2020 Update: Snow Leopard (client) and Parallels 15 & 16: Apparently Parallels "breaks" the ability to boot Snow Leopard client, as modified below, on versions of Parallels sometime around version 10 or 11.
IvanExpert has recently posted his updated method to install Snow Leopard client into Parallels 15 and 16 here and I just upgraded to Parallels 15.1.4 and it works like a charm! This renders my Snow Leopard client instructions below obsolete; so use Ivan's method (6/24/2020).
Remember Snow Leopard Server is an authorized installation for Parallels and is much easier to install and use, as noted below. I will update how to install SLS into Parallels 15 soon.
I will keep this post here for historical purposes and comments, questions, etc. since Ivan's blog does not accept comments.
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BIG NEWS UPDATE: Apple is now selling Snow Leopard Server for $19.99 + sales tax & shipping costs at 1.800.MYAPPLE (1.800.692.7753) - Apple Part Number: MC588Z/A (telephone orders only). Here is virtualized SLS in action! Installing Snow Leopard Server into Parallels is a much simpler process and recommended to all who have access to purchasing SLS (apparently USA & Canada, Australia and some European countries for now).
Full installation instructions for Snow Leopard Server into Parallels 10 are here
This thread remains for historical perspective and for those who cannot gain access to purchasing Snow Leopard Server (although try real hard - have a friend in the USA or Canada purchase it for you and ship it to you).
Someone actually went to the bother of posting a YouTube instructional video of this process
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Preliminary Notes:
What is needed:
• Installation of Parallels 7 in your Lion computer - I will expect this step has already been completed.
• A fresh copy of the Snow Leopard Installation DVD (and not a machine specific, nor restore disk that may have come with your computer).
• Use of the programs Disk Utility and Terminal, both of which are in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder and Text Edit from the Applications folder and Terminal from the /Applications/Utilities/ folder within Snow Leopard once it is installed.
Step One - Preparing the Snow Leopard Installation DVD
1. Insert a fresh Snow Leopard Installation DVD into your drive and launch Disk Utility (/Applications/Utilities/). Since the release of Mountain Lion, you can obtain this DVD for $19.99 from the Apple Store or call their telesales agents [1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753)] or Customer Service and Sales Support at 1-800-676-2775 or 1-800-275-2273 (ask for a Sales Representative). Do not use a grey, machine-specific Install DVD: see the attached photos.
2. Select the device for your optical drive (note that this is NOT the Mac OS X Installation disk, but rather the device that has mounted it; in this example the device is named "SuperDrive”). BE VERY CAREFUL HERE!
[See Disk Utility Image attached below; click on any image to enlarge.]
3. From Disk Utility’s File menu, choose “New > Disk Image from [device]” from the File menu, set the image format to “DVD/CD master” and Encryption to none and create the disk image on your Desktop. When the creation of the disk image file is complete, quit Disk Utility and eject the Snow Leopard Install DVD from your drive.
4. Mount the new disk image by double-clicking the file. You will now have two separate items on your Desktop: the image file and the container named Mac OS X Install DVD.
5. Launch Terminal (/Applications/Utilities/); cut and paste or carefully type the following command into Terminal and then hit Return/Enter:
touch '/Volumes/Mac OS X Install DVD/System/Library/CoreServices/ServerVersion.plist'
6. Quit Terminal
Step Two - Installing Snow Leopard into Parallels 7 in Lion
1. Launch Parallels 7 from your Applications Folder
2. From the File menu go to New… and enter your account password when requested.
3. From the New Virtual Machine window select Install Windows or another OS from DVD or image file and click Continue:
[See Install Windows image attached below]
4. In New Installation, in the Install From box, select Choose an Image File… then find, select and open the Snow Leopard image file (for example SuperDrive.cdr) created in Step One above, and then click Continue.
5. If Automatic Detection fails, in the next window select Mac OS X and click OK.
6. The default name will be Mac OS X. I like to make it more descriptive by naming it Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Also check the box at the bottom - Customize Setting Before Installation (you can leave the box Share WIth Others Users of This Mac unchecked) and click Continue.
7. At the Virtual Machine Configuration window, click Hardware, then Boot Order and check Select Boot Device on Startup, close the Hardware window (click the red button) and then click Continue.
