This post is other part of Mac on Windows series in Sysprobs. The difference between other blogs and here is, I cover all installation steps clearly and post installation configurations including adjusting screen resolution, sound, networking and shared folders between Windows host and Mac OS X guest. This guide shows how to install and update Snow Leopard 10.6.2 Intel AMD by Hazard to 10.6.4 on Virtual Box 3.2.8.
Any third party boot loaders not required for this methods but you have to download specific hackintosh installation ISO file. The original installation DVD or ISO file will not work here.
See Also
How to install Snow Leopard 10.6.4 on VirtualBox with original Mac OS X DVD
You need to download hacked version Snow_Leopard_10.6.1-10.6.2_SSE2_SSE3_Intel_AMD_by_Hazard.rar which made for Intel and AMD computers.
This method is very similar to Tek411 blog post, but this continues with 10.6.4 combo update on Hazard distro and some other post configurations.
Required Products for Snow Leopard 10.6.4 on VirtualBox 3.2.8
1) Snow_Leopard_10.6.1-10.6.2_SSE2_SSE3_Intel_AMD_by_Hazard.rar ( I’m not giving the download link, but if you search on Google you will find it.)
2) Oracle VirtualBox 3.2.8 ( Read more and download it here)
3) Enable Hardware Virtualization Technology (VT) on host computer motherboard and make sure host OS is detecting it. ( Read more here how to enable VT and check)
Demonstration PC Configurations
The PC I’m using to install this method and take screen print is,
Intel Core2Duo 2.66 GHz, Intel P35 Chipset, 3GB Ram, Windows 7 32 Bit and Virtualization Technology is already enabled in BIOS.
Installation Steps
1) Create a new Virtual machine. Select OS type Mac OS X Server as shown below.
2) Set memory size and hard disk in next screens.
3) Do not change anything in default settings, except;
Remove floppy drive,
Enable 3D Acceleration and set maximum memory for video.
4) Go to storage option and mount downloaded ISO file to DVD drive.
5) Ready to start, power on Virtual machine now. First installation screen should appear without any issues.
6) Most of the time you can’t see the disk to select. Go to Disk utilities as shown below.
Create a new partition and press Apply.
After exit from this screen, select the created partition and continue the installation.
7) Next screen is very important to select customized packages. Since I’m running this on Intel Core2Duo 2.66 GHz 32 Bit OS, I select latest Chameleon boot Intel boot loader.
Note- This boot loader just for backup purpose only. We already selected VirtualBox EFI boot loader (in Step 3) which works fine with this installation. If you remove VB EFI then your Mac OS will boot from Chameleon boot Intel boot loader. So, you have two options. Select which ever works good on your computer.
I did not select any Mac OS X updates at this point , because I will be using 10.6.4 combo update later on Snow Leopard 10.6.2 Intel AMD by Hazard.
AMD users select AMD option.
There are several kernels available under kernels for AMD and Intel ( Pentium 4) users. Before select and continue the installation, please read description below for each package.
Graphics and Audio drives made for physical hardware only, so don’t select any of them since VirtualBox with Mac guest doesn’t talk to physical hardware properly.
8.) Start the installation. I’m sure it will complete successfully if you are lucky.
9) After restart, continue the first time configurations. Keyboard setup will fail, don’t worry. Here is the first screen of working Snow leopard on Oracle VirtualBox 3.2.8.
Post Configurations and Setups of Snow Leopard 10.6.4 on VirtualBox 3.2.8
1) Network
As usual network worked out of the box in all types.
2) Sound
You can download sound installation package from here and install it. Sound is not that quality. For me only right speaker worked, that’s also not very clear. But at least I can make out what’s playing inside Mac guest virtual machine.
Manual installation method and more information available here.
3) Setting up screen resolution to fit your monitor
Read this post to adjust screen size inside Mac OS X Guest. Since we cant install guest additions on this machine, only manual methods are available to change screen size. I have updated this post with several working methods mentioned by readers. So, try each method till you set correct size.
4) USB Disk Access
It works fine. If you are using USB external hard disk, some times you have to go to disk utility and mount it.
5) Boot from disk
This is not an issue like earlier methods in sysprobs, because it works with VirtualBox EFI boot loader. Make sure EFI boot loader is selected all the time in Virtual machine option.
If this doesn’t work, remove the above tick and make sure to install Chameleon boot loader as shown in step 7.
6) How to update Snow Leopard Intel AMD by Hazard to 10.6.4 on Virtual Box 3.2.8
I did manual update ( Download 10.6.4 combo update and installed) but failed with kernel panic when rebooted. Luckily had snapshot, so take a snapshot right now before continue.
The kernel came with this installation ISO works only up to 10.6.2. You need to download 10.6.4 legacy kernel ( Same kernel for Intel and AMD), AMD users must do one more step which I will mention later.
Before start the update download latest kernel from here and transfer to Mac virtual machine. Now start the software or manual update to 10.6.4, once its successfully installed and waiting for restart, DO NOT restart.
While update screen open, start the kernel installation. If you have SMBIOS.kext file then delete it as some others reported issue with it, but I did not find. After the completion close it and now restart VM. Here is the updated Hazard Snow Leopard.
