
Install OS X 10.10 Yosemite in VirtualBox - frdmn
http://blog.frd.mn/install-os-x-10-10-yosemite-in-virtualbox/
======
rmoriz
There is a simpler solution out there using Hashicorps' Packer and the great
build scripts from timsutton ( can build images for Fusion and Parallels,
too.):

[https://github.com/timsutton/osx-vm-
templates](https://github.com/timsutton/osx-vm-templates)

e.g.

[https://gist.github.com/rmoriz/37b671afe53c984b2f85](https://gist.github.com/rmoriz/37b671afe53c984b2f85)

------
wslh
I used OS X in VMware and Virtualbox (running Xcode) and the experience was
awful. Mainly because 3D support is not available and OS X makes a heavy use
of graphics acceleration.

OS updates also break the installation.

There are many discussion threads on this topic, like this one
[https://communities.vmware.com/thread/466874](https://communities.vmware.com/thread/466874)

~~~
pierrec
Same experience here. I usually don't have an Apple computer underhand, but I
maintain cross-platform software for which I publish OSX binaries. I wish
Apple gave some consideration to this situation, which is less of a problem
for other plaforms which can be virtualized properly. After going though hoops
running unstable VMs on old versions of VirtualBox, I ended up getting a
vaguely stable build process up and running. But it was a pain.

Edit: less aggressive wording

~~~
sbuk
"Doesn't Apple have any consideration for this situation?"

They do; buy a Mac.

EDIT: That sounds harsh, but it is their business model. That is the cost of
entry to the Apple eco-system. I would argue that the running through hoops
was your choice. The obvious choice is to not build for their platform.

~~~
MCRed
That's kinda like saying the obvious choice is not to build for Windows,
because you have to have Windows to run Windows development tools.

Or not to build for Linux because you have to buy a linux machine.

~~~
jarek
You don't have to buy Microsoft hardware to run Windows development tools

~~~
TillE
But you do need to buy their software (or you did, until very recently), at
least their operating system. In this case, Apple only sells their software in
combination with hardware.

$500 for a Mac (with a license to all their "free" software) is not terribly
far from $200 for Windows 8 Pro.

~~~
Someone1234
> $500 for a Mac (with a license to all their "free" software) is not terribly
> far from $200 for Windows 8 Pro.

Amazon: Windows 8.1 OEM, $89.99

Amazon: Windows 8.1, $99.97

Amazon: Windows 8.1 Pro, $174.99

Windows 8.1 Pro provides no tools you really need for software
development[0][1] (although client hyper-v is nice), you can develop on the
standard edition of 8.1 just fine.

[0] [https://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/windows/enterprise/products-...](https://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/windows/enterprise/products-and-
technologies/windows-8-1/compare/default.aspx) [1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8_editions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8_editions)

------
zyxley
Note that if you do this with 10.10, performance will be terrible because of
graphics accelerations issues.

From what I understand, 10.9 generally works fine in VMs, but there was a
change in the underlying graphics engine in 10.10 that works fine on real
hardware but plays merry havoc with VMs.

------
alkonaut
It seems the image must be created on an existing OS X installation. Is a pre-
baked image portable to virtualbox running on other host OS:es? (Yes I know,
Eula yada yada).

~~~
mahouse
I know of some images that are available at The Pirate Bay, but they are only
for VMware and also require some kind of patch to the virtualisation software
for a reason I do not know.

~~~
josteink
VMware does not (last time I checked) support (U)EFI boot and OSX relies on
this, even though it's an extremely dated EFI version from 2006.

Virtual box support EFI-boot fine, so no patches are needed and OSX can be
installed from a normal, unhacked ISO-file.

Basically I'd say this is a shortcoming in VMware and I'm surprised it's still
there after all these years.

~~~
extra88
"VMware" is the company, not the product. You can run many versions of OS X as
a guest on VMware Fusion and VMware ESXi when the "physical system is an
Apple-labeled computer." [1] Installation does not require a hacked ISO or
other modified installer however the current ESXi instructions do say to
install Mountain Lion first in the VM then install Yosemite on top of it.

[1]
[http://partnerweb.vmware.com/GOSIG/MacOSX_10_10.html](http://partnerweb.vmware.com/GOSIG/MacOSX_10_10.html)

~~~
josteink
So basically VMware plays fiddle to apple's artificially restrictive
licencing, and virtualbox does not then?

