Installing Diablo 2 on an intel Mac 68
When I tried installing Diablo 2 and the expansion pack on my intel Mac, it kept telling me “You cannot open the application Diablo II Installer because it is not supported on this system”.
After doing some research, I found out that this is b/c the older CD’s do not include an OSX installer, they are OS9 which isn’t supported on intel Macs. Luckely, there’s a workaround for this:
On the Blizzard site you can download the OSX Native Installer (which also includes the latest patches) and then use this to install Diablo II as well as the Lord of Destuction add on (if you have it).
Good luck and see you on the other side 
…
EDIT: Diablo 2 is not supported on Lion. But, the good news is that Diablo 3 is almost here 
… see you there!
Dec 01, 2006 @ 05:00:57
Ms. You have made my day! I thought I would have to go out and buy a new set of Diablo! Brilliant! You Rock!
Dec 11, 2006 @ 21:05:24
yw … enjoy
Jan 02, 2007 @ 09:33:28
thank you for telling me about the diablo 2 mac osx native installer thing, it really helped me.
Jan 03, 2007 @ 20:30:02
always glad to help … have fun
Jan 09, 2007 @ 20:42:32
thanks a lot. this really helped me out.
Jan 09, 2007 @ 20:57:22
yw
Jan 31, 2007 @ 00:42:39
I love you. You have made the life I live so much better.
Jan 31, 2007 @ 09:02:40
… that’s all the reward for me
Mar 28, 2007 @ 23:18:26
Is there one for Starcraft as well?
Mar 28, 2007 @ 23:49:15
not sure about that, wannabe, I don’t play Starcraft.
But the site I refered to above, does have a Starcraft section:
http://www.blizzard.com/support/?id=msc0411p
And there is a OSX Native Installer avail for download, you’ll have to test it yourself though, but it’s worth a shot, right
Good luck with it!
Aug 30, 2007 @ 18:00:47
how about for diablo 1?? is there a patch for that to work on intel macs?
Nov 21, 2007 @ 23:58:14
this didn’t work for me. any reason why it could not have worked?
Nov 22, 2007 @ 09:08:11
Can you tell me what kind of system you want to install it on and what steps you’ve taken?
Nov 22, 2007 @ 16:02:34
i’v done exacly what you told me on a new macbook.
Nov 22, 2007 @ 21:36:14
Diablo (the original, or “D1″) was designed only for the original Mac OS operating system. D1 cannot run on any Intel Mac as a Mac application as it cannot run the original Mac OS operating system (Mac OS 9 and prior).
You still have hope, however. If you create a Boot Camp partition on your MacBook and a install a copy of Windows XP SP2 (not Vista), you can install and run the Windows version of D1 and play there. Alternately, given the game’s age, it may run well in the Windows virtual machines you can make in Parallels Desktop for Mac or VMWare Fusion for Mac. That way you don’t have to reboot your computer to play them.
As stated above, you can run D2 using the OS X installer.
Nov 22, 2007 @ 22:01:18
Miles, are you using Tiger or the new Leopard ?
Spencerian, thnx for the info on D1, I didn’t know this, I just figured that my version of D1 wasn’t an OSX version.
Nov 23, 2007 @ 05:05:27
tiger
Jan 03, 2008 @ 09:09:36
Don’t suppose this installer works with the old PC version of the CDs, does it?
Jan 03, 2008 @ 15:29:27
My PC version of Diablo 2 also had the mac logo on it, so if that’s the case, you can also install it on an intel mac in this way.
If the CD cover doesn’t say that it can be installed on a mac, I’m afraid it won’t work, but you can always insert it into your mac and see if it can read the CD.
If you’re talking about Diablo 1, see Spencerian’s comment above.
Hope this helps
Jan 23, 2008 @ 20:37:37
Thnx so much for this hint… It’s really helpful
Jan 31, 2008 @ 05:09:10
I Installed the Game with the native installer. It Installed Correctly and i was very happy. But now when I insert the Play CD It wont do a thing. It worked once and the opening movie played, but after that nothing works..im very disappointed!! PLEASE HELP ME!!! i have downloaded the patches, but those are only helpful if the game works. BUMMER!
i have a MacBook OS.X 10.5.1 Intel Processor
Feb 20, 2008 @ 20:21:58
I tried the native installer, it works correct
, but when im at the expasion pack and its almost done installing i get the error message. Something about he cant install or find the speech file. I thaught i copied it but no, so its a bit vague.
