macOS 10.14 Mojave on Unsupported Macs Thread

[costas55]

I would thanks all for the great job.!!!!!! MacBook late 2008 - 5,1 - DP11 - APFS - HDD.!!!!!!

 

[0403979]

Oh, thanks... at least the only reason to move to mojave is for Security related fixes, so i need to move to APFS to get further updates. Thanks.

Possible to convert HFS+ with filevault of Need to reinstall?

The patcher does not work with APFS encrypted, this is an issue I’ve had and will investigate.

 

[mashersaurus]

Apologies if this has already been asked. I did try searching for the answer, but it's difficult in such a long thread. I have DP7 on a separate partition, and want to install the GM. I have nothing I need on the beta, so can either erase and reinstall or update. I notice that the OP hasn't been updated with a new version of the downloader, so how do I install the GM seed?
[doublepost=1537030578][/doublepost]Ahh, I was confused - it's Xcode that's gone GM, not Mojave.

 

[joelw135]

I searched but might have missed this regarding unsupported WiFi cards. Since I have a Late 2009 MacMini 3,1 the WiFi card is not detected. Would a USB WiFi card work? If yes can someone supply me to a working model?

 

[Starplayr]

No one else has this issue or knows what to do about it?

I can’t confirm because I am having a terrible time booting APFS on my hardware and software SSD RAIDs. Installed APFS firmware updates. Got APFS to boot on a hardware SSD RAID and it only tried to boot it once without patching but with slash circle error cuz no patches where installed. Installed patches except for APFS patch cuz I did think nkt think it was needed cuz the firmware APFS patch was done. Did not boot APFS volume, defaulted to 1st available volume. Installed APFS patch, same result.

On my software SSD RAID, have can’t install issues and bless issues. Won’t boot up from a clone.

In the past I could get APFS to boot from Clover. Not advised. I could even install from Apple’s own installer, not advised.

I am pretty much gonna give up on APFS. I hope the system pref installer gets a workaround for non APFS installs.

I actually prefer the old GPT HFS+ partitioning better. Guess i’m Old school.

 

[pkouame]

Regard your patching the Appkit for "light mode glitched vibrancy" swapping with the "dark vibrancy" aka "translucent Finder windows sidebars", the side effects you described "dark window bars and obscured function bars" are mainly related to the characters font color (typically black on white for the light mode) ?

Apart News and Itunes, I guess all the other macOS core apps were fine with "light mode - dark vibrancy" swap, am I right?

Another curiosity using patched Appkit, the "Spotlight search" in "light mode" is vibrant dark or white opaque ?

edit:
Anyway I guess if you share your source code with @ASentientBot (and maybe others too) could help to treat the "HIMenuBarOpaque" as an environment non-invasive variable, I think there is an equivalent plist setting somewhere, but I am not deep inside the code as you, so for now I grope in the dark.

1. Nothing that can't be fixed by creating a special "hybrid" appearance .car file. Unfortunately I'm not a .car expert. If you are, one that is based on darkaqua but replaces window menubars and fonts and colors with the vlight equivalents could be a powerful combination.
2. I haven't taken a full inventory of all macos core apps, just some key ones in the dock. I've provided screenshots of some that look good. I'm sure there are others that aren't "hybrid" compatible. But this is related to 1.
3. No code to share (or hide), HIMenuBarOpaque is a dictionary key that looks like it's a "non-invasive" way of turning menu transparency off per bundle or app. I found it while peeling through HIToolbox code. It reads like a way to override the default (which is menu bar transparency ON - which I force OFF in my HIToolbox patch) . One of you may want to test it by altering the right plist. PM me if you need more details. I can't share apple reverse-engineered code here (for obvious reasons), especially since it's a private framework.

 

[cinergi]

The patcher does not work with APFS encrypted, this is an issue I’ve had and will investigate.

Is this a known issue or an isolated case? I have a MacBook 5,1 with encrypted HFS running High Sierra and was just about to apply the APFS ROM patch, convert to encrypted APFS, and then upgrade to Mojave in that order. Will this work? Will my machine still boot in Mojave with encrypted APFS (after the upgrade)?

-cinergi

 

[jhowarth]

Is this a known issue or an isolated case? I have a MacBook 5,1 with encrypted HFS running High Sierra and was just about to apply the APFS ROM patch, convert to encrypted APFS, and then upgrade to Mojave in that order. Will this work? Will my machine still boot in Mojave with encrypted APFS (after the upgrade)?

-cinergi

I believe he was referring to the APFS patch applied by the Mojave patcher and not to APFS ROM patched machines.

