FAQ

Macintosh Tips

Software Equivalences

  • Secure Shell - Some courses require the use of Secure Shell to SSH into Zeus or other hosts. The Secure Shell program is a Windows only program. On the Mac you can run the Terminal program which can be found under Applications->Utilities->Terminal. After you run Terminal you can SSH into the host you are trying to connect to by entering the command:

    ssh <GMU_USER_ID>@zeus.vse.gmu.edu

    replacing "<GMU_USER_ID>" with your GMU NET-ID. So for example if your GMU e-mail address was astudent@masonlive.gmu.edu then your command would be "ssh astudent@zeus.vse.gmu.edu".
  • Secure File Copy - Secure File Copy is a Windows only program. You can use one of the following programs on the Mac to transfer files: Cyberduck, Fetch, or Fugu. Alternatively, as for Secure Shell above you can use a Terminal window by entering the command:

    scp /path/to/file/on/Mac/filename <GMU_USER_ID>@zeus.vse.gmu.edu:

    Note the addition of the ":" after the target hostname.
    As for ssh, replace <GMU_USER_ID> with your GMU net-id. The "/path/to/file/on/Mac/" is a unix style path description, you can use the shouthand characted "~" to stand in for your home directory. Ffor example to transfer a file call "Filename" from your home directory on your Mac, to your home directory on Zeus you would type:

    scp ~/Filename <GMU_USER_ID>@zeus.vse.gmu.edu:

Running Windows Software on a Mac


If you need to run Windows on a Mac,you will first need to install VMWare Fusion, then create a Windows OS virtual machine. This procedure varies depending on the type of CPU you have in your Mac system.

Intel CPU Please follow the instructions found at this page: https://labs.vse.gmu.edu/index.php/FAQ/VMWare

Apple CPU (M1/M2,etc.) Please note that CEC is unable to support the use of Windows on ARM chips

1. Obtain a license key and download VMWare Fusion 13 Pro or later (instructions in the Student FAQ section on this site)

2. Install Fusion on your Mac

3. Locate the web site for the Microsoft Windows Insider Program and register for that program

4. Download Windows for ARM from that site

5. That file will be in a VHDX format and must be converted to a VMDK file. Locate a conversion tool that will run on Macs and convert the downloaded file to VMDK as needed by VMWare Fusion. There are multiple free tools on the web.

6. Use VMWare Fusion to load that VMDK file and you should have Windows for ARM running on your Mac

7. Please use web search tools to help with this process as the various tools and software versions are constantly changing.