macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs

[0134168]

Does that imply that now, on machines with the APFS ROM patch applied, that we will have three disks polluting the option boot screen (the APFS volume, the duplicate EFI Boot volume that the APFS ROM patch creates and now a third EFI boot volume holding the APFS patch)? Ugh.

If so, could you please add an option to the Catalina Patcher to allow users to create a customized usb installer that has the APFS ROM patch off by default?

Yes, that should be so nice. Machines APFS patched don’t need them. Thanks

 

[jhowarth]

Yes, that should be so nice. Machines APFS patched don’t need them. Thanks

Especially as you'll end up with a yet another icon congesting the boot selector on APFS ROM patched machines otherwise.

 

[0134168]

Especially as you'll end up with a yet another icon congesting the boot selector on APFS ROM patched machines otherwise.

Well, I think even that it’s a small price for the huge work os dosdude1 and others. Just saying “it would be nice”. But not for the icons per se, just a matter of economy. Don’t like installing things I don’t need. Many years coding. Just maniatic about superflous soft.

 

[dosdude1]

Especially as you'll end up with a yet another icon congesting the boot selector on APFS ROM patched machines otherwise.

Well, maybe at some point later, but the vast majority of users are not going to have patched BootROMs, which is what really matters for a program like this. The way the installer works makes implementing such an option a bit difficult.

 

[jhowarth]

Well, I think even that it’s a small price for the huge work os dosdude1 and others. Just saying “it would be nice”. But not for the icons per se, just a matter of economy. Don’t like installing things I don’t need. Many years coding. Just maniatic about superflous soft.

Well, I think even that it’s a small price for the huge work os dosdude1 and others. Just saying “it would be nice”. But not for the icons per se, just a matter of economy. Don’t like installing things I don’t need. Many years coding. Just maniatic about superflous soft.

It will be definitely tricker to keep the APFS Patch off your drive now. The new Catalina Patcher eliminates the use of shell scripts to apply patches so you can't just edit apfsPatch.sh to be a no-op anymore. Nevermind trying to keep the Patch Updater from downloading newer copies and forcing the issue.

 

[Hunterkillz123]

Well, maybe at some point later, but the vast majority of users are not going to have patched BootROMs, which is what really matters for a program like this. The way the installer works makes implementing such an option a bit difficult.

@dosdude1 will amd graphics be supported on Mac 3,1 by the time official drops? Thanks.

 

[jhowarth]

Well, maybe at some point later, but the vast majority of users are not going to have patched BootROMs, which is what really matters for a program like this. The way the installer works makes implementing such an option a bit difficult.

I was imagining something along the lines of having an option which would create a No_APFS_Patch file on the created usb installer (which when found would inhibit the post installer from defaulting to install the APFS patch). Likewise, when the post installer runs, it should migrate that No_APFS_Patch file to the installation volume which the Patch Updater could then look for in order to determine whether the automatic installation of the APFS Patch should be defaulted off there as well.

 

[dosdude1]

I was imagining something along the lines of having an option which would create a No_APFS_Patch file on the created usb installer (which when found would inhibit the post installer from defaulting to install the APFS patch). Likewise, when the post installer runs, it should migrate that No_APFS_Patch file to the installation volume which the Patch Updater could then look for in order to determine whether the automatic installation of the APFS Patch should be defaulted off there as well.

Yeah, something along those lines was what I was thinking. I'll implement it in a future version, once I get all the main functionality implemented as I intend.

 

[dosdude1]

I was imagining something along the lines of having an option which would create a No_APFS_Patch file on the created usb installer (which when found would inhibit the post installer from defaulting to install the APFS patch). Likewise, when the post installer runs, it should migrate that No_APFS_Patch file to the installation volume which the Patch Updater could then look for in order to determine whether the automatic installation of the APFS Patch should be defaulted off there as well.

I've just thought up a good way to implement this, and will be doing so sometime later tonight or tomorrow. I'll post here once released.

 

[0134168]

Well, maybe at some point later, but the vast majority of users are not going to have patched BootROMs, which is what really matters for a program like this. The way the installer works makes implementing such an option a bit difficult.

Thank you so much, @dosdude1 , for considering it. Meanwhile I will use b08, just for testing if Catalina install right in my Mac Pro 3.1

 

[testedostri]

i get stuck during the installations process, iMac 8,1. downloaded everything from dosdude patcher tool 2 hours ago, but it reaches half bar and stops signalling 3 minutes remaining, tried 3 times . I'm installing on a partition created with boot camp and formatted in hfs ( thought during the installation APFS would be automatically applied) where previously was Mojave 10.14.0.
sorry for the noob question, if it is beyond my capacities, I will wait till the final versions, just wanted to try Catalina.
Thank you everyone, specially dosdude1.

