Build a Bootable OSX Mavericks VM in VMWare

This are some notes for myself. More details will follow as I test this process

1) Make bootable Mavericks ISO

You will need a working OSX VM or mac to do this step.

Download Mavericks from the app store and file is stored in /Applications/Install OSX Mavericks/InstallESD.dmg

Then follow the instructions below (from here) to make a bootable ISO

# Mount the installer image
hdiutil attach /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg -noverify -nobrowse -mountpoint /Volumes/install_app

# Convert the boot image to a sparse bundle
hdiutil convert /Volumes/install_app/BaseSystem.dmg -format UDSP -o /tmp/Mavericks

# Increase the sparse bundle capacity to accommodate the packages
hdiutil resize -size 8g /tmp/Mavericks.sparseimage

# Mount the sparse bundle for package addition
hdiutil attach /tmp/Mavericks.sparseimage -noverify -nobrowse -mountpoint /Volumes/install_build

# Remove Package link and replace with actual files
rm /Volumes/install_build/System/Installation/Packages
cp -rp /Volumes/install_app/Packages /Volumes/install_build/System/Installation/

# Unmount the installer image
hdiutil detach /Volumes/install_app

# Unmount the sparse bundle
hdiutil detach /Volumes/install_build

# Resize the partition in the sparse bundle to remove any free space
hdiutil resize -size `hdiutil resize -limits /tmp/Mavericks.sparseimage | tail -n 1 | awk '{ print $1 }'`b /tmp/Mavericks.sparseimage

# Convert the sparse bundle to ISO/CD master
hdiutil convert /tmp/Mavericks.sparseimage -format UDTO -o /tmp/Mavericks

# Remove the sparse bundle
rm /tmp/Mavericks.sparseimage

# Rename the ISO and move it to the desktop
mv /tmp/Mavericks.cdr ~/Desktop/Mavericks.iso

2) VMWare unlocker

Install VMware unlocker from here.

3) In VMWare

Create a new virtual machine and set the parameters as follows:

a) Guest Operating System: Apple Mac OS X

b) Version: Mac OS X 10.8 64bit
c)  Processors 1, 2 Cores

c) Point the CDRROM to the ISO created in step 1

Power on the VM and install OSX

4) Install the VMware tools

Pick the latest version from the below and download the "darwin.zip.tar" file (it's only about 2Mb), you can extract it and browse into the archive to find the ISO. Mount the ISO inside OSX and run the installer.

http://softwareupdate.vmware.com/cds/vmw-desktop/fusion/


5) Install Video Driver VMvgaII

See: http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/188962-vmware-svga-ii-display-driver-for-os-x-v125/

Install the version for 10.9 directly from here http://sourceforge.net/projects/vmsvga2/files/Display/ , otherwise you will get lots of funky errors. EG Finder will not work, Safari will keep crashing.

6) Go to setting -> Display
Hold down the ALT key when selecting Scaled
This will present a larger number of resolutions to choose from. I needed 1600x900