Yes, you can run a Mac OS X 10.6 or later in a virtual machine. Most people can get it up and running in less than 60 minutes (depending on the machine). This is quite handy for developers who need to create software or test software.
Credit
All credit goes to Prasys.info. This is just a re-digest of the information with additional step-by-step instructions - designed for my friends who may not be familiar with installing and configuring a Mac OS X in a virtual machine. It is not meant to address all situations and nuances of trying to perform this. There are lots of resources out there which deal with the nuances and pitfalls of trying to do this.
Assumptions / Requirements
Here are some basic requirements and assumptions:
- System requirements:
- Memory: 1 GB, 2 GB preferred.
- Hard Drive Space: 15 GB free, 40 GB free preferred
- Processor: Multi-core
- A fairly current processor system supporting SSE3:
- Intel 32/64-bit or AMD 32/64-bit.
- Virtualization Technology must be enabled in BIOS
- Oracle Virtual Box 4.2.18 or later
- Mac OS X 10.6.3 Snow Leopard DVD, or ISO. $35 on Amazon.
- Boot loader, such as the EmpireEFLv1085.iso
- Intel
- Intel P55
- Intel i5 or i7 or for ATI Chipsets Intel i5 or i7.
- AMD or Alternate
- In-depth information by Prasys' Blog
Getting Ready
These instructions are for those using a Intel machine running a 64-bit OS:
- Download and install Oracle VirtualBox (free). Perform a default install.
- Get the Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Retail DVD ($35) on Amazon, or ISO.
- Download and unzip EmpireEFLv1085.iso.
The following instructions will provide you step-by-step for installing the Mac OS X into the virtual machine.
- In VirtualBox, click New.
- Enter in the title of Mac OS X Snow Leopard
- Choose the Operating System of Mac OS X.
- Click Next.
- Settings - Memory:
- Memory: 1 GB minimum, 2 GB recommended.
- Click Next.
- Settings - Hard Drive
- 25 GB hard drive size
- Type: fixed is recommended for faster performance, dynamic if you want to resize it later.
- Click Next.
- After VM is created, select and go into Settings.
- Go to Settings > System > Motherboard.
- Check "Enable IO APIC"
- Check "Enable EFI"
- Check "Enable absolute pointing device"
- Go to Settings > System > Processor.
- Set processors to 2 if you can.
- Check Enable PAE/NX if not checked.
- Go to Settings > system > Acceleration.
- Check Enable VT-x/AMD-v
- Check Enable Nested Paging.
- Go to Settings > Dispay > Video
- Set the video memory to 9 MB minimum
- Set the monitor count to 1 or 2
- Check the "Enable 3D Acceleration"
- Go to Settings > Storage.
- Ensure the Type is ICH6
- Check "Use host I/O cache" if not checked
- Go to Storage.
- Click + to add, select Add CD/DVD Device.
- Click Choose Disk, and select the empireEFIv1085.iso, click Open.
- Click OK
- Start the virtual machine.
- Click OK if prompted with Virtualbox information.
- NOTE: If the EFI boots to a shell command, then do the following:
- Power off the virtual machine.
- Go to Settings > System and uncheck the Enable EFI.
- Click OK.
- Start the VM.
- After the virtual machine boots, you should be prompted with the "Empire EFI" logo on a black background.
- When prompted with the "Empire EFI" logo and disc, change the ISO:
- In the bottom of the VM, right-click on the CD and select IDE (IDE Primary Master) and then click on "Choose a virtual CD/DVD disk file...".
- Choose the Mac OS X 10.6.3 Snow Leopard.iso
- Press the F5 key, you should now see the title of the DVD.
- - Hit enter to start the install.
- - Hit enter again.
- - Click OK for any dialogs/prompts as the DVD is booting up.
Installing Mac OS X in the Virtual Machine
You may find this helpful if you have not installed a Mac OS X clean installation before.
- Select language and click next
- Click Continue.
- Click Agree for the license agreement.
- On the installer, choose Utilities > Disk Utility, as the disk doesn't exist yet.
- Select the hard drive.
- Click on the Erase tab, and for the "name" enter "MainDrive", click Erase.
- When prompted, click Erase.
- Close the Disk Utility
- Select the drive.
- Click Install.
- It will take about 30-45 minutes for the install to happen.
- Once you restart...you will have to do the following:
- Right-click on the CD/DVD and choose the Empire EFI ISO.
- Reset
Starting the Mac OS X Virtual Machine - 1st Time
- Once it boots, choose the "MainDrive", and the Mac OS X will start loading.
- From now on, that's the way you will boot.
- Click in the virtual machine.
- Use the Arrow key to select the "Main Drive"
- Hit Enter
- Hit Enter again
- There are ways around this...but that topic can be searched on Google.
- Continue with the setup:
- Click Continue on Welcome screen.
- Click Continue on "Select your Keyboard".
- Click Continue on "Do you already own a mac?"
- Click Continue on "enter in your Apple ID", or enter it in.
- Click Continue on "Registration Information", click Continue again if you didn't fill it all out.
- Click Continue on "Create your Account" (you can enter a password if you want)
- Select your Time Zone and click Continue.
- Click Done.
- Click CLOSE on Keyboard Setup Assistant.
Hopefully you get this screen!
Shutting Down the Virtual Machine
There is a right way and a not-so-right way of shutting down - depending on your circumstances.
All is Good - So Shutdown Normally
You want to do this when everything is in a good state. For example, you just installed some software and you want to keep the changes or avoid corruption of your operating system.
- Go to the Apple in the menu, choose Shut Down...
- Click Shut down.
- Your settings in the OS are saved.
- Once the OS has stopped, you can click on Machine > Power Off Machine.
There is another way to shutdown too. This is also acceptable, but doesn't always respond.
- Go to Machine > Close.
- When prompted, choose "Send Shutdown Signal".
Snapshot your VM
Before you proceed and make more changes to your VM - you should make a backup of it.
- Make sure the VM is not running. If it is, shutdown.
- Select the virtual machine in the VM VirtualBox Manager.
- Click on the Snapshots button on the top right.
- Click on the Camera to take a snapshot.
- Enter in the name and a description.
- Click OK
A Few More Things
You can stop here...but there are a couple of things you may want to do:
- Go to Apple > Software Update.
- Perform an update if you need/want to.
- Download that from the App Store after doing the latest updates to 10.6.
- The 2.0 GB update will take care of upgrading from 10.6.n to 10.9 for you.
- Make sure you take a snapshot or do a backup first.
Original Resources / Additional Resources
http://prasys.info/2009/10/empire-efi/
http://www.sysprobs.com/install-mac-snow-leopard-1063-oracle-virtualbox-32-apple-intel-pc