macOS 10.14 Mojave on Unsupported Macs Thread

[jackluke]

boot in safe mode
replace 2 files from archive in directories
nothing changes

Because you have to exit from "safe mode" in this way from CMD+S again:
nvram boot-args="-no_compat_check"
reboot
[doublepost=1554649949][/doublepost]

Yes indeed, that's why I was wondering why I needed it on my machine anymore. None of those .4 kexts need the Gestalt function that Shim provides ( I actually downloaded the source for .4 IOKit on Apple's open source website to triple check) But, doesn't seem to hurt (as @ASentientBot noted) just an opportunity to trim down the patcher post-install footprint for my particular machine (mbp 5,3), unless I'm missing something.

So it looks like we may have a viable .4 accelerated profile without the need for .3 retro-patches, kinda better. Using more of the .4 stock binaries and frameworks will do wonders for .4 stability.

As far as News+ is concerned, the crash log points to a thread that starts with TeaUI->NewsUI2 and ends with CoreImage via UIKitCore. So something is going on with Apple's new cross-platform frameworks - for sure (since UIKit is iOS based). I thought using the stock OpenGL would fix the GL context call - but apparently not. I'll take a look at the .4 CoreImage to see if I can glean anything. Replacing it won't work (I tried). Doesn't explain Flurry, but we may want to check if it was changed between .3 and .4 (at least it doesn't crash)

Yes, the new .4 kext don't need the _VSGestalt symbol, so they work OOB without Shim.
Instead even without shim, I only succeeded to boot .5 beta1 with its stock .5 kext and frameworks, except for AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy.kext plugin where I get an unresolved symbol (_Z15agdcGTraceTokenPK13IOFramebuffertbthtytyty), but system boot anyway with only framebuffer, even replacing with .4 AGDP kext, symbol resolved but still no acceleration.

I have observed that .5 beta1 able to boot from dual GPUs with .5 GPUWrangler but only with untouched .5 AGC kext, while from single IGPU only with .4 GPUWrangler.

Anyway as reported by others, to me for long term use only 10.14.3 is reliable.
These are just experiments to hoping to bring OpenGL acceleration on 10.15 .

But also only framebuffer is an acceptable compromise, just for example is possible to run "new iOS apps" like News+ in CoreImage mode, not so bad as I expected.

edit:
The picture attached is from .5 beta1 , Macbook7,1 with only framebuffer and without NDRVShim.
Brightness control, Night Shift, Flurry and News+ are correctly working.

A future 10.15 release working in this way will be more than acceptable.

 

[Zerojojo]

Wish there was a way to lock down the patched frameworks etc once everything gets working again to keep from being overwritten by the updates
[doublepost=1554575173][/doublepost]
The only way I know is doing a clean install you can still use the Mojave Patcher to install MacOS Mojave just don't apply the post install patches

Thanks a lot for the reply. Meanwhile I found some info on how to remove system files and scripts aside from the obvious deletion of the patch updater Utility.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/a4y0r9/is_it_safe_to_restore_from_dosdude1_patched_time/

 

[pkouame]

Because you have to exit from "safe mode" in this way from CMD+S again:
nvram boot-args="-no_compat_check"
reboot
[doublepost=1554649949][/doublepost]

Yes, the new .4 kext don't need the _VSGestalt symbol, so they work OOB without Shim.
Instead even without shim, I only succeeded to boot .5 beta1 with its stock .5 kext and frameworks, except for AppleGraphicsDevicePolicy.kext plugin where I get an unresolved symbol (_Z15agdcGTraceTokenPK13IOFramebuffertbthtytyty), but system boot anyway with only framebuffer, even replacing with .4 AGDP kext, symbol resolved but still no acceleration.

I have observed that .5 beta1 able to boot from dual GPUs with .5 GPUWrangler but only with untouched .5 AGC kext, while from single IGPU only with .4 GPUWrangler.

