macOS 10.14 Mojave on Unsupported Macs Thread

[sboisvert]

Hey all,

I have a 2009 macMini on which I had Mojave installed using Mojave Patcher. I made the mistake of letting a software update run (I think it was the latest security update), which rendered it unbootable (boot loop). This had happened before and I simply solved it by re-installing using Mojave Patcher again at the time.

This time around I figured I'd do a Catalina update, which seemed to run fine right up to the end, where there was a 'install error' (can't remember the wording). The patcher post-process window was still open, but the odd thing is that it wouldn't recognize the OS on the drive as being 'valid' (and the other odd thing was the names of the volumes were different; I remember a '1' being appended, which I didn't expect.)

Figuring it was just a benign failure, I tried to run the install again from my installer USB drive, but for whatever reason it now always gets stuck at the very beginning of the boot from that USB installer volume - the Apple logo appears, then the progress bar, but no progress is ever shown, and the drive's light stop flickering about 1 min in.

I'm unable to go into verbose mode to see if anything specific is happening (after holding down the option key to select the external boot volume, cmd-V doesn't cause it to switch to verbose mode). Booting from the internal boot drive does show some progress, but due to the aforementioned OS update it doesn't boot to the end, so the drive is still readable as far as I can tell, etc. I can still get to the EFI shell when booting from the internal drive, but don't know if there's anything I can really do from there.

At this point I've tried the latest version of both Catalina and Mojave patcher, doing a fresh download of the OS in each case, but haven't been successful in getting the installer to boot again. I'm at a loss to explain why it won't successfully boot from the installer volume.

I've tried resetting the PRAM and SMC, no luck.

Any thoughts/other troubleshooting tips?

UPDATE: Good news!

After being able to go into verbose mode (have to time it right with the keys after selecting boot drive), I was able to see that it seemed to get stuck at 'Detecting PCI devices' (or words to that effect). I figured maybe there was a bad connection somewhere along the line, so I opened the mini up, removed the 'drive cradle' from the base (just the assembly, didn't need to take the drives out), made sure all visible connections were good, dusted the inside a bit to clear some dust, reassembled it and it finally booted.

So it seems re-securing the connections was all that was needed.

 

[Rob1n]

Hi,
So I recently bought 32gb ram on AliExpress for my Mac pro 2008. (8x 4gb 667 MHz from samsung)
I also bought a usb 3.0 pcie card.
I installed these upgrades yesterday and everything worked fine.
The computer ran without problems for a whole day.
then when I went to go eat and came back, I had a black screen.
I tapped the space bar to see if it was asleep, but nothing.
Then I pushed the power button but didn’t hold it down, I only tapped it and then the computer turned off.

It is also possible the computer installed an update, because it was downloading it before I went to go eat.
I did cancel the download before going so I don’t think it that’s it.

My computer now is stuck in a boot loop, I see the Apple logo and the progress bar, but then when the progress bar is half way it restarts. This also happens when I try to boot from a usb with El Capitan on it. My Mojave’s patcher usb doesn’t even show up in the boot menu, I tried to format it and make it again but that didn’t help. I also reset the p ram and smc.

I do have to note that I have a raid card installed, it was already installed when I got the Mac and I didn’t want to go trough the trouble of removing it.

please, help me... I dont know what to do.

(Edit: I also removed the usb 3.0 pcie card and all my usb devices.)

I just removed the raid card, still nothing.

 

[TimothyR734]

Did you try and re-install macOS Mojave with the patcher ?

 

[katbel]

It is also possible the computer installed an update, because it was downloading it before I went to go eat.
I did cancel the download before going so I don’t think it that’s it.

If you started the update and then canceled, very easily it kept updating. Was an update that required a restart?

 

[aUsern@me]

Okay, using Mojave Patcher, I managed to get Mojave (10.14.6) up on running on a 2020 13" MacBook Pro (i5-8257U, 16,3). I thought I had a pretty good chance of getting it to work as the specs seem(ed) nearly identical to a 2019 15,4.

Nearly everything works. Sleep, power management, Bluetooth, the touchbar, accelerated graphics, microphone, TB, iSight, speakers - all good.

But the WiFi does not work. This is pretty much a deal breaker.
The trackpad works, but I have no prefs. This is also a deal breaker.
Touch ID does not work. This I could live without.

Anyone have any constructive ideas on how to take the appropriate Catalina WiFi & trackpad kexts and modify them to work in Mojave?

I bought this Mac with the express purpose of making it run Mojave. I really need a Mojave capable machine, but don't want to be stuck with a scissor keyboard. I spent the first few days of my 14 day return period just getting Mojave running. I've got a little more than a week to try and get WiFi and the trackpad working.

 

[avz]

Anyone have any constructive ideas on how to take the appropriate Catalina WiFi & trackpad kexts and modify them to work in Mojave?

Why do you feel the need to modify them? Just use straight up the Catalina ones, it is not like Mojave and Catalina are years apart. Even with unsupported Macs the idea is to keep it as original Apple as possible to avoid problems with performance.

