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macOS 10.12 Sierra Unsupported Macs Thread

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
RumorzGuy said:
Ha! Looks like we crossed wires there a bit! :)

Anyway, oh dread! There goes a major chunk of my morning. Well, at least I am performing my daily internal drive backups right now, so that I am insulated from any unexpected surprises once I do begin this lengthy process . . . again. :(
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See my edit above. Why not give it a try...see if you get a different experience than MP39 did. It's a valid test (I likely should have tried it myself) :)

But, I'd still make the USB installer using dosdude1's tool first. :)
 
fischersd said:
Ok, my opinion, you should use the Sierra Patcher that dosdude1 patched to give us the option to disable app verification (so it'll work with the GM installer) to create your USB installer (just like we did originally for PB1)
Looking like you can't install over the beta, so you need to do a fresh install (you can use disk utilities on the USB installer to erase the partition if that's an option for you).
After you install, you boot again from the USB and run the post-install patcher (that disabled the tests that Sierra runs that would invalidate our hardware).
[doublepost=1473341811][/doublepost]
Yep. (I was already typing that when you replied) :)

Edit: You're welcome to try it - pretty sure it's just going to kick you out - either it won't update the OS, or it'll do a hardware check and our systems are on the blacklist it has in its files (which, you'll need to patch anyways after installation, using the USB installer, to eliminate those checks).
I really don't think you can harm anything by trying it and seeing how far you get. :)
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The greyed-out-disk error is specific to trying the install on an unsupported machine, *not* having the beta installed. I had no issue installing over the beta on my supported machine, while for the Mac Pro even disks with no OS install were greyed out. This was after editing the installable machines plist on the installer (I must have missed some other file somewhere that does another verification?).

I used the old method with parrotgeek's script and had no issues quickly installing over DP8!
 
sourdoughjosh said:
The greyed-out-disk error is specific to trying the install on an unsupported machine, *not* having the beta installed. I had no issue installing over the beta on my supported machine, while for the Mac Pro even disks with no OS install were greyed out. This was after editing the installable machines plist on the installer (I must have missed some other file somewhere that does another verification?).

I used the old method with parrotgeek's script and had no issues quickly installing over DP8!
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@RumorzGuy - There you go. Someone who tested it already. Give it a go. :)

@sourdoughjosh - then how do you explain MP39's result? They booted from the USB created with dosdude1's tool. (I erased my drive before getting to that point to make sure I didn't have a problem) - and, generally speaking, I don't like upgrading golden code over beta's...can have some unpredictable results.
 
sourdoughjosh said:
The greyed-out-disk error is specific to trying the install on an unsupported machine, *not* having the beta installed. I had no issue installing over the beta on my supported machine, while for the Mac Pro even disks with no OS install were greyed out. This was after editing the installable machines plist on the installer (I must have missed some other file somewhere that does another verification?).

I used the old method with parrotgeek's script and had no issues quickly installing over DP8!
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Thanks for the confirmation, Josh.

Apple certainly isn't making this easy for those of us who still have macOS Sierra capable machines, even if Apple has invalidated them. GGGRRRrrr . . .

I have one more full backup to go after the current one finishes -- I do two daily -- and then I guess I will begin the grueling process of installing the GM.
[doublepost=1473343239][/doublepost]
fischersd said:
@RumorzGuy - There you go. Someone who tested it already. Give it a go. :)

@sourdoughjosh - then how do you explain MP39's result? They booted from the USB created with dosdude1's tool. (I erased my drive before getting to that point to make sure I didn't have a problem) - and, generally speaking, I don't like upgrading golden code over beta's...can have some unpredictable results.
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Okay, I am a bit confused here, fischersd. Please note that Josh said that he installed the GM successfully on a supported machine, not on an unsupported one. So why would I even waste my time trying?

Also, I have never used ParrotGeek's script, so I'd be uncomfortable with it. I think I will just finish my backups, and then bite the bullet with dosdude1's method. I already downloaded v4.0 of the patcher tool.
 
RumorzGuy said:
Thanks for the confirmation, Josh.

Apple certainly isn't making this easy for those of us who still have macOS Sierra capable machines, even if Apple has invalidated them. GGGRRRrrr . . .

I have one more full backup to go after the current one finishes -- I do two daily -- and then I guess I will begin the grueling process of installing the GM.
Click to expand...

Glad to play Guinea pig this week. ;) Yeah, I just tethered the drive externally to the Macbook for the install, ran parrotgeek's script, copied over the InstallableMachines.plist, and voila.

