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Installing Snow Leopard (and Rosetta) in Parallels 7 in Lion - PART ONE

For reasons that have been expressed very often on this forum (primarily Rosetta and the ablitity to run PPC-apps) many people have been asking me to put together in one place the results of my research on this topic. I have taken all of the research that I have found, and refined and improved much of it.

This thread, as Part One, will look at the long process for completing this result; the so-called "not easily accomplished in three steps" process. It will be followed later by my and hopefully others, suggestions for the "easy" way.

Why the long process first?

• Some people appreciate being able to roll up there sleeves, do it yourself and achieve the satisfaction that comes from successful completion of the project;

• Just like I have made improvements to what I found in my research, I expect others will offer improvements to what I have to offer; and

• If the "easy" way is offered first, there will be little encouragement to improve the long process.

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/Utitities/ folder.

What are the steps that will be taken:

1. Preparation of the Snow Leopard Installation DVD for use in Parallels 7

2. Installation of Snow Leopard into Parallels 7 (and optionally installing Parallel Tools)

3. Upgrading Snow Leopard to 10.6.8 and other available upgrades

4. Creating a backup of the completed process.

I will be offering each step, one at a time...

Posted on Apr 29, 2012 11:45 AM

45 replies

Mutassi

Level 1

0 points

May 2, 2012 1:34 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

maybe i explained myself wrong, i have a computer that CAN'T be fully downgraded to snow leopard (or at least, that's what i read in forums), so that's why I'm wondering if making a downgraded partition would work properly, to answer your questions:

1. My computers is an imac lion 10.7.2 (I purchased it a week ago)

2. as far as I know Logic 8 is a Powerpc application (that's what my computer says when I try to install it), i don't know if it needs rosetta but what i know is that it works perfectly in a snow leopard system. (By the way, Logic 8 is a music software -like Cubase or Protools-)

3. no

4. no (i don't even know the use of this lol)

MlchaelLAX Author

Level 4

2,286 points

May 2, 2012 1:44 AM in response to Mutassi

I do not know of a way to get the newest iMac to downgrade to Snow Leopard or otherwise to boot into Snow Leopard; there is a thread on this forum that was successful in downgrading the mid-2011 Mac Mini from Lion to Snow Leopard, but not without some glitches.

You do not need MobileMe nor iCloud at this time for running your Logic 8 program.

Does Logic 8 require connection by USB or otherwise to musical instruments?

Is there a later version of Logic that will run in Lion?

If not, you may have to install the Snow Leopard in Parallels 7 in Lion solution that I have proposed; and YES: you can install this solution on a new iMac with Lion.

f you can link me to a demo version of Logic 8, I will download it and see if works...

Snow Leopard is available from the Apple Store for $29 with free shipping:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A

Mutassi

Level 1

0 points

May 2, 2012 1:47 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

Yes, there is a newer version of Logic that actually works in Lion, but due to some other matters I am not interested in purchasing it. To me, the best solution would be to have a partition with the snow leopard system but I am not that sure if it will work, so that's why I'm asking if you are somehow sure that your proposal may work in a computer that came with lion from factory (i wouldn't have a problem paying for that snow leopard system if i'm sure it would work).

I can't seem to find a trial version for Logic 8 but well, I'm totally sure that it would work in a snow leopard system 'cause I've tried it.

MlchaelLAX Author

Level 4

2,286 points

May 2, 2012 2:11 AM in response to Mutassi

Mutassi wrote:

Yes, there is a newer version of Logic that actually works in Lion, but due to some other matters I am not interested in purchasing it. To me, the best solution would be to have a partition with the snow leopard system but I am not that sure if it will work, so that's why I'm asking if you are somehow sure that your proposal may work in a computer that came with lion from factory (i wouldn't have a problem paying for that snow leopard system if i'm sure it would work).

I can't seem to find a trial version for Logic 8 but well, I'm totally sure that it would work in a snow leopard system 'cause I've tried it.

A Snow Leopard partition will not work for a new Lion iMac.

I am sure that you can run Snow Leopard in Parallels 7 on your new Lion iMac.

What I am not sure about is whether Logic 8 will run in "virtualization" mode in Parallels. Does it connect to anything through USB or firewire? Do you print out results?

I tried to read up on the application, but I am not a musician...

I am in LA; nearby to you?

Mutassi

Level 1

0 points

May 2, 2012 2:39 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

aw i see, i never made a "virtualization" so I thought it was the same thing as a partition. Yes, logic works with external audio devices such as keyboards, etc. and no, i don't need to print out anything.

No, i am not really nearby (i'm in Barcelona, Spain lol). I will ask for more details of the logic software in other sites, thank you anyways, now at least I know there's a possible and sure way of running snow leopard in a lion system.

May 2, 2012 3:55 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

Sorry for the incomplete post (if you saw it just now) -- hit the wrong button. I don't know how to delete a post.

May 2, 2012 4:57 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

Thank you for the links, Michael!

