macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs

[macsba]

Apple released Catalina 10.15.1 beta today.

 

[ASentientBot]

Hi @ASentientBot, I am a hackintosh user with non-metal graphics, in fact an integrated Corei3 Arrandale with statically patched kexts from HighSierra. and while with the dosdude1 patcher I'm able to get everything working with my statically patched kexts, there is a flicker at around 70% progress at apple boot logo.
I'm wondering if this is due to some other patching dosdude1 patcher might have applied which is not relevant to my hackintosh.

So I wanted to understand the exact patches for the non-metal stuff and apply them manually. Can you please list them?
Also I wanted to understand your this statement "Revert your OpenGL patch from my "improved" minimalist patch suggestion. It causes problems.", did you mean to remove the minimalist patching and we should replace entire OpenGL and GPUSupport frameworks?
or you were saying that minimalist patching from the referred thread should be used?

Thanks in advance

Hey! I think the flicker is somewhat normal. It's probably just when the framebuffer/acceleration is enabled and a different process takes over drawing the Apple logo. On my MacBook there is definitely a visible change in hue when that happens. But feel free to upload a video if you think it's an issue.

To be entirely honest, I'm not exactly sure what the required kext replacements are for an Intel GPU; my only machine has an nVidia Tesla. You'll have to achieve framebuffer acceleration (see the contents of @dosdude1's patcher for the required kexts, or perhaps @jackluke can explain?) and then replace OpenGL and GPUSupport (from 10.14.3, per @dosdude1's 10.14.4 acceleration fix) and CoreDisplay and SkyLight (from 10.14.4 and 10.14.6, wrapped by me).

Sorry, I was unclear. Use the full 10.14.3 OpenGL framework, except re-replace its sub-library libCoreFSCache.dylib from Catalina. Use the full 10.14.3 GPUSupport or just the one library, it doesn't matter. Do not use the minimalist OpenGL fix. (Basically, this all happened because I was trying to decrease the necessary number of file replacements, but the minimalist replacements cause some issues with, eg. Chrome. In future we may need to revisit this, but for now, it only causes problems.)

Hope that helps!
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I disagree, I think you WOULD be able to find a solution. I’ve seen your work on the video patches and I’m extremely impressed. So impressed I am willing to send you a machine with the video card in question if you would be willing to give it a shot. PM me if you’re game.

Thank you for the very kind offer, but I don't feel comfortable accepting something of that value -- too much pressure to get it working then, you know? Which is something I truly doubt I can achieve, given that @dosdude1, @parrotgeek1, and other experts have already spent tons of time and effort with no success.

 

[Lowhangers]

It technically should be eliminated, I just keep it using NVRAM as well, just in case.

Here's a bug for you in the TV app:

1. I start playing a downloaded TV show that I bought.

2. It starts playing then the video goes blank but the sound keeps playing.

3. I've tried different settings in the app and downloaded different shows but keep seeing this happen.

4. Streaming the video instead works fine, it's just downloads.

5. Also tested downloaded videos that aren't iTunes and played them in VLC just fine.

My Mac is from late 2009 and uses ATI Radeon HD 4670 with 256MB.

Everything else seems to work great. It's the TV app that is off. Weird considering that other downloaded video work fine in VLC.

Is it my machine or some weird bug in the Apple TV app?

 

[jhowarth]

FYI, on my MacPro 3,1 with EVGA 2GB GTX680 flashed to the official Mac ROMs, both DVI ports and the HDMI port are functional. Don't have a Displayport to DVI adapter to test that port. As for Displayport to HDMI cables, I have had problems with those in the past on System76 linux workstations so I don't know if I would use that as a definitive test for a non-functional Displayport.

 

[joevt]

Can you reuse the patched Catalina USB Installer for supported Mac computers in order to avoid creating two separated USB installers, one for supported and another unsupported Macs?

Yes, just tested it. See #4917

I've used a Catalina installer created by macOS Catalina Patcher 1.1.7 on a Mac Mini 2018 and it seems to be working well but when I boot into the Recovery partition (press Command-R at boot time), I see a spinning globe and an error is displayed after a couple minutes "apple.com/support -1008F". I guess I need to install from an unpatched Catalina installer to verify that the problem is or is not caused by the patcher. I know that the BaseSystem.dmg in the Recovery partition is a modified version created by the Catalina patcher.

MacPro 3.1 here trying a clean install of Catalina on a rotating disk.
This Mac runs Mojave and has the APFS ROM Patch installed.
Followed the instructions on the video, reformatted the disk as APFS.
The first stage of the install completes and then I get the APFS Verbose content
which then stalls with
Searching for macOS boot file...
Boot file not found exiting...
Shell>_

And then it just does nothing, sits there endlessly

Have to power down and try again, same problem.

The weird part is, it's nothing with my implementation or anything. I tried using the APFS boot EFI script, but on a 2011 machine, and it can boot the encrypted volume no problem. It's machine specific for some reason.

