Installing Snow Leopard (and Rosetta) into Parallels on modern Intel Macs

[MichaelLAX]

Welcome! You are doing very well with your English! What is your native language? You can also Google: Translate and use their translation page...

Your installation resulted in a Kernel Panic.

I would suggest you attempt to install Snow Leopard a 2nd time. It is best to delete your original Snow Leopard.pvm file from ~/Documents/Parallels/ and start over.

Some questions for you:

1. What model Macintosh is Parallels installed on? Then go to Apple Menu and About This Mac and tell me what version of OS X 10.7.x? What Processor? How Much Memory?

2. Go to the Parallels Desktop menu to About Parallels Desktop and tell me the Build & Revision numbers and Date.

3. Is this a brand new copy of Snow Leopard Install DVD?

 

[Syeerzy]

Thank you,

It's a Macbook Pro 15 (early 2011) with 8Gb memory (i give 4Gb to the vitualmachine), i7 cpu (2.2GHz). the last version of lion. and last version of Parallels . (i'm at work now, i would post the detail about 5 hours later, and try install Snow Leopard a 2nd time.)

I use the Snow Leopard Install DVD which come with my mbp, and follow the steps.


UPDATE:
Lion 10.7.4
memory: 8GB
CPU: i7 2.2GHz
Parallels:7.0.15094

i try install again and get the same error.

Welcome! You are doing very well with your English! What is your native language? You can also Google: Translate and use their translation page...

Your installation resulted in a Kernel Panic.

I would suggest you attempt to install Snow Leopard a 2nd time. It is best to delete your original Snow Leopard.pvm file from ~/Documents/Parallels/ and start over.

Some questions for you:

1. What model Macintosh is Parallels installed on? Then go to Apple Menu and About This Mac and tell me what version of OS X 10.7.x? What Processor? How Much Memory?

2. Go to the Parallels Desktop menu to About Parallels Desktop and tell me the Build & Revision numbers and Date.

3. Is this a brand new copy of Snow Leopard Install DVD?

 

[MichaelLAX]

Let me know how the 2nd attempt to install works.

I suspect that you will need to purchase a fresh, Snow Leopard Install DVD. That one may be linked to only working on your MacBook Pro hardware and not in virtualization.

You can order online:

Link to Apple Store for $29

 

[MichaelLAX]

ALL USERS SHOULD MAKE THIS REVISION TO THEIR SNOW LEOPARD Partition:

UPDATE: to Step Two #7 -- these instructions will implement this change into existing Show Leopard partitions (and either make the same change to your backup, or make a new backup copy):

Open your Snow Leopard Partition in Parallels 7, but do not start it up.

Go to the Virtual Machine menu down to Configure...

Click on Hardware and then on Boot Order and then check the box next to Select Boot Device on Startup.

Now close the Hardware window (click the red button) and and quit Parallels.

YOU WILL NOTICE A NEW WINDOW ON STARTUP, but ignore it for now. It will help in troubleshooting if there are later problems in Parallels accepting the Snow Leopard partition.

 

[sermakis]

Downgrading from Lion to SL

Hello there!
I would like to know, if anyone knows, on which Mac Computers already shipped with Lion I can install Snow Leopard.
Is there an article that outlines all the models (e.g. iMacs, MacBooks, Mac Pros etc.)that are able to operate with both Lion and Snow Leopard?
Thank you very much in advance!

 

[MichaelLAX]

Hello there!
I would like to know, if anyone knows, on which Mac Computers already shipped with Lion I can install Snow Leopard.
Is there an article that outlines all the models (e.g. iMacs, MacBooks, Mac Pros etc.)that are able to operate with both Lion and Snow Leopard?
Thank you very much in advance!

The general answer is: Machines that shipped with Lion pre-installed are not recommended for downgrade by Apple:

Don't install a version of Mac OS X earlier than what came with your Mac

That being said, some work is successful on downgrading to Snow Leopard with two separate categories of machines:

1. Those that originally shipped with Snow Leopard, but now ship with Lion:

There are multiple threads over at Apple Support Communities that discuss basically wiping the hard disk and using firewire mode to transfer over Snow Leopard from another similar Mac:

2. Those that were intended by Apple to only boot Lion:

For example, this thread was successful at downgrading the mid-2011 Mac Mini to Snow Leopard with continued "glitches." Search for the success assembled by newfound glory at this thread:

Can I install Snow Leopard on the new Mac Mini

I would suggest you post a new thread asking this question both here on MacRumors and over at the Apple Support Communities for a more detailed discussion of these issues.

