Virtual MacOS 10.12 Sierra (guest) in MacOS 10.12 Sierra (host).

T

TomyP

Bit poster
Hi everyone,

Before to buy Parallels 12 for Mac, I would like to know if it is possible to make a virtual MacOS 10.12 Sierra (guest) in a host MacOS 10.12 Sierra ?

Thanks for your answers everyone.
 
Hi,
I tried the trial version of Parallels 12 and I was able to create a macOS Sierra guest machine.
 
@TomyP
Yes you can BUT see caveats below (most are stupid and require Parallels to get off their collective backsides and do something):
  1. Default disk size is 67Gb
  2. You can change the disk size, however you CANNOT change the partition size in Parallels even at create time (stupid? Yes...)
  3. So you can have 1Tb allocated disk space, you still get a 67Gb partition
  4. To change the partition size you need a hack to convert HFS+ partition to coreStorage, diskutil size change, convert back to HFS+
  5. You can try everything within Parallels to change the partition size, but will end up with the Parallels KB article and support? advising it cannot be done within Parallels
  6. There is currently an issue with Sierra Guest VM randomly freezing, Parallels have not responded to the forum posts, it's not isolated to one person
  7. So far the system seem to unfreeze, but it is random, disruptive and freezes at times for several minutes
  8. Coherence doesn't work with macOS VM (as far as I can work out)
  9. There are issues that make the Sierra VM unworkably slow, mine was like that, but I fiddled (not sure what I did, but do remember adding 8Gb RAM to the VM)
  10. Parallels DO NOT know what is going on, here's two lots of contradictory advice from Parallels support:
    1. Do not exceed the recommended number of CPUs or RAM
    2. Give the VM half the Physical RAM and half the Physical CPUs
When working and not freezing, Parallels with a Sierra Host and a Sierra Guest seems to work very well. The tech support to address significant usability issues in a timely manner just isn't there. Parallels support is seriously lacking in this regard. It has been noted that the best advertisement for VMware Fusion is Parallels support and yes, Fusion does run a Sierra guest with a Sierra Host and it does allow you to resize the guest partition on startup.
 
I can no longer install Sierra (10.12.5) on Parallels 12 (Version 12.2.0 (41591)). When I use an iso image or the ESD I get the following screen:
Image%202017-06-18%20at%202.44.28%20PM.png


I made the ISO after this manner: https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/253644/13220
 
Last edited:
ylon said:
I can no longer install Sierra (10.12.5) on Parallels 12 (Version 12.2.0 (41591)). When I use an iso image or the ESD I get the following screen:
Image%202017-06-18%20at%202.44.28%20PM.png


I made the ISO after this manner: https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/253644/13220
Click to expand...
Hi @ylon, we are unable to see the screenshot attached in this thread. please help us with the screenshot in the .jpg format of the error message, we will check and assist you further.
 
@PaulChris@Parallels odd, you should have seen the image just fine. You can decide whether to reply here or in the other thread wherever you feel is more appropriate. I figured that perhaps I should split it out into a new topic since it was kind of not the exact same issue as this one, but it's your choice. Here's an imgr.com link: http://imgur.com/VNVbylo
 
So in general:

If I have a late 2016 MBP running OS X Sierra 10.12.6 and Parallels 12.2 (which currently has a virtual Windows 7 machine installed), I can also run a virtual OS X Sierra 10.12.6 in Parallels? I have software (Dragon Dictate Mac) which will only run on Sierra, so I would like to create a virtual Sierra and see if it will run there. THEN, I would like to upgrade the actual Mac OS on my MBP to Mojave, while keeping a virtual Sierra machine to run the legacy Nuance software.

At that point, will I need to upgrade to Parallels 14?

Will Parallels 14 also continue to run Windows 7?

Thanks
 
Hi MarshallC.
MarshallC said:
If I have a late 2016 MBP running OS X Sierra 10.12.6 and Parallels 12.2 (which currently has a virtual Windows 7 machine installed), I can also run a virtual OS X Sierra 10.12.6 in Parallels?
Click to expand...
Yes, you can. You can install any number of virtual machines on the same Mac under Parallels Desktop (as far as your Mac disk space can accommodate these). Just be sure not to run two or more virtual machines simultaneously and place a strain on your Mac.
MarshallC said:
THEN, I would like to upgrade the actual Mac OS on my MBP to Mojave, while keeping a virtual Sierra machine to run the legacy Nuance software.

At that point, will I need to upgrade to Parallels 14?
Click to expand...
Yes, of course. As of today, Parallels 14 is the only version fully optimized for Mojave.
MarshallC said:
Will Parallels 14 also continue to run Windows 7?
Click to expand...
Correct, based on the information given here.
 
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