VMware Retail Leopard Templates

[Donk]

Thanks Donker-dude. I used your template to get a working system that then let me do my real install. I now have a nice clean install on a MBR virtual disk using Chameleon and it doesn't require any special pre-boot stuff. I was even able to use a vanilla FreeBSD-64 virtual machine template with only the machine type changed to "darwin-64".

 

One problem is that on my Linux host VMware can't edit those "darwin-64" machines. Trying to open any dialog to edit or change the VM settings causes a segfault. I guess some sort of bug in the Linux version of VMware.

 

Only show stopper problem is the keyboard issues. None of the various VMware settings I have tried in the vmx fix it. The PS/2 extensions you posted work better and fix the key lagging and repeating problems but they break other things like the Option/Apple key (ie. "Windows" key on regular PC keyboard) no longer works and I can't use keyboard shortcuts like quit and copy/paste.

 

Glad you had success with the work I did, and have successfully modiifed to your needs.

 

1. There is a bug in Linux Workstation UI due to the darwin settings not being in the list of supported OSes. Guess as not supported won't be fixed anytime soon, unless someone can create a patch.

 

2. I have started using the Voodoo PS2 Controller with good results, although my host is Windows XP. Do a basic install and then in VMX disable the USB keyboard only. USB virtual mouse is fine in the guest. I then download Ukelele and take one of the Logitech keyboard layouts that match my keyboad (UK English) and drop in /Library/KeyboardLayouts. Select the keyboard in International settings and off you go.

 

Let me know how it goes. I need to re-install a Linux distro on my test box, but was watiing for new Ubuntu due this month, but would like to test this out. I have also been working on a bunch of new templates with Chameleon 2, which was what I was waiting for about 3 months ago!!

[popu]

2. I have started using the Voodoo PS2 Controller with good results, although my host is Windows XP. Do a basic install and then in VMX disable the USB keyboard only. USB virtual mouse is fine in the guest. I then download Ukelele and take one of the Logitech keyboard layouts that match my keyboad (UK English) and drop in /Library/KeyboardLayouts. Select the keyboard in International settings and off you go.

 

Let me know how it goes. I need to re-install a Linux distro on my test box, but was watiing for new Ubuntu due this month, but would like to test this out. I have also been working on a bunch of new templates with Chameleon 2, which was what I was waiting for about 3 months ago!!

 

Ya, I just found the VoodooPS2 driver today. Much nicer than using a whole bunch of kext's like the old system.

 

And I'm an idiot. Ukelele got me on the right track because it let me see what the keys are mapped to. Turns out with the PS/2 driver the Command key is mapped to the Alt key which actually makes a lot more sense because of its position. The Windows key is mapped to Alt/Option, which again, makes more sense because of the position. Well, at least on most keyboards, my Kinesis Maxim is a bit funky. So actually the default PS/2 driver has a better layout than the USB driver and I don't even need Ukelele.

 

Now if only someone would port the VMware SVGA video driver so we could get some performance boosting there. Do OSX guests in Fusion have a video driver? If not then I'm kind of surprised VMware hasn't written one yet.

[Donk]

Ya, I just found the VoodooPS2 driver today. Much nicer than using a whole bunch of kext's like the old system.

 

And I'm an idiot. Ukelele got me on the right track because it let me see what the keys are mapped to. Turns out with the PS/2 driver the Command key is mapped to the Alt key which actually makes a lot more sense because of its position. The Windows key is mapped to Alt/Option, which again, makes more sense because of the position. Well, at least on most keyboards, my Kinesis Maxim is a bit funky. So actually the default PS/2 driver has a better layout than the USB driver and I don't even need Ukelele.

 

Now if only someone would port the VMware SVGA video driver so we could get some performance boosting there. Do OSX guests in Fusion have a video driver? If not then I'm kind of surprised VMware hasn't written one yet.

