How To Install Mac OS X On PC Using Virtual Box
Apart from Virtual Box, to install Mac OS X, you will require OSX86 ISO. There are tons of torrents, which will fulfill your requirement. But we would recommend you to buy original Mac OS X for safety and security reasons. It is upon your discretion, whether to contravene copyright laws, or be a law-abiding global citizen, by purchasing the copy. After you have got all the requisite items. The steps are as follows:
1. First install Virtual Box on your hardware, then launch the application. Click on ‘New’, at the top left.
Step 1 : Click on 'New' button.
2. When ‘Create New Virtual Machine’ window pops up, give your desired name to this Virtual Machine, in the label field of ‘Name’. From the drop down menu, select ‘Mac OS X’, as your operating system, while the version as ‘Mac OS X Server’. Then, click ‘Next’ and proceed to next step.
Step 2 : Name your VM and selection of OS and its Version.
3. The next windows that pops up, will ask you how much to sanction ‘RAM amount’. You can drag it as much as you wish, but 1024 MB would be enough. Then proceed to next step by clicking ‘Next’.
Step 3 : Assign RAM amount
4. Now the most crucial part in the whole procedure, allocate the part of your hard disk. Allocation for 20GB is sufficient. I would suggests you not to opt for ‘Dynamic’ option, as many people tend to end up messing.
Step 4 : Allocate Hard Disk Size
By clicking ‘Next’, you will shown ‘Summary’, if you are satisfied, then click ‘Finish’. Then proceed to the following step.
5. Now click on the ‘Settings’ on the top. Within this windows, on the left pane, click on ‘System’, and uncheck “Enable EFI”.
- Step 5 : Uncheck ‘Enable EFI’
6. Within the same window, on the left pane, select ‘Storage’, and then select ‘Empty’, under the file ‘YourVMName.vdi’.
Step 7 : Select 'Empty' under IDE Controller
7. Click on the ‘Add’ button. Then add your OSX86 ISO, if you have downloaded the torrent. If you have bought the CD, then extract from it the ISO file. ‘Select’ it and then click ‘OK’, and hit the ‘Start’ button on the left side of the main VirtualBox window.
Step 7 : Select ISO image of OSX86
8. As soon as the VM Booting start, hit ‘F8′ and type ‘-v’ at the the boot prompt. This will enable you to detect any shortcomings or if anything goes wrong.
After a while, a pop up window will appear, select your preferred language. Then click ‘Next’. Then, click ‘Continue and Agree’. And start up ‘Disk Utility’ by going to ‘Utilities’ in the menu bar.
Step 8 : VM Booting
9. (a) Select then “20 GB VBOX HARDDISK”. Now type your desired name, in the ‘Name’ field, after doing this click on ‘Erase…”. After this has been done, quite the ‘Disk Utility’.
Step 9 (a) : Name your VM
(b) Now select the Hard Drive, and click ‘Continue’.
Step 9 (b) : Select the Hard Drive
10. (a) Click on ‘Customize’ at the bottom left, and check the following:
For AMD Users:
- Any Updates included at the top.
- Drop down Kernels and choose Legacy kernel.
- AMD option below System support.
For Intel Users:
- Any Updates included at the top.
- Drop down bootloaders and check the newest Chameleon.
- Drop down Kernels and choose Legacy kernel.
After being done with this, click ‘Done’ and strike on the ‘Install’ button, to initiate the installation.
(b) On the very moment, when the installation is finished. And starts the countdown for restart. Press right ‘Ctrl’.
Step 10 (b) : Chameleon Loader
Now click ‘Devices’, at the top of the VirtualBox window, hit ‘CD/DVD Devices’ and the strike for ‘Unmount CD/DVD Device’. Then go to “Machine > Reset” and click “Reset” at the prompt. Now you’ll see the Chameleon loader and then OS X will begin to boot.
Images Courtesy : <Life Hacker>
Thanks , i was looking for installing it on my pc but did not want hackintosh !
Your welcome…
Downloading & installing VM ware was too tedious process.Great post Emaar!
Your welcome… And yes VMWare is quite tedious and hectic to work with, my personal experience….
