macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs

[Syncretic]

Hi!

I'm having a problem with Python in Catalina. I've just redonwload the patcher and reinstalled Catalina, so now I have an iMac early 2008 with 10.15.4.

The problem I have is that every time I try to import a somewhat complex library or execute a program from terminal, I get this message:

zsh: illegal hardware instruction python3

And I've found only two webs with similar problems... but with solutions not valid for me

Any idea of a solution. I'm trying to learn Python. I need Python. But I would like to continue using Catalina

Thank you for your interest in advance

Can you provide a specific example of a library or program that fails this way? (A common or public library/program, or please attach offending library/program so the problem can be reproduced.)

 

[avz]

My machine seems to be failing, not just for macOS, but also, somewhat, for Linux and for Windows. I was thinking to get a refurbished new one, perhaps with Intel i3 (I have Intel Core 2 Duo now), or build a new one from refurbished components (long time Hackintosh user...(. But I was thinking to wait until the new Apple June conference, to see what the requirements for the succesor of Catalina would be, perhaps Intel i3 would be a too little. Who knows? Apple has surprised us so many times. Would you recommend to buy now or wait until then? I hope this machine would not fail completly until then.

Why are you avoiding old used MacBooks? From what I understand you don't need any CPU power or GPU performance. Pound for pound the old MacBooks are the most durable hardware you can find. My Late 2008 MacBook never restarts itself during sleep with Mojave and my supported MacBookPro9,2 always restarts itself during sleep. I got a bad feeling that my Late 2008 will outlast my Mid 2012.

 

[Vyzantion]

Why are you avoiding old used MacBooks? From what I understand you don't need any CPU power or GPU performance. Pound for pound the old MacBooks are the most durable hardware you can find. My Late 2008 MacBook never restarts itself during sleep with Mojave and my supported MacBookPro9,2 always restarts itself during sleep. I got a bad feeling that my Late 2008 will outlast my Mid 2012.

There are several reasons, one of them is the lack of them where I live, the second is the price. Actauly, thoose two combine into one, because lack of them makes them expensive. Building from pieces of refurbished PCs is a lot cheaper and, in many ways, more practical. And, from experience, I know that Apple tends to locked out artificialy older Macs from new versions of macOS. Some limitations are artificial (like thoose that are overcome by the patches developed in here), some are hardcore, kernel based ones, that can not be overcome without hardware updagrade. Any refurbished Mac comes is risky that it will soon become unsupported by some kernel limitation and, so to say, a risky investment.

 

[avz]

There are several reasons, one of them is the lack of them where I live, the second is the price. Actauly, thoose two combine into one, because lack of them makes them expensive. Building from pieces of refurbished PCs is a lot cheaper and, in many ways, more practical. And, from experience, I know that Apple tends to locked out artificialy older Macs from new versions of macOS. Some limitations are artificial (like thoose that are overcome by the patches developed in here), some are hardcore, kernel based ones, that can not be overcome without hardware updagrade. Any refurbished Mac comes is risky that it will soon become unsupported by some kernel limitation and, so to say, a risky investment.

Well, like others already said, ARM is the near future, so that's where it is going to be. I am probably still going to be OK with Mavericks/Mojave/Catalina in the next 10 years with my Late 2008 MacBook.

 

[nnm4evr]

Hi!

Have anyone solution for my problem or I can use only one OS on computer?

 

[rafolas]

Can you provide a specific example of a library or program that fails this way? (A common or public library/program, or please attach offending library/program so the problem can be reproduced.)

This was the script that triggered the alarms:

GitHub - alexgand/springer_free_books: Python script to download all Springer books released for free during the 2020 COVID-19 quarantine

Python script to download all Springer books released for free during the 2020 COVID-19 quarantine - alexgand/springer_free_books

github.com

(main.py)

Another example is just to try to import pandas from within the python console:

Python 3.7.6 (default, Jan 8 2020, 13:42:34)
[Clang 4.0.1 (tags/RELEASE_401/final)] :: Anaconda, Inc. on darwin
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import pandas as pd
zsh: illegal hardware instruction python3

Thanks for your interest!

