Setting up macOS/OSX Catalina for VirtualBox enabling 256MB of VRAM.
Using the myspaghetti macos-guest-virtualbox github repo.
git clone [email protected]:myspaghetti/macos-guest-virtualbox.git
cd macos-guest-virtualbox
Edit the macos-guest-virtualbox.sh file changing anything in the variables you want, leave gpu_vram at 128 for now, changing it there doesn't do anything.
Note the vm_name, you'll need this later.
./macos-guest-virtualbox.sh
Then go through the install as normal.
By default, the VM only allows you to use 3 MB of VRAM, which is not very useful.
For some reason I could never get the Tools CD included in VirtualBox to work propertly. I included the one from this article which seems to work great.
Downlaod: vm_tools.iso
Power down your VM if it is running.
Open Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager and your Virtual Machine's settings. Then select Storage.
Right-Click on the SATA controller and select Optical Drive.
Then click the Add Button and browse to the vm_tools.iso and add it.
In your host machine open your terminal.
vboxmanage list vms
This should display all of your virtual machines, as I put above you should see the one with your vm_name.
For my test install it shows:
"Win7" {b76f789a-3f35-427c-91a1-b026b523b250}
"Proxmox" {8c5eb54c-1afb-403e-baa2-d54c60ac925b}
"Android" {549f959c-1d53-4c37-a01e-85cf4bfb37ad}
"Win7/Mint" {f67e0970-463b-4a0a-8017-5810f3f9ede6}
"Win7/Mint Clone" {87894908-f78b-44ca-bbcf-a2ac09c4f7cb}
"macOS" {be33f24e-5861-41b9-9c72-8a56099c10c9}
Of course I want to use macOS, we'll modify the VM from your host now.
vboxmanage modifyvm macOS --vram 256 --graphicscontroller vmsvga
Open Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager. Open your VM's settings and select Display. It should show 256MB of Video Memory and VMSVGA for the Graphcis Controller.
Press OK.
At this point, I generally clone the VM so I don't mess it up and have to reinstall again and again.
Highlight your VM and hit CTRL-O.
I changed my clone's name to macOS 256 Test you may use whatever you want.
You may select Full clone or Linked clone whatever you like, I use linked.
Start the cloned VM and log into your account.
Open Terminal, you can use Spotlight or Finder in Applications -> Utilities.
You'll get prompted for your password.
sudo spctl --master-disable
sudo spctl --status
Should return:
assessments disabled
Close Terminal
Open System Preferences
This should show Anywhere under Allow apps downloaded from:.
Close Preferences.
Open the VMware Tools drive on your Desktop, then open Install VMware Tools.
Continue the installation as normal, install to the default path. You'll be prompted for your password, enter it as normal.
You will be prompted System Extension Blocked, click Open Security Preferences. Click the lock button and enter your password.
It should read System software from developer "VMware, inc." was blocked from loading. Click the Allow button. Then close Preferences.
Eventually the installer will prompt you to Restart, do that.
Upon reboot you should get normal text for a bit, then you'll get a bunch of scrambled text, oddly this is a good sign.
Log back into the VM as usual.
Again you will be prompted System Extension Blocked, click Open Security Preferences. Click the lock button and enter your password. Then again click the Allow button.
Click the Apple icon and About This Mac. This should show 256 MB instead of 3 MB.