I believe the Catalina APFS startup.nsh script still has the problem described at #17,245

 

[jabbawok]

I've download patcher and Catalina image twice to no avail.
Previously worked flawlessy too. Also with a previous beta couldn't make a bootable USB.
Beta 8 made a working USB and installed fine.

I've downloaded the patch and install several times with several USB sticks on my Mac Pro and two supported MacBooks the installer still errors out on Damaged installer.

The only solution I found for my test install was to put the HDD in a caddy and install with the supported Mac, but my normal drive in my Mac Pro is NVME and I've no way of putting that in another Mac, and my supported Macs don't have firewire, so no target disk mode install.

Frustrating, anyone know what is actually causing the error?

 

[Sorenh1]

I've downloaded the patch and install several times with several USB sticks on my Mac Pro and two supported MacBooks the installer still errors out on Damaged installer.

The only solution I found for my test install was to put the HDD in a caddy and install with the supported Mac, but my normal drive in my Mac Pro is NVME and I've no way of putting that in another Mac, and my supported Macs don't have firewire, so no target disk mode install.

Frustrating, anyone know what is actually causing the error?

Same issue here. Multiple internal & external drives acting as the boot drive. I re-downloaded Catalina every time as well.....I received the "MacOS is damaged" every attempt.
I am installing on a Mac pro 5.1 ( to dual boot). I had no issues installing on my MacBook pro 8,1.

 

[r4nd0m]

this is actually my first post here but I have installed Catalina on my Early 2011 MBP (AMD HD 6490M) but for the love of god I cant disable the gpu as per instructions from the dosdude page

I run the command and further as per instructions and then my machine keeps rebooting after ~60% of the process bar ... installed multiple times, always the same problem anyone else facing this issue?

are there any alternatives apart from the hw fix or any guidance?

 

[asjshenry]

see my post page 180 make sure you put the Catalina in the /Library/LaunchDaemons folder then reboot then follow the steps for Skylight and HIToolbox post#4492 but use the 1.4.4 version not the ones I posted only the CatalinaAutoMount you need to download from there

I have moved the files to the correct location including the Catalina file into the LaunchDaemons folder. I have rebooted multiple times but I still can't get BlueSky to work. I have run the sh bluesky multiple times, but it still doesn't work after a reboot. It will boot which is better than it used to be, but it still doesn't appear to be doing anything. Is there something I need to do after moving the files to the locations you stated and rebooting? Thanks for any help and sorry I am not seeming to get it.

 

[jabbawok]

Same issue here. Multiple internal & external drives acting as the boot drive. I re-downloaded Catalina every time as well.....I received the "MacOS is damaged" every attempt.
I am installing on a Mac pro 5.1 ( to dual boot). I had no issues installing on my MacBook pro 8,1.

It worked fine on an earlier beta. I dug out my mini that’s supported and has FW800 and discovered the Catalina installer won’t install to a Mac in target disk mode.

 

[TimothyR734]

I have moved the files to the correct location including the Catalina file into the LaunchDaemons folder. I have rebooted multiple times but I still can't get BlueSky to work. I have run the sh bluesky multiple times, but it still doesn't work after a reboot. It will boot which is better than it used to be, but it still doesn't appear to be doing anything. Is there something I need to do after moving the files to the locations you stated and rebooting? Thanks for any help and sorry I am not seeming to get it.

are you using the current version of BlueSky and when using the terminal you have to use sudo

 

[asjshenry]

are you using the current version of BlueSky and when using the terminal you have to use sudo

Yes, I am using the current version and using a sudo command.
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are you using the current version of BlueSky and when using the terminal you have to use sudo

Now when I try to run the command again I am getting a System Support Check Failed error.

 

[cymorrow]

Try this method:

Obsolete, Use OpenCore instead | What you need to do to make Catalina work with MacPro5,1

Start with this post #107 Details here #178

forums.macrumors.com

Thanks, I will give it a try and will report back in a few days, I have a busy weekend coming up.

 

[TimothyR734]

Yes, I am using the current version and using a sudo command.
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Now when I try to run the command again I am getting a System Support Check Failed error.

are you using 1.4.4 with the latest version of macOS Catalina 10.15.1 Dev Beta 1

 

[asjshenry]

are you using 1.4.4 with the latest version of macOS Catalina 10.15.1 Dev Beta 1

No, I am on the release version 10.15.0

 

[asjshenry]

No, I am on the release version 10.15.0

Is there a safe way to uninstall it without using the patcher and then try to reinstall it?

 

[Fangio]

I've used a Catalina installer created by macOS Catalina Patcher 1.1.7 on a Mac Mini 2018 and it seems to be working well but when I boot into the Recovery partition (press Command-R at boot time), I see a spinning globe and an error is displayed after a couple minutes "apple.com/support -1008F". I guess I need to install from an unpatched Catalina installer to verify that the problem is or is not caused by the patcher.

