MBP 1,1-10,2 MacBook Pro 13" mid 2009 - Best unsupported OS?

[Hondy]

I read many thread but I can't find my answer.

My wife have the MacBook Pro 13" mid 2009 which I upgrade over the year with 8 GB of ram and a Sandisk Ultra II 480GB SSD. It stil works great but lack of updates make the notebook not working perfectly.

So I try to find the best unsupported OS that make the notebook fully functional (no issues at all),fully compatible with the hardware and peripherals (printer, mouse, monitor etc), not laggy or resource sucker, and, obviously compatible with the most recent software (office, safari, digital sign, pdf editor).

She uses the MacBook 90% with word and safari, last 10% with excel, photo app (only view and basic edit).

So which one is better for? And with which patcher? dosdude or OLP?

Thanks

 

[Andrey84]

I read many thread but I can't find my answer.

My wife have the MacBook Pro 13" mid 2009 which I upgrade over the year with 8 GB of ram and a Sandisk Ultra II 480GB SSD. It stil works great but lack of updates make the notebook not working perfectly.

So I try to find the best unsupported OS that make the notebook fully functional (no issues at all),fully compatible with the hardware and peripherals (printer, mouse, monitor etc), not laggy or resource sucker, and, obviously compatible with the most recent software (office, safari, digital sign, pdf editor).

She uses the MacBook 90% with word and safari, last 10% with excel, photo app (only view and basic edit).

So which one is better for? And with which patcher? dosdude or OLP?

Thanks

I'm using the OpenCore Legacy Patcher and I'm running Mac OS Sequoia 15.2, albeit on a much newer 2015 MBP with Core i7 and 16 GB of RAM.

When you say "lack of updates make the notebook not working perfectly" - what exactly are the problems? There is always a chance you'll get more problems with the new Mac OS.

I'd still try installing Sequoia and seeing how it goes. Safari will be slow, because it's slow on mine, but Chrome should work well. Sequoia is just a good and 'lucky' Mac OS release. I had Ventura before, and Sequoia is not slower.

Remember to change the following settings: 1. Reduce motion 2. Reduce transparency 3. Change the wallpaper to be static 4. Minimize windows using Scale Effect

 

[Hondy]

I'm using the OpenCore Legacy Patcher and I'm running Mac OS Sequoia 15.2, albeit on a much newer 2015 MBP with Core i7 and 16 GB of RAM.

When you say "lack of updates make the notebook not working perfectly" - what exactly are the problems? There is always a chance you'll get more problems with the new Mac OS.

I'd still try installing Sequoia and seeing how it goes. Safari will be slow, because it's slow on mine, but Chrome should work well. Sequoia is just a good and 'lucky' Mac OS release. I had Ventura before, and Sequoia is not slower.

Remember to change the following settings: 1. Reduce motion 2. Reduce transparency 3. Change the wallpaper to be static 4. Minimize windows using Scale Effect

Thanks for your reply.
Your MacBook is better than my wife's MacBook.
Different apps (safari, digital sign etc) without the certificate didn't works well so I try to search for un unsupported OS that maybe solve the problem. She have an iPhone so Safari would be the natural choice for her so the bookmark and other things can be use between the device.

I read the Sequoia thread but too many problems.

I search an OS that she can use without calling me every 15min because "that" program doesn't work. Or maybe that mouse or print r or webcam etc.

Reading the various topic I think that High Sierra maybe is the better choice. Anyone with similar hardware can confirm. Or suggest other OS?

Thanks

 

[Andrey84]

Thanks for your reply.
Your MacBook is better than my wife's MacBook.
Different apps (safari, digital sign etc) without the certificate didn't works well so I try to search for un unsupported OS that maybe solve the problem. She have an iPhone so Safari would be the natural choice for her so the bookmark and other things can be use between the device.

I read the Sequoia thread but too many problems.

I search an OS that she can use without calling me every 15min because "that" program doesn't work. Or maybe that mouse or print r or webcam etc.

Reading the various topic I think that High Sierra maybe is the better choice. Anyone with similar hardware can confirm. Or suggest other OS?