 

[MichaelLAX]

Parallels 7 Update: June 4, 2012 Build 7.0.15095 (Revision 768120)

I can now confirm that the latest update of Build 7.0.15095 (Revision 768120; June 4, 2012) works with both a previously existing Snow Leopard environment and a new one I created today.

 

[Mr_Ed]

Success!

Many thanks for documenting this procedure!

I just followed it to install SL on a brand new installation of Parallels I got yesterday and had no issues. I even installed updates to bring it up to 10.6.8 and it seems to be working fine.

 

[MichaelLAX]

Wilbur!

Tell us about your needs for Rosetta...

 

[AisEv]

I completed all Three Steps without any issue. Then I tried to Software Update and nothing. Open up Network Utility and there's no network interface. Open System Preferences > Network and nothing too.

Any idea what went wrong when I never encounter any along all the way?

Help? Thanks.

 

[AisEv]

What a boo boo for me. Me installed 10.5 instead of 10.6. @#$%^&*!

Two hours wasted. Anyhow, starting from scratch again.

 

[MichaelLAX]

This sounds like a failure of Step Three #2.

Delete the file com.rectalogic.vmware.plist and repeat Step Three #2.

Be very careful in effecting all of the sub-steps. Be sure that:

1. Text Edit within Snow Leopard has its preferences changed to Plain Text from Rich Text as suggested in sub-step a). Then quit Text Edit and relaunch it; and

2. The full text is copied and pasted. The best way to do this is to launch Safari within Snow Leopard and enter this URL:

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=14799174

Then copy the text within the CODE box and paste it into an empty Text Edit document;

Follow the remainder of the instructions of Step Three #2 carefully.

At the conclusion of these steps you should see Software Updates and the Network problems should be fixed.

Report back. GOOD LUCK!

----------

What a boo boo for me. Me installed 10.5 instead of 10.6. @#$%^&*!

Two hours wasted. Anyhow, starting from scratch again.

Oooooops!

 

[Mr_Ed]

Wilbur!

Tell us about your needs for Rosetta...

An app is an app, of course, of course.
And no one can talk to an app, of course . . . ehh, never mind.

I occasionally run an old DVD ripper application to add a new DVD to my digital archive for access from my media computer in the living room. It's an old application but it does the job very well, so I saw no need to pay for a new application.

I also have a few other "old" utilities I rarely run, but I guess now I can if I need to. I'm perfectly happy with OS X Lion, but it's nice to have the option of the old software if needed.

 

[MichaelLAX]

Check out Handbrake for ripping DVDs:

Handbrake

and install the VLC player in your Applications folder, so that Handbrake will gain more functionality with ripping DVDs:

Download VLC Player for Mac

The defaults in Handbrake make it easy to use and if you go under the hood, its versatility is AMAZING!

 

[Mr_Ed]

Check out Handbrake for ripping DVDs:

Handbrake

and install the VLC player in your Applications folder, so that Handbrake will gain more functionality with ripping DVDs:

Download VLC Player for Mac

The defaults in Handbrake make it easy to use and if you go under the hood, its versatility is AMAZING!

Thanks. I have them and actually use them. But for some DVDs I prefer to have the entire DVD image. I'm using FrontRow (OS 10.6.8) on a Mac Mini in my living room along with Remote Buddy and my Harmony remote. FrontRow treats the DVD image like any other DVD. All menus and special features work as expected. This setup is nice in that using the Harmony remote makes the process seamless and easy for my wife and stepson to use. They don't have to think about the fact that they are using a computer to get to the media.

For other DVDs where I don't care so much about the extras, I do use Handbrake and rip just the main feature instead. Yes, I could run the old DVD ripping software on the Mini, but it's dog-slow compared to my 2010 Mac Pro

 

[MichaelLAX]

Since you already have Parallels, if you have a Windows partition, check out:

AnyDVD and CloneDVD

 

[AisEv]

This sounds like a failure of Step Three #2.