 

You can swap the modifier keys in the keyboard settings which can swap app/win etc. There is a VMware driver for the display but it doesn't load except when running on Fusion. I have hacked it to load but get no re-painting. VMware have just released some OSS code and notes on the virtual hardware http://vmware-svga.sourceforge.net/. My guess though is that I am missing a setting to tell the SVGA code on the host side to enable the capabilities the extension is requesting but failing to get.

[naeemanaeem]

I am a newbie please bear with me. My answers follow the questions

Attaching the vmware.log

 

I may not be using the correct retail leopard, Can somebody point me the location where I can download 32-bit version?

[Donk]

I may not be using the correct retail leopard, Can somebody point me the location where I can download 32-bit version?

 

No it is against the rules of the forum.

[Rudy R.]

Damn nothing obvious. I guess the best I can do is disable VT-x on my laptop and see if I can get it going. However, running some 64-bit stuff currently so will be a day or so before I can get to it.

 

 

Dumb dumb dumb dumb! I thought VT was enabled in the BIOS but it was not. Works just like the instructions now! Thanks very much for this excellent work!

[Natedev]

I used a similar technique to get Mac OS X 10.5.6 running in VMware Fusion 2.0.4 on my MacBook Pro:

 

$ sudo bash

# cd "/Library/Application Support/VMware Fusion/isoimages"

# mkdir original

# mv darwin.iso tools-key.pub *.sig original

# perl -n -p -e 's/ServerVersion.plist/SystemVersion.plist/g' < original/darwin.iso > darwin.iso

# openssl genrsa -out tools-priv.pem 2048

# openssl rsa -in tools-priv.pem -pubout -out tools-key.pub

# openssl dgst -sha1 -sign tools-priv.pem < darwin.iso > darwin.iso.sig

# for A in *.iso ; do openssl dgst -sha1 -sign tools-priv.pem < $A > $A.sig ; done

# exit

 

Now, I'm trying to get your approach to work with VMware ESX 3.5 update 4 and running into challenges:

 

I get...

Loading Darwin/x86

Invalid front-side bus frequency 66000000 Hz.

Disabling the CPU ...

 

- The virtual hardware version for VMware ESX is 4 vs. version 7 for Fusion and Workstation

- guest-OS = "darwin-64" isn't accepted by ESX. I have to go with "other-64"

- On the plus side, my ESX server is running an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 @ 2.33 GHz, lsilogic and e1000 are supported in ESX.

 

Any suggestions on what things I should try in order to get Mac OS X running in a vm on ESX? Does this mean that my virtual hardware's FSB is 66 MHz and Mac OS X is recognizing that there aren't any Macs out there with that setting? Can this be addressed by modifying the VMX?

 

Thanks in advance

[Donk]

I used a similar technique to get Mac OS X 10.5.6 running in VMware Fusion 2.0.4 on my MacBook Pro:

 

$ sudo bash

# cd "/Library/Application Support/VMware Fusion/isoimages"

# mkdir original

# mv darwin.iso tools-key.pub *.sig original

# perl -n -p -e 's/ServerVersion.plist/SystemVersion.plist/g' < original/darwin.iso > darwin.iso

# openssl genrsa -out tools-priv.pem 2048

# openssl rsa -in tools-priv.pem -pubout -out tools-key.pub

# openssl dgst -sha1 -sign tools-priv.pem < darwin.iso > darwin.iso.sig

# for A in *.iso ; do openssl dgst -sha1 -sign tools-priv.pem < $A > $A.sig ; done

# exit

 

Now, I'm trying to get your approach to work with VMware ESX 3.5 update 4 and running into challenges:

 

I get...

Loading Darwin/x86

Invalid front-side bus frequency 66000000 Hz.

Disabling the CPU ...

 

- The virtual hardware version for VMware ESX is 4 vs. version 7 for Fusion and Workstation

- guest-OS = "darwin-64" isn't accepted by ESX. I have to go with "other-64"

- On the plus side, my ESX server is running an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 @ 2.33 GHz, lsilogic and e1000 are supported in ESX.