Thanks

I guess if you need to use Safari you should just get the earliest possible OS supported by OCLP. They only support 4 at a time I believe. Download it and you will see what is available. You cannot just pick and choose any Mac OS

 

[Aoligei]

I am on macOS Ventura, runs fine on 2009 MacBook Pro. Personally I won't try anything past Ventura. Since Ventura is still being supported by Apple, I am stay with macOS Ventura. I will see what I will do when Apple drop support for macOS Ventura.

 

[Hondy]

I am on macOS Ventura, runs fine on 2009 MacBook Pro. Personally I won't try anything past Ventura. Since Ventura is still being supported by Apple, I am stay with macOS Ventura. I will see what I will do when Apple drop support for macOS Ventura.

Do you have any problem or compatibility issues with software or peripherals or other?

 

[BrianBaughn]

Yes you will have problems with software using OCLP Ventura on a 2009 MacBook Pro. I can't speak for that exact model but my 2009 unibody MacBook couldn't run "Maps" or "Find My" due to the graphics limitations. I don't know about the Photos app with mine…I didn't even try it. It had a lot of trouble on graphically demanding websites. Full screen video was just about impossible. "Laggy" is an accurate term to describe it. I didn't try to run a lot of third-party software so I can't provide a list. "No issues at all" is an impossible goal.

As to peripherals you might get answers to specific devices if you ask about the specific device. No one here has knowledge of all devices.

I finally bailed on it a couple of months ago and got an M3 MacBook Air.

 

[Aoligei]

Do you have any problem or compatibility issues with software or peripherals or other?

No, other than not able to see my iPhone when plugged in.

I don’t use Maps on Mac. I find it is pointless, but that just me. I have no problem with Photos, but my iPhone won’t show up, nor the Image Capture app.

 

[Hondy]

No, other than not able to see my iPhone when plugged in.

I don’t use Maps on Mac. I find it is pointless, but that just me. I have no problem with Photos, but my iPhone won’t show up, nor the Image Capture app.

iCloud works? So the image taken with iPhone synchronize with the photo app on the Mac?

 

[Aoligei]

iCloud works? So the image taken with iPhone synchronize with the photo app on the Mac?

iCloud works, image taken with iPhone also synchronize with Mac via photo app. But the Mac doesn’t seems to see the iPhone plugged in via USB port.

P.S. i might have hit the devices limit on with AppleID. I have a separate AppleID for all the old devices. The 2009 MacBook Pro seems ask me to enter AppleID password every few days

 

[Hondy]

iCloud works, image taken with iPhone also synchronize with Mac via photo app. But the Mac doesn’t seems to see the iPhone plugged in via USB port.

She can live with it. Probably she doesn't even know that an iPhone could be plugged via usb port on a MacBook 😅

 

[Aoligei]

She can live with it. Probably she doesn't even know that an iPhone could be plugged via usb port on a MacBook 😅

So I have 2009 MacBook Pro on and has Ventura installed.

Here are few things that I find:

1) Maps will not work at all. All you get is brown background.

2) Photo app will work. However, certain function aren't working.

Since it relies on Map, where it doesn't function with non-metal capable card.

3) AirDrop does not function at all. You can enable AirDrop, but I will not able to send files from my iPhone to Mac via AirDrop.

4) Any HEVC video is essentially slideshows. This means any videos that taken from iPhone or Android will not be able play, unless you want watch slideshows. This also means video editing using videos taking by smartphone is impossible.

5) If you are going to transfer files, especially large files, via the USB 2.0 port, you will be waiting forever. For example: a 40GB folder takes nearly half an hour to copy into SSD.

6) You will get lots of beachball, lots of them.

7) Avoid software update as much as possible. Updating macOS version is kind of pain in the a**. The 2009-2011 MacBook Pros has USB 2.0, which means every time you perform software updates, you will need take out USB hub. WiFi will not work post update as well. You will need an Android phone or WiFi adaptor or Ethernet for Internet connection. You will need use OCLP Patcher to run post-install root patch again.

Essentially, with old MacBooks, especially ones before 2020, you are only getting very little from new macOS. All major features aren't working at all. Certainly features that requires Apple Silicon won't work and features that requires T2 chip also won't work.

I really find it is pointless to install anything past Ventura, since you can't even use most of new features.

 

[Hondy]

So I have 2009 MacBook Pro on and has Ventura installed.

Here are few things that I find:

1) Maps will not work at all. All you get is brown background.