8. OS X Snow Leopard will now start to be installed into the Parallels Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm file located at ~/Documents/Parallels/. As with all Snow Leopard installations, the following selections need to be made, as they come up:
10. Type the following command (including the quotation marks) in Terminal and then click RETURN/ENTER:
mkdir -p '/Volumes/Macintosh HD/System/Library/CoreServices/'
11. Now type this command (including quotation marks) in Terminal and hit RETURN/ENTER:
touch '/Volumes/Macintosh HD/System/Library/CoreServices/ServerVersion.plist'
12. Quit Terminal and go back to the installation of Snow Leopard; BUT FIRST: Click Customize and select Rosetta and optionally Quicktime 7 and all printer drivers. Click on OK.
13. Click on Install and the process will take upwards to 30 minutes or more as Snow Leopard is installed into Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm.
14. As it initiates Snow Leopard be sure to remember the Account Name and Password you establish.
15. Upon completion the installation process will reboot and you will now have a Snow Leopard Parallels window -- Cancel ANY attempt by Software Update at this time. I recommend the following optional settings in the Snow Leopard environment:
16. Shut down Snow Leopard. In Lion go to ~/Documents/Parallels/ and make an Alias of the file Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm and place the Alias on your desktop to easily double click to launch Snow Leopard. Optionally make a duplicate copy of the Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm file (Command-D) for protection.
Step Three - Updating the Snow Leopard Parallels environment
1. Installing Parallels Tools
sudo chown root:wheel /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.rectalogic.vmware.plist
sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.rectalogic.vmware.plist
3. Updating Snow Leopard and other software updates
4. Congratulations: you now have a completely functional Snow Leopard environment in Parallels 7 operating in Lion!
Step Four - Backup your Snow Leopard Parallels file
1. Shut Down Snow Leopard.
2. Make a backup of the Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm file. If you decide to do further backups of this file as you make changes within Snow Leopard, BE SURE to keep this original backup separately, so that you can always go back to this initial state.
END OF INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
NOTE: I never save important files in a virtualized environment; even in Windows XP. I use the Shared Folder or File Sharing to access all of my important files from my Macintosh HD and/or my many external HDs connect to my Mac and all saved files are also saved there.
_________________________________________
Thank you to all of the Internet sources that contributed to this solution.
IvanExpert has recently posted his updated method to install Snow Leopard client into Parallels 15 and 16 here and I just upgraded to Parallels 15.1.4 and it works like a charm! This renders my Snow Leopard client instructions below obsolete; so use Ivan's method (6/24/2020).
Remember Snow Leopard Server is an authorized installation for Parallels and is much easier to install and use, as noted below. I will update how to install SLS into Parallels 15 soon.
I will keep this post here for historical purposes and comments, questions, etc. since Ivan's blog does not accept comments.
____________________________________________________________________________
BIG NEWS UPDATE: Apple is now selling Snow Leopard Server for $19.99 + sales tax & shipping costs at 1.800.MYAPPLE (1.800.692.7753) - Apple Part Number: MC588Z/A (telephone orders only). Here is virtualized SLS in action! Installing Snow Leopard Server into Parallels is a much simpler process and recommended to all who have access to purchasing SLS (apparently USA & Canada, Australia and some European countries for now).
Full installation instructions for Snow Leopard Server into Parallels 10 are here
This thread remains for historical perspective and for those who cannot gain access to purchasing Snow Leopard Server (although try real hard - have a friend in the USA or Canada purchase it for you and ship it to you).
Someone actually went to the bother of posting a YouTube instructional video of this process
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Preliminary Notes:
A. This post #1 is being constantly updated to reflect users comments. It is self-contained, in that you do not need to read the remainder of this thread to properly accomplish the Snow Leopard install; however, I do suggest that you read post #3: Cautionary Notes and Troubleshooting Stepshttps://forums.macrumors.com/posts/14807433/.
B. These instructions were originally written for use with Parallels 7 in Snow Leopard or Lion.
C. UPDATE FOR MOUNTAIN LION: Two users have contributed this modified STEP ONE for use in Mountain Lion and multiple users have confirmed it works - Thank you! Mountain Lion requires Parallels 7 Build 7.0.15106 or Parallels 8.
D. Parallels 8: These instructions will work for Parallels 8. In STEP THREE #1: Parallels Tools is built into the main program in Parallels 8, so there is no need to install any ISO file as a CD/DVD, as instructed. Instead use: "Update Parallels Tools" from the Virtual Machine menu.
What is needed:
• Installation of Parallels 7 in your Lion computer - I will expect this step has already been completed.
• A fresh copy of the Snow Leopard Installation DVD (and not a machine specific, nor restore disk that may have come with your computer).
• Use of the programs Disk Utility and Terminal, both of which are in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder and Text Edit from the Applications folder and Terminal from the /Applications/Utilities/ folder within Snow Leopard once it is installed.
