macOS 11 Big Sur on Unsupported Macs Thread

[Barry K. Nathan]

How please
Explain I just get reboots and bootloops

Once your system gets to that point, boot from the patched installer USB or a previous macOS and see if you can find files with names starting with "install-log-" or "patchd-" and ending in ".log". If there's a volume called "Update" it's probably there. (Or check /System/Volumes/Update.)

Those logs might hold clues to what's going on.

 

[GSXB]

Once your system gets to that point, boot from the patched installer USB or a previous macOS and see if you can find files with names starting with "install-log-" or "patchd-" and ending in ".log". If there's a volume called "Update" it's probably there. (Or check /System/Volumes/Update.)

Those logs might hold clues to what's going on.

Once it starts bootlooping and I restart another OS the ssd is not available on the desktop and in disk utility is says installer
On the initial install screen if you press cmd+l the installer log is visible
And it all seems to be ok, the bootloops start from that point on, there is the ability to save a log in the root of the installer if that helps ?

 

[amaze1499]

could you elaborate or point me to the specific thread?

MBP mid 2012 (BigSur was installed, could not update directly, could not select any drive - Error:Update can't be installed and later BIdomainerror 3)
Connected via Ethernet during the installation process
Used the terminal to run all commands/scripts

Booted into BigSur Build 20A4300v:
Partitioned the internal SDD
Downloaded Installer .pkg 12.3GB
Created USB Installer
Patched the installer using micropatcher 0.0.20

Booted from USB:
Ran the sh scripts using Terminal - (BIdomainerror3 was fixed like that)
Installed BigSur (a few errors came up, running the installer again and keeping it connected via Ethernet did it in my case)
Installer took quite a while even when it says "one minute left"
Rebooted into 20A5343i successfully
Rebooted again from USB
Ran the patch-kexts using terminal as described and enabled Wifi connectivity successfully

The same procedures worked on the internal SSD as well as on the external HD via USB.
I had Barry's git hup page open on the iPad and followed the instructions.

@Barry K. Nathan @ASentientBot @jackluke Thanks again for your support and making this possible. BigSur runs perfectly fine on this machine.

 

[Barry K. Nathan]

Once it starts bootlooping and I restart another OS the ssd is not available on the desktop and in disk utility is says installer
On the initial install screen if you press cmd+l the installer log is visible
And it all seems to be ok, the bootloops start from that point on, there is the ability to save a log in the root of the installer if that helps ?

There might already be a log file on that Installer volume. Otherwise, I'll have to take some time to familiarize myself more with the Big Sur installation process. I'm not sure when I'll get a chance. (Possibly next weekend? We'll see...)

 

[GDMSR]

There might already be a log file on that Installer volume. Otherwise, I'll have to take some time to familiarize myself more with the Big Sur installation process. I'm not sure when I'll get a chance. (Possibly next weekend? We'll see...)

FWIW, my Early 2009 Mac Pro now has dual X5680 processors, as the originals had an issue with Catalina, but this only affected dual CPU models.

 

[Stevejediknight]

I've been doing my best to keep up with the daily posts but I haven't seen if anyone with a 2012 21.5 iMac has successfully installed BS with everything working, wifi, bluetooth etc with original OEM wifi card. I have been seeing posts about some who have upgraded their cards to a BCM94360CD and have the wifi working. Also, has anyone who hasn't gotten the original wifi card to work used a usb wifi adapter and has it worked? Thanks

 

[jhowarth]

I've been doing my best to keep up with the daily posts but I haven't seen if anyone with a 2012 21.5 iMac has successfully installed BS with everything working, wifi, bluetooth etc with original OEM wifi card. I have been seeing posts about some who have upgraded their cards to a BCM94360CD and have the wifi working. Also, has anyone who hasn't gotten the original wifi card to work used a usb wifi adapter and has it worked? Thanks

At least for jackluke's patched installer, you will very likely have to manually install the High Sierra copy of AppleHDA.kext and the Catalina copy of IO80211Family.kext in /S*/E* after installation of Big Sur. The Big Sur copies will block the legacy usb prelinkedkernel from using its own copies. IMHO, I suspect Big Sur will end up being very brittle on old hardware and require constant tweaking to keep it running during regular use (compared to Catalina).

 

[macinfo]

(b) or (c) means Legacy USB is needed, but there have been several Macs that I expected would do (b) that actually did (a) so go ahead and give it a try. I think a MacBookPro4,1 is going to do (c), but I'd like to know if my prediction is correct.

You are spot-on, it’s variant (c). ??

