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cool11

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 3, 2006
1,846
228
For the second time in this year I had to live without my mbp, because of a failure that forced me to send it to service.
I had this idea, but I am not sure if it can be done.
I am taking backup everyday, of my whole system, osx, application, everything.
I use ‘super duper’ to create an identical bootable backup, in an external hard disk.

Is there any way to load this osx environment in a virtualization platform in a windows based pc?
Living without my mac for many days is always a problem.
Of course, I have my files in usb sticks etc.
I can do many tasks using windows systems.
But it would be convenient if I could just run a virtualization program in pc, load my osx environment from external hard disk, and be able to work in a pc using my ‘virtual’ mac, until I get back my mbp machine.
Please pay attention that I am not talking about a discrete/new setup of osx in a virtual machine in windows. This can be done, I know it. I want my existing system to be loaded and run, which is also the most synchronized to the real one inside my mac.

So, is this possible? How it can be done?
 
I really hoped that there would be a solution not to be separated from my 'mac' system, even virtually, when the bad moment appears.

I had a total system crashes and apple service repairs with different macs, twice this year.
 
Performed a little bit of VirtualBox testing ... just one of some VM's you could use. You can not backup native OS X and restore it to the VM, even on the same physical system. Reason are the different drivers the VM requires.

So if you want to have a virtual backup of your Mac OS X you need to install twice, on the physical system and on then VM. You basicly end up with 2 computers you need to keep in sync. Does not seem to be a good approach just for the case your Mac needs repair or service.
 
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