VMware Communities
jonathan_haywar
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

"Mac OS X Can't Be Installed on This Computer": Snow Leopard Server 10.6.8 under Fusion 7.1.3 on Sierra 10.12.2

I want to have a version of Snow Leopard Server running under VMware Fusion as mentioned on an apple.stackexchange.com question I asked.

The problem I am getting under both VMware Fusion and VirtualBox is getting far enough along in the install to choose a language for installation process, and then displaying a short wait with a white and blue sliding candy cane bar, and then this screen:

"Mac OS X CanJonathan

Reply
0 Kudos
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
jonathan_haywar
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

I purchased a Mac Mini version that will only install to a Mac Mini, and even there it was unlikely. So I purchased instead an unlimited version.

View solution in original post

Reply
0 Kudos
6 Replies
jonathan_haywar
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

It looks like my attempt to include a screenshot didn't work; you can see a VirtualBox screenshot at https://cjshayward.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/osx-installation-error-1024x747.png. I have tried under both VMware and VirtualBox and received equivalent results.

Reply
0 Kudos
dariusd
VMware Employee
VMware Employee
Jump to solution

Are you attempting to install a version of Mac OS X Server which was provided with the purchase of a Mac system?  Those are usually keyed to only install onto the exact model of Mac with which they were shipped.  The virtual machine is its own model of "virtual Mac" which does not correspond to any particular physical Mac, and that's enough for the Mac OS X Server installer to emit that error message and refuse to start the installation.

It may be worth editing the .vmx file for your VMware Fusion virtual machine and adding the following line:

   SMBIOS.reflectHost = TRUE

That will configure the virtual machine to look a little bit more like the host machine, which might allow the OS to install.  It's worth a try...

Cheers,

--

Darius

Reply
0 Kudos
jonathan_haywar
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

Thank you; that sounds like it makes sense. I purchased the server media independently of any computer purchase from a vendor on eBay.

I tried adding to the .vmx file:

SMBIOS.reflectHost = "TRUE"

Note that I added quotes.

However, I observed identical behavior as prior to the change. It took me a couple of times before I had updated the .vmx file while the machine was powered down, but I got it to stick, and just be moved up a few lines by VMware. So having it boot with that line doesn't get past the barrier.

Thanks,

Reply
0 Kudos
dariusd
VMware Employee
VMware Employee
Jump to solution

If you used TextEdit to make the change, please double-check that you didn't get "smart" quotes.  The quotation marks aren't absolutely needed around a simple value like "TRUE", which is why I omitted them.  The easiest way to double-check is to look for the string "SMBIOS.reflectHost" in the VM's vmware.log... you'll find it where we record the VM's configuration in the log... if its value in the log looks like it has two complete sets of quote marks around it, like ""TRUE"", the inner set will be smart quotes that you'll need to remove from the .vmx file before the option can take effect.

Your eBay vendor may have sold you a copy of Mac OS X Server that was originally bundled with a Mac; If so, the SMBIOS.reflectHost option will only help if you are running the same model of Mac as the system with which it was bundled.  As far as I know, Apple has only released retail (non-bundled) physical media for Mac OS X Server 10.6.3 and not any newer release.  Check the label on the disc to see if it mentions the Mac model with which it was bundled.

Cheers,

--

Darius

Reply
0 Kudos
jonathan_haywar
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

I purchased a Mac Mini version that will only install to a Mac Mini, and even there it was unlikely. So I purchased instead an unlimited version.

Reply
0 Kudos
jonathan_haywar
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

I used Vim. I'm not aware of a vi successor that gives unsolicited smartquotes, although they may now be backported to Vigor.

Reply
0 Kudos