Running a MacOS 13 Ventura VM in VMware ESXi

Downloads and Configuring ESXi

  1. Download a MacOS Ventura .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 Ventura 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 13 > Set the Guest OS family to Mac OS and Guest OS Version to Apple MacOS 12 (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 Network > Set the Adapter Type to VMXNET 3
  8. Expand CD/DVD Drive 1 > Make sure Datastore ISO file is selected > Click Browse next to the CD/DVD Media field
  9. Click Upload > Browse to and select the Mac OS installation ISO
  10. Once the upload completes, click the Mac OS ISO to highlight it > Click Select
  11. Back on the Hardware customization screen click Next
  12. Review the summary provided and click Finish Click the new MacOS 13 VM Click Power on at the top of the page

Installing MacOS Ventura

  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 MacOS > Set the Format to APFS > Click Erase
  6. Click Done > Close Disk Utility
  7. Click Install macOS Ventura
  8. Click Continue > Click Agree > Click Agree again
  9. Select the MacOS 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 time zone > Click Continue
  22. Choose whether to share analytics with Apple > Click Continue
  23. Click Set Up Later on the Screen Time screen
  24. Pick a theme > Click Continue
  25. Welcome to MacOS 13 Ventura

Install VMware Tools (optional, but recommended)

  1. Download MacOS Unlocker for VMware Workstation Download
  2. Extract the downloaded .zip file
  3. Run Unlocker.exe
  4. Click the Download button under the Tools section
  5. Back in the ESXi web UI select Storage from the left navigation menu
  6. Click the Datastore browser icon at the top of the main content pane
  7. Click Upload > Browse to and select the darwin.iso downloaded by MacOS Unlocker
  8. Once the upload completes click Close to close out of the Datastore browser
  9. Select the MacOS 13 VM > Actions > Edit settings
  10. Attach darwin.iso to CD/DVD drive 1
  11. Inside the VM, double click the mounted VMware tools and run the installer