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OSX-REIMS
Documentation: Overview

Documentation · Getting started

Overview

What OSX-REIMS is, how it works and where its files live on your computer.

Alpha

This documentation covers OSX-REIMS 0.3.0, alpha software. Commands and options may change between versions; when in doubt, check osx-reims --help on the installed version.

OSX-REIMS creates and manages macOS virtual machines on Ubuntu. It uses Reims vGPU (opens in a new tab), a QEMU build with a paravirtualized virtual GPU that uses Vulkan to accelerate macOS graphics.

Everything lives in a single program: a console with menus for everyday use and terminal commands for everything the menu does.

Note

OSX-REIMS is exclusive to Universo Hackintosh members with an active membership on the Hackintosh - Avançado tier. Each version's package is published in the #osx-reims channel of the members' Discord; the way to it is in Getting OSX-REIMS.

How it works

  1. Install. You install the OSX-REIMS .deb package on Ubuntu Desktop 26.04 LTS.
  2. Prepare. The osx-reims setup command prepares the computer: system packages, GPU and KVM access, Rust, and Reims vGPU, which is downloaded and built on your computer.
  3. Create a VM. In the menu, Create new VM creates the VM with an empty disk, OpenCore and the macOS installer: the recovery, downloaded from Apple's servers, or a full installer image. If you already have macOS installed in another VM, Import VM disk creates the VM from its QCOW2 disk.
  4. Install macOS. On its first start, the VM opens the macOS installer. An imported VM boots straight into the macOS on its disk.
  5. Everyday use. From the menu you start, shut down and restart VMs, view the logs and maintain the computer.

What every VM gets

  • A ready EFI. Every VM comes with OpenCore already configured; you don't need to build an EFI.
  • Its own identity. A serial number, MLB, UUID, ROM and MAC address are generated for each VM, so two VMs never share an identity.
  • Graphics acceleration. macOS uses the Reims vGPU virtual GPU, which hands the graphics work to the computer's GPU through Vulkan.

Where files live

Path What it is
/opt/osx-reims/ The program, installed by the package, with the license in assets/licenses/
/opt/osx-reims/logs/ One log per action; the latest is also in latest.log
/opt/osx-reims/cache/ The recovery downloaded from Apple, reused by later creations
/opt/osx-reims/full/ Full installer images, offered by the menu when creating a VM
/opt/osx-reims/state/ The setup result and the record of the license acceptance
/opt/reims-vgpu/ Reims vGPU, downloaded and built by setup
/opt/reims-vgpu/vm/disks/rails/ The VMs, one macos-<ID> folder each

Next steps