Attack Computer Wiz

This post is a follow-on to the post "How to Install Mac OS Snow Leopard in VMWare". Much of the information is similar, but this is a much better way to get started and provides for a much better start up and shutdown process. While I am going to keep the other guide up, because this is in the spirit of testing and learning, I encourage you to use this guide first. Once again I stress:

"Apple licensing does not allow for the virtualization of OSX Client on any hardware and only allows for the virtualization OSX server on Apple hardware. Anything else is in violation of the license agreement. This article is for informational purposes only, you can never achieve full utilization of Mac OS X on VMWARE. So if you like the Mac then go ahead and buy a Mac."

Requirements:

Mac OS X version 10.6.3 Snow Leopard
Windows (XP, Vista, 7),
VMWare 7.x Workstation,
Intel based, multi-core computer,
The "macosx_guest_vmware_7.tar.gz" file from MediaFire OR insanelymac.

Instructions:

1. Exctract the "macosx_guest_vmaware_7.tar.gz" file to a temp folder,
2. Close all VM's and close VMWare,
3. From a command prompt (is Vista or 7 run as administrator) execute the "windows.bat" from the tar.gz file you just downloaded. (credit to Albert Nietsnie for creating this file).
4. Create a new Custom VM Machine with the below configurations:
• CD/DVD = Use physical DVD with the Snow Leopard DVD inserted,
• "Apple Mac OS X" and "Mac OS X Server 10.6" or "Mac OS X Server 10.6 64bit",
• CPU = at least 1 CPU and 2 cores (I assigned 2 CPU's and 4 cores),
• Memory = at least 2GB,
• New virtual disk set to SCSI, and at least 40GB of space (I assigned 100GB),
  
5. If you are using a i3, i5, or i7 CPU you need to make be below tweak, if not move to step 6:
• For i3, i5, or i7 you need to edit the *.vmx file that was created in the above steps. This file is located in the folder you specified in setup and the * is the name you specified in setup,
• Open the *.vmx file in notepad or other editor and add the below line:
  

  cpuid.1.eax = "0000:0000:0000:0001:0000:0110:1010:0101"
  

• Now save and close the *.vmx file. (credit to Mac Son of Knife)
6. Launch the VM booting to the DVD,
7. When the "Welcome" screen appears, choose your country and click "Continue". On the next screen you will notice that you now have options at the top of your screen. Click on "Utilities" and then "Disk Utility...". You will see the VM hard drive that you will install Leopard on. Select the drive, label the drive as you desire, and click the erase button. Save and close utilities,
8. As you continue with the setup watch for the customization button to appear (lower left). When it does, click "Customization". De-select Printer Drivers and Language Translations. I skipped this step at first and had problems. I also decided to add some things and had problems. I recommend leaving all selections as they are other then un-checking these two,
9. Once the installation is done the machine will reboot,
10. You should not be booting into Mac OS X.

Tweaks:

* Take a snapshot of your VM machine before tweaks*

1. Adjust the Resolution: Again thanks to ihackintosh.com for this: Find the 
"/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist" file.
• Move the file to another location and add the below two lines just above the </dict>:

<key>Graphics Mode</key>     
<string>1280x1024x32</string>

• You should replace the 1280x1024 with whatever resolution you want and is supported by your display.
• Save the file, move it back to the original location replacing the original file, and reboot.
2. Audio: find the EnsoniqAudioPCI.mpkg.tar.gz file that you downloaded earlier. Copy that file as it is to your VM and launch it. Select both options and after a reboot your sound should work.

Software Installation:

At this point your box should function nicely. I was able to successfully install just about anything that I had. Good Luck!

*note: I am not an expert in Mac OS or VMWare. I am learning, just like many of you. I probably cannot answer your technical questions.

**Thanks to Jason for help, links, advice, and finding this new and improved method!

Posted by Mike Wright