[Guide] Success! Install 10.8 on old unsupported Mac

[Rastafabi]

Yesterday I installed OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5 with MLPF 0.3 on my MacMini1,1 (upgraded to 2GHz Core 2 Duo, Intel GMA950, 2 GB RAM, 320GB HD). That is because I needed to purchase ML first and only 10.8.5 is available.

Installation went fine, but right after Safari opens up a web page the system crashes showing a popup forcing me to reboot the system.

I am connected via WiFi - that may have been the cause. I will try tethering it with a MacBook in order to establish a cable based ethernet connection to check.

I will post the result and the crash report later.

Question: supposing I have a stable running 10.8.5 on my MacMini1,1 and Apple System Update offers me an update to 10.8.6 can I:

• just install it worryfree
  or
• wait for an MLPF update to support this OS update
  or
• it´s depeding on what is changed within the update.

Thank you!

Well, I don't know what the reason for the issue is… It could be that you don't have proper graphics acceleration. (Check by trying to open launchpad or notification center. I those do not have any problems [slow/disordered graphics] it is not what causes the issue.) You could try reapplying MLPF from the install drive to your system drive.
What also might help is launching Safari with the cmd/ key pressed, which would be the easy way, but I duped it will work, or restoring the permissions using Disk Utility (GUI)/Terminal.
If nothing does help you could try to reinstall our system (you can select your original system drive in the installation without having to purge it) also your files won't be harmed (at least they shouldn't). You may have to use the migration assistant afterwards to migrate from a folder called System_old or similar which should be on the top level of your boot drive.

If nothing of this works for you, you are probably out of luck until the projects maintainers (hackerwayne/MLforALL) release a new version of their software or give some guidance.
Of course you could try fiddling around the issue yourself.

 

[Carlanga]

I have a mid 2007 MacBook w 3GB of RAM 2.16 (I believe) Core 2 Duo w the crappy GMA 950 card.

Is it worth to upgrade from Lion to this mod of ML or will the computer run slower than w lion?
Can I run it from an external hard drive?

 

[Rastafabi]

I have a mid 2007 MacBook w 3GB of RAM 2.16 (I believe) Core 2 Duo w the crappy GMA 950 card.

Is it worth to upgrade from Lion to this mod of ML or will the computer run slower than w lion?
Can I run it from an external hard drive?

Your Computer should actually run even faster than it did previously under Lion.
You may experience some issues, as it is a modified version of ML but for The most people it's an improvement.
You can install and run OS X from or to any HD (GUID, HFS[+]), but of cause it will run slower when booted externally due to the lower data pass-through limited by USB 2 or firewire 400 on your machine. For testing purpose it's an option anyway and you can install it above your current Lion installation later on (remember to backup anything anyway!).

 

[Carlanga]

Your Computer should actually run even faster than it did previously under Lion.
You may experience some issues, as it is a modified version of ML but for The most people it's an improvement.
You can install and run OS X from or to any HD (GUID, HFS[+]), but of cause it will run slower when booted externally due to the lower data pass-through limited by USB 2 or firewire 400 on your machine. For testing purpose it's an option anyway and you can install it above your current Lion installation later on (remember to backup anything anyway!).

Perfect, sounds great! Yes, I want to load it in an ext HD to test it first before making it my main one.
Thanks

 

[T909]

Can I just update to 10.8.5 from 10.8.4 or I have to reinstall the OS?

 

[RV-ABZ]

If you update, you will have to reapply MLPF before you reboot. If Software Update is available through Apple menu, use the combo update to avoid the auto reboot.

 

[porg]

MLPostFactor installation fails on MacBookPro2,2 (board-id Mac-F42107C8)

Although MLPostfactor's (MLPF) compatibility chart in post #1 lists my MacBookPro2,2 (Late 2006 - Core2Duo - 15 inch - MA609LL - A1211) among the supported devices, I did not get to work OS X 10.8 on it.

I tried versions 10.8.4 and 10.8.5 of "OS X Mountain Lion Installation.app" (Note: Not the mere "InstallESD.dmg" !) together with MLPostFactor 0.3.