Read more about further discussions on updating hazard to 10.6.4.
It worked without any troubles for me.The good thing on this installation method ( If you booted with VirtualBox EFI boot loader) is when you click ‘ About this Mac’ in menu, it returns the details. In earlier methods this option did not work.
For AMD Users - After the update and legacy kernel installation, do a cpuid patch with Marvin’s AMD utility as mentioned here.
7) Shared Folders between Windows host and Mac guest
This will be useful to transfer data to Snow leopard from Windows machine. Working network is required and more information about how to setup shared folders is available here.
I’m sure these steps will be useful to have latest Mac OS X on VirtualBox 3.2.8.
Just let me know your issues face in this method. It may be different for i7, i5 and AMD processors. We will try to fix together.
Also, don’t forget to share successful stories in comments area.
Have fun.
Installation and update work ok but there is a problem – I can’t see any pictures in programs by Apple (Preview, iPhoto etc.) but for example Photoshop works ok. In Finder I can see pictures as an icon.
Of course I don’t want to use this for work so it’s not so important but it is the easiest way to try Mac OS.
@Vdolek,
Sorry, I have no idea.
I think, one of Mac expert should answer.
On an Intel Core i5 M450 on first boot after installation, the system is stuck at the grey screen with the Apple logo. It will not finish the startup sequence. I am guessing I need to use another of the kernel selections during the initial install customization options. Is this the case? If so, is there a way to select another kernel without going through the entire procedure over again?
I also wondered since the i5 M450 is dual core, shouldn’t we enable 2 cores in the system/processor setup in VirtualBox settings for the VM?
@Chris,
Try to enable 2 cores and try. Then change to back to one. Also, play around with PAE/NX option and try.
Restart and reset VM several times.
Or check this post http://www.sysprobs.com/install-mac-snow-leopard-1063-oracle-virtualbox-32-apple-intel-pc and download empireEFI boot loader and try booting from it. Select hard disk and press Enter while system coming up, otherwise you have to re do the entire procedure.
Thanks Dinesh, EmpireEFI worked. I then installed a legacy kernel and it runs fine.
I also want to get network shares between the host and guest working. At the moment the Network does not see the host within the Mac VM despite being in the same workgroup as the host system. Have configured a share on the Windows host and the VirtualBox settings, as well as setup WINS in the network properties in the Mac VM. not sure why it is not working…
Also, “About This Mac” does not work. I researched and it seems a kext (AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext or similar) has to be replaced. How is this done post install?
@Chris,
Is Mac VM pinging to your host? Make sure to select correct network type on VirtualBox, if you did correctly, then unplug and plug (by pressing disconnect) several times. Check the network IP address and physical MAC address of network adapter inside Snow leopard.
If all works, then try this method mentioned here http://www.sysprobs.com/mac-os-guest-virtualbox-326-snow-leopard-1064-windows-7-32-bit to setup shared folders between Mac guest and Windows host. Setting up shares on VirtualBox settings will not work here without proper VB guest additions.
Yes, with EmprireEFI ‘About This Mac’ does not work. I didn’t try to find out how to fix it. Thanks for your information. You have to download some ‘Kext installers’ and install it on SL. Then use this program to overwrite or install AppleSMBIOSEFI.kext. I’m not sure this will fix the issue, but I always use ‘ System Profiler’ to find out the ‘About This Mac’ details.
@Dinesh,
Mac VM can successfully ping host ip and host can successfully ping Mac VM ip, but I cannot browse the network from the Mac VM or connect to the host ip or computer name through the “Connect to Server”. I also cannot browse or view the Mac VM though the network from the host. I have networking setup as bridged with my router assigning an ip address to each via their mac addresses. Mac VM networking is setup correctly showing properly assigned ip address from the router and diagnostics shows no problems. This is a mystery…
@Dinesh,
I am now trying the NAT method again. Still nothing. My other WindowsXP VM accesses the host share fine by network mapping (not meaning VirtualBox shared folders), so I think this is an issue in the Mac VM
@Chris,
Are you typing Windows host IP address as below from Mac VM?
smb:// 192.168.56.1
@Dinesh,
Yes, I have tried both smb:// 10.0.2.2 and smb:// 192.168.56.1 and neither of them work. This is certainly a mystery…
dear, I already made 10.6.2 hazard installation with virtualbox but few questions about update to 10.6.4 and excuse for my english..
combo update I have to download from apple directly?
How can make dual boot if in the first installation I didn’t make any bootloader installation or configuration? Is it possible to do something now?
With virtualbox and with 6.4 update is possible to resolve 3d acceleration on grafic card (ati radeon)? Thank you
@giappo,
Yes, you can download from apple site and update it. BUT before restart, install the 10.6.4 kernel as I mentioned.
I didn’t understand your next question.
10.6.4 update will not do anything for graphics card inside virtual machine.
everything is almost installed.. I’ll update before restarting (after uploading combo)
Now what I would like to do is to have the dual boot, with vista in HD and MAC OS installed in virtualbox.. How can I do it?
