macOS 11 Big Sur on Unsupported Macs Thread

[David dongfox]

I would suggest that you copy/paste us the output of your first command: diskutil list. That way someone here can make sure you are selecting the correct Big Sur system disk (there are a few now). As for the rest of the commands:
2. mount -uw blah blah
3. cd /S* blah blah ending /R*/
4. ./apfs_systemsnapshot blah blah ending in -r ""

Note A: #2 thru #4 are case-sensitive and depend on spaces/no spaces really a lot!
Note B: the entries like /S*/L*/File* are simply unix shorthand (wildcards) for System, Library, Filesystems, and apfs.fs. *C and *R are Contents and Resources.
Note C: ./apfs_systemsnapshot means in the current directory you navigated to in #3, you are running the executable apfs_systemsnapshot. The rest of that command tells Terminal what to do and what to do it to.

Hope this helps. First though, you need someone to tell you where to find that executable. So post your output. And by all means type very carefully. A small mistake can be catastrophic! I know -- I've done it!

[Edit] Oh yes, the most important thing -- I forgot to say. Use Terminal's tab completition, especially when entering lots of characters. The shell will help you know you are in the right place, since it will complete the phrase or offer choices only if those choices are in the rest of the current working directory or in a link to it. It will also space things correctly. I'd be lost without tab completion. So, as an example in #3 you can type cd /S then hit tab and System/ will suddenly appear!

Hi, here is my diskutil list .please help me again.
Thanks

 

[borp99]

Alias tags.... has anyone else noticed that these are missing in Beta 9? Select a file or folder, hold Cmd+Opt and drag elsewhere (or right-click 'Make Alias) and an 'original' looking file or folder is showing in the other place. It's only when you do 'Get Info' that you see that it's an alias. This could lead to the source folder being deleted by mistake.

I just completed a second full install on a different partition to see if it was an error from my first full install but it happens the same way on the second b9. Is it just on my computer?

Actually, all of this came from my focus on the look of folders in Big Sur, and having huge problems updating to b9 (having previously requested and received help on this forum). My cMP 5,1 2010 simply would not boot past the 'macOS Installer'. The stage 1 or 2 progress bar moved 5-10mm from the left side then rebooted ad-infinitum. No delta updates on b6 worked. The b9 full installer didn't work using either Hax3, various OpenCore methods or JackLuke's B9 fix or Barry K's 0.32 micropatcher. However, Barry's most recent 0.33 did work - horray!!! Thank you, Barry.

On a side matter which may interest some members here... I really hate the look of the bright neon-blue system folders (a template folder onto which SF font glyphs are placed eg. to become the Users, Library, Downloads folders etc.) in Big Sur. I think the bright blue folders have been similar for all previous OS's since 10.10 but it was easy to change them with the 'LiteIcon' app up to/incl. 10.15 (...I still prefer the 10.9 ones!). With Big Sur, Apple moved the (more-or-less) GenericFolder icon set from S/L/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle into an Assets.car file. That has been in BS's /S/L/CS/IconResources.bundle from b1-b8 but (after much searching) Apple have (for b9, and onwards?) moved it into S/L/PrivateFrameworks⁩/⁨IconFoundation.framework⁩/Versions/A/Resources.

I've been updating my progress to have control over the look of this system-wide folder in two other Macrumors forums: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/changing-system-icons-on-big-sur.2243470/ and https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/changing-folder-icons-big-sur.2245940 if you are interested.

[UPDATE: Alias tags are back with Beta10]

 

[jackluke]

Hi, here is my diskutil list .please help me again.
Thanks

I wrote that you should do that from a Big Sur Recovery environment , though it is also doable from normal booting, but with few changes, first requirement is csrutil authenticated-root disable, then from your picture, copy paste one line at once:

sudo -s

csrutil authenticated-root

(check that it is disabled)

diskutil mount disk1s5

mount -uw /Volumes/MacOs\ 1

(because the label MacOs is already in use by disk1s5s1 that is its snapshot)

(this makes writable your BigSur system disk1s5)

cd /S*/L*/File*/apfs*/C*/R*/

./apfs_systemsnapshot -v /Volumes/MacOs\ 1  -r ""

(this tags an empty string to disable snapshot booting disk1s5s1 on your BigSur system disk1s5)

 

[Arnomacmini]

Hello Everybody, i would like to install new graphic metal card on Mac mini mid 2011 ( 5.1) to upgrade it with Big sur .
I have now Intel HD 3000 ( non metal)

I've an SSD disk with Catalina 10.15.6 actually.
Which Good metal could i buy for easily upgrade for Big sur please ?
Have i to change other thing ? ( bluetooth or wifi card )


SSD 480 Go (480 103 981 056 octets)
Modèle : CT480BX500SSD1
Graphic : Intel HD Graphics 3000 :
bluetotooth : Broadcom (4.0)
Wifi : AirPort Extreme (0x14E4, 0xE4)
Version du programme interne : Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (7.21.190.33

Thanks a lot for advices, great job , thanks for all .

