Attempting to run Snow Leopard under ESXi 4.1

[spammeatwill]

Donk, I have started preparing some documentation for a tutorial once you are ready, not as much help as I would like to give, but better than nothing, LoL, MSoK!

 

MSoK and Donk,

 

Thank you so much for you effort, I am looking forward to try it out.

 

^smaw

[Donk]

Donk, I have started preparing some documentation for a tutorial once you are ready, not as much help as I would like to give, but better than nothing, LoL, MSoK!

 

Well I was going to re-use most of the original documentation as I am going to release this for all VMware products. What would be useful is to try and combine anything we have, and especially more detail on actually installing Mac OS X. Anyway I have the patcher running and booting 10.6 DVD, installing the product and allowing upgrades to 10.6.3.

[gpr]

I've been following the forums and trying out a few things as I go. Donk, MSOK et al thanks for your efforts and please add me to the list of those willing to test and provide feedback.

 

I'm running

ESXi 4.0.0 Build 208167 on Intel S5000XVN with 2x Xeon 5160

 

I've got a retail DVD of SL 10.6

 

Let me know what I can do to help.

 

Cheers,

 

GPR

[spammeatwill]

Well I was going to re-use most of the original documentation as I am going to release this for all VMware products. What would be useful is to try and combine anything we have, and especially more detail on actually installing Mac OS X. Anyway I have the patcher running and booting 10.6 DVD, installing the product and allowing upgrades to 10.6.3.

 

Can you point me the link to the patcher so that I can try it out?

Would it be just a matter of dropping the package again at ESXi and running ./setup.sh --install again?

 

Thanks.

 

^smaw

[MSoK]

Well I was going to re-use most of the original documentation as I am going to release this for all VMware products. What would be useful is to try and combine anything we have, and especially more detail on actually installing Mac OS X. Anyway I have the patcher running and booting 10.6 DVD, installing the product and allowing upgrades to 10.6.3.

Sounds like you are at/or close to a solution great work as always, in terms of documentation hopefully the windows tutorial I have been working on, is finally nearing completion, and is the least I can do to compliment all your stirling efforts. It has a full OS X installation section, so I will drop you an e-mail with the content "as is" to see what you think, cheers, MSoK.

[Risner]

I've been trying this thread and other threads related to getting SL running in ESXi 4.

 

I've been unable to get very far, in fact I can't even get the VM to boot the CD when using all the options suggested.

 

When I do use "darwin10" or "darwin-64" I get a "not supported" and the vSphere client won't allow changes to the vm (so it needs to be removed from inventory, vi changed, added to inventory to effect a change.)

 

My goals may be a little different, as I can't change the signed keys used on the vmware tools iso on the server. I must come up with a solution that doesn't involve resigning anything. I was hoping to have a CD setup, where the vm was set to boot a cd which chains over to the hard disk or any solution that allows vanilla kernel and not needing to resign the iso files with new keys.

 

Right now, I'm stuck at "Operating System not found"

 

.encoding = "UTF-8"
config.version = "8"
virtualHW.version = "7"
numvcpus = "1"
memsize = "1024"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge4.functions = "8"
pciBridge5.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge5.functions = "8"
pciBridge6.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge6.functions = "8"
pciBridge7.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge7.functions = "8"
vmci0.present = "TRUE"
tools.syncTime = "TRUE"
displayName = "iPhone SDK"
nvram = "Snow Leopard.nvram"
virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"
extendedConfigFile = "Snow Leopard.vmxf"
usb.present = "TRUE"
ehci.present = "TRUE"
ich7m.present = "TRUE"
keyboardAndMouseProfile = "macProfile"
smc.present = "TRUE"
ft.secondary0.enabled = "TRUE"
ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "TRUE"
ethernet0.linkStatePropagation.enable = "FALSE"
roamingVM.exitBehavior = "go"
printers.enabled = "TRUE"
tools.upgrade.policy = "upgradeAtPowerCycle"
powerType.powerOff = "soft"
powerType.powerOn = "soft"
powerType.suspend = "soft"
powerType.reset = "soft"

ethernet0.networkName = "Snow Net"
ethernet0.addressType = "generated"
guestOSAltName = "Darwin"

monitor.virtual_exec="hardware"
monitor.virtual_mmu="software"

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"
ide0:0.fileName = "Mac OS X Snow Leopard.iso"
ide0:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"
svga.vramSize = "67108864"