And yes, it's especially frustrating as I find in some ways Sierra runs more smoothly on my Mac Pro (2008) than the Macbook Pro (2013)! In particular with the modified Broadcom card in it.
 
RumorzGuy said:
Okay, I am a bit confused here, fischersd. Please note that Josh said that he installed the GM successfully on a supported machine, not on an unsupported one. So why would I even waste my time trying?

Also, I have never used ParrotGeek's script, so I'd be uncomfortable with it. I think I will just finish my backups, and then bite the bullet with dosdude1's method. I already downloaded v4.0 of the patcher tool.
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It could very well stop out of the gate, but I thought it would be interesting to test to see how far you would get running the installer from your hard drive with the beta OS booted. It's either going to stop you or allow the first portion (pre reboot) to complete. If it did, it would save you the hassle of installing elsewhere and copying it over (you would still need to boot up with the USB installer to patch it with dosdude1's post install patcher).

(I used the v3.9 installer that dosdude1 linked further up in the thread last night). That you guys are getting 4.0 means that he patched it this morning - so it should do a proper version check on the installer now.
 
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fischersd said:
@RumorzGuy - There you go. Someone who tested it already. Give it a go. :)

@sourdoughjosh - then how do you explain MP39's result? They booted from the USB created with dosdude1's tool. (I erased my drive before getting to that point to make sure I didn't have a problem) - and, generally speaking, I don't like upgrading golden code over beta's...can have some unpredictable results.
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I had similar issues when trying to use the tool (and trying to do something similar manually by editing the installer image located inside the full installer app package). I *believe* (and someone like dosdude1 may have a better answer) that there is a 2nd machine check somewhere during install other than just the installablemachines.plist file for the final GM, and that this is what is causing the error (clearly Sierra itself only needs this plist file updated to run, as evidenced by me typing this message on that Mac Pro 3,1 ;P ).

With regard to the GM, my understanding was that the GM installers generally do a "clean install" anyway (revealing my age by using the lingo from the Before Time), so I wasn't worried about the problematic beta code. At a minimum, if you do an erase-install and then restore from a TM backup, you'd be copying over some potentially corrupted settings anyway.

I thought parrotgeek's tool just installed the legacy USB driver and updated the boot.plist appropriately to allow the unsigned extension to run (that's all I read in the script?), so I'm not sure what the worry would be. I assumed this was the same as what dosdude's script ends up doing for us during post-install.

EDIT: To clarify (because I think there's 2 different items here): If the question is, do you need to run the post-install again after installing the GM, the answer is seems to be yes (rather than the update installs that seem to work fine out the gate, post install I needed to re-install the installablemachines.plist to get the drive to boot). However, if the question is, do you need to erase the drive first, the answer is no -- you can run the installer over the beta installation and skip the lengthy restoration process.
 
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TylerL said:
PM Sent.
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foxlet said:
That's been a known (and solved) issue since PB3.
[doublepost=1473319789][/doublepost]The GM packages seem friendly enough for the alternate update catalog server, under internal testing. Interesting tidbit.
Y8tWuUz.png
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just to clarify, this works over the latest furcode catalog install? I'm willing to test it.
 
sourdoughjosh said:
I had similar issues when trying to use the tool (and trying to do something similar manually by editing the installer image located inside the full installer app package). I *believe* (and someone like dosdude1 may have a better answer) that there is a 2nd machine check somewhere during install other than just the installablemachines.plist file for the final GM, and that this is what is causing the error (clearly Sierra itself only needs this plist file updated to run, as evidenced by me typing this message on that Mac Pro 3,1 ;P ).

With regard to the GM, my understanding was that the GM installers generally do a "clean install" anyway (revealing my age by using the lingo from the Before Time), so I wasn't worried about the problematic beta code. At a minimum, if you do an erase-install and then restore from a TM backup, you'd be copying over some potentially corrupted settings anyway.

I thought parrotgeek's tool just installed the legacy USB driver and updated the boot.plist appropriately to allow the unsigned extension to run (that's all I read in the script?), so I'm not sure what the worry would be. I assumed this was the same as what dosdude's script ends up doing for us during post-install.
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Heh. "clean install" is dated lingo? :) What do the kids call it?
If the GM will install over the beta code, then you would think it would transition your settings (like an upgrade) - otherwise, what's the point to allowing you to install over the existing OS? I guess from a convenience standpoint? (not having to go to the trouble of creating the USB installer in the first place)

Anywho - back to the problem that MP39 experienced. If you're saying that the installer is detecting our hardware when booted from the USB installer created by the 4.0 tool, then there's a problem with the 4.0 tool. (because 3.9 installed fine - typing to you on my MBP 2008 4,1) :)
 
I'm currently working on an update for the tool which should hopefully fix these issues. Also, if someone could upload a copy of the GM installer, that'd be great, as I don't have a paid developer license and can't download it myself for testing.
 
