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How to Install Retail OS X 10.6 "Snow" and OS X 10.7 "Lion" under VMware ESXi 5

MSoK

By MSoK,
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MSoK
MSoK
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ive read in different threads that you can patch esxi to ignore / mask the processor ... will this work? any experienes with that?

As Donk states, we have not seen any details of patches that can be applied to ESXi itself so I assume you are referring to using the CPUID mask, have a look at my "How To" link below:

 

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1622074

 

However, this is a mask, i.e. hides higher functionality from the guestOS, so if the processor does not have the required functionality the guestOS is expecting, it is not going to run with or without the mask, but give it a try it cannot harm anything.

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sofakng
sofakng
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Yeah, it sounds like the CPUID Mask won't help but what about those specialized/custom boot loaders?

 

For example, I restored the Snow Leopard DVD to a USB stick and then applied some patches. It boots fine in my main pc but ESXi doesn't even see it as a bootable drive.

 

Is this normal? I've tried booting it using both BIOS and EFI but both of them just ignore the USB drive and won't boot from it. (but I know it's bootable because it works in my main pc)

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SeqR
SeqR
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The new version of VMWare Converter Standalone Client does clone an OSX Lion VM. It takes quite a long time.

 

After cloning, needed to do the following.

 

1. Edit Setting > Options Guest Operating System came up as "Other (32-bit)" Changed to "Apple Mac OSX 10.7 (64-Bit)"

 

2. .VMX needed to be edited adding network adapter ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"

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Donk
Donk
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The new version of VMWare Converter Standalone Client does clone an OSX Lion VM. It takes quite a long time.

 

After cloning, needed to do the following.

 

1. Edit Setting > Options Guest Operating System came up as "Other (32-bit)" Changed to "Apple Mac OSX 10.7 (64-Bit)"

 

2. .VMX needed to be edited adding network adapter ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"

Thanks for checking this out. I haven't had time yet. I am probably going to start documenting this on my web site. Seems simpler than updating PDFs and posts here all the time. Will use the forums for discussions though.

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Donk
Donk
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Yeah, it sounds like the CPUID Mask won't help but what about those specialized/custom boot loaders?

 

For example, I restored the Snow Leopard DVD to a USB stick and then applied some patches. It boots fine in my main pc but ESXi doesn't even see it as a bootable drive.

 

Is this normal? I've tried booting it using both BIOS and EFI but both of them just ignore the USB drive and won't boot from it. (but I know it's bootable because it works in my main pc)

I've kept away from this supporting hacked version of Mac OS X as more often than not they cause a bunch of problems in VMware. Remember VMware work on virtualizing Mac OS X on Apple hardware. However my suggestion is that you take a vanilla copy of Mac OS X and add a custom kernel into it that has additional processor support. Look for Legacy Lion or Snow Leopard kernels.

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Donk
Donk
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I have created this topic as an installation guide and consolidated view for installing OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" and OS X 10.7 "Lion" under VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) 5 it is based on Donk's topic "ESXi 5 Mac OS X Unlocker" link below:

 

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1745191

[uPDATED: 22/SEP/2011]

VMware Workstation 8.0.0 and Fusion 4.0.1 were released 13/14th September 2011, Donk's "Unlocker" is now available. A new "How to Install Retail OS X 10.6 "Snow" and OS X 10.7 "Lion" under VMware Workstation 8 and Fusion 4" topic specifically for the desktop vistualisation products, i.e. Workstation 8, Player 4 (when released) and Fusion 4 is now released, see link below:

[uPDATED: 22/SEP/2011]

 

Please use Donk's topic for questions regarding the Unlocker and this topic for questions regarding Mac OS X installation and guide update requests.

 

[uPDATED: 19/SEP/2011]

Please note Donk's "ESXi 5 Unlocker" is build specific and this is indicated in the unlocker patch name, as VMware have now released a patch for ESXi 5 "ESXi500-201109001.zip" this changes the ESXi 5.0.0 build number from 469512 to 474610. Donk has released an updated version of his "ESXi 5 Unlocker". A link to the new version is posted on Donk's topic "ESXi 5 Mac OS X Locker", see link below.

 

The recommended installation method is to uninstall the "ESXi 5 Unlocker" update ESXi to the latest build version 474610, a re-boot will be required, install the updated "Unlocker" again a re-boot will be required. The option to choose Apple Mac OS X as a Guest operating system will be present when creating a New Virtual Machine.

