OS X OS X VMs for 32bit Mac games?

[Aika]

Is this viable for gaming? Maybe one with 10.6 for the broadest compatibility thanks to Rosetta and one for 10.14 just because it was the last version with 32bit compatibility. I'd love for my little collection to still be playable.

 

[admwright]

It will depend on the game and graphic intensity. I have played some games in a VM without problems but they have been things like the X space series games - not too demanding with graphics.

 

[chrfr]

Is this viable for gaming? Maybe one with 10.6 for the broadest compatibility thanks to Rosetta and one for 10.14 just because it was the last version with 32bit compatibility. I'd love for my little collection to still be playable.

Graphics aren't accelerated in virtualized macOS environments so that might be a problem for many games.

 

[Aika]

Graphics aren't accelerated in virtualized macOS environments so that might be a problem for many games.

Rats, that's a non-starter then. RIP my Mac games from the pre-Steam days.

 

[maflynn]

Your other option is to use an external drive and install the Legacy macOS that is capable of running those games.

 

[Aika]

Your other option is to use an external drive and install the Legacy macOS that is capable of running those games.

Kernel panic when I try to install Snow Leopard to an external drive (unsupported CPU). Any other version of OS X wouldn't be worth a reboot I don't think.

 

[vkd]

I have a 2011 iMac running 10.9.5 Mavericks. It has a Radeon 6770M GPU with 512MB RAM on it. I have 16 GB RAM in the iMac.

I recently played Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag on a Parallels VM running Windows 7 64-bit. I had to reduce the game window dimension down from the standard 2560x1440 to about half of that to get smooth running, full screen graphics. I tweaked down a couple of other settings too in the Graphics tab of the game. But it ran perfectly well, at normal speed with no lagging or tearing. It was just as if it was running on native. The reduction in the gaming window size is not a problem either, although it may sound so; only a problem for those seeking to run full speed 4K graphics or so, which obviously I am not on this equipment. All-in-all I consider that quite an achievement.

Couldn't run the next game in the series, Rogue, in a VM though; I've had to install that in BootCamp Windows 10. I have tested and can play Assassin's Creed all the way up to Origins in BootCamp, there is only the most recent, Odyssey, that won't run for me, due to lack of GPU power.

 

[Plutonius]

Is this viable for gaming? Maybe one with 10.6 for the broadest compatibility thanks to Rosetta and one for 10.14 just because it was the last version with 32bit compatibility. I'd love for my little collection to still be playable.

For the newer 32 bit games, load Mojave 10.14 onto a partition and boot into Mojave.

 

[RogerWilco6502]

Or you could buy a different machine. I haven't priced early Intel machines lately, but they might be worth looking into. Then you wouldn't have to reboot either and you'd get guaranteed compatibility with older games

 

[Aika]

For the newer 32 bit games, load Mojave 10.14 onto a partition and boot into Mojave.

I don't think there's enough there to justify rebooting into Mojave compared to just booting Windows 10 and Mojave will not be compatible with future Macs so this is a dead end.

Or you could buy a different machine. I haven't priced early Intel machines lately, but they might be worth looking into. Then you wouldn't have to reboot either and you'd get guaranteed compatibility with older games

I have two older Macs that can run Snow Leopard and that's probably what I will use for now but it's not really a future proof solution and it feels like a waste not being able to leverage my newer Macs for better frame rates, resolutions etc.

So at this point I have one laptop for OS9 games (Pismo), one laptop for early OS X and Classic environment games (PBG4) and one laptop for Snow Leopard (I have a white MacBook I can downgrade)... I am left wondering what I am doing with my life when Windows exists for this (given that multi-booting and virtualisation of OS X isn't a good option).

Instead of fighting a battle that can't be won with Apple over this, it might be time to throw in the towel.
[automerge]1586426604[/automerge]
Nope, the white MacBook kernel panics when booting off the Snow Leopard DVD even though that's its original OS!

I've tried to get creative but you win Apple.

 

[RogerWilco6502]

I have two older Macs that can run Snow Leopard and that's probably what I will use for now but it's not really a future proof solution and it feels like a waste not being able to leverage my newer Macs for better frame rates, resolutions etc.

So at this point I have one laptop for OS9 games (Pismo), one laptop for early OS X and Classic environment games (PBG4) and one laptop for Snow Leopard (I have a white MacBook I can downgrade)... I am left wondering what I am doing with my life when Windows exists for this (given that multi-booting and virtualisation of OS X isn't a good option).

Instead of fighting a battle that can't be won with Apple over this, it might be time to throw in the towel.
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Nope, the white MacBook kernel panics when booting off the Snow Leopard DVD even though that's its original OS!

I've tried to get creative but you win Apple.

With older games it might not always be worth it using them on newer machines. What is the spec on G4? Also, don't give up on the MacBook yet. What model is it?

 

[Aika]

With older games it might not always be worth it using them on newer machines. What is the spec on G4? Also, don't give up on the MacBook yet. What model is it?

