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Attempting to run Snow Leopard under ESXi 4.1

MSoK

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MSoK
MSoK
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There has been a lot of discussion regarding running Snow Leopard under ESXi 4(u1), and the current status is SL in NOT supported under ESXi 4(u1) due to the code being pre Workstation 7 / Player 3 / Fusion 3 which add relevant code to support Snow Leopard, if unofficially in the case of Workstation 7 / Player 3.

 

However thanks to Zenith432's Snow Kitty topic, SL can be supported as a guestOS under Workstation 6.5, so the supposition is can we use the same or a similar technique to make SL run under ESXi 4(u1).

 

UPDATE: Thanks to more excellent work from Donk, the aim is to get Vanilla OS X Snow Leopard working under ESXi 4.1 or to give it it's new name vSphere Hypervisor.

 

The fun continues, keep watching this space, MSoK!

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Donk
Donk
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There has been a lot of discussion regarding running Snow Leopard under ESXi 4(u1), and the current status is SL in NOT supported under ESXi 4(u1) due to the code being pre Workstation 7 / Player 3 / Fusion 3 which add relevant code to support Snow Leopard, if unofficially in the case of Workstation 7 / Player 3.

 

However thanks to Zenith432's Snow Kitty topic, SL can be supported as a guestOS under Workstation 6.5, so the supposition is can we use the same or a similar technique to make SL run under ESXi 4(u1).

 

The fun starts here, MSoK!

 

I don't have time but please try this new darwin.iso based on Chameleon 2.0 RC 4 code. http://www.filedropper.com/darwin-msok Then try with the retail SL DVD but with darwin-64 as guestos.

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Donk
Donk
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Having a bit of an issue trying to but from a DVD, I do F5 and -v [ENTER] and nothing, am I doing something wrong

 

Please tell me exactly what you have done. You do NOT boot this DVD directly. It was meant just for Mac Son of Knife to try as we have been working together on stuff for sometime.

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yozh
yozh
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Please tell me exactly what you have done. You do NOT boot this DVD directly. It was meant just for Mac Son of Knife to try as we have been working together on stuff for sometime.

 

 

Ah I was trying to boot directly from it. I guess I`ll stay in shadows and wait for you guys to call me :(

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Donk
Donk
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Ah I was trying to boot directly from it. I guess I`ll stay in shadows and wait for you guys to call me :(

 

Well if you download and read the information in the first post of this thread, http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=172474, then you may have a chance, but I think maybe best for us to try first, then we will document properly.

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Donk
Donk
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Well thats the post I followed and I was able to but to the DVD, but I get the same KP.... See attached

 

OK so you did install and re-sign the VMware tools. It looks like the new code won't solve the problem as it stands but the dump may give us a clue as to what we need to try out. There is another kernel in the darwin.iso image but I need to cross-ref the panic with the code for the XNU kernel.

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yozh
yozh
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OK so you did install and re-sign the VMware tools. It looks like the new code won't solve the problem as it stands but the dump may give us a clue as to what we need to try out. There is another kernel in the darwin.iso image but I need to cross-ref the panic with the code for the XNU kernel.

 

 

Here to help, let me know what else I can do for you guys

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Donk
Donk
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Guys I got it running !!!!!! Used the Zenith432's method with the darwin.iso uploaded here and it worked :)

 

See attached.

 

Cool, well done! Would you do me one more favour but will not be back online until Saturday as getting late in UK. I would like to see if the kernel on the darwin.iso can do a simple install straight from retail DVD. Off the top of my head at the boot prompt try:

 

rd(0,1)/Extra/legacy_kernel -v

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Dave

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MSoK
MSoK
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Cool, well done! Would you do me one more favour but will not be back online until Saturday as getting late in UK. I would like to see if the kernel on the darwin.iso can do a simple install straight from retail DVD. Off the top of my head at the boot prompt try:

 

rd(0,1)/Extra/legacy_kernel -v

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Dave

You two boys have been busy in my absence, feeling a bit left out, only kidding. Where are you up to and what can I do to help? MSoK.