Anyway as reported by others, to me for long term use only 10.14.3 is reliable.
These are just experiments to hoping to bring OpenGL acceleration on 10.15 .

But also only framebuffer is an acceptable compromise, just for example is possible to run "new iOS apps" like News+ in CoreImage mode, not so bad as I expected.

10.14.3 is definitely the most reliable. I agree with you and others...The "need" to upgrade to .4 has to be considered carefully.

We have clear evidence that Apple is introducing "breaking" changes (for us) at both the app and framework levels - fixing these will be extremely difficult (if not impossible). Apple will roll out more News+ like changes in 10.14.5+ and 10.15 for sure. Rumor has it iTunes may even undergo an overhaul in 10.15. This will surely involve more metal and cross-platform framework support. Bad news for our old platforms.

 

[thegurgz]

10.14.3 is definitely the most reliable. I agree with you and others...The "need" to upgrade to .4 has to be considered carefully.

We have clear evidence that Apple is introducing "breaking" changes (for us) at both the app and framework levels - fixing these will be extremely difficult (if not impossible). Apple will roll out more News+ like changes in 10.14.5+ and 10.15 for sure. Rumor has it iTunes may even undergo an overhaul in 10.15. This will surely involve more metal and cross-platform framework support. Bad news for our old platforms.

Still on 10.14.2, should I go to .4 or find the .3 installer?

 

[gosvamih]

I'd suggest having the script unmount the recovery disk, too. For users who run the script from a terminal, use "pushd" when changing directories, and then "popd" before you unmount the disk.

Also, I think you can have the script update PlatformSupport.plist instead of moving it out of the way and disabling the compatibility check. At least, that works on my MacBook Pro 5.3.

BOARD_ID=`ioreg -c IOPlatformExpertDevice | awk '/board-id/ {print $4}' | awk -F '\"' '{print $2}'`
MODEL=`sysctl hw.model | awk '{print $2}'`
DIR=`pwd`
cp PlatformSupport.plist PlatformSupportBackup.plist
sudo defaults write ${DIR}/PlatformSupport.plist "SupportedBoardIds" -array-add "<string>${BOARD_ID></string>"
sudo defaults write ${DIR}/PlatformSupport.plist "SupportedModelProperties" -array-add "<string>${MODEL}</string>"
sudo plutil -convert xml1 ${DIR}/PlatformSupport.plist

It could be made a bit fancier, by detecting if the board id and model are already listed, and skip adding them in that case.

I have already made for myself a script with similar functionality. Even two scripts. The second rolls back the changes made by the first to get the original state of Recovery again.
And additionally if you run my script with the argument -all or -a from command line, it inserts in the PlatformSupport.plist the identifiers of all officially not supported Macs from the list of the first post of this topic. (Exept XServe3,1 - I could not find what board-id should be)
GitHub

 

[pkouame]

Still on 10.14.2, should I go to .4 or find the .3 installer?

.2 and .3 have proven pretty stable for now.
.4 and beyond are more problematic at the moment (still work in progress I guess)
I would say stick with the stable platforms until you really need to switch.

 

[timidpimpin]

On a positive note... running Mojave 10.14.3 is a lot more current than El Capitan 10.11.6, which is the newest OS that officially supports my Mac.

Here's a question... am I better off on a slightly dated Mojave, or an up to date High Sierra on a late 2009 mini?

 

[pkouame]

On a positive note... running Mojave 10.14.3 is a lot more current than El Capitan 10.11.6, which is the newest OS that officially supports my Mac.

Here's a question... am I better off on a slightly dated Mojave, or an up to date High Sierra on a late 2009 mini?

Yes, it's all good anyway... I can only speak for myself: Mojave on my mbp 5,3 Mid-2009 runs better than HS, especially with the better APFS support. Hands down.

 

[timidpimpin]

Yes, it's all good anyway... I can only speak for myself: Mojave on my mbp 5,3 Mid-2009 runs better than HS, especially with the better APFS support. Hands down.

