Open the App Store or Apple's official support page and download the macOS High Sierra installer. Open the app.

While downloading a pre-made, pre-patched macOS High Sierra VMDK from a random forum or file-sharing site seems fast, it carries massive security risks:

Virtualization allows you to run macOS on non-Apple hardware or test older software environments on modern machines. macOS High Sierra (10.13) remains a popular choice for virtual machines due to its low system requirements and compatibility with older 32-bit applications.

Always build your own patched VMDK using the official Install macOS High Sierra.app from Apple. For those without a Mac, use gibMacOS (a Python script) to download the installer directly from Apple’s servers legally.

Intel Core i3/i5/i7 (with Virtualization Technology - VT-x enabled in BIOS) or AMD equivalent (AMD-V). RAM: At least 8GB (4GB minimum, but 8GB+ is recommended).

Navigate to the folder where your new virtual machine files are saved.

Set the network adapter of the virtual machine to Host-Only mode or disconnect it entirely if internet access is not strictly required for your specific testing scenario.

Step 2: Finding a Reliable "macOS High Sierra 10.13 VMDK Download Patched"

Rename your downloaded VMDK to match the name of the file you just deleted. 5. Edit the VMX File Open the .vmx file with Notepad. Add this line to the end: smc.version = "0" Save and close. 6. Power On and Install Start the virtual machine. If prompted with a "Lock" error, select .

What is your host system's ? (Intel or AMD?)

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/install_build Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard

Intel or AMD CPU with Hardware Virtualization enabled in the BIOS/UEFI (VT-x for Intel; AMD-V for AMD).

Go to and assign at least 2 CPU cores. Go to Display and max out the Video Memory to 128 MB . Step 4: Add the Essential Code Fixes

Before downloading and setting up your virtual environment, ensure your host computer meets these minimum specifications: Hardware Requirements Intel Core i5 or higher / AMD Ryzen 3 or higher.