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:e8:39:19"
uuid.location = "56 4d 09 cc 02 cd 70 dc-2c 3c 16 92 ae e8 39 19"
uuid.bios = "56 4d 09 cc 02 cd 70 dc-2c 3c 16 92 ae e8 39 19"
cleanShutdown = "FALSE"
replay.supported = "TRUE"
usb:0.present = "TRUE"
usb:1.present = "TRUE"
vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "67108864"
pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"
pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"
pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"
pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"
pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"
usb.pciSlotNumber = "32"
ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
ehci.pciSlotNumber = "34"
vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "35"
ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"
vmci0.id = "-1360512743"
hostCPUID.0 = "0000000d756e65476c65746e49656e69"
guestCPUID.0 = "0000000d756e65476c65746e49656e69"
userCPUID.0 = "0000000d756e65476c65746e49656e69"
hostCPUID.1 = "0001067a00040800040ce33dbfebfbff"
guestCPUID.1 = "0001067a00010800800822010febfbff"
userCPUID.1 = "0001067a00040800000822010febfbff"
hostCPUID.80000001 = "00000000000000000000000120100800"
guestCPUID.80000001 = "00000000000000000000000120100800"
userCPUID.80000001 = "00000000000000000000000120100800"
evcCompatibilityMode = "FALSE"
usb:1.deviceType = "hub"
usb:0.deviceType = "mouse"

bios.forceSetupOnce = "FALSE"

debugStub.linuxOffsets = "0xe98f672,0xffffffff,0x2d0ac,0x0,0x0,0x0,0xe98fd73,0x0,0xe98fd87,0x0,0x2d1f0
,0x0,0x0,0x0"

guestOS = "freebsd"

serial0.present = "FALSE"
scsi0.present = "FALSE"
ide1:0.present = "FALSE"
sound.present = "FALSE"
floppy0.present = "FALSE"

[Risner]

Right now, I'm stuck at "Operating System not found"

 

Got past the inability to boot the install disk by getting a premade Workstation 7 VM torrent, but am now stuck at Invalid Bus Freq 66mhz Disabling CPU

 

Current vmx:

Changed:
cleanShutdown = "TRUE"
ehci.pciSlotNumber = "35"
debugStub.linuxOffsets = "0xe9baf7f,0xffffffff,0xfc052088,0xffffffff,0x0,0x0,0xe9bb7e0,0x0,0xe9bb7f7,0
x0,0xfc05219c,0xffffffff,0x0,0x0"
smc.present = "FALSE"
scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0.sharedBus = "none"
scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"
scsi0:0.deviceType = "scsi-hardDisk"
scsi0:0.fileName = "Snow Leopard.vmdk"
scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.redo = ""
vmci0.id = "167251270"
vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "36"

Removed:
ethernet0.linkStatePropagation.enable = "FALSE"
ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "TRUE"

[Donk]

Got past the inability to boot the install disk by getting a premade Workstation 7 VM torrent, but am now stuck at Invalid Bus Freq 66mhz Disabling CPU

 

As previously stated you will need a new darwin.iso and it isn't ready yet. I am working on it, but it is a spare time activity currently due to other pressures.

[Risner]

Installed Windows XP in ESXi, then VMware Workstation 7 inside XP, then the Workstation 7 version of Snow Leopard, but it also fails to boot:

 

"Mac OS X is not supported with software virtualization."

 

I will wait for you to publish a working Darwin.iso for ESXi 4. It seems no one documents the DSDTS (?) and other software one needs to configure to install from DVD, so I'm unable to install a system myself.

 

Thanks for the help.

[Donk]

Installed Windows XP in ESXi, then VMware Workstation 7 inside XP, then the Workstation 7 version of Snow Leopard, but it also fails to boot:

 

"Mac OS X is not supported with software virtualization."

 

I will wait for you to publish a working Darwin.iso for ESXi 4. It seems no one documents the DSDTS (?) and other software one needs to configure to install from DVD, so I'm unable to install a system myself.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

When you run nested VMware products they can only run guests using binary translation not the hardware VT-x extensions 9can't be virtualized currently). VMware only supports Mac OS X on Fusion on Apple hardware and as all current models support VT-x, they did not write any code or Mac OS X running in binary translation mode.

 

VMware already fixes up the ACPI tables so there is no need to hack the DSDT.

[macpcagnostic]

As previously stated you will need a new darwin.iso and it isn't ready yet. I am working on it, but it is a spare time activity currently due to other pressures.