 

[Starplayr]

Recently I posted asking advice about getting a Nvidia GTX680 for my ageing gracefully MP 3.1. Thank you to those that replied and gave me the confidence to go ahead. I bought the card and it arrived yesterday so I was wondering if I could ask for a little bit more advice.
The card is a flashed card and I have never installed a flashed card before, so is it a simple matter of taking out the existing card and putting in the GTX and the MP will boot up. Or do I have to install the latest Nvidia drivers before installing the GTX. This MP is running El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra and Mojave and am not entirely sure if these OS's have support for the GTX680 built in. Any advice, tips and tricks gratefully received.
Thanks in advance.

Now for the Grand Prix, CZO as a Ferrari fan what do you think of Kimis news.

Is this a Kepler card? Then you should have able to bypass the video patches for the 3,1.

If the card is Maxwell or Pascal you’ll need to wait for Nvidia’s Web drivers.

At present there are no official NVIDiA Web drivers for Mojave. So you can only use Apple’s built in Mac drivers to get Metal.

 

[cinergi]

I believe he was referring to the APFS patch applied by the Mojave patcher and not to APFS ROM patched machines.

Thanks, so if my machine is APFS ROM patched it shouldn't need the APFS patch from the Mojave patcher, right? I.e. I should de-select it in the post-install tool?

 

[Starplayr]

Just make sure you have connected both 6-pin PCI-e power connectors to the GTX 680 and the mini-6 pin power connectors on the motherboard. If you don't have a pair of cables, they are available for $5 each on Amazon from JacobsParts.

If it’s a flashed card the seller should have supplied the correct cables. Usually need to hunt down cables for PC non-flashed cards.
[doublepost=1537035680][/doublepost]Do we have a list of which NVIDiA cards work out of the box without web drivers using Apple’s macOS drivers?


Got far I have seen the GTX 680 and my original Titan.

Would be great to compile a list.

 

[thewebgal]

What the heck have they done with FInder??
Its bloody mess looking in a folder of Pictures -
none of the options is very good for searching within a time frame while looking at the images!

 

[jackluke]

1. Nothing that can't be fixed by creating a special "hybrid" appearance .car file. Unfortunately I'm not a .car expert. If you are, one that is based on darkaqua but replaces window menubars and fonts and colors with the vlight equivalents could be a powerful combination.
2. I haven't taken a full inventory of all macos core apps, just some key ones in the dock. I've provided screenshots of some that look good. I'm sure there are others that aren't "hybrid" compatible. But this is related to 1.
3. No code to share (or hide), HIMenuBarOpaque is a dictionary key that looks like it's a "non-invasive" way of turning menu transparency off per bundle or app. I found it while peeling through HIToolbox code. It reads like a way to override the default (which is menu bar transparency ON - which I force OFF in my HIToolbox patch) . One of you may want to test it by altering the right plist. PM me if you need more details. I can't share apple reverse-engineered code here (for obvious reasons), especially since it's a private framework.

Totally agree, 1) infact the font-color (black or white) is embedded in the .CAR files, I've played with them once for other reasons (custom theme), maybe will do some other attempts; 2) with "core apps" I meant only those in the dock (and Utilities) that's ok; 3) I've called improperly "invasive" for one reason you can't revert to the default translucent "dark mode" on-the-fly, unless a dictionary key is discovered, but probably need to relaunch the Finder.app .

Before experiment your patch, I'd prefer to wait the GM and consequently your "hybrid GM patch" release. And I'm much interested in your Appkit patch.

Thanks for clarification.

 

[0403979]

Is this a known issue or an isolated case? I have a MacBook 5,1 with encrypted HFS running High Sierra and was just about to apply the APFS ROM patch, convert to encrypted APFS, and then upgrade to Mojave in that order. Will this work? Will my machine still boot in Mojave with encrypted APFS (after the upgrade)?

-cinergi

It’s not a known issue but if I were you I wouldn’t want to find out on my daily driver system. The issue simply is that the patched drive can’t mount APFS encrypted partitions so it can’t install macOS on them or patch them.

 

[highvoltage12v]

I just saw the post about the 2009 Mac mini wifi issue above. It made me remember I had one. I went on ifixit to look at the wifi card and the connector looked familiar, like MBP familiar. I'm not sure if this has been done before. But I took a spare wifi card from an a1342 MacBook and crammed it into the mini. Guess what it works! I'll post pics in a few I need to edit them

 

[pkouame]

Totally agree, 1) infact the font-color (black or white) is embedded in the .CAR files, I've played with them once for other reasons, maybe will do some other attempts; 2) with "core apps" I meant only those in the dock (and Utilities) that's ok; 3) I've called improperly "invasive" for one reason you can't revert to the default translucent "dark mode" on-the-fly, unless a dictionary key is discovered, but probably need to relaunch the Finder.app .