 

[Syncretic]

This was the script that triggered the alarms:

GitHub - alexgand/springer_free_books: Python script to download all Springer books released for free during the 2020 COVID-19 quarantine

Python script to download all Springer books released for free during the 2020 COVID-19 quarantine - alexgand/springer_free_books

github.com

(main.py)

Another example is just to try to import pandas from within the python console:

Python 3.7.6 (default, Jan 8 2020, 13:42:34)
[Clang 4.0.1 (tags/RELEASE_401/final)] :: Anaconda, Inc. on darwin
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import pandas as pd
zsh: illegal hardware instruction python3

Thanks for your interest!

I'm guessing that some piece of your python3 runtime is using an SSE4.2 instruction, but I can't reproduce it - I just downloaded/installed Python 3.7.7 on my MP3,1 (similar vintage to your Core2), did pip3 install pandas, and did import pandas as pd without error on Mojave 14.6, Catalina 15.0, and Catalina 15.4, with or without my SSE 4.2 emulator (MouSSE) loaded. With the new (beta) version of MouSSE loaded, it reports illegal instructions it finds - and it found none when running Python3 and importing pandas.

Maybe try updating your Python installation to 3.7.7? Or, if you want, I can PM you the beta version of MouSSE and it can either fix your problem or help figure out what the problem is...

(I'm quite busy right now, so don't be put off if I don't get back to you for a day or two - I'll respond when I can.)

 

[TimothyR734]

Hi!

Have anyone solution for my problem or I can use only one OS on computer?

I wish I could help you with bootcamp, but another solution you could try install macOS Catalina and run Windows 10 from a visual machine like virtual box

 

[caravella]

Hi!

Have anyone solution for my problem or I can use only one OS on computer?
-----------------------------------

@nnm4evr

on my Macbook 7,1 mid 2010 with a original HDD works Catalina 10.15.4 and a Bootcamp Installation with Windows 10 fine.

I can show you my way but for this you will need some time and a Backup!

First clean yor Drive and make an APFS Volume and than install High Sierra. In HS open Bootcamp and install
Windows 7. Now update this Windows 7 with the Media Creation Tool to Windows 10.
Than install Mojave with the Dosdude1 Patcher 1.3.7 and install your Backups.
Now update your machine to Catalina with the Dosdude1 Catalina Patcher 1.4.3

 

[hvds]

This was the script that triggered the alarms:

GitHub - alexgand/springer_free_books: Python script to download all Springer books released for free during the 2020 COVID-19 quarantine

Python script to download all Springer books released for free during the 2020 COVID-19 quarantine - alexgand/springer_free_books

github.com

(main.py)

Another example is just to try to import pandas from within the python console:

Python 3.7.6 (default, Jan 8 2020, 13:42:34)
[Clang 4.0.1 (tags/RELEASE_401/final)] :: Anaconda, Inc. on darwin
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import pandas as pd
zsh: illegal hardware instruction python3

Thanks for your interest!

I can reproduce this behaviour when doing import pandas on my MBP5,2. It happens in JupyterNotebook launched via Anaconda, as well as directly in Python3 after installing pandas with pip3 (as main.py in your other example contains an import pandas it is probably not a different case).
Syncretic is probably right in suggesting MouSSE as remedy. I can help testing.

Anyway thank you for reminding me of all the good Python stuff available for data analysis. Will be good to get pandas to work.

 

[nnm4evr]

time and a Backup

Time is not problem now - Coronavirus and self-courantine.
What Backup you mean? Software (from macOS) or software and drivers (from Windows) or Partition(s) image?

 

[telepati]

Guys, is Catalina hidden feature "Restore from Snapshot" working on unsupported mac?

 

[caravella]

Time is not problem now - Coronavirus and self-courantine.
What Backup you mean? Software (from macOS) or software and drivers (from Windows) or Partition(s) image?

I forgot, you don´t have a OS X on your machine. What os x do you have for make a clean install?

 

[TimothyR734]

Guys, is Catalina hidden feature "Restore from Snapshot" working on unsupported mac?

I think it does as I had a few freezes and had to power off my iMac and had to add the brightness slider and shifty etc back to start up items

 

[nnm4evr]

I forgot, you don´t have a OS X on your machine. What os x do you have for make a clean install?