 

Donk and/or Others,

 

I just found your work here and have made progress thanks to your documentation and tools to the point where I am getting a Retail SL DVD to boot but immediately KP with the "Local APIC version 0x11, 0x14 or more expected" error.

 

If I follow your posts correctly, this will require a kernel patch to fix? As this May 20 post is the last I can find regarding Donk's work on a kernel patch, is there any more recent info?

 

Also, I have a ESXi U1 environment set-up with two host I can readily use for testing (Dell PE860 with Xeon x3220) and 1 additional host that is in production (IBM x3650 with Dual Xeon E5430) at my disposal for testing if any assistance is required.

[Wachin-Wachon]

Hi Guys!

 

I was following seeeeveral forums regarding OSX virtualization, in short this is the BEST; all of you have made EXCELLENT work on the OSX side; we can now enjoy the benefits of cheep PC's hehe, even i know MAC HWD is the best...

 

I was having several issues with my installation on ESX(i) U1; basically i'm running on:

 

1) 2.66 Core 2 Quad

2) 8GB RAM

3) Mother Intel DG451I

 

At the first place i was booting with Voodoo kernel and <PANIC> all over the place; following this thread i realize that other kernel Chameleon was released around here... I tried with that one on a Leopard 10.5 with no luck, then i tried with Snow L 10.6 and MAGIC! I was able to boot installation screen!

 

Unfortunately i got time-outs on the IDE disk drives when trying to format them, so i changed to SCSI and all work great... the installer starts copying data, for some time... then... PANIC AGAIN! {censored}!!!!

 

 

This is the lates error i got after completing the installation steps (all file copy):

 

 

The disk is SCSI based due to the fact i was unable with IDE, any idea or recommendation?

 

UPDATE1: I was ABLE, just booting from SCSI disk using LEGACY_KERNEL...

UPDATE2: I will install all OSX updates... and pray...!

UPDATE3: All updates installed including VMTools, the only issue now is Video, really slow...!!! :-S

 

UPDATE4: I still have SLOWWW VIDEO and MOUSE, even i already installed VMTools, any idea guys???

 

Thankssss!

 

 

Thanks!!!

Fede

[Risner]

UPDATE1: I was ABLE, just booting from SCSI disk using LEGACY_KERNEL...

UPDATE2: I will install all OSX updates... and pray...!

UPDATE3: All updates installed including VMTools, the only issue now is Video, really slow...!!! :-S

 

I've totally been unable to do this, can you post the vmx file and how you installed?

What files were used?

[Wachin-Wachon]

I've totally been unable to do this, can you post the vmx file and how you installed?

What files were used?

 

Hey, you are on ESX(i) 4 U1? if yes:

 

1) Download the Chamaleon Darwin Kernel from the first page of this thread and follow instructions there.

 

Basically:

2) Get SL 10.6 Retail DVD

3) Create a Guest in ESXi with:

a) 50 GB SCSI HDD

2 CPUs (or 1)

3) 2 GB RAM (or 1)

4) Make sure your CPU and Mother supports VT Technology and enable from BIOS.

5) Set parameters in VMX as per the manual.pdf found in the .zip you downloaded from 1st page.

6) Boot with LEGACY_KERNEL option...

 

did you already tried any form above?

 

rgds,

Fede

[Donk]

Hey, you are on ESX(i) 4 U1? if yes:

 

1) Download the Chamaleon Darwin Kernel from the first page of this thread and follow instructions there.

 

Basically:

2) Get SL 10.6 Retail DVD

3) Create a Guest in ESXi with:

a) 50 GB SCSI HDD

2 CPUs (or 1)

3) 2 GB RAM (or 1)

4) Make sure your CPU and Mother supports VT Technology and enable from BIOS.

5) Set parameters in VMX as per the manual.pdf found in the .zip you downloaded from 1st page.

6) Boot with LEGACY_KERNEL option...

 

did you already tried any form above?

 

rgds,

Fede

 

I am going to post the new darwin.iso today. I have had a SL VM running for a week non-stop without a problem.

[lessew]

I am going to post the new darwin.iso today. I have had a SL VM running for a week non-stop without a problem.

 

Can't wait!

[Wachin-Wachon]

I am going to post the new darwin.iso today. I have had a SL VM running for a week non-stop without a problem.

 

 

GOODDDDD....! This new darwin.iso which enhancement have you included in it?

 

Thanks for your work amigo...!!!

All the best,

Fede

[Donk]

GOODDDDD....! This new darwin.iso which enhancement have you included in it?

