virtualbox.org

I recently upgraded my Mac OS to Lion on my circa 2009 MacBook Pro. But now I need to run software which only runs in Snow Leopard (I.e. my previous OS). So I am trying to install a virtual SL machine over my native Lion
OS. I am using the original Apple SL disk I bought a year or so ago as the OS source.

I get to the end of the install, however and get a "Install failed" yellow triangle message and am asked to restart and install again. I did a repair disk (using Disk Utilities) on my native HD as well as on the VB hard drive, so don't think it is a hard disk problem.

I have read that I can only install a 'server' version of SL. What exactly does this mean? Does it mean that I can't use my SL install CD? Does this have anything to do with the install fail?

The addition of SL was the server and AFAIK the desktop version was never licensed to run as a guest.
So given that it would fall under the not supported category.

What do you mean "the addition of SL was the server"?

Mac as guest only supported Leopard server. Lion is still not supported by VirtualBox.
Leopard DT was never supported due to licensing. Others have used shall I say different approaches to make it work even though it is not supported by VirtualBox or the leopard license.

Just to be clear, I am not trying to run Lion in the VB. I understand from the oft cited post on this forum that this will not work. But maybe what you are saying is that even running VB on the Lion host is not supported (regardless of the guest OS). Is that the problem? Or at least part of the problem?

The only Mac guest that is officially supported is leopard server.

I understand that. But I am not sure what this means. Is my desktop version of SL then not going to work as an install disk? Where cn I get a server version? And what does it mean to " run as server"? I just want to run software that only runs in SL.

Thank you for your patience!

Your desktop version is not the server version.
You would obtain the server version legally from your apple store.

And if I get the server version, will I be able to run SL as a normal OS? Why does Apple have this restriction?

I don't know what it is you are trying to run so I can not tell you yes or no it will work properly on the server version. That is something that you would need to research.
As for why does apple have these restrictions? Well presumably to get you to buy more software.
You would need to consult them for an exact answer to that question.

Okay, this is starting to sink in. But I,ve gone to the Apple store and it seems that only server updates are available. And something about a combo pack that doesn't say anything about a server version.