Yes please do that. On my supported machine the Catalina release install with v1.1.7 patcher was successfull, and Recovery does boot just fine. It's a shared volume though, ~1 GB with the one from Mojave so probably not comparable with your configuration.

I know that the BaseSystem.dmg in the Recovery partition is a modified version created by the Catalina patcher.

Really? When I booted from the USB I've looked into the post install, and all patch checkboxes were unchecked for this machine.

 

[TimothyR734]

Is there a safe way to uninstall it without using the patcher and then try to reinstall it?

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Try replacing this one in the /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SkyLight.framework/Versions/A folder then reboot

 

[nekton1]

Look back in this thread. nVidia GTX6x0 series cards lost DisplayPort output from around Catalina b7. We don't know if deliberate deprecation or simple mistake by Apple.

MacPro 3.1 with Nvidia GeForce GTX650 connected to Cinema Display via DVI works fine, second monitor Sony 4k UHD TV connected via Displayport to HDMI is not recognised.
Anything I can do or check.

Thanks in advance.

 

[joevt]

Yes please do that. On my supported machine the Catalina release install with v1.1.7 patcher was successfull, and Recovery does boot just fine. It's a shared volume though, ~1 GB with the one from Mojave so probably not comparable with your configuration.

Really? When I booted from the USB I've looked into the post install, and all patch checkboxes were unchecked for this machine.

I created an unpatched installer and installed Catalina over the previous installation (not a clean install). This fixed the Recovery partition.

I use Disk Arbitrator.app to mount Recovery partition to examine the contents.

Before, with the patched installer, the the contents of the Recovery partition and it's BaseSystem.dmg file look like this (you can see a patcher file in macOS Base System):

After reinstalling (not a clean install) using the unpatched installer, they look like this (no more patcher file or other changes):

I noticed the UUID in the Recovery partition changed. This matches the UUID of my Catalina partition:

I don't think the reinstall would change the UUID, so maybe the UUID in the patched Recovery partition was wrong? I didn't check the Catalina UUID until after the Recovery partition was fixed. I don't know where that old UUID came from.

Anyway, this is a lesson to check the UUIDs if problems occur (in the root folders of the Preboot and Recovery partitions and in the volume info of the partitions). The "Booter Disk" and "Recovery Disk" should also be correct.

diskutil info -all

 

[nandor690]

Hello everyone. Looks like things are going well. Was wondering if anyone had a problem with handoff/continuity working on Catalina. Iv checked over everything multiple times, checked to make sure its on. bluetooth says handoff supported in About This Mac. I have the updated bluetooth/wifi combo card and had handoff working in Mojave. thanks for any help

 

[crjackson2134]

Hello everyone. Looks like things are going well. Was wondering if anyone had a problem with handoff/continuity working on Catalina. Iv checked over everything multiple times, checked to make sure its on. bluetooth says handoff supported in About This Mac. I have the updated bluetooth/wifi combo card and had handoff working in Mojave. thanks for any help

It’s working perfectly on my mid-2012 MP51. I really like PW authentication with the AppleWatch.

 

[cymorrow]

It’s working perfectly on my mid-2012 MP51. I really like PW authentication with the AppleWatch.

Good to know, I have 2009 flashed to MP5,1 and have not been successful in upgrading to Catalina. How/what method did you use to do the upgrade?

 

[nandor690]

It’s working perfectly on my mid-2012 MP51. I really like PW authentication with the AppleWatch.

Yeah it works great on my 2007 iMac. But my 2009 Mac Pro that's flashed to a 5,1 I can't get handoff/continuity or Apple Watch to work with it. And I'm using the bluetooth/wifi combo cards in both. Air Drop does seem to work fine on the Mac Pro. just not anything else

 

[KernkraftX360]

Hello KernkraftX360, negative success; have tried multiple times installing patch (with forced cache reset) and even reinstalling Catalina (both from USB stick) to then post-install process but obtain same result: boot loop w/white screen and multilingual message indicating problem had occurred. Also updater once login'd keeps popping up asking to update Legacy USB injector. I have only seen a few MBP 2011 8,2 posts i this forum and haven't seen anyone indicating a problem now or beforehand. Hopefully Dosdude may have an answer regarding the Patch updater (v. 1.1.7) and Legacy USB update.

PS. I probably need to be clearer: I regain access to my system UI via USB stick "Post-Install" by reinstalling the Legacy USB injector patch contained in the Dosdude's 1.1.7 patcher. I revert back to the experienced boot loop if I try to install the suggested update patch. For now I will just ignore the Legacy USB injector update when it pops up after login to desktop.

Yeah to regain access back I needed to install "Legacy USB injector" that is within Dosdude's 1.1.7 Patcher and ignore the latest update from Patch Updater. Please can anyone else reconfirm this issue? I'm on Mac Pro 3,1 with GT730 non Mac-EFI card, 16GB RAM and on Catalina release 10.15.0.