boot-macOS-headless.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# Special thanks to:
# https://github.com/Leoyzen/KVM-Opencore
# https://github.com/thenickdude/KVM-Opencore/
# https://github.com/qemu/qemu/blob/master/docs/usb2.txt
#
# qemu-img create -f qcow2 mac_hdd_ng.img 128G
#
# echo 1 | sudo tee -a /sys/module/kvm/parameters/ignore_msrs  # this is required
#
# Usage:
#
# $ boot-macOS-headless.sh
#
# (qemu) change vnc password
# Password: ********
#
# Note: Using RealVNC client, connect to `<localhost:5901>`.
# E.g. `vncviewer localhost:5901`
#
# Note: After installation, start using the `OpenCore-nopicker.qcow2` image.

############################################################################
# NOTE: Tweak the "MY_OPTIONS" line in case you are having booting problems!
############################################################################

# Changelog:
# - Add support for 'savevm'
# - Fix cpuid related warning on EPYC
# - Fix 'savevm' support

MY_OPTIONS="+pcid,+ssse3,+sse4.2,+popcnt,+avx,+aes,+xsave,+xsaveopt,check"

# This script works for Catalina as well as Mojave. Tested with macOS 10.14.6 and macOS 10.15.6.

ALLOCATED_RAM="3072" # MiB
CPU_SOCKETS="1"
CPU_CORES="2"
CPU_THREADS="4"

REPO_PATH="."
OVMF_DIR="."

# for snapshots
export TMPDIR=$PWD

# shellcheck disable=SC2054
args=(
  -enable-kvm -m "$ALLOCATED_RAM" -cpu Penryn,kvm=on,vendor=GenuineIntel,+invtsc,vmware-cpuid-freq=on,"$MY_OPTIONS"
  -machine q35
  -usb -device usb-kbd -device usb-tablet
  -smp "$CPU_THREADS",cores="$CPU_CORES",sockets="$CPU_SOCKETS"
  -device isa-applesmc,osk="ourhardworkbythesewordsguardedpleasedontsteal(c)AppleComputerInc"
  -drive if=pflash,format=raw,readonly,snapshot=off,file="$REPO_PATH/$OVMF_DIR/OVMF_CODE.fd"
  -drive if=pflash,format=raw,snapshot=on,file="$REPO_PATH/$OVMF_DIR/OVMF_VARS-1024x768.fd"
  -smbios type=2
  -device ich9-ahci,id=sata
  # -drive id=OpenCoreBoot,if=none,snapshot=on,format=qcow2,file="$REPO_PATH/OpenCore-Catalina/OpenCore.qcow2"
  -drive id=OpenCoreBoot,if=none,snapshot=on,format=qcow2,file="$REPO_PATH/OpenCore-Catalina/OpenCore-nopicker.qcow2"
  -device ide-hd,bus=sata.2,drive=OpenCoreBoot
  -device ide-hd,bus=sata.3,drive=InstallMedia
  -drive id=InstallMedia,if=none,file="$REPO_PATH/BaseSystem.img",format=raw
  # -drive id=MacHDD,if=none,snapshot=on,file="$REPO_PATH/mac_hdd_ng.img",format=qcow2
  -drive id=MacHDD,if=none,snapshot=off,file="$REPO_PATH/mac_hdd_ng.img",format=qcow2
  -device ide-hd,bus=sata.4,drive=MacHDD
  -netdev user,id=net0 -device vmxnet3,netdev=net0,id=net0,mac=52:54:00:c9:18:27
  -monitor stdio
  -vga vmware
  -display none
  -vnc 0.0.0.0:1,password -k en-us
)

qemu-system-x86_64 "${args[@]}"