Natedev Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 vSphere 4 supports the same virtual hardware (version 7) as VMware Workstation, Fusion, and Server. I tried taking a working vm based on Donk's templates over to ESX 4.0. Unfortunately, it didn't like the drive type. ESX now has thin drive provisioning but it is apparently different from the type used in the other products. Also, the darwin.iso will not boot on ESX 4 complaining that the BIOS is extremely broken (even though the settings match the BIOS of the working vm in Workstation). After running into that, I switched to using a Boot-132 iso. It started to load but then promptly rebooted after the Apple screen came up. I tried booting with options -x -v -f but nothing stood out. To avoid possible problems with creating an ISO of the Mac OS X DVD, I just put the original DVD in the drive of the ESX 4.0 Server and switched from the boot iso to the physical drive. Anyone have any ideas? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/167655-mac-os-x-in-vmware-vsphere-4/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donk Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 vSphere 4 supports the same virtual hardware (version 7) as VMware Workstation, Fusion, and Server. I tried taking a working vm based on Donk's templates over to ESX 4.0. Unfortunately, it didn't like the drive type. ESX now has thin drive provisioning but it is apparently different from the type used in the other products. Also, the darwin.iso will not boot on ESX 4 complaining that the BIOS is extremely broken (even though the settings match the BIOS of the working vm in Workstation). After running into that, I switched to using a Boot-132 iso. It started to load but then promptly rebooted after the Apple screen came up. I tried booting with options -x -v -f but nothing stood out. To avoid possible problems with creating an ISO of the Mac OS X DVD, I just put the original DVD in the drive of the ESX 4.0 Server and switched from the boot iso to the physical drive. Anyone have any ideas? I think I will need to revise how the stuff I wrote works. Also will need to copy darwin.iso and re-sign ISO images on the server. The other settings needed are present in ESX(i) 4. Unfortunately it is going to be 2 weeks before I get to try this as working out of the office currently. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/167655-mac-os-x-in-vmware-vsphere-4/#findComment-1163329 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natedev Posted May 27, 2009 Author Share Posted May 27, 2009 I think I will need to revise how the stuff I wrote works. Also will need to copy darwin.iso and re-sign ISO images on the server. The other settings needed are present in ESX(i) 4. Unfortunately it is going to be 2 weeks before I get to try this as working out of the office currently. No worries. Any suggestions of things you would recommend I try on my ESX 4.0 Server? Have you ever tried using a particular Boot 132 ISO with VMware? Also, any luck with Chameleon 2.0 RC1 in VMware? I'm willing to try a few experiments but need some direction. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/167655-mac-os-x-in-vmware-vsphere-4/#findComment-1164565 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donk Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 No worries. Any suggestions of things you would recommend I try on my ESX 4.0 Server? Have you ever tried using a particular Boot 132 ISO with VMware? Also, any luck with Chameleon 2.0 RC1 in VMware? I'm willing to try a few experiments but need some direction. See this post for details of the work I did on VMware http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=139178. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/167655-mac-os-x-in-vmware-vsphere-4/#findComment-1164622 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donk Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 See this post for details of the work I did on VMware http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=139178. I have a means of making this work under ESX 4. It is a little involved and so I am waiting on a friend to double check the instructions on his setup. I am also working for the next week without access to my test systems, so please be patient. Here's a teaser capture of booting Mac OS X. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/167655-mac-os-x-in-vmware-vsphere-4/#findComment-1165942 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donk Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 I have a means of making this work under ESX 4. It is a little involved and so I am waiting on a friend to double check the instructions on his setup. I am also working for the next week without access to my test systems, so please be patient. Here's a teaser capture of booting Mac OS X. Friend's test system has shown can install and run Leopard in ESXi 4.0. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/167655-mac-os-x-in-vmware-vsphere-4/#findComment-1167953 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natedev Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 Friend's test system has shown can install and run Leopard in ESXi 4.0. Oh my, I'm drooling. I'd love to hear how you were able to accomplish it. I have full-blown ESX 4.0 (rather than ESX 4i). It probably gives me some advantages as I have a full console. [Continued musing] It would be great if someone sold Mac OS X as a virtual appliance (in OVF format) on a USB flash key bundled with a legit boxed copy of Leopard (a la Psystar), but I guess you'd have to have a legal trust fund first. ;-) Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/167655-mac-os-x-in-vmware-vsphere-4/#findComment-1171178 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donk Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Oh my, I'm drooling. I'd love to hear how you were able to accomplish it. I have full-blown ESX 4.0 (rather than ESX 4i). It probably gives me some advantages as I have a full console. [Continued musing] It would be great if someone sold Mac OS X as a virtual appliance (in OVF format) on a USB flash key bundled with a legit boxed copy of Leopard (a la Psystar), but I guess you'd have to have a legal trust fund first. ;-) Sorry haven't posted much yet but have been working overseas from my main office. I am building some scripts to set this all up plus some details on how to build the virtual machine such that the vSphere client does not screw up those settings when opening the guest. It has only been tested on free ESXi currently, but I do have licenses for vSphere 4 so will try that as well. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/167655-mac-os-x-in-vmware-vsphere-4/#findComment-1171478 Share on other sites More sharing options...
filabrazilia Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Sorry haven't posted much yet but have been working overseas from my main office. I am building some scripts to set this all up plus some details on how to build the virtual machine such that the vSphere client does not screw up those settings when opening the guest. It has only been tested on free ESXi currently, but I do have licenses for vSphere 4 so will try that as well. How are the scripts and instructions coming along? I'm really interested in running Leopard Server (and soon Snow Leopard Server) on ESX. Thanks for all your contributions, they really do make a difference. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/167655-mac-os-x-in-vmware-vsphere-4/#findComment-1186178 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donk Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 How are the scripts and instructions coming along? I'm really interested in running Leopard Server (and soon Snow Leopard Server) on ESX. Thanks for all your contributions, they really do make a difference. I am right in the middle of writing some documentation and plan is to try and finish this wekend and release as soon as possible after that. BTW, no go on Snow Leopard on anything other than Fusion currently. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/167655-mac-os-x-in-vmware-vsphere-4/#findComment-1186303 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donk Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I am right in the middle of writing some documentation and plan is to try and finish this wekend and release as soon as possible after that. BTW, no go on Snow Leopard on anything other than Fusion currently. See this post http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=172474. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/167655-mac-os-x-in-vmware-vsphere-4/#findComment-1186509 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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