View attachment 2464411
2) Photo app will work. However, certain function aren't working.
View attachment 2464412

Since it relies on Map, where it doesn't function with non-metal capable card.

3) AirDrop does not function at all. You can enable AirDrop, but I will not able to send files from my iPhone to Mac via AirDrop.

4) Any HEVC video is essentially slideshows. This means any videos that taken from iPhone or Android will not be able play, unless you want watch slideshows. This also means video editing using videos taking by smartphone is impossible.

5) If you are going to transfer files, especially large files, via the USB 2.0 port, you will be waiting forever. For example: a 40GB folder takes nearly half an hour to copy into SSD.

6) You will get lots of beachball, lots of them.

7) Avoid software update as much as possible. Updating macOS version is kind of pain in the a**. The 2009-2011 MacBook Pros has USB 2.0, which means every time you perform software updates, you will need take out USB hub. WiFi will not work post update as well. You will need an Android phone or WiFi adaptor or Ethernet for Internet connection. You will need use OCLP Patcher to run post-install root patch again.

Essentially, with old MacBooks, especially ones before 2020, you are only getting very little from new macOS. All major features aren't working at all. Certainly features that requires Apple Silicon won't work and features that requires T2 chip also won't work.

I really find it is pointless to install anything past Ventura, since you can't even use most of new features.

Thanks for the info.
So basically any non metal gpu dent work correctly.
Maybe if I use older OS she doesn't have this problem. (So I don't have this problem).
Which one is the last non metal OS from Apple?

 

[Aoligei]

Thanks for the info.
So basically any non metal gpu dent work correctly.
Maybe if I use older OS she doesn't have this problem. (So I don't have this problem).
Which one is the last non metal OS from Apple?

You might have to back all the way to macOS High Sierra. However, 09 MacBook Pro only goes up to macOS El Capitan.

If you want to work with macOS El Capitan:

1. You will need to update root certificates in order to access internet, otherwise you will just get certificate error.
2. Most major browsers have already dropped support for El Capitan. You will have to find some community build browsers, such as Chromium Legacy.
3. Unless you are willing to use MS Office Online or Google Docs, the last supported MS office 2016. Office 365 will able to activate, if you can find an installer that works, you won't able to update.
4. Lots of apps won't work with El Capitan anymore.

I think for the older Macs, the best OS is probably Linux or Windows. In my cases, I probably will stick with Ventura for now, as I am really use 09 MacBook Pro for web browsing and video streaming.

 

[kzk32]

I think Mac OS Mojave is the best os it's modern enough to have good application support but old enough to run on core 2 duo Macs.I have Mac OS Mojave installed in my iMac 2008 and had zero issues.

 

[Snowlover]

I agree with kzk32. You can use dosdudes mojave patcher to install it on your 2009 macbook pro.

macOS Mojave Patcher

 

[DCBassman]

I agree with kzk32. You can use dosdudes mojave patcher to install it on your 2009 macbook pro.

macOS Mojave Patcher

Or the Catalina patcher, also works well on '09 Pros.

 

[kzk32]

Or the Catalina patcher, also works well on '09 Pros.

Catalina runs a lot slower on my 2008 iMac that's why I went with Mojave, But it's worth the try.

 

[DCBassman]

I've tried it on 2007 iMac (slow), 2009 27" iMac (slightly better), 15 and 17-inch 2009 MacBook Pros (pretty good), various 2011s from iMacs to Mac minis (works well). Oddly, on a 2008 Mac Pro with tons of grunt and a Radeon HD5770, it was...mediocre. That's getting a GTX680 soon, so that should improve hugely.
I should really try theMojave patcher, too, but for some reason just never have!

 

[Hondy]

Thank you all for the info.
I try with Catalina and if it will be too slow then High Sierra.

 

[bobesch]

Hi @Hondy, welcome at MacRumors!