 

Any suggestions on what things I should try in order to get Mac OS X running in a vm on ESX? Does this mean that my virtual hardware's FSB is 66 MHz and Mac OS X is recognizing that there aren't any Macs out there with that setting? Can this be addressed by modifying the VMX?

 

Thanks in advance

 

At present ESX 3.5 doesn't have the same level of virtual hardware support as the hosted VMware products. I haven't been able to get the guest running on ESX 3.5 U4. Wonder whether version 4 bein announced this week will work? My guess is that it may do as probably becomes directly compatible with Fusion and the other products.

[Natedev]

At present ESX 3.5 doesn't have the same level of virtual hardware support as the hosted VMware products. I haven't been able to get the guest running on ESX 3.5 U4. Wonder whether version 4 bein announced this week will work? My guess is that it may do as probably becomes directly compatible with Fusion and the other products.

 

Good idea - I'll see if I can find out what the hardware version will be for ESX 4 and let you know. Too bad about ESX 3.5 U4.

[kodos96]

Hi,

So I'm a newbie trying to get this to work on VMware Workstation (6.5.2) on linux. I ran the signiso script, edited the vmx to mount my leopard iso, and started it up.... I get to the darwin boot prompt, cancel the vmware tools install, but then I'm not sure what to do from there... i.e I can't figure out how to get from step 4 to step 5 (as illustrated in the above images). If I type "?" or "-v" at the boot prompt, it doesn't do anything, just returns me back to the prompt. How do I get to the "Enter two-digit hex boot device" prompt where I'm supposed to enter "9f"?

[Donk]

Hi,

So I'm a newbie trying to get this to work on VMware Workstation (6.5.2) on linux. I ran the signiso script, edited the vmx to mount my leopard iso, and started it up.... I get to the darwin boot prompt, cancel the vmware tools install, but then I'm not sure what to do from there... i.e I can't figure out how to get from step 4 to step 5 (as illustrated in the above images). If I type "?" or "-v" at the boot prompt, it doesn't do anything, just returns me back to the prompt. How do I get to the "Enter two-digit hex boot device" prompt where I'm supposed to enter "9f"?

 

Are you setting the iso to connected?

[InToGraphics]

For those having issues with keyboard and mouse. can you try the following changes to the VMX file. Remember power off guest and shut down VMware before editing.

 

USB:0.deviceType = "mouse"

usb:0.present = "TRUE"

USB:1.deviceType = "keyboard"

usb:1.present = "TRUE"

USB:2.deviceType = "hub"

usb:2.present = "TRUE"

keyboard.typematicMinDelay = "1000000"

 

You can try changing the typematic rate. It is currently set to 1 second. Let me know if it fixes things please. If that doesn't work try adding:

 

host.useTSC = "TRUE"

 

Edit: Added missing line for mouse

 

Probably a better solution. See this post http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...d=1126267

 

 

Hi Donk,

 

I wanted to PM you, but this stupid forum software will not let me.

 

I have to enter more than 2 characters. I don't know which number system is in use here.

 

Anyway, I think you missed the device type for usb:0.

 

Robert

Well I offer my humble apologies for trying to help and prevent problems.

I wish you the best of luck.

[Donk]

Well I offer my humble apologies for trying to help and prevent problems.

I wish you the best of luck.

 

Hi

Sorry not sure what the problem is here. Thanks for the PM, but in the end we found that going to PS2 controller was a better solution.

