HexOS on Apple Silicon with UTM: Success!

[Simo]

Hello,

 

I successfully installed HexOS using UTM on macOS with an Apple M3 CPU (ARM). UTM, which is built on QEMU, allows you to emulate* a different architecture if you’re running something other than ARM. In this case, it was used to emulate x86_64, which is required for HexOS.

Notes:

• Disable UEFI: Ensure UEFI is disabled in the hypervisor template.

• Use BIOS: During the HexOS installation process, do not enable UEFI; choose BIOS instead.

• Add Pool Drives Later: Pool drives (IDE) were added after the initial setup. If this step is not followed, the deck may not be able to locate the local server.

• App Installation: Apps were added via the TrueNAS interface because the HexOS installation was failing at 60%.

• Hardware Settings:

   • Architecture: x86_64

   • System: Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009) (alias of pc-q35-9.1) (q35)

   • Emulated Display Card: virtio-vga-gl (GPU Supported)

[AJV]

How’s the performance?

[AJV]

Is this better than VMWare?

[Simo]

16 hours ago, AJV said:

How’s the performance?

Havent tested numbers, just only eyeballing transfered a file and transfered like normal speeds

[Simo]

16 hours ago, AJV said:

Is this better than VMWare?

Im not sure if VMware allows emulating x86_64 from ARM, I believe not, thats why im using UTM

[Adam Rowe]

Hey, I’m looking at getting a Mac mini to run HexOS and home assistant.

Can you access external drives through UTM? Looking at getting a refurbished base Mac mini and some external SSDs for HexOS to access.

thanks!

[AJV]

If you have an Intel Mac you can natively install HexOS from what I understand 

[Sonic]

On 12/3/2024 at 8:51 PM, Simo said:

Hello,

 

I successfully installed HexOS using UTM on macOS with an Apple M3 CPU (ARM). UTM, which is built on QEMU, allows you to emulate* a different architecture if you’re running something other than ARM. In this case, it was used to emulate x86_64, which is required for HexOS.

Notes:

• Disable UEFI: Ensure UEFI is disabled in the hypervisor template.

• Use BIOS: During the HexOS installation process, do not enable UEFI; choose BIOS instead.

• Add Pool Drives Later: Pool drives (IDE) were added after the initial setup. If this step is not followed, the deck may not be able to locate the local server.

• App Installation: Apps were added via the TrueNAS interface because the HexOS installation was failing at 60%.

• Hardware Settings:

   • Architecture: x86_64

   • System: Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009) (alias of pc-q35-9.1) (q35)

   • Emulated Display Card: virtio-vga-gl (GPU Supported)

Thank you for this guide. I was able to install HexOs in UTM on a M3. 

[Mobius]

very cool getting it to work on an arm mac

I would however recommend not keeping anything mission critical on it if you don't have another backup on another device or on the cloud.