I never knew about this was possible. o.O
Thanks for the tutorial, will think about trying it.
Well I would suggest you try it… It is fun and hell easy…
Really Nice tut .
I Will Surely try this.
Thanks for the appreciation:)
yes.. very nice post.. but can you provide the link for downloading mac…
Well, you have to browse to get the link for downloading Mac. As I mentioned earlier, it contravenes law and I don’t want to be part of it…
Can you give me the link to download the iso for Mac?
I m eager to download this and want to use once.
Well I wish I could help you, but rules are rules I can’t be from that law contravening body…
Now this is what I really looking for.. Thanks man..!!
Your welcome!!!
am struck at 7th step.. :/
Is there any way I can help you…
Hello. When i am done with this, would i have both windows and OSX? If yes, would it provide a selection when i boot?
I think you didn’t got the term “virtual”… Well in reply of your questions yes both… Through Windows, where you have got Virtual Box, you can boot into OSX…
Thanks for tutorial, I will try it. you are very nice man and you reacts to all comments.
Well I take the compliment. Your welcome. Do try if you are a tech geek…
it says fatal: could not read from the boot medium…HELP!
Well can you explain the scenario a bit more…
Well I take the compliment. Your welcome. Do try if you are a tech geek…
You mean i can have a Mac Os installed on my windows laptop?
Some how, yes!
Thanx. Minimum system requirement pls…
will i loose all my stuff?
nopes… it will be virtually installed in your Windows OS
Will this erase my PC files and data after installing this?
No… It won’t.. It will be installed virtually…
Thank you for the tutorial. I ran into a bit of a problem however… in storage it shows up as,
IDE controller
-Empty
Sata Controller
-OSX.vdi
I tried adding the iso under OSX.vdi (on booting, it failed and crashed)
I tried adding the iso under EMPTY (on boot, also failed)
Any suggestions, or has this been encountered before? (I can post screenshots on photobucket or something if you want)
Thank you for taking the time to help (if you are too busy to help, thats ok too, I’m sure I will figure it out eventually if I tinker enough)
Well not to fear, it is some how common issue… It would be better to have screenshots of it…
http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch12.html#configPeriodicFlush
This link may help you, as I am not into your issue due to time constraints…
Hi Emaar,
This is very helpful.
I wanted to know would this anyway affect the harware performance. For example, if I want to use latest Final Cut Pro then how can it hamper editing and rendering of HD video?
Well yes it will. As then the resources are allocated. But it depends primarily on the specifications of your computer, if you have hard core specifications than you won’t face any problem in my opinion.
Hey Emaar Kasbati,
many thanks for this tutorial! I just want to ask if you know if it is working with any osx as i think about to buy snow leopard. cheers joey
Presumably it should work… There might be some alterations to the steps…
Sorry I can’t be of much help to you!
Hello Emaar,
i have the problem that i can not find the bootloader option in step 10 as well as the legacy kernel any suggestions?
Sir,
Can you tell me, were you successfully able to perform all the instructions till Step 9. Apart from that, I don’t have any suggestion in my mind. I can only suggest you to once again perform this. If you are stuck, then sorry “Sir”, I don’t have answer for that.
With Apologize,
Emaar
Hello Emaar
yes until and including the step 9 i was able to follow all the steps. does it matter which osx i use or can i just use any version? would it help to send you an screenshot? do i have specific hardware requirements that i might not fullfill?
kind regards johannes
Hello i just found out that the version i had didnt have an bootloader included. now its working fine
thanks for your tutorial 
Sorry, I couldn’t follow up to your previous comment. It doesn’t matter, which OSx you use. I have tried using other OSx too.
It is also good to here that you finally able to install it up.
With Regards,
Emaar Kasbati
hi,
thanx, but can u also tell me how to install xcode 4.2.1 on it?
I haven’t given it a try, yet… In my opinion, while using the Mac OSx in this Virtual Box… Use the file and install in the usual way… Good luck with it:)
It´s not working as good. Installing the software, but at the moment removing the image, and the seconds go down for reboot. The screen goes all gray.
Any thoughts about this?