Before experiment your patch, I'd prefer to wait the GM and consequently your "hybrid GM patch" release.

Thanks for clarification.

No problem. Yes, my menu bar fix is the invasive sledge-hammer approach But personally, I find the grey menu bar to be the biggest eye-sore of all the light mode glitches. And I can deal with a solid black in dark mode as long as transparency is still generally available everywhere else. That's why I shy away from accessibility reduce transparency. I run DB11 in Light mode with a solid menu bar and it is very tolerable. A quick and dirty approach but frankly, I switched the menu bar vibrancy OFF a while ago and have never turned back.

By the way, I just checked spotlight in hybrid and it is a grey dark mode background.

question: I'm a little confused. What is the goal of your reduce transparency script?

 

[arqueox]

You know, I've done many many experiments on that, I was doing a script patch on it, but I'd have preferred to wait first for the pkouame "hybrid light mode".

To those who have an OpenGL (non-Metal) GPU, and prefer to use Mojave in "light mode":

I introduce my "hybrid reduce transparency" for Mojave "light mode" (Download link attached at bottom):

For those instead want to try to reduce transparency "saving Dock transparency" from their Terminal, here is my funny experiment:

defaults write com.apple.universalaccess reduceTransparency -bool true
killall Finder

after done, close and re-open safari (and any previous opened app) and you'll notice also the clearer Safari's Favorites front page.

Until you don't relaunch the Dock you'll have a partial transparency, but unluckily the Dock.app is strictly dependent from the Finder.app so it will work but temporary, let's say, until a reboot or logout it will work. It works also after the sleep lock screen, just avoid switching between multi-users, otherwise need to repeat using the "METHOD 2" explained further on this post.

Not only Dock's transparencies are saved but also Notification Center and some others.
The key is deny the system to relaunch the Dock and Notification Center for you.

To return with normal "transparency" use Accessibility prefpane or type from Terminal:

defaults write com.apple.universalaccess reduceTransparency -bool false
killall Finder; killall Dock; killall NotificationCenter; killall Spotlight

edit:
I will release a full shell script with more patches further on.

edit2:
Just double click on this attached shell mojavehld.command and it will launch through Terminal, anyone can try the reduce transparency patch, it's totally harmless and reversible.

Note: I like the "homebrew" shell, that's why I forced the black/green colors even on a white Terminal.

edit3:
Please re-download the mojave.command since I made some little update. I've added the "killall Dock, NotificationCenter and Spotlight", forgotten in restore Mojave defaults and transparency patch.


[METHOD 1]
After launch the mojavehld.command just follow these steps:
type 1
type 4
close Terminal (CMD+Q) and any other app previously opened.

(The choice number 3 is not mandatory)

[METHOD 2]
If for some reason after that you will still get Dock and Notification Center with "reduced transparencies" then relaunch the mojavehld.command:
type 2
type 1
type 4
close Terminal (CMD+Q) and any other app previously opened.

It will 100% work until restart or logout. Even after sleep lock screen it will still work.

Here are the proofs screenshots:

Just implemented this workaround and it works great... I miss the blurred windows but this is acceptable! Thnx.

 

[pkouame]

If it’s a flashed card the seller should have supplied the correct cables. Usually need to hunt down cables for PC non-flashed cards.
[doublepost=1537035680][/doublepost]Do we have a list of which NVIDiA cards work out of the box without web drivers using Apple’s macOS drivers?


Got far I have seen the GTX 680 and my original Titan.

Would be great to compile a list.

Can't wait for NVidia's new drivers also. Not even a beta yet.

 

[jackluke]

No problem. Yes, my menu bar fix is the invasive sledge-hammer approach But personally, I find the grey menu bar to be the biggest eye-sore of all the light mode glitches. And I can deal with a solid black in dark mode as long as transparency is still generally available everywhere else. That's why I shy away from accessibility reduce transparency. I run DB11 in Light mode with a solid menu bar and it is very tolerable. A quick and dirty approach but frankly, I switched the menu bar vibrancy OFF a while ago and have never turned back.

By the way, I just checked spotlight in hybrid and it is a grey dark mode background.

question: I'm a little confused. What is the goal of your reduce transparency script?

