How to Fix (load_init_program: attempting to load /sbin/launchd)

Quick Insight

You can fix the macOS boot error in VirtualBox by adjusting one key setting. The crash happens when the VM lacks enough CPU power to start. So open your virtual machine settings and go to the Processor tab. Change the core count from one to two and save the change. Plus, give the guest system at least 4 GB of RAM for stable results. That single tweak lets the macOS setup run without the launchd failure again.

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Category:VirtualBox & macOS
Read Time:2 min

Are you encountering the “load_init_program: attempting to load /sbin/launchd” error when trying to run macOS on Oracle VM VirtualBox?

You can resolve this error by configuring the macOS guest machine’s settings correctly. In this article, I will show you how to fix this error and get your macOS VM running smoothly.

macOS (load_init_program: attempting to load /sbin/launchd) Error

How to Fix (load_init_program) in Mac OS Virtual Machine

Configure the virtual machine settings for macOS High Sierra installation with Oracle VM VirtualBox.

  • Remove Floppy in the boot order.
  • In Extended Features, enable Enable I/O APIC, Enable EFI, and Hardware Clock in UTC Time.
  • Assign a 4 GB RAM value to the virtual machine.
  • In the Processor section, enable Enable PAE/NX.
  • In the Acceleration setting, enable VT-x/AMD-V and Nested Paging.
  • Also, add 2 Processors for the virtual machine. (for the load_init_program: attempting to load /sbin/launchd error)

For the macOS High Sierra installation on VirtualBox, configure the virtual machine settings as above. Next, add the ISO file to the virtual computer and run the VM.

When you add one Processor to the virtual pc, you will get the load_init_program: attempting to load /sbin/launchd error. Therefore, you need to add two processors.

How to Fix (load_init_program) in macOS VM

Suppose the macOS installation does not start on VBox, and you encounter the /sbin/launchd error. To resolve this error, please follow the steps summarized below.

Step 1

The error in the Mac OS installation is as follows. To resolve this error, close the VM and open its settings.

load_init_program error

Step 2

In the settings window, click System, then Processor. To configure the virtual appliance, set the processor count to 2, and then click on the OK button to complete the window.

Adding ISO File to macOS Virtual Machine

Step 3

When you rerun the macOS virtual machine, the installation will start as follows!

Running macOS High Sierra

Conclusion

As a result, you need to configure macOS VM settings correctly. Otherwise, you may receive the (load_init_program: Trying to load /sbin/launchd) error during installation.

Therefore, you should allocate at least 4 GB of RAM to ensure a smooth installation process. Also, do not forget to enable various features and assign two processors to the virtual machine. With these adjustments, you can continue installing macOS without encountering a startup error.

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Tolga Bagci

PRO

Computer Expert System Networking Virtualization

Hi, I'm Tolga, a computer expert with 20 years of experience. I help fix computer issues with things like hardware, systems, networks, virtualization, servers, and operating systems. Check out my website for helpful info, and feel free to ask me anything. Keep yourself in the loop about the newest technologies!

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