Grtz Mittch, mail your help to me please im not a regular visitor : mittch(at)hotmail.com
Feb 20, 2008 @ 20:30:13
I have now installed Diablo 2 without the expansion set
, but it works!,
At least, first the video settings where screwed and i only saw a few blue blocks, than in turned of the OpenGL and turned it on Software and it works!
Cya
May 08, 2008 @ 00:06:19
is any body getting the game installed but when you play it you just get “DIABLO II” shaking around at the top and you get a jumbled up screen? whats up with this?
May 08, 2008 @ 12:24:47
Have you tried to choose openGL in stead of DirectX ? Or the other way around …
May 23, 2008 @ 06:36:24
you come up as a google search result…thank you SO much you made my day completely better. haha thanks again!
May 30, 2008 @ 01:44:51
SWEEET! Thank you! I just got a copy of Diablo 2 and was bumbed thinking it wouldn’t play on my Intel Mac.
Jun 07, 2008 @ 12:27:01
Does the installer also work on Leopard?
I have the funny problem that the installer does not like my Diablo CD’s much. It seems to eject them, supposedly because it’s not the correct disc.
Jun 07, 2008 @ 14:13:57
It should also work on Leopard.
Like we’ve established, the CD’s you’re using are not macintosh-compatible. (the word Macintosh is not on the CD’s or the box and it should be)
Jun 15, 2008 @ 17:13:36
Hi there. How do i get this to work with images? It worked when i mounted the first cd in dmg formet, but when it said insert play disc, i mounted that one, nothing happens,
Jun 22, 2008 @ 16:16:30
Worst case scenario, you burn the images to disc?
Jun 28, 2008 @ 18:49:10
Thanks for the info – you are a life saver!
Jul 01, 2008 @ 12:44:52
Steven wrote: “is any body getting the game installed but when you play it you just get “DIABLO II†shaking around at the top and you get a jumbled up screen? whats up with this?”
That is EXACTLY what is happening to me..
Jul 01, 2008 @ 18:23:08
Have you tried to change the video driver to DirectX in stead of OpenGL? Or the other way around?
Jul 05, 2008 @ 17:04:58
I’m having an error trying to just open the native installer. It says Safari can’t open this page when I click to open the link, and when i right click download it just says error. OSX tiger, discs are mac compatible. =
Jul 05, 2008 @ 18:36:43
the link doesn’t work
for the native installer
anyone else have this happen?
Jul 05, 2008 @ 21:43:56
THANK YOU!
Jul 06, 2008 @ 14:47:44
Im trying to install the game right now on a mac book pro. I got the D2 CDs but someone stole the LoD CD out of the box before I bought it at best buy (which they gave to me for free.) I am acquiring another copy of LoD, but in trying to connect to D2 it wont let me play claiming that the application unexpectedly quit. Im trying to download these new patches, but the websites are not working. Is it cause of safari? Anyone know or did they take those sites down?
Jul 06, 2008 @ 17:51:08
I just tried it and the link indeed doesn’t seem to work anymore.
I guess Blizard will get the link back up and working, but if you can’t wait, maybe you can try the installer I used to install my version of D2LoD. The installer is about a year old, but I guess it’s still the same … anyway you can find it here if you’d like to try it … otherwise, wait until Blizard has the installer link back up and running:
http://www.heidibrebels.be/down/Diablo_II_Installer.dmg
Jul 09, 2008 @ 18:33:15
After i dowload the native installer, i double click on it, but i get a message that says…
“The following disk images failed to mount. Image: Diablo_II_Installer.dmg / Reason: Not Reckognized”
Why is it doing this and how can I make it work?
I am using Tiger 10.4.11 on a macbook pro.
I also get the “You cannot open the application Diablo II Installer because it is not supported on this system†message when i try to install diablo 2… hence the reason i am trying to use the native installer.
