macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs

[roysterdoyster]

I did as per your advice, unfortunately Onyx Maintenance didn't solve the TM problem.
Would you know, what can try next? Apple support docs are dry.

 

[K two]

I did as per your advice, unfortunately Onyx Maintenance didn't solve the TM problem.
Would you know, what can try next? Apple support docs are dry.

Was the Validation Patch updated? If so, what are the symptoms? What kind of TM? Ext disk, partition, second int. drive, SoftRaid?

 

[amstel78]

This is weird. After resetting SMC, rebooting or shutting down now returns a code of 0 instead of 5. Something strange is going on...
View attachment 1731757

Can anyone else with an MP3,1 see if they're getting similar results? I'm wondering if there's an actual issue with hardware, or if the patched OS is just misreporting the shutdown cause?

Can anyone with an MP3,1 please enter log show --predicate 'eventMessage contains "Previous shutdown cause"' --last 24h in terminal and let me know what is reported as far as shutdown cause?

 

[roysterdoyster]

Was the Validation Patch updated? If so, what are the symptoms? What kind of TM? Ext disk, partition, second int. drive, SoftRaid?

Yes, the Library Validation Patch demanded an update, which I allowed. The TM is an external USB HD.
Steps I took so far unsuccessfully:
--reformatted the external USB
--tried other external USB HD of different brand
--tried spare USB HD of identical brand
--Onyx/Maintenance
--TM System Prefs On/Off including restarts
--resetting SMC(PRAM)

This error message is what I get, see screenshot, translated: Time Machine couldn't make a local snapshot for a backup

Maybe a terminal command will do the trick?

Your help is highly appreciated K Two!

 

[Larsvonhier]

Sec. Upd. 2021-002 H1011 confirmed, see screenshot.
Also, Time Machine fine and doing its work... no problem so far.

 

[Larsvonhier]

Yes, the Library Validation Patch demanded an update, which I allowed. The TM is an external USB HD.
Steps I took so far unsuccessfully:
--reformatted the external USB
--tried other external USB HD of different brand
--tried spare USB HD of identical brand
--Onyx/Maintenance
--TM System Prefs On/Off including restarts
--resetting SMC(PRAM)

This error message is what I get, see screenshot, translated: Time Machine couldn't make a local snapshot for a backup

Maybe a terminal command will do the trick?

Your help is highly appreciated K Two!

How much free space do you have on your start volume?
Might not be enough to prepare for the local snapshot.

Also related: Turn off the local snapshots or delete them altogether...
See here.

 

[roysterdoyster]

How much free space do you have on your start volume?
Might not be enough to prepare for the local snapshot.

Also related: Turn off the local snapshots or delete them altogether...
See here.

Hi Larsvonhier, my SSD has 128GB, used: 68GB, free: 38GB
Onyx and Terminal (via tmutil listlocalsnapshots /) show an existing snapshot, and in Onyx I can make local snapshots, which are then congruent with the listing from Terminal.

The mentioned program from the Apple Support discussion suggested, Time Machine Editor, does not have any effect.

What can be done to resolve the TM problem, if you have any suggestions, I'd be glad to implement.

 

[vasigio]

i need to deploy some unsupported offline catalina macs until 2022 so i wondered why this method stopped working:

macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs

Hi KennyW No, a .pkg cannot be opened with a simple right click, you have to use the Terminal "pkgutil --expand" command to extract the content. And after modifying the content, it is imperative to recreate the .pkg file with the terminal command "pkgutil --flatten" Here is the detailed...

forums.macrumors.com

install.log shows an authoring error so maybe it is because of code-signing?
i saw what jacklukem with CatalinaOTAswufix did to avoid checks - do you think this could be used somehow to get this method to work again?

Start with #19022 on this thread - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macos-10-14-mojave-on-unsupported-macs-thread.2121473/page-761 There has been some changes.

thanks for your reply K two. i read the linked mojave thread now. apple's changes to put a spole in developer's and customer's wheels are appearing felt every other day nowadays.

silentknight18 seems to be for OTA not for pkg file updates. dakanji 's FixMacUpdates.sh seems the same method than the manual approach and seems broken for catalina, too. with "sudo mount -uw / ; killall Finder" it is possible to get the altered pkg to show an "install anyway" button but the installation fails at the very end after installing and registering when doing the last verification. it still shows the old build#.

i'm deeply thankful for ideas, fixes and new approaches that could make unsupported offline catalina updates possible again.

