Launch OS X. On desktop computers. Using virtual machines
MacOS can be run on Mac different ways which we have already written about. In the same material we will dwell in detail on the Mac startup mode with booting from CD/DVD, USB or external hard drive.
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Starting a Mac with Boot From external drive may be necessary if you need to run another version or copies of macOS, troubleshooting any problems, and so on.
To start, the following conditions must be met:
- the computer is based on an Intel system;
- The volume is formatted with a GUID partition type selected;
- The USB storage device is running Mac OS X 10.4.5 or later.
ON THIS TOPIC:
How to start a Mac from a bootable CD/DVD?
1
2
. Hold down the key WITH on the keyboard and hold until boot menu. The Mac should boot from the CD/DVD installed in optical drive. You can also click left key mouse when starting the operating system in order to remove the drive.
You can burn a macOS image to a bootable CD/DVD using " Disk Utility».
How to boot to Mac from an external USB storage device?
1
. Connect a USB flash drive or external HDD.
2
. Turn on your Mac by pressing the power button or restart your computer if it is already running.
3
. Hold down the key ⌥Option (Alt) on the keyboard and hold until the boot menu appears.
4 . Select the desired volume using the mouse, arrows, or trackpad.
Note: If the volume you want is not displayed, wait a few seconds while Boot Manager finishes scanning the mounted drives.
5 . Press the key Return (Enter) to boot your Mac from the selected volume.
How to start Mac from another hard drive (USB) / select default startup disk from macOS system preferences?
1
. Open menu → System settings...
2
. Click on the " Boot volume».
3 . From the list of available volumes, select required disk, which will be used as boot.
After rebooting macOS or next startup? The Mac will start the operating system from the selected volume.
macOS won't boot from an external hard drive, what should I do?
Answer:
1
. Some are old external USB drives require additional food. It is possible that it needs to be connected to external source power or use second USB on Mac.
2
. Make sure that external storage enabled (again, the prerogative of old USB drives).
3
. .
4
. Make sure the drive is formatted with the GUID partition type selected.
5
. Try connecting the external drive to a different USB port.
6
. Make sure the external drive is bootable.
7
. Connect the drive directly, without using a USB hub.
Mac computers with operating system macOS system on board are the standard of reliability and performance, but even despite this, no one is immune from force majeure circumstances, due to which operating system may not load or freeze on startup. In this article we will talk about typical faults and ways to eliminate them.
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Absence Mac downloads or freezing during launch macOS may be due to three main reasons:
- problem related to a technical component (SSD, HDD, RAM, processor, maternal memory, controller and so on);
- new equipment (needs to be disabled). The reason could even be a regular USB flash drive or USB key;
- software related problem.
If the process of launching and loading macOS has begun, but freezes at certain stages, then you need to go through all the points below in order in the given algorithm of actions.
1. Disconnect all devices connected to your Mac and try restarting your computer
How to force restart any of Mac computers we told.
2. Boot macOS in Safe Boot or Verbose mode
Safe Boot or simply “Safe Mode” allows you to run macOS with limited checks and functionality. That is, only the minimum that allows the system to function is launched. We perform all actions from a switched off Mac. To turn it off, just hold down the power button for 2-3 seconds.
MacOS in mode Safe Boot starts a little slower (if it starts at all), so don't rush to jump to next step, until you are sure that this is not working. To start your Mac in safe mode Safe Boot, just turn on the computer while holding down the key ⇧Shift.
There is also an analogue of the Safe Boot mode - Verbose mode. The difference is that the latter allows you to display the entire detailed information about loaded processes, software and drivers. To start your Mac in Verbose mode, start your Mac while holding down the keys Shift + Command + V (⇧ + ⌘ + V).
If the Mac starts in Safe modes Boot or Verbose mode, then you need to click on menu and reboot the machine into normal mode. A successful download means we are lucky.
If the Mac does not boot, then smoothly move on to the next step.
