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Resolved Installing a specific build of macOS High Sierra

M

Martinpa

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 30, 2014
345
538
Hi,

I'm hoping someone can help me...
I used to be on Mojave, but I need to downgrade to High Sierra in order to be able to use Nvidia web drivers for Cuda. Long story short, my hard drive died in the process, got it fixed at the Apple Store and asked them to install High Sierra while doing so.

I get my iMac back today, with High Sierra 10.13.6. I go download the webdriver from Nvidia's website, but when I try to open it, it says "Mac OS X version 10.13.6 (17G9016) is not supported with this package. Please see NVIDIA’s website for further driver information." Seems like the last build supported is 17G8037, which can't be downloaded anywhere. I found online a build 17F77 (10.13.5) and figured I'd try that, but Apple doesn't sign it anymore, so the installer won't even open.

Chatted with Apple Support and they say they can't do anything and that possibly my only option is to downgrade even further back to Sierra, hoping the latest build of Sierra is supported.

I am pissed. Had I known back when I bought my iMac that paying MORE money to get the UPGRADE to the best GPU still wouldn't ensure it'd be supported down the line, I probably would've saved my money. People seem to think this is a pissing contest between Nvidia and Apple, but the sutomer is the one having to deal with all this...

Anyone knows of a way I could get the 10.13.5 (17F77) version installed even though it isn't signed anymore? Any more option?
 
Last edited:
DeltaMac

DeltaMac

macrumors G5
Jul 30, 2003
13,519
4,429
Delaware
This site may help you. I have used that site for various downloads recently.
Looks like there is 10.13.0 or 10.13.1 there for download. Then you can easily get the 10.3.5 combo updater to take that to 10.3.5 - which should get you to your desired 17F77

BTW, "signing" is not really an issue with macOS. (This is not iOS) Apple simply pulls versions when newer versions are released. If you discover an older version to install, you should not have any problem with the install itself (assuming your Mac is compatible with that version :cool: )

I'm assuming that you do some gaming on your iMac?
Is that why you might need updated NVIDIA drivers?
I get it ... Apple still doesn't make it easy for gamers.
But, you also can't do much about that when the GPU maker doesn't appear to want to help, either!
Hopefully, you will be able to move back to a supported system version now...
 
M

Martinpa

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 30, 2014
345
538
Unfortunately, no. Whenever I try to open an installer for an older version of High Sierra, it says the installer is damaged and can't be used to install macOS.
And it's not for gaming. I do video editing. I was on Mojave for a while, but then I was working from an office that provided their own PCs. I just changed employment and I'd need to use my own computer, so I reverted back to HS, which brought its own load of problem, and now that those are solved, the web driver won't install and I'm just about to write directly to Cook cause I just can't deal with Apple Support being unable to do anything, and Nvidia Support just throwing the ball back at Apple and taking zero responsibility...
 
chrfr

chrfr

macrumors G5
Jul 11, 2009
13,550
7,077
Martinpa said:
Unfortunately, no. Whenever I try to open an installer for an older version of High Sierra, it says the installer is damaged and can't be used to install macOS.
And it's not for gaming. I do video editing. I was on Mojave for a while, but then I was working from an office that provided their own PCs. I just changed employment and I'd need to use my own computer, so I reverted back to HS, which brought its own load of problem, and now that those are solved, the web driver won't install and I'm just about to write directly to Cook cause I just can't deal with Apple Support being unable to do anything, and Nvidia Support just throwing the ball back at Apple and taking zero responsibility...
Click to expand...
17G8037 is just 10.13.6 with Security Update 2019-005 installed on top of it. Nvidia will surely provide a new driver in a day or two for today’s security update, if you can wait. If you can’t wait, reinstall 10.13.6 and then download the previous security update here: https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2012
Also, you will need to download a new High Sierra installer from here https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208969
 
DeltaMac

DeltaMac

macrumors G5
Jul 30, 2003
13,519
4,429
Delaware
Hmmm... If you are just trying to launch the installer - that's not going to work.
Don't try to run the installer, just create a bootable installer, using one of the various methods to do that.
 
M

Martinpa

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 30, 2014
345
538
Even as a bootable installer, it didn't work.
But I tried what chrfr proposed and it worked! Can't believe not one of the 5 Apple Support staff I talked to could think of that! (And yeah, I really needed it right away, I have a deadline Thursday and couldn't wait to get working on that project)

Thanks, you guys!
 
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