macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs

[crjackson2134]

Hundred of bugs, in particular with connectivity/Bluetooth/syncing. That’s why on unsupported hardware I wouldn’t even try. My 2 cents

Just to be clear, you are referring to macOS Catalina...

On my Technically unsupported machine (MP51 - GPU/WiFi/NVMe upgrades) it (macOS 10.15.1) works extremely well. I have no connectivity/Bluetooth/syncing problems AT ALL...

My primary NVMe-SSD is still Mojave (because I can enable GPU acceleration for video playback of HEVC easily), and I can once again watch GPU accelerated DRM movies from a specific provider.

Catalina's only obvious glitch that "I" notice in regular use is Mail. It launches minimized on the 1st activation after a reboot. Meaning that I have to click it again if I want the window to present.

There are troubles for some people to be sure, but your alarmist statement seems pretty ridiculous, and extraordinarily unhelpful to this thread.

 

[Vyzantion]

I don't know if this will work but downloaded the latest copy of the Catalina patcher and create a usb with the latest version then install only the install patch updater see if that works or check posts 6312 or 6347 after I installed the update to the legacy video patch I did get crashes but that has been fixed by dosdude but I replaced the ones in the output folder from Asentientbot and it worked for me

I have not installed the video patch, the OS crashes with it, so I stay without graphics acceleration, kinda of fine for me. My issue is not with Notifications, but with Software Update. I hoped that the new version of the dosdude1 app solved this, although I do not see this on the posts here or in the changeling of the app.

 

[crjackson2134]

My issue is not with Notifications, but with Software Update. I hoped that the new version of the dosdude1 app solved this

Without VM flagging or machine spoofing I don’t think this will ever be possible for macOS updates. Each OS update comes with a machine I.d. check built in.

It’s not very hard to download the full installer and do an in-place install which will accomplish the update without issue.

 

[TimothyR734]

I have not installed the video patch, the OS crashes with it, so I stay without graphics acceleration, kinda of fine for me. My issue is not with Notifications, but with Software Update. I hoped that the new version of the dosdude1 app solved this, although I do not see this on the posts here or in the changeling of the app.

He is working on that for the software update for a future Catalina patcher what is your gpu

 

[ASentientBot]

Hi @ASentientBot! Thanks for the explanation! I'm new in patching Apple SOs... My previous Mac was a cMP 5,1, running High Sierra, and this machine didn't need any patch 2 years ago. So, my machine now is a MPB8,3, and I'm running Mojave 10.14.6 only using @dosdude1 patch (pretty well, I can tell)... I feel dumb sometimes... I'm losing any features for not knowing another patches? My MBP8,3 need some another patch? Thanks a lot!

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking, but my general advice in terms of patches:
- Don't bother with Catalina unless you actively need it. It's still usable, but generally much more problematic than Mojave, especially in terms of non-Metal issues. I'll personally stay on Mojave for a couple years until app support/security becomes an issue. 10.14.3 is the golden standard of stability for Macs like ours.
- Collin (@dosdude1) has the most user-friendly and reliable patch tool. Julian (@0403979) has an alternate implementation (he recreated Collin's work but with shell scripts) that requires more knowledge but works better in some cases. Both are open source now! It's really just a matter of personal preference.
- Julian just released a fix for his BlueSky implementation of the transparency patches, so you might try that if you like light mode. I personally don't bother because I like dark theme anyways.

Hope that helps! If you have more questions, please ask. The Discord server (linked on first page) can be a good place to ask the devs some more technical questions and test more experimental stuff too, if you're interested in getting more involved!

 

[Funghoz]

For BlueSky users on 10.15.1, here you go. https://github.com/rmc-team/bluesky/releases/tag/1.3

Please Help me How I can install this patch..

 

[sig357]

MacPro 5,1
RX 580

Catalina Patcher 1.2.0
Download installer from Patcher and from MBP 2018

Tried different USB Drives.

Confirm “This installer is damaged” message when trying to install on MP 5,1.

