install macOS from recovery partition: but delays a lot - fusion pro 8.5.3

[lse123]

I went install macOS from recovery partition... choosing when during boot VM reinstall macOS but

pass 1h30min and is below 20% the install and showed remains 6min now shows 5min remains... why delays so much...? I have to await???

my hardware

mbp 2016 15"

install on ext ssd disk

fusion pro 8.5.3

[lse123]

I have CANCELLED IT

WHY SO DELAYS...?  1 h 30 min go less than 20% but min shows 5 min remaining but Not move

[wila]

Hi,

In your case I would check the system logs and see if there's an answer there.

Last time I did this it was no more than 5 minutes and that was also Fusion 8.5.3 on macOS Sierra.

If you don't know how-to look at the system logs then create a support bundle via the help menu and attach it here to a reply.

--

Wil

[lse123]

see here logs [click] >>>

  Untitled Document‌

the other way is from Fusion menu help???

[wila]

Hi,

The attach file button is in the bottom right of the reply window (a very unfortunate, easy to overlook, location)

Your html file was hard to read as it did not have formatting, so one big blob of text.

There's some runtime errors in that log file triggered by a vmware process that are beyond my capability as end user to diagnose.

Please open a ticket with VMware, you can do so here:

Fusion Support and open a ticket at File a Support Request

As for getting the support bundle from the help menu..

Sorry I did not express myself well.

For support purposes you can generate a support bundle that contains a lot of technical details about your setup, you can create it from the menu:

Help -> "Collect Support Information", this will then generate an archive file containing the support bundle on your desktop.

--

Wil

[lse123]

see this formatted

Untitled Document

[vmxmr]

Could your system be downloading the installer directly from Apple over the internet? In that case, you could be downloading several gigabytes worth of installer files. It can take a long time. It can take many hours if your internet connection is slow. I did a clean installation onto a "wiped" internal hard drive, and it took several hours on a mid-2011 core i7 iMac with a 100 mbit/sec internet link.

FYI, I booted from an external drive, then used "dd" to wipe the internal drive, including the partition information. The recovery mechanism downloaded and ran the macOS installer from the internet. It also formatted the drive anew.

Try running the installation again, but let it run overnight, perhaps longer if your internet connection is slow. Expect to download between 4 and 8 gigabytes from the internet for the installer.

[lse123]

this needs internet --- is Not from recovery partition ... ????

[wila]

Thanks vmxvmr for your input on this, you raise a good point.

this needs internet --- is Not from recovery partition ... ????

Yes and no, your recovery partition does not contain all the installer files needed to install macOS itself.

Here's a part of the partition output from one of my machines:

$ diskutil list
/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *1.0 TB     disk0
   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk0s1
   2:          Apple_CoreStorage Macintosh HD            958.4 GB   disk0s2
   3:                 Apple_Boot Recovery HD             650.0 MB   disk0s3

As you can see the Apple Boot Recovery HD is just 650MB, a full download of macOS is a bit over 6GB, almost 10 times as big.

The recovery partition is just enough to either:

- restore from Time Machine backup

- run disk utility so that you can repair a broken install

- get help online

- start (re)install (which will then download the full installer)

However the actual download only starts AFTER you startup the install, not during the "create from recovery partition" process from VMware Fusion.

So when I run "install from recovery partition", it really just copies the 650MB from the host recovery partition to a local recovery partition on the virtual disk of the virtual machine.

If I understand your original question correctly that your issue is before you are running the install itself and in that case my suggestion to open a ticket with VMware still stands.

--

Wil

[lse123]

to install from Time machine i have to connect my ext hdd backup real mac and what to choose then...?

also can VM macOS be in ssd ext disk? and internet may not needed in this case?

[vmxmr]

to install from Time machine i have to connect my ext hdd backup real mac and what to choose then...?

also can VM macOS be in ssd ext disk? and internet may not needed in this case?

This is the first time you mentioned "Time Machine". To restore from a Time Machine backup is different. When you boot from the recovery partition (Command-R), then you will see a menu item "Restore from Time Machine Backup". There is also a menu item, "Reinstall macOS", which is what I thought we were talking about. Obviously the two are different.

Be careful! If you install a fresh operating system or restore a Time Machine backup, then you may overwrite the previous operating system that was installed, along with its files.

If you install the macOS (or OS X) operating system using the recovery partition, then you will need an internet connection, just as wila‌ already pointed out. If you want to install macOS using an installer, then the internet is not required.

Yes, you can run a virtual machine from an external disk. I have done it many times. Just copy the virtual machine package "file" to the external disk and run it from there. If you are creating or restoring a new virtual machine, just save it to the external disk at the "Save" prompt.

This VMware document may be helpful: Using the Recovery Environment (Recovery HD) in an OS X Virtual Machine‌

[lse123]

Where find iso file for macOS sierra to install in Fusion... just like i install normally a win 10 iso...???? where find mac os sierra full version ISO File... ?

[wila]

Hi,

There is no iso file for macOS Sierra that you can just get. Instead the easiest way is to download the installer via the mac app store.

This installer then sits in your Applications folder.

You can drag and drop the installer on VMware Fusion instead of using an iso file.

Steps:

In the menu, select File -> New -> Keep the default "Install from disc or image", click the Continue button.

You get a screen with the text "Choose an installation disc or image" and that's where you can drag and drop the installer.

--

Wil

[lse123]

says unable create the installation medium....

I downloaded macOS Sierra but Fusion pro deny with this message... needed rename to ISO...?  file is named Install macOS Sierra

[wila]

Hi,

No, that should just work.

Not that I want to repeat myself, but please open a support ticket with vmware, see one of my earlier replies on how to do that.

--
Wil

[vmxmr]

says unable create the installation medium....

I downloaded macOS Sierra but Fusion pro deny with this message... needed rename to ISO...?  file is named Install macOS Sierra

I am surprised that it did not work. You can always try making a standalone installer on a external drive or on a disk image. See:

How to create a bootable macOS Sierra installer drive | Macworld‌

[lse123]

I copied install file in Desktop and loaded as image and worked...

this after support replied...

[wila]

... and worked...

Yay, hope it works OK now for you.

Really don't know why you would first have to copy to desktop, I just drag it from the Applications folder.

Most important part however is that you can install the macOS guest.

--

Wil