macOS Tahoe Runs Surprisingly Well on Proxmox with New OpenCore-ISO Method
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A new approach leveraging LongQT-sea’s OpenCore-ISO repository is allowing users to run the latest version of macOS, Tahoe, on Proxmox virtualization platforms with minimal compatibility issues – a feat previously arduous to achieve. For those who enjoy experimenting with operating systems without risking their primary setup, this development offers a notable leap forward.
Traditionally, running macOS in a virtualized habitat like Proxmox has been a complex undertaking, frequently enough requiring extensive shell commands, kernel modifications, and configuration tweaks. While projects like OSX-Proxmox have offered solutions, they frequently enough struggled to support the newest macOS versions.”I’ve always had trouble getting the newer versions of macOS running on my Proxmox nodes,” one user noted, echoing a common frustration within the virtualization community. However, the OpenCore-ISO project simplifies the process dramatically, limiting necessary adjustments to options readily available within the proxmox VM creation wizard.
Building the Virtual Machine: A Step-by-Step Guide
The process begins with downloading the OpenCore and macOS Tahoe recovery images from their respective GitHub pages and uploading them to the Proxmox node’s local disk. When creating the virtual machine, the machine type is set to q35, utilizing OVMF (UEFI) BIOS from Seafile, and the OpenCore ISO is selected as the ISO image. An EFI Disk is added to the local disk, Secure Boot is disabled, and the QEMU Guest Agent is enabled for macOS Tahoe compatibility.
Storage is configured with a 100GB SATA drive, utilizing SSD Emulation and discard. While the user initially opted for SATA, they noted in hindsight that VirtIO would likely offer better performance. To maximize resource allocation, the VM was configured with 12 vcores (4 cores, 3 sockets) and 16GB of memory, with the CPU Type set to Skylake-Server-v4.
A crucial step involved overriding the CPU model for Broadwell server CPUs using the command qm set vm_id --args "-cpu Broadwell-noTSX,vendor=GenuineIntel,model=158" within the Proxmox shell,where vm_id represents the virtual machine’s identifier. the recovery ISO was added as a CD/ROM drive (IDE) within the VM’s hardware settings.
Installation and Initial Performance
Installation proved surprisingly straightforward.After booting the VM and flashing the SATA drive using Disk Utility,the macOS Tahoe installation process commenced. Despite initial expectations of encountering the boot loops that plagued previous attempts with newer macOS versions, the VM successfully downloaded and began installing the macOS files in under an hour.
A brief interruption occurred during the installation process, with the VM displaying a series of terminal errors. Though, a simple restart miraculously resolved the issue, allowing the setup to continue. while the slow single-core speeds of the Xeon E5-2650 v4 processor caused noticeable lag during menu navigation, and the background initially failed to load, these were minor inconveniences easily addressed with a restart or by setting a static image.
Surprisingly Usable Performance on Older Hardware
The resulting macOS virtual machine performed remarkably well, even on the older hardware. The default desktop initially displayed a white background, a common issue in macOS VMs, but this was easily remedied by setting a static image. Navigation within the Settings app proved significantly more responsive than the initial setup.
Testing revealed that essential applications ran effectively. Safari worked flawlessly, a notable enhancement over previous Proxmox-based macOS VMs. Raycast, Ulysses, Xcode, TickTick, Freeform, and Obsidian all functioned, albeit with some performance limitations when running multiple applications simultaneously. “Considering that I was running the VM on an old Xeon system that’s infamous for slow single-core performance, I’m surprised by how well everything turned out,” the user stated.
Looking ahead, the user plans to upgrade to a Ryzen 7 9700X to further optimize performance and potentially create a fully functional Proxmox-based Hackintosh.This successful implementation of macOS Tahoe on Proxmox demonstrates the power of the OpenCore-ISO project and opens up new possibilities for virtualization enthusiasts.
