Can MacOS be run in a VMWare type environment on Windows?
A:
Yes, OS X can be run in a virtualized environment but the license of OS X client prohibits this use. OS X Server can legally be run in a virtualized environment but only on a Mac OS X host (not under VMWare on Windows, sorry). We use a VMWare Fusion image running OS X 10.5 Server for testing deployments.
Barry Wark
2009-05-27 22:20:20
Interesting. I wonder if there's any way for Apple to actually enforce the terms of the prohibition? (Technical solutions, rather than ethical ones..)
viksit
2009-05-27 22:24:43
I clarified my question, I want to know if I can run OSX on Windows via a VMWare type client.
Mike Curry
2009-05-27 22:26:20
Note that even with OS X Server, you can't legally run it through VMWare on anything but a Mac.
Chuck
2009-05-27 22:27:11
Apple can't enforce this. They rely on our (I work for VMware) good will to disable this in shipping builds. And also they might try to sue us if we didn't...
nosatalian
2009-05-29 08:24:00
+1
A:
The Mac OS X server runs fine on VMWare Fusion but is not officially supported on other VMWare products yet. It would be possible to install it on VMWare Workstation, but I'm not sure how stable it is. See the official guest OS compatibility guide.
Mac OS X client cannot be legally run on any VMWare product.
molf
2009-05-27 22:23:52
You say "Mac OS X client cannot be legally run on any VMWare product." However I don't see this provision in the EULA: http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/macosx105.pdf The closest I can find is: "You agree not to install, useor run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-labeled computer" Presumably you can comply by putting one of the Apple decals that comes with the OS on your Windows box. Bam -- Apple-labeled.
John M. P. Knox
2009-05-27 23:10:32
I'd say that "it violates the license" rather than "it's illegal". Splitting hairs but it may be an important distinction.
sjstrutt
2009-05-27 22:59:23
As controversial as this is, this was what I was looking for (an answer and proof).
Mike Curry
2009-05-28 00:18:41
A:
Yes, I've ran Mac OS in a WMWare virtual environment in Windows. I would say that the exercise is not worth the time. The resulting OS is so massively slow, it's almost unusable. I could actually see the windows slowly drawing on the screen.
And the the VMWare goodies (e.g. drivers) that seamlessly blend the host and guest OSes are missing for Mac OS (as it's not a supported guest, due to it's being forbidden).
AngryHacker
2009-05-27 22:44:01