3. We resort to the help of Disk Utility
Our instructions are designed to first weed out the most common and easy-to-fix causes of Mac failure. At this stage, you need to make sure whether the problem is caused by a malfunctioning hard drive or SSD, and help us with this standard remedy represented by Disk Utility.
Shut down your Mac from any frozen state. Launch Disk Utility carried out turning on your Mac with keys pressed Command + R (⌘ + R). Here you will be in recovery mode.
In the list that appears " macOS utilities » select the item « Disk Utility" and press the button " Continue».
IN disk utility select hard drive on the left side menu and start the verification mode by clicking on the " First aid"at the top of the window.
After the check is completed, if any malfunctions are detected, the utility will immediately offer to fix them or will fix them automatically. After this, restart your Mac. If it doesn’t help, then proceed to the next step.
4. How to save data from a Mac that won't boot macOS
If you don't care about the data stored on your hard drive, then feel free to skip this step and move on to the next step.
If you don't use the most useful function Time Machine, then before reinstalling macOS you need to take care of transferring data from the disk. Developers from Cupertino came up with special mode external drive (), with which you can access data stored on your hard drive Mac drive to copy them to another Mac. The disadvantage of this method is obvious - the need for presence second Mac and Thunderbolt cable.
To activate External Disk Mode you must:
1 . Connect both Macs using a Thunderbolt cable.
2 . Turn off the problematic Mac and working mac turn it on.
3 . Start a broken Mac with the button pressed T and hold it until the Thunderbolt icon appears on the display on a blue background, which indicates that the Mac has successfully launched in external drive mode.
On a working computer, Finder should have an external hard drive, from which we will copy important data. After completing the procedure, safely remove the disk and turn off the computer by long pressing the power button.
Let's start with history. There were a dozen programs for running processes or programs. And thousands of scripts for them. Dave Zarzycki from Apple decided to write a program that would be different from the ones written above and would offer a single, standardized interface to any programs that automatically launch the system and other goodies.
That's the whole story. Now to the program itself.
It's called Launchd. And she's open source code. Open source
All processes at system startup (in Mac OS X) are launched by one launchd process. When loading, launchd is called by the kernel as the first process and then the entire system starts with it. Launchd also ensures that the process is running. If he suddenly falls, Launchd will help him and pick him up.
First, let's decide why we need to launch something at boot and when we need to do it.
If you need a program or process to launch at system startup and even when the user is not logged in, you should create a file in the /Library/LaunchDaemons folder. If you need it only when you are logged in, then in the /Library/LaunchAgents folder. You can also use other directories, but we will not touch on them in this article.
Let's create a Daemon to run php-fcgi processes.
sudo mate /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.php-fcgi
So what should we write there?
First let's understand that Property List is Xml file. And it must be valid. Otherwise nothing will work.
Textmate checks the validity of these files, so there shouldn't be any gaps.
This file must contain 3 required keys.
Label - unique identificator.
ProgramArguments- Essentially, this is the path and parameters of the program to be launched.
The first line is always the path to the program unless the Program key is used.
The following lines will be parameters. It is better to write each parameter and its value in different lines.
OnDemand- This key tells Launchd to restart the process if it fails to start or crashes. Also, setting the value to false means that we want the process to always be running.
Now let's wrap it all up in a standard record that is present in all files of this type.
Let's save. Now Launchctl is a program interface for Launchd.
With it we can enable or disable the loading of our configuration file.
For example, the following command will include our file.
sudo launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.php-fcgi.plist
And this one will turn it off.
sudo launchctl unload -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.php-fcgi.plist
And it will add the key with the parameter to our file.
In general, now we should have 5 php-cgi processes running when loading. You can restart them with the command
sudo launchctl stop php
and since we have OnDemand set to false, this will simply restart the process.
I almost forgot. If you want to add environment variables, you need to write something like this
And now the bonuses
For many people, digging into the command line is too lazy or difficult. There is an easier option for them. This is a free program.