Tried locating what u mentioned “Machine > Reset” and click “Reset”. Nothing on mine with that kinda features. I paused the install during the second countdown to remove the image. Fails all tries. Did it 5 times now with different aproaches with no luck.
have you followed all the steps exactly as mentioned?
Ive done and more
Tried different ISO with the same result. Not sure what is causing the grey with the spinning circle in the middle. Almost fed with it after so many tries. It´s like i should do something just as the seconds go down except to unmount the cd.
after unmounting the iso, reset the virtual machine.. if the problem is still not resolved try using different version of the software
Have tried that. But non else seems to work except this one. Reset, kills the whole installation.
Il give up. Thanks anyway for the tutorial. Nicely done and easy to follow. Got it printed in the back of my head now
Sorry Stefan, I couldn’t assist you up as I was my self blank on it. Thanks for the compliment regarding how article is crafted
Quoting myself: “Tried locating what u mentioned “Machine > Reset” and click “Reset”. Nothing on mine with that kinda features.”
I do now. Installed a new version of it. See if this works.
can we use mac app store?? iWOrk iLife??
Practically it should work. I have tried iTunes and it worked but my computer hanged slightly. Take care and do inform me if iWork works if you give it a try
Nice tutorial! Thank You!
I have a issue while downloading a virtual box should i download a Virtual Box – windows host or Virtual Box – OSX host!?????
depend on your os, if you are using windows then you need to download windows host
This tutorial I find it in right time, Simple and straight forward….Thanks to Virtual Box and Big Thanks to Author to letting us know.
Best Regards
Vivekananda M
Hey if we want to dual boot can we use this method plz reply bro
we haven’t tried to dual boot it with the windows or any other os.
can i boot from a dvd like that?
yes you can install it in virtual box using dvd too
hi
can i run final cut pro in it
can i run all the mac application
yes you can run every application and final cut pro as well
dude on boot is install its saying press any botton after dat nathing happen
what exactly it says ? can you let me know the full message and after which step
my laptop confiq is dell n5050,4gb ram,intel r hd graphic 3000,500gb hard disc,i5 processor.did it work in this confiq
yes it would work
Hi , I want help . I have mac os x but it is in iso format., I have the host/primary machine as Windows 7 ., I want to try mac os using Virtual machine .,, will it be possible for me to use it ? My machine is kinda old.. I don’t know much details but I just know that it is dual core pc , intel , 500 gb hard disk and 2 gb ram . ., Can you help me pls. ????
it would work, when the virtual box ask for dvd point the path to iso image. It would work just fine in your pc specs.
that was great work, and many many thanks for your time and effort.
My boss was looking for MAC, but we weren’t sure if it supported our existing software’s.
Tried to install it on my own but
but your forum helped me out..
Thanks once again Emaar
Thanks for your appreciation and warm gesture… But the equally worth credit goes to Akshay for his efforts in maintaining the forum, when I couldn’t reply.
can I get windows back..
the method shows how to install mac os in virtual box. it won’t affect your windows installation
Is there any requirement in terme of version (like… the latest version will work?)
if i get this right, we can buy a mac os x ( dunno wich version is best ? any version work even the latest ?)
run virtual box on linux or windows, put mac os x in virtual box and we can use this mac os ?
i have a pc desktop with intell cpu and asus motherbaord so it would work ?
cause some people says it might not work due to my hardeware so im lost a bit ?
or with futur updates, it might not work anymore ?
btw , with the mac os x i buy, would i be able to create more then 1 virtual machine using the same os x ( cause windows are troublesome with the oem licence etc.)?
about if i have a laptop and a desktop, i could put the same os x mac on both computer virtually or only one ?
ty very much .
lot of question but imo very important before i invest my money to buy mac os x !
ty
ps: great guide if everything ok
you can install the latest mac os x in virtual box without any problems. You can create more than 1 virtual machines.
virtual box handles the hardware issues just make sure you have enough disk space and ram
This tutorial is surely awesome! .u.)
However, I kept on stuck on step 8, because everytime I started the virtual machine, the cmd thingy kept on saying things like:
“FATAL: No bootable media found! System halted.”
…or something like that.
I really appreciate your help, thank you very much