 

Thanks for your work amigo...!!!

All the best,

Fede

 

Sorry for the delay, my laptop had a problem and it had the beta version on it. I am hoping to get it working again today, and then re-post. The new darwin.iso is a beta test for all VMware products:

 

Workstation 7.0/7.1

Player 3.0/3.1

Fusion 3.0/3.1

ESX(i) 4.0/4.0U1

 

It replaces the VMware built loader with Chameleon 2 RC 4 with some VMware specific changes. It has a built-in (thanks Meklort) kernel patcher which removes the LAPIC panic when run on ESXi. Fusion 3.1 tools are included as are the latest Zentih432 drivers (thanks Zenith432). It is marked as beta purely because it has not been tested on a great deal of different machine yet. Please keep your eyes on this topic where I post this stuff: http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=172474

[hippoth]

Maybe I´am blind but where can I find the new ISO?

[Donk]

Maybe I´am blind but where can I find the new ISO?

 

Now posted http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1480575

[Uranus]

Hi all, just want to leave a tip that has worked wonders for me.

 

I have a Snow Leo 10.6.3 Virtual Machine running on ESXi 4.0U1. While it seems to work fine and really fast when I start it up, I found that if I leave it alone, after a few hours the OS is so slow that it's unbearable. A reboot fixes the issue for a little while.

 

I found a tip online that worked really well for me. Simply delete the file:

/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.audio.coreaudiod.plist

 

and reboot.

 

NOTE: This will leave you without audio but in case you're just running a server machine, you probably aren't using it anyway.

[DFox]

Hi all, just want to leave a tip that has worked wonders for me.

 

I have a Snow Leo 10.6.3 Virtual Machine running on ESXi 4.0U1. While it seems to work fine and really fast when I start it up, I found that if I leave it alone, after a few hours the OS is so slow that it's unbearable. A reboot fixes the issue for a little while.

 

I found a tip online that worked really well for me. Simply delete the file:

/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.audio.coreaudiod.plist

 

and reboot.

 

NOTE: This will leave you without audio but in case you're just running a server machine, you probably aren't using it anyway.

 

Could You tell me steps for 10.6.3 installation, please???

I have installed Donk's darwin310b2 package, then I was able to install Snow Leopard Server 10.6.0, but after combo update to 10.6.3 the server crashes at reboot; it continues to reboot!!!

There's something to patch??? It's combo update??? Normal online update it's different from combo update???

 

Help me, please!!!

[Donk]

Could You tell me steps for 10.6.3 installation, please???

I have installed Donk's darwin310b2 package, then I was able to install Snow Leopard Server 10.6.0, but after combo update to 10.6.3 the server crashes at reboot; it continues to reboot!!!

There's something to patch??? It's combo update??? Normal online update it's different from combo update???

 

Help me, please!!!

 

Cross-posting won't help! I don't have a clue what is going on. Why the panic, you really shouldn't rely on any of this as it is all unsupported by VMware?

[mjung]

Hi,

 

I am running ESXi 4.1 on an Mac Pro 4,1 and was able to start a Snow Leopard Server VM I created using VMware Fusion with just a few .vmx configuration changes (see attachment). Everything except the GUI works fine, so I can ssh into the server and use services of it. Any hints on this?

 

Best,

mjung

whatever.vmx.txt

[MSoK]

Could You tell me steps for 10.6.3 installation, please???

I have installed Donk's darwin310b2 package, then I was able to install Snow Leopard Server 10.6.0, but after combo update to 10.6.3 the server crashes at reboot; it continues to reboot!!!

There's something to patch??? It's combo update??? Normal online update it's different from combo update???

 

Help me, please!!!

Sounds like you have a Core i3, 5 or 7 processor, as this is unsupported in the update 10.6.3 you need to reinistall with your 10.6.0 and apply the latest 10.6.4 update. I have found the best way is to download the combo update and apply it manually rather than using the auto update. Sorry if I have got the wrong end of the stick.

 

Hi,

 

I am running ESXi 4.1 on an Mac Pro 4,1 and was able to start a Snow Leopard Server VM I created using VMware Fusion with just a few .vmx configuration changes (see attachment). Everything except the GUI works fine, so I can ssh into the server and use services of it. Any hints on this?

 

Best,

mjung

Sorry, but why would you run ESXi on a Mac Pro to then run SL, you have Fusion which is fully supported and fully functional, or just run SL Server directly on your Mac Pro. Sorry if I am missing the point.