Step One - Preparing the Snow Leopard Installation DVD
1. Insert a fresh Snow Leopard Installation DVD into your drive and launch Disk Utility (/Applications/Utilities/). Since the release of Mountain Lion, you can obtain this DVD for $19.99 from the Apple Store or call their telesales agents [1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753)] or Customer Service and Sales Support at 1-800-676-2775 or 1-800-275-2273 (ask for a Sales Representative). Do not use a grey, machine-specific Install DVD: see the attached photos.
2. Select the device for your optical drive (note that this is NOT the Mac OS X Installation disk, but rather the device that has mounted it; in this example the device is named "SuperDrive”). BE VERY CAREFUL HERE!
[See Disk Utility Image attached below; click on any image to enlarge.]
3. From Disk Utility’s File menu, choose “New > Disk Image from [device]” from the File menu, set the image format to “DVD/CD master” and Encryption to none and create the disk image on your Desktop. When the creation of the disk image file is complete, quit Disk Utility and eject the Snow Leopard Install DVD from your drive.
4. Mount the new disk image by double-clicking the file. You will now have two separate items on your Desktop: the image file and the container named Mac OS X Install DVD.
5. Launch Terminal (/Applications/Utilities/); cut and paste or carefully type the following command into Terminal and then hit Return/Enter:
touch '/Volumes/Mac OS X Install DVD/System/Library/CoreServices/ServerVersion.plist'
6. Quit Terminal
Step Two - Installing Snow Leopard into Parallels 7 in Lion
1. Launch Parallels 7 from your Applications Folder
2. From the File menu go to New… and enter your account password when requested.
3. From the New Virtual Machine window select Install Windows or another OS from DVD or image file and click Continue:
[See Install Windows image attached below]
4. In New Installation, in the Install From box, select Choose an Image File… then find, select and open the Snow Leopard image file (for example SuperDrive.cdr) created in Step One above, and then click Continue.
5. If Automatic Detection fails, in the next window select Mac OS X and click OK.
6. The default name will be Mac OS X. I like to make it more descriptive by naming it Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Also check the box at the bottom - Customize Setting Before Installation (you can leave the box Share WIth Others Users of This Mac unchecked) and click Continue.
7. At the Virtual Machine Configuration window, click Hardware, then Boot Order and check Select Boot Device on Startup, close the Hardware window (click the red button) and then click Continue.
8. OS X Snow Leopard will now start to be installed into the Parallels Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm file located at ~/Documents/Parallels/. As with all Snow Leopard installations, the following selections need to be made, as they come up:
a. Use English for the main language (click on the right arrow).
b. Install Mac OS X (click on Continue).
c. Agree to the terms of the software licensing agreement by clicking Agree.
d. Select the disk where you want to install Snow Leopard by clicking on the Macintosh HD, but DO NOT YET CLICK ON INSTALL
9. In the Utilities Menu to the right of the Mac OS X Installer Menu (at the top of the Snow Leopard installation screen), Launch Terminal; see attached image below.10. Type the following command (including the quotation marks) in Terminal and then click RETURN/ENTER:
mkdir -p '/Volumes/Macintosh HD/System/Library/CoreServices/'
11. Now type this command (including quotation marks) in Terminal and hit RETURN/ENTER:
touch '/Volumes/Macintosh HD/System/Library/CoreServices/ServerVersion.plist'
12. Quit Terminal and go back to the installation of Snow Leopard; BUT FIRST: Click Customize and select Rosetta and optionally Quicktime 7 and all printer drivers. Click on OK.
13. Click on Install and the process will take upwards to 30 minutes or more as Snow Leopard is installed into Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm.
14. As it initiates Snow Leopard be sure to remember the Account Name and Password you establish.
15. Upon completion the installation process will reboot and you will now have a Snow Leopard Parallels window -- Cancel ANY attempt by Software Update at this time. I recommend the following optional settings in the Snow Leopard environment:
a. Go to Preferences in the Finder menu and make sure that Hard Disks and Connected Servers are selected.
b. Launch System Preferences and go to Date/Time and then Clock and select show seconds.
16. Shut down Snow Leopard. In Lion go to ~/Documents/Parallels/ and make an Alias of the file Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm and place the Alias on your desktop to easily double click to launch Snow Leopard. Optionally make a duplicate copy of the Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm file (Command-D) for protection.
