macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs

[Vyzantion]

Mojave has received a new supplemental update. I would like to download it and make a new USB installation pen drive for it, to have the last version. Can I make it on Catalina DP9/PB8 or there is something that shall prevent it?

 

[nekton1]

There's a rumor based on a Danish Apple web site that Catalina final releases on October 4.
I'll be surprised if it does, but ....

Mojave has received a new supplemental update. I would like to download it and make a new USB installation pen drive for it, to have the last version. Can I make it on Catalina DP9/PB8 or there is something that shall prevent it?

 

[Vyzantion]

There's a rumor based on a Danish Apple web site that Catalina final releases on October 4.
I'll be surprised if it does, but ....

What do you mean?

 

[nekton1]

Don't build a Mojave installer using Catalina—there are bugs in Catalina beta 9. Use Mojave to build a Mojave USB installer.

 

[Vyzantion]

Don't build a Mojave installer using Catalina—there are bugs in Catalina beta 9. Use Mojave to build a Mojave USB installer.

It would be really hard to re-install Mojave just for that. Do you mean the bug that require a patch that was in previous build to be still present?

 

[jackluke]

First thank you for the help.

Unfortunately, it did not help me.
The iPadPro9.7 "is now displayed with native SidecarCore.framework and patched SidecarCore.framework.
Same behavior with both variants.
On the iPad is Sidecar App to see and opens with black screen. Catalina reports error.
Same behavior also via Wifi or USB.
I suspect the HD5770 obstructs the function. This does not work and is only for the boot menu.

View attachment 864403

The "Sidecar App" from the iPadOS side is totally hidden (by apple), it appears only when there is an AirPlay Catalina connection established, maybe the non-metal HD5770 could inhibit especially if seen by system profiler as primary GPU.

However try this: plugging an iPadOS "usb type-c" to an "usb 2.0 type A" cable into an embedded Mac port, then open Catalina Finder, select your iPadOS device and click Trust right after from the iPadOS tap Authorize

Otherwise through using an "usb type-C (aka thunderbolt 3)" cable to an usb 3.0 (Mac port possibly using a pci-express internal hub with another usb type-C input available), because on modern iPad Pro there is a subcheck for a usb-type-c to "usb 3.0" data streaming.

And then you should be able to use Sidecar in wired mode on an unsupported but Metal GPU Mac, unless there are some legacy USB patches that produced conflicts in this.

 

[Flacko]

The "Sidecar App" from the iPadOS side is totally hidden, it appears only when there is an AirPlay Catalina connection available, maybe the non-metal HD5770 could inhibit especially if seen by system profiler as primary GPU.

However try this or plugging an usb type c to an usb (type A) cable into an embedded Mac port, then open Catalina Finder, select your iPadOS device and click Trust right after from the iPadOS side tap Authorize

Otherwise through using an "usb type-C (aka thunderbolt 3)" cable to an usb 3.0 (Mac port possibly using a pci-express hub with another usb type-C input available).

And then you should be able to use Sidecar in wired mode on an unsupported but Metal GPU Mac, unless there are some legacy USB patches that produced conflicts in this.

Hi Jackluke, great work although it did not work with my cMP5.1 with RX580. Thought I would give it a try with Catalina Beta 9 and IOS 13.1.1on an iPad Pro (9.7). I do have Air Display mirroring and after your patch the Sidecar preferences panel appears and all seem to connect properly (USB and wireless - both tried). No error messages. However iPad screen just remains blank. Probably pushing the boundaries with USB2/BT 4.0 but if you have any ideas I will give a go.

 

[jackluke]

Hi Jackluke, great work although it did not work with my cMP5.1 with RX580. Thought I would give it a try with Catalina Beta 9 and IOS 13.1.1on an iPad Pro (9.7). I do have Air Display mirroring and after your patch the Sidecar preferences panel appears and all seem to connect properly (USB and wireless - both tried). No error messages. However iPad screen just remains blank. Probably pushing the boundaries with USB2/BT 4.0 but if you have any ideas I will give a go.

