Create Snow Leopard(!) VM

[vr8ce]

Fusion 11.1 on OSX Mojave 10.14.6.

I normally use Fusion for Windows' VM's. I've never tried an OSX one. But while cleaning out some stuff today, I ran across my Snow Leopard install disk from an old iMac, and thought I'd create a VM with it for fun.

I clicked the "+" button on the Fusion VM Library window, and chose "New".

In the "Select the Installation Method" dialog, I left it the default of "Install from disc or image", as the disk was in my DVD drive, and chose Continue.

It brought up the list of OS' I could choose from.

The first (minor?) issue is that 10.6 (Snow Leopard) is only on the list as Mac OSX Server, there is no just 10.6. 10.7 is as low as it goes.

After choosing the OS, it opens the VM window with the big right-facing triangle on it.

I clicked on that. It thought about it for a few seconds, then comes back with an error dialog that says "OS is not Mac OSX Server, VM is shutting down" (not exact message, but close).

Since I had chosen 10.6 server from the OS list, I figured that was the problem. So I deleted the VM and started over, this time choosing 10.7.

I got the same error.

So, how does one create a VM from a really old OSX install disk?

[wila · Accepted solution]

Hi,

At the time apple did not allow Virtual Machines of their desktop OS only of the server version.

As a result VMware had to built in that extra check.

So this means you cannot create a VM of your old desktop install disks.

There might be ways to circumvent that, but it is not allowed to that type of discussion here at these forums as it violates the Terms of Use.

The only proper way to get around that is by getting yourself OSX Snow Leopard server install disks.

Unfortunately those are not easy to get by.

FWIW, I've tried to buy OSX SL server disks a couple of years ago via apple, but did not succeed.

Also went down the ebay route and bought some disks.. but ended up getting SL desktop disks mailed instead... which I already owned myself.

You might be more lucky, but I just stopped spending time on it and moved on.

--

Wil

[dempson]

There are a couple of Snow Leopard Server listed at Amazon but it appears the resellers have gone back to asking something based on the original retail price rather than the reduced price at which Apple was selling them (via phone call to Apple Sales) more recently.

The original price was US$499. The more recent price via Apple was US$19.99. The two copies I just spotted on Amazon were US$269 and US$499.

I bought my first one via Amazon in early 2013 for about US$95, which seemed a bargain at the time. Apple started selling them at the reduced price soon after that, and I bought more copies from Apple in late 2015.

[wila]

Hi,

When I tried to buy from apple it was not available in my country even while I know that at that time it could still be obtained from within the US.

I would be surprised if it was still available from apple nowadays, even in the US.

--

Wil

[dempson]

Given that Apple appears to have stopped selling the regular (client) edition of Snow Leopard via their online store shortly before Catalina was released (archive.org shows the purchase page was there on 21 September but was redirected to the refurbished sale page by 27 September), they may have also stopped selling the server edition.

If willa couldn't buy one around 2017/2018, Apple may have been selling off remaining stock until none were left, which could have varied by region.

My three copies from Apple in late 2015 were ordered from the New Zealand store (run by Apple Australia) and must have been in stock in Australia at that point, as they were delivered two business days later.

[vr8ce]

Interesting. I didn't know that. No worries, it was more of a lark, anyway, because I found the disk, not because I had any real need for it.