No goal, just a temporary alternative to customise the Accessibility's prefpane "reduce transparency" saving some blurs around.

But, when you de-activated the vibrancy onto the Finder top menu bar, does its dropdown menus still preserve vibrancy ?

I believe the Finder drop-down menu vibrancy is inherited from Appkit and not from HIToolbox, but I could get wrong.

If so then no matter a solid black top menu bar in dark mode, I mean even on Metal GPU that's scarcely noticeable.

 

[jhowarth]

Oh, thanks... at least the only reason to move to mojave is for Security related fixes, so i need to move to APFS to get further updates. Thanks.

Possible to convert HFS+ with filevault of Need to reinstall?

You aren't completely locked out of getting System Updates on HFS+ on Mojave, but you will have to download the full installer for those point releases (14.1, etc) and use that to create a new usb installer via the Mojave Patcher application. Security updates are always available on the Apple website for direct download so those won't be an issue.
[doublepost=1537047434][/doublepost]

Can't wait for NVidia's new drivers also. Not even a beta yet.

Hopefully the 2019 MacPro will return to a normal PCIe graphics card. Otherwise, once the 2012 MacPro gets EOL'd, one wonders how seriously Nvidia would keep up with the web drivers on the macOS except for whatever is required for supporting eGPUs.

 

[nekton1]

Mojave (and HS) APFS Raid 0 (and probably 1, 5) booting is no longer supported because there is a "bug" in the bless command preventing the installer finding the boot.efi in the correct volume. By all accounts (super duper blog, eclecticlight) Apple does NOT intend to fix this because Raid booting has security issues.
It's a real PITA.

I can’t confirm because I am having a terrible time booting APFS on my hardware and software SSD RAIDs. Installed APFS firmware updates. Got APFS to boot on a hardware SSD RAID and it only tried to boot it once without patching but with slash circle error cuz no patches where installed. Installed patches except for APFS patch cuz I did think nkt think it was needed cuz the firmware APFS patch was done. Did not boot APFS volume, defaulted to 1st available volume. Installed APFS patch, same result.

On my software SSD RAID, have can’t install issues and bless issues. Won’t boot up from a clone.

In the past I could get APFS to boot from Clover. Not advised. I could even install from Apple’s own installer, not advised.

I am pretty much gonna give up on APFS. I hope the system pref installer gets a workaround for non APFS installs.

I actually prefer the old GPT HFS+ partitioning better. Guess i’m Old school.

 

[TimothyR734]

No problem. Yes, my menu bar fix is the invasive sledge-hammer approach But personally, I find the grey menu bar to be the biggest eye-sore of all the light mode glitches. And I can deal with a solid black in dark mode as long as transparency is still generally available everywhere else. That's why I shy away from accessibility reduce transparency. I run DB11 in Light mode with a solid menu bar and it is very tolerable. A quick and dirty approach but frankly, I switched the menu bar vibrancy OFF a while ago and have never turned back.

By the way, I just checked spotlight in hybrid and it is a grey dark mode background.

question: I'm a little confused. What is the goal of your reduce transparency script?

With your hybrid patch and jackluke's script the spotlight looks the same color as the dock

 

[dosdude1]

I just saw the post about the 2009 Mac mini wifi issue above. It made me remember I had one. I went on ifixit to look at the wifi card and the connector looked familiar, like MBP familiar. I'm not sure if this has been done before. But I took a spare wifi card from an a1342 MacBook and crammed it into the mini. Guess what it works! I'll post pics in a few I need to edit them

Yeah, that's been known to work. Same thing on the MacBookAir2,1 systems.

 

[joelw135]

I just saw the post about the 2009 Mac mini wifi issue above. It made me remember I had one. I went on ifixit to look at the wifi card and the connector looked familiar, like MBP familiar. I'm not sure if this has been done before. But I took a spare wifi card from an a1342 MacBook and crammed it into the mini. Guess what it works! I'll post pics in a few I need to edit them

OK that is great, where do I get a card? If not is there a USB WiFi dongle that will work? I found a number on EBay, but most don't match the model of yours. I will keep looking. I would prefer a dongle as I hate opening the Mini again.

 

[highvoltage12v]

Yeah, that's been known to work. Same thing on the MacBookAir2,1 systems.

Oh you aready did this to a mini, I feel late to the party. This should be added to the first page.

OK that is great, where do I get a card? If not is there a USB WiFi dongle that will work?

Go on eBay and find an a1342 MacBook wifi card. Make sure you have it oriented right with the connector when installing.