The main fact is that my patch is for supported Catalina Mac where many Mac models from 2012 to 2015 and iPad produced from 2014 to 2017 have been escluded by apple for video streaming quality reasons (HEVC GPU with encoder/decoder capable).

However try to check in wired mode if from Catalina Finder you have Trusted the iPad, and be sure to use the same iCloud account on both the devices.

Moreover as I just wrote, you should try to use an internal USB 3.0 pci-express hub, if your iPad has an usb-type-C input port, establishing a "usb-type-c to usb-type-c" direct connection, or at least to an usb 3.0 (blue port).

Or maybe on next iPadOS update and Catalina final release something will be improved.

 

[avz]

It would be really hard to re-install Mojave just for that. Do you mean the bug that require a patch that was in previous build to be still present?

If you don't have a choice then your question does not make any sense, just cross your fingers and take a leap of faith with Catalina.

 

[NiloGlock]

Hi there, how I can fix graphics anomalies? In OP I can't find any information. Thanks in advance.

 

[Flacko]

The main fact is that my patch is for supported Catalina Mac where many Mac models from 2012 to 2015 and iPad produced from 2014 to 2017 have been escluded by apple for video streaming quality reasons (HEVC GPU with encoder/decoder capable).

However try to check in wired mode if from Catalina Finder you have Trusted the iPad, and be sure to use the same iCloud account on both the devices.

Moreover as I just wrote, you should try to use an internal USB 3.0 pci-express hub, if your iPad has an usb-type-C input port, establishing a "usb-type-c to usb-type-c" direct connection, or at least to an usb 3.0 (blue port).

Or maybe on next iPadOS update and Catalina final release something will be improved.

Yes I followed your instructions and all seems to work properly - sidecar in preferences, sidecar icon in menu bar etc. Just think my present system does not have the "bandwidth" to send the info to the ipad. Maybe USB3 card will help but for me Sidecar is not critical. Patch looks sound though for those with better hardware. Many thanks for all your work.

 

[jackluke]

Yes I followed your instructions and all seems to work properly - sidecar in preferences, sidecar icon in menu bar etc. Just think my present system does not have the "bandwidth" to send the info to the ipad. Maybe USB3 card will help but for me Sidecar is not critical. Patch looks sound though for those with better hardware. Many thanks for all your work.

Almost surely it's an embedded Mac USB (2.0) bandwidth limitation issue (same for @MacPeet), because you have a Full Metal GPU and a modern iPad with ipencil support, and the minimum Catalina supported Mac (2012) have at least an "USB 3.0 XHCI host", also the older iPad "lightning cable" carries up to a "USB 3.0 bandwitch".

Newer Mac and ipad with "usb-type-c" are "USB 3.1 Gen1 / Gen 2" compliant as explained also here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201163

That's not all, since you have an "HEVC capable Metal GPU" and "HEVC iPad" (with ipencil support), you can only stream very high quality video (4k or even 8k), so it's mandatory at least an USB 3.0 bandwitch.

However I find agree, Sidecar is more fitted for Macbook laptops.

I add another observation after my many experiments, I suppose that, even if apple haven't officially declared this, to estabilish a working-stable "wireless Sidecar" are required Mac and iPad hardware with a Bluetooth 5.0 and Airport 802.11ac card (also known as WiFi 5).

 

[TimothyR734]

 

[TimothyR734]

For those having issues with grey sidebars 1. Place the CatalinaAutoMount in /Library/LaunchDaemons-reboot. 2. Place HIToolbox in /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Frameworks/HIToolbox.framework/Versions/A
3. Place Skylight in /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SkyLight.framework/Versions/A folder reboot

 

[Vyzantion]

If you don't have a choice then your question does not make any sense, just cross your fingers and take a leap of faith with Catalina.

I do not like gambling. But the question is: Has anyone created an installer drive at least for Catalina on Catalina DP9/PB8?

 

[TimothyR734]

I do not like gambling. But the question is: Has anyone created an installer drive at least for Catalina on Catalina DP9/PB8?

Do you mean a Cat Dev 9 bootable Yes I have took a few tries but I successfully made one

 

[Vyzantion]

Do you mean a Cat Dev 9 bootable Yes I have took a few tries but I successfully made one

Without the patch needed in DP8/PB7?

