Installing OS X 10.9 Mavericks or OS X 10.10 Yosemite as a guest operating system in VMware Fusion

Products

• VMware Desktop Hypervisor

Issue/Introduction

This article provides steps to install OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) as a guest operating system in VMware Fusion.

 

Notes:

• Apple's End User License Agreement (EULA) permits the installation of up to two additional copies of Mac OS X on a Mac that is already running a retail version of the operating system (excluding systems with a pre-installed version).

• If your Mac shipped with OS X 10.9 or 10.10 pre-installed, you must use the recovery partition method instead. Refer to KB Creating a new OS X virtual machine from the recovery partition in VMware Fusion.

Environment

• For OS X 10.9 Mavericks: VMware Fusion 6.x and above (Not supported in Fusion 5.x and below)
• For OS X 10.10 Yosemite: VMware Fusion 7.x and above

Resolution

Note: If you have already purchased the upgrade, the "Install OS X" application is available for download by default from the Mac App Store.

1. Select File > New from the Fusion menu bar.
2. Select Install from disc or image and click Continue.
3. Drag and drop the Install OS X Mavericks or Install OS X Yosemite application into Use operating system installation disc or image dialog box.
4. Click Continue.
5. Fusion should automatically discover the Guest Operating System. If not, ensure the Operating System is set to Apple Mac OS X and the version is set to Mac OS X 10.9 or Mac OS X 10.10 respectively. Click Continue.
6. To modify settings such as memory (RAM), CPU, or hard disk size, click Customize Settings and specify the desired non-default values.
7. Click Finish. The initial installation process will start.
8. When prompted by the Mac OS recovery environment, select Reinstall Mac OS X and click Continue.
9. Click Continue.
10. Agree to the license agreement and follow the prompts to begin the installation.

Post-Installation
After the installation completes, you must install VMware Tools on the virtual machine.

1. Eject the Mac OS installation disc image from within the new virtual machine.
2. Install VMware Tools. For more information, refer to KB Installing VMware Tools in a Mac OS Guest.

Additional Information

Some features of VMware Tools do not work in these specific Mac OS X virtual machines.

Limitations for BOTH 10.9 and 10.10:

• Unity
• Mirrored folders
• 3D acceleration (SVGA only for 10.9)

Version-Specific Limitations:

OS X Version	Specific Unsupported Features
10.9 Mavericks	Multi-monitor support in full screen, USB 3.0 support
10.10 Yosemite	Air Drop

Installing VMware Tools in a Mac OS Guest
Creating a new OS X virtual machine from the recovery partition in VMware Fusion