Tried latest installer and patcher. same result. Log is attached (was unable to save so I pasted the info into terminal and took a photo)

@dosdude1

 

[TimothyR734]

Please Help me How I can install this patch..

there are 2 ways to install the patch
1.open your terminal type in sudo the drop the BlueSky.sh then enter your password choose the hdd/ssd you have macOS Catalina installed on then choose install both patches which is number 5.
OR
1. Put this in your /Library/LaunchDaemons folder-reboot
2. open release-201108-021119 then resources then patch folder
3.open HIToolbox then 10.15 folder then replace the HIToolbox in System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Frameworks/HIToolbox.framework/Versions/A folder
4. open the SkyLight then 10.15 folder replace SkyLightOriginal in /System/Library/Private.Frameworks/SkyLight.framework/Versions/A folder then reboot
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Tried latest installer and patcher. same result. Log is attached (was unable to save so I pasted the info into terminal and took a photo)

@dosdude1

The current macOS Catalina Patcher is 1.2.2 you use that to download macOS Catalina 10.15.1 and to create a bootable usb to install macOS Catalina 10.15.1 and to apply the post install patches your usb has to be formatted extended journaled and be 16gb

 

[Funghoz]

there are 2 ways to install the patch
1.open your terminal type in sudo the drop the BlueSky.sh then enter your password choose the hdd/ssd you have macOS Catalina installed on then choose install both patches which is number 5.
OR
1. Put this in your /Library/LaunchDaemons folder-reboot
2. open release-201108-021119 then resources then patch folder
3.open HIToolbox then 10.15 folder then replace the HIToolbox in System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Frameworks/HIToolbox.framework/Versions/A folder
4. open the SkyLight then 10.15 folder replace SkyLightOriginal in /System/Library/Private.Frameworks/SkyLight.framework/Versions/A folder then reboot
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The current macOS Catalina Patcher is 1.2.2 you use that to download macOS Catalina 10.15.1 and to create a bootable usb to install macOS Catalina 10.15.1 and to apply the post install patches your usb has to be formatted extended journaled and be 16gb

Ok now it working on my MacBook Air mid 2011 with the terminal install, so no any solution for transparent menubar?I see a lot of people in this forum with the bluesy patch and have a transparent menubar..

 

[TimothyR734]

There is a bit of transparency in the menubar in dark mode but not light mode it has been that way since macOS Mojave and there are some who have hackintoshes that can have transparency the last macOS that had transparency in the menubar was High Sierra and if we couldn't fix it in Mojave there is no way in Catalina as openGL and openCL have beed depreciated on Catalina

 

[Funghoz]

There is a bit of transparency in the menubar in dark mode but not light mode it has been that way since macOS Mojave and there are some who have hackintoshes that can have transparency the last macOS that had transparency in the menubar was High Sierra and if we couldn't fix it in Mojave there is no way in Catalina as openGL and openCL have beed depreciated on Catalina

yes but not have any transparency neither in dark mode..look..

 

[TimothyR734]

it is not going to be perfect we are running macOS Catalina on old Macs with old GPU's that do not support metal I am just happy it works I do know there are those who run a clover boot loader on unsupported mac's or use the Catalina loader which can spoof the Apple servers into thinking you have a supported Mac like for example I can spoof my mid 2009 iMac 9,1 into a 2011 iMac 14,1 and get all the updates from the system preferences not have to use the Catalina patcher to install macOS Catalina updates and have transparency but what happens if I get a firmware update because the apple servers think I have a newer iMac poof my iMac is bricked and totally useless I am happy that the devs of this forum have got us this far on our old Macs as this could very well be the last one we can run but I can't wait to try the next macOS

 

[Macbookprodude]

Здравствуйте! Я установил плату NVidia GeForce GTX 680M в iMac 12.2.
Система работает, но отсутствует boot menu. Есть ли решение для этого или ставить AMD Radeon обратно?

Hello! I installed the NVidia GeForce GTX 680M board in the iMac 12.2.
The system works, but there is no boot menu. Is there a solution for this or put AMD Radeon back?

Вітаю !

