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VMware Fusion will not launch Snow Leopard install for VM

robertcoogan

robertcoogan

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 5, 2008
844
1,258
Joshua Tree, California
I have a copy of my Snow Leopard install DVD on ISO (I used PowerISO under Windows 10 in BootCamp to rip it). When I try to launch it in VMware Fusion 11, Fusion says that it doesn't recognize the OS as Mac OS X Server. I have looked this up, and I still have no idea why it would say this, other than it doesn't seem to have a setting for 10.6 (non-server, client) install. Just 10.6 server. Most of the fixes for this involve VMware Workstation, and I only have Fusion [v11.5.3] and VirtualBox. If anyone can help me solve this problem so I can boot 10.6 in a VM I would really, really appreciate it.

I just need a good VM of Snow Leopard that I can boot and connect to my network. And I don't want to mess with malware-riddled crap torrents. I have a copy of PowerISO for ripping discs, I have nothing on the macOS side that works that well. I do not have a copy of Workstation. Just Fusion and a the freebie VirtualBox.

Thank you -
 
DeltaMac

DeltaMac

macrumors G5
Jul 30, 2003
13,765
4,591
Delaware
One answer: Find a copy of Snow Leopard Server. That was the last OS X SERVER that installed as a complete, independent OS. Server products after Snow Leopard are apps, and just add-ons to the client OS.
VMWare asks for Snow Leopard Server, because that is the only form of Snow Leopard that can legitimately be used as a VM by VMWare (or any other VM app, for that matter)
 
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B

bernuli

macrumors 6502a
Oct 10, 2011
713
404
robertcoogan said:
I have a copy of my Snow Leopard install DVD on ISO (I used PowerISO under Windows 10 in BootCamp to rip it). When I try to launch it in VMware Fusion 11, Fusion says that it doesn't recognize the OS as Mac OS X Server. I have looked this up, and I still have no idea why it would say this, other than it doesn't seem to have a setting for 10.6 (non-server, client) install. Just 10.6 server. Most of the fixes for this involve VMware Workstation, and I only have Fusion [v11.5.3] and VirtualBox. If anyone can help me solve this problem so I can boot 10.6 in a VM I would really, really appreciate it.

I just need a good VM of Snow Leopard that I can boot and connect to my network. And I don't want to mess with malware-riddled crap torrents. I have a copy of PowerISO for ripping discs, I have nothing on the macOS side that works that well. I do not have a copy of Workstation. Just Fusion and a the freebie VirtualBox.

Thank you -
Click to expand...


Apple only allows SL Server to be virtualized. So VMware is complying with Apples Software license and blocking you from installing as a guest OS.
 
robertcoogan

robertcoogan

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 5, 2008
844
1,258
Joshua Tree, California
DeltaMac said:
One answer: Find a copy of Snow Leopard Server. That was the last OS X SERVER that installed as a complete, independent OS. Server products after Snow Leopard are apps, and just add-ons to the client OS.
VMWare asks for Snow Leopard Server, because that is the only form of Snow Leopard that can legitimately be used as a VM by VMWare (or any other VM app, for that matter)
Click to expand...
The only place to do that is through torrents, and I steer clear of those.
 
L

liya1201

macrumors regular
Sep 8, 2010
141
22
forums.macrumors.com

[VIRTUALIZATION] Snow Leopard on a modern Mac

This worked. Many thanks for help. The reason I was trying to setup a virtualization of older OS (Snow Leopard) in current OS (Mojave) is to test if it is a viable workaround to use an irreplaceable 32-bit app when next OS stops supporting 32-bit apps.
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com
 
chrfr

chrfr

macrumors G5
Jul 11, 2009
13,726
7,299
robertcoogan said:
I have a copy of my Snow Leopard install DVD on ISO (I used PowerISO under Windows 10 in BootCamp to rip it). When I try to launch it in VMware Fusion 11, Fusion says that it doesn't recognize the OS as Mac OS X Server. I have looked this up, and I still have no idea why it would say this, other than it doesn't seem to have a setting for 10.6 (non-server, client) install. Just 10.6 server. Most of the fixes for this involve VMware Workstation, and I only have Fusion [v11.5.3] and VirtualBox. If anyone can help me solve this problem so I can boot 10.6 in a VM I would really, really appreciate it.

I just need a good VM of Snow Leopard that I can boot and connect to my network. And I don't want to mess with malware-riddled crap torrents. I have a copy of PowerISO for ripping discs, I have nothing on the macOS side that works that well. I do not have a copy of Workstation. Just Fusion and a the freebie VirtualBox.

Thank you -
Click to expand...
Any newer version of macOS will virtualize just fine.
Is there a particular reason you need to use Snow Leopard? If so, it had been possible to buy Snow Leopard server directly from Apple for $19.95 (yes, the same price as the non-server version.) You might try calling the online Apple Store to see if it's still available. It was never listed on the website. I think it's no longer available, though, but still worth trying.
 
loby

loby

macrumors 68000
Jul 1, 2010
1,885
1,517
Wowfunhappy said:
github.com

GitHub - sakurayz/efi-unlocker: VMware EFI macOS

VMware EFI macOS. Contribute to sakurayz/efi-unlocker development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com github.com

This will allow you to install non-server versions of Snow Leopard in VMWare Fusion 10 and 11. It works perfectly.

Have fun!
Click to expand...

Anyone has an option to fix the audio driver? I looked around and tried a few options, but it did not work.

Also, anyone know how to get video rendering to work also? doesn't work (really desire to get idvd to work).

Thanks in advance.
 
Wowfunhappy

Wowfunhappy

macrumors 68000
Mar 12, 2019
1,751
2,091
loby said:
Anyone has an option to fix the audio driver? I looked around and tried a few options, but it did not work.
Click to expand...

What is the problem with the audio? You should be able to just install VMWare guest additions and it will work!
 
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chrfr

chrfr

macrumors G5
Jul 11, 2009
13,726
7,299
loby said:
Also, anyone know how to get video rendering to work also? doesn't work (really desire to get idvd to work).

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
There's no graphics acceleration when running macOS in a virtual machine. You're never going to get apps which need acceleration to work.
 
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allan.nyholm

allan.nyholm

macrumors 68020
Nov 22, 2007
2,317
2,574
Aalborg, Denmark
There is no issue with having Snow Leopard non-Server installed using VMWare Fusion - choose a different OS to rely on in VMWare Fusion settings. I have absolutely done the installation using VMWare Fusion.. or was it Lion and not Snow Leopard... I remember upgrading all trough to Mavericks. My mind must play tricks on me.
 
B

bernuli

macrumors 6502a
Oct 10, 2011
713
404
allan.nyholm said:
There is no issue with having Snow Leopard non-Server installed using VMWare Fusion - choose a different OS to rely on in VMWare Fusion settings. I have absolutely done the installation using VMWare Fusion.. or was it Lion and not Snow Leopard... I remember upgrading all trough to Mavericks. My mind must play tricks on me.
Click to expand...

Current VMWare Fusion blocks non Server version of SL.
 
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startergo

startergo

macrumors 603
Sep 20, 2018
5,022
2,283
Wowfunhappy said:
Reiterating though that this is pretty easy to bypass, see my post above. :)
Click to expand...
Just to clarify:
It only works with Hardware version up to 19(Fusion 12.2.x). And the patched ROMS need to replace the original ROMS in:
Code: 
/Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/roms/x86_x64/
 
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