 

[aUsern@me]

Why do you feel the need to modify them? Just use straight up the Catalina ones, it is not like Mojave and Catalina are years apart.

Already tried this. They show up as unsigned and won't load.

Additionally, I'm not exactly positive which kexts are used to provide WiFi to the 16,3. I'm currently doing a process of elimination of the likely kexts that are loaded.

 

[avz]

Already tried this. They show up as unsigned and won't load.

Did you do chmod/chown and rebuild the relinked kernel, SIP disabled?

 

[aUsern@me]

Did you do chmod/chown and rebuild the relinked kernel, SIP disabled?

Yes.
Though again, I'm not certain which kexts are actually providing WiFi to the 16,3. I'm weeding through 170 loaded kexts trying to find out.
Anyone care to offer a hint?

The following do not provide WiFi and have been already eliminated:
AppleBCMWLANBusInterfacePCIe
AppleBCMWLANCore
BCMWLANFirmware4355_Hashstore
BCMWLANFirmware4364_Hashstore
BCMWLANFirmware4377_Hashstore
IO80211Family
IO80211FamilyV2

 

[avz]

Yes.
Though again, I'm not certain which kexts are actually providing WiFi to the 16,2. I'm weeding through 170 loaded kexts trying to find out.
Anyone care to offer a hint?
View attachment 939643
The following do not provide WiFi and have been already eliminated:
AppleBCMWLANBusInterfacePCIe
AppleBCMWLANCore
BCMWLANFirmware4355_Hashstore
BCMWLANFirmware4364_Hashstore
BCMWLANFirmware4377_Hashstore
IO80211Family
IO80211FamilyV2

I believe that in addition to the IO80211 kexts you need to replace IOAccelerator as well(should be 4 in total).

 

[aUsern@me]

I believe that in addition to the IO80211 kexts you need to replace IOAccelerator as well(should be 4 in total).

I'm currently booted into Catalina with the following kexts removed:
AppleBCMWLANBusInterfacePCIe
AppleBCMWLANCore
BCMWLANFirmware4355_Hashstore
BCMWLANFirmware4364_Hashstore
BCMWLANFirmware4377_Hashstore
IO80211Family
IO80211FamilyV2
IOAcceleratorFamily2

WiFi still works.
Still hunting for the right kexts.

 

[avz]

I'm currently booted into Catalina with the following kexts removed:
AppleBCMWLANBusInterfacePCIe
AppleBCMWLANCore
BCMWLANFirmware4355_Hashstore
BCMWLANFirmware4364_Hashstore
BCMWLANFirmware4377_Hashstore
IO80211Family
IO80211FamilyV2
IOAcceleratorFamily2

WiFi still works.
Still hunting for the right kexts.

I am not sure what you are talking about. In my screenshot you will see the 4 kexts you need from Catalina.

 

[aUsern@me]

I am not sure what you are talking about. In my screenshot you will see the 4 kexts you need from Catalina.

Thanks for your continued efforts, but I don't think that's right.
The above list shows every loaded kext I'm running in Catalina.
IO80211Family
IO80211FamilyV2
IOAccelerator2D
aren't loaded and WiFi still works.
I've also since removed IOAcceleratorFamily2 and WiFi continues to work. So unless they can still function without showing as loaded under System Report (possible?) those four kexts don't seem to have anything to do with WiFi on the 16,3 under Catalina.

Edit:
Just to be certain I took your advice and loaded Catalina's:
IO80211Family
IO80211FamilyV2
IOAccelerator2D
IOAcceleratorFamily2
and loaded them into Mojave. No WiFi. But I did lose Display scaling.
Under System Report the four do show as signed, but none of them are loaded.

 

[avz]

Thanks for your continued efforts, but I don't think that's right.
The above list shows every loaded kext I'm running in Catalina.
IO80211Family
IO80211FamilyV2
IOAccelerator2D
aren't loaded and WiFi still works.
I've also since removed IOAcceleratorFamily2 and WiFi continues to work. So unless they can still function without showing as loaded under System Report (possible?) those four kexts don't seem to have anything to do with WiFi on the 16,3 under Catalina.

Edit:
Just to be certain I took your advice and loaded Catalina's:
IO80211Family
IO80211FamilyV2
IOAccelerator2D
IOAcceleratorFamily2
and loaded them into Mojave. No WiFi. But I did lose Display scaling.
Under System Report the four do show as signed, but none of them are loaded.

I guess you are out of luck. So much for the latest and greatest MBP. I have no doubt that I will be making a youtube video "is Late 2008 MacBook still usable in 2025". They don't make them like this anymore.

 

[aUsern@me]

Well, I'm not quite ready to give up. I've got a few days.
I'm so close to getting Mojave up and running on the 2020 13" MBP. It'd be a shame to let WiFi defeat me.