10.14.3 is super stable on my 3,1 mac mini. Never a single issue. In fact... I created a fresh installer with 10.14.3, but with the newest version of the patcher (1.3.0), so I can get WiFi support from the start, which 1.2.3 didn't provide, and the install is perfectly seemless. The only thing different from a supported system install is the reboot back into the installer for the post install.

I'm generally pleased, but still a bit sad that .4 is super buggy on my machine. Whether I force rebuild the caches or not.

 

[jackluke]

I have already made for myself a script with similar functionality. Even two scripts. The second rolls back the changes made by the first to get the original state of Recovery again.
And additionally if you run my script with the argument -all or -a from command line, it inserts in the PlatformSupport.plist the identifiers of all officially not supported Macs from the list of the first post of this topic. (Exept XServe3,1 - I could not find what board-id should be)
GitHub

Your script appears ok, but I personally consider unuseful having the PlatformSupport.plist, or using an El Capitan PlatformSupport.plist would be easier without any additional script, and I can assure that a patched APFS Recovery works fine also on a Mojave supported Mac, so undo a Recovery patch is also not so necessary.

This is XServe3,1 board id: Mac-F223BEC8

 

[gosvamih]

Your script appears ok, but I personally consider unuseful having the PlatformSupport.plist, or using an El Capitan PlatformSupport.plist would be easier without any additional script, and I can assure that a patched APFS Recovery works fine also on a Mojave supported Mac, so undo a Recovery patch is also not so necessary.

This is XServe3,1 board id: Mac-F223BEC8

At first I used your script. But it was just fun for me to write my own. And I wanted to be able to use it as many times as I like without fear of any surprises. The idea of using a plist from the old versions came to my mind, but it was too simple and I wanted to make it so that in addition to the script there was no need for additional files. The idea of restoring the original state of Recover had the same reason - for fun. But now I have two scripts that I can reuse as many as you want - any of them.
And not without useful action, after all.

 

[TimothyR734]

You could also use an El Capitan PlatformSupport.plist and overwrite the Recovery one, but APFS Recovery disk must be mounted otherwise you can't copy nothing on it.
[doublepost=1554625709][/doublepost]

on 10.14.2 just use the Post-Install Graphics Patch and you'll get acceleration.
[doublepost=1554626379][/doublepost]

For 10.14.4 you need to enter in safe mode to boot, boot holding CMD+S and type:
nvram boot-args="-no_compat_check -x -v"
reboot

then you need to use this archive.

GPUWrangler is only a workaround for .5 beta1.
[doublepost=1554628219][/doublepost]@ASentientBot can't find that address, if you could fix the file I attached then. Thanks.

it is supposed install the latest nvidia web driver I installed macOS High Sierra on a 60gb hdd and tried it out then updates to the lates security updated then it had a update for the Nvidia web driver so the one I installed on macOS Mojave is for High Sierra what I find it once I installed the latest Nvidia web driver on HS and rebooted to check it out then rebooted into Mojave it reverted back to the HS web driver on Mojave as well

 

[jackluke]

it is supposed install the latest nvidia web driver I installed macOS High Sierra on a 60gb hdd and tried it out then updates to the lates security updated then it had a update for the Nvidia web driver so the one I installed on macOS Mojave is for High Sierra what I find it once I installed the latest Nvidia web driver on HS and rebooted to check it out then rebooted into Mojave it reverted back to the HS web driver on Mojave as well

You should use the Post-Install for Graphics Patch but from a 10.14.2 or .3 Installer, if you use Post-Install from a 10.14.4 it will replace also the .3 OpenGL and .3 GPUSupport on 10.14.2 system, I guess it won't work.

Using a webdriver from HS is ok but you need also IOGraphicsFamily and IONDRVSupport kext from HS that aren't contained in a web driver I guess. Moreover to support NvidiaTesla GL you need also a patched GeForceTesla.kext otherwise KP after loginUI.

