Can't install El Capitan. Drawing of bluetooth mouse appears.

[joe6pack]

I'm trying to install El Capitan as a VM on a 2018 Mac Mini running Catalina. I get the VMWare splash screen, then the Apple logo boot screen, then drawings of a Mac wireless mouse alternating with what looks like the edge of a laptop. I have bluetooth turned off and a wired mouse connected. I do not ever get to the pick-a-language screen.

[dariusd · Accepted solution]

Hi joe6pack!

Our OS X virtual machines all provide an emulated (wired) USB keyboard and mouse, but the screen you are seeing suggests that the OS X guest is not finding those devices, and the usual reason for this is a compatibility issue with the emulated USB controller.  Perhaps try the instructions I posted in this other thread:

Re: Keyboard & Mouse not working in Yosemite Virtual Machine​

There is a good chance that those same instructions will also help with your El Capitan VM.

Let us know how it goes!

--

Darius

[joe6pack]

Hallelujah and thank you! I had checked the USB preferences and somehow missed the little Advanced Options triangle. Must be old age.