macOS 10.12 Sierra Unsupported Macs Thread

[redheeler]

macOS Sierra on unsupported Macs

Introduction

For the first time since OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) in 2012, macOS Sierra (10.12) has changed the official minimum requirements needed for installation, leaving many older (but still perfectly capable) Macs behind.

Spoiler: Apple's official minimum requirements for macOS Sierra

• MacBook (late 2009 or later)
  
• iMac (late 2009 or later)
  
• MacBook Air (2010 or later)
• MacBook Pro (2010 or later)
• Mac mini (2010 or later)
• Mac Pro (2010 or later)

This is a thread for people to discuss and offer solutions for newly unsupported Macs in macOS Sierra. This post will be updated with solutions as they become available.

macOS History

OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) was the first version of OS X with support for 64-bit kernels, allowing booting with either a 32-bit or 64-bit kernel. However, Apple did not support booting the 64-bit kernel in Macs that shipped with EFI32 firmware, even if they had 64-bit processors capable of running the 64-bit kernel. When Apple dropped the 32-bit kernel entirely in OS X Mountain Lion (10.8), EFI32 Macs no longer had an Apple-supported mechanism to boot newer versions of OS X.

OS X El Capitan (10.11) includes SIP (System Integrity Protection/Rootless). It makes sure that system files and their permissions are automatically protected, and also updated during Software Updates. The Repair Permissions function is no longer available and access to system files that need to be changed may require disabling it.

Known Issues:

• macOS Sierra dropped support for Wi-Fi cards (BCM4321) used in most 2008 and some 2009 Macs. A hardware upgrade is required to get Wi-Fi functionality on those models.
• iMac8,1 - Volume control for the Built-In Audio device may work improperly or not at all.
  
• Macbook5,2 - The trackpad is not configurable, it is detected as a regular mouse instead.

Models Tested:

Older Legacy Macs not in this table (including the MacBook2,1, MacBook3,1 and iMac5,1) can install Mountain Lion (10.8), Mavericks (10.9), and Yosemite (10.10) with MacPostFactor or OS X Extractor (noted in the spoiler below), but are not supported by OS X El Capitan (10.11) or later.

MacPro1,1 and 2,1 can run OS X El Capitan with the methods noted in the spoiler below, but are currently not supported by macOS Sierra due to a lack of SSE 4 support (the CPU can be upgraded but its firmware does not support newer SSE 4-compatible CPUs).

Legacy Development Files:
Kexts:
Legacy USB Injector Kext
OS X Extractor - Beta USB Kexts.zip (depreciated)

PlatformSupport.plist / InstallableMachines.plist:
Download Zip


Known Patching Methods (the important bit):
Automatic tools that can be used to install macOS Sierra onto an unsupported Mac.

Using @dosdude1's Patcher Tool:
Main Page/Instructions: MacOS Sierra Patcher Tool for Unsupported Macs
Download: [Direct Download]


Enabling Updates:
Sierra does not allow updating to minor versions (such as 10.12.1) without modification.

Using @foxlet's AUSEnabler:
Main Page: AUSEnabler - FurCode
Download: [Direct Download]

Using dylib injection to fake out system checks (@Czo patch). Download script and execute
Download: https://gist.github.com/anonymous/5129cdb72d19a5eee68383c88082bd43
Download: http://dosdude1.com/sierra/swupatch.sh.zip
Source: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/96tg06ys1pyem8v/AAAw0Gc4nlxK2OmXn4zFG-H6a?dl=0

Other OS patching threads:

Spoiler: Other Threads

macOS Catalina (10.15)
macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs - @0403979

macOS Mojave (10.14)
macOS 1014 Mojave on Unsupported Macs Thread - @dosdude1

macOS High Sierra (10.13)
macOS High Sierra (10.13) Unsupported Macs Thread - @foxlet

macOS Sierra (10.12)
MacOS 10.12 Sierra Unsupported Macs Thread - @redheeler
2006/2007 Mac Pro (1,1/2,1) and macOS Sierra - @Mr. Zarniwoop

OS X El Capitan (10.11):
OS X El Capitan on Unsupported Macs - @TMRJIJ
2006/2007 Mac Pro (1,1/2,1) and El Capitan - @Mr. Zarniwoop