 

I don't have time but please try this new darwin.iso based on Chameleon 2.0 RC 4 code. http://www.filedropper.com/darwin-msok Then try with the retail SL DVD but with darwin-64 as guestos.

Donk, Even though yozh has got a working solution, I will work through the process, and report back based on the new darwin.iso, also will start some documentation, cheers MSoK.

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yozh
yozh
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Cool, well done! Would you do me one more favour but will not be back online until Saturday as getting late in UK. I would like to see if the kernel on the darwin.iso can do a simple install straight from retail DVD. Off the top of my head at the boot prompt try:

 

rd(0,1)/Extra/legacy_kernel -v

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Dave

 

Donk,

 

Where and when do you want me to type that ? rd(0,1)/Extra/legacy_kernel -v ? When I did the update to 10.6.3 and rebooted the same kp came up, so i`m assuming the vanilla kernel is a no go. I`m going to try to install SL server thats what I really need.

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yozh
yozh
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Ok I think I`m done for tonight and for a while, just have to clean up my snapshots, But I do have 10.6.3 Server running, see screenshot, no Vanilla doesnt work, I had to reuse the package from the other post.

 

Now its time to use the server. I have to say SL is running much faster and smoother then 10.5 so far.

 

Thank you guys for all your hard work and guidance, if you need help just post and I`ll try to help as much as I can. I will be writing a brief guide based on Zenith432's guide and Donks posted files.

post-14419-1272684625_thumb.jpg

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Donk
Donk
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Donk,

 

Where and when do you want me to type that ? rd(0,1)/Extra/legacy_kernel -v ? When I did the update to 10.6.3 and rebooted the same kp came up, so i`m assuming the vanilla kernel is a no go. I`m going to try to install SL server thats what I really need.

 

When it boots press F8 to get the booter comand line then run the commands. I have a feeling that this kernel (NAWCOM's) plus the booter will give a simple method to run as close to vanilla as possible. Anyway appreciate the help, and glad you have something working. If still not sure I'll post some screenshots later, but for now off to my niece's 4th birthday, which will be a welcome break from computers for a few hours. :unsure:

 

Hi,

 

This thread represents exactly what I need, but I am a newbie and I have no idea of what to do.

 

Is there a tutorial or thread for (busy busy busy) ppl like me?

 

Thank you

 

Well at the moment I would suggest this is an experimental thread, and that a detailed explanation will follow. However it is an update to the work I did here: http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=172474. So reading through that thread (I know it's now a monster), will give you the background.

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yozh
yozh
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When it boots press F8 to get the booter comand line then run the commands. I have a feeling that this kernel (NAWCOM's) plus the booter will give a simple method to run as close to vanilla as possible. Anyway appreciate the help, and glad you have something working. If still not sure I'll post some screenshots later, but for now off to my niece's 4th birthday, which will be a welcome break from computers for a few hours. :(

 

 

 

Well at the moment I would suggest this is an experimental thread, and that a detailed explanation will follow. However it is an update to the work I did here: http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=172474. So reading through that thread (I know it's now a monster), will give you the background.

 

Donk,

 

THere is no kernel in /Extra ... Which Kernel were you looking for me to boot with ?

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Uranus
Uranus
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I got it working too!

 

Just followed zenith's method. One thing though -> USE A SCSI virtual hard-drive. If you attempt to use IDE, snow leo will just hang with "waiting for root device".

 

PS: This thing is WICKED fast. A lot faster than the previous Leopard Server VM. And it's running on a very very cheap Celeron E3200 cpu with 768MB of ram.

 

SnowLeoESXi.PNG

 

EDIT: I am stuck at 10.6.2. When I try to upgrade to 10.6.3, it kernel panics on boot with the "local apic 0x11" error.

