10.6.8 Server crashes, but only on new Mini hardware

[atny]

I upgraded my 2010 Mac Mini from 10.8.5 to 10.10 with no problems. Everything ran fine, including my VM of OS X 10.6.8 server running under VirtualBox 4.3.18

I then migrated my files from the working 10.10 install to 10.10 on a new 2014 Mac Mini (3GHz model)

On the new hardware, VirtualBox launches, but the OS X 10.6.8 Server install I use won't work. It crashes barely into bootup, while the screen says "Loading System\Library\Caches\com.apple.kext.caches\Startup\Extensions.mkext". Since from the OS perspective, the "hardware" is exactly the same. and this is the same version of VirtualBox I was using under 10.10 on the old machine, I'm suspecting there's some kind of subtle hardware problem using this on the 2014 Mac Mini vs the 2010, but I'm not sure. I've tried changing every setting on the VM to see if that could perhaps compensate but no dice. I can't even use the DVD to install a fresh 10.6.8 VM. It crashes too.

Any way to fix this? Or do I have to abandon Vbox for Parallels or VMware Fusion?

[loukingjr]

There are many hardware differences between a 2010 Mac Mini and a 2014 Mac Mini which is why you ran into a problem. There are "tricks" that may help the 1.6.8 server guest work on your new Mini.

Check these threads…
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=61825
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=64445

[atny]

YES!!!
In the first link you gave, the part about modifying the CPUID of the virtual machine to be one that supports 10.6 natively did the trick!

Code: Select all

VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> --cpuidset 00000001 000006fb 00000800 80000209 078bfbff

My VM boots fine now. THANK YOU!

[loukingjr]

YES!!!
In the first link you gave, the part about modifying the CPUID of the virtual machine to be one that supports 10.6 natively did the trick!

Code: Select all

VBoxManage modifyvm <vmname> --cpuidset 00000001 000006fb 00000800 80000209 078bfbff

My VM boots fine now. THANK YOU!

You're welcome.
if you could mark this thread as solved. Just go to the first post>edit>type [Solved] in front of the title>submit.