macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs

[LegoNickD]

It runs, but without graphical acceleration. I agree with you that it's a bit of a stretch, at least for daily use. But it's a cool side project nonetheless! You can't help but be impressed that they got it to boot on 11-yo hardware.

Hate to continue a side conversation but I never realized that works, does Mojave boot or just high Sierra and below, and what patches do you use? Also you should try a mini pci egpu.

 

[dosdude1]

Hey, @0403979. This business with two threads is annoying and confusing. And no offense -- you've been a major contributor to the 10.14 thread, and your work on your own patcher is admirable -- but @dosdude1 is definitely the more well known and experienced leader in this effort. Would you be willing to consider merging the two threads to decrease confusion?

I'm sorry if this comes off as insulting in any way, I honestly don't mean it that way at all. I actually really admire your expertise and contributions, especially at your age. But I can just see this becoming a problem in future if we have to keep up with two discussions with the same name and topic.

Thanks.

Edit: Or, as another user suggested -- keep this thread, but make it specific to your patcher. But as a contributor to the effort, I just want one clear location to discuss advances.

The main reason I created a thread was so I could update the OP, as this thread is not a WikiThread. That, and some other people I talked to suggested I do so. If it proves to be confusing, I can just take down my other thread, and hopefully make this one into a WikiThread, as it should be.

 

[redheeler]

Haven't been able to get the install to finish on my 2012 rMBP but it doesn't look like the system partition is read-only. Probably just locked when System Integrity Protection is turned on.

 

[Eschers]

It'll come later, just like with 10.14. They just haven't implemented the Metal GPU detection yet.

would be really great if that was the case indeed!

 

[meowdude]

Haven't been able to get the install to finish on my 2012 rMBP but it doesn't look like the system partition is read-only. Probably just locked when System Integrity Protection is turned on.

that whole "read only" sounds fishy anyway. They say that /Applications would rest on it, and if it were truly read only but with the ability to install applications while running then that would mean they just made anything related to OSX require root perms... which... isn't any different from now really.

 

[foxlet]

Oh dear. We might have a big problem here. "macOS Catalina runs in its own read-only volume, so it’s separate from all other data on your Mac, and nothing can accidentally overwrite your system files." https://www.apple.com/macos/catalina-preview/

That is a non-issue, the mount is the same as with systems where the home folder is on a separate partition. SIP can also be defeated as normal.

 

[ASentientBot]

that whole "read only" sounds fishy anyway. They say that /Applications would rest on it, and if it were truly read only but with the ability to install applications while running then that would mean they just made anything related to OSX require root perms... which... isn't any different from now really.

It looks like there is a /System/Applications/ as well as regular /Applications/. I imagine that "read-only" means the whole /System/ will be SIP-ed. But we'll see shortly My install on APFS is just finishing.

 

[dosdude1]

It runs, but without graphical acceleration. I agree with you that it's a bit of a stretch, at least for daily use. But it's a cool side project nonetheless! You can't help but be impressed that they got it to boot on 11-yo hardware.
[doublepost=1559597499][/doublepost]
@dosdude1 ran the entire 10.14 thread, wrote the patcher, and developed many of the fixes as well.

I just removed the other thread, not worth having 2 separate ones. Hopefully this one can be made into a WikiThread soon.

 

[AnonMac50]

I look forward to helping out again with anything I can!

 

[jackluke]

I have cloned a SSD 10.14.5 APFS installation and updated via OTA to 10.15 .

From a preliminary test I'd say Penryn Core2Duo are still safe on 10.15 , I mean just removing the telemetry.plugin I still passed every verbose lines without any panic, stock Catalina IOUSB*.kext from a MB7,1 seems worked OOB again.

Still can't reach loginUI but I haven't replaced yet any kext/framework
I haven't replace them yet, since first I want to take their backup to compare.

I notice a new "feature" now the prelinkedkernel is created on-the-fly after boot, I mean there is no auto-reboot.

@TimothyR734 there is only one wallpaper available and it's Catalina, the dynamic wallpaper feature is still there, they introduced the auto-dark-light mode.

 

[foxlet]

From a preliminary test I'd say Penryn Core2Duo are still safe on 10.15 , I mean just removing the telemetry I still passed every verbose lines, IOUSB* from a MB7,1 seems worked OOB again

Still can't reach loginUI but I haven't replaced yet any kext/framework

Penryn is still recognized under XNU from what I'm aware.

 

[TimothyR734]

Penryn is still recognized under XNU from what I'm aware.

Nice to see you back foxlet

 

[redheeler]

that whole "read only" sounds fishy anyway. They say that /Applications would rest on it, and if it were truly read only but with the ability to install applications while running then that would mean they just made anything related to OSX require root perms... which... isn't any different from now really.

