Cant install new Virtual box

[pasaway008]

Hello,
I cant install VirtualBox 6.1.36 on my Mac Monterey Version 12.5

The error is "Unsupported hardware architecture detected! The installer has detected an unsupported architecture. VirtualBox only runs on the amd64 architecture." I downloaded the VirtualBox 6.1.36 OS X Hosts

[multiOS]

If you are on an Apple M1/M2 Processor then that's the hardware that is not supported. VirtualBox 6.1.x is for x64 processors only as the message says.

[pasaway008]

Yup, M1 chip. is there a version that is compatible to the new chip?

[mpack]

Nope. VirtualBox is an x86 hypervisor, not a simulator. By it's very nature it requires x86.

Why exactly are you trying to install it on an M1 Mac anyway? What OS is it that you hope to run? Because I hope you understand that running Intel based OS with full accuracy and reasonable performance under a simulator is a pretty big ask. And be careful: if you do find a hypervisor that runs on the M1 then I think you'll find it can only run ARM VMs with full performance, not Intel.

[pasaway008]

im trying to install a Windows 7 SP3 OS because I want to play a game that's only compatible with that. any suggestion please? Im hearing parallel but you need to pay for that right?

[mpack]

I'm not sure what suggestions you expect, as I've already told you the facts: you can't run an Intel based OS on a ARM processor, so what you really need is a new PC!

Do research before buying Parallels. They are subject to the same "laws of physics" as we are, so the only way to get Intel code running on ARM is under a simulator, and that will be very slow and can only go so far. I rather doubt that your game will run well if at all. Perhaps get Parallels on a free trial.

[multiOS]

@ pasaway008,

Sorry, but that's a 'No' The only currently available options I know about are the well known commercial macOS alternative; and UTM, which is an open source 'front end' for Qemu available via Github.

As mpack says they can only work with with OS's available in ARM/M1 compatible versions on M1/M2 Macs; and x86 OS Versions on Intel Macs, so the availability of options is still limited.

AFAIK Qemu is capable of some level of cpu emulation, but a purely software based cpu is likely to be significantly constrained in performance terms with more modern OSs; but you can probably find out more via the UTM Website/Github page.

[pasaway008]

thank you very much for the details mentioned. I will try your advise.

[fth0]

After you've tried UTM, I'll be interested in reading about your experience.

[mpack]

I've read that before, is that the same as Parallels? Someone flagged that page to me as a way of proving that Intel on ARM is more than a pipedream, but in fact looking at the exact wording is instructive.

UTM employs Apple's Hypervisor virtualization framework to run ARM64 operating systems on Apple Silicon at near native speeds.

On Intel Macs, x86/x64 operating system can be virtualized.

In addition, lower performance emulation is available to run x86/x64 on Apple Silicon

So basically, this is exactly the same as we've been saying above except we haven't been concerned about how to run ARM.

I would predict that when even the sales pitch mentions "lower performance", you can assume that to really mean "unacceptable performance".

[fth0]

I would predict that when even the sales pitch mentions "lower performance", you can assume that to really mean "unacceptable performance".

Me too. But that's exactly why I'm interested on the feedback from a real user.

[pasaway008]

UTM works on M1... at first slow, just need to increase the memory up to the safe level. For everyones reference, the video is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6oU_JzrALk and the download is https://mac.getutm.app/. I installed XP but the site has more. up to you..

[fth0]

FWIW, the YouTube video shows the installation of Windows 10 for ARM in UTM. That's expected to be fast, but it's not what I'm interested in, which is the performance of UTM/QEMU when emulating Windows for Intel CPUs.