create sheepvm from ordinary Sheepshaver setup

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TiddK
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create sheepvm from ordinary Sheepshaver setup

Post by TiddK »

Now that I've managed to install a clean new SS setup for 9.0.4, I want to convert it to a sheepvm.

Here are my initial thoughts how to do this:

Everything is in the folder right now INCLUDING a copy of the app but NOT the preference and nvram files. Do I move those two invisible files into the folder then just add the .sheepvm extension? Is that all I need to do?
emendelson
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Re: create sheepvm from ordinary Sheepshaver setup

Post by emendelson »

I searched "sheepvm create" and this was the first hit. It explains everything:

viewtopic.php?t=5754
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: create sheepvm from ordinary Sheepshaver setup

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

The topic emendelson points to is informative for understanding .sheepvm virtual machines (VMs), you should certainly read it. But it is a little much for an answer to your question about creating a VM from a regular setup.

I understand that you have all files inside one folder, including the SheepShaver application itself. It is essential that rom file and disk image files (and the keycodes file if needed) are all in there.

1. Make sure that in preferences the paths to rom file and disk images (and keycodes file if needed) indeed consist of the file names only.
2. Open the .sheepshaver_prefs file in a text editor (like Text Edit or BBEdit, not a word processor like Word or Pages), select and copy all content, paste in a new text file and save that as "prefs". Make sure the file name has no extension, so not "prefs.txt".
(Or you can rename .sheepshaver_prefs to prefs, again without extension and of course without the leading dot.)
3. Put the prefs file inside the folder with the other files. You do not need to add a nvram file, it will be created automatically when you start the VM.
4. Change the name of the folder to one with a .sheepvm extension. The folder will turn into a package with SheepShaver icon.
5. You can launch the VM by double clicking its icon.

(When everything works, you can remove the SheepShaver application itself from the VM if another copy of the app is available.)
Last edited by Ronald P. Regensburg on Sun Aug 05, 2018 7:19 am, edited 2 times in total.
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TiddK
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Re: create sheepvm from ordinary Sheepshaver setup

Post by TiddK »

All done! Thanks Ronald. :smile:

Supplementary question :

There's things from the previous unstable version of OS 9 that I'd like to put onto the new OS 9 VM - presumably the ONLY way I can do that is to shuttle stuff from the old VM into the Unix folder, then from there into the new VM?
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: create sheepvm from ordinary Sheepshaver setup

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

You could add the old 9 disk image to the volumes list in preferences (the image file does not need to be in the VM package), save, quit SheepShaver, and launch the VM again. The old disk will appear as additional disk on the desktop and you can simply copy files over. (Note that moving to the desktop does not copy the files, but moves them to the desktop of te volume they are on.)
When done, remove the volume in preferences, save, quit SheepShaver, and launch the VM again.
TiddK
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Re: create sheepvm from ordinary Sheepshaver setup

Post by TiddK »

That's much easier! Do I need to remove the .sheepvm extension from the old VM to make it work, i.e. to let the new VM preferences 'see' it?

ETA: Ah, I think you meant move the old disk image OUT of the old vm first and put it somewhere else such as the OS X desktop?
emendelson
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Re: create sheepvm from ordinary Sheepshaver setup

Post by emendelson »

If you remove the name of the old disk from the prefs file, it won't mount. If it isn't listed in the prefs file, you can leave the disk image in the sheepvm folder (to be available if you need it later) or remove it - it makes no difference.

Also, feel free to experiment to see whether something works or not. In fact, you may want to make a duplicate of the sheepvm and experiment with in a different ways to find out what works and what doesn't - that's a lot faster than waiting for answers here.
TiddK
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Re: create sheepvm from ordinary Sheepshaver setup

Post by TiddK »

emendelson wrote:If you remove the name of the old disk from the prefs file, it won't mount. If it isn't listed in the prefs file, you can leave the disk image in the sheepvm folder (to be available if you need it later) or remove it - it makes no difference.

Also, feel free to experiment to see whether something works or not. In fact, you may want to make a duplicate of the sheepvm and experiment with in a different ways to find out what works and what doesn't - that's a lot faster than waiting for answers here.
Thanks - I did just that. As asked earlier, I moved the old virtual HD from the old vm and pointed to its new location in the new VM preferences, took what I wanted from it and then removed it from preferences.

It's been a good learning curve. I now even have After Dark running in OS 9! :smile:
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: create sheepvm from ordinary Sheepshaver setup

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

When navigating from SheepShaver preferences while running a .sheepvm VM, you can access in the Open dialog packages like the other .sheepvm and select image files within to add to the volumes list. But you need to know what you are doing with the added volume if you want to still use the VM it is in later.
Last edited by Ronald P. Regensburg on Sun Aug 05, 2018 3:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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TiddK
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Re: create sheepvm from ordinary Sheepshaver setup

Post by TiddK »

Ronald P. Regensburg wrote:When navigating from SheepShaver preferences while running a .sheepvm VM, you can access in the Open dialog packages like the other .sheepvm and select image files within to add to the volumes list. But you need to know what you are doing with the added volume if you want to still use the VM it is in later.
Thanks - useful to know. I won't be using the old vm again as it was so unstable, which is why I've set up the new one.
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