The installation of MLPF into "Install" always worked fine, got a green checkmark at the end of the process, in all variations I attempted (see setup below). I chose option "10.8.4" both when I attempted installing 10.8.4 and for installing 10.8.5 as well, as other users posted, that 10.8.5 with MLPF option 10.8.4 successfully worked for them.

My setup:
My internal SATA 2.5 disk: sno (10.6.8)
My external SATA 2.5 disk: sno7 (10.7.5, from which I always ran MLPostFactor), ML (32GB), (Install) 8GB.

Connected the external disk both via eSATA ExpressCard AKE BC338 (chipset: JMicron JMB36x) and a ATA-USB-bridge Digitus DA-70148-1 (and the ExpressCard disconnected to have USB only for ruling out SATA incompatibilities). Did not make any difference. Then even repartitioned the internal disk to: sno (10.6.8), ML 24GB, Install 8GB.

The problem always is that upon booting the MacBookPro2,2 into "EFI Boot" partition, which is the "Install" partition, containing the MLPF patched recovery system, gives me a not-allowed-symbol and booting is aborted. I tried holding "CMD-V" to get verbose mode output to determine WHY booting fails, then made my boot selection (ENTER), but this didn't work. First ENTER and then shortly thereafter CMD-V did not work either, as the "not-allowed" symbol is just visible for the fraction of a second. On Volume "sno" I still had the rEFIt bootloader installed. So when I chose boot volume "Install" from within rEFIt, I could get verbose output eventually. It was:

***********************************************************
This version of Mac OS X is not supported on this platform!
***********************************************************
Reason: Mac-F42107C8

This was strange for me, as I thought MLPostFactor's job is to
1) alter the list of the allowed Macs
2) replace some of the Kernel extensions.
3) maybe some other hacks as well.

So I booted into 10.6 or 10.7 and took a look at:

/Volumes/Install/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist

I added a child element "Mac-F42107C8" to SupportedBoardIds and "MacBookPro2,2" to SupportedModelProperties. Strange, wasn't that supposed to be MLPF's job…? But ok.

Then booting made it at least past that hurdle of being "unsupported", but failed only shortly later, still within the fraction of a second, with a different error message:

rEFIt - Booting OS

Starting boot.efi
efiboot loaded from device: <address differs wether being internal-SATA, external-SATA or USB>
boot file path: \System\Library\CoreServices\boot.efi
.. Loading kernel cache file ´\System\Library\Caches\com.apple.kext.caches\Startup\kernelcache´ ...
..Loading ´mach-kernel´ ...
..Error loading kernel ´mach-kernel´ ... (0x80000001)
Error: Aborted returned from boot.efi

* Hit any key to continue *

So, are there any chances for getting 10.8.x to work on my MacBookPro2,2 with the help of MLPF?
Any ideas of what I could have done wrong, or possibly a bug from MLPF?
Hints appreciated. Thanks!

 

[fintanmoloney]

Can't see Install partition

Hey guys, I followed along the instructions carefully and created the Install and ML partitions which I can see in Macintosh HD, I have run the MLPF tool and its successfully completed but when I reboot and hold down Option, all I see is Macintosh HDD and Recovery, I don't see any other partitions?

Any thoughts as to one of the steps I may have missed?

Thanks in advance,

Fintan

 

[sergiosg74]

A question please

Hello all

I have the following equipment:

[URL="


Comes to update snow leopard to 10.7.5

My intention is to follow this guide and I ask the following questions.

1) My laptop will run fine with 10.8.4?
2) Install the 10.8.4 version MLPostFactorV0.3 patched with a firewire external hard drive.
I could upgrade to the OS and update my version 10.7.5, performing an update?

Thank you all.

 

[10tacle]

The problem always was that upon booting the MacBookPro2,2 showed a not-allowed-symbol and aborted booting.

@porg: Did you reapply MLPF to your installation on one of your disk partitions, see step 9 from post#1? I forgot this and got the same symbol on the screen.

----------

@Rastafabi: thank you for your help, I figured this one out myself by now.

Problem was that I applied my old user settings with Migration Assistant stored in TM right after the installation of ML. And these settings came from 10.5.8 that I had previously running for years on my MacMini. Probably some incompatible Libraries in / or in Application Support/.