Also using this program you can open com.apple.syslogd
and instead of /usr/sbin/syslogd write /usr/sbin/syslogd -c 3 -a
The -c 3 option will tell you to ignore less important messages. And syslogd will only log important messages. If you want 0 these are the most important. 8 least.
The -a option will tell syslogd to archive entries. And clear the active record database every 24 hours.
All this will make your Mac a little faster.
PS.
When I was figuring out launchd I ran into a small problem. At startup, the spawn-php program was called (yes, I know it was stupid) and it called php-cgi processes. Everything was fine during testing. But nothing happened when loading. Only the tenth time was it possible to start the processes. I don’t know what this was connected with, maybe this is a problem in spawn-php, but it was solved in the way that I described above, i.e. calling the process directly.
Everything that will be written below about using the open command has already been found in one form or another in articles in the section. And here I will simply collect all these examples in one place, for convenience.
On the command line OS X(application Terminal) you can execute not only console commands, but also run applications with a graphical interface.
Launching the GUI application
The simplest example. Let's open the application TextEdit:
open -a TextEdit
And for applications that have more than one word in their name, you need to enclose such a name in quotation marks. For example:
open -a "Google Chrome"
Opening files
You can upload a file to the default application for that file type. For example:
open picture.jpg
will open the specified file in the application View. Or you can do it in a non-default application:
open -a "Microsoft Word" text.rtf :)
Note. If the file is not in the current directory, then you should specify the entire path to it, for example:
open Desktop/Photos/picture.jpg
Open the directory in
This is done with the open command, specifying as a parameter the directory that needs to be opened in Finder. For example:
Opens in Finder current directory (dot - current directory). And accordingly:
will open in Finder catalog Downloads.
Open WEB address
You can open the web address in your default browser:
or maybe not in the default browser:
open -a "Google Chrome" //site
Create a letter with an attached file
Everything is simple here too - open the application Mail, and as a parameter we pass the file that needs to be attached to the letter:
open -a Mail picture.jpg
Even the most ardent OS X fans sometimes need to take advantage of the “enemy” Windows. There are different situations: from the need to use banking clients and corporate software to launching games. There are many ways to run applications written for Windows, using both third-party tools and proprietary Apple solutions.
Conventionally, they can be divided into three categories: a full installation of Windows, the use of virtual machines and emulators of the Windows software environment. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, so we will look at them all so that you can choose the one that is most convenient for you.
Installing Windows using Boot Camp
Especially for those unfortunates who are unable to break all ties with Windows, Apple has created the Boot Camp Assistant utility, with which you can prepare your Mac for Windows installation and, in fact, install it. In this case, a separate partition is created on the disk, allowing both operating systems to work independently of each other.
You will need 50 GB free space And boot disk Windows. The installation process itself is very simple, you just need to follow the wizard's prompts and wait for completion. After the reboot, you will have a full-fledged Windows version just like on a regular PC. All that remains is to install required applications or games - and you can use it. You can find out more about the requirements and supported versions.
Benefits of Boot Camp
- Performance. Since all the resources of the Mac are used by only one OS, we get maximum performance.
- Compatibility. Thanks to full-fledged Windows, full compatibility with any applications and games is ensured.
Flaws Boot Camp
- Need to reboot. To start Windows, you will have to restart your Mac every time.
- Lack of integration. Windows does not support the HFS+ file system, which means you won’t be able to access OS X files from it, and vice versa.
Using virtual machines
This method has much in common with the previous one, but is slightly different in implementation. With it we also get a full-fledged OS, but it is installed not on real hardware, but on virtual one. Special software (virtual machine) emulates the hardware platform for running Windows, taking away some of the Mac's resources, and it turns out that one OS runs inside another.
Parallels Desktop
parallels.com Perhaps the most popular virtual machine among Mac users. Parallels is regularly updated, always works with current versions OS X and Windows and has additional functions like hybrid mode, when the OS X and Windows interfaces are simultaneously displayed on the screen, and applications are launched regardless of their ownership. In addition, the program can launch Windows from Boot Camp partitions, which is convenient if you need to access any applications or data without rebooting.