 

Dvae

[popu]

<br />Hi,<br />So I'm a newbie trying to get this to work on VMware Workstation (6.5.2) on linux. I ran the signiso script, edited the vmx to mount my leopard iso, and started it up.... I get to the darwin boot prompt, cancel the vmware tools install, but then I'm not sure what to do from there... i.e I can't figure out how to get from step 4 to step 5 (as illustrated in the above images). If I type "?" or "-v" at the boot prompt, it doesn't do anything, just returns me back to the prompt. How do I get to the "Enter two-digit hex boot device" prompt where I'm supposed to enter "9f"?<br />

 

I had the same problem at first. After you get to the boot prompt make sure to select "Cancel VMware Tools Install" in the VMware GUI. For some reason when I read the instructions that part was not clear. I was not used to the tools trying to install themselves at boot time but that's how you get to the boot prompt in the first place, then you need to cancel that so you can connect to you retail install disc.

 

Besides that make sure you have the CD/DVD drive configured to use the proper install drive/iso. You can't use the GUI to connect it or make changes while the VM is running. When using Linux you need to edit the vmx in a text editor and change the "guestOS" to "freebsd-64" before you can use the GUI to make changes. Then change it back to darwin-64 before booting. Or just edit everything in the vmx with a text editor.

[kodos96]

Are you setting the iso to connected?

 

Yes... although I think my retail leopard iso might be corrupted - I'll have to try to re-image it. I tried it with a JaS iso which I know is good, and got the same thing (I know you said these templates are untested on anything but a retail DVD, but shouldn't it at least boot into the installer?)

 

What is supposed to happen between steps 4 and 5? Is cancelling the VMware tools install supposed to automatically bring you to the prompt shown in step 5? Do you have to cancel the tools install, then reboot or something?

[Tianzhen Lin]

Thanks Donk for sharing this. By far this is the **best** implementation of all as I could use the retail DVD, with no fear of updating the OS X!

 

I have installed it on VMWare Workstation 6.5.1 on my Lenovo X61 tablet, it even offers me an Ink option in System Preference!

 

I upgraded VMWare to 6.5.2 today, and noticed that CPU utilization has gone up from average 18% to 33% when the system is idle. I wonder if anyone might see the same.

 

I also notice that once I have moved the VM to another machine with totally different CPU, the new machine runs extremely slow, even though its CPU (a quad core) is supposed to be twice as fast as mine. Any thoughts?

[Donk]

Yes... although I think my retail leopard iso might be corrupted - I'll have to try to re-image it. I tried it with a JaS iso which I know is good, and got the same thing (I know you said these templates are untested on anything but a retail DVD, but shouldn't it at least boot into the installer?)

 

What is supposed to happen between steps 4 and 5? Is cancelling the VMware tools install supposed to automatically bring you to the prompt shown in step 5? Do you have to cancel the tools install, then reboot or something?

 

For JaS not sure as I don't have it or any of the other hacked versions.

 

For the steps to be taken. You need to make sure that you have the leopard iso or dvd mounted and connected in VMware. Then click back onto the guest screen and type 9f.

[hodgestructure]

Hi, Donk,

 

Could you tell me how to create the templates ? I use vmware workstation 6.5.2，and when I created

virtual machine, there are no "Darwin" to choose. I know you created the templates by using another version of vmware, but is it possible for me to create these by using vmware workstation 6.5.2...??

If so, what's the settings ?? Thanks

[popu]

You can swap the modifier keys in the keyboard settings which can swap app/win etc. There is a VMware driver for the display but it doesn't load except when running on Fusion. I have hacked it to load but get no re-painting. VMware have just released some OSS code and notes on the virtual hardware http://vmware-svga.sourceforge.net/. My guess though is that I am missing a setting to tell the SVGA code on the host side to enable the capabilities the extension is requesting but failing to get.

 

I just did some benchmarking of OSX running in VMware and it turns out that the Fusion video driver doesn't do anything for the video performance. I used xbench for testing. I don't know if it's any good or not but I just wanted something simple and easy.

 

I tested OSX in Workstation/Linux against OSX in Fusion/OSX using the same hardware, with and without the VMware tools installed. In all my tests it made no difference if the VMware tools were installed or not, the video performance was the same. However, installing the tools does make the screen resizing work when using Fusion/OSX and I wish that would work on Workstation/Linux. QE/OpenGL/3D does not work in any case.

