macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs

[Blackriton]

Same machine here and no problems. Try to reset PRAM before booting Catalina installer

I have also the same machine but not the patched ROM. USB Stick didn't worked with the same rebooting to the 10.15 original system but I had success when using a USB external disk. So my advice (and it was the same advice from Dosdude1 to me !!!) : try an external USB disk instead of a stick.

 

[0134168]

I have also the same machine but not the patched ROM. USB Stick didn't worked with the same rebooting to the 10.15 original system but I had success when using a USB external disk. So my advice (and it was the same advice from Dosdude1 to me !!!) : try an external USB disk instead of a stick.

Always used an USB Flash memory, never a disk. Have you tried with another USb stick?

 

[slvrscoobie]

Mojave works like a charm in my Macbook Pro 17, AMD gpu disabled
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Not gonna work. You have to disable the AMD gpu. Otherwise, it´s almost unuseable.

Well Im should say Im not sure what hes going to do. He said he replaces the chip, which i though was the proccess called reballing. As I said, if I get a working AMD GPU back, great. Id prefer to use it, though I do know its bound to happen again, but with the 16" available, it might be time to look at buying one for myself. (I have a 15" touchbar model that I use for work..)
I read over the disable hack which I was going to try, but the screen was so gargled I couldnt even run the script, and I didnt want to modify the motherboard and find out that wont help till the kexts are removed. so - off it went to get repaired.

 

[0134168]

You dont have to modified the motherboard. Just use a lattice programmer.
Been using it now with just the Intel HD3000 and I can´t more happy with it.

ComputeCode

 

[dosdude1]

Well Im should say Im not sure what hes going to do. He said he replaces the chip, which i though was the proccess called reballing. As I said, if I get a working AMD GPU back, great. Id prefer to use it, though I do know its bound to happen again, but with the 16" available, it might be time to look at buying one for myself. (I have a 15" touchbar model that I use for work..)
I read over the disable hack which I was going to try, but the screen was so gargled I couldnt even run the script, and I didnt want to modify the motherboard and find out that wont help till the kexts are removed. so - off it went to get repaired.

May I reiterate: There exists NO SUCH THING as a working AMD Radeon HD 6xxx series chipset. Whatever you're having done, reballing or replacing the chipset entirely, it WILL FAIL AGAIN. You are wasting your money having that done. The ONLY permanent repair solution is to completely disable the garbage AMD GPU (which is not even much better than Intel HD Graphics 3000) through some method, the best being flashing my custom DeMux gMux IC firmware.

 

[YamilRios]

Hello. I just bought my wife a A1278 MacBook Pro 2011 i7 and used the Dosdude1 patcher to install Catalina. Im facing weird performance, and when im updating the Legacy Video Card patch, the computer frozes and reboots to tell me she had an error. It has an Intel 3000 graphics card and i think theres an issue with this GPUs.
The Dosdude1 page dosent mention problems for this particular sistem. Im running it on an 850 SM SSD and 8Gb Ram.
can anyone help!?
Thanks

 

[gw463]

I have also the same machine but not the patched ROM. USB Stick didn't worked with the same rebooting to the 10.15 original system but I had success when using a USB external disk. So my advice (and it was the same advice from Dosdude1 to me !!!) : try an external USB disk instead of a stick.

I too Mac Pro 3.1 installed more and more times with a trick. I start the installation from USB stick and when it restarts to continue the installation when it turns off I remove the key and then forcibly starts from the disk of destination then reconnect the key and everything ends without problems. I don't know if it is an incorrect operation but it works ....

 

[zfrogman]

Hello. I just bought my wife a A1278 MacBook Pro 2011 i7 and used the Dosdude1 patcher to install Catalina. Im facing weird performance, and when im updating the Legacy Video Card patch, the computer frozes and reboots to tell me she had an error. It has an Intel 3000 graphics card and i think theres an issue with this GPUs.
The Dosdude1 page dosent mention problems for this particular sistem. Im running it on an 850 SM SSD and 8Gb Ram.
can anyone help!?
Thanks

Hello
Your Freezes and reboots might indicate the infamous dGPU issue that 2011 MBP 15''&17" suffer unless of course it is an other hardware problem. In that case running the Apple hardware test might be necessary.

2 courses of action are possible IMHO and then you can proceed to use Dosdude's latest patcher 1.2.3 (which I am using successfully):

1. I haven't tried this as my dGPU problem occurred before I had read the following Dosdude process but in your case you can try before solution 2 (after having reading both to see which line you would like to take).