Alright, I just updated the tool, this -should- fix the installation issue. Proper verification has been added for the GM installer app, and you MUST allow the app to be verified for the proper patches to be applied. Version 4.0.1, download here: http://dosdude1.com/sierra/macOS Sierra Patcher.zip Haven't had time to test at this point, but will in a few hours. In the meantime, please let me know if this works.
 
CL_Decker said:
Alright so m-card 3
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And so you're aware, DP8/BP7 and the Sierra GM all have an issue with their driver isn't properly recognizing the features of the mCard 2. The system's reporting that the card doesn't support BLE.
I've opened up a support call with QuickerTek on this. Need a kext that will have the values stick for these BroadCom chipsets.
 
Okay, here goes my latest "Apple Doesn't Like Me Anymore" adventure . . . although I assume this will be a moot point, being as dosdude1 is currently working on some fixes. :)

Before conducting my second daily backup, I decided to go ahead and take fischersd's suggestion and give the GM installer a whirl.

Let me remind you again that this is the full 4.78 GB GM installer that I obtained elsewhere, and not a partial 2.x GB installer, like some of the previous Public Beta updates.

My attempt was to directly install the GM on my early 2009 iMac, which is currently running Public Beta 7, thanks to dosdude1's tools.

So off to the races we go! WEEEE! :0

After double-clicking the GM installer, the app verification process begins.

It's going as slow as molasses because the thing is so big.

Finally at about 60% verification, it seems to stall for a while . . .

Then I get a nice surprise:

"Install macOS Sierra" can't be opened because the identity of the developer cannot be confirmed"

. . . and yadda, yadda, yadda.

So next I try the right-click trick and choose "Open". That didn't seem to work either.

So I went into Security & Privacy > Privacy > Accessibility and added the installer to the list and tried again.

I double-clicked the installer again.

It was taking its good old time like before, and I assumed that it was going to fail like before.

But, alas . . . I eventually got the gray install window showing my internal drive, as well as all of my external partitions.

But, guess what?

Just as MP39 reported, they were all grayed out, and hovering over each one said that the GM could not be installed on any of them.

So . . .

dosdude1, I guess we are now counting on you to fix this for us.

I'd give you a cigar, except I don't smoke. :)
[doublepost=1473347407][/doublepost]
dosdude1 said:
Alright, I just updated the tool, this -should- fix the installation issue. Proper verification has been added for the GM installer app, and you MUST allow the app to be verified for the proper patches to be applied. Version 4.0.1, download here: http://dosdude1.com/sierra/macOS Sierra Patcher.zip Haven't had time to test at this point, but will in a few hours. In the meantime, please let me know if this works.
Click to expand...

Thanks for investing your time in this. I will be giving 4.0.1 a try just as soon as I finish my second daily backup.

Stay tuned . . . unless someone else reports in first. :)
 
RumorzGuy said:
Okay, here goes my latest "Apple Doesn't Like Me Anymore" adventure . . . although I assume this will be a moot point, being as dosdude1 is currently working on some fixes. :)
...
dosdude1, I guess we are now counting on you to fix this for us.

I'd give you a cigar, except I don't smoke. :)
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Two posts up from yours :) He's already updated the tool to 4.0.1 :)
 
fischersd said:
Edit: Hmm...maybe my browser wasn't refreshed...the system says you beat me by a minute. :)

If 4.0.1 is broken, you could try the 3.9 version I used that didn't seem to have any issues. :)
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I'll be trying soon. My second daily backup is almost finished, and I am going to print out dosdude1's step-by-step instructions for the patcher tool . . . and then the fun begins at 2:00 AM here. :)
 
Forgive me if that has been covered (trying to read back through the thread), but is it possible to just do an upgrade (rather than a clean install) using any of these approaches?
 
pkouame said:
just to clarify, this works over the latest furcode catalog install? I'm willing to test it.
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It's still an alpha (since a package entry had to be created), but you can PM if you wish to get the internal URL to try it.
 
Downloading it now, and will update the tool as necessary. It should, however, work fine with the GM in it's current state (currently version 4.0.2). Testers would be greatly appreciated.
 
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