 

[K two]

thanks for your reply K two. i read the linked mojave thread now. apple's changes to put a spole in developer's and customer's wheels are appearing felt every other day nowadays.

silentknight18 seems to be for OTA not for pkg file updates. dakanji 's FixMacUpdates.sh seems the same method than the manual approach and seems broken for catalina, too. with "sudo mount -uw / ; killall Finder" it is possible to get the altered pkg to show an "install anyway" button but the installation fails at the very end after installing and registering when doing the last verification. it still shows the old build#.

i'm deeply thankful for ideas, fixes and new approaches that could make unsupported offline catalina updates possible again.

Try a DM to @Dayo He wrote the script.

Sounds like CatalinaOTAswufix.app may be the only approach at this point?

 

[Dayo]

Try a DM to Dayo

No need.

Script is not tested on Catalina which I don't use.

Appears from reading above that the requirements for this may be different from those for Mojave.
I thought they were the same but no idea.

 

[K two]

Hi Larsvonhier, my SSD has 128GB, used: 68GB, free: 38GB
Onyx and Terminal (via tmutil listlocalsnapshots /) show an existing snapshot, and in Onyx I can make local snapshots, which are then congruent with the listing from Terminal.

The mentioned program from the Apple Support discussion suggested, Time Machine Editor, does not have any effect.

What can be done to resolve the TM problem, if you have any suggestions, I'd be glad to implement.

Have you looked into https://eclecticlightdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/t2m2116.zip Particularly if the issue resides on the TM volume? TM works as expected on this Mini3,1 with USB/SSD TM drive with Build 19H1011.

 

[K two]

No need.

Script is not tested on Catalina which I don't use.

Appears from reading above that the requirements for this may be different from those for Mojave.
I thought they were the same but no idea.

Good to know, thanks. Quick response, too! ?

 

[roysterdoyster]

Have you looked into https://eclecticlightdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/t2m2116.zip Particularly if the issue resides on the TM volume? TM works as expected on this Mini3,1 with USB/SSD TM drive with Build 19H1011.

The app gives no error message, says it's all ok. TM does still not work.

 

[jacksbikes]

If you can't Option key a bootable part besides the Mac HD, that could mean there is no other bootable partition! IOW a corruption. So if you have another system at hand, remaking the Catalina installer drive is worth a shot.

To save time, maybe just make an OpenCore loader as described in prev posts. If you can't get it to work, then find another ext hard drive.

I had similar prob where a USB flash drive with OpenCore loader would not appear in Option boot menu. I remade the install a couple times and even zeroed the first couple megs of the flash drive with dd to clobber the partition table —which has helped on other occasions —but nope. I used another flash drive and it worked first go.

You keep mentioning the Cmd key, but it's the Option key, as in to choose an "optional" boot part. Verify the keyboard Option (PC keyboard Alt) key is working! Cmd goes with various letter combos, such as Cmd-R for boot Apple's stock Recovery partition, or V for verbose boot, etc.

PRAM reset, 1 chime is enough. I don't know where the lore about 3 chimes came from. 5 is eye-rolling / magickz. A red herring. PRAM should not affect Option boot with a wired keyboard, but SMC might affect readiness of USB / BT controller / config, maybe. I can Option boot a Mac Pro 3,1 with a BT keyboard so the wireless config is saved in some low-level location which pre-exists the running OS. Whether it is "PRAM" idk.

Focus on getting Option boot to work by verifying KB and building another boot drive.

Review of issue: All sorts of problems when I tried to install Catalina updates with CatalinaOTAswufix.app (Yes, I am a novice.) I couldn't re-boot to anything useful. See bolded (my emphasis)

I checked the Macally keyboard on my laptop: option/alt key was not working. So whenever I tried booting to an external drive/CatalinaPatcher USB drive/zapping PRAM/anything with Option/Alt key to fix a botched Supplemental Update, I got nowhere. (Moral: check the simple stuff.) I bought a used Mac keyboard nearby, booted to the CatalinaPatcher USB, and restored from Time Machine backup I had made just prior to update attempt. (Btw, the internal 500GB SSD does seem to be formatted APFS.)