And for moving the guide where it can be updated - I ran into the same editing, or rather lack of ability to continuously edit, issue earlier.

Anyway, here are the issues I am currently experiencing while running Snow Leopard in the (currently) latest version of Parallels Desktop, Build 7.0.15094 (Revision 749908; April 5, 2012):

1) Sound does not work

I tried all different settings in Parallels, the status is "Connected", but in Snow Leopard the Sound system preference pane shows no input/output devices.

2) Unable to share my Mac (Lion) drives with Parallels

"Sharing" under "Options" in Parallels is set to share all disks, "SmartMount" is checked, and I even added my drives (2 partitions on one drive, one is my Lion boot partition, the other is just a data partition) as custom folders. Still, no drives or folders show up in VM.

3) Issues with "Boot order"

In Parallels, I created a second, backup, hard drive to use for booting for restoring the “ServerVersion.plist” file onto my main drive, after removing it to use the Software Update (and the Sharing preferences if that gets resolved). I have not yet imlemented the script you mentioned. When I do, perhaps this will be a moot point, but until then... I used SuperDuper! to clone my main drive to the backup drive.

I have the following order in the "Boot order":

Floppy Drive

CD/DVD

Hard Disk 2 (backup)

Hard Disk 1 (main)

"Floppy Drive" is mapped to the virtual drive provided by Parallels, while "CD/DVD" is mapped to my Mac's optical drive, which has nothing in it.

If the "Floppy Drive" and "CD/DVD" are checked in "Boot order" and "Connected", (sure, I'll never need the "Floppy Disk" and will uncheck and disconnect it for normal use, but... for the sake of troubleshooting), the VM boots from the main drive, even though backup is listed first.

If the "CD/DVD" is unchecked and if the "Floppy Drive" is disconnected, whether checked or not, VM boots from the backup drive no problem. With the "Floppy Drive" unchecked or disconnected, the VM boots from the backup drive only if the "CD/DVD" is unchecked -- disconnecting it does not solve the problem, as it does with the "Floppy Drive".

Using "Select boot device on startup" didn't work at first either -- the VM always booted from my main drive, even after manual selection of the backup drive, but after I deleted the main drive, created another, cloned the former backup to the new backup, renamed the former backup to be the main drive, I can boot from the new backup drive. Perhaps a glitch fixed by repeating the process?! So, currently, "Select boot device on startup" works, while the "Boot order" configuration (without "Select boot device on startup") does not. However, I did notice that on the boot selection screen, the main drive is listed before the backup drive (makes sense, it was created first, if that's how it works) and if I don't choose the backup drive (even though it's listed as first in the "Boot order"), the VM boots from the main drive. This seems like a Parallels issue, but I can't verify it without someone else replicating these steps on their system.

I was having additional issues -- crashing System Preferences after deleting the "ServerVersion.plist" file, being unable to boot from the backup drive after deleting the same file on the main drive, but it seems these issues went away after I deleted the offending main system/drive, created a new drive, and cloned the backup to create a new backup. I don't know why this worked (the backup was after all identical to the main), but it did. However, the above-mentioned issues remain.

May 2, 2012 6:45 AM in response to spiritofdiscovery

Ah, the first two issues were solved once I installed Parallels Tools; thank you for that tip in your guide.

Although "Boot order" issues persist, as long as "Select boot device on startup" works, and it does, all's well! There is light at the end of the tunnel! Finally! 🙂

Again, thank you! 🙂

MlchaelLAX Author

Level 4

2,286 points

May 2, 2012 10:15 AM in response to spiritofdiscovery

Boot Order issues:

The implimentation of com.rectalogic.vmware.plist as a DaemonLaunch on boot and shutdown (as described in Step Three, Item 2) should render these issues moot.

The following is a discussion of how Parallels works for any virtualized environment, including Windows and not just Snow Leopard:

As you have attempted, it is a good idea to implement a backup procedure, especially since Parallels Mounter fails to work on the Snow Leopard partition file; that is Parallels Mounter will not mount the contents of the Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm in the Finder, as a means to access the files' contents. Here is how I have implemented a solution to this problem in case there are later problems which require Finder level file access:

I took the backup copy of the Snow Leopard partition file created in Step Four and duplicated it again and renamed it: Snow Leopard Mounter.pvm.

Double click Snow Leopard Mounter.pvm so that it launches Parallels, but DO NOT CLICK TO START Snow Leopard at this time.

If this Dialog Box comes up, click Create New.

In the Parallels menu -- Virtual Machine, go all the way down to Configure...

In the Hardware Tab, click on the + and then on Hard Disk.

In the resulting box, Type should be changed to Existing Image File and click on Location - Choose a File Path.

Go to ~/Documents/Parallels/ to select the Hard Disk image from the original Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm file you created (you will have to open a couple of internal files to get to Mac OS X Snow Leopard-0.hdd) and open this file. Then Click OK and click the red button at the upper left to close this Configure window.