 

[amaze1499]

Thanks for the info. I'll keep an eye out for this. Is this a MacBookPro9,2 (Mid 2012 non-Retina) or MacBookPro10,2 (Late 2012 Retina)?

Non retina that is.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Hello Everybody, i would like to install new graphic metal card on Mac mini mid 2011 ( 5.1) to upgrade it with Big sur .
I have now Intel HD 3000 ( non metal)

I've an SSD disk with Catalina 10.15.6 actually.
Which Good metal could i buy for easily upgrade for Big sur please ?
Have i to change other thing ? ( bluetooth or wifi card )


SSD 480 Go (480 103 981 056 octets)
Modèle : CT480BX500SSD1
Graphic : Intel HD Graphics 3000 :
bluetotooth : Broadcom (4.0)
Wifi : AirPort Extreme (0x14E4, 0xE4)
Version du programme interne : Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (7.21.190.33

Thanks a lot for advices, great job , thanks for all .

This is off topic and impossible. You can surely add memory, change disks and put a sticker on the case. For all the repair options take a look here ....

 

[Arnomacmini]

This is off topic and impossible. You can surely add memory, change disks and put a sticker on the case. For all the repair options take a look here ....

But i thought it was the only way to have big sur witn micropatcher working on my machine ?
Cause of graphic metal card ?

 

[Ausdauersportler]

But i thought it was the only way to have big sur witn micropatcher working on my machine ?
Cause of graphic metal card ?

No, changing the card is no option. I already wrote this once. You simply cannot change the graphics card in any Mac mini or MacBook Modell I know off.

Unless somebody enables magically some software based graphics acceleration for those old HD3000 you are at a dead end. Stay with Catalina or buy a new Mac. This is the current message and do not shoot the messenger.

You can use the micro patcher and install Big Sur (Beta 9), but you will face the really bad graphics performance. It is up to you spending the time into this test. I cannot share any experience, my current hardware has metal graphics cards.

 

[telepati]

I wrote that you should do that from a Big Sur Recovery environment , though it is also doable from normal booting, but with few changes, first requirement is csrutil authenticated-root disable, then from your picture, copy paste one line at once:

sudo -s

csrutil authenticated-root

(check that it is disabled)

diskutil mount disk1s5

mount -uw /Volumes/MacOs\ 1

(because the label MacOs is already in use by disk1s5s1 that is its snapshot)

(this makes writable your BigSur system disk1s5)

cd /S*/L*/File*/apfs*/C*/R*/

./apfs_systemsnapshot -v /Volumes/MacOs\ 1  -r ""

(this tags an empty string to disable snapshot booting disk1s5s1 on your BigSur system disk1s5)

will this method break the Snapshots? Cause deleting snapshot breaking the OTA.

And is it possible to boot with snapshots again?

 

[justperry]

But i thought it was the only way to have big sur witn micropatcher working on my machine ?
Cause of graphic metal card ?

And to add to Ausdauersportler post above, the Intel HD3000 card is integrated into the CPU, how would you upgrade that, the only way is to completely Upgrade the CPU package, which is...impossible.

There might be an external GPU solution but even if you could get that to work properly it is far more expensive than buying a secondhand Mac Mini.
Personally, I have 2 Macs (Actually 5 but don't use them anymore) a 2012 MM and a 2012 MBP, I would like to buy a new Mac, but I am going to wait for the arm Macs.

 

[macinfo]

But i thought it was the only way to have big sur witn micropatcher working on my machine ?
Cause of graphic metal card ?

Only solution that could provide metal graphics compatibility is using the 2011 Mac mini with a eGPU, via it’s Thunderbolt port. I have this planned for myself, but if that really will work well with Big Sur is probably another story.

 

[jackluke]

will this method break the Snapshots? Cause deleting snapshot breaking the OTA.

And is it possible to boot with snapshots again?