The G4 is a 2005 model so about as good as it gets.

I think the issue is that the MacBook (2010) is too new for my install media: I bought my copy of Snow Leopard on launch so it will be 10.6.0 which predates the MacBook by quite a bit. Unfortunately I can't find the restore discs.

 

[RogerWilco6502]

The G4 is a 2005 model so about as good as it gets.

I think the issue is that the MacBook (2010) is too new for my install media: I bought my copy of Snow Leopard on launch so it will be 10.6.0 which predates the MacBook by quite a bit. Unfortunately I can't find the restore discs.

This might help for your MacBook:

https://macintoshgarden.org/forum/macbook-pro-2010-1064-install-disc

It's good to read the discussion there, but here are the links in the thread:

Snow Leopard for Mac Mini 2010 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

ISO of a Mac Mini 2010 Install DVD. Snow Leopard 10.6.4.

archive.org

691 6752 A,2Z,iMac. Mac OS X Install DVD. Mac OS v10.6.6. Disc v1.0 (DVD DL) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

691 6752 A,2Z,iMac. Mac OS X Install DVD. Mac OS v10.6.6. Disc v1.0 (DVD DL)

archive.org

691 6732 A,2Z,iMac. Mac OS X Install DVD. Mac OS v10.6.4. Disc v4.0 (DVD DL) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

691 6732 A,2Z,iMac. Mac OS X Install DVD. Mac OS v10.6.4. Disc v4.0 (DVD DL)

archive.org

How to patch any Mac OS X Restore DVD (gray disc) to work on any computer

Considering it is such an obstacle, and I have been asked this many times, I think it would be worthwhile for this to finally be written down. This guide requires an existing installation of Mac OS X; for 10.4 and earlier, you can use any OS X release, but for 10.5 and 10.6 you need 10.5 or highe...

www.insanelymac.com

I had to perform trickery when installing Leopard on my 2009 MacBook. I installed it on my Mac Mini G4 and then updated it to 10.5.8 to make my MacBook able to run it. I then just had to re-run the combo updater to get Rosetta and it was done. Too bad you can't do something similar with Snow Leopard.

 

[Aika]

This might help for your MacBook:

https://macintoshgarden.org/forum/macbook-pro-2010-1064-install-disc

It's good to read the discussion there, but here are the links in the thread:

Snow Leopard for Mac Mini 2010 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

ISO of a Mac Mini 2010 Install DVD. Snow Leopard 10.6.4.

archive.org

691 6752 A,2Z,iMac. Mac OS X Install DVD. Mac OS v10.6.6. Disc v1.0 (DVD DL) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

691 6752 A,2Z,iMac. Mac OS X Install DVD. Mac OS v10.6.6. Disc v1.0 (DVD DL)

archive.org

691 6732 A,2Z,iMac. Mac OS X Install DVD. Mac OS v10.6.4. Disc v4.0 (DVD DL) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

691 6732 A,2Z,iMac. Mac OS X Install DVD. Mac OS v10.6.4. Disc v4.0 (DVD DL)

archive.org

How to patch any Mac OS X Restore DVD (gray disc) to work on any computer

Considering it is such an obstacle, and I have been asked this many times, I think it would be worthwhile for this to finally be written down. This guide requires an existing installation of Mac OS X; for 10.4 and earlier, you can use any OS X release, but for 10.5 and 10.6 you need 10.5 or highe...

www.insanelymac.com

I had to perform trickery when installing Leopard on my 2009 MacBook. I installed it on my Mac Mini G4 and then updated it to 10.5.8 to make my MacBook able to run it. I then just had to re-run the combo updater to get Rosetta and it was done. Too bad you can't do something similar with Snow Leopard.

I appreciate it but this seems more trouble than it's worth. I tried an internet recovery and it was successful, bringing up the Lion installer (?) so the firmware must have been updated at some point which might be why the Snow Leopard DVD causes a kernel panic and any install media will probably cause the same. I'll have another hunt around the house for the recovery discs just in case.

 

[chrfr]

I appreciate it but this seems more trouble than it's worth. I tried an internet recovery and it was successful, bringing up the Lion installer (?) so the firmware must have been updated at some point which might be why the Snow Leopard DVD causes a kernel panic and any install media will probably cause the same. I'll have another hunt around the house for the recovery discs just in case.

The 2010 Macs all need a special version of 10.6.3, which is why your computer panics trying to start from one of the retail Snow Leopard discs. That has nothing to do with the firmware update.

 

[Aika]

The 2010 Macs all need a special version of 10.6.3, which is why your computer panics trying to start from one of the retail Snow Leopard discs. That has nothing to do with the firmware update.

Good to know, thank you.

I found a download on archive.org so I will give that a try. I also found an iPhone 3GS while looking for the recovery discs so that can complete the period accurate setup

 

[Aika]

I managed to get Snow Leopard installed but GPU performance on this laptop isn't up to snuff and it doesn't seem like v-sync works with the drivers Apple supplied for it. Time to call it quits.