Step Three - Updating the Snow Leopard Parallels environment
1. Installing Parallels Tools
a. Double click the Snow Leopard Alias to start Parallels, but do not click to start Snow Leopard.
b. In the Parallels menu - Virtual Machine, go down to Configure… Select Hardware and select CD/DVD1. In the Connect to - box go down to Choose an Image File. Migrate the Open window to /Macintosh HD/Library/Parallels/Tools/ and select the file: prl-tools-mac.iso. Click the red button to close this window and Click Snow Leopard to start.
c. Open the Parallel Tools icon on the Desktop and double click Install and follow the installation instructions. When complete, quit the Installer, eject Parallel Tools and Restart Snow Leopard.
2. Preparation for updating Snow Leoparda. Open TextEdit in Snow Leopard. NOTE: The first time you open TextEdit in the Snow Leopard Parallels environment, go to the TextEdit Menu, down to Preferences and under Format, instead of the default Rich Text, click Plain Text; then close the Preferences window.
b. Copy the following xml code into a blank open document in TextEdit (NOTE: if you open Safari in Snow Leopard and type in the following URL -- https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=14799174 -- you can then easily copy and paste the following xml text into TextEdit):
Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN"
"http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Label</key>
<string>com.rectalogic.vmware</string>
<key>ProgramArguments</key>
<array>
<string>/bin/bash</string>
<string>-c</string>
<string>/bin/rm -f /System/Library/CoreServices/ServerVersion.plist; trap "/usr/bin/touch /System/Library/CoreServices/ServerVersion.plist; exit" SIGINT SIGTERM SIGHUP; sleep 999999 & wait $!</string>
</array>
<key>KeepAlive</key>
<true/>
<key>RunAtLoad</key>
<true/>
</dict>
</plist>NOTE: the 12th line in the middle of the text above to be entered into Text Edit, runs off the screen here on MacRumors. BE SURE to get the complete line; either copy and paste the whole text or be sure you are properly entering this COMPLETE line:
<string>/bin/rm -f /System/Library/CoreServices/ServerVersion.plist; trap "/usr/bin/touch /System/Library/CoreServices/ServerVersion.plist; exit" SIGINT SIGTERM SIGHUP; sleep 999999 & wait $!</string>
c. Go to Save As in the File Menu of TextEdit.
(1) Enter the file name: "com.rectalogic.vmware.plist" (without the quotation marks) in the Save As box (delete: ".txt"). You will see the correct default - Plain Text Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8)
[If you do NOT see "the correct default - Plain Text Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8)" when you try to Save As, it is probably because, when you pasted in the code, it pasted as Rich Text. You can fix this easily by going to Format > Make Plain Text, after which the UTF-8 option (and .txt option) will be available.];
(2) Uncheck the box "If no extension is provided, use '.txt'." and save it to the Desktop. If it asks which extension, choose .plist.
(3) Quit TextEdit.
(4) Go to the Desktop and move the file to /Macintosh HD/Library/LaunchDaemons/ and when it asks - click Authenticate and then enter your Snow Leopards account password.
d. Open Terminal in Snow Leopard from /Macintosh HD/Applications/Utilities/. Enter the following text in Terminal and then hit RETURN/ENTER:
sudo chown root:wheel /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.rectalogic.vmware.plist
e. It will ask you for your Snow Leopard account password; enter it (nothing will appear on screen as you type the password) and hit RETURN/ENTER.
f. Enter the following text in Terminal and then hit RETURN/ENTER:
sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.rectalogic.vmware.plist
g. Quit Terminal
3. Updating Snow Leopard and other software updates
a. In the Apple Menu in Snow Leopard go to Software Updates...
b. After it Checks for New Software, it will tell you updates are available:
(1) Click the Show Details button.
(2) My advice is that at this time (May, 2012) all updates should be accepted except for the Apple Software Installation Update 1.0 (which has had some problems and probably only fixes installation problems of software that you would preferably be installing into Lion anyway).
(3) You will most likely have to restart after the Software Installation and there may be additional software updates that will appear after a restart.
(4) Repeat this process until all recommended updates are complete.
c. In System Preferences, go to Sharing and turn on File Sharing. NOTE: you may have to turn on printer sharing in your Lion environment to access your printers in Snow Leopard.
4. Congratulations: you now have a completely functional Snow Leopard environment in Parallels 7 operating in Lion!
Step Four - Backup your Snow Leopard Parallels file
1. Shut Down Snow Leopard.
2. Make a backup of the Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm file. If you decide to do further backups of this file as you make changes within Snow Leopard, BE SURE to keep this original backup separately, so that you can always go back to this initial state.
END OF INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
NOTE: I never save important files in a virtualized environment; even in Windows XP. I use the Shared Folder or File Sharing to access all of my important files from my Macintosh HD and/or my many external HDs connect to my Mac and all saved files are also saved there.
_________________________________________
Thank you to all of the Internet sources that contributed to this solution.
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