 

OSX on Workstation/Linux actually runs faster than using OSX on Fusion/OSX, go figure. Not by a whole lot but the Linux host does seem to boost video performance in my tests. Could be a number of factors at play there, like Workstation being a much more mature product than Fusion, maybe X/compiz has less overhead than Quartz, or maybe just because the host Linux nVidia drivers are better/newer.

 

I would post my benchmark numbers but VMware has all these restrictions. You can't post VMware benchmarks without permission and junk like that, pfffft.

[Donk]

I just did some benchmarking of OSX running in VMware and it turns out that the Fusion video driver doesn't do anything for the video performance. I used xbench for testing. I don't know if it's any good or not but I just wanted something simple and easy.

 

I tested OSX in Workstation/Linux against OSX in Fusion/OSX using the same hardware, with and without the VMware tools installed. In all my tests it made no difference if the VMware tools were installed or not, the video performance was the same. However, installing the tools does make the screen resizing work when using Fusion/OSX and I wish that would work on Workstation/Linux. QE/OpenGL/3D does not work in any case.

 

OSX on Workstation/Linux actually runs faster than using OSX on Fusion/OSX, go figure. Not by a whole lot but the Linux host does seem to boost video performance in my tests. Could be a number of factors at play there, like Workstation being a much more mature product than Fusion, maybe X/compiz has less overhead than Quartz, or maybe just because the host Linux nVidia drivers are better/newer.

 

I would post my benchmark numbers but VMware has all these restrictions. You can't post VMware benchmarks without permission and junk like that, pfffft.

 

I agree having spent some time looking at what the driver does. (Found an undocumented boot option which logs the driver actions vmw_log_fb=1 to 4.) Whilst re-sizing would be nice it does appear that the there is no acceleration, which is likely seeing as most attention is on DirectX performance in Windows guests.

 

Subjectively, I have always thought VMware on Linux was faster.

[mushboom]

I also tried to install Leopard 10.5.6 with a retail disk image in VMware workstation 6.5.2. The host was Windows Vista x86. The darwin 32 bit template was adopted during the installation. However, the install stuck at about the same position as I can tell from the screenshot in Rudy's post. Sadly my CPU does not support VT-x (T5300). Could it be the incapability of VT that halt the VM?

 

Thank you in advance for your time.

 

That seems like an interesting error in this screenshot...

 

It is indeed a retail DVD from a Mac I upgraded.

I thought the error in the previous screen shot may have been due to resetting the VM from the previous failed install. So I started with a fresh darwin-32 template, and this is where it appears to have hung:

[Donk]

I also tried to install Leopard 10.5.6 with a retail disk image in VMware workstation 6.5.2. The host was Windows Vista x86. The darwin 32 bit template was adopted during the installation. However, the install stuck at about the same position as I can tell from the screenshot in Rudy's post. Sadly my CPU does not support VT-x (T5300). Could it be the incapability of VT that halt the VM?

 

Thank you in advance for your time.

 

Are you using -legacy flag during the installation?

[mushboom]

Tried '-legacy' but still hang there.

 

 

Without any other parameter, the install seems to stop at this point:

 

 

Are you using -legacy flag during the installation?

[Donk]

Tried '-legacy' but still hang there.

 

 

Without any other parameter, the install seems to stop at this point:

 

 

Is this a retail or restore DVD (came with a Mac)? Only works with retail, that is boxed version, of Leopard.

[mushboom]

It is a retail dmg image file, which has been converted to iso.

 

Somehow I managed to get to the install interface with a rolling ball, but it didn't get any further. And the odd thing is sometimes it is not even possible to reproduce it with the same configuration.

 

Is this a retail or restore DVD (came with a Mac)? Only works with retail, that is boxed version, of Leopard.