ISO greyed out - installing 32 bit mac os on mac os

[John A]

Host computer: Mac OS Big Sur, version 11.7.2
Desired Guest OS: Mac OS High Sierra (the last version of mac os which natively supported 32 bit apps)
Purpose: Install a 32 bit version of mac os to run legacy (and otherwise unavailable) software.

I downloaded High Sierra from the app store. I used some commands in terminal to create the iso file (which it seems to have done successfully). The terminal commands created these two files:
HighSierra.iso
HighSierra.cdr.dmg

I don't know what the crd.dmg file is, but I know I want an ISO. So, I open VirtualBox and start the process of adding another virtual machine. However, HighSierra.iso is "greyed out", unselectable. Why is it unselectable & does anyone know how to fix this?

Many thanks!

Screenshot of ISO file greyed out & not selectable

VirtualBox screenshot - ISO Greyed out.png (112.38 KiB) Viewed 2031 times

[granada29]

High Sierra is a 64-bit operating system that can run 32 bit applications - I am pretty sure there is no 32 bit version of High Sierra.

In setting up your VM, you should choose macOS 10.13 High Sierra (64-bit) as the Operating System type.

[John A]

High Sierra is a 64-bit operating system that can run 32 bit applications - I am pretty sure there is no 32 bit version of High Sierra.

In setting up your VM, you should choose macOS 10.13 High Sierra (64-bit) as the Operating System type.

Good too know. However, based on that, there should only be one version of High Sierra, correct? I don't see 32 vs 64 bit options. I assume only 64 is available, because it is 32 bit compatible.

I was mistaken in my first post: High Sierra was not Apple's last 32 bit compatible OS. That was Mojave (right after high sierra). So, Mojave will be my install.

Thanks

[granada29]

Good too know. However, based on that, there should only be one version of High Sierra, correct? I don't see 32 vs 64 bit options. I assume only 64 is available, because it is 32 bit compatible.

High Sierra and Mojave both run as 64 bit operating systems. They contain compatibility libraries that enable them to run 32-bit applications. As far as VirtualBox is concerned, you are running a 64 bit OS. If you tell VirtualBox that they are 32 bit, then they won't run.

[John A]

High Sierra and Mojave both run as 64 bit operating systems. They contain compatibility libraries that enable them to run 32-bit applications. As far as VirtualBox is concerned, you are running a 64 bit OS. If you tell VirtualBox that they are 32 bit, then they won't run.

Ahh, I see what you are saying.
However, at this point in the process (meaning... up to when the screnshot in my first post was taken), I have not had to tell VirtualBox if the new guest is 64 or 32 bit... but the ISO is still greyed out. If i'm missing something, please correct me.

[granada29]

Please read https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/UserM ... -vm-wizard for instructions on creating a VM.

The image you posted is a bit hard to read because of its size and also being a darkmode image. However, it seems you are trying to load the ISO before you have created the VM. Loading the ISO cannot be done until you have created the VM, when you will attach it to a virtual CD/DVD drive.

You select the type of OS as one of the very first steps in creating the VM.

[John A]

Please read https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/UserM ... -vm-wizard for instructions on creating a VM.

The image you posted is a bit hard to read because of its size and also being a darkmode image. However, it seems you are trying to load the ISO before you have created the VM. Loading the ISO cannot be done until you have created the VM, when you will attach it to a virtual CD/DVD drive.

You select the type of OS as one of the very first steps in creating the VM.

Ah! Correct you are. Many thanks - I was roadblocked by misunderstanding the UI.