Jul 09, 2008 @ 19:36:14
The installer doesn’t work for me on MacBook Pro and OSX 10.5.4. I download the file from blizzard (25.1 MB, OK). I mount the .dmg, and double click on the only icon present: “Diablo II installer for OS X”. Result: Music starts, “Diablo II installer”, starts jumping up and down, and nothing else! No window apears. I tried with and without the install CD inserted – same difference… Apparently some people with same specs have no problems and some have the same or similar problem. Anyone knows how to resolve this? Do I need to install some video driver first off? I hate mac!
Jul 09, 2008 @ 21:39:01
okay, so i just deleted the native installer and downloaded it again. so if ur haven the same problem, i suggest doing the same and just re-downloading it. if it still doesnt download properly, it mite be becuz of ur network connection.
but now i have a new problem that im tryin to figure out… the first disc installs fine, but then when i go to put the play disc in, it spits it rite back out. idk if i have to try and mount that one too or something or wat.
Jul 10, 2008 @ 16:23:43
well i give up…
im getting leapord and windows xp so i dont have to deal with this crap!
Jul 19, 2008 @ 06:06:52
I installed the native installer multiple times and must have made 20-25 attempts to install and reinstall the game to no avail. Originally, it wouldn’t even finish installing, but now it finishes (what a tease) and then “unexpectedly quits” before it even shows any trace of opening. In the several hours I just wasted searching for a solution I tried pretty much everything, including copying the “diablo ii expansion music” file to the diablo ii folder in my apps to see if i could run the game without a cd. I’m also running a macbook pro on osx leopard 10.5.6, seems to be a pattern… if theres some sort of solution to this problem PLEASEEEE tell me I didn’t just waste 40 bucks, gamestop definitely wont let me return an opened battle chest.
Jul 19, 2008 @ 06:10:16
Just a correction, im running osx leapord 10.5.4., I’m on my wii and sensor bar typing fails -_-
Jul 20, 2008 @ 23:15:42
Hi everybody, i’m new to this site and after reading a lot of postings on several different sites, i’ve just installed Diablo 2 on my 20″ iMac intel 2.66GH 4GB ram and 256MB video on leopard 10.5.4 without any problem and works very well! Here’s how i did it:
First i downloaded the native installer here http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?articleId=20758&categoryId=2717&parentCategoryId=2613&pageNumber=1
or you can download it from the link Heidi posted above.
Then, i double clicked on the dmg file to mount it and after i double clicked on the installer. Don’t put the diablo cd in until the installer tells you to. Then it will ask you what type of installation you want. I chose diablo 2 full install then it will ask for a name and diablo 2 cd-key after that it will ask you to put the diablo 2 install disc so now is the right time to do so. eventually it will ask for the play disc and finally the cinematics disc. When it says that it was installed successfully double click on the diablo icon on the desktop if it doesn’t start automatically. You should see the diablo 2 options window. From here there’s two things to know. First diablo doesn’t work with Open GL on leopard and second it only works in 256 colors so we are going to change those two things. Click on “configure video” button and you should see the monitor selection window. You have to choose Software in the available video modes. Click on the right arrow at the bottom right to continue then, check the expert mode box and choose the resolution 640 x 480 (stretched) and click on the right arrow at the bottom. Same thing here, check the expert mode box and choose the resolution 800 x 600 (stretched) and click on the right arrow. It should tell you that “your video hardware has been successfully configured for diablo 2″. Click one last time on the right arrow and you should be back to the diablo 2 options window but now you should see on the left of the configure video button:
Renderer: Software
Depth: 256 colors
Click the OK button and the game starts and suppose to work perfectly! I hope it helps and wish you have a lot of fun!!!!
Jul 20, 2008 @ 23:39:20
Hi Newton,
Thnx for the posting! I’m sure it’ll help a lot of ppl ….
have fun conquering evil
Jul 27, 2008 @ 04:07:19
Ok,
so i have my Mac Book OS X10.5.4
i’ve downloaded the native installer, installed the mutliplayer install, installed fine, downloaded the new patch. patched it no problem, apparently not so.
still getting
application diablo 2 quit unexpectedly
dont get to a menu screen or anything just straight to the error
any ideas?