Disable MacBook Pro Dedicated GPU

2.
Read an perhaps try the "software" process to disable defective dGPU found in MacBook Pro forums (Force 2011 MacBook Pro 8,2 with failed AMD GPU to ALWAYS use Intel integrated GPU (EFI variable fix) thread #875 to initially disable dGPU. (there are also permanent methods to disable the dGPU in these forums and in Dosdude's website). Using this method, I have created a simple shell script "force-iGPU-boot.sh" as indicated by MikeyN thread 875 above and that I have reside in root (once Catalina is installed as it will erase it at every new Cat. Install) in the case of an "unlikely but possible" need to reset PRAM or SMC resulting in the loss dGPU bypass I can simply and quickly execute in single user mode to restore dGPU disabling and quickly recover from the screen issue because of the dGPU.

What I have noticed in the most recent patches and lately the 1.2.3 is however that the "extensions-off" folder that is created in the above process and where the AMDRadeonX3000.kext resides doesn't seem necessary any more to run Catalina using your Dosdude patch (which remains in the Extensions folder). However I still create the folder Extensions-off (with the Loginhook script mentioned in thread 875) as it states "the system doesn't know how to power-management the failed AMD-chip and is said to also better manage temperatures. Is this still true and the extensions-off folder still needed? Or can it be made redundant as well as the force-iGPU-boot.sh script with Dosdude's latest patch is a question that perhaps Dosdude can answer but that in any case doesn't prevent running effectively Catalina on MBP 8,2 and 8,3.

PS I have tried using Dosdude's dGPU executable method as in solution #1 but my system in the past crashed and rebooted to a blank grey screen a few tries (probably in conflict with my use of Solution #2) so I have just kept going with the tried and true "long form process" which seems to hold across the various patches and updates.
Hopes this helps.

 

[Macbookprodude]

Hello
Your Freezes and reboots might indicate the infamous dGPU issue that 2011 MBP 15''&17" suffer unless of course it is an other hardware problem. In that case running the Apple hardware test might be necessary.

2 courses of action are possible IMHO and then you can proceed to use Dosdude's latest patcher 1.2.3 (which I am using successfully):

1. I haven't tried this as my dGPU problem occurred before I had read the following Dosdude process but in your case you can try before solution 2 (after having reading both to see which line you would like to take).

Disable MacBook Pro Dedicated GPU

2.
Read an perhaps try the "software" process to disable defective dGPU found in MacBook Pro forums (Force 2011 MacBook Pro 8,2 with failed AMD GPU to ALWAYS use Intel integrated GPU (EFI variable fix) thread #875 to initially disable dGPU. (there are also permanent methods to disable the dGPU in these forums and in Dosdude's website). Using this method, I have created a simple shell script "force-iGPU-boot.sh" as indicated by MikeyN thread 875 above and that I have reside in root (once Catalina is installed as it will erase it at every new Cat. Install) in the case of an "unlikely but possible" need to reset PRAM or SMC resulting in the loss dGPU bypass I can simply and quickly execute in single user mode to restore dGPU disabling and quickly recover from the screen issue because of the dGPU.

What I have noticed in the most recent patches and lately the 1.2.3 is however that the "extensions-off" folder that is created in the above process and where the AMDRadeonX3000.kext resides doesn't seem necessary any more to run Catalina using your Dosdude patch (which remains in the Extensions folder). However I still create the folder Extensions-off (with the Loginhook script mentioned in thread 875) as it states "the system doesn't know how to power-management the failed AMD-chip and is said to also better manage temperatures. Is this still true and the extensions-off folder still needed? Or can it be made redundant as well as the force-iGPU-boot.sh script with Dosdude's latest patch is a question that perhaps Dosdude can answer but that in any case doesn't prevent running effectively Catalina on MBP 8,2 and 8,3.

PS I have tried using Dosdude's dGPU executable method as in solution #1 but my system in the past crashed and rebooted to a blank grey screen a few tries (probably in conflict with my use of Solution #2) so I have just kept going with the tried and true "long form process" which seems to hold across the various patches and updates.
Hopes this helps.

I would like to add, though I have never had issues with my AMD chip, I keep getting during the main install (grey screen Apple and time to install), 1/2 way it then states Mac OS cannot be installed - does this have to do with the AMD chip ? I feel since mine never had an issue, should I try to disable it via the script and try the installer again ?

thanks
Though I already have a 2012 MacBook Pro and learning that Catalina does not allow writing to the SSD, I still am trying to get Catalina installed on my 8,2 MacBook Pro, but the above problem is happening all the time.

