Install macOS from the recovery partition

[agreensh]

VMWare Fusion 10.0.1

Trying to create a VM from my OS X High Sierra system.

Getting this error "VMware Fusion could not find any recovery partitions on this Mac."

but "diskutil list" shows a recovery partition DOES exist.

How do I do this? If I can't then VMEWare Fusion is useless to me.

Regards,

Andy

[ColoradoMarmot]

Just download the High Sierra installer from the App store and drag that to the 'new VM' wizard.  It works better anyway.

[Jessie Zhang]

Hi agreensh,

This is a known issue listed in Fusion 10 release notes:

Installing macOS from the recovery partition does not work for macOS 10.13

• Fusion cannot identify recovery partition on macOS 10.13. As a result install macOS from the recovery partition does not work.

As suggested by dlhotka, you can download "Install macOS High Sierra.app" from App Store, then use that install media to create a macOS 10.13 VM

[__mac_dev_dude]

When I tried to create a new image using "Install macOS High Sierra.app" I get a message that says "Creating installation medium ... This may take a few minutes." After a few minutes I get an error that says "Unable to create installation medium."

[ColoradoMarmot]

Apple sometimes downloads a 'stub' version of the installer.  Try deleting it and downloading again from the Apple Mac App store.

[__mac_dev_dude]

I was finally able to get it to work. Looks like the trick to installing High Sierra in VMWare Fusion is to create a High Sierra installation image file as follows:

Create a sparse disk image:

hdiutil create -o HighSierra -size 8G -layout SPUD -fs HFS+J -type SPARSE

Then mount it:

hdiutil attach HighSierra.sparseimage -noverify -mountpoint /Volumes/install_build

Run the create install media program:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/install_build

Detach Apple's high Sierra volume:

hdiutil detach /Volumes/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra/

hdiutil convert HighSierra.sparseimage -format UDZO -o HighSierra.dmg

Then use VMWare Fusion  to create a new disk image using HighSierra.dmg you just created.

[bvandewe]

Thanks for sharing! That worked for Mojave as well...

[xeroid966]

Thanks! Worked for Mojave. Here's the modified steps for nubies like me...

Create a sparse disk image:

sudo hdiutil create -o Mojave -size 8G -layout SPUD -fs HFS+J -type SPARSE

Then mount it:

sudo hdiutil attach Mojave.sparseimage -noverify -mountpoint /Volumes/install_build

Run the create install media program:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/install_build

Detach Apple's high Sierra volume:

sudo hdiutil detach /Volumes/Install\ macOS\ Mojave/

sudo hdiutil convert Mojave.sparseimage -format UDZO -o Mojave.dmg

Then use VMWare Fusion  to create a new disk image using Mojave.dmg you just created.

[anupam5001]

Below are the easy steps which helps ( It worked for me ) :

- Download the " Install macOS High Sierra" or "Install macOS Mojave" from App Store

- Drag it from application folder to the desktop

- Go to VMware Fusion > File > New > Install from disc or image > Continue

- Drag the "Install macOS High Sierra" or "Install macOS Mojave" to the box or select "Use another disc image" and select the installer file from desktop

- Continue the installation

Regards,

Anupam