теж маю проблему зі встановленням Каталіни(програмне забезпечення). Мій ноутбук - 2011 15 MacBook Pro, ще є проблема з відсутністю Вайфай(бездротової мережі). Зображення не видно підчас встановлення.
[automerge]1572752124[/automerge]
Hello,

I hope someone can help me - while Mojave runs great on my 2011 15 inch MacBook Pro, tried Catalina and the installer does not show WiFi at all. I follow all instruction by Dosdude but no WiFi come up. I am using same WiFi card this laptop come with.

Can someone help with this why Catalina installer not showing my WiFi ?

 

[Barry K. Nathan]

370MB Legacy Video Card Patch is that right? I installed click restart but it is stuck. I am waiting 10 min but still didn't make a restart.

I ran into the same problem on my MacBookPro4,1 and MacBookPro8,1 (except I tried waiting 45 minutes and not just 10). In both cases, this is with a clean install of Catalina 10.15.1 with dosdude1 patch 1.2.1. I tried again on the 8,1 a couple of hours ago, to verify that I'm still having this problem.

What worked for me (on the 8,1) was booting off a dosdude patch 1.2.2 USB stick, using Time Machine to revert to the most recent APFS snapshot (I don't know if it was necessary, but I figured I would be cautious), booting off that USB stick again, then running the post-install tool. (The 8,1 is a spare test system, but my 4,1 is more important so I'm still considering my options there, and I'll probably downgrade it to Mojave or High Sierra.)

 

[Macbookprodude]

Insyalled on a MacbookPro8,2 - and everything is running perfect! Thank you very much @dosdude1 for an extremely streamlined process!

One small thing though, on Mojave I was able to completely disable the Radeon - so the batterylife was better and the GPU ran icecold. I'm not quite able to do that on Catalina - GPU Diode is still at ~58 deg C.

Is it possible to completely disable the Radeon - like on Mjoave?

Hi I have same MacBook Pro like you 8,2 15 inch and when I start Catalina installer no WiFi ??? I follow instructions per dosdude, but WiFi not showing up. Mojave works perfectly.

 

[cymorrow]

@nekton1
Seems no solution to make Japanese IM work. In case you want to keep CAT in your old Mac, you may consider below 3rd party input until @Syncretic, @ASentientBot or other make Apple's Japanese IM back.

I tested google one is work fine. and not affect another Asian input.
Hope it helps.

Free：https://www.google.co.jp/ime/
Paid：https://atok.com, https://www.monokakido.jp/kawasemi/kawasemi2/

Since there may not be an acceptable solution to the Japanese input method, I decided to try the google input method.

Thank you. Unfortunately, Google Japanese input doesn't seem to work either, when I select it my keyboard becomes straight up non functional

Did you restart after installing the google input method? It did not work for me either until I restarted the machine and now it is working fine. Never thought I'd say this but thank you google.
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@nekton1
Seems no solution to make Japanese IM work. In case you want to keep CAT in your old Mac, you may consider below 3rd party input until @Syncretic, @ASentientBot or other make Apple's Japanese IM back.

I tested google one is work fine. and not affect another Asian input.
Hope it helps.

Free：https://www.google.co.jp/ime/
Paid：https://atok.com, https://www.monokakido.jp/kawasemi/kawasemi2/

Since there may not be an acceptable solution to the Japanese input method, I decided to try the google input method as recommended by antony34. I had to restart my Mac after I installed the google input method but then it works fine after that. Thank you anton34.

 

[ASentientBot]

I think that some people may be quite happy about this.

Today I stumbled across a complete non-Metal transparency patch, menu bar included, that doesn't involve any material swapping -- just a couple bytes in SkyLightOriginal.

0x216c60: NOP

While it doesn't directly use your patches, thank you to @pkouame and especially @testheit for pointing me in the right direction with your discoveries involving materials in SkyLight. It was by looking at related code that I came across this.

The file is attached for testing Please report any issues.

 

[TimothyR734]

I think that some people may be quite happy about this.
View attachment 874639

Today I stumbled across a complete non-Metal transparency patch, menu bar included, that doesn't involve any material swapping -- just a couple bytes in SkyLightOriginal.

0x216c60: NOP

While it doesn't directly use your patches, thank you to @pkouame and especially @testheit for pointing me in the right direction with your discoveries involving materials in SkyLight. It was by looking at related code that I came across this.