 

[netsrot39]

This thread is growing so rapidly, wow, almost impossible to keep up with reading I'm still on 10.14.3 on my various old Macs (MacBook Early 2009, Macbook Mid 2010, Mac Mini 2009 and iMac 2009). As I've learned from various posts here on this thread it is not advisable to use 10.14.4 as a daily driver yet so I'm asking the following question for the previous version of Mojave. Do the hybrid mode patchers of pkouame aka SpiraMira still work on 10.14.3? I ask this because on GitHub the latest tested and stated version is 10.14.2. Thanks for any hints!

 

[siciov]

Because you have to exit from "safe mode" in this way from CMD+S again:
nvram boot-args="-no_compat_check"
reboot
[doublepost=1554649949][/doublepost]

i think that downgrade on 10.14.3 is more stable. your advice didn't help.

 

[jackluke]

i think that downgrade on 10.14.3 is more stable. your advice didn't help.

Of course.

 

[gosvamih]

This thread is growing so rapidly, wow, almost impossible to keep up with reading I'm still on 10.14.3 on my various old Macs (MacBook Early 2009, Macbook Mid 2010, Mac Mini 2009 and iMac 2009). As I've learned from various posts here on this thread it is not advisable to use 10.14.4 as a daily driver yet so I'm asking the following question for the previous version of Mojave. Do the hybrid mode patchers of pkouame aka SpiraMira still work on 10.14.3? I ask this because on GitHub the latest tested and stated version is 10.14.2. Thanks for any hints!

Yes. SpiraMira Hybrid mode working well for me on 10.14.3 and now - on 10.14.4 (I like light theme)
Also I use AppleGVA.framework from 10.13.6 (17G5019 - 6030) to remove freezes some video playback with Hardware Video Decoding.
[doublepost=1554668665][/doublepost]Please tell me the test of "instability" for 10.14.4. I read about instability but I can not find anything like that in myself. Some applications work on 10.14.3 and do not work on 10.14.4? Does anyone know which ones? (Except news + there is no this service for my country so far)

 

[saudor]

I downgraded to 10.14.2 and the news+ app (didnt get deleted for some reason) is working pretty well. Super smooth.

 

[bbfc]

On a positive note... running Mojave 10.14.3 is a lot more current than El Capitan 10.11.6, which is the newest OS that officially supports my Mac.

Here's a question... am I better off on a slightly dated Mojave, or an up to date High Sierra on a late 2009 mini?

I've gone back to High Sierra on my MBP 8,1. Mojave ran OK but it looks like 10.14.4 might be last version able to run with graphics acceleration, and with the all the UI anomalies, I just felt like I had to go back.

 

[TimothyR734]

You should use the Post-Install for Graphics Patch but from a 10.14.2 or .3 Installer, if you use Post-Install from a 10.14.4 it will replace also the .3 OpenGL and .3 GPUSupport on 10.14.2 system, I guess it won't work.

Using a webdriver from HS is ok but you need also IOGraphicsFamily and IONDRVSupport kext from HS that aren't contained in a web driver I guess. Moreover to support NvidiaTesla GL you need also a patched GeForceTesla.kext otherwise KP after loginUI.

I just wanted to see what version of the Nvidia web driver would be installed but in theory doesn't the web driver utilize the GPUs since it is from Nvidia instead of the watered down stock version apple uses if we could somehow patch the web driver for acceleration for Mojave it might be better than the apple version

 

[pkouame]

This thread is growing so rapidly, wow, almost impossible to keep up with reading I'm still on 10.14.3 on my various old Macs (MacBook Early 2009, Macbook Mid 2010, Mac Mini 2009 and iMac 2009). As I've learned from various posts here on this thread it is not advisable to use 10.14.4 as a daily driver yet so I'm asking the following question for the previous version of Mojave. Do the hybrid mode patchers of pkouame aka SpiraMira still work on 10.14.3? I ask this because on GitHub the latest tested and stated version is 10.14.2. Thanks for any hints!

