Installing Mac OS X Server on a virtual machine fails with the error: Mac OS X can't be installed on this computer

Products

• VMware Desktop Hypervisor

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Unable to install Mac OS X Server on the virtual machine
• Installing Mac OS X Server on the virtual machine fails
• You see the error:
  
  Mac OS X can't be installed on this computer. If you want to restore from a Time Machine backup, click 'Restore from backup'.
   
• Unable to install Snow Leopard Server

Environment

VMware Fusion 2.x
VMware Fusion 4.x
VMware Fusion 5.x
VMware Fusion 7.x
VMware Fusion 3.x
VMware Fusion 6.x

Resolution

This issue occurs when you use the Mac OS Install DVD that is shipped with a Mac to install the operating system in a virtual machine. Mac OS Install discs that ship with computers can only be used with the physical hardware that the disc comes with. A virtual machine uses virtual hardware and not the hardware expected by the disc.

 

To virtualize Mac OS X Server, you must use a retail disc that is sold separately.

Additional Information

You can identify Mac OS Install discs that ship with computers using the text:

This software is part of a hardware bundle purchase -- not to be sold separately