Old software and VM

[Wingsley]

I have an M1 Mac Mini 16 GB / 2 TB. I also have some old software on old iMacs.

I was wondering if I could use a virtual machine, like Parallels, to run an older MacOS to access old, EOL'd software. If so, how much would a setup on my Mac Mini cost? How old can the older MacOS be and still run on this combination of hardware and VM software?

 

[apostolosdt]

Check first that older macOSs will be allowed by PARALLELS to run on M1.

 

[Bigwaff]

I was wondering if I could use a virtual machine, like Parallels, to run an older MacOS to access old, EOL'd software.

Nope. M1 ARM arch different from previous versions of macOS. Parallels VM won’t work. You need Intel, PPC, or 68k emulation. VM and emulation two very different things.

 

[pacmania1982]

For really old software, like 68K or PowerPC, I use either BasiliskII or SheepShaver for emulation. BasiliskII works really well for OS versions lower than 8.1 and SheepShaver will run 8.1 to 9.0.4. The only issue with SheepShaver I've found is it doesn't emulate any kind of graphics adapter so you can't run 3D games. Aside from that, it's just like having an old Mac. Getting software/files in and out is quite easy. I've made several videos on YouTube on how to configure if you're interested.

If you want to run something like Mac OS X 10.3, then QEMU is your best best. I've never successfully got this working however.

And lastly for Windows emulation, I use 86box on my M1 MacBook Air to emulate old Intel architectures. It will only emulate up to a Pentium II but that's enough for Windows 98 and the old software and games to run. I don't have the need to emulate anything higher but QEMU/UTM may help.

 

[gilby101]

I also have some old software on old iMacs.

We could help better if you said what software (and its version) and the version of OS X (or macOS) you expect would be able to run it.

 

[Wingsley]

I want to find a way to run iPhoto on my M1 Mac Mini 16 GB / 2 TB. I have over 60,000 photos (dating back to 2001 to about 2019) in my library and Apple's newer Photos has very crude search capabilities. I don't want to give up on iPhoto yet. Retroactive was supposed to help iPhoto run on MacOS Ventura and Monterey, but I didn't realize that it would not work for Sonoma 14.1, currently on my M1 Mac Mini. I don't want to get stuck running iPhoto on my old 2013-vintage Intel iMac if I don't have to.

I also have an old 2003-vintage G4 "igloo" iMac that ran both MacOS Jaguar and MacOS 9.2.2. "compatibility mode". I keep it around because I keep old snail-mailing address list databases in Synex MacEnvelope (1995-vintage software). So now we're talking paleo-software that went out with the dinosaurs, I know.

Here's the really way-out one: I installed Final Cut Pro 7 as part of Final Cut Studio. This is probably that craziest one of all.

 

[Boyd01]

I run some very old CAD and 3d modelling apps in MacOS Mountain Lion and Sierra virtual machines under parallels, HOWEVER I'm doing this on a 2018 Intel Mini. AFAIK, there's no way to do that on Apple Silicon Macs. But in your case, I'm not sure it's possible to run iPhoto in a VM at all. I know that Parallels doesn't support the graphics in some of the old Apple apps.

And pretty sure Parallels doesn't support running legacy Final Cut Pro on any platform either. I still have my old Final Cut Pro, almost never use it, but if I need it then I use my 2013 MacBook Air which is still running Sierra. Also still have a 2012 Mini that I can boot into Mountain Lion. BTW, it's very difficult to re-install these old Final Cut Studio apps now, the origiinal installers are not universal apps. Somewhere I read that they really were universal, but for some reason are no longer recognized that way on MacOS. The only way I was able to get my legacy Final Cut on Sierra was using migration assistant from an old computer.

Not the solution you wanted, but I think usiing an old Mac for the times you use these apps is the way to go.

 

[MarkC426]

As you have 60,000 photos, do you by any chance have a ‘real’ camera…?

I never used iPhoto on my cMP over 12+ years.
I have always used the software that came with my Canon DLSR.

This is constantly updated and works on my M2 Studio (which I have never opened the Photos app….)

 

[Wingsley]

As you have 60,000 photos, do you by any chance have a ‘real’ camera…?

I never used iPhoto on my cMP over 12+ years.
I have always used the software that came with my Canon DLSR.

This is constantly updated and works on my M2 Studio (which I have never opened the Photos app….)

My iPhoto database was accumulated from 2001 to about 2019, using multiple cameras, including, if memory serves, an Olympus Camedia C-3020Z, a Canon PowerShot S2IS telephoto, an iPad Mini 2, a Canon PowerShot 720IS (not sure on that one), and a Canon Digital Rebel T3.

I also accumulated some old film photos from the late 1990s and early 2000's that were developed and printed onto CD-ROM by Kodak.

I prefer iPhoto because of its superior search capabilities.

 

[gilby101]

I prefer iPhoto because of its superior search capabilities.

I am a bit surprised by you saying that. Photos has taken giant strides in being able to search (not always perfectly) by image content as well as image metadata. For example, I can search for "waterfalls" and Photos will show my photos of waterfalls even though "waterfall" does not appear in any file name or image metadata. Nevertheless, I can understand wanting to remain with the familiar.

As you don't like Photos, have you considered using a different product for your digital asset management? The obvious choice is Lightroom, but there are others which are supported on Apple silicon (M1, M2, etc.) based Macs.

Not the solution you wanted, but I think usiing an old Mac for the times you use these apps is the way to go.

This really is the only solution for continuing to use old software.

But I really do suggest you migrate to Photos or a 3rd-party app like Lightroom.

 

[ChrisA]

I have an M1 Mac Mini 16 GB / 2 TB. I also have some old software on old iMacs.

I was wondering if I could use a virtual machine, like Parallels, to run an older MacOS to access old, EOL'd software. If so, how much would a setup on my Mac Mini cost? How old can the older MacOS be and still run on this combination of hardware and VM software?

Cost could zero. I think the only VM software that costs more than zero is Parallels. But very old software is written to run on an Intel-based Mac. The best way to run that old software is to buy and older Mac Mini. You can get a 2014 Mini for about $180 and then you use screen sharing to access the old mini from you new M-based Mac.

 

[Fishrrman]

I've never used either iPhoto or Photos to catalog/edit my pics.
I didn't like the way that the originals are "force-catalogued into" the iPhotos/Photos library/database -- this makes it all-but impossible to find them using the finder, and of course other pic editing apps can't find them, either.

From the beginning I created my own "photo catalog" using a simple folder/file hierarchy, on a separate "media" partition on my internal drive.

One could do this and still use Photos, of course, by selecting NOT to "import" the originals into Photos' database.

By creating my own photo "library", now I can use ANY image editing app that will work within the basic folder/file hierarchy, such as:
- PhotoScape X (there's a free version that is very capable)
- DXO Photolab
- Luminar
- Picasa (still works on my 2018 Mini)
- XnViewMP
- Lyn
(I'm sure there are more)

At least one of these will probably do searches as well as or better than will iPhoto.

Where does this leave you?
I'd either just keep using Photos, or...
- consider exporting YOUR ENTIRE Photos library "out of" Photos to the finder.
- create your own photo library (again, by using folders/files).
- use THAT with other, non-Apple apps.