I'll still have to decide whether to re-attempt the Supplemental Upgrade to the restored-from-Time-Machine Catalina Patcher 10.15.7 or wait to see if Apple puts out another complete Catalina update and hope that DosDude updates the Patcher. I'm still unclear whether I need the USBOpenCoreAPFSloader3.app in addition to the CatalinaOTAswufix.app [21.5" late 2009 iMac 10,1; 500 GB SSD which does seem to be formatted APFS, 16 GB RAM.] Thanks, all.

 

[K two]

Review of issue: All sorts of problems when I tried to install Catalina updates with CatalinaOTAswufix.app (Yes, I am a novice.) I couldn't re-boot to anything useful. See bolded (my emphasis)

I checked the Macally keyboard on my laptop: option/alt key was not working. So whenever I tried booting to an external drive/CatalinaPatcher USB drive/zapping PRAM/anything with Option/Alt key to fix a botched Supplemental Update, I got nowhere. (Moral: check the simple stuff.) I bought a used Mac keyboard nearby, booted to the CatalinaPatcher USB, and restored from Time Machine backup I had made just prior to update attempt. (Btw, the internal 500GB SSD does seem to be formatted APFS.)

I'll still have to decide whether to re-attempt the Supplemental Upgrade to the restored-from-Time-Machine Catalina Patcher 10.15.7 or wait to see if Apple puts out another complete Catalina update and hope that DosDude updates the Patcher. I'm still unclear whether I need the USBOpenCoreAPFSloader3.app in addition to the CatalinaOTAswufix.app [21.5" late 2009 iMac 10,1; 500 GB SSD which does seem to be formatted APFS, 16 GB RAM.] Thanks, all.

Go to /Library/Updates ƒ and delete everything in that folder. CatalinaOTAswufix.app will now work. If you patched your bootROM to boot APFS natively, the OpenCoreAPFSloader3 is not needed to see the second stage of macOS Installer otherwise run the app and follow the built-in instructions.

 

[K two]

The app gives no error message, says it's all ok. TM does still not work.

Question - Was the original v.1.4.4 USB built from an original install or a backed-up install residing on the main drive?

 

[roysterdoyster]

Question - Was the original v.1.4.4 USB built from an original install or a backed-up install residing on the main drive?

Not sure, if I understand what you mean.
If you refer to the macOS Base System USB drive built with dosdude1‘s Catalina patcher 1.4.4: I downloaded the patcher, and followed through the automated process within the app

 

[vasigio]

Try a DM to @Dayo He wrote the script.

Sounds like CatalinaOTAswufix.app may be the only approach at this point?

i think dayo's script is the script i was talking about and tested (dakanji 's FixMacUpdates.sh).
seems he has just another name on github

No need.

Script is not tested on Catalina which I don't use.

Appears from reading above that the requirements for this may be different from those for Mojave.
I thought they were the same but no idea.

thank you very much for your script. i tested it with "sudo mount -uw / ; killall Finder" to get the altered pkg to show an "install anyway" button but the installation fails at the end after installing and registering when doing the last verification. it still shows the old build number.


1. there seem to be another check of some kind. i saw the first check disabling approach came from @ASentientBot back in unsupported sierra high sierra times, right?

2. are the check workarounds in @jackluke 's open source CatalinaOTAswufix somehow helpful to fix the manual FixMacUpdates.sh method? https://github.com/jacklukem/CatalinaOTAswufix

3. do you guys think it would be somehow possible to hack the CatalinaOTAswufix.app method entirely offline together with downloaded files from the catalog? the files downloaded manually or on another catalina mac.

4. would it make sense to share the temporary update partition that CatalinaOTAswufix creates to boot and install the update from? could this partition created on an online catalina mac install the updates on another offline catalina mac?


thanks for your input!!

