following Dialog Box click on CREATE NEW:

 

[pierinolapeste]

I tried, but.....

Hi Michael, I did not iChat because of time difference, I'm in Europe. Will try to do everything again and report. Note that I got the screen that you posted (about new MAC address) but then again when starting the VM the usual notice about the SL system not allowed came out. Another thing that does not work is the second terminal command point 11 "touch ' /Volumes..... .plist" it answers that I don't have permission to do it.


Thank you again for your patience.

 

[MichaelLAX]

I need more information about your problem including answers to all of my questions in my last post!

 

[pierinolapeste]

I tried, but

Hi Michael, I believe I have tried every possible combination. The last one was trying again to create a VM on my old SL machine.

1) created a .cdr image from original SL disk (the one with the Leopard on it) called OPTIARC DVD RW.cdr. Checked with the "ls" command to have the Server.plist installed, OK.

2) Started the updated PARALLELS (7.0.15106), new file, all the steps to the terminal command "mkdir -p '/Volumes......coreservices" and got "permission denied" see picture.
3) When I did the same with the pen drive on the ML machine i passed the first command "mkdir -p...." but got "permission denied on the second "touch '/Volumes....plist"
4) note the difference of the same file (Mac OS X install DVD) when opened in SL end in ML.

 

[MichaelLAX]

Did you attempt to complete ALL STEPS on your Snow Leopard Mac, and does it work when you double click it on the Snow Leopard Mac?

 

[pierinolapeste]

I tried , but

No, it does not. I already created and deleted 6 SL .pvm

 

[MichaelLAX]

OK: we need to setup an iChat time across the time zones. Let me know your schedule...

 

[Romeosc]

Installed Snow Leopard Server 10.6.3

I installed Snow Leopard Server 10.6.3, but I have no wifi connection to virtual Machine, so I can't update per instructions. Also when I use Terminal instructions, i get "NO SUCH FILE". I tried changing file name to reflect server, to no avail. It works, but as I said have no internet and am having difficulty trying to share from Mountain Lion to Virtual Snow Leopard Server.


PS... This is on a 2012 MBP

IO am a newbie at this!

 

[MichaelLAX]

Newbies, always welcome! This is an interesting problem:

Launch Parallels 7.

Open your Mac OS X Snow Leopard environment, but do NOT click to start it.

In the Virtual Machines Menu, go down to Configure...

Click on Hardware and Network 1; you should see a window similar to the first screenshot below (you can click on images to enlarge). Be sure Connected is checked.

Close this box with the Red Dot in the upper left hand corner and Click to Start Snow Leopard.

Go to System Preferences and select Network; you should see information similar to the second screenshot below.

Of course Parallels will only connect to WiFi if your MBP is already connected to WiFi at your location.

Does this help?

What is name of missing file from Terminal? Which STEP number is it?

 

[davidvl]

sharing clipboard

Hi MichaelLAX
First of all thanks for an amazing job and guide! It worked perfectly for me.
One question though. How can one share the clipboard between the host and virtual machines, so I can copy and paste between the two. The "share clipboard" option is not present in the configure-options-advanced section of my virtual machine (It is in a windows VM). I did install parallels tools as per your instructions during setup.
Thanks
David

 

[pierinolapeste]

I tried, but....

Thank you again Michael for your help.

In order to iChat, I am GMT +1 (central Europe) where are you? LAX = Los Angeles ? I can be online in the evening my local time that is your morning in USA (between 6 and 9 hors difference). Strange, by the comments I see that everybody managed to install it except me. NOTE that I did it on Lion but I lost it after upgrading to Mountain Lion.

 

[MichaelLAX]

Hi MichaelLAX
First of all thanks for an amazing job and guide! It worked perfectly for me.
One question though. How can one share the clipboard between the host and virtual machines, so I can copy and paste between the two. The "share clipboard" option is not present in the configure-options-advanced section of my virtual machine (It is in a windows VM). I did install parallels tools as per your instructions during setup.
Thanks
David

Unfortunately while copy and paste is implemented in Parallels Tools for Windows, it is not implemented in Mac OS X virtualization.

I would suggest that if enough of us contact Parallels and request implementation in "Snow Leopard Server" maybe they would make the change.

 

[MichaelLAX]

Thank you again Michael for your help.

In order to iChat, I am GMT +1 (central Europe) where are you? LAX = Los Angeles ? I can be online in the evening my local time that is your morning in USA (between 6 and 9 hors difference). Strange, by the comments I see that everybody managed to install it except me. NOTE that I did it on Lion but I lost it after upgrading to Mountain Lion.

Yes, I am Los Angeles time.

Tell me more about your experience having it work in Lion and its loss in the upgrade to Mountain Lion.

 

[pierinolapeste]

I tried, but...

I'm online now. I am lucac .

 

[gopher]

Just a curiosity, does this method work

For Macs that shipped new June of this year?
For Macs that shipped with Mountain Lion?
Or what is the cutoff point on which model

iMac, Mac Mini, Macbook Air, Macbook Pro, and Mac Pro?

 

[MichaelLAX]

If the Mac runs Parallels 7, this installation method should work!

 

[Capecodtarot]

Just a huge thank you for the detailed instructions for this installation project. Thank you!

 

[davidvl]

Just an update on the shared clipboard issue. This has been fixed in Parallels 8 and works well!
One thing I have noticed is that if I have the VM open for a while but am not using it it freezes. Not sure if it's trying to go to sleep, but it leads to the dreaded wrong version issue. Thanks to MichaelLAX's instructions though I can get out of it. I'm now trying to avoid it by using the "caffeine" app to stop the VM sleeping.

 

[Capecodtarot]

Install Mac Software from disk on OS X Virtual Machine

Hi all,

I'm having trouble installing software via CD/DVD onto my virtual machine (OS X 10.6.8) running on Parallels 7 on a MacBook Pro running Mountain Lion. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

BND