Installing Snow Leopard (and Rosetta) into Parallels 7 in Lion

I'm running into a similar issue installing Snow Leopard Server as a couple of others I've seen. I've been reading through the thread, but keep getting caught up at step 2. I get the following error trying to create the VM from SuperDrive-Server.cdr. I used a retail install from a server deployment at work, so I know the disc works. I didn't run into any errors converting it to a CDR image. I ran into the same issue using a retail non-server disc and tricking it to think it was the server version, so I'm not thinking that it is a problem with the image file.

Thinking that I had possibly put the plist file in the wrong location as in Sajin7's post, I double-checked with TextWrangler and even opened it to make sure it said server for the version:

No matter which version of 10.6 I use, I keep getting the same error:

I don't see much in Console, but here it is:

Any thoughts?

Parallels 8.0.18608 (rev 898384)
Host is 10.8.3
Guest is 10.6.3
MacBookPro8,3

 

I'm happy to report...

...that these instructions still work perfectly as of Oct. 2013.

I was so inspired by seeing that Snow Leopard can run in a VM that I ordered a copy of Server this morning. This opens up some interesting possibilities for me while running Mountain Lion and Parallels 7/8 and 9(?). In particular, I'll be able to run Kodak Prinergy's PREPS imposition software, which is PPC only. I'm hoping it will be able to see the licensing server on the network (it should). I'll report back if there are issues with that.

It took a couple of false starts – my own fault for not *precisely* following directions – but in the end everything worked out and Snow Leopard is now running beautifully in Parallels 8. It also took a couple of extra restarts of SL at the end to get everything, including Parallels tools and Software Update, working properly.

MANY thanks to the author and contributors for this EXCELLENT guide. Hats off to all of you.

 

Steps on Parallels Desktop 7

Are the same for Parallels Desktop 7 or 9?

 

Just spent half an hour on the phone with apple and no luck getting a copy using the specified part number. It did not come up in their system apparently and of course then I got into the what are you trying to do conversation.

Anyone recently successfully purchased a copy? If so what version, was the version they were selling higher than 10.6.3?

Cheers
Nobby

 

Yes the 800 MY APPLE one. Thanks for the version info, I am seeing that version on ebay at reasonable pricing if indeed Apple is all done selling them.

Cheers
Nobby

 

I bought my copy just over a week ago. I simply asked for a copy of Snow Leopard Server and the nice lady asked what I wanted it for so she could verify my machine would run it. I told her I was installing it in a VM and that's was all she needed to know. It arrived a few days later and is version 10.6.3.

 

How funny just tried again and was successfull. No idea why they could not find it by name or part number last time.

 

oh man I must found this thread! I've got VMWare Fusion 5 (Pro) running on my MBP Retina, 15-inch, Early 2013 (2.7GHz i7, 16GB, Mavericks) and I'm hoping to get some good old Myst games running! anyone have any luck with Myst IV, V?

 

Awesome!! It worked!!
Thank you Michael!!!

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Michael!
Can I ask something about installing software in SL on Parallels 8 on ML?

 

A Question About Time Machine....Plus Some Tips

I'm using Parallels 8 to run Snow Leopard Server, per the rest of this thread.

I want to back up my Eudora Mail Folder to Time Machine. I'm assuming there's no way to merge it in with the usual Time Machine set-up on my computer? And that the only way to do this is by setting up a new Time Machine from inside my virtual Snow Leopard system?


I have a few tips and notes for issues I didn't see addressed earlier in the thread:


1. Starting with Lion, scroll wheels on mice scroll the opposite way as in Snow Leopard.
Solution: install Scroll Reverser, a freeware, on the Snow Leopard emulation. Now both systems scroll the same way!

2. If you can't command-select (e.g. select multiple Eudora mailboxes for searching).
Solution: go to Parallels Desktop / Prefs / Shortcuts / Mouse Shortcuts and deselect "middle click"

3. I was suffering massive slowdowns on my Mac when running the virtual server.
Solution: 4gb total system ram is NOT enough. I added 4gb more, allocated 4gb to the virtual machine leaving 4gb left for the rest of my computer, and all is totally swell. Also useful: this page

Finally, if you're doing all this just to run Quicken, know that you can run Quicken in Mavericks. Just buy Quicken 2007 for $15.

If you have Quicken 2004 files, they won't open under Quicken 2007. So here's what you do. Download Quicken 2006, for free, onto a Rosetta system.

Open your old Quicken file in Quicken 2006. It will automatically update the file. Transfer the QIF file to your Lion or Mavericks system

Buy Quicken 2007 for $15

Open the QIF file with Quicken 2007.

Dance jubilantly.

 

No, there isn't. Parallels claims to have support for backing up the VM with Time Machine in such a way that it does not fill up your disk. It doesn't work. And you cannot get your full VM back if you need it.

I just set up Time Machine in the VM and excluded the VM from Time Machine on the host machine.

Or you can configure Lion and later to scroll the same way as Snow Leopard and not have to install anything. (See System Preferences/Mouse or Trackpad)

4GB is probably more than you need for Snow Leopard. I think Parallels recommends 2GB.

 

Just noting that as a backing-up alternative to Time Machine, I've put a symbolic link of my Eudora Mail folder into my dropbox. So it's an even more effective back-up (housed in the cloud, rather than on a disk in my house which could break, be stolen, burn in a fire, etc).

Also, one other note on Parallels: if copy/paste isn't working from the virtual machine to your regular set-up, you need to install Parallels Tools, which is easily available from your Parallels menu. With that tip and the preceding, I will have hopefully saved someone out there the hours of despair I went through....

 

2GB is plenty for Snow Leopard

I'm running Snow Leopard Server under Parallels 9 with 2GB allocated to the virtual machine and it runs well. I'm using it to run Adobe Photoshop CS under Rosetta, and 2GB gets the job done.

 

early 2011 Macbook Pro 17" with 2.2Ghz i7 and 8 GB RAM total.

 

Can somebody help explain what this means:

"9. Create a new DVD/CD master disk image ’SuperDrive-Server.cdr’ which is the same as SuperDrive.cdr, but with the change included." (from http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=16745691&postcount=413)


Am I supposed I create a second 8GB DVD/CD-R Master Image from the original Snow Leopard disk using Disk Utility, just with the new name?

 

I recently upgraded my MacPro from SnowLeopard to Mavericks (in a second HD), but I still need FreeHand: I have also the HD with Snow Leopard and I can restart from it but it is an awkward way to work.
So yesterday, after reading this forum, I ordered SnowLeopard Server from Apple Store Italy (24 Euro)

My question is: can I upgrade the SnowLeopard HD with SL Server and then Parallels will recognize it, or do I have to initialize the HD, install SL Server (and then the old software I need) following the instructions of Michael Lax here?
http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=17285039&postcount=564

That page is about installing in Lion, the same instructions also apply to Mavericks?

 

Thank you, in this weekend I will try.

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I installed Snow Leopard Server in Parallels 8 following the instructions. I assigned 4GB RAM and 4 CPU.
All OK, but after the first Software Update a "fatal error" window appeared.
I restarted then I did a second Software Update, and this time I had no errors.

FreeHand MX works perfectly, and also iSync. The only drawback I noticed is some slowness in opening, moving, closing windows in the Finder, but I think it is the virtualization.

Strange behavior: I was in Parallels/SLServer (full screen mode) and I wanted to save a screenshot, I pressed cmd-shift-4 but the screen picture did not appear in the SLSServer desktop. I searched for it and I found in the Mavericks desktop.
Is it OK?