Now Click to Start this version of Snow Leopard. When it reaches the Finder, you will see TWO Macintosh HD's: one from the Snow Leopard Mounter.pvm (the Startup Disk for this running of Snow Leopard) and the other from your original Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm, which can now be manipulated in the Finder.

When you are done working on the files, shut down Snow Leopard. Go to the Windows menu in Parallels, select Virtual Machines List and you will now have a permanent Window which will allow to select either of the Snow Leopard environments to be launched easily.

OF COURSE: be careful when you work on the files in Macintosh HD of the Mac OS X Snow Leopard.pvm environment so as to not render it unbootable. If you do make a mistake you can launch Snow Leopard Mounter (probably showing as Mac OS X Snow Leopard(1) in the Virtual Machines List) and fix whatever problem you may have caused.

MlchaelLAX Author

Level 4

2,286 points

May 2, 2012 10:59 AM in response to Mutassi

Mutassi:

Parallels 7 has a good reputation for working with USB devices, especially those that do not send data at very high rates. I presume that a music keyboard would not send data at an especially high rate.

Good luck and I am jealous of your being in Barcelona, sipping wine, eating wonderful food, and meeting beautiful women, while you write your music!!! As Javier Bardem said in Vicki Cristina Barcelona: "Life is Short!"

MlchaelLAX Author

Level 4

2,286 points

May 2, 2012 11:25 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

Cautionary Notes:

1. I never save important files in a virtualized environment; even in Windows XP. I use 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.

2. There are two types of computer users: those whose hard disk has crashed and those who hard disk will crash: BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP - I use Time Machine to backup my Macintosh HD, Retrospect to backup my Video Library's external HD to a mirror external HD and a LaCie 2TB RAID to duplicate my most important large files. I further use DropBox to keep an offsite copy of my important business/personal files from my Macintosh HD.

3. It has been expressed to me that this solution for installing Snow Leopard in Parallels 7 in Lion may be "broken" by future updates by Parallels with the possibility of no Parallels technical support for Snow Leopard. My environment has worked flawlessly from late September, 2011 through all of my updates through the March 5, 2012 Build 7.0.15055 Revision 740667; and I am about to update my Parallels soon to their April update. IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THESE ISSUES: you should install Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server into Parallels 7 as an alternative.

4. Terminal is a powerful program that can have unexpected results if you type in the wrong information. If you follows these instructions, use Terminal carefully: copy and paste my Terminal entries where applicable and/or type them carefully AND always double check the entry BEFORE you hit RETURN/ENTER. If you are shy about using Terminal, wait until PART TWO of these installation instructions is posted, after I have had a chance to obtain some good advice of others to the Part One instruction set.

5. Remember, due to the fact that this forum does not allow me to edit my earlier posts, I am keeping an updated instruction set here:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=14799174#post14799174

MlchaelLAX Author

Level 4

2,286 points

May 2, 2012 2:16 PM in response to MlchaelLAX

Received my free Mac OS X Snow Leopard install DVD from Apple today!

Are you a subscriber to MobileMe? Log-in and you can get one, too!

May 2, 2012 5:39 PM in response to MlchaelLAX

Good idea, Michael. Thank you. 🙂

FangSuede

Level 4

2,195 points

May 3, 2012 7:38 PM in response to MlchaelLAX

As you are not able to post on MacRumors at the moment I wanted to ask what happened when you updated to the latest April 5, 2012 version of P7?

When followed, the MR instruction set only gets a P7 comment to use SL Server.

MlchaelLAX Author

Level 4

2,286 points

May 3, 2012 9:00 PM in response to FangSuede

FangSuede wrote:

As you are not able to post on MacRumors at the moment I wanted to ask what happened when you updated to the latest April 5, 2012 version of P7?

When followed, the MR instruction set only gets a P7 comment to use SL Server.

I am not sure I understand exactly what you mean by: "When followed, the MR [MacRumors?] instruction set only gets a P7 [Parallels 7] comment to use SL Server."

As I expected, Snow Leopard continues to operate fine with the April 5th update:

My Cautionary Note #3 came in response to an off-site communication I had with an earlier poster here who expressed some "day to day" concerns about the continuing viability of this approach after future Parallels updates and the lack of possible Parallels technical support for the installation of Snow Leopard. While I considered the likelihood of problems with future updates very slim, proper decorum called for the disclaimer.

The MacRumors discussion was hijacked by two posters whose parents really, really wanted them to go to law school. In the hopes that they would move their discussion to another thread, I made a mistake:

In the words of the eTrade Baby: "I guess sending a second private message to someone who has asked not to be sent any more private messages is FROWNED UPON BY THIS ESTABLISHMENT!" Consequently, I have been sent to my crib until early Sunday morning! 😁

You could do fr4nx0r, over on MacRumors, a favor and reply to his post for me that the April update works fine; maybe even copying over the screenshot. Maybe that is what your sentence is suggesting... Thanks!

Installing Snow Leopard (and Rosetta) in Parallels 7 in Lion - PART ONE