Bootable install DVD with MacOS X 10.7.4 and DVD with ComboUpdate 10.7.5. First time (when HDD was full wiped, no file system, no partitons) I install 10.7.4, then update it to 10.7.5, after that install El Capitan and update it over WiFi, and last I install Catalina with Dosdude1 Patcher 1.4.3. Then install Win10 with Boot Camp and after that can't boot to Catalina, thats all.

 

[avz]

Bootable install DVD with MacOS X 10.7.4 and DVD with ComboUpdate 10.7.5. First time (when HDD was full wiped, no file system, no partitons) I install 10.7.4, then update it to 10.7.5, after that install El Capitan and update it over WiFi, and last I install Catalina with Dosdude1 Patcher 1.4.3. Then install Win10 with Boot Camp and after that can't boot to Catalina, thats all.

I don't have much experience with this but what I would do is:

1. Install High Sierra(on APFS if you have SSD).
2. Create Windows partition using macOS Bootcamp utility.
3. Install Windows 7 then upgrade to Windows 10 if you want.
4. Upgrade High Sierra to Mojave(maybe even Catalina) while keeping your Bootcamp partition intact and bootable(I've done it before on my Late 2008 MacBook(APFS SSD)).

 

[nnm4evr]

I have 500 Gb HDD (not SSD) in MacBook.
I have one question for my steps (in this [?]) - Can I install upgrades from System or I need to do upgrade only from bootable USB?

I think i need do this steps:

1. Clean install 10.7.4 and update to 10.7.5
2. Install El Capitan
3. Make bootable/install USB of High Sierra with Dosdude1 Patcher 1.4.3 [?]
4. Clean install High Sierra from USB bootable drive on APFS (Format whole HDD to APFS before start installation)
5. Create Windows partition with Boot Camp and then install Windows 7 x64
6. Upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10
7. Upgrade High to Mojave or even Catalina (I try this first, if this not work, try to upgrade Mojave and theb to Catalina) [?]
8. Enjoy Catalina and Windows 10))

 

[hvds]

I can reproduce this behaviour when doing import pandas on my MBP5,2. It happens in JupyterNotebook launched via Anaconda, as well as directly in Python3 after installing pandas with pip3 (as main.py in your other example contains an import pandas it is probably not a different case).
Syncretic is probably right in suggesting MouSSE as remedy. I can help testing.

Anyway thank you for reminding me of all the good Python stuff available for data analysis. Will be good to get pandas to work.

Installed AAAMouSSE.kext (Current version: 0.38 (19 October 2019)) on MBP5,2 with 10.15.5b3, python 3.7.6. No changes. Maybe the beta of MouSSE will help identify the reason.

(MBP5,2 17" mid 2009, 2.8GHz T9600, Nvidia 9600M GT, 8GB, APFS ROM patch applied, Samsung SSD 840/860 EVO with APFS. Catalina 10.15.4supp and 10.15.5b3)

BTW no (sleep/wake) problems here with MouSSE.


EDIT: @Syncretic @rafolas installed python 3.8.2 and then pandas again with pip3 -> this works, with or without AAAMouSSE.kext (removed the kext again).

 

[kassler]

My Mac Pro 5,2 was running High Sierra 10.13.6 and booting from a SSD. I downloaded and installed today (2 May 2020) the APFS BootROM support from dosdude1 Catalina Patcher website and the patcher. Everything went well until after I installed the Catalina OS. According to the youtube tutorial, the Mac is supposed to boot with Catalina. But what I got was the Mac reboot with Sierra 10.12.3 which resides on a second SATA hard disk in the same Mac.
I try to do a Post Patch using the Patcher. It gives an error ending with (1). I assume (1) is some kind of error code. Can anyone please help.
Thank you.

 

[hvds]

My Mac Pro 5,2 was running High Sierra 10.13.6 and booting from a SSD. I downloaded and installed today (2 May 2020) the APFS BootROM support from dosdude1 Catalina Patcher website and the patcher. Everything went well until after I installed the Catalina OS. According to the youtube tutorial, the Mac is supposed to boot with Catalina. But what I got was the Mac reboot with Sierra 10.12.3 which resides on a second SATA hard disk in the same Mac.
I try to do a Post Patch using the Patcher. It gives an error ending with (1). I assume (1) is some kind of error code. Can anyone please help.
Thank you.