 

[TimothyR734]

You still might need a patch if you are still on dev 7/8 but I did the install to this machine used my cat dev 7 usb patcher applied the post install patches it worked then downloaded the new version 1.1.5 and made a updated usb patcher then rebooted and applied the new updated legacy video patch

 

[cransy]

@dosdude1, is there an issues with the patcher? I've tried to create an installer on both my Mac Pro (Catalina) and my MacBook Pro 2016 (Mojave) and both produce this:



Mounting BaseSystem.dmg...

/dev/disk4 GUID_partition_scheme
/dev/disk4s1 Apple_HFS /private/tmp/basesystem


Patching BaseSystem.dmg...

"disk4" ejected.
Preparing imaging engine…
Reading Protective Master Boot Record (MBR : 0)…
(CRC32 $19CF5867: Protective Master Boot Record (MBR : 0))
Reading GPT Header (Primary GPT Header : 1)…
(CRC32 $1A6E5D70: GPT Header (Primary GPT Header : 1))
Reading GPT Partition Data (Primary GPT Table : 2)…
(CRC32 $F9779FDF: GPT Partition Data (Primary GPT Table : 2))
Reading (Apple_Free : 3)…
(CRC32 $00000000: (Apple_Free : 3))
Reading disk image (Apple_HFS : 4)…
(CRC32 $9F59202F: disk image (Apple_HFS : 4))
Reading (Apple_Free : 5)…
(CRC32 $00000000: (Apple_Free : 5))
Reading GPT Partition Data (Backup GPT Table : 6)…
(CRC32 $F9779FDF: GPT Partition Data (Backup GPT Table : 6))
Reading GPT Header (Backup GPT Header : 7)…
(CRC32 $2CC3C4A0: GPT Header (Backup GPT Header : 7))
Adding resources…
Elapsed Time: 14.717s
File size: 692650256 bytes, Checksum: CRC32 $03D201DA
Sectors processed: 4187760, 3552436 compressed
Speed: 117.9Mbytes/sec
Savings: 67.7%
created: /private/tmp/BaseSystem.dmg


Restoring BaseSystem.dmg...

Validating target...done
Validating source...done
Retrieving scan information...done
Validating sizes...done
Restoring ....10....20....30....40....50....60....70...newfs_hfs: cannot create filesystem on /dev/rdisk2s3: Resource busy

/sbin/newfs_hfs failed with error 256

Could not restore - Device not configured

 

[KrtNthny]

I have this problem when trying to create a boot USB for the latest beta I just downloaded using the DosDude latest patcher as of today 29 September 2019

Couldn't get volume group information for device /dev/disk l5s1

I tried to get into recovery mode to enable boot from an external drive but I hold down command + r and I just get a grey screen, recovery mode does not load. internet recovery loads when I hold command + option + r but then I don't get the option to load from external drives, just an option about adding a password to boot, so im not sure how I can create an installed USB again.

 

[TimothyR734]

There is an issue with creating a Cat patcher in Cat Dev Beta 8. Another option which does work is open the macOS Catalina Patcher and try the install to this machine option it does work then I was able to create a Cat patcher usb but it would be handy to have one for the post install patches but I think it does it automatically after the second boot
View attachment 864763

 

[jtara]

I installed Catalina beta9 on my "renewed" 2008 Aluminum Macbook 5,1 today, and I am DELIGHTED!

I've been agonizing between the unreleased 16" Macbook Pro and a 27" 8-core 2019 iMac. The latter is actually a bit faster than the work-supplied 8-core 2017 iMac Pro that I currently use for software development. I do have a 2012 i7 Mini, but I am now spoiled by the iMac Pro, which will be going back and I will be going back to a consulting arrangement, so I'm going to need suitable modern equipment.

In the mean time, though, I would like a "throwaway" for travel, conferences (and the pressing need is a tech conference next week). I don't need to be able to do development - just email, browsing, remote access, etc. in a familiar environment. (Otherwise I would Chromebook).

Anyway, I decided to "renew" my 2008 unibody Aluminum Macbook (Core2 Duo). This oldie-but-goodie was the prototypical unibody Macbook.