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Donk
Donk
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Donk,

 

THere is no kernel in /Extra ... Which Kernel were you looking for me to boot with ?

 

It isn't in Extra, said it was from memory! SO:

 

1. At boot prompt press F8 to get boot command line

2. Type: rd(0,1)/legacy_kernel -v

3. Press enter and should boot up using the legacy 10.6.3 kernel from this thread http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=214528.

 

Can you try an install from a SL retail DVD using this please? (Sorry can't as have no access to my ESXi box at the moment). You will have to enter the command line above at every boot unless you add the following lines to a com.apple.Boot.plist in a folder on the root hard drive called /Extra (as per Chameleon).

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Kernel</key>
<string>rd(0,1)/legacy_kernel</string>
<key>Kernel Flags</key>
<string></string>
</dict>
</plist>

 

If you want to try full 64-bit kernel mode then add to the same file:

 

<key>arch</key>
<string>x86_64</string>

 

I appreciate the help but can you try without using Zenith's work this time, as he has left the scene and we want to get our own version not dependent on him.

 

EDIT: Sorry uploaded screenshots in wrong order start from right and work left. Also not you should she the new kernel print a different string on screenshot 4.

post-142645-1272730525_thumb.png

post-142645-1272730534_thumb.png

post-142645-1272730544_thumb.png

post-142645-1272730554_thumb.png

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yozh
yozh
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I got it working too!

 

Just followed zenith's method. One thing though -> USE A SCSI virtual hard-drive. If you attempt to use IDE, snow leo will just hang with "waiting for root device".

 

PS: This thing is WICKED fast. A lot faster than the previous Leopard Server VM. And it's running on a very very cheap Celeron E3200 cpu with 768MB of ram.

 

SnowLeoESXi.PNG

 

EDIT: I am stuck at 10.6.2. When I try to upgrade to 10.6.3, it kernel panics on boot with the "local apic 0x11" error.

 

 

What I had to do, is download combo update and reuse zeniths kernel for 10.6.3

 

It isn't in Extra, said it was from memory! SO:

 

1. At boot prompt press F8 to get boot command line

2. Type: rd(0,1)/legacy_kernel -v

3. Press enter and should boot up using the legacy 10.6.3 kernel from this thread http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=214528.

 

Can you try an install from a SL retail DVD using this please? (Sorry can't as have no access to my ESXi box at the moment). You will have to enter the command line above at every boot unless you add the following lines to a com.apple.Boot.plist in a folder on the root hard drive called /Extra (as per Chameleon).

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Kernel</key>
<string>rd(0,1)/legacy_kernel</string>
<key>Kernel Flags</key>
<string></string>
</dict>
</plist>

 

If you want to try full 64-bit kernel mode then add to the same file:

 

<key>arch</key>
<string>x86_64</string>

 

I appreciate the help but can you try without using Zenith's work this time, as he has left the scene and we want to get our own version not dependent on him.

 

EDIT: Sorry uploaded screenshots in wrong order start from right and work left. Also not you should she the new kernel print a different string on screenshot 4.

 

 

My bad I miss understood. I`m trying it now. Post back shortly

 

OK 2 things,

 

1st: When I boot with the legacy kernel with zeniths kexts in place it boots ok, so the system that I have now can run on that kernel, its a 10.6.3 server updated but with all the kexts that were in zeniths package

 

2nd: When I boot with my retail DVD (which is 10.6, btw) it KPs see attached, could be due to being 10.6 not 10.6.3 I dont have retail DVD 10.6.3

 

What I had to do, is download combo update and reuse zeniths kernel for 10.6.3

 

 

 

 

My bad I miss understood. I`m trying it now. Post back shortly

 

OK 2 things,

 

1st: When I boot with the legacy kernel with zeniths kexts in place it boots ok, so the system that I have now can run on that kernel, its a 10.6.3 server updated but with all the kexts that were in zeniths package

 

2nd: When I boot with my retail DVD (which is 10.6, btw) it KPs see attached, could be due to being 10.6 not 10.6.3 I dont have retail DVD 10.6.3

 

 

Something I`m doing wrong, but I cant check anymore I have to go, the other vm if I boot with retail DVD and legacy kernel I get to install screen, so maybe some VM settings I`m missing.....

