MacOS VM's using VMWare Fusion

[AJPinto]

I am trying to run macOS updates on some VM's I am testing. This is a new work flow for me with adding VM's for testing.

I have modified the .vmx and added the following which lets the VM enroll in to JAMF, however macOS updates wont work. I think I am missing something still. When you check about this Mac it only has MacBook Pro, not MacBook Pro (16-in 2019) which is the HW model I am using in this case. I know updates are tied to the hardware information on the device, but it appears defining the model number is not enough. Any ideas on what I missed?

I plan on also testing with Parallels but I am waiting on a license, any information for that would be helpful also.

serialNumber = "VM0000000003"
SMBIOS.use12CharSerialNumber = "TRUE"
hw.model = "MacBookPro16,1"

VM not showing all the hardware information

Physical device showing as you would expect

[bradtchapman · Accepted solution]

Try using a serial number that is closer to a real Mac serial number? I usually do this: if my actual serial is C02Z, I'll change it to C99Z. The last parts of the serial number indicate the machine configuration, and Macs will sometimes reach out to an Apple server for configuration details.

[bradtchapman · Accepted solution]

Try using a serial number that is closer to a real Mac serial number? I usually do this: if my actual serial is C02Z, I'll change it to C99Z. The last parts of the serial number indicate the machine configuration, and Macs will sometimes reach out to an Apple server for configuration details.

[mschroder · Accepted solution]

After checking the SN's of a bunch of Macs I had received I always modify the fifth character from the right to cook up a SN for one of my VMs, and check that the created SN is not yet known to the MDM. For recent versions of macOS under Parallels I also added the board_id to the config, not sure whether VMWare needs that too.

[guidotti]

How do you guys test Automated Deployment workflows without using a real serial number that is in your Apple Business Manager?

[Tribruin]

@guidotti You have to have a real serial number that is active in your ABM. What I normally do if appropriate as a "testing device" that is in ABM and just use that Serial Number.

[T_Armstrong]

Same here. I just use the S/N of one of my own assigned machines. Jamf is fine with two records with the same S/N, no issues I've ever run into.

[mschroder]

@T.Armstrong The issues with several devices having the same SN come up when you try to access such a device via the API. Appart from that I see indeed no problems. We modify some EAs via the API, so for us the same SN for several devices is no option.