 

[crjackson2134]

Though I already have a 2012 MacBook Pro and learning that Catalina does not allow writing to the SSD

What do you mean by that? Are you referring to the SYSTEM area/files, or something else. Catalina would be pretty useless to anyone if it didn't allow it to write an SSD.

 

[Macbookprodude]

What do you mean by that? Are you referring to the SYSTEM area/files, or something else. Catalina would be pretty useless to anyone if it didn't allow it to write an SSD.

yes, but after further review - Catalina does not allow write to Macintosh HD, but to the user directories it does - strange, Mojave didn’t have this, but I found a work around to it - disable SIP then type sudo -s mount -uw /.

The other issue is why Catalina isn’t installing on my 2011 - I keep getting “ Mac OS cannot be installed” after about 15 mins into the final install. Never had issues with the Radeon chip, could this be the issue why Catalina refuses to finish installation ?
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What do you mean by that? Are you referring to the SYSTEM area/files, or something else. Catalina would be pretty useless to anyone if it didn't allow it to write an SSD.

Here is what I found out about Catalina and read only - damn Apple for cutting us off from updating and modding our system !

https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/caiue5

 

[zfrogman]

I would like to add, though I have never had issues with my AMD chip, I keep getting during the main install (grey screen Apple and time to install), 1/2 way it then states Mac OS cannot be installed - does this have to do with the AMD chip ? I feel since mine never had an issue, should I try to disable it via the script and try the installer again ?

thanks
Though I already have a 2012 MacBook Pro and learning that Catalina does not allow writing to the SSD, I still am trying to get Catalina installed on my 8,2 MacBook Pro, but the above problem is happening all the time.

Hi as mentioned in thread #6,780 @ASentientBot Dosedude patch disables SIP and the system check. So that should not be the problem when using Dosdude 1.2.3. Do you install from USB ? I wouldn't know about the AMD chip but since it is known to be a big issue, I would suggest you disable it and see how your install goes as many have said in this forum that in any case it isn't much better than the intel iGPU and thanks to forum gurus they have successfully resolved for the AMD HD6X/5X machines the acceleration aspect to run Catalina. As far as your 2012 question my reaction is the same as crjackson2134 in #6,810. Hope this helps

 

[wtoddmacbookpro]

Dynamic switching does not work, checking the boot and rebooting has no effect. Similarly GFXStatus changing to integrated only has no effect. Brightness controls work via function keys. Facetime says no camera connected.

Hi All, just did the Catalina install using the Patcher and noticed Face Time and Photo Booth no longer recognize the built in camera. MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2011) MacBookPro8,2, 2.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6750M 512 MB, Intel HD Graphics 3000 384 MB.

Everything else seems to work amazing well. Anyone else have this issue or any suggestions? Tried resetting SMC, NVRAM, running Disk Utility but no change.

Thanks in advance!

 

[indiecraig]

I apologise in advance if this has already been covered, but is there a way to install Catalina without automatically applying the post install patches? I have just applied the APFS ROM patch, cleared the drive and reinstalled, but the APFS patch still got applied. I can't figure out how to remove the additional boot volumes and would prefer a tidier boot menu.

Thanks.

 

[jhowarth]

I apologise in advance if this has already been covered, but is there a way to install Catalina without automatically applying the post install patches? I have just applied the APFS ROM patch, cleared the drive and reinstalled, but the APFS patch still got applied. I can't figure out how to remove the additional boot volumes and would prefer a tidier boot menu.

Thanks.

There is an Options menu for that in Catalina Patcher which will determine the default behaviors of the patched usb installer that is created. To disable the APFS Patch, you select the 'Disable APFS Booter' menu item and to disable the other post-installation patches deselect the 'Auto-apply Post Install Patches' menu item.

 

[indiecraig]

There is an Options menu for that in Catalina Patcher which will determine the default behaviors of the patched usb installer that is created. To disable the APFS Patch, you select the 'Disable APFS Booter' menu item and to disable the other post-installation patches deselect the 'Auto-apply Post Install Patches' menu item.

Perfect, thank you for the quick response. I was looking in the installer I already had and tearing my hair out. I'll make a new installer now 😀

 

[crjackson2134]

yes, but after further review - Catalina does not allow write to Macintosh HD, but to the user directories it does - strange, Mojave didn’t have this, but I found a work around to it - disable SIP then type sudo -s mount -uw /.

