macOS VMs can have iCloud, iCloud Drive, Messages, FaceTime, FileVault and many shared folders, but still can’t sign into Apple service like the App Store. But you can resize their VMs.
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How can you access files on a NAS connected directly to an Apple silicon Mac, or those saved to external storage using Ext4 or similar?
In a VM hosted on an M4, upgrading 14.7.5 to 15.4.1 took an 8.7 GB download and worked. From 15.1 to 15.4.1 took over 15 GB and failed with a kernel panic.
How read-write disk images and those used in Apple silicon virtual machines use sparse file format to save space on disk.
Is it possible to update a VM running macOS Sequoia to version 15.4? Three attempts, three failures. And why are all those file creation dates wrong?
How to create and set up macOS VMs for virtualisers. The structure of a VM, creation and first run explained. How to enhance it, and how to run it in isolation.
Which versions of macOS can run in a VM? Can they run Intel apps too, and Intel macOS? How well do they perform? Can they access iCloud and run App Store apps?
A bug, most probably in the early part of kernel boot in guest macOS, prevents M4 Macs virtualising macOS prior to 13.4.
macOS virtual machines are preferentially run on P cores. Details on their performance, core allocation, frequencies and power use/
periodic has been removed from Sequoia. AI doesn’t appear to activate in macOS 15.1 VMs, and they may get a surprise update intended for M4 Macs.
The Eclectic Light Company 