- new feet
- new battery
- replace hybrid drive (which replaced the original hard drive) with a 500GB OWC Mercury Elektra.
- clean OS install (nothing on old hybrid drive that I need)

The new drive gets 200M/sec read, 250 write, much better than the ~80 I was getting with the hybrid (and the ~20MB on the original hard drive). While is is way less than the ~3000 read, 2400 write I get on the iMac Pro, it still feels quite snappy on everyday tasks. Certainly no significant lag opening apps.

(already had the maximum 8GB RAM)

So, hey, the upgrade cost about the same as a "refurb", but a refurb would be bare-bones. So, a bit over $100 to renew.

Officially, the latest OS it supports is El Capitan. I actually did a clean install onto the new SSD, but had second thoughts knowing there were going to be more and more apps that wouldn't run on it. I looked into installing Mojave, and then I discovered this thread and the new DosDude Catalina patcher.

The conference ends the same day that Catalina is slated for release, so I decided, what the heck, go for broke and install Catalina beta 9. I intend to do another full reinstall after the official release, and I will have gained some insights from playing with the beta9.

Only glitch was I was not able to install onto an encrypted APFS volume. But I did ultimately install on an APFS volume, just without encryption enabled. Is there some secret to installing on an encrypted volume? I'm guessing the issue is the need for multiple reboots and the impossibility of unlocking the volume in between with the OS only partially installed?

NO video glitches, but I think this is because of the bare-bones graphics adapter on this Macbook, and it seems some later models with fancier graphics are the ones that have the troubles.

I got dire warnings from Homebrew, which I assume will go away when I do another clean install with released Catalina and presumably Homebrew will have official support in short order. A couple of apps wouldn't install, but nothing I can't live without.

Issues I'd like to resolve if possible:

- encrypted APFS volume

- What do I do about recovery partition? I read you cannot get a "bootable recovery partition". Can I get a non-bootable one? (and is that of any use?) Can I use a thumb drive or CDROM/DVD? (ha! this thing is so old it has a DVD drive!) Maybe I don't care for a throwaway travel machine. I sync my Documents and Desktop (wish the Desktop didn't come along with...) to iCloud. And nearly the apps I need can be pretty painlessly installed from a Brewfile with cask and mas. (I didn't do that this time, because I anticipated trouble with some apps, so installed the one by one.)

 

[jackluke]

For a basic APFS Recovery (CMD+R) fix on unsupported Catalina mac you can try using my adjusted recovery fix I made for Mojave, double click it and run this file (it won't break anything, totally safe).

 

[kral84]

do you mean with this little scropt, we can boot on unsupported mac to recovery via cmd+r ???

imac 12,2 with gtx 860 (apfs) not working my friend...

//

ls

Macintosh HD macOS Base System
com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots macOS Base System 1

no recovery partition...

Setting nvram parameter to enforce compatibility check
Password:
Done
Detecting and adjusting APFS Recovery
Volume Recovery on Recovery mounted
Please re-type password when required
mv: PlatformSupport.plist: No such file or directory
Please re-type password when required
Done
After decide to reboot hold CMD+R and APFS Recovery should be there

 

[jackluke]

do you mean with this little scropt, we can boot on unsupported mac to recovery via cmd+r ???

imac 12,2 with gtx 860 (apfs) not working my friend...

//

ls

Macintosh HD macOS Base System
com.apple.TimeMachine.localsnapshots macOS Base System 1

no recovery partition...

Setting nvram parameter to enforce compatibility check
Password:
Done
Detecting and adjusting APFS Recovery
Volume Recovery on Recovery mounted
Please re-type password when required
mv: PlatformSupport.plist: No such file or directory
Please re-type password when required
Done
After decide to reboot hold CMD+R and APFS Recovery should be there

I suppose on imac 12,2 you have an upgraded Metal GPU (non-apple), in that case most probably you won't have the boot-screen at EFI level, but consider any apple Recovery is enough slow to load, about 2-3 minutes even from the fastest SSD, so after power-on hold CMD+R, stay on black screen for some minutes and Recovery environment should appear at a certain point.