It seems you don't understand the way the filesystem is organized. You are writing to the same physical disk, but starting with Catalina, macOS now has a separate (and protected) area for systems files. The user data is still on the same disk, but in a sepatate user-space.

This is a logical organization of files, and nothing new for many of us. It's just that now, macOS does this by default. I have organized all of my Unix/Linux systems to use this method for many years. I understand you were taken by surprise with this, but it's not stupid at all. It makes perfect sense, and doesn't impede usability at all.

 

[Macbookprodude]

It seems you don't understand the way the filesystem is organized. You are writing to the same physical disk, but starting with Catalina, macOS now has a separate (and protected) area for systems files. The user data is still on the same disk, but in a sepatate user-space.

This is a logical organization of files, and nothing new for many of us. It's just that now, macOS does this by default. I have organized all of my Unix/Linux systems to use this method for many years. I understand you were taken by surprise with this, but it's not stupid at all. It makes perfect sense, and doesn't impede usability at all.

Understood, I was able to resolve issue. Have any of you had issues with safari crashing and reloading websites under Catalina ?
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Hi as mentioned in thread #6,780 @ASentientBot Dosedude patch disables SIP and the system check. So that should not be the problem when using Dosdude 1.2.3. Do you install from USB ? I wouldn't know about the AMD chip but since it is known to be a big issue, I would suggest you disable it and see how your install goes as many have said in this forum that in any case it isn't much better than the intel iGPU and thanks to forum gurus they have successfully resolved for the AMD HD6X/5X machines the acceleration aspect to run Catalina. As far as your 2012 question my reaction is the same as crjackson2134 in #6,810. Hope this helps

Yes, I followed Dosdude instructions for creating installer on USB, and this just keeps happening - Mac OS cannot be installed (during the final install screen)

 

[crjackson2134]

Understood, I was able to resolve issue. Have any of you had issues with safari crashing and reloading websites under Catalina ?

No such issue at all. In 99% of things, it's just like Mojave. Safari has never crashed under Catalina on my system.

 

[avz]

yes, but after further review - Catalina does not allow write to Macintosh HD, but to the user directories it does - strange, Mojave didn’t have this, but I found a work around to it - disable SIP then type sudo -s mount -uw /.

The other issue is why Catalina isn’t installing on my 2011 - I keep getting “ Mac OS cannot be installed” after about 15 mins into the final install. Never had issues with the Radeon chip, could this be the issue why Catalina refuses to finish installation ?
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Here is what I found out about Catalina and read only - damn Apple for cutting us off from updating and modding our system !

https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/caiue5

LOL. I like this guy. It's like this thread or Catalina patcher never even existed.

 

[M@rk]

Just a quick question to the brain trust ... I just patched Catalina 10.15.1 with the afps rom patcher. Do I have to reinstall MacOS to stop the verbose patch from running ?

 

[Dimasique]

Hello everyone, I have a MacBook 8.1. Installed the latest build of catalina. But my keyboard backlight doesn’t work, tell me how to fix it

same problem with macbook pro early 2008 and auto brightness doesn't work

 

[roysterdoyster]

same problem with macbook pro early 2008 and auto brightness doesn't work

Install LabTick, it'll sit in the menu bar and works perfectly. I use it on my MBP4,1 Early 2008 17-inch.

 

[Flacko]

Just a quick question to the brain trust ... I just patched Catalina 10.15.1 with the afps rom patcher. Do I have to reinstall MacOS to stop the verbose patch from running ?

Reinstalling will not remove the verbose startup as the files are in the EFI partition. Here is a link to remove them. Other members confirm it works for Catalina:

macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs

Have not done this for Catalina but this works for Mojave so give it a try. First find the name of your efi partition. In terminal use: sudo diskutil list You will be asked for your password then get a full list of all the drives. Find the efi one, for example mine is disk0s1 - yours may be...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[zfrogman]

Understood, I was able to resolve issue. Have any of you had issues with safari crashing and reloading websites under Catalina ?
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Yes, I followed Dosdude instructions for creating installer on USB, and this just keeps happening - Mac OS cannot be installed (during the final install screen)

Hi have you tried reformatting the USB you are using to create 1.2.3 patcher as per @dosdude instructions or using another USB stick/drive? I don't mean in anyway to be patronizing or condescending but here is is link for revisit Dosdude Install

. Short of that, reformat the target SSD drive that you intend to install Catalina after Time Machine backup. BTW did you have a previous Catalina install (beta) on machine or Mojave or pre-Mojave?