While installing Linux or even Windows within a Virtual Machine (VM) on a Windows PC is often a straightforward, officially supported process, the path to running macOS on non-Apple hardware is significantly more complex. As an engineer who has successfully navigated this terrain, I can confirm: setting up a macOS VM on a Windows PC requires specific configurations, older software versions, command-line adjustments, and a high degree of patience. This guide outlines the necessary prerequisites and the specific steps taken to successfully install a functional, albeit performance-limited, macOS environment.
Be aware that the performance of this setup will not be equivalent to native Mac hardware. Expect slow operations, potential boot issues, and hardware limitations. This is best suited for Mac-curious users, developers needing a quick testing environment, or enthusiasts willing to dedicate substantial resources (a powerful host PC, ample RAM, and 100 GB of dedicated storage) to this challenging project.
Prerequisites and Software Selection
Success in this endeavor often hinges on using specific, non-latest versions of the required software, which is counter-intuitive to standard best practices.
1. Choosing the Right Hypervisor and macOS Version
- VirtualBox Version: Attempting this with the absolute latest VirtualBox and Extension Pack versions is often unsuccessful. Older versions, such as VirtualBox 7.0 or even earlier builds, tend to offer better compatibility for macOS due to specific hardware emulation quirks.
- macOS Image: Newer macOS versions are notoriously difficult to virtualize on non-Apple hardware. This process was completed using an older, more stable version, specifically macOS Big Sur (v7.1.1), which was sourced as an ISO file (approximately 13.1 GB) from archive sites.
Host PC Preparation: Disabling Competing Hypervisors
Before beginning the VirtualBox setup, you must disable any competing hypervisors or security features that interfere with VirtualBox's ability to access the host CPU's virtualization features.
- Disable Core Isolation/Memory Integrity: This security feature in Windows must be temporarily disabled via Windows Security. It can be re-enabled after installation.
- Disable Hyper-V/Windows Hypervisor Platform: If you have run WSL 2 or other VMs using Hyper-V, the Windows Hypervisor must be disabled. Open the Command Prompt as Administrator and execute the following command:
bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off
A PC restart is mandatory after running this command.
VirtualBox VM Configuration
Create a new VM named "macOS" and attach the Big Sur ISO. Crucial hardware adjustments must be made before the first boot:
A. System and Processor Settings
- RAM: Allocate generous memory. While the minimum is 4 GB, setting it to half of your host PC's physical RAM (e.g., 16 GB if the host has 32 GB) is highly recommended for tolerable performance.
- CPU Cores (Critical): Set the CPU to 1 core during the installation phase. Increasing cores prematurely will likely cause the installation to hang. You can increase this *after* the OS is fully installed.
- Virtual Hard Disk (VHD): Allocate at least 80 GB (100 GB is recommended) of storage space.
- Extended Features: In the System > Motherboard tab, ensure Enable I/O APIC, Enable Hardware Clock in UTC Time, and Enable EFI (special OSes only) are active.
B. Display Settings
- Video Memory: Set to the maximum value: 128 MB.
- 3D Acceleration: Ensure Enable 3D Acceleration is checked. Note that this may need to be *disabled* later if the VM fails to boot post-installation.
Command-Line Jitsu: Applying SMBIOS Spoofing
To trick macOS into thinking it is running on genuine Apple hardware, you must close VirtualBox and run specific commands in an elevated Command Prompt to spoof the System Management BIOS (SMBIOS) data.
First, navigate to the VirtualBox directory:
cd "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\"Replace all instances of `"VM Name"` with the exact name of your VM (e.g., `"macOS"`). Use the commands corresponding to your host PC's processor architecture:
For Intel Processors:
VBoxManage.exe modifyvm "VM Name" --cpuidset 00000001 000106e5 00100800 0098e3fd bfebfbff
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemProduct" "iMac19,3"
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemVersion" "1.0"
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiBoardProduct" "Iloveapple"
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/DeviceKey" "ourhardworkbythesewordsguardedpleasedontsteal(c)AppleComputerInc"
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/GetKeyFromRealSMC" 0
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/TM/TSCMode" "RealTSCOffset"For AMD Processors:
VBoxManage.exe modifyvm "VM Name" --cpuidset 00000001 000106e5 00100800 0098e3fd bfebfbff
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemProduct" "iMac19,3"
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemVersion" "1.0"
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiBoardProduct" "Iloveapple"
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/DeviceKey" "ourhardworkbythesewordsguardedpleasedontsteal(c)AppleComputerInc"
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/GetKeyFromRealSMC" 0
VBoxManage modifyvm "VM Name" --cpu-profile "Intel Core i7-6700K"
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" "VBoxInternal/TM/TSCMode" "RealTSCOffset"macOS Installation and Post-Setup
After running the commands, launch the VM and proceed with the installation.
- Disk Formatting: Upon entering the installation environment, select Disk Utility > VBox HardDisk Media. Use the Erase button to format the disk (APFS format is standard) and assign a volume name.
- Install: Close Disk Utility and choose Install macOS. Select the newly formatted disk and begin the installation. Patience is critical; this step, including multiple reboots, can take two hours or more.
Post-Installation: Screen Resolution Fix
The display resolution is not automatically managed. To set a proper resolution (e.g., 1920x1080), you must close the VM and run another command in an elevated Command Prompt:
- Navigate to Directory: Ensure you are in the VirtualBox directory:
cd "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\" - Set Resolution: Run the following command, replacing `"VM Name"` and the resolution with your desired values (e.g., 1920x1080, 3840x2160):
VBoxManage setextradata "VM Name" VBoxInternal2/EfiGraphicsResolution 1920x1080
Figure 9: The command used to force a specific screen resolution via EFI settings.
This command must be run every time you wish to adjust the display resolution.
Final Thoughts: The Value of the Effort
The process of running macOS on non-Apple hardware via VirtualBox is an intensive Hackintosh VM project, characterized by numerous caveats and required *workarounds*. While the experience is not comparable to native macOS or even other OS VMs (like Linux or Windows), it successfully achieves the goal of providing an accessible environment for users curious about the OS or those needing a basic, functional interface for familiarization (e.g., preparing for a job requiring Mac use). Alternatives like VMware Workstation Pro or OpenCore may offer better performance, but for those already utilizing VirtualBox, this method provides a viable, albeit demanding, pathway to cross-platform exploration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on macOS Virtualization
Q: Why is running the newest macOS version in a VM on Windows so difficult?
A: Apple enforces strict hardware checks (via the SMBIOS) to ensure macOS runs only on approved Apple machines. Newer versions of macOS often introduce changes to the kernel and hardware drivers that make the virtualization process harder to spoof or emulate on generic PC hardware, requiring more complex patches and *workarounds* than older versions like Big Sur.
Q: Does running macOS this way violate Apple's license agreement?
A: Yes. Apple's End-User License Agreement (EULA) generally restricts installing macOS in a virtual machine only if the *host* operating system is already macOS running on Apple-branded hardware. Running a macOS VM on a non-Apple host (like a Windows PC) is typically considered a violation of the EULA, similar to traditional Hackintoshing.
Q: Why is disabling the Windows Hypervisor necessary?
A: The Windows Hypervisor Platform (WHP) and VirtualBox are competing hypervisors that both need exclusive access to the CPU's hardware virtualization features (like Intel VT-x or AMD-V). When WHP is enabled (often required for WSL 2 or Hyper-V VMs), it prevents VirtualBox from using these features effectively, leading to critical errors or extremely slow performance during the macOS installation process.