There are two Applications folders. One on the system partition, and another on the root partition. But the system one is indeed still writable with SIP disabled.

The system logging and updates would not be possible on a read-only partition. So we shouldn't ever have to fear that becoming a reality.

 

[jackluke]

A weird fact, I cannot find where is my Catalina Users folder when booting from another Mojave/HS machine?

Replacing .3 non-metal frameworks I got immediately after boot many pid crashes, but honestly I haven't yet applied all the known patches since I'd want to keep as clean as possible this Catalina beta to clone on other machines, even supported one.

I guess new non-metal patches are required.

@ASentientBot you were right, they totally changed the root folders layout.

And of course definitely dropped 32 bit apps, and there is no more from AbouthisMac/SystemReport/Software/Applications the tab where showed "64 bit intel" yes-no for 32 bit checking .

 

[netsrot39]

Is Catalina APFS only or does it also run on HFS+ partitions? (I'd really like to skip upgrading to APFS on unsupported machines as it is risky)

 

[TimothyR734]

I have cloned a SSD 10.14.5 APFS installation and updated via OTA to 10.15 .

From a preliminary test I'd say Penryn Core2Duo are still safe on 10.15 , I mean just removing the telemetry.plugin I still passed every verbose lines without any panic, stock Catalina IOUSB*.kext from a MB7,1 seems worked OOB again.

Still can't reach loginUI but I haven't replaced yet any kext/framework
I haven't replace them yet, since first I want to take their backup to compare.

I notice a new "feature" now the prelinkedkernel is created on-the-fly after boot, I mean there is no auto-reboot.

@TimothyR734 there is only one wallpaper available and it's Catalina, the dynamic wallpaper feature is still there, they introduced the auto-dark-light mode.

already download and installed the Catalina heic wallpaper
[doublepost=1559600978][/doublepost]here it looks on my mid 2009 iMac the Catalina dynamic wallpaper

 

[Apple tech guy 2018]

hey there Collin I want to know are you be getting the patcher Catalina 10.15 for unsupported MacBook

 

[iamMacPerson]

Any luck yet with getting Catalina loaded onto the OG cheesegraters? My copy is still downloading, remarkably slow for some reason.

 

[jackluke]

Ok at least managed to boot in safe mode, I guess @foxlet did booted that way too.

Now I attach a picture just for example, haven't replaced any kext/framework , because for now I need this external usb SSD untouched Catalina to use on supported Mac.

But the fact Penryn cpu is still supported is very positive.

@ASentientBot I attached a picture from MacBook7,1 too, I haven't patched any kext/framework, just renamed "telemetry.plugin2". It's an APFS installation however. But I guess @dosdude1 will add also the possibility to install in HFS+.

I still can't find my Catalina Users folders when I boot from another Mojave machine, it's ultra hidden I guess. Anyway I really preferred the old system root folders layout.

 

[pkouame]

Ok at least managed to boot in safe mode, I guess @foxlet did booted that way too.

Now I attach a picture just for example, haven't replaced any kext/framework , because for now I need this external usb SSD untouched Catalina to use on supported Mac.

But the fact Penryn cpu is still supported is very positive.

Just tweaked my OSInstall and its installing ontop of my mbp 5,2 10.14.5. Did you try applying post-install or are you taking another route?

 

[jackluke]

Just tweaked my OSInstall and its installing ontop of my mbp 5,2 10.14.5. Did you try applying post-install or are you taking another route?

I've tried partially but when I noticed many core pid crashes from verbose mode, I preferred to return the stock Catalina kext frameworks, anyway I confirm what I wrote before that prelinkedkernel is generated after boot on-the-fly (finally I'd say) and stock IOUSB*.kext worked OOB for native HS machines.

I booted leaving all stocks Catalina things, this way setting in nvram "-no_compat_check -x -v"

 

[pkouame]

I've tried partially but when I noticed many core pid crashes from verbose mode, I preferred to return the stock Catalina kext frameworks, anyway I confirm what I wrote before that prelinkedkernel is generated after boot on-the-fly (finally I'd say) and stock IOUSB*.kext worked OOB for native HS machines.

I booted leaving all stocks Catalina things, this way setting in nvram "-no_compat_check -x -v"

Ok - will see how far I get. Which core jobs are crashing? Taking its sweet time installing from disk though...

 

[CharlieRuiz97]

I can't wait to have Catalina on my mid-2010 White macbook!...

 

[jackluke]

Ok - will see how far I get. Which core jobs are crashing? Taking its sweet time installing from disk though...

I don't remember many, anyway I guess a replacement of IOUSB*.kext is required since I get some HID stall 60s delay in booting.

 

[wiicart]

will the 2010 macbook work with the patcher?