Hi - I will be generating a 10.14.3 compatible version of hybrid in the coming week. A 10.14.4 compatible version of hybrid is testing well. Sorry, but I missed the 10.14.2 to 10.14.3 update cycle.

As always, match the Hybrid version to the Mojave version. Any other combination may destabilize your machine.
I don't plan on supporting 10.14.5 betas (at least until the issues are ironed out here)

By the way, is there any interest in the "flat" mode anymore? It's the AppKit code mod that turns transparency OFF in Light Mode (in a sort of "set and forget" mode as opposed to tweaking Accessibility features through scripts etc.) If not I will stop supporting it.

Follow the github page for more news.

Thanks.
[doublepost=1554674883][/doublepost]

I just wanted to see what version of the Nvidia web driver would be installed but in theory doesn't the web driver utilize the GPUs since it is from Nvidia instead of the watered down stock version apple uses if we could somehow patch the web driver for acceleration for Mojave it might be better than the apple version

Apparently Nvidia has dropped support for Mojave entirely. Sad.

Read about it here : https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/...rivers-be-released-for-macos-mojave-10-14-/75

I don't know what this means for 10.15...

 

[TimothyR734]

Hi - I will be generating a 10.14.3 compatible version of hybrid in the coming week. A 10.14.4 compatible version of hybrid is testing well. Sorry, but I missed the 10.14.2 to 10.14.3 update cycle.

As always, match the Hybrid version to the Mojave version. Any other combination may destabilize your machine.
I don't plan on supporting 10.14.5 betas (at least until the issues are ironed out here)

By the way, is there any interest in the "flat" mode anymore? It's the AppKit code mod that turns transparency OFF in Light Mode (in a sort of "set and forget" mode as opposed to tweaking Accessibility features through scripts etc.) If not I will stop supporting it.

Follow the github page for more news.

Thanks.
[doublepost=1554674883][/doublepost]
Apparently Nvidia has dropped support for Mojave entirely. Sad.

Read about it here : https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/...rivers-be-released-for-macos-mojave-10-14-/75

I don't know what this means for 10.15...

Flat mode maybe ok with 10.14.5 if things don't get ironed out

 

[pkouame]

I downgraded to 10.14.2 and the news+ app (didnt get deleted for some reason) is working pretty well. Super smooth.

Wow that's interesting - you have a News+ App in 10.14.2?

EDIT: and it works?

 

[saudor]

Wow that's interesting - you have a News+ App in 10.14.2?

EDIT: and it works?

I upgraded to 10.14.4 and because of the KP, downgraded back to 10.14.2 (didnt have a 10.14.3 installer handy). The new news app remained on the drive. it's fluid/works perfectly on 10.14.2 on both the nvidia/iGPU on my 2010 MBP.

EDIT: I dont have the news+ subscription so maybe in actuality, i dont have access?

 

[pkouame]

Flat mode maybe ok with 10.14.5 if things don't get ironed out

Both Hybrid and Flat mode patches work (without introducing side-effects that I know of) on all Mojave versions. So I don't anticipate development issues on 10.14.5.

10.14.4 introduced new code in CoreUI and changed the base offsets for the material patches, which brought me back to the drawing board as far as generating a scripted patcher. So for the moment I prefer to manually patch the dozen or so kCUIVariant entries that need it - which takes a little more time.

I'm not sure how many folks actually use "Flat" though. It isn't a complicated patch and can be (should be) scripted.
[doublepost=1554675654][/doublepost]

I upgraded to 10.14.4 and because of the KP, downgraded back to 10.14.2 (didnt have a 10.14.3 installer handy). The new news app remained on the drive. it's fluid/works perfectly on 10.14.2 on both the nvidia/iGPU on my 2010 MBP.

EDIT: I dont have the news+ subscription so maybe in actuality, i dont have access?

Oh - I think you mean simply News. That works fine in .2. News+ is a new "applet" inside the News sidebar. Doesn't require a subscription (I don't have one) to see its "home' page.