Is Big Sur a Big Mistake for a 2015 MacBook Pro?

[MalagLagoon]

I got myself into a bit of a loop because, apparently, I can no longer download and run the Logic Pro X or Final Cut Pro X without macOS 10.15.7 or higher. I have purchased both LPX and FCPX - years ago. Anyway, I think this means I need Catalina. However, it also seems that I can only jump from Mojave to Big Sur. I'm currently running Mojave. I don't see any way to automatically download Catalina through the macOS System Preferences or through the App Store.

Is there a way to still get Catalina or can we only jump to Catalina?

Is it unwise to run either Catalina or Big Sur on a 2015 MacBook Pro?

More concerning is if there's an option to go back to Mojave if I need to for some reason. I have a feeling that isn't really possible.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Big Sur will run fine on your 2015 MBP.

 

[mikzn]

IMHO - stay on Mojave - not because of MBP2015

You have some mission critical software - for example - FCPX / logic etc that works great on Mojave

Forget Catalina - Evaluate Big Sur?

 

[buckrock]

In case you are wondering how to download various MacOS installers, check MrMacintosh.

 

[fisherking]

these threads accomplish nothing, as all you'll get are anecdotal experiences, warnings (the best ones from ppl who never even tried big sur), and opinions; no one can tell you exactly how your own experience would go.

if you want to try it, back up your mac, and.... try it.

mikzn: logic & FCP are working beautifully here, in big sur. just mentioning!

 

[MalagLagoon]

these threads accomplish nothing, as all you'll get are anecdotal experiences, warnings (the best ones from ppl who never even tried big sur), and opinions; no one can tell you exactly how your own experience would go.

if you want to try it, back up your mac, and.... try it.

mikzn: logic & FCP are working beautifully here, in big sur. just mentioning!

Thing is - it's sounding a lot like you cannot go back to the previous operating system. I just got off the phone with Apple about this. Once you go to Catalina or Big Sur - you're pretty much stuck there. It sounds like you can't download Catalina from the App Store anymore either. This is one reason why I never upgraded beyond Mojave.

 

[fisherking]

Thing is - it's sounding a lot like you cannot go back to the previous operating system. I just got off the phone with Apple about this. Once you go to Catalina or Big Sur - you're pretty much stuck there. It sounds like you can't download Catalina from the App Store anymore either. This is one reason why I never upgraded beyond Mojave.

enjoy mojave. but the world will keep moving forward, and, at some point, you'll want, or need, the functionality in a newer OS, or you'll get a new mac, and be forced into the present. either way, if you're getting your work done, all is well...

 

[MalagLagoon]

enjoy mojave. but the world will keep moving forward, and, at some point, you'll want, or need, the functionality in a newer OS, or you'll get a new mac, and be forced into the present. either way, if you're getting your work done, all is well...

The main concern is running Big Sur on a 2015 MacBook Pro. (and no option to revert to Mojave if need be)

 

[Apple_Robert]

The main concern is running Big Sur on a 2015 MacBook Pro. (and no option to revert to Mojave if need be)

You can revert back to Mojave. I don't know why you think you can't.

 

[MalagLagoon]

Apple told me it wasn't an option.

 

[nothingtoseehere]

Apple told me it wasn't an option.

Apple wants that all people use the newest OS. On iPhone, there is (in general) no way back but on Macs, there is. Plenty of threads here how to prepare - preparation is essential! - and how to get back.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Apple told me it wasn't an option.

Whoever told you that at Apple didn't know what he or she was talking about.

 

[MalagLagoon]

Whoever told you that at Apple didn't know what he or she was talking about.

Senior advisor over the phone.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Senior advisor over the phone.

That person may have meant well but he or she was incorrect. You can revert back to the OS the Mac came with s well as anything in-between, should not not like Big Sur.

 

[MalagLagoon]

That person may have meant well but he or she was incorrect. You can revert back to the OS the Mac came with s well as anything in-between, should not not like Big Sur.