 

[dosdude1]

i get stuck during the installations process, iMac 8,1. downloaded everything from dosdude patcher tool 2 hours ago, but it reaches half bar and stops signalling 3 minutes remaining, tried 3 times . I'm installing on a partition created with boot camp and formatted in hfs ( thought during the installation APFS would be automatically applied) where previously was Mojave 10.14.0.
sorry for the noob question, if it is beyond my capacities, I will wait till the final versions, just wanted to try Catalina.
Thank you everyone, specially dosdude1.

Catalina MUST be installed to an APFS volume. It's only the APFS Booter that will be applied on your system during installation, allowing it to boot from APFS volumes.

 

[testedostri]

Catalina MUST be installed to an APFS volume. It's only the APFS Booter that will be applied on your system during installation, allowing it to boot from APFS volumes.

Thanks for the reply,
when I try to use disk utility from inside the bootable usb to format in APFS the partition it keeps display a warning telling me that is "impossible to complete the operation,time out" (sorry for the bad translation, it's in Italian)
thanks

 

[jackluke]

Thanks for the reply,
when I try to use disk utility from inside the bootable usb to format in APFS the partition it keeps display a warning telling me that is "impossible to complete the operation,time out" (sorry for the bad translation, it's in Italian)
thanks

If you are trying to erase a Mojave HFS+ volume in APFS, then you can also install Catalina directly over an HFS+ formatted, since that's only the stage1 installer (macOS Install Data) that can use an HFS+ as temporary installer target, then the stage2 installer at 99% will convert automatically your HFS+ in APFS, adding the APFS Data partition too.

 

[0134168]

Just one thing, in case it is of interest. When I applied the APFS Rom Patcher in my mac Pro 3.1, and moved my HFS Mojave Hard drive to APFS, I don´t get a buch of EFI partitions when boot pressing Alt. Just one EFI parition. When selected, boots Mojave APFS perfectly.

 

[testedostri]

If you are trying to erase a Mojave HFS+ volume in APFS, then you can also install Catalina directly over an HFS+ formatted, since that's only the stage1 installer (macOS Install Data) that can use an HFS+ as temporary installer target, then the stage2 installer at 99% will convert automatically your HFS+ in APFS, adding the APFS Data partition too.

if I undertand correctly it doing so take me back to the first problem which dosdude responded, i tried to install on hfs+ but the installer stops right at the middle of the bar with 3 minutes left, it never continue, so it never convert the partition in apfs, the problem is that in my main partition i have el capitan due to my imac 8,1 last supported macos release, so i cannot use the utility disk from there beacuse it doesn't have the apfs option.

PS the partition was called mojave but it conteined mojave 10.14.0 installed 1 year ago, it worked fine but i did not use it anymore due to deciding to postpone my come back in the apple ecosystem by a year, so now i have an ipad and iphone, but i need a good mac the few times i needed (very few) so i'm trying to see if my old incredibly good imac can do that or i need a new mac.

 

[jackluke]

if I undertand correctly it doing so take me back to the first problem which dosdude responded, i tried to install on hfs+ but the installer stops right at the middle of the bar with 3 minutes left, it never continue, so it never convert the partition in apfs, the problem is that in my main partition i have el capitan due to my imac 8,1 last supported macos release, so i cannot use the utility disk from there beacuse it doesn't have the apfs option.

Oh right, to format in APFS you need at least Sierra 10.12.6 or better HighSierra installed .

 

[dosdude1]

if I undertand correctly it doing so take me back to the first problem which dosdude responded, i tried to install on hfs+ but the installer stops right at the middle of the bar with 3 minutes left, it never continue, so it never convert the partition in apfs, the problem is that in my main partition i have el capitan due to my imac 8,1 last supported macos release, so i cannot use the utility disk from there beacuse it doesn't have the apfs option.

You may just have to do a clean install on a second partition or drive.

 

[0134168]

Incredible nice work, @dosdude1 . So nice the automatic patches. Mac Pro 3.1 running Catalina. Everything seems to work like a charm.

 

[jhowarth]

Just one thing, in case it is of interest. When I applied the APFS Rom Patcher in my mac Pro 3.1, and moved my HFS Mojave Hard drive to APFS, I don´t get a buch of EFI partitions when boot pressing Alt. Just one EFI parition. When selected, boots Mojave APFS perfectly.

Simply copying a HFS volume onto a APFS volume won't create the normal APFS boot partitions. You should see...

/dev/disk5 (synthesized):
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: APFS Container Scheme - +499.9 GB disk5
Physical Store disk1s2
1: APFS Volume Catalina HD - Data 47.0 GB disk5s1
2: APFS Volume Preboot 69.1 MB disk5s2
3: APFS Volume Recovery 761.9 MB disk5s3
4: APFS Volume VM 1.1 MB disk5s4
5: APFS Volume Catalina HD 10.4 GB disk5s5

The fact that you don't have an icon under the actual volume name for the APFS volume for the APFS ROM patched MacPro 3,1's option boot selector is a huge red flag.