OS X Yosemite (10.10):
OS X Yosemite on Unsupported Macs - @TMRJIJ
2006/2007 Mac Pro (1,1/2,1) and OS X Yosemite - @Mr. Zarniwoop

OS X Mavericks (10.9):
[Guide] Installing 10.9 Mavericks on older Macs. - @Wayne_819
Mac Pro 2,1 and OS X Mavericks - @5050

OS X Mountain Lion (10.8):
Success! Install 10.8 on old unsupported Mac - @Wayne_819

 

[Zorn]

Big question is gonna be whether a 4,1 upgraded to 5,1 is going to be counted as a 2010/2012 by the installer.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

This really sucks... they barely change the OS that they release every year, and it's all to screw over existing Mac users. They've just ruled out both my laptop and desktop. I still have lots of time before El Capitan is 'obsolete,' but it's still very annoying. It's also very annoying that my 4,1 and MacBook Pro (and others') will now have to be treated like 1,1/2,1 Mac Pros, in that these machines will now have to receive workarounds for the latest "macOS." What a shame. They've spiffed-up iOS, yet Mac OS (no, I am NOT calling it "macOS") is a lame duck. Anyway, I wonder if Apple has actually made a comeback, or if they'll continue ruining things like iTunes and iWork. The new iOS looks more promising than what they've recently been doing, but it's Apple-under-Tim-Cook after all.

 

[Czo]

I'm a little bit sad. My MacBook Pro has the same CPU/GPU (Intel Penryn/nVidia Tesla) like the 2010 13" version, and that 2010 13" version is supported, and the older ones is not.

 

[MagicBoy]

Wonder why they struck the 2009 Mac mini off?

As for those complaining - we've had 4 years of stability with no changes, so belt up.

 

[Gamer9430]

I definitely think the 09 MBs should have still been supported, being that there is little difference between the 3 09 MBs... *sigh*

 

[adam9c1]

hmm 2009 Macbook yes
2009 Mac Pro no

W T F

 

[MagicBoy]

I definitely think the 09 MBs should have still been supported, being that there is little difference between the 3 09 MBs... *sigh*

9400M like the Mac mini?

 

[frou]

The non-Pro MacBook is taken better care of than the Pro

 

[Gamer9430]

9400M like the Mac mini?

Yup

 

[indask8]

9400M like the Mac mini?

I thought the 9400M was the reason my Late 2009 mini got dropped, but the Late 2009 Macbook has the exact same card...

Maybe it'll be easy to unofficially run sierra on those...

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

Not sure why the non-Pro MacBook from 2009 is supported, yet the 2009 MacBook Pro isn't! Just bought 8GB of RAM for my 2009 MacBook Pro, and now I'm a bit disappointed that it's been crossed from the list. Well, I do not even need to immediately upgrade; but, if I do, hopefully there will be a workaround. And, what's special about this moment in time is that there will be many more Macs needing the workaround - and there's no knowing which Macs can receive it properly and which cannot. My guess is that the 2009 and possibly 2008 Mac Pros can do it, and, with luck, the 1,1/2,1 ones. However, as for laptops, they've been continuously stressed-out by Apple's new versions of Mac OS, as such new versions seem to become more and more graphically heavy, even if they sport the same animations... which is stupid. For example, Stacks (which does what it did 10 years ago, but 3x less efficiently) lags like heck on my 2009 MacBook Pro. I'd hate to see what it does if I were to do some future workaround on it and get "macOS" Sierra.

 

[MagicBoy]

I thought the 9400M was the reason my Late 2009 mini got dropped, but the Late 2009 Macbook has the exact same card...

Maybe it'll be easy to unofficially run sierra on those...

Tell you when the Dev site comes up!

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

I thought the 9400M was the reason my Late 2009 mini got dropped, but the Late 2009 Macbook has the exact same card...

Maybe it'll be easy to unofficially run sierra on those...

Yeah, there may be some firmware trickery needed or something.
[doublepost=1465845692][/doublepost]

Tell you when the Dev site comes up!

I can see your name on a new, groundbreaking thread all about the unsupported Macs and their workarounds for Sierra. xD
[doublepost=1465845839][/doublepost]Y'know, I bet everyone will start flashing their 4,1 Macs to 5,1, which could work... but it would create lots of confusion. It would be cheating to flash one without upgrading the CPUs! Also, I hope CPU prices for these don't skyrocket.