I did a reinstall and starting building up my user environment/settings from scratch - no problem yet, also with WiFi.

 

[porg]

I cannot even boot into "Install" !

@porg: Did you reapply MLPF to your installation on one of your disk partitions, see step 9 from post#1? I forgot this and got the same symbol on the screen.

@10tacle: You misunderstood me. I do not fail at step 9 "Reapplying MLPostFactor" or step 10 "Reboot into Mountain Lion", but as early as step 6 "reboot into 'Install' partition". I cannot boot into the Install partition, created by MLPF, with the hacked recovery system on it.

 

[10tacle]

Bummer! I happen to own the exact same MBP A1211 and will try to boot from my Install partition (on a 8GB USB stick) and report.

 

[porg]

Good luck!

Bummer! I happen to own the exact same MBP A1211 and will try to boot from my Install partition (on a 8GB USB stick) and report.

• I am curious whether you will succeed!
• As told, the "Install" partition failed for me on all tested media: USB, external SATA, internal SATA.
• I still could try "Install" on a FW800 disk. But seriously, I think the boot medium is not the issue here, but rather some incompatibility of the kernel/extension with this particular MacBookPro/mainboard model or my version of "OS X Mountain Lion Installation.app" (tried 10.8.4 and 10.8.5).
• Should you be the 2nd to confirm failure, then the MLForAll team could probably start investigations.

Good luck!

 

[10tacle]

I am curious whether you will succeed!
...

I could successfully boot into my install partition (MLPF 0.3, ML 10.8.5), see the pictures that I took. Unfortunately, the background light is defective, I illuminated the screen instead.

So now there's still hope for you.

Sorry, but I don't have an advice for you what could be he cause for your trouble, I just stepped through the procedure in post#1...

Good luck for you to make it happen!

 

[porg]

@10tacle

1) I ran 10.7.5 from an external disk, as my internal yet only contains 10.6.8.
But I think that shouldn't matter.

I rather think it's related to "OS X Mountain Lion Installation.app". I had it on a FAT32 disk inbetween, probably its App Store metadata (xattributes stored in ._* files on a FAT32 volume) was lost, and MLPF did not work properly? (Would expect an abortion while installation attempt, but who knows...) Will try re-downloading it from a friend's laptop.

2) And, how is the performance compared to 10.6.8 and 10.7.5 ? On my MBP A1211 with not high-end HDD and 2GB RAM, 10.7.5 is so much slower than 10.6.8, in-acceptable as a live OS. Only if 10.8.x is as speedy or a little slower than 10.6.8, I'd take it. If it's closer to 10.7's slowness, than I rather refrain from it. Thanks for feedback!

 

[Idylla]

Hi

I've just installed Mac OS X 10.8.5 on my Macmini2,1 (1.83 GHz Core 2 Duo, Intel GMA950, 4GB Ram, 128GB SSD) and it works ~95%.
I created a patched installer using MLPostFactor v0.3 with OS X 10.8.1.
Applying the 10.8.5 combo update was not possible within the installed system, hence I had to boot into the installer, mount the MacOSXUpdCombo10.8.5.dmg (if I remember right) using DiskUtility and run the following command in Terminal:
"installer -pkg /Volumes/MacOSXUpdCombo10.8.5/xyz.pkg -target /Volumes/ML" Same procedure for the supplemental update, afterwards. After reapplying MLPostFactor (10.8.4 chosen), I corrected the OS X version in
/System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist .
Everything worked out-of-the-box.
I encountered critical issues with my AudioQuest DragonFly USB-DAC (high quality USB sound card): After I enabled it in "System Settings" and tried to play a sound (like changing the volume), I encountered a kernel panic related to some audio kexts.
After tinkering around with some userspace stuff (tried to replace /usr/sbin/coreaudiod and its components with Lion 10.7.5 versions) and after realizing, that MLPostFactor makes use of Lions (10.7.5) audio kexts, I replaced some audio kexts with (even older) 10.7.2 versions. (From an old Lion recovery partition)
The kexts in questions were (as far as I remember) :
AppleUSBAudio.kext
IOAudioFamily.kext
AppleAUUC.kext
AppleHDA.kext
(I might put them together in a zip-file)
Audio works flawlessly, again.