 

[Kevbasscat]

Especially as you'll end up with a yet another icon congesting the boot selector on APFS ROM patched machines otherwise.

Excuse me, @dosedude1 has done a great deal of work, and for most of us a great favor, with his workarounds, and he does it to help the majority of his patch users. If you use his "FREE" patch, and use most of it's capabilities to help make the installation of whatever OS you're on, easier, you should be grateful. Crying because you're so inconvenienced by an additional boot option, is really acting as if this "privilege" given to you for free, is your personal right, it's not. Why don't you sit down and figure out all these solutions, then come back with that same attitude, after someone complains. I doubt you'd still have this attitude. Just a lil' reality check. It's easy to lose our focus and our gratitude, but this man deserves to be thanked.

 

[nandor690]

Maybe we should start a macOS VM board.

I've been messing around with Catalina on my iMac 2011 where my host is High Sierra and my client VM is Catalina Beta 3.

One of it's best features is live resolution where it also snaps however you scale the window or go full screen. The vm is very responsive even when on a Hard Drive instead of an SSD.

I beefed up my 27" iMac 12,1 to 32GB so I could handle any type I through at it. Anka Build does not support Metal yet and my correct host doesn't even have Metal right now (though I am thinking about getting a Thunderbolt eGPU), but Anka is super responsive. Anka has a 30 day trial, if anyone would like another way to use Catalina or test other macOS, I highly recommend it.

May be if they get enough interest they will come out with a consumer and Pro-sumer versions that we could afford. I traditionally did not like macVMs until I tried Anka. Thought I am anxious to get QEMU running on this box and compare Apples to Apples.

View attachment 847805
[doublepost=1562903546][/doublepost]Some how Beta 3 on my 2008 Mac Pro seems to go haywire when rebooting and it gets to the login, it KP's. Last time I used it, it auto installed the patches for my machine. I did install VMWare Fusion 10 and before 8 and I think that has something to do with it. But the restarts don't happen for awhile but when it starts nothing seems to fix it.

I am going to go back to Mojave and stick with that for my main stuff. I have a pretty good handle on Catalina (patch wise) and will just keep that off to the side, but I am gonna go back to developing software in Mojave at least til I find out what 's kp'ing Cat beta 3 on me. Gonna start being will gingerly on what gets installed on it. For a long while Cat seemed super stable but the past couple of days, it's almost like Apple is sending something to the OS that f's it up or its a bug that Is corrupting a kext. I may also start pulling stuff off my system, but I really think it's OS related but I could now be hitting a power issue after hooking up my DVD Drives. Could also be my USB 3.0 PCIe card. I will nail it down, but problems did not start until after some recent changes. So I guess it's gonna be process of elimination.

I am trying it out now with fusion 11.1.0. I had to do a little hack to get it to run on my processor that is apparently to old now to run the latest version of Fusion. But I got it booting up the install now. we will see how it goes lol
[doublepost=1562988700][/doublepost]

I am trying it out now with fusion 11.1.0. I had to do a little hack to get it to run on my processor that is apparently to old now to run the latest version of Fusion. But I got it booting up the install now. we will see how it goes lol

 

[Alex-Microsmeta]

I am still confused about whether the graphic card support will be improved.
If I am reading the intro post it states

Spoiler
Pre-Metal AMD video cards (Radeon HD 6xxx series and older without acceleration, Radeon HD 4xxx series and older with acceleration.)
Pre-Metal Nvidia video cards (GeForce 5xx series and older, i.e. 8600M(GT)/8800M(GT), 9400M/9600M(GT), 320M/330M)
Pre-Metal Intel video cards (Intel HD Graphics 3000 and Intel HD Graphics Arrandale)

What does this mean. Are those card not supported or is there hope.

With NVIDIA GEFORCE 320M it is already fast and stable

 

[LuisN]

I am trying it out now with fusion 11.1.0. I had to do a little hack to get it to run on my processor that is apparently to old now to run the latest version of Fusion. But I got it booting up the install now. we will see how it goes lol
[doublepost=1562988700][/doublepost]

OTOH it runs very well in Proxmox over Intel and AMD processors with GPU passthrough. Even the drift screensaver works with a radeon r9 270.
Very easy to forget it isn't running in a real Mac.

 

[0134168]

Simply copying a HFS volume onto a APFS volume won't create the normal APFS boot partitions. You should see...

/dev/disk5 (synthesized):
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: APFS Container Scheme - +499.9 GB disk5
Physical Store disk1s2
1: APFS Volume Catalina HD - Data 47.0 GB disk5s1
2: APFS Volume Preboot 69.1 MB disk5s2
3: APFS Volume Recovery 761.9 MB disk5s3
4: APFS Volume VM 1.1 MB disk5s4
5: APFS Volume Catalina HD 10.4 GB disk5s5

The fact that you don't have an icon under the actual volume name for the APFS volume for the APFS ROM patched MacPro 3,1's option boot selector is a huge red flag.

Thank you, sir.