 

[redheeler]

I thought the 9400M was the reason my Late 2009 mini got dropped, but the Late 2009 Macbook has the exact same card...

Maybe it'll be easy to unofficially run sierra on those...

It's strange to keep the 2009 MacBook but not MacBook Pro. Perhaps Apple considers it an easy entry point to MacOS.

My late 2008 MacBook Air also has the 9400M GPU (as do several other models of MacBook Pro, MacBook, and Mac mini), so I hope it will be possible to get 10.12 running on it.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

I have what's called a "mid-2009" MacBook Pro w/ 9400M. Does this mean that it's supported? According to Mactracker, there IS no "late-2009" MacBook Pro. Anyway, those unsupported Macs that have the 9400M should be able to have 10.12 installed on them easily, with some workaround. (And, hopefully that workaround isn't something that has to be done with every minor update.) The question is whether or not they will be good at running Sierra. I guess the UI hasn't changed much, so they should be fine. I mean, not FINE, but just as things are in El Cap - and things are slightly questionable. For instance, my 2009 MBP has issues with some of El Cap's animations; granted, it's otherwise okay.

What's scary is that, about a year from now, I'm sure that every cMP will be off the list, and we'll need a workaround for them all. Or, Apple will keep their current new list for yet another version, then completely wipe it out a year after that. Maybe then we'll see the final slash of the cMP... that is, until we can apply our workarounds. If I can, I plan on keeping my 2009 Mac Pro for as long as it can boot.

 

[TMRJIJ]

Tell you when the Dev site comes up!

I see you're working on getting your method out there. Would you like to work with me on an automated tool since MLforAll is missing in action?

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

It's strange to keep the 2009 MacBook but not MacBook Pro. Perhaps Apple considers it an easy entry point to MacOS.

My late 2008 MacBook Air also has the 9400M GPU (as do several other models of MacBook Pro, MacBook, and Mac mini), so I hope it will be possible to get 10.12 running on it.

I am both relieved and surprised that the 2009 MacBook was kept. It's a good thing that that cool machine can still be fully up-to-date. It's the last of the good MacBooks.

 

[redheeler]

@MagicBoy @TMRJIJ I have requested this thread be made a Wiki so one of you can post a solution to the OP. For some reason the option to do it is missing.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

I see you're working on getting your method out there. Would you like to work with me on an automated tool since MLforAll is missing in action?

The Piker people may also be working on something similar. Along with Tiamo, they were the ones to get the 1,1/2,1 Mac Pros up and running with ML, Mavericks, Yosemite, and El Cap.
[doublepost=1465846622][/doublepost]

hmm 2009 Macbook yes
2009 Mac Pro no

W T F

To be fair, the MacBook is way more of a consumer product, so they'd rather keep it than the Mac Pro. Oddly enough, the 2009 Mac Pro and Mac Mini are off the list.

 

[frou]

What's scary is that, about a year from now, I'm sure that every cMP will be off the list, and we'll need a workaround for them all. Or, Apple will keep their current new list for yet another version, then completely wipe it out a year after that.

Recent "OS X" history showed them keeping requirements steady for a long time. I think with "macOS" they have done a fairly dramatic requirement bump to herald the start of a new era (rebrand = new era) and will now keep requirements steady for a good while again.

 

[TMRJIJ]

The Piker people may also be working on something similar. Along with Tiamo, they were the ones to get the 1,1/2,1 Mac Pros up and running with ML, Mavericks, Yosemite, and El Cap.

I will send a PM to Pike about the Bootloader and the possible changes in it. Never managed to reach Tiamo in previous years.

 

[rybak17]

I have iMac 24 Early 2009 :/
I like him very much.

C2D 2.93/GF GT120/8GB DDR3/512GB SSD

 

[leman]

I would guess that the limitation is the GPU, as so often. But as the dev documentation is not online yet, can't be sure.

 

[blindpcguy]

yeah I'm a bit nervous as my 2006 mac pro may not get a new fix we will see. i like running the latest os x may have to switch to my mac mini 2014 and deal with the weaker graphics