The disadvantage of the program is that Parallels is not free. The junior version will cost you $79.99.
VMware Fusion
vmware.com Another commercial solution for OS virtualization. The key feature of VMware Fusion is the sharing wizard, which allows you to transfer the entire environment from your Windows PC to a virtual machine and continue using applications on your Mac. Installed Windows shares a clipboard with OS X, as well as access to files and network resources. Its applications are fully integrated with OS X features (Spotlight, Mission Control, Exposé). In addition, it supports running Windows from the Boot Camp partition.
VMware Fusion costs 6,300 rubles, but before purchasing you can explore its capabilities in a free trial version.
If your plans do not include additional expenses for running Windows applications, then your choice is Oracle. Compared with paid analogues it has much less capabilities, but for simple tasks quite suitable. For integration with system functions OS X is not worth counting on, but basic things like a shared clipboard and access to network resources are available here. The free nature of VirtualBox fully justifies all of its limitations.
Advantages virtual machines
- Simultaneous operation of two operating systems. You don't need to restart your Mac to run Windows apps.
- File sharing. Since Windows runs inside OS X, support is an issue file systems absent.
Disadvantages of Virtual Machines
- Poor performance. Because Mac resources are shared between the two operating systems, application performance is significantly slower, especially on older computers.
- Compatibility issues. Some applications (most often games) that require direct access to hardware may not work correctly or not work at all.
Using emulators
With emulators, everything is completely different than with virtual machines and Boot Camp. More precisely, they have something in common with virtual machines, only they do not emulate Windows entirely, but only those of it software components that are necessary for work desired application. We will not have a full-fledged OS and access to its functions: we get a certain compatibility layer that allows us to run a Windows application directly in the OS X environment.
All emulators work on the same principle. The installation of the application is initialized via setup.exe, and then in the process it is configured required parameters launch and load automatically required libraries. After this, an application icon appears on Launchpad, which will work in the same way as all native OS X programs.
WineBottler
winebottler.kronenberg.org This emulator can turn an .EXE file into an OS X compatible application. WineBottler also allows you to automatically load some already configured Windows applications. It is completely free and compatible with OS X El Capitan.
Wineskin
Another emulator, which, like the previous one, uses the Wine libraries to create ports. Compared to the previous solution, Wineskin has more settings and allows you to fine-tune the settings. We talked in detail about its setup and use in.
CrossOver
A commercial emulator whose development team has already adapted and configured many popular Windows applications and games for you. CrossOver has a friendly interface, and also eliminates the need to delve into settings and deal with possible errors. The only negative is that it is paid. The license costs $20.95, but there is a 14-day trial period.
Advantages of emulators
- Need not Windows license. Emulators run applications through a compatibility layer, so licensed copy No OS needed.
- Performance. Again, due to saving resources, which are in virtual machines spent on running a full-fledged Windows, we get more high performance compared to them.
Disadvantages of emulators
- Difficulty setting up. To use Windows applications, you first need to configure them, and this is not always easy, especially with games.
- Compatibility issues. In some cases, applications (usually resource-intensive ones) may not work correctly or not work at all.
What to choose
What to ultimately choose from such a variety? There is no clear answer to this question. In each specific case you need to build on your needs, but in general the recommendations are as follows.
- Boot Camp suitable primarily for gamers, as well as those users who need maximum performance and software compatibility. We reboot the Mac - and we get full-fledged computer with Windows.
- Virtual machines will help out in cases where you need both OSs at the same time. We sacrifice performance, but avoid reboots and get good integration.
- Emulators Can only be recommended for simple tasks and infrequent use. For example, when you need to use a bank client a couple of times a month or occasionally feel nostalgic in your favorite game.
Choose the most suitable option for yourself, and in the comments tell us for what needs you use Windows applications on your Mac and how you launch them.