 

[hunter_a]

I finally managed to get Catalina (10.15.7) running on MacBook Air mid-2011 13' with 1.4.4 patcher. Didn't do anything major, after Nth time trying to put the image on the USB the installation finally booted up. However, now I'm having some WiFi issues. It stopes working/detecting networks once I close the lid of the laptop and open it back up. Maybe going to sleep kills it? Disabling and enabling WiFi doesn't seem to help. When I restart the laptop, it seems to be working again and detects WiFi networks again. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks for reading.

 

[makra]

I finally managed to get Catalina (10.15.7) running on MacBook Air mid-2011 13' with 1.4.4 patcher. Didn't do anything major, after Nth time trying to put the image on the USB the installation finally booted up. However, now I'm having some WiFi issues. It stopes working/detecting networks once I close the lid of the laptop and open it back up. Maybe going to sleep kills it? Disabling and enabling WiFi doesn't seem to help. When I restart the laptop, it seems to be working again and detects WiFi networks again. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks for reading.

Only after having those issues twice following an update, I saw a specific option in Catalina Patcher, that isn't recommended by default for my MBP 13" Late 2011: #13,550

Can you find out in System Profiler, which AirPort card is installed in your MBA? The firmware is shown in System Profiler?

 

[makra]

deleted

 

[K two]

Not sure, if I understand what you mean.
If you refer to the macOS Base System USB drive built with dosdude1‘s Catalina patcher 1.4.4: I downloaded the patcher, and followed through the automated process within the app

• Did you run the Patcher v.1.4.4. app from the Applications ƒ or the Applications/Utilities ƒ when the USB was originally built?
ª Was the macOS running on the machine which was used to build the USB, a TM recovered install or original?

 

[K two]

i think dayo's script is the script i was talking about and tested (dakanji 's FixMacUpdates.sh).
seems he has just another name on github


thank you very much for your script. i tested it with "sudo mount -uw / ; killall Finder" to get the altered pkg to show an "install anyway" button but the installation fails at the end after installing and registering when doing the last verification. it still shows the old build number.


1. there seem to be another check of some kind. i saw the first check disabling approach came from @ASentientBot back in unsupported sierra high sierra times, right?

2. are the check workarounds in @jackluke 's open source CatalinaOTAswufix somehow helpful to fix the manual FixMacUpdates.sh method? https://github.com/jacklukem/CatalinaOTAswufix

3. do you guys think it would be somehow possible to hack the CatalinaOTAswufix.app method entirely offline together with downloaded files from the catalog? the files downloaded manually or on another catalina mac.

4. would it make sense to share the temporary update partition that CatalinaOTAswufix creates to boot and install the update from? could this partition created on an online catalina mac install the updates on another offline catalina mac?


thanks for your input!!

The macOS Installer "partition" is ø2 of the process. Read the @jackluke detailed description of the entire OTA update operation - https://forums.macrumors.com/thread....2183772/page-379?post=28320558#post-28320558 You may find it helpful? Remote OTA update is an interesting notion. ?

 

[K two]

I didn't manage to reply at first attempt. Since I can't manage to delete my second post, I edit it in order to ask precisely this: Is it possible to delete a post?

Select Edit from under the post, backspace everything out and enter 'deleted' ?

 

[Dayo]

1. there seem to be another check of some kind. i saw the first check disabling approach came from ASentientBot back in unsupported sierra high sierra times, right?

Yes, The script is straight off Post 1 of the HiSierra thread with the volume check one added separately.

2. are the check workarounds in jackluke 's open source CatalinaOTAswufix somehow helpful to fix the manual FixMacUpdates.sh method? https://github.com/jacklukem/CatalinaOTAswufix

No idea. Never had to tackle such problems and actually, I have since moved on to just using OTA from OpenCore once it became clear that this works just as well on a cMP3,1 as on any other unit.

3. do you guys think it would be somehow possible to hack the CatalinaOTAswufix.app method entirely offline together with downloaded files from the catalog? the files downloaded manually or on another catalina mac.

Just a crazy thought ... Have you tried running the modified package with SIP disabled? Seems there is a good chance that the last block might be SIP related.

4. would it make sense to share the temporary update partition that CatalinaOTAswufix creates to boot and install the update from? could this partition created on an online catalina mac install the updates on another offline catalina mac?

No idea. I don't use Catalina myself and never looked into those tools.