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I found a way to download Sierra on unsupported Macs without using a virtual machine.

Go get this
https://github.com/argon/mas
(I personally moved 'mas' to /usr/local/bin/)
Open terminal and type 'mas list'
There should be "1127487414 Install macOS Sierra"
then type 'mas install 1127487414'
and you'll be asked to sign in and please do so
Your download will begin shortly

Very interesting. This caught my curiosity, so I decided to check it out, just to see if it really works.

I went to the Github page and tried to use the Homebrew install method for mas-cli, which according to the page, is the preferred installation method. However, for some reason, Homebrew was not able to find mas-cli in its repository. So, I went to the binaries page instead and downloaded mas-cli 1.3.0, which was released three days ago.

Following your above instructions, I made invisible files visible -- using Desktop Utility -- and then placed the binary in /usr/local/bin/ as you suggested.

Afterwards, without even a need to reboot, I ran "mas list" in the Terminal app, and "1127487414 Install macOS Sierra" was indeed listed there among other Mac App Store purchases.

Next, I entered "mas install 1127487414" in the Terminal.

After that, I got an on-screen message that one of Apple's agreements had changed -- I can't remember the name of the agreement, something about "Apple Media" -- and that I had to agree to it first.

The Terminal then printed out "Dialog has goto button".

The App Store app then launched, and I was presented with the new agreement, which I agreed to, and then it told me to go start shopping.

BTW, I was already signed in, so I was able to bypass that step.

However, at that point, the "Updates" tab didn't show any updates, even though I tried twice.

So I went to the "Purchased" tab and there was a "macOS Sierra" with the date September 9, 2016. On the far right, the status was "Downloaded". I think that was there from my previous attempt to download Sierra before I became savvy to dosdude1' tools. In other words, even though it says "Downloaded", Apple didn't really let me download it at that time.

Anyway, to continue, I deduced that the download hadn't started yet, because I hadn't signed their new Apple Media agreement before trying to install via the Terminal. So, I went back into the Terminal and typed "mas install 1127487414" a second time. This time, macOS Sierra did in fact begin downloading on the "Purchased" tab. It is a 4.77 GB file.

Also note that rather than create a new entry on the "Purchased" tab, the App Store simply used the same entry for macOS Sierra from Sept. 9, 2016, and downloaded the new installer in that slot.

The download progress also showed in the Terminal window as well. It went rather slowly, but the GM finally completed downloading. It is build 16A322.

Please also note that in my case, the App Store found the previous installer for 16A319 in one of my software installers backup folders, and it replaced that installer with the 16A322 installer.

Once the download completed, the installer was automatically launched. However, as we all know, it would not actually allow me to install on this machine, due to the machine check.

In other words, while you can download the macOS Sierra builds on an unsupported machine using mas-cli, you still need to use dosdude1's patch tools in order to actually install it on an unsupported machine, and you need to go the whole USB drive installer mode all over again.

So, I can indeed confirm that using mas-cli on an UNSUPPORTED machine will indeed allow you to download the latest build of macOS Sierra via the Mac App Store, without using dosdude1's patch tool first.

I don't actually intend to install this latest build, because it takes too long for me to migrate all of my personal files from my backup drive. I am still going to wait for 10.12.1.

But again, I can confirm that on my early 2009 iMac which currently has 16A319 installed via dosdude1's two tools, using the mac-cli binary has in fact allowed me to download the latest GM -- 16A322 -- via the Mac App Store.
 
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Actually the latest is 16A323 not 16A322.

It is surprising that you were still able to get 16A322.

Yes, I am aware that 16A323 is the latest build, and that is what I anticipated getting with this particular download method.

However, when I opened the installer's package contents and looked at the Info.plist file in BBEdit, it says this:

<key>BuildMachineOSBuild</key>
<string>16A322</string>

I am not sure why I didn't get 16A323, although it really doesn't matter, being as I am not going to install it anyway.

Is it possible that 16A323 is restricted to developers, while 16A322 is the public version? I seem to recall having read that earlier in this thread, or maybe in another thread.

Another possibility is that maybe the precise download is determined by geographical location and IP address. I am in the Western Pacific, so maybe that makes a difference.

Who knows.

But at least now I have an alternative "more legit" way of getting the installers for my unsupported iMac. :)
 
Yes that's right. That part of Info.plist tells you the build of the computer which created the installer. And in this case that was 16A322. It doesn't give you the build which actually gets installed. For that you go to apple menu, about this mac.

Then a window pops up and it says

macOS Sierra
Version 10.12

(with other stuff below)

And if you click Version 10.12 the build number is revealed and in this case it changes to

Version 10.12 (16A323)
 
Yes, tywebb13, I understand all of that, and have done that before. However, I obviously cannot do that this time, because I did not actually install 16A323. Thus, mine still says 16A319, where it will remain until 10.12.1 is released in the future.
 
OK. Just so long as you know now that what you actually downloaded was an installer for build 16A323, not 16A322.
 
The actual build information is stored in /Packages/BaseSystemResources.pkg

That sets SystemVersion.plist with the product name, visible major version, and build number.
 
The actual build information is stored in /Packages/BaseSystemResources.pkg

That sets SystemVersion.plist with the product name, visible major version, and build number.