[uPDATED: 19/SEP/2011]

 

"The guide will appear here shortly, just need a little more time to iron out some of the new 'oppotunities' Apple have given us with trying to install Lion"

 

Links to all the relevant and related topics in the InsanelyMac forum:

 

Donk's ESXi 5 Mac OS X Unlocker:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1745191

 

Donk's Workstation 8 and Fusion 4 Mac OS X Unlocker:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1750629

 

MSoK's How to Install Retail OS X 10.6 "Snow" and OS X 10.7 "Lion" under VMware Workstation 8 and Fusion 4:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1750634

 

 

MSoK's How to Install Retail OS X 10.6 "Snow" under VMware Workstation 7 or Player 3:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...t&p=1622074

 

[uPDATED: 20/SEP/2011]

Link(s) to darwin.iso from ESXi 5 (current version 5.0.0) and Fusion 4 (cuurent version 4.0.1) to install VMware Tools:

http://rapidshare.com/files/829645494/darwin500.iso

http://rapidshare.com/files/3379463815/darwin401.iso

 

"Official Mirror" for Donk's "Unlocker" files:

http://rapidshare.com/files/2931986862/unl...i500-469512.tgz

http://rapidshare.com/files/1255338683/unl...i500-474610.tgz

http://rapidshare.com/files/3682694876/unl...-windows-u1.zip

[uPDATED: 20/SEP/2011]

 

Special thanks to Donk without who's continued time and commitment none of this would be possible.

 

Regards MSoK.

(I will try to keep this post updated, with all relevant contributions gratefully received and credited)

Can I add to this the information we require to help sort issues out?

 

1. The VMX file associated with the guest

2. The latest vmware.log file found in the same folder as the guest

 

Please attach the files to a post, do NOT copy them inline as that only slows us down. Without this information it is hard for us to work out what may be going wrong.

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val_halla
val_halla
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Hi,

 

the unlocker works great on workstation 8, well....

 

Only the mouse is a little bit spuky. Sometimes i have to press buttons two times and more. Also on option boxes. When i move the mouse from one option box to another and click again the last clicked option box goes on and off. Looks like the computer moved the mouse cursor, but the click position is still from a second before.

 

Maybe i take the wrong darwin.iso to install vmware tools?

 

Where can i find the right darwin.iso for workstation 8 os x lion guest?

 

Thanks,

 

ValHalla

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MSoK
MSoK
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Can I add to this the information we require to help sort issues out?

 

1. The VMX file associated with the guest

2. The latest vmware.log file found in the same folder as the guest

 

Please attach the files to a post, do NOT copy them inline as that only slows us down. Without this information it is hard for us to work out what may be going wrong.

Donk,

 

Thanks for the reminder, added to the first post in this topic.

 

MSoK.

 

Hi,

 

the unlocker works great on workstation 8, well....

 

Only the mouse is a little bit spuky. Sometimes i have to press buttons two times and more. Also on option boxes. When i move the mouse from one option box to another and click again the last clicked option box goes on and off. Looks like the computer moved the mouse cursor, but the click position is still from a second before.

 

Maybe i take the wrong darwin.iso to install vmware tools?

 

Where can i find the right darwin.iso for workstation 8 os x lion guest?

 

Thanks,

 

ValHalla

ValHalla,

 

Please see the post from Donk above it references the relevant darwin.iso for both Workstation 8 / Fusion 4 and ESXi 5, including download links.

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zSprawl
zSprawl
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I loaded the unlock, installed OS X 10.6 (workstation, not server) on ESXi5. I then updated to 10.6.8, and then updated to 10.7 via the App store. Lastly, I updated to 10.7.1 and everything is running great!

 

Thank you everyone. Now I can mess with iPhone dev again!

post-890835-1317591346_thumb.jpg

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lionpack
lionpack
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Hi,

 

I'm about to try and install Mac OS X Lion in a new 8 node cluster and I'd like to make sure I understood everything...

 

By the way, each node is made up of two Quad Core Xeon E5620 CPUs with Intel 5520 chipsets.

 

I'd appreciate any corrections. This is what I have done so far:

 

- Install ESXi 5 in each of the 8 machines.

- Prepare a bootable USB for Mac OS X Lion using "Lion DiskMaker".

 

This is what I understand that I have to do now:

 

- Patch each of the ESXi hosts with the unlocker.

- Create a new Mac OS X 10.6 VM in one of the hosts using vSphere Client.

- Start the VM and connect the bootable USB drive to it using vSphere Client.