Delete the file com.rectalogic.vmware.plist and repeat Step Three #2.

Be very careful in effecting all of the sub-steps. Be sure that:

1. Text Edit within Snow Leopard has its preferences changed to Plain Text from Rich Text as suggested in sub-step a). Then quit Text Edit and relaunch it; and

2. The full text is copied and pasted. The best way to do this is to launch Safari within Snow Leopard and enter this URL:

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=14799174

Then copy the text within the CODE box and paste it into an empty Text Edit document;

Follow the remainder of the instructions of Step Three #2 carefully.

At the conclusion of these steps you should see Software Updates and the Network problems should be fixed.

Report back. GOOD LUCK!

----------



Oooooops!

Thanks MichaelLAX for the great effort.

Completed with SL on P7. Smooth sailing. How the hell did I install 10.5 and thinking it's 10.6?!!!

I tried install on my MBP (1st gen. unibody) but I kept getting this STOP sign (circle with a stroke across) at the Apple bootup logo. Not sure why.

 

[MichaelLAX]

Great news: tell us why you need Rosetta...

Also give me more details about the failure on the MBP: maybe you need a fresh SL Install DVD.

 

[AisEv]

Need to run some PowerPC software and whatever software dat will not run with 10.7 and above. Basically need Rosetta and 10.6.8 Kinda irritating when software developers decide not support anything other than 10.7+

Absolutely no idea on the MBP. Tried both 10.5 and then 10.6, get the same ø sign on top of the Apple boot up logo. I can bypass the OS warning and get into the boot up but it juz stop there. Works fine Mac mini.

 

[AisEv]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Using this > MacBookPro5,1 2.8GHz 4GB RAM

Got this at Step Two, No. 7 (more like 7.5). Juz get to No. 8 of Step Two.

 

[MichaelLAX]

Using this > MacBookPro5,1 2.8GHz 4GB RAM

Got this at Step Two, No. 7 (more like 7.5). Juz get to No. 8 of Step Two.

What SL Install disk are you using: Retail 10.6 or 10.6.3 or grey one that came with your MacBookPro?

Are you sure this image is from Step Two, #7 and not at #13?

 

[AisEv]

What SL Install disk are you using: Retail 10.6 or 10.6.3 or grey one that came with your MacBookPro?

Are you sure this image is from Step Two, #7 and not at #13?

SL Retail 10.6 for sure. Bought it the day it came out. Absolutely sure it's Step Two, #7.5. Basically I can't boot into the installing part. Boot from disk image and it juz hang there. It's probably has to do with the MBP hardware. Perhaps not enuff RAM. Have 4GB RAM. Thinking of pushing it to 8GB for the first gen MBP unibody and see how things go.

 

[MichaelLAX]

I have 2009 MBP 13" 4GB RAM and it installed fine! More RAM is always good...

Can you IM me: MichaelLAX in iChat or AIM?

 

[Király]

MichaelLAX,

Thank you SO much for this writeup. You really put in all the required steps, and in a very easy-to-follow format.

I made a few more discoveries to piggyback on your instructions:

• I was able to get OS X Leopard client 10.5.4 (retail DVD) installed using the exact same set of instructions. Works a treat.
  
• I was also able to use the grey-coloured 10.6.2 DVD that shipped with my iMac. I had to do some additional prep to the .cdr image I made of it, by following the instructions posted [removed as per thread starter's request]. It too works a treat. Now we who have grey Snow Leopard DVDs that shipped with our own Macs can continue using them in VMs on the same Macs; no need to go out and buy a retail copy for $29.

 

[MichaelLAX]

Glad to hear that Leopard works for you in this way. What do you use virtualized Leopard for?

It is my strong recommendation that you purchase the Snow Leopard Install DVD for $29 and avoid any licensing issues that might arise from using a modified machine specific Install DVD (even if it is being virtualized on the same machine).

I can only recommend, the choice is up to you; but I will not provide support for any issues that might arise from using a modified machine specific SL install disk, and I would appreciate it if you would edit your post and remove the link within this thread to the instructions to modify the disk.

Thank you.