Thanks for the additional information. At first I couldn't figure out where "/Packages" was located, but eventually I found the plist file here:

Install macOS Sierra/Contents/Shared/InstallESD.dmg/Packages/BaseSystemResources.pkg/System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist

Or, if you wait until you create your actual USB drive installer using dosdude1's patch tool, you will find the same plist file here:

System/Installation/Packages/BaseSystemResources.pkg/System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist

I opened "BaseSystemResources.pkg" with Pacifist, and then extracted SystemVersion.plist to my desktop. I opened it with BBEdit, and sure enough, the build version number is 16A323. :)
 
Hi to all! Need some help here, i made a new usb installer with the patch tool and the GM release, everything was fine i made the install in to a 32gb usb drive, i run the post install and it takes only seconds to patch and rebuilding caches, then started the new install and i only get the forbidding sign. Any idea how to solve this issue?? I can't find any solution. Mac mini late 2009 3,1.

Thanks!!
 
Hi to all! Need some help here, i made a new usb installer with the patch tool and the GM release, everything was fine i made the install in to a 32gb usb drive, i run the post install and it takes only seconds to patch and rebuilding caches, then started the new install and i only get the forbidding sign. Any idea how to solve this issue?? I can't find any solution. Mac mini late 2009 3,1.

Thanks!!

Try to press option key during restart and choose right disk to start os
 
Hi to all! Need some help here, i made a new usb installer with the patch tool and the GM release, everything was fine i made the install in to a 32gb usb drive, i run the post install and it takes only seconds to patch and rebuilding caches, then started the new install and i only get the forbidding sign. Any idea how to solve this issue?? I can't find any solution. Mac mini late 2009 3,1.

Thanks!!
It's sounding like the post-install wasn't properly applied to your Sierra install (that's why you're getting the forbidden on boot).
Boot off of the USB key again (as brunsik said, holding down the option key on boot, so you can select to boot from it), then select the post install from the utilities menu and re-patch your system.

If it doesn't work, then there's something wrong with your USB key and you need to make a new one. You're using the latest version? (think it's 4.0.4?)

Btw...you DO know that the public release of Sierra is TOMORROW, right? :) You may want to download the public release as it will have the most up to date bug fixes.
 
I installed the first GM build on a supported mac when it first became available. I've been away from home until yesterday and noticed that the apple developer site has a newer build (16A323). I don't wish to install it on non-supported mac but would like to install it on supported mac. However when I go to App Store Purchases it's listed as DOWNLOADED with no ability to re download so I'm just wondering how to re-download? I think I would have the same problem if I wait for the official release tomorrow (or whenever).
 
I installed the first GM build on a supported mac when it first became available. I've been away from home until yesterday and noticed that the apple developer site has a newer build (16A323). I don't wish to install it on non-supported mac but would like to install it on supported mac. However when I go to App Store Purchases it's listed as DOWNLOADED with no ability to re download so I'm just wondering how to re-download? I think I would have the same problem if I wait for the official release tomorrow (or whenever).
Dude, why? :) You get a new build TOMORROW! :) (none of us knows if the public release will be 323 or a newer build). Why bother?

But, if you absolutely, positively, HAVE to have the last GM, then delete the installer out of your Applications folder, then startup MAS again and you'll have the option to download it again on the Purchases tab. (it downloads the current GM build each time).
 
Dude, why? :) You get a new build TOMORROW! :) (none of us knows if the public release will be 323 or a newer build). Why bother?

But, if you absolutely, positively, HAVE to have the last GM, then delete the installer out of your Applications folder, then startup MAS again and you'll have the option to download it again on the Purchases tab. (it downloads the current GM build each time).

thanks, but there is no installer in the applications folder; I am trying to prepare for the release build as I expect that the same problem might occur with it (unless its considered a "new" product)
 
thanks, but there is no installer in the applications folder; I am trying to prepare for the release build as I expect that the same problem might occur with it (unless its considered a "new" product)
Hmm. But MAS thinks it's still there (that's why the status is "Downloaded"). I just did that to my system this morning and it's fine (I have the Download button).
Also make sure there isn't an icon for it on Launchpad (if there is, delete it).
I'd go to Finder, go to All My Files and see if it finds the Install macOS Sierra app (you could also do a search for it).
Delete it and then restart MAS.
 
Hmm. But MAS thinks it's still there (that's why the status is "Downloaded"). I just did that to my system this morning and it's fine (I have the Download button).
Also make sure there isn't an icon for it on Launchpad (if there is, delete it).
I'd go to Finder, go to All My Files and see if it finds the Install macOS Sierra app (you could also do a search for it).
Delete it and then restart MAS.

thanks again - I was able to find it on an external drive (I probably installed it from there) - deleted it and then was ok.
 
Is it possible to access the "post installation" portion of dosdude1's patch tool from apps initial start-up? In opening v4.0.4, the only process I can find is to create a modified sierra installer.

* For anyone also seeking a solution, I just discovered that by showing the v4.0.4 apps contents folder, the "post installation" app is located in the "Resource" folder and can be opened/directly accessed from there.
 
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Is it possible to access the "post installation" portion of dosdude1's patch tool from apps initial start-up? In opening v4.0.4, the only process I can find is to create a modified sierra installer.
The post-install tool is only designed to be used from within the macOS installation environment. What are you attempting to do?
 
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