VMware fusion 5 and snow leopard problem

I can't seem to find an answer either way. I'm trying to install previous versions of OS X for website testing in older browsers/OSs.

When I read the VMWare Fusion 5 Getting Started PDF, on page 13 is says:

"Supported Guest Operating Systems
VMware Fusion supports over 60 guest operating systems, including Windows 3.1 through Windows 7, Mac OS X Server, Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD. For the most recent list of guest operating systems that VMware products support, see the VMware Compatibility Guide site: http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php."

Which seems to suggest only Mac OS X Server only but the more I read about VMWare Fusion, starting with v.4.1 it allowed non-server, client versions of Mac OS 10.5 and 10.6 to be virtualized (http://www.tuaw.com/2011/11/18/vmware-fusion-now-virtualizes-standard-builds-of-mac-os-x-10-5-l/). Was this feature removed with VMWare Fusion 5?

When I follow their link for the compatibility search I get these results for 10.5.8:

http://d.pr/i/UAxG

And the details of those results says that it's a compatible guest OS, no mention of the server version.

http://d.pr/i/H1Ri

Other searches for 10.5.7 or any version of 10.6 yields no results whatsoever.

If I try to install Mac OS 10.5 Leopard or Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard, these are the only options I can get when I attempt to install from a disc:

http://d.pr/i/Vl8I

It allows 10.8 and 10.7 but only the server versions of 10.6 and 10.5.

Does anyone know how I can get either of these OSs installed in Fusion 5, or provide some insight into the reason why it won't allow the installs in this version? Thanks.

I think it is server version of Snow Leopard, and the full version of Mountain Lion. I know I have ML in a VM, and I know I put SL Server in a VM at one time as well. I think the reason for the difference is that Apple changed from SL to ML how the server stuff works. Previously there were two different OS', Server and normal. Now there is just one OS, ML, that you can add in the server side stuff if you want. Thus you have to be able to virtualize ML.

Make sense? I think I explained it.

dugost said:

It allows 10.8 and 10.7 but only the server versions of 10.6 and 10.5.

Does anyone know how I can get either of these OSs installed in Fusion 5, or provide some insight into the reason why it won't allow the installs in this version? Thanks.

Click to expand...

Apple's license agreements only permit virtualizing the server versions of 10.5 and 10.6, and the virtualization software vendors like VMWare and Parallels choose to respect that.

chrfr said:

Apple's license agreements only permit virtualizing the server versions of 10.5 and 10.6, and the virtualization software vendors like VMWare and Parallels choose to respect that.

Click to expand...

That's what I've been reading but in this article it says in 4.1 that VMWare began to allow client versions of 10.5 and 10.6 to be installed, not just the server versions.

So with v.5 they've gone back to only allowing server versions?

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CylonGlitch said:

I think it is server version of Snow Leopard, and the full version of Mountain Lion. I know I have ML in a VM, and I know I put SL Server in a VM at one time as well. I think the reason for the difference is that Apple changed from SL to ML how the server stuff works. Previously there were two different OS', Server and normal. Now there is just one OS, ML, that you can add in the server side stuff if you want. Thus you have to be able to virtualize ML.

Click to expand...

I think that's correct, there aren't two flavours of the OS beginning with Lion, I believe. But when I attempt to install 10.5 or 10.6 from my retail discs, it just tells me it's not the server version. So it would appear it doesn't allow the client OS any more. Sucks that they took away that option between v.4 and v.5.

dugost said:

So with v.5 they've gone back to only allowing server versions?

Click to expand...

That was a quickly patched oversight in Fusion 4.1.0.

Ah, that makes sense then. Thanks.

chrfr said:

Apple's license agreements only permit virtualizing the server versions of ... 10.6...

Click to expand...

That's a common Urban Myth that has been debunked over the last year or so.

Here are instructions for installing Snow Leopard (with Rosetta) into Parallels for use in Lion and Mountain Lion

MichaelLAX said:

That's a common Urban Myth that has been debunked over the last year or so.

Click to expand...

No, it's not an urban myth. The desktop versions of 10.6 and earlier are not licensed for use in a virtual machine. Whether there are ways around it or not don't change that fact.

chrfr said:

No, it's not an urban myth. The desktop versions of 10.6 and earlier are not licensed for use in a virtual machine. Whether there are ways around it or not don't change that fact.

Click to expand...

The OP wants to run Snow Leopard client in virtualization (presumably to continue to run PowerPC software that he is unable or unwilling to update to Intel versions or find alternative software solutions on a modern Mac that will not boot into Snow Leopard).

Why do you go out of your way to place hurdles in front of the OP (and others in a similar situation)? What makes this your calling in life?

My calling in life is to assist these people and for the last 18 months I have done exactly that with the premiere thread on installing Snow Leopard in Parallels as one such solution (others have chosen to follow my lead into the VMWare world).

I am always confounded by the (now ever decreasing) number of people, such as yourself, who have no credentials in this area (software licensing interpretation), yet continue to make unsupported statements that cannot be substantiated; they mislead or confuse the OP (and others similarly situated) and at the end of the day are irrelevant (considering the source)!

Isn't it enough that you can give great technical advice on this forum?

MichaelLAX said:

Why do you go out of your way to place hurdles in front of the OP (and others in a similar situation)? What makes this your calling in life?

Click to expand...

I'm not placing hurdles, Apple did when they specified that the OS X Server software can be properly licensed for use in a virtual environment but did not make the same allowance for 10.5.x and 10.6.x "desktop" version.
Ignoring the license terms is one thing, but the OP should know that it's not licensed. It matters to some people, and some employers.
I deal with a lot of software purchases, and a lot of software licenses on a regular basis at work as a primary task. I'm not quite sure how you came to know whether or not I'm qualified to do my job.

chrfr said:

I'm not placing hurdles, Apple did when they specified that the OS X Server software can be properly licensed for use in a virtual environment but did not make the same allowance for 10.5.x and 10.6.x "desktop" version.

Click to expand...

REALLY!?! How many more licenses for software that I do not own do I have to read before I can be confident that I know all the rights I have for Snow Leopard client? 2, 3, 10, 100?

This is the exact type of software license interpretation mistake easily made by a "civilian" and exactly why they should stay far away from such issues.

chrfr said:

Ignoring the license terms is one thing, but the OP should know that it's not licensed. It matters to some people, and some employers.

I deal with a lot of software purchases, and a lot of software licenses on a regular basis at work as a primary task. I'm not quite sure how you came to know whether or not I'm qualified to do my job.

Click to expand...

Maybe you should be more concerned about whether or not YOUR employer reads this forum and less concerned about the virtualization of Snow Leopard by the OP...