How does one revert back? I just asked this question from Apple today - they made it sound like a huge saga to revert back - basically saying it wasn't possible.

 

[Apple_Robert]

How does one revert back? I just asked this question from Apple today - they made it sound like a huge saga to revert back - basically saying it wasn't possible.

It would involve...

1) Downloading Mojave and creating a USB installer
2) Booting your Mac into recovery
3) Going to disk utility and erasing the disk and reformatting the disk to Mac Journaled Extended
4) Install MacOS from the USB installer

As a second method...

1) Download Mojave and create a USB installer (just in case you need it)
2) Boot into recovery and erase the disk and reformat as above
3) Boot into Internet Recovery and that will install the OS your Mac came with

 

[fisherking]

what's amazing to me is how well my 2016 12" macbook is running the OS; we're talking entry level (M3!, 8gb ram)...

 

[buckrock]

Just be advised that what you cannot do is use a Big Sur Time Machine backup to migrate your apps and data onto a clean install of a MacOS older than Big Sur.

Apple has changed the Time Machine backup structure so that it is not backward compatible. So, in addition to preparing and keeping older MacOS install USB's around, you need to have your apps and data backed up in older Time Machine formats.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Just be advised that what you cannot do is use a Big Sur Time Machine backup to migrate your apps and data onto a clean install of a MacOS older than Big Sur.

Apple has changed the Time Machine backup structure so that it is not backward compatible. So, in addition to preparing and keeping older MacOS install USB's around, you need to have your apps and data backed up in older Time Machine formats.

Thanks for posting an excellent follow-up. I should have mentioned that to the OP.

 

[buckrock]

what's amazing to me is how well my 2016 12" macbook is running the OS; we're talking entry level (M3!, 8gb ram)...

... and just to add to that, my 15" retina MacBook Pro mid-2012 is happily running Big Sur 11.3.1 (build 20E241) with the help of some wonderful wizards (see MacRumors MacOS 11Big Sur on Unsupported Macs thread).

 

[Runs For Fun]

Big Sur ran just fine on my old 2015 MBA.

 

[MalagLagoon]

Big Sur ran just fine on my old 2015 MBA.

Maybe I feel lucky . . .

 

[mikzn]

Maybe I feel lucky . . .

Big Sur runs fine on a 2015 MBP - see screen shot below - my MBP has been running Big Sur since the first beta was available - I like it better than Catalina - - but - as I mentioned above - make sure all your softwares will upgrade / work on Big Sur ?

Test Option? - If you have an external drive you can install and migrate to the external drive to test it?

It is not easy to migrate backward - so testing on an external drive will avoid having to go back

 

[MalagLagoon]

Big Sur runs fine on a 2015 MBP - see screen shot below - my MBP has been running Big Sur since the first beta was available - I like it better than Catalina - - but - as I mentioned above - make sure all your softwares will upgrade / work on Big Sur ?

Test Option? - If you have an external drive you can install and migrate to the external drive to test it?

It is not easy to migrate backward - so testing on an external drive will avoid having to go back

On the topic of external drives. I never did find a replacement for the Thunderbolt 2 LaCie Rugged RAID drives. Yes, LaCie has a newer model that isn't fully compatible with a 2015 MBP - but this is horrible compared to what was once available. Similar to living a zero dongle lifestyle - I require all my external drives to operate 100% with a single connection (usually the thunderbolt). This too (searching for an external drive) has slowed me down.

 

[mikzn]

This too (searching for an external drive) has slowed me down.

FWIW - This is what I have been using - see screen shot - 2 Samsung 970Pro's - 512g - plus USB SSD enclosure and SSD adaptor works great for my purposes and back ups

I have 2 of the Samsung 970Pro - one has the final Mojave version from before I upgraded externally and then swapped the SSD's when all was working well - I kept the Mojave version in case I wanted to swap back to Mojave but that was over a year ago - before Catalina - so not likely to use it to go back anymore