In systems settings -> startup disk, does the other SATA disk, supposed to have Catalina, show? If so, you could try to make this your startup disk, and try boot again.
Or when booting, you could hold the opt/alt key during power on. Does the Catalina disk show there? Then select it and boot from there.
For the post-install patch you did, are you using a bootable USB installer? Maybe you can post a photo of the error you quote.

 

[kassler]

The SSD which I installed the Catalina was previously the default startup disk. The SATA hard disk running was a old hard disk that I still keep in the Mac. The issue is, after installing Catalina in the SSD, the SSD "disappeared". Hence I cannot even select it as the startup disk.

I believe the patch was unable to applied.

 

[caravella]

I have 500 Gb HDD (not SSD) in MacBook.
I have one question for my steps (in this [?]) - Can I install upgrades from System or I need to do upgrade only from bootable USB?

I think i need do this steps:

1. Clean install 10.7.4 and update to 10.7.5
2. Install El Capitan
3. Make bootable/install USB of High Sierra with Dosdude1 Patcher 1.4.3 [?]
4. Clean install High Sierra from USB bootable drive on APFS (Format whole HDD to APFS before start installation)
5. Create Windows partition with Boot Camp and then install Windows 7 x64
6. Upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10
7. Upgrade High to Mojave or even Catalina (I try this first, if this not work, try to upgrade Mojave and theb to Catalina) [?]
8. Enjoy Catalina and Windows 10))

This is the the right way! Upgrades you need to make from a bootable usb. You must go the step over High Sierra to create the Bootcamp

 

[hvds]

The SSD which I installed the Catalina was previously the default startup disk. The SATA hard disk running was a old hard disk that I still keep in the Mac. The issue is, after installing Catalina in the SSD, the SSD "disappeared". Hence I cannot even select it as the startup disk.

I believe the patch was unable to applied.

With Disk Utility, can you see it somehow?

 

[caravella]

I have 500 Gb HDD (not SSD) in MacBook.
I have one question for my steps (in this [?]) - Can I install upgrades from System or I need to do upgrade only from bootable USB?

I think i need do this steps:

1. Clean install 10.7.4 and update to 10.7.5
2. Install El Capitan
3. Make bootable/install USB of High Sierra with Dosdude1 Patcher 1.4.3 [?]
4. Clean install High Sierra from USB bootable drive on APFS (Format whole HDD to APFS before start installation)
5. Create Windows partition with Boot Camp and then install Windows 7 x64
6. Upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10
7. Upgrade High to Mojave or even Catalina (I try this first, if this not work, try to upgrade Mojave and theb to Catalina) [?]
8. Enjoy Catalina and Windows 10))

@nnm4evr
I just remember that I installed High Sierra on the HFS+ formatted HDD and createted the Bootcamp.
Than I deleated the High Sierra Volume with Disk Utilitys and changed to APFS for installing Mojave.

 

[hvds]

I have 500 Gb HDD (not SSD) in MacBook.
I have one question for my steps (in this [?]) - Can I install upgrades from System or I need to do upgrade only from bootable USB?

I think i need do this steps:

1. Clean install 10.7.4 and update to 10.7.5
2. Install El Capitan
3. Make bootable/install USB of High Sierra with Dosdude1 Patcher 1.4.3 [?]
4. Clean install High Sierra from USB bootable drive on APFS (Format whole HDD to APFS before start installation)
5. Create Windows partition with Boot Camp and then install Windows 7 x64
6. Upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10
7. Upgrade High to Mojave or even Catalina (I try this first, if this not work, try to upgrade Mojave and theb to Catalina) [?]
8. Enjoy Catalina and Windows 10))

I don't use bootcamp, but in your step 3 for High Sierra, visit http://dosdude1.com/highsierra/. You need HS patcher version 2.7.0. Use it to download the latest HS version, 10.13.6, and make a bootable USB installer.
For step 7, I think you can go directly from HS to Catalina, using Cat patcher 1.4.3 to download macOS version 10.15.4 supplemental, and again make a bootable USB installer from it (though for Catalina dosdude also provides the patcher option "install to this machine", I think it is always a good idea to keep a bootable USB installer).
Not sure about the necessity of steps 1 and 2 - depends on your starting point.