Upgrade to macOS Beta within VirtualBuddy?

[blackketter]

I can't seem to figure out how to upgrade a working Sonoma install in VirtualBuddy rather than downloading a full restore image and starting from scratch.

Am I missing something simple?

[insidegui]

macOS Sequoia Beta

For instructions on how to update a VM to macOS Sequoia, see @lukele's instructions: #194 (comment)

macOS Sonoma Beta

Installing betas now requires signing in with an Apple ID that's enrolled in the beta program (be it the developer, customer, or public betas), and unfortunately signing in with an Apple ID inside a macOS VM is also not supported.

However, I have found a workaround that allowed me to update a macOS VM running macOS 14 beta 2 to macOS 14 beta 3.

Enabling macOS 14 beta updates in a virtual machine

The commands below must be run within the virtual machine

• Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal)
• Run the commands below:

sudo defaults write com.apple.MobileAsset MobileAssetAssetAudience -string 77c3bd36-d384-44e8-b550-05122d7da438
sudo defaults write com.apple.MobileAsset MobileAssetServerURL-com.apple.MobileAsset.SoftwareUpdate -string "https://swscan.apple.com/content/catalogs/others/index-14seed-14-13-12-10.16-10.15-10.14-10.13-10.12-10.11-10.10-10.9-mountainlion-lion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog.gz"
sudo killall -HUP mobileassetd
sudo killall -HUP betaenrollmentd
open "x-apple.systempreferences:com.apple.Software-Update-Settings.extension"

I've only tested in macOS Sonoma, but it's possible it works for updating a macOS Ventura VM to macOS Sonoma as well.

Disclaimer: highly experimental, might break in future updates, etc etc

PS: If you'd like to DISABLE beta updates within the VM, replace the first two commands by the ones below:

sudo defaults delete com.apple.MobileAsset MobileAssetAssetAudience
sudo defaults delete com.apple.MobileAsset MobileAssetServerURL-com.apple.MobileAsset.SoftwareUpdate

[mag911]

Champion! The vanilla Parallels macOS image still responds positively to the set of commands listed here 🥇 , upgrading itself to Sonoma 14 Beta 3.

[codecaffeine]

Works for Beta 4 as well!

[blackketter]

I was offered and am now downloading Beta 7

[lukele]

Thanks! I deleted the comment after it suddenly appeared after a few more attempts.

[wAuner]

Great, that worked, thank you! Worked for me for updating my UTM VM Sonoma Beta 7 to RC. Unbelievable that Apple requires developers to jump through so many hoops. They really don't want us to properly test our software.

[kjacobsen]

Are there any updates if this works for Sonoma 14.3 Beta 3?

[lukele]

Yes, works perfectly.

[lukele]

For anyone wanting to upgrade an existing macOS Sonoma VM to macOS Sequoia, following are the new commands:

sudo defaults write com.apple.MobileAsset MobileAssetAssetAudience -string 98df7800-8378-4469-93bf-5912da21a1e1
sudo defaults write com.apple.MobileAsset MobileAssetServerURL-com.apple.MobileAsset.SoftwareUpdate -string "https://swscan.apple.com/content/catalogs/others/index-15seed-15-14-13-12-10.16-10.15-10.14-10.13-10.12-10.11-10.10-10.9-mountainlion-lion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog.gz"
sudo killall -HUP mobileassetd
sudo killall -HUP betaenrollmentd
open "x-apple.systempreferences:com.apple.Software-Update-Settings.extension"

[alienator88]

Ahh that is unfortunate!

[lukele]

@andalman Not sure to what beta you are trying to update. b2 has not yet been released, or has it? developer.apple.com says Jun 10 as latest release which was b1. If you're talking about Sonoma betas, you have to use the commands from @insidegui's original post.

[andalman]

Wow. Thanks, @lukele! I thought I read that b2 was already released. But I was totally mistaken! Sorry for the confusion. How embarrassing.

[lukele]

Ah ok, no worries :)

[thecrypticace]

Confirmed this works for updating Sequoia beta 1 to beta 2