That method to fix "sudo mount -uw /" doesn't delete the snapshot but tags an empty one, you could reuse a previous snapshot from an USB BigSur installer recovery:

diskutil apfs listSnapshots /Volumes/BigSurLabel

mount -uw /Volumes/BigSurLabel

cd /S*/L*/File*/apfs*/C*/R*/

./apfs_systemsnapshot -v /Volumes/BigSurLabel -r "snapshotname"

or to make a new one

./apfs_systemsnapshot -v /Volumes/BigSurLabel -s "newsnapshotname"

but both imply to rebuild a new kernelcollection (kmutil install --update-all ; kcditto) because previous BootKernelExtensions.kc UUID is changed, otherwise kp on later booting (single user mode CMD+S should work to fix kmutil).

Another easier method to fix snapshot booting is through micropatcher unpatch kext or reinstall BigSur that will make a stock apple "com.apple.os.update".

 

[vincenzo79]

Nope, the Time Machine is just for backup if something isn't working right.
So

Make a backup using TimeMachine.
Download the new full Installer, make a USB Installer with the help of Micropatch.

That's it, it's called "Install in Place" without erasing anything, your files will be safe.

It's rare for a macOS installer to mess up, especially on supported Macs, it's almost always possible to fix macOS without reinstalling.

This way I update my system ... and I can apply it when the patch is released This way I update my system ... and I can apply it when the Micropatch patch is released. Then I start with the USB stick and he updates. Correct?

 

[MacHacJac]

Ok guys, quick update on my patcher. Right now, most of what I'm doing is tinkering with BaseSystem.dmg to see if I can patch stuff on it in any way. Unfortunately for now, though, patching it either crashes the installer or just doesn't get recognized in the recovery OS and doesn't show up in "Utilities". I will continue to work on some easier tasks once GM comes out so I can finalize most things that shouldn't change nearly as much once we get a stable release.

If anyone can give me any tips/suggestions/resources on Basesystem patching an application, please let me know. Any help is appreciated. I already had a nice chat with BarryKN about his trampoline, as well as patching base system.dmg.

 

[justperry]

This way I update my system ... and I can apply it when the patch is released This way I update my system ... and I can apply it when the Micropatch patch is released. Then I start with the USB stick and he updates. Correct?

Again

1. Make a (TimeMachine) backup.
2. Download the *full installer, make a USB stick and use micropatcher, read the instructions there.

That's it.

*Full installer can mostly be found here in this thread shortly after Apple releases it.
Shortly depends on Apple, for beta 7 & 8 there was no full installer.

 

[jackluke]

Ok guys, quick update on my patcher. Right now, most of what I'm doing is tinkering with BaseSystem.dmg to see if I can patch stuff on it in any way. Unfortunately for now, though, patching it either crashes the installer or just doesn't get recognized in the recovery OS and doesn't show up in "Utilities". I will continue to work on some easier tasks once GM comes out so I can finalize most things that shouldn't change nearly as much once we get a stable release.

If anyone can give me any tips/suggestions/resources on Basesystem patching an application, please let me know. Any help is appreciated. I already had a nice chat with BarryKN about his trampoline, as well as patching base system.dmg.

I guess you are using a prelinkedkernel to boot a patched BaseSystem with ASentientBot 0xfff boot.efi (or csr-active-config w%09%00%00 with a stock boot.efi) and Barry method to replace the BaseSystem kext already present from a full Big Sur install, because seems the BootKernelExtensions.kc can't boot a patched BaseSystem due to wrong UUID matching with BaseSystemKernelExtensions.kc .

About adding custom Utilities menu you could check this path to edit:

/Volumes/macOS\ Base\ System/System/Installation/CDIS/Recovery\ Springboard.app/Contents/Resources/Utilities.plist

rather than /Volumes/macOS\ Base\ System/System/Applications/ maybe consider to add your patching app directly on the USB BigSur installer root, booting from there BaseSystem ramdisk uses this fixed path: /Volumes/Image\ Volume/

I'd not advise to patch the APFS BaseSystem's Preboot, I noticed that apple changed its UUID folder at every BigSur update.

 

[MacHacJac]

I guess you are using a prelinkedkernel to boot a patched BaseSystem with ASentientBot 0xfff boot.efi (or csr-active-config w%09%00%00 with a stock boot.efi) and Barry method to replace the BaseSystem kext already present from a full Big Sur install, because seems the BootKernelExtensions.kc can't boot a patched BaseSystem due to wrong UUID matching with BaseSystemKernelExtensions.kc .

About adding custom Utilities menu you could check this path to edit:

/Volumes/macOS\ Base\ System/System/Installation/CDIS/Recovery\ Springboard.app/Contents/Resources/Utilities.plist

rather than /Volumes/macOS\ Base\ System/System/Applications/ maybe consider to add your patching app directly on the USB BigSur installer root, booting from there BaseSystem ramdisk uses this fixed path: /Volumes/Image\ Volume/

I'd not advise to patch the APFS BaseSystem's Preboot, I noticed that apple changed its UUID folder at every BigSur update.

