The Fat Bloke Sings: Thoughts from a Fat Bloke

To settle an argument and hopefully win a pint, I've documented the process for installing OpenSolaris 2008.05 into a VirtualBox vm on a Mac. For reference, the host is Mac OS X (10.5.3) with 2G RAM. 

So first off, here is my Guest Configuration:

 

Note that I didn't skimp on guest Base Memory RAM (1 Gig) or Video RAM (32Meg). The Base Memory is 1 Gig because OpenSolaris is not the lightest of platforms (although it will work in 512Meg), and the Video RAM is 32 Meg because the Seamless Windows feature needs it to pull of the trick of allowing guest top-level windows to float alongside host app windows.

I've also chosen the Intel Pro Gigabit NIC and I've mounted the OpenSolaris-2008-05_gzip.iso as a CD which we'll boot off when we turn the machine on.

So here's what happens when your Start you Virtual Machine.

1. OpenSolaris boots of the LiveCD and takes you to:

 

You can read the OpenSolaris license or just close that window. 

2. You then click on the Install OpenSolaris icon on the Desktop:

 

Click Next to move on to the... 

3. Disk Parameters

 

I just accepted the suggested layout and clicked Next...

4. Timezone settings: 

 then Next again to reach...

4. Locale settings: 

 and Next again to reach...

5. User information: 

 and Next to reach the

6. Summary page where you check what you've entered.

 After clicking on Install here...

7. The Installer copies everything over:

 until it is Finished:

 8. Reboot

 Before you reboot, unmount the CD then click reboot to shutdown and boot off the fresh new virtual Hard Drive you've setup:

 

 and watch it come up.....

 

 until...

9. You can now Login to a freshly installed OpenSolaris machine. 

(Use the username you setup in step 5. )

11. You're in and good to go:

 

Voilà, OpenSolaris on a Mac!

 

But for optimal performance and user experience don't forget to install the VirtualBox Guest Additions into the vm. Here's how:

(a) In the VirtualBoxVM menu choose Devices...Install Guest Additions and you'll see the iso file mounted. 

(b) As an administrative user (root) run

  pkgadd -d /media/VBOXADDITIONS_1.6.2_31466/VBoxSolarisAdditions.pkg 

 

(c) choose all ...

 

(d) and after it completes, logout (to restart the X11 session) and login again.  

Now you really are all set to go.

Easy!

-FB