The file is attached for testing Please report any issues.

Awesome you are da Man woohoo

 

[Barry K. Nathan]

I've made a little progress in figuring out what's going on with installing the Legacy Video Card patch using Patch Updater (where it never manages to reboot).

Once the patch is installed, lots of processes start getting killed instantly. For instance, if System Preferences is not open before installing the patch, and you try to open System Preferences before rebooting, the icon will just bounce once and it will never open.

Moreover, I'm getting log messages like this (in this case, when I try to run sudo with any arguments in a Terminal window):

kernel: CODE SIGNING: cs_invalid_page(0x10597d000): p=652[sudo] final status 0x23004a00, denying page sending SIGKILL
kernel: CODE SIGNING: process 652[sudo]: rejecting invalid page at address 0x10597d000 from offset 0x0 in file "/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SkyLight.framework/Versions/A/SkyLight" (cs_mtime:1572683101.766531815 != mtime:1572759174.185880007) (signed:1 validated:1 tainted:1 nx:0 wpmapped:0 dirty:0 depth:0)

I have found a workaround: Open Terminal, run "sudo -s" before installing the patch, and if Patch Updater hangs when you click "Reboot Now", then switch back to the terminal and run "reboot".

 

[TimothyR734]

[automerge]1572760692[/automerge]
Looking good Thank you

 

[OnawaAfrica]

Any fix for this please? And what's wrong with the ui? Bluesky patch?

we have to wait for the BlueSky patch to get updated for 10.15.1
about the Graphics Driver Update we need to waiter reply from the developer
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View attachment 874647
[automerge]1572760692[/automerge]
Looking good Thank you

is that on pre-metal GPU?
[automerge]1572761059[/automerge]

I've made a little progress in figuring out what's going on with installing the Legacy Video Card patch using Patch Updater (where it never manages to reboot).

Once the patch is installed, lots of processes start getting killed instantly. For instance, if System Preferences is not open before installing the patch, and you try to open System Preferences before rebooting, the icon will just bounce once and it will never open.

Moreover, I'm getting log messages like this (in this case, when I try to run sudo with any arguments in a Terminal window):

kernel: CODE SIGNING: cs_invalid_page(0x10597d000): p=652[sudo] final status 0x23004a00, denying page sending SIGKILL
kernel: CODE SIGNING: process 652[sudo]: rejecting invalid page at address 0x10597d000 from offset 0x0 in file "/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SkyLight.framework/Versions/A/SkyLight" (cs_mtime:1572683101.766531815 != mtime:1572759174.185880007) (signed:1 validated:1 tainted:1 nx:0 wpmapped:0 dirty:0 depth:0)

I have found a workaround: Open Terminal, run "sudo -s" before installing the patch, and if Patch Updater hangs when you click "Reboot Now", then switch back to the terminal and run "reboot".

so I start the patch updater with sudo -s?

 

[TimothyR734]

we have to wait for the BlueSky patch to get updated for 10.15.1
about the Graphics Driver Update we need to waiter reply from the developer
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is that on pre-metal GPU?
[automerge]1572761059[/automerge]

so I start the patch updater with sudo -s?

Nvidia 9400 and I think Dosdude has added the fix in the patch updater as I got an update for the legacy video patch and think will be added to the Catalina Patcher in the post install patches

 

[OnawaAfrica]

Nvidia 9400 have you used the most recent BlueSky patch

ah just checked in Github. Julian updated it 11hours ago. installing the updated version right now

 

[TimothyR734]

ah just checked in Github. Julian updated it 11hours ago. installing the updated version right now

But that doesn't have the transparency fix yet dosdude just posted a new Catalina patcher 1.2.3 that should have the transparency fix if you install the BlueSky the transparency won't work as the HIToolbox needs to be changed

 

[OnawaAfrica]

Nvidia 9400 and I think Dosdude has added the fix in the patch updater as I got an update for the legacy video patch and think will be added to the Catalina Patcher in the post install patches

ya but the issue is when I install the update it kills the Window server and creates so called "Corpses". like Barry posted the Log
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tried "sudo -s" but still same error