So what could be the next steps there, or would it be easier to first install the patched version on another machine (also have a MacBookPro8,2 (early 2011) lying around, where I could also do further experimentation.

 

[nandor690]

Once it starts bootlooping and I restart another OS the ssd is not available on the desktop and in disk utility is says installer
On the initial install screen if you press cmd+l the installer log is visible
And it all seems to be ok, the bootloops start from that point on, there is the ability to save a log in the root of the installer if that helps ?

Just to be sure, have you tried running the -no_compat_check command again from recovery? That happened to me on beta 4. Once I did that again and booted back into installer it finished the install

 

[GSXB]

There might already be a log file on that Installer volume. Otherwise, I'll have to take some time to familiarize myself more with the Big Sur installation process. I'm not sure when I'll get a chance. (Possibly next weekend? We'll see...)

found these log files on the update drive I've changed the file extension from .log to .pdf for uploading purposes

 

[nandor690]

FWIW, my Early 2009 Mac Pro now has dual X5680 processors, as the originals had an issue with Catalina, but this only affected dual CPU models.

Did you upgrade yours from single to dual? I have a w3690 in mine right now. I’m looking to get the dual cpu tray for mine

 

[Stevejediknight]

At least for jackluke's patched installer, you will very likely have to manually install the High Sierra copy of AppleHDA.kext and the Catalina copy of IO80211Family.kext in /S*/E* after installation of Big Sur. The Big Sur copies will block the legacy usb prelinkedkernel from using its own copies. IMHO, I suspect Big Sur will end up being very brittle on old hardware and require constant tweaking to keep it running during regular use (compared to Catalina).

Thank you for your response. So tell me if I’m understanding your information correctly. I would have to load the 2 mentioned kext flies after installing BS in order for the installed WiFi to work or for the usb WiFi adapter to work?

 

[GSXB]

found these two log files on the update drive
I've changed the file extension from .log to .txt for uploading purposes

Did you upgrade yours from single to dual? I have a w3690 in mine right now. I’m looking to get the dual cpu tray for mine

no still on the stock single 2.66 cpu this is the first problem I've had installing any os

 

[Alex-Microsmeta]

@ASentientBot @jackluke Since my Mac mini 2010 (macmini4,1 - all SSD + RAM specifics in firm) risks to be excluded from "Big Sur games", if you likes, I'm available for all tests you need... Simply guide me on what to do to experiment new patches to try to achieve Nvidia Geforce 320M acceleration. Now I'll start reinstalling beta 4 using @Barry K. Nathan micropatcher 0.0.20 on an external APFS hardisk partition, to avoid error 66 and enable ethernet and internal sounds

 

[justperry]

Installed the latest update last week.
Last time I had kernel panics is years ago, can't even remember, I have several a day now, just out of the blue, it's most likely safari, I am always browsing when it happens, actually, sometimes it's just on a page and am doing nothing at all on my MacMini for half an hour or more but sitting in front of it and then it just kernel panics.
After a restart I get a popup, ask me to see the report, when I do a few programs which open automatically crash, if I don't click on report all is well, except that crash reporter crashes.

 

[TimothyR734]

well I guess one needs to install a new wifi card to get wifi.
I think at the end of the day i will buy a cheap 2016 or so. this will all be crap as soon as silicon MacBooks arrive. you guys are definitely bright figuring out all this. If I can't sell my current early 2013 i will use it to try all the stuff you guys tell me to use thanks

does your Mac use Sandybridge if so run this in the Big Sur terminal then follow these instructions
sudo mount -uw / ; killall Finder

open /System/Library/Extensions/

replace from Finder in that path the IO80211Family.kext

sudo -s

chmod -R 755 /System/Library/Extensions/

chown -R 0:0 /System/Library/Extensions/

kextcache -i /

kmutil install --update-all

kcditto

reboot

 

[GSXB]

Just to be sure, have you tried running the -no_compat_check command again from recovery? That happened to me on beta 4. Once I did that again and booted back into installer it finished the install

Before I try to install I ran terminal and executed /Volumes/Image\ Volumes/set-vars.sh
And it said the boot flags were set and I could carry on with the install

 

[nandor690]

Before I try to install I ran terminal and executed /Volumes/Image\ Volumes/set-vars.sh
And it said the boot flags were set and I could carry on with the install

I know. But boot back into the usb stick and in terminal type

nvram boot-args=“-no_compat_check”

and then reboot and see if it finishes installing.

that’s what I had to do on beta 4 with my 4,1.

 

[GSXB]

I know. But boot back into the usb stick and in terminal type

nvram boot-args=“-no_compat_check”

and then reboot and see if it finishes installing.

that’s what I had to do on beta 4 with my 4,1.