Thank you
Beware that downloading the .rar file mentioned above, at least from Pirate Bay, can well earn you a nasty letter from your ISP. That file is monitored by the anti-piracy folks via some sort of bot. Within 24 hours of downloading the torrent, I got a warning letter from my ISP that I had been supplying a file for copying. Remember, your torrent client may well upload what you downloaded if you don’t tell it not to. Providing that file for uploading is what will kick off the bot warning.
do u mean downloading it from torrents or direct download???
“Before start the update download latest kernel from here and transfer to Mac virtual machine. Now start the software or manual update to 10.6.4, once its successfully installed and waiting for restart, DO NOT restart.”
but I restarted without update the kernel.. what I can do now?
Thank you
@gianluca,
What happened? Have you taken snapshot before running update? you have to use that point and restore.
I don’t think you can do anything after getting kernel panic error.
Update me the status if you can.
Hi there,
This guide is great!! i’m not using the snow leopard in this way instead a full install on my pc. Problem is that when i attempt to update to 10.6.4 im having issues. So i have the 10.6.4 legacy kernel, and i try to run the mac combo update first, but whilst trying to install this update i get kernel panic, so i cant even apply the legacy kernel patch!! i have to to hard reboot and snow leopard boots up again fine.
Weird thing is that i have done an update to 10.6.4 before using the sudo code back up procedure… but since then i added a graphics card so had to reinstall snow leopard, select ‘graphics_enabler’ also IOATAfamily fix i think if i remember correctly with all the other regular customizations. The card works great with all the effects etc, but now i cant do this update.Any help is greatly appreciated..
great guide mate.
do i have to do step 7 to run snow leopard?
@Matt,
No you can just avoid step 7 to run snow leopard.
So next time it will boot from EFIboot loader or VirtualBox built in EFI.
BUT make sure you install kernel 10.6.4 before restart after update to combo 10.6.4
good stuff! if i just read this earlier, i can save a lot of trouble
Entire installation was a breeze. I was very pleased until I found out that I couldn’t use usb devices on the snow leopard system. Pls help
@Jack,
Thanks for your comment.
USB should not be a problem.
Just restart your host and guest, then try. Or change the USB ports and re attach to virtual machine in VB menu
I tried the same approach to update from 10.6.2 to 10.6.5.
after restart my usb mouse and keyboard stopped working!
I’ve done everything you said. i upgraded my 10.6.2 to 10.6.4 then before restart i installed kernel. and when i restarted it just stucked at grey screen of death
an apple logo and a spinning wheel is what i am looking at for 1 hour now. i really don’t know that to do. any ideas?
Hey. So I tried to update, and I got it to go from 10.6.2 to 10.6.4
I did everything. I have an AMD CPU.
The only thing is, what do I have to patch in the Marvin Utility? Which folder? I have no idea what to do there. I think for that reason, the “About this Mac” still won’t work for me, even in 10.6.4
Any ideas anyone?
I am using the same .iso. And trying to install in a new partition, not in virtual box. But during installation there is partition tab found or shown. So i proceed with the erase tab. But still cant find the partition to install.
My motherboard is: M2N MX SE
amd athlon x2 4200+
sata hdd.
Please help.
Upgraded to 10.6.8 with legacy kernel. I used the same method you described. Although iwork wont show me any text or template colours and font, just a blank document, so i had to switch to office 2011. Also not able to see pictures in iphoto and preview (note that these are apples software itself), so i had to switch to photoshop. Would really appreciate it if iphoto could display photos after i double click them. Is there a fix for this?
Ok. I figured it out. The iphoto pictures are’nt displaying because coz the snow leopard update or installation is corrupt. Unfortunately only hazard x can fix this problem.
Please help i have followed the same step but i dont have the vt enabled my laptop does not suppot that .
So when i start VB is start loading kernal and get stuck at showing major 13 /minor 3/
what should i do?????????????
VT is a system requirement for the VirtualBox method. You will have to use another method for a direct install to your hardware using something like Boot 132, Chameleon, and EFI to install on your laptop. There are some links in the Wikipedia Hackintosh article to point you in that direction.
Thanks for this guide. You are really right about your approach being more thorough than others. I read the procedure at two other sites before reading yours. I was stuck until I saw your tip about the menu with disk utilities not being visible because of not using full screen in VB. With the blank disk selection box, I thought my installation wasn’t working. Once I read your tip, everything installed fine.
I’m running on a Core 2 Quad, but it’s still not real snappy. Choosing 4 cores in VB chokes things up, but 2 seems fine. There are some issues typical of early emulators in running applications. One program gave a black screen, and Yahoo News gave a message about needing a Flash update to display the videos. Clicking “Yes” to update on the first try locked up Safari, and did nothing at all on the second try.
My only question is that I have several .dmg files that I can’t open when I attach them to the virtual DVD drive. They can’t be read either when I burn them to DVD and use the physical drive. They can be read in Windows under MacDrive, but if I copy the contents out and burn them to a bootable ISO disk in Burn Aware, it can’t be read either. Is there a secret I’m missing?.
Thanks