Offline macOS guest initialization and resource requirements on Apple Silicon

[Hemingwayt]

We are evaluating UTM 5.0.8 using Apple Virtualization on an Apple M5 Mac running macOS 27.0.1 (26A434), with 16 GB RAM and approximately 92 GiB free. Our proposed guest is macOS 27.0.1 (26A434). No VM has been created, and we are not requesting a workaround for platform security controls.

Could you clarify the following, ideally with supported documentation or source references?

1. Which Apple restore image is supported for this exact host/guest combination? Is there a supported read-only way to obtain its compatibility, minimum CPU count, minimum RAM, and authoritative image size before downloading the IPSW? If not, which facts require the local image?

2. Given a previously obtained compatible Apple IPSW, can initial restore and first boot through local-account Setup Assistant finish with the host disconnected and zero guest network devices? Are there host-side signing, personalization, activation, software-update, or other network dependencies? Please distinguish restore completion from first-run setup and ordinary offline runtime.

3. What documented or measured disk allocation should be allowed for the retained IPSW, guest installation, auxiliary data, extraction/temporary files, and host caches at peak? Please distinguish hard minima from example configurations and measured estimates. Our development tools would be budgeted separately.

4. Is zero guest NICs, no shared directories, no clipboard sharing, no USB passthrough, and no audio/microphone integration a supported initial configuration? Are any of these facilities required temporarily during installation?

We are seeking feasibility information only, not asking to bypass network requirements or weaken protections. If fully offline initialization is unsupported or cannot be guaranteed, an explicit statement would help us choose an appropriate alternative.