Jul 28, 2008 @ 03:53:29
Hi Murdoch Stafford,
What i can see in the postings on this page is that most people who have problems running diablo 2 use Macbook or Macbook pro. Maybe it’s because those Macs have differences in their configuration that i don’t have on my imac. The latest Macbook and Macbook pro have either Intel or Nvidia graphic card.
I have an ATI graphic card in my imac and it works perfectly. In fact, i haven’t installed the patch until today and it’s even better with it because now, i can run Diablo 2 with Open GL in thousands of colours without stretching the resolution!
I will make some research on the net about that problem and, if i have good news, i will post it here!
I’m sorry if i can’t help you more!
Jul 30, 2008 @ 02:15:20
I’ve been looking into it. seems the problem is macbooks cards
“The problem is that Apple disabled 256 color modes for Nvidia cards in the latest updates to Leopard. And Diablo II? Well, it runs is 256 colors, so it’ll crash immediately on startup. It’s a simple fix, but it’s Apple’s problem, unfortunately. They need to re-enable 256 color support in their Nvidia display drivers”
do you think this is something that could be fixed if i ran diablo in windows using bootcamp?
Aug 01, 2008 @ 05:02:11
Hi Murdoch,
I’ve just found the same info about the macbooks cards. As i posted here on July 20th, i knew that diablo only works in 256 colors but i didn’t know that the option was disabled for Nvidia! With the patch, it’s possible to run it in thousands of colors but i guess it still need to have 256 colors option enabled.
I don’t know if it will be enough to give you a little hope, but i can only say that i hope Diablo 3 will come out sooner than expected. Rumours says it’s suppose to come out in about 2 years. Everyone will be able to run that one!
Aug 02, 2008 @ 03:40:06
About running diablo in windows using bootcamp, you have nothing to lose if you wanna try it, but since you will still use the same Nvidia card without 256 colors, i would be surprise if it works. It’s not an operating system problem but really the card driver itself!
Aug 05, 2008 @ 21:23:19
So for right now we’re just screwed in terms of playing if we updated our computer? or is there a workaround?
Aug 09, 2008 @ 03:30:56
If you don’t have a video card with 256 colors option, unfortunately, i’m sorry to say that you are right about being screwed and, don’t even bother to install Diablo 2 because it just won’t work!
Diablo is an old game and it needs a video card that can still support old configuration options!
Aug 09, 2008 @ 05:21:43
Hi I’m having a problem where.. i downloaded the native installer program and click ont he LOD standard install. It installs all the normal D2 cds and when it comes down to installing LOD, before it finishes the installation I get an error saying:
The file “/Volumes/Lord of Destruction/Support/Diablo II Expansion Speech” could not be read, because an error -36 occurred. (InstallerFile::Read)
Does anybody have a quick fix? the LOD CD works for my brother’s computers but when it comes down to this Macbook, the installation stops.
Please email me, yeah? dhung12@gmail.com
Aug 10, 2008 @ 16:34:55
Hi Darren, honestly i don’t know why you get this error message:
The file “/Volumes/Lord of Destruction/Support/Diablo II Expansion Speech†could not be read, because an error -36 occurred. (InstallerFile::Read)
But what i know is that since you wanna install it on a macbook , you should check if your video card can support 256 colors before you install diablo because it only works in that mode and if you don’t have it, don’t waste your time to install the game because it just won’t work at all! Sorry for the bad news!
Oct 13, 2008 @ 12:12:40
Hi all,
just replying here because I think I’ve got something to share: I installed D2 on my iMac (intel). It worked. Now, that I’m trying to reinstall, it doesnt work. So, like everyone else here writes, it’s up to the latest MacOS-version.
However, I can still play my old installation. So, the GAME works, just not the installation. So here’s the thing: if someone who has done the full install just ZIP that folder and put it up as a Torrent we should be fine. Or? Feels like it would work. I dont know how that affects the serial-number though, do they get shipped along? In that case maybe it’s not such a hot idea….
Oh, maybe I didnt have anything to contribute to in the end anyway.