Huh, interesting! I'll try it out! Does this replace patching in any other locations? Where else do I need to edit for the patching to take place, if you know? I've never done this method before. (And yes, I'm using a prelinkedkernel of that configuration for now)
If anyone has any other incite, please let me know!

 

[buckrock]

Alias tags.... has anyone else noticed that these are missing in Beta 9? Select a file or folder, hold Cmd+Opt and drag elsewhere (or right-click 'Make Alias) and an 'original' looking file or folder is showing in the other place. It's only when you do 'Get Info' that you see that it's an alias. This could lead to the source folder being deleted by mistake.
...

You are right; the arrow is gone. They do look a bit different though:

 

[buckrock]

That method to fix "sudo mount -uw /" doesn't delete the snapshot but tags an empty one, you could reuse a previous snapshot from an USB BigSur installer recovery:

diskutil apfs listSnapshots /Volumes/BigSurLabel

mount -uw /Volumes/BigSurLabel

cd /S*/L*/File*/apfs*/C*/R*/

./apfs_systemsnapshot -v /Volumes/BigSurLabel -r "snapshotname"

or to make a new one

./apfs_systemsnapshot -v /Volumes/BigSurLabel -s "newsnapshotname"

...

... and for interesting reading, do look at the manual in Terminal man apfs_systemsnapshot.

 

[Tech Enthusiasm]

Many thanks @Barry K. Nathan for your swift response! I redid the install-setvars part with install-setvars.sh -v to use verbose mode and I booted from “EFI Boot”. However, when I tried booting from the installer, the machine rebooted before any error showed up. I also ran the command “hdiutil verify /Volumes/Install\ macOS\ Big\ Sur\ Beta/BaseSystem/BaseSystem.dmg”, as you advised, and the last line said “hdiutil: verify: checksum of "/Volumes/Install macOS Big Sur Beta/BaseSystem/BaseSystem.dmg" is VALID” — as you said it should. But, interestingly, after I redid install-setvars the installer showed up as “EFI Boot” instead of “Install macOS Big Sur Beta”. Am I missing something? Do you know any other way I can try to get Big Sur installed?





Thank you

Update: I have resolved the issue. I redid both micropatcher.sh and install-setvars.sh (not verbose mode) and I reset the NVRAM. After that, I booted from "EFI Boot" and then the installer and it worked! I installed macOS Big Sur just like on a natively supported mac. After that, I got Wi-Fi working using the terminal command in macOS "/Volumes/Install\ macOS\ Big\ Sur\ Beta/patch-kexts.sh".

Huge thanks @Barry K. Nathan for making this possible!

 

[David Alejandro Rachè]

Thank you so much for the micropatcher!

 

[jackluke]

While I was editing the Utilities.plist for customize menu, I noticed that on the BigSur BaseSystem.dmg there is an apple app indicated as ARM only, but it works also on Intel cpus, you can launch it even directly from an USB BigSur Installer or Recovery terminal: /System/Installation/CDIS/Share*/C*/M*/Share*

this should be the new apple "target disk mode" that they dropped on BigSur but made for ARM , haven't tested it yet but the app launches also from a BigSur normal booting, the app works only on BigSur because build for SDK 11.0 , here is attached.

 

[justperry]

While I was editing the Utilities.plist for customize menu, I noticed that on the BigSur BaseSystem.dmg there is an apple app indicated as ARM only, but it works also on Intel cpus, you can launch it even directly from an USB BigSur Installer or Recovery terminal: /System/Installation/CDIS/Share*/C*/M*/Share*

this should be the new apple "target disk mode" that they dropped on BigSur but made for ARM , haven't tested it yet but the app launches also from a BigSur normal booting, the app works only on BigSur because build for SDK 11.0 , here is attached.

I got this:

 

[MacHacJac]

While I was editing the Utilities.plist for customize menu, I noticed that on the BigSur BaseSystem.dmg there is an apple app indicated as ARM only, but it works also on Intel cpus, you can launch it even directly from an USB BigSur Installer or Recovery terminal: /System/Installation/CDIS/Share*/C*/M*/Share*

this should be the new apple "target disk mode" that they dropped on BigSur but made for ARM , haven't tested it yet but the app launches also from a BigSur normal booting, the app works only on BigSur because build for SDK 11.0 , here is attached.

Whoa!!! That's so strange!

 

[MacHacJac]

I got this:

View attachment 963284

Yeah I got the same thing