How to install Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.7 in VMware 6.5

Introduction

Before starting to follow this installation guide you must download a copy of VMware Workstation and a copy of a hacked Mac OS Leopard distribution (for example I'm using iATKOS).

iATKOS OSx86 is a project dedicated to run the Mac OS X operating system on non-Apple PCs that use x86 architecture processors. OSx86 has been made possible at June 2005, when the Worldwide Developers Conference announced that Apple transferred their personal computers from PowerPC to Intel Processors.

Installation guide

1. Create & Edit your Virtual Machine preferences

• go to File → New->Virtual Machine.. (or press CTRL+N)
• choose Custom (advanced) - This option will let you to create a virtual machine with advanced options, such as SCSI adapter type, virtual disk type and the most important think the compatibility with older Vmware products.(We need to use Vmware 6.0 compatibility)
• click Next
• set Hardware compatibility as "Workstation 6" and click Next
• In the "Guest Operating System Installation" window choose "Installer disc image (iso):" and select your Mac OS iso disk image from your HDD. After that click Next
• in the following window set the Guest OS to "Other" and the version also to the same value. And then click Next
• set a virtual machine name, choose a location and click Next.
• Set number of processors to "1" and click Next
• set memory at minimum 1024 MB (in my case I'm using 2048 MB) and click Next
• Set network connection as NAT and click Next
• set your SCSI Adapter type as BusLogic.
• Select "Create a new virtual disk"
• set Virtual disk type as "IDE"
• set Maximum disk size at minimum 30GB
• in the last screen choose "Customize hardware"
• In the "Hardware screen" select Floppy and press Remove button. Press Add.. and select USB Controller.
• Click OK and Finish

2. Virtual machine BOIS settings

Power on your virtual machine and press F2 to enter in BIOS

• Set Legacy Diskette A: to Disabled.
• Check if your HDD is set as primary master and your CD/DVD as Secondary master .
• If yes set 32 Bit I/O as Enabled for both .

3. Install Mac OS

Boot from your Virtual CD and press F8 to set custom boot flags. Boot using :

-v cpus=1 busratio=20

Open Disk Utility from Utilities and create a single partition called "osx" using GUID partition table(default).

Go back to the Installer, select your partition and click Next .In the following window select Customize

Besides the default settings check:

• from X86 Patches select Kernel (Both 9.5.0 and 9.7.0 Kernel voodoo).
• from Drivers->System check : USB , from SATA/IDE select Generic IDE and one of your motherboard manufacturer driver (in my case Intel SATA/IDE)
• if you are using a PS/2 mouse or keyboard check from PS/2 mouse /keyboard - > Apple PS/2 driver
• From Network install your network driver (In my case Realtek ).

Click OK and start the install process. Open the "Installer Log" from "Window" . If any error occur you will see here.

Now be patient for 15 - 20 minutes. If your installation was successful restart your computer.

When your Darwin/ x86 -Chameleon v2 boot loader start press F8 to set additional kernel boot flags:

-v cpus=1 busratio=20

If your Mac will not boot for the first time don't panic, restart your virtual machine and boot with the same parameters.

Now everything except your Network connection should work !! To make your connection working go to your vmware project location. Open your .vmx file in notepad and delete all lines starting with ethernet0.

After that add the following lines :

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"
ethernet0.addressType = "generated"

Now Restart your virtual machine (you must always boot with -v cpus-1 busratio=-20). Go to your Mac System Preferences ->Network->select Ethernet->using DHCP . Choose Advanced and press Renew DHCP Lease. Now your network should work.

As you know every time you reboot the Mac OS you should specify -v cpus=1 busratio=20. You can add this flags at the default kernel parameters using the following steps:

• Open Terminal ->Application->Utilities
• type: sudo nano /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist
• add -v cpus=1 busratio=20 At the KernelFlags section.
• Save your file.

Conclusions

I've spend over 3 days to make it works. You can update your Mac , restart or shutdown without problems. At least In my computer works fine. Most of vmware images that I have found on torrents over the internet cannot be updated, or you cannot restart your OS because you receive kernel panic.

In this article I'm using :

• Vmare Workstation 6.5
• Windows XP sp2
• Mac OS X iATKOS OSx86 10.5.7

Useful links:

• Osx86 project
• hardware compatibilities
• Technical FAQ

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Intelliproject Open License (IPOL)

About the author