In addition to the informations, the other repliers already supplied:

- Your 13" MBP is an intel c2duo: no Metal-Graphic support with OCLP/macOS (no Maps.App, no AppleTV.App etc.)
- Best to go with @dosdude1 's patchers as the Basic-OS (Sierra, HighSierra, Mojave, Catalina)
- Think about a DualBoot-System with Basic-dd1/Mojave and Alternative-OCLP/Monterey or Ventura.
(if You run a DualBoot-system, think about putting all your personal files and media onto a separate partition/volume except of the (i)Cloud-synched stuff in order to keep both macOS-System-Volumes as small as possible.
- dd1/Mojave is the last macOS to run 32-bit-Apps (iPhoto, Aperture, MS_Office'08 etc) and sports full dark-theme. Starting with Catalina only 64bit-Apps running (no iPhoto, Aperture, MS_Offoce'08 and other valuable software).
- With outdated dd1/Mojave there's still Firefox-ESR, AppleMail, iTunes, etc. working to be connected. With outdated dd1/Mojave some services (WhatsApp, Dropbox etc.) can (only) be connected via Firefox-ESR.
- Starting with Catalina there's Indexing of Fotos in addition to Spotlight-Indexing, that will take permanently a big chunk of CPU-usage and is a constant nuisance. You'll have to stop that process manually via Terminal (Catalina) or via OCLP (where stopping mediaanalysis is the preset).

My personal preferences:
1. Get a new 500GB SSD (or bigger!) and an external USB2/3-case.
2. Prepare the USB-connected 500GB SSD with DiskUtility.App:
2.1 Erase the SSD (GUID/APFS)
2.2 Partition the SSD: First Partition (APFS) / Second Partition 12GB (HFS+/journales) at the very end of the SSD
2.3 Install the Mojave-macOS-Installer via the dd1-MojavePather.App onto that tiny 12GB partition.
3. Swap the internal SSD with the now prepared external USB-connected SSD (so the internal SSD will stay save and sound while You can proceed with further installation of dd1/Mojave)
4. Boot the MBP from the tiny 12GB-Partition, which holds the MojaveInstaller and the dd1-pather-equippment.
Booting/installing/pathing from that 12GB partition will spare You from using the slow USB2-Connection/USB2-Stick. And You'll always have a RecoveryPartition on-board.
5. During the Mojave installation-procedure first start the DiskUtility and make the following prparations:
5.1 add a Volume "Mojave" to the first partion
5.2 add a Volume "MyData" to the first partion
5.3 add a Volume "Monterey" to the first partition (this is optional for a future OCLP/Monterey-installation)

Within DriveUtility change the DisplayOptions to "Show all devices" and You'll see the SSD arranged like this:
SSD
1.Level: Partition1 (=APFS-Container)
2nd Level:
- Mojave (Volume, APFS)
- MyData (Volume, APFS)
- Monterey (Volume, APFS) -optional-
1.Level: Partition2 (12GB, HFS+/Journaled): Mojave-macOS-Installer and Patcher

6. Install Mojave onto the "Mojave" Volume. When installation is complete, reboot a second time into the 12GB-Partion with the MojaveInstaller/Pather and run the "PostInstall" procedure.
7. Reboot into the Mojave-Volume and keep the 12GB-Partition as a Recovery.
8. Install a 16GBUSB2 stick

OCLP-Procedures (You'll need a 32GB-USB2/3-Stick)
1. Download, install and lauch the latest OpenCore-Patcher.App.
2. Within the OC-Patcher-App choose "Build and Install OpenCore". Then "Install to disk" and choose the SSD as the target.
3. Choose "Create macOS-Installer", then "Download macOS Installer" and choose Monterey or Ventura. The macOS-Installer.App will be downloaded to the Applications-Folder.
4. After download is complete create the USB-installer-stick: "Create macOS-Installer" and "Use existin macOS Installer"
5. Most important OCLP-routines that you must not miss:
5.1 "Build and Install OpenCore". Then "Install to disk" and choose the USB-Stick as the target.
5.2 "Install Root-Patches" onto the stick, when OCLP asks for it. That will add hardware specific drivers to the USB-Stick, that are mandatory to successfully install and launch OCLP/macOS.
MonteryInstaller comes with USB1-drivers, Ventura does not. So You might need a USB2-Hub plus USB-Mouse/Keyboard to run the intallation routine of Ventura!
6. After successful installation of Monterey or Ventura run OpenCore-Pather.App again and run "Post-Install Root Patch"

For both dd1/Mojave and OCLP/macOS it's helpful to reduce additional workload to the system (CPU/GPU)
- switch of all animations or transparency effects using "Onyx.App" or SystemSettings,

Hope this might help a bit.
I've successfully done this on a bunch of c2duo machines