/ A
Feb 07, 2009 @ 06:35:58
Hi All,
If you go to Blizzard.com and register for an account, register your copies of D2 and D2:LOD, you can download the updated versions of the programs directly from Blizzard’s website. That way you don’t have to deal with the installer. Just be prepared to wait for the download. D2 is 1.51GB and depending on your connection speed, it may take a while to download the software.
Happy Hunting!
Feb 07, 2009 @ 14:11:09
Hi Carrie,
thnx a lot for that info!
Feb 16, 2009 @ 05:33:10
D/ld both of them and I still get the same error. D2lod starts to bounce for a second then says it has an odd error.
Mar 15, 2009 @ 14:42:39
I have the same problem as Snuggles, the program always “quits unexpectedly” whenever I try to run it.
Mar 15, 2009 @ 14:50:29
Hi,
Do you have a mb or mbp with an NVIDIA card in it?
Like mentioned in one of the comments above:
“I’ve been looking into it. seems the problem is macbooks cards
“The problem is that Apple disabled 256 color modes for Nvidia cards in the latest updates to Leopard. And Diablo II? Well, it runs is 256 colors, so it’ll crash immediately on startup. It’s a simple fix, but it’s Apple’s problem, unfortunately. They need to re-enable 256 color support in their Nvidia display drivers—
I still have an older mb, no nvidia card in it yet.
Apr 15, 2009 @ 21:23:53
I have tried virtually EVERYTHING to try and get Diablo 2 to play, and quite frankly I am fed up. I have visited every website, downloaded every patch, followed instructions to the Tee, and every attempt gets my hopes up only to smash them to pieces. This is the most difficult installation of a game in history, and for a game which the minimum requirements are pathetic. I would hope that Mac would find a solution, and yet here I am………ranting here.
Apr 15, 2009 @ 21:52:22
Well, if you have an NVIDIA card in your mb, you’ll indeed need to wait till Apple does something about the display driver.
… that’ll probably solve the problem + embark us on a whole new adventure. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel 
Maybe some consolation, they say D3 will come out this year
Jul 24, 2009 @ 14:27:11
I also tried to install Diabolo on my INtel but it just doesn’t work. I tried all the patch ups but then it just won’t read the CDs no more. I cleaned the CD drive about a hundred times now but it always ejects the CDs right after I put them in. So I can not even install it. I tried to install it on my sisters mac (which isn’t an intel) and to copy it on my computer. But again I need the CD. What can I do?? Any suggestions?
Oct 06, 2009 @ 14:30:21
Blizzard have removed the native installer for Diablo II from their site. All their tech support pages direct to instructions regarding how to download the full os x-compatible game via battle.net once you’re entered in your CD-key. The native installer is also not available in the blizzard online store (I have checked). I do not want to download the game via battle.net because it is over 1Gb and in the country in which I reside it would be very expensive to download that much data. I have emailed Blizzard tech support, but have not had a response as of yet.
Does anyone know of a site which hosts the Native Install for Diablo II plus Diablo II Expansion? I’m running OS 10.5.8 on an intel core 2 duo macbook pro.
Oct 06, 2009 @ 17:45:44
Update:
I managed to find the Native Install after much searching (below). The link is nowhere on blizzard’s site.
http://ftp.blizzard.com/pub/diablo2/patches/Mac/Diablo_II_Installer.dmg
If you’re running OS 10.x.x, just download this file (25mb) and run it with the 1st Diablo II cd in the drive. Select full install. It will ask you to change CDs as it installs the game. Then run the game and select multiplayer and connect to battle.net to download the patch automatically. Easy as pie!
Apr 12, 2010 @ 12:15:24
I’m not sure for how long it’s been there, but for the past month or 2 (which is still lot newer than the last comment here) Diablo 2 is widely available to download on b.net, if you’ve got the CD-KEY.
I just went there, registered myself, download the game, and played it with no major issues ( tho some very minor issues do exist, if you care to read http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=9637195&posted=1#post9637195 )
There’s no need to go to that FTP, and no need at all for CDs. But if you don’t have the CDs, or the big files somewhere, it will be some 1 or 2 GB to download, and that’s a lot of bytes. Should take at least 1 hour for most internet connections, basing that most are about 500kbps to 2mbps ones.