Booting Native OS X via VMWare...

[Mebster]

Is there a (safe) way to do boot a native OS X installation from Windows?

 

I know we can now boot a native XP/Vista installation using Parallels from OS X.

 

Ideally I want to have this for when I just need access to OS X quickly when i'm already in Windows.

[cbmkgd]

Yes, from vmware, just use the native partition for the vm you create, with usual settings for vmware.

(i think we don't need the -vmware option for semthex's kernel, check with him)

 

Note: for me 10.4.8 under these conditions is somewhat sluggish, cpu alway hitting over 90% for running that vm (single core, ... ); apart from that, nothing unsafe.

[Mebster]

Yes, from vmware, just use the native partition for the vm you create, with usual settings for vmware.

(i think we don't need the -vmware option for semthex's kernel, check with him)

 

Note: for me 10.4.8 under these conditions is somewhat sluggish, cpu alway hitting over 90% for running that vm (single core, ... ); apart from that, nothing unsafe.

Is there a guide anywhere detailing how to boot the native OS X install?

I've never toutched VMWare and so am slightly uncertain as to how you go abouts doing anything with it.

[cbmkgd]

Essentially, it's a subset of the steps of SABR's tutorial, with some tweaks.

• Follow step 2.
  For me selecting the existing osx partition worked when creating the vm:
  • you select the disc on which the osx partition is on;
    
  • and thereafter the osx partition itself.
    

  [*]after the above, you'll have the basic settings ready to be modified.

  • In the devices panel, you double-click the Hard-disk;
    
  • then you click Advanced, and you select the "Independent" box (and "Persistent" radio button if not already)
    (this is about the comment that follows step 3 about Independent - Persistent disk in sabr's guide).
    Click the OK's to get back to your osx vm panel.
    

  [*]At this point, you're almost ready, except that you have to make your vm recognize the partition as active; see this as if the vm had its own internal mbr copied from the real disk, except for the active status; and also, other partitions will be seen as unknown type, only your native osx partition will be recognized, of type 0xAF.

  It is this last partition that you can now set as active, using your favorite tool within the virtual machine (a real cd/dvd, or a mounted image; in my case, i simply use an image of the acronis bootable cd, but it could be any appropriate tool).

  • Put your cd/dvd tool in the drive (or mount the image);
    
  • Make sure the CDROM in your vm Devices panel is set to this drive: double-click the cd-rom device and select the appropriate device; Autodetect might be sufficient though.
    
  • When you then start your VM (Start green arrow in the Commands panel on the right), quicly click in the center of the booting window (to give it the focus) and press the "Esc" button: you will then be able to select which device to boot in your VM, and select the CDROM.
    
  • When you've booted in your partitioning tool, set your osx partition active.
    
  • You can then reboot.
    

  [*]Now that your osx partition is active within your vm, it is ready to start. You might get a warning message about ATAPI and DMA for the CDROM, you can discard it after reading it.

I hope that's about all. I tried to detail some steps common for all vm (eg getting the vm's bios booting menu) which added a bit more lines.

I've redone a vm step-by-step following what I just wrote to test it, and had no problems. You might get another warning message after the first boot off, but it didn't return subsequently.

 

Of course, I should have added before that if only a simple access to the files is required, macdrive should do the trick.

Edited April 17, 2007 by cbmkgd

[hodgestructure]

What's the version of vmware workstation you use??

I use vmware 5.5.2, but there is no option for me to select the partion...

[cbmkgd]

Consult the manual and/or help files.