Mac VM Software

[Sam_Rowlands]

Thanks Christian, but my point was that I can’t download the versions from the App Store on a newer system, as Apple redirects them to fire up Software Update on Monterey.

I was able to get an older Mac to hold it together to download High Sierra, and I’ve now gotten High Sierra installing into a VM.

From there, I can download Mojave and Catalina, Big Sur…

It’s getting that initial old mac os version installer that will work with Parallels (it refused the Yosemite and Mountain Lion installers), once you’re on, you’re on. But getting on is such a horrible experience. Thank fully @anon93744516 gave me the biggest hint, which worked…

So tomorrow I can fight through with Mojave, then Catalina, then Big Sur

[Thomas_Roemert]

@Sam_Rowlands

but my point was that I can’t download the versions from the App Store on a newer system, as Apple redirects them to fire up Software Update on Monterey.

There is a free tool called MDS from TwoCanoes Software, thats able to download older install images (Production, Developer Seed, Public Seed etc.). You can get macOS 10.13 and newer with the help of this tool.

https://twocanoes.com/products/mac/mac-deploy-stick/

[Arnaud_N]

@Sam_Rowlands

I can’t download macOS 10.13 or newer because I’m running Monterey, all the links I find up, end up into Software update, which refuses to older OS versions.

Each time I install a new OS, I keep its installer in an archived folder, because of things like that. Same for apps, because they can vanish from the Internet.

[Douglas_Handy]

@ChristopheDV

that works but macOS 11 cannot be installed (for some odd reason)

I’ve heard there is some “virtualization layer” that was not in M1 versions of Big Sur that is present in Monterey and presumably will be in future SoC based releases.

Sadly, with a M1 machine you can’t load ANY macOS release in a VM before 12. Which means you can’t travel with a M1 based machine and have local access to all the prior releases you may care about. For my purposes, the need to do so is rare enough that I am opting to use remote access when necessary instead of also carrying my Intel based MBP. YMMV.

With an Intel machine you can create a VM of macOS 11 and several releases back. I actually don’t know how far back – far enough for anything I care about.

[Jean-Yves_Pochez]

@Douglas_Handy

With an Intel machine you can create a VM of macOS 11 and several releases back. I actually don’t know how far back – far enough for anything I care about.

10.6 server (I tested it) and even 10.5 server should work.

[Emile_Schwarz]

@Sam_Rowlands

I can’t download the versions from the App Store on a newer system, as Apple redirects them to fire up Software Update on Monterey.

The trick is to use Safari for the download. For more information, look at MacWorld UK, they have tutorial (article on how) to install macOS, any version of…

I recently downloaded from Lion to High Sierra… excepted Cataline, Big Sur and Monterey… (64 bits only -Catalina- and I do not know how for the last two).

[Peter_Koren]

@Sam_Rowlands

Another one of my older Macs has now departed the world, which since retirement has been used simply to test apps and code on older OS versions. Instead of buying a second hand machine that may suffer from the safe fate, I’m considering VM software again.

I’d like to know what VM software people use and why?
How easy is it to set up VMs for 10.13, 10.14, 10.15, 10.16 and maybe even a 10.17 VM next year.
How reliable are they?
Can they access the Mac App Store?

I am using Parallels with OS X 10.6, it works really great on one of my Macs (Intel Mac mini). I need it for an old application which does not exist any longer and does not work with newer versions of macOS.