How to Install MS SQL Server on Mac with VirtualBox

If you're looking for an alternative to installing Windows on your Mac or using a virtual machine like Parallels Desktop, you can install Microsoft SQL Server (MS SQL) on your Mac using Docker and VirtualBox. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps of installing MS SQL Server on your Mac with VirtualBox.

Step 1: Download and Install Docker

Before you start installing MS SQL Server, you need to download and install Docker on your Mac. You can follow these steps:

* Go to the Docker website and click on 'Get Docker' for Mac.

* Click on 'Download' and choose the correct version for your Intel chip or Apple chip.

* Once the download is complete, open the '.dmg' file and drag the Docker icon to your Applications folder.

* Install Docker by following the prompts.

Step 2: Download the MS SQL Server Image

Once you have Docker installed on your Mac, you need to download the MS SQL Server image. You can do this by running the following command in your terminal:

`sudo docker pull mssql/server:2022-latest`

This will install the 2022 MS SQL Server image on your device.

Step 3: Launch the SQL Server Image

To launch the SQL Server image, run the following command in your terminal:

`docker run -d --name sql_server_test -e ACCEPT_EULA=Y -e SA_PASSWORD=reallyStrongPwd123 -p 1433:1433 mssql/server:2022-latest`

This will start extracting the image from the web and downloading it into your local machine.

Step 4: Increase Memory Settings

By default, Docker allocates 2 GB of memory, which is not enough to run an SQL server. To increase the memory settings to 4 GB, follow these steps:

* Go to Settings > Preferences > Resources.

* Slide the memory slider up to at least 4 GB.

Step 5: Install VirtualBox

Once you have MS SQL Server installed on your Mac using Docker, you need to install VirtualBox. You can download it from the Oracle website.

Step 6: Create a New Virtual Machine

To create a new virtual machine in VirtualBox, follow these steps:

* Open VirtualBox and click on 'New' to create a new virtual machine.

* Choose 'Mac OS X' as the operating system and click 'Next'.

* Follow the prompts to create a new virtual machine.

Step 7: Install Windows

Once you have created a new virtual machine, you need to install Windows onto it. You can purchase a license from Microsoft or use a free trial version.

Installing MS SQL Server on your Mac with VirtualBox is a bit more complicated than installing it on a Windows machine, but it's still possible to do so using Docker and VirtualBox. By following these steps, you should be able to install MS SQL Server on your Mac and access it from your local machine.

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