I’ll try that later when the office cools down
Thanks for the advice
I’ve uploaded the install.log, as far as I can see it’s all in order. I may have missed something, there is an awful lot of txt to browse

 

[nandor690]

I’ll try that later when the office cools down
Thanks for the advice
I’ve uploaded the install.log, as far as I can see it’s all in order. I may have missed something, there is an awful lot of txt to browse

Make sure you try that. I just know from doing hackintoshes for the past 10 years that weird things can happen all the time. Even on the same machine from one install to the other.

 

[Alex-Microsmeta]

@jackluke it's normal this behaviour creating install media? Thank you!

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Big\ Sur\ Beta.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Install\ macOS


objc[2406]: Class IASNightInstallSupport is implemented in both /Applications/Install macOS Big Sur Beta.app/Contents/Frameworks/OSInstallerSetup.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/IAESD.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/IAInstallerUtilities.framework/Versions/A/IAInstallerUtilities (0x1152abac0) and /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/IASUtilities.framework/Versions/A/IASUtilities (0x102ab4080). One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.


objc[2406]: Class IASSystemInformation is implemented in both /Applications/Install macOS Big Sur Beta.app/Contents/Frameworks/OSInstallerSetup.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/IAESD.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/IAInstallerUtilities.framework/Versions/A/IAInstallerUtilities (0x1152abbd8) and /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/IASUtilities.framework/Versions/A/IASUtilities (0x102ab41c0). One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.


Ready to start.


To continue we need to erase the volume at /Volumes/Install macOS.


If you wish to continue type (Y) then press return:

 

[GSXB]

Make sure you try that. I just know from doing hackintoshes for the past 10 years that weird things can happen all the time. Even on the same machine from one install to the other.

I’ve had this Macpro for five years and did hacks from leopard onwards beforehand, my wife still uses a hack. In some ways they are so much less hassle. I will succeed
I have no doubt
Just need to find that nuance I’m missing

 

[Ivor Bigunn]

I just thought I would post this, in case it benefits anyone else.

First, a big thank you to @Barry K. Nathan and everyone else who has helped to let BS run on unsupported macs.

I followed his guide, and it worked faultlessly on my mid-2012 MacBookPro.

Patch-kexts.sh fixed the Wifi.

So all great !

But during installation I had sent `/Volumes/Image\ Volume/set-vars.sh -v` to get booting in Verbose mode.

Now I was stuck with always verbose booting.

So being a clever guy, I sent `sudo nvram boot-args=""` which I understood was the correct instruction to cancel verbose mode.

The result was that my next reboot failed with the dreaded "No Entry" sign.

Ha!

I thought that I would have to re-install BS, but on reflection, all I did was reboot into my installation USB stick, open Terminal, and send `/Volumes/Image\ Volume/set-vars.sh' , and now booting is good again. In fact, booting is very fast, I think faster than Catalina.

So I guess that `sudo nvram boot-args=""` wiped the entire boot settings?

Anyway, thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread,

Cheers!

IB

 

[MetricMile]

Can you open and operate IORegistryExplorer? Can you wake from sleep?

Just tested both those out and they do work for me. I am able to open the app and use it (go through tabs, menus, etc). Sleep also worked just as well as it did under Catalina. I am using the 144.0.0.0 boot rom. Not sure if that helps.

 

[justperry]

I just thought I would post this, in case it benefits anyone else.

First, a big thank you to @Barry K. Nathan and everyone else who has helped to let BS run on unsupported macs.

I followed his guide, and it worked faultlessly on my mid-2012 MacBookPro.

Patch-kexts.sh fixed the Wifi.

So all great !

But during installation I had sent `/Volumes/Image\ Volume/set-vars.sh -v` to get booting in Verbose mode.

Now I was stuck with always verbose booting.

So being a clever guy, I sent `sudo nvram boot-args=""` which I understood was the correct instruction to cancel verbose mode.

The result was that my next reboot failed with the dreaded "No Entry" sign.

Ha!

I thought that I would have to re-install BS, but on reflection, all I did was reboot into my installation USB stick, open Terminal, and send `/Volumes/Image\ Volume/set-vars.sh' , and now booting is good again. In fact, booting is very fast, I think faster than Catalina.

So I guess that `sudo nvram boot-args=""` wiped the entire boot settings?

Anyway, thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread,

Cheers!

IB

Not sure if this is true but I guess that command is the same as resetting NVRAM thereby erasing setting made by the user, that would make the mac not to boot, good you found the fairly easy solution, redoing the set-vars.sh solves the problem.