 

 

OK I might have find out what I was missing, IDE0:0 I put another CDROM on it and it booted, trying install now.

 

Another update, I was able to install SL Server 10.6 using the boot option rd(0,1)/legacy_kernel which boots the 10.6.3 kernel, there was an error at the end of the install, that startup disk couldnt be set, which is ok.... I was then able to boot no problem in to working 10.6 system, blazing fast even faster then before.... Im now installing 10.6.3 updates and will report back shortly with results. I will also set the during boot option to boot to this kernel and I guess 64 bit

post-14419-1272765771_thumb.jpg

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MSoK
MSoK
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It isn't in Extra, said it was from memory! SO:

 

1. At boot prompt press F8 to get boot command line

2. Type: rd(0,1)/legacy_kernel -v

3. Press enter and should boot up using the legacy 10.6.3 kernel from this thread http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=214528.

 

Can you try an install from a SL retail DVD using this please? (Sorry can't as have no access to my ESXi box at the moment). You will have to enter the command line above at every boot unless you add the following lines to a com.apple.Boot.plist in a folder on the root hard drive called /Extra (as per Chameleon).

Donk,

I will try as requested, i.e. not using any of Zenith432's topic. I have built a brand new ESXi configuration and installed the MSoK darwin.iso, but initially just get to the Boot: prompt, will try the bootloader, would you recommend using the retail DVD or the ISO I created from it?

Speak soon, MSoK.

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yozh
yozh
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What I had to do, is download combo update and reuse zeniths kernel for 10.6.3

 

 

 

 

My bad I miss understood. I`m trying it now. Post back shortly

 

OK 2 things,

 

1st: When I boot with the legacy kernel with zeniths kexts in place it boots ok, so the system that I have now can run on that kernel, its a 10.6.3 server updated but with all the kexts that were in zeniths package

 

2nd: When I boot with my retail DVD (which is 10.6, btw) it KPs see attached, could be due to being 10.6 not 10.6.3 I dont have retail DVD 10.6.3

 

 

 

 

Something I`m doing wrong, but I cant check anymore I have to go, the other vm if I boot with retail DVD and legacy kernel I get to install screen, so maybe some VM settings I`m missing.....

 

 

OK I might have find out what I was missing, IDE0:0 I put another CDROM on it and it booted, trying install now.

 

Another update, I was able to install SL Server 10.6 using the boot option rd(0,1)/legacy_kernel which boots the 10.6.3 kernel, there was an error at the end of the install, that startup disk couldnt be set, which is ok.... I was then able to boot no problem in to working 10.6 system, blazing fast even faster then before.... Im now installing 10.6.3 updates and will report back shortly with results. I will also set the during boot option to boot to this kernel and I guess 64 bit

 

Ok so I got 10.6.3 all working, all the updates installed using the Boot.plist for the kernel work fine... I`m still working on the 64-bit part, while with Zeniths method 64 bit works, Im having a bit of trouble with legacy kernel method, still working on it.

 

EDIT: -force64 works. System is a bit slower on the come up and a bit slower while working in it, still testing that...... But looking very good with legacy kernel and you new Darwin.iso file, you might be able to add it to the original post as another link :D Just have to make sure to mention that when SL install at the end you do get an error..... Also it looks it doesnt metter which guestos= is used as both let you do 64 bit

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yozh
yozh
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OK so -force64 works, seems a bit slower to me overall, but not too bad. Profiler says that its not a 64 bit kernel, but all the apps are running in 64 bit and iTunes starts fine in 32 bit. So seems that we are good, overall I`m fine with speed.

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