 

[avz]

Well, I'm not quite ready to give up. I've got a few days.
I'm so close to getting Mojave up and running on the 2020 13" MBP. It'd be a shame to let WiFi defeat me.

I am sure there is a way. Are you sure that you are properly rebuilding prelinked kernel and caches?

 

[Rob1n]

Did you try and re-install macOS Mojave with the patcher ?

I can’t boot any usb, I don’t know why.

If you started the update and then canceled, very easily it kept updating. Was an update that required a restart?

yes, it was a security update.

 

[Rob1n]

My Mojave’s patcher usb doesn’t even show up in the boot menu, I tried to format it and make it again but that didn’t help. I also reset the p ram and smc.

Does anyone know how to get it to boot from my usb again?

 

[TimothyR734]

Does anyone know how to get it to boot from my usb again?

Have you tried to boot into recovery command R

 

[Rob1n]

Have you tried to boot into recovery command R

doesn't work, it goes to this screen. the lines are just from my old gpu that I use for troubleshooting, I don’t have a boot screen with my other card.

 

[aUsern@me]

I am sure there is a way. Are you sure that you are properly rebuilding prelinked kernel and caches?

Yeah, I'm sure. Though, I wish that was the problem.
The Catalina kexts you're suggesting (IO80211Family, IO80211FamilyV2, IOAccelerator2D and IOAcceleratorFamily2) do show up as "signed," "loadable" and the dependencies are "satisfied" under Mojave. But they aren't loaded and they don't result in WiFi being enabled.

I think that means one of three things
1) They're unrelated to WiFi on the 16,3
2) Or they're working in concert with some other unknown kexts
3) They need to be modified to load in Mojave

Right now, I'm leaning towards 2) as removing IO80211Family and IO80211FamilyV2 from Catalina does mess up the WiFi. Removed, Catalina still shows the machine as WiFi capable, but the WiFI can't be turned on through the System Prefs or the Menu Bar. So it would seem there's some other extension that I'm unaware of that working with those two to completely enable WiFi.

 

[katbel]

I can’t boot any usb, I don’t know why.

yes, it was a security update.

I'm afraid to say this could be the cause of what you are experiencing now

My computer now is stuck in a boot loop, I see the Apple logo and the progress bar, but then when the progress bar is half way it restarts. This also happens when I try to boot from a usb with El Capitan on it. My Mojave’s patcher usb doesn’t even show up in the boot menu, I tried to format it and make it again but that didn’t help. I also reset the p ram and smc.

Your computer was trying to finish the security update, that does show a progress bar and then restarts: some security updates do exactly like that and few times, some.
The problem is that if you interrupted the task then your computer is in a limbo now, it's a pain in the neck!
If you have an older systems installer like Sierra maybe it will work. Another point could be that Mojave uses APFS and maybe the formatting is also contributing to the mess. Good luck!
Let us know

 

[Rob1n]

doesn't work, it goes to this screen. the lines are just from my old gpu that I use for troubleshooting, I don’t have a boot screen with my other card.

So, I just gave it one more shot.
I have a usb with multiple partitions, on each of those partitions I have a version of mac os.
I created a new partition on that usb and tried to boot that, and..... YES! It booted right into the installer and I just reapplied all of the patches and mac os booted normally.

I also can confirm that the issue was the software update, because when I logged in I got the setup you get with every update. My mac is now on the newest security update and boots way faster because I removed the raid card.

I don't know why my mac rebooted to do the update, because I don't have auto update enabled. Is there a method to disable this auto rebooting?

So, thanks for the suggestions, I have my mac back.

 

[aUsern@me]

The trackpad works, but I have no prefs. This is also a deal breaker.

Since I'm not getting anywhere with WiFi, I decided to tackle the trackpad.
I thought the obvious Catalina kext was AppleMultitouchDriver.
I installed it under Mojave. It shows up as as loadable, the dependencies are satisfied, it's signed - but it's not loaded.

 

[avz]

Yeah, I'm sure. Though, I wish that was the problem.
The Catalina kexts you're suggesting (IO80211Family, IO80211FamilyV2, IOAccelerator2D and IOAcceleratorFamily2) do show up as "signed," "loadable" and the dependencies are "satisfied" under Mojave. But they aren't loaded and they don't result in WiFi being enabled.

I think that means one of three things
1) They're unrelated to WiFi on the 16,3
2) Or they're working in concert with some other unknown kexts
3) They need to be modified to load in Mojave

Right now, I'm leaning towards 2) as removing IO80211Family and IO80211FamilyV2 from Catalina does mess up the WiFi. Removed, Catalina still shows the machine as WiFi capable, but the WiFI can't be turned on through the System Prefs or the Menu Bar. So it would seem there's some other extension that I'm unaware of that working with those two to completely enable WiFi.

Yes, it is not a secret that with Catalina Apple introduced many more barriers that must be worked around. Disabling SIP is obviously not enough and just the beginning. As I decided to keep my Late 2008 MacBook on Mojave for good, I did not delve in Catalina deep enough.