Yeah, I did it.
the machine I'm using is:
4GB RAM
Core i5-2410M @ 2.3G
I used VMware workstation 7.
I booted a copy of lion. which worked fine.
however the reason I wanted this was to develop iphone apps,
when I ran the updater to get mountain lion it installed successfully, but would not boot the image afterwards.
I don't know why, I gave up trying because it wasn't really all that important.
What I will say is I read something on a forum when I was reading how to do this.
Sure you can make virtual OSX,
but it's not meant for that and apple do go to some lengths to not allow you to do it.
updates to the OS can break your virtual machine (like it did mine).
provided you value your time at £0 per hour then it makes good economic sense to virtualise.
BUT.
if you don't get VMware workstation for free (you do if you're a vcp)
if you don't already have a copy of osx.
then you'll have to buy these. (they are not that cheap)
if you don't already have a computer with a fairly new chipset, (must be VT enabled)
(you cannot do it without this)
and even then, it took me about 3 hours to get the first image working properly.
then it broke, then there was a couple of hours updating.
it took me another few hours to get the image working again, (not updated)
If I value my time at £10 an hour, then that's at least £80, (not including research time). to build a virtual mac that cannot be updated.
If I spend any longer on this then it's far cheaper to go buy a 2nd hand mini mac!
basically, yes you can virtualise a mac, but, given the time and expense you may as well just buy a mac.
Also, if you want to discuss details then that's not allowed on these forums. that's because:
http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/OSX1082.pdf
if you read the EULA you'll find that it talks a lot about Apple branded hardware.
(not apple brand hardware) -which opens the idea that if you are willing to brand your computer with apple stickers, then you have apple branded hardware.
(in the same way that a car covered in stickers may be a ford brand truck which is branded monster energy drinks).
the word Apple brand is only mentioned once section 3b (transfer of software restrictions).
so it IS perfectly legal to run OSX on any hardware, provided that hardware has been branded with apple logos.
however, the EULA also has the following clause:
The grants set forth in this License do not permit you to, and you
agree not to, install, use or run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-branded computer, or to
enable others to do so. Except as otherwise permitted by the terms of this License or otherwise
licensed by Apple:
So I can legally virtualise and use OSX myself, (provided I brand my computer with fruit).
however if I tell you how to virtualise OSX and you do not brand your computer, then I have breached the EULA by enabling you to run OSX on non-branded hardware, and my rights are revoked and I can't use it any more.
As far as pro tools goes.
you may find via ebay, or perhaps an office supplies liquidator a reasonable price.
as far as I know, (from talking to friends) pro-tools latest version will run on older OS.
you may find a G5 on ebay or from an office liquidator for a good price.
although given that they no longer compile OSX for the powerPC architecture you're going to get stuck using a rapidly ageing version of OSX...
Which is fine if you're after a cheap mac to go into your studio that will only run protools.
but a bit rubbish if you ever plan on using the machine for anything more.
