Running a MacOS 12 Monterey VM on VMware ESXi 🌱

Downloads and Configuring ESXi

  1. Download a MacOS Monterey .iso Download
  2. Download Unlocker for VMware ESXi Download
  3. Download WinSCP Download
  4. Extract the downloaded Unlocker for VMware ESXi
  5. Rename the extracted folder unlocker
  6. Log into the ESXi web UI
  7. Enable the SSH service by selecting Actions > Services > Enable Secure Shell (SSH)
  8. Extract WinSCP and run the executable
  9. Connect to the ESXi host IP address via WinSCP
  10. Copy the extracted Unlocker folder to the ESXi host /root directory
  11. Connect to the ESXi host via SSH
  12. Run the following commands to install ESXi Unlocker
    # change directory to unlocker
    cd /unlocker
    # make the install script executable
    chmod +x ./esxi-install.sh
    # run the install script
    ./esxi-install.sh
    # reboot esxi host
    reboot

Creating the Monterey VM

  1. Log into the ESXi web UI
  2. In the left navigation pane, right click on Virtual Machines > Create/Register VM
  3. Select Create a new virtual machine > Click Next
  4. Name the VM MacOS 12 > Set the Guest OS family to Mac OS and Guest OS Version to Apple MacOS 10.14 (64-bit) > Click Next
  5. Select the storage datastore to use > Click Next
  6. Set the Memory to at least 4096, Hard disk 1 to 50 GB or more
  7. Expand CD/DVD Drive 1 > Make sure Datastore ISO file is selected > Click Browse next to the CD/DVD Media field
  8. Click Upload > Browse to and select the Mac OS installation ISO
  9. Once the upload completes, click the Mac OS ISO to highlight it > Click Select
  10. Back on the Hardware customization screen click Next
  11. Review the summary provided and click Finish Click the new MacOS 12 VM Click Power on at the top of the page

Installing MacOS Monterey

  1. After an initialization sequence the MAC OS Setup should start
  2. Select a Language > Click the next arrow
  3. Select Disk Utility
  4. Select the VMware Virtual SATA Hard Drive Media > Click Erase
  5. Name the drive OS12 > Set the Format to APFS > Click Erase
  6. Click Done > Close Disk Utility
  7. Click Install macOS Monterey
  8. Click Continue > Click Agree > Click Agree again
  9. Select the OS12 disk > Click Install
  10. Wait while Mac OS installs files, the VM will reboot several times
  11. Select your Country > Click Continue
  12. Confirm your languages and keyboard layout > Click Continue
  13. Click Not Now on the Accessibility screen
  14. Click Continue on the Data & Privacy screen
  15. Select Not Now on the Migration Assistant screen
  16. Select Set Up Later and then Skip on the Apple ID screen
  17. Click Agree > Agree again
  18. Enter a name, user name, password > Click Continue
  19. Click Customize Settings
  20. Click Continue > Select Use or Don't Use for Location Services
  21. Pick a timezone > Click Continue
  22. Choose whether to share analytics with Apple > Click Continue
  23. Click Set Up Later on the Screen Time screen
  24. Uncheck the Enable Ask Siri box > Click Continue
  25. Pick a theme > Click Continue
  26. Welcome to MacOS 12 Monterey

Install VMware Tools (optional, but recommended)

  1. Download MacOS Unlocker for VMware Workstation Download
  2. Extract the downloaded .zip file
  3. Navigate into the extracted folder
  4. Hold SHIFT and right click in the white space > Open PowerShell window here...
  5. Run the following command to download VMware Tools for MacOS
    .\unlocker.exe --download-tools
  6. Back in the ESXi web UI select Storage from the left navigation menu
  7. Click the Datastore browser icon at the top of the main content pane
  8. Click Upload > Browse to and select the darwin.iso
  9. Once the upload completes click Close to close out of the Datastore browser
  10. Select the MacOS 12 VM > Actions > Edit settings
  11. Attach darwin.iso to CD/DVD drive 1
  12. Inside the VM, double click the mounted VMware tools and run the installer