If that's so, I'll clearly prefer virtualbox in the future. I like software
that respects the user as opposed to software restricting my options.

~~~
extra88
I don't know what VMware's software does or doesn't do but its _documentation_
just reiterates what OS X's EULA says. VirtualBox's documentation does the
same thing [1] and goes further to caution "These license restrictions are
also enforced on a technical level. Mac OS X verifies whether it is running on
Apple hardware, and most DVDs that that come with Apple hardware even check
for an exact model. These restrictions are not circumvented by VirtualBox and
continue to apply."

BTW, if you're going to count on Oracle (who owns VirtualBox) for supporting
software freedom, you're going to have a bad time.

[1] [https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch03.html#intro-
macosxgues...](https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch03.html#intro-macosxguests)

~~~
gmac
In the past, at least, that installation-time check for an exact model was
not-very-well hidden in a Perl script on the DVD.

~~~
mahouse
Any info on that script? Can't find anything on Google

------
kriro
I'm thinking about getting a MBP (have one at work) because the hardware is
shiny and OSX is useful/needed for some things (iOS development, Unity
development). However I'd much rather run Linux as the base OS. That setup
wouldn't violate the EULA. I guess I'll spin up a VB-image on this OSX-MBP and
see how it goes :) Useful.

~~~
stephenr
I would guess you'll _probably_ get at best mediocre battery life not running
OS X as the host OS.

If you happen to have any issues with hardware (that are actually hardware
issues) it will also most likely be a lot harder (i.e. more involved) to get
support from an Apple Store.

Also, from reading the quoted text about the "virtualisation" clause in the
EULA - it may only be "acceptable" (by Apple's terms) to virtualise OS X on
top of OS X (emphasis mine):

> to install, use and run up to two (2) additional copies or instances of the
> Apple Software within virtual operating system environments on each Mac
> Computer you own or control _that is already running the Apple Software_

~~~
tracker1
I also understand, that if you bootcamp to get windows/linux that the
thunderbolt ports aren't completely compliant... Ie you'll see issues
connecting/disconnecting devices after booting (like the wired ethernet).

------
cerberusss
Now I remember why I don't like VirtualBox. There's always some problem when I
use it. In this case, I followed the exact instructions. I have a non-
functioning trackpad in the guest, which sometimes happens, and sometimes not.
In the OS X installer, I also can't select the disk to install to. And when I
powered down the VM and powered it up again, I get an error message "Error
loading kernel cache (0x9)". That seems to be fixed when you follow the FAQ
for "Stuck on boot".

The non-functioning trackpad I can get around, by rebooting until it works.
Anybody had the problem where you can't select the target disk in the
installer?

Edit: got it. You have to format the disk. In the installer, go to Disk
Utility and "erase" the disk. This formats and partitions it.

------
csvan
Needless to say, this is a gross EULA violation (clarification: if you do it
on non-Apple hardware, that is).

~~~
josteink
Yes. Those legally binding EULAs with the associated EULA-violations we've
constantly heard people getting jailed over.

How about you Mac-heads come to terms with Macs being bog standard X86
hardware and OSX being a bog standard X86 OS, and that running a bog standard
X86 OS on bog standard X86 hardware is absolutely within everyone's legal
right to do?

There's nothing special about your hardware nor OS. Get over it.

In the meantime I will virtualize OSX to get the Mac-specific parts of my
build and tests running, and leave everything else on proper Linux.

~~~
sbuk
What is "proper" Linux?

~~~
TickleSteve
He's probably one of those guys that thinks OSX is a version of Linux... or
BSD...

( _hint_ its Mach with a BSD userland).

~~~
mauricemir
using both you wouldn't think that Linux works better for one

------
arihant
Since Virtual Box supports EFI boot, and since we did not fiddle with the ISO
in this process, that means this process will not work on incompatible older
Macbooks, right?

------
st3fan
Can the same technique be used to run Yosemite under KVM?

~~~
defied
Take a look at
[http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~somlo/OSXKVM/](http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~somlo/OSXKVM/)

I haven't tried it myself, but those instructions should help with running
Yosemite on QEMU/KVM

~~~
st3fan
Ah thanks for the reminder. I had looked at that page previously when it just
covered 10.9. I see that it has been updated with instructions for 10.10.
Wonderful.

------
neals
Would this run faster on a Windows-SDD than on a Mac-mini sloooow HDD?

~~~
provemewrong
Why don't you replace that Mac Mini HDD with a blazing fast SSD instead?

~~~
byuu
Because you need multiple types of Torx security screwdrivers and have to
literally disassemble the thing 100% (including removing the HSF and pulling
out multiple tiny ribbon cables) to get the hard drive out; and it completely
voids your warranty to do so. And hopefully you made a USB install stick
first, since they don't ship with install media anymore.

I'm sure the next iteration of the Mini will go to
32GB/64GB(+$100)/128GB(+$300) M.2 SSD options, all conveniently soldered onto
the mainboard as well.

~~~
aphistic
> And hopefully you made a USB install stick first, since they don't ship with
> install media anymore.

As if anybody actually does that any more? I just bought a new ThinkPad and it
didn't even come with a manual, just a little sheet of paper telling me where
to find the PDFs.

~~~
byuu
The Zotac ZBOX I just bought came with reinstall media for Windows 8.1.

Which was a good thing, because it shipped from the factory in Korean language
mode.