- Enter the BIOS of the VM using "Boot to BIOS" option of vSphere Client.

 

(this is where I lost track of what I'm supposed to do)

 

- Somehow add "-v npci=0x2000" to the boot process (where do I enter this information?)

 

Then I will be able to perform the install of Mac OS X Lion. After install, I should change the VM type to Mac OS X 10.7, install VMWare tools and finally clone the VM to the other nodes in the cluster. Am I right? Can I use vSphere Client to export the VM and deploy it in the other nodes?

 

I'm sorry if the process is detailed somewhere else, I have been unable to find a "guide".

 

Thanks!

 

LP.

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23adam23
23adam23
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Posted

I have successfully installed 10.6.8 workstation and 10.6.8 server under esxi5

I have also successfully installed 10.7 and 10.7.1 workstation under esxi 5

( thanks to Donk and others for there posts regarding this)

 

Now unfortunately when i install the latest 10.7.2 update to lion, My virtual machine gets stuck on the apple logo on boot up.

Has anyone else had the same result. I have tried twice so I'm guessing its not just a bad update experience.

I have seen posts regarding 10.7.2 and fusion4 failing, the answer being disable 3d graphics, esxi5 vm's for mac have 3d graphics disabled by default.

 

any feedback would be greatly appreciated

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yozh
yozh
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Posted
I have successfully installed 10.6.8 workstation and 10.6.8 server under esxi5

I have also successfully installed 10.7 and 10.7.1 workstation under esxi 5

( thanks to Donk and others for there posts regarding this)

 

Now unfortunately when i install the latest 10.7.2 update to lion, My virtual machine gets stuck on the apple logo on boot up.

Has anyone else had the same result. I have tried twice so I'm guessing its not just a bad update experience.

I have seen posts regarding 10.7.2 and fusion4 failing, the answer being disable 3d graphics, esxi5 vm's for mac have 3d graphics disabled by default.

 

any feedback would be greatly appreciated

 

 

Here you go http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...d=1759090

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lionpack
lionpack
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Okay, things are looking bright, this are the steps I have followed:

 

- Install ESXi 5 using a DVD.

- Create a bootable USB for Mac OS X Lion.

- Patch the machine with Donk's unlocker script.

- Create a new Mac OS X 10.6 VM using vSphere Client.

- Boot the VM into BIOS mode using the vSphere Client.

- Connect the USB device to the VM and resume the boot process.

 

The VM will boot from the USB and the installation of Mac OS X Lion will start.

 

The installation is taking a while (I'm using the USB method and installing from a virtualized Windows box, so no wonder this is slow as hell) but it has reached 75% or so in the progress bar and things are looking bright. :blink:

 

Does anybody know if I'll be able to export an OVF and deploy it in the other machines?

 

Thanks!

 

LP.

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lionpack
lionpack
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Posted

Well, it turns out that although the first machine works flawlessly, exporting a OVF of it and deploying it in a second machine produces a non-booting VM. I just see "Loading Darwin x86", the grey screen with the Apple logo and then it reboots and cycles through these screens...

 

Any hints anyone?

 

LP.

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savestheday
savestheday
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Product: ESXi 5.0 469512

CPU: Intel® Xeon® CPU E31230 @ 3.20GHz

10.7 USB stick via vSphere

 

Hi Donk,

Applied your patch for 469512, rebooted, started up a VM for 10.7. I ran the EFI command line and started it like so

 

boot -v npci=0x2000

 

This works. I get to the spot where it would boot into the gui and it just freezes. It's a white screen with a beach ball. Have you ever seen this before?

 

Attached are all required files. Thanks!

 

http://cl.ly/2h0L1Y1t1T2R2L0M2o0E/Files.zip

post-386118-1319086947_thumb.jpg

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sebus
sebus
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Posted

In fact (under Workstation 8 on Windows) one CAN boot from DVD created from Lion GM InstallESD.dmg using instruction

 

Just create Lion 64-bit VM with 2 CDROMs both pointing to the SAME physical drive ie D:

 

One CDROM is IDE & the second one is SCSI Legacy emulation

 

Boot to EFI Shell, change to IDE CDROM, run boot -v npci=0x2000

 

VM will boot from IDE, but then mount SCSI CDROM & carry on with installation

 

It is a bit slow till it gets to GUI (once in GUI it is OK-ish)

 

One could use till install (shutting down before reboot) & then copy it to esx Xi

 

sebus

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