I am really pleased with the system.
Browsing is faster, system feels more responsive...
A new spirit flows through the veins of my Macmini.
(Btw. The FireWire version of the iSight camera works, too.)

Thank you very much for your effort!
Looking forward to run OS X Mavericks on it...
(See https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/18130114/ )

Best regards
schreiberstein

Can confirm this seems to have worked on my MacMini1,1 with upgraded Core2Duo!

 

[Skatefarmer]

Hi Everyone,

I am on the verge of totally giving up with MLPostfactor and have been pulling my hair out with it for the past few days!


I am trying to install on a Black Macbook 2007. Currently running Lion 10.7.5.

I have bought the full mountain lion app on another Macbook Pro and transferred it to the app folder, it is version 10.8.5

I have partitioned the drive with a ML 20GB and an Install 20GB, both in Mac OS X Journaled.




Everytime I run the MLPostfactor 0.3 install, It seems to complete too quickly. I set it to 10.8.4 and "install" partition. it then takes about 5 minutes and says it has completed.

The Install drive only has a few folders in it after the install, which total about 700MB.

When I reboot and hold down Option, neither Install or ML appear as a startup device, only Macintosh HD and Recovery HD.

I have tried repartitioning, installing it to a USB thumb drive, Installing it to a thumb drive on a different macbook etc.

Every time the install only takes 5 minutes and then nothing appears as a startup device!?!



IT is really driving me mad as I have followed the guide extremely carefully and I do not see why this macbook wouldn't work?

Please help!!!

 

[fabioroberto]

model

why not show the model of my macbook?

 

[Skatefarmer]

why not show the model of my macbook?

I have attached the info.

Any help is greatly appreciated, I really have followed the guide exactly. Is it because I am using the 10.8.5 .app? I cannot find any previous ones anywhere.

 

[fabioroberto]

I have attached the info.


Any help is greatly appreciated, I really have followed the guide exactly. Is it because I am using the 10.8.5 .app? I cannot find any previous ones anywhere.

Where? which way?


well, i had same problem. Try to use a pen drive, or other external drive.
worked here.

 

[Skatefarmer]

Where? which way?


well, i had same problem. Try to use a pen drive, or other external drive.
worked here.

What do you mean?

I bought it from the app store on a newer macbook pro and transferred it back to the old macbook.

I have tried putting it on a USB Pen with MLpostfactor as well but still the macbook does not see the pen on boot up?

Any ideas?

 

[fabioroberto]

What do you mean?

I bought it from the app store on a newer macbook pro and transferred it back to the old macbook.

I have tried putting it on a USB Pen with MLpostfactor as well but still the macbook does not see the pen on boot up?

Any ideas?

Sorry, i understood that you put the information (macbook model) in somewhere.


you used GUID Partition Table?

 

[Skatefarmer]

Sorry, i understood that you put the information (macbook model) in somewhere.


you used GUID Partition Table?

Hi,

Yes the Hard Disk is Partitioned as GUID,

I cannot get the macbook to see any other partitions on startup other than Macintosh HD and Recovery HD. It does not see either Install, ML, or even the Pen drive.


When I use MLPostfactor it only takes 5 minutes to complete, and there is only 700MB of data on the destination drive, is this not too short and too little data?

 

[porg]

Help attempt

Everytime I run the MLPostfactor 0.3 install, It seems to complete too quickly. I set it to 10.8.4 and "install" partition. it then takes about 5 minutes and says it has completed.
…
The Install drive only has a few folders in it after the install, which total about 700MB.
…
Please help!!!

Make sure "Install" is connected to your Mac,
Open Terminal, issue this command line:

echo --VOLUMES--; diskutil list /Volumes/Install/ ; echo --CONTENT-- ; ls -la /Volumes/Install/

And post the result here, for best readability within forum markup code tags please. Then we compare your Install root directory and ours, and determine what may went wrong.

 

[porg]

MLPostFactor Patched Install Volume 10.8.4

For comparison. Note that booting into "Install" fails, as mentioned in my earlier post.
So it's not a reference for a good Install Volume. But it may help @Skatefarmer.


Note 2: Screenshot taken in Mac OS X Finder 10.6.8, hence the icons with the "not executable" overlay.