macOS 11 Big Sur on Unsupported Macs Thread

[Capeto]

Plenty of quad-core Haswell iMacs with discrete graphics that run Big Sur very well. It runs at least as well as Catalina.

Ah, makes sense. I have a base-model i5 so that's probably why it struggles.

 

[air.man]

No idea why anyone would want to install Big Sur on unsupported machines, other than for the cool technical aspect of it. It runs terribly on my officially supported Early 2015 MBP and I ended up downgrading back to Catalina.

Well, my MBP8,2 early 2011 runs BS ways better than Catalina, believe me...

 

[K two]

No idea why anyone would want to install Big Sur on unsupported machines, other than for the cool technical aspect of it. It runs terribly on my officially supported Early 2015 MBP and I ended up downgrading back to Catalina.

Overall, Big Sur runs as well as patched Catalina, the only issues observed are not with the macOS itself but in the implementation of the patches and is to be expected. Can be used as daily driver on Mini3,1 and iMac11,2 w/ OCLP very reliably. YMMV

 

[indiawallah]

Post deleted about Backlight 'fix'

 

[AvaQueen]

Huh, interesting! I will test this out as soon as I can. Just be careful what you do on OC configurator...

 

[dhinakg]

I am not sure what the current situation is with regards to the keyboard backlight not working. I seem to have got it working on my MacBook Pro 5,4. I am by no means an expert on such things. Very much a NOOB!!

Will give details of how I made the ' fix'

I downloaded a few different things to help in the process.


1. MountEFI A utility in order to mount the OpenCore EFI
2. OpenCore Configurator from OpenCore Configurator Changelog version 2.23.0.0
3. ProperTree a Cross platform GUI plist editor.

So to begin with I downloaded the above.

I then mounted the EFI partition where OpenCore is located using MountEFi ( opening the MountEFI.command in terminal). Keep mounted till the end of the whole process.

Once mounted I opened the OpenCore Configurator app and on the menu bar and clicked ' Open' .....and then clicked on the config.plist file to import it to the Configurator.

Once this is done ensure you are on the ACPI section. At the foot of the page click on ' Download / Update ACPI '
When you have done this a page will appear with various SSDTs....

Scroll down to one that is called ' SSDT-PNLF' "Fix Backlight.For most users" and click on the square button to the left of its name so it is has a blue tick......Then click on Download.

Once Downloaded you will be brought back to previous page with the SSDT-PNLF added.....click Save in menu
If you navigate to the EFI folder you will now see that download in the ACPI folder.

The next thing I did was to open ProperTree by ( opening using the ProperTree.command in terminal) . A page will appear saying untitled.plist. On the menu bar simply click on ' File ' ....and then ' Open ' and again click on the config.plist.
Doing this will very simply add the ' backlight patch' to OC config.plist and then click ' Save ' on the menu bar.

The last thing I did....not sure if needed was to rebuild OpenCore and install to the drive where I had OpenCore located.

I then rebooted , and as it was evening time when I did this , had the keyboard backlight working!!!

This is questionable for 2 reasons:
1. Apple ACPI already has a PNLF device defined, and PNLF is for screen brightness, not keyboard backlight.
2. The prebuilt SSDT (which when talking to the user, appears to be sourced from our (dortania's) hackintosh laptop guide) doesn't even use the correct path anyway, so it'll error out and won't be loaded (can be verified in logs).

But I tested it anyways on my MacBookPro5,3, with and without the path fixed, and I cannot reproduce any change. Keyboard backlight is still stuck at off. If we look at IOReg, we see that the ApplePanelRawBrightness property is only changing on the _SB.PNLF entry, suggesting that the additional PNLF is useless.

Going to explore a little more, but doubtful this will lead to anything.

 

[Budmaster]

you weren't able to add the option because of unfamiliarity with applying OC patches?

Exactly!
Thank you for understanding. I'm not in a hurry, but gradually I will either figure out the intricacies, or ... update the hardware

 

[dhinakg]

I think i have understood the question. OCLP can only be run on Catalina and above but OCLP generated EFI can be use from HS onward So one need at least a modern system to create the files that will help upgrade the older one.

OCLP can be run from Lion to Big Sur. The EFI it generates is designed for Big Sur only. If it works on Catalina and below, that's great, but that's coincidental and we don't currently offer support for that.

 

[maxsp97]

cMP mid 2012 updated Big Sur 11.4 Beta 3 with OCLP 0.1.2.

 

[dhinakg]

Just updated OC using OCLP 0.1.2 and I was slightly confused by the new default settings. Why are the Acceleration Patches enabled by default on a MacPro5,1 with a Metal GPU (5700 XT)? I turned them off since they shouldn't apply to my machine and I'm running Big Sur, but I'm wondering if this might trip up other people if they don't modify the defaults.

Also, should I change setting #4 or just let it detect my GPU?

View attachment 1772489

Oops apparently that option doesn't do anything. Will be removed in a bit

But even if you try to patch the root volume, OCLP will detect that you don't need it and will refuse, unless if you turn on "Assume Legacy GPU".

 

[Allistah]

Hey all --

Thanks for everyone that has made those Open Core install work so well. Thank you! I just moved over from the Barry micropatcher. Everything seems to work great except one small thing. I have an iMac 12,2 with an upgraded K4100M video card in it. With the stock wallpaper, if I bring up Safari and move it around, it turns into a transparency mode and the shaded wallpaper has really bad banding on it. Not a big deal, everything seems to work well - even unlocking with my Apple Watch. I guess it picked up the upgraded Wifi/BT module on its own - that's great!

Any way to fix this video issue at all?

 

[buckrock]

Just updated OC using OCLP 0.1.2 and I was slightly confused by the new default settings. Why are the Acceleration Patches enabled by default on a MacPro5,1 with a Metal GPU (5700 XT)? I turned them off since they shouldn't apply to my machine and I'm running Big Sur, but I'm wondering if this might trip up other people if they don't modify the defaults.

Also, should I change setting #4 or just let it detect my GPU?

View attachment 1772489

Since my rMBP mid-2012 has an upgraded wifi card, I also found it a bit confusing regarding how these options are set. But I did find that if I selected option 5, the explanation for how and why to change it or leave it alone was clear; in my case "false" is the correct setting since the software detected my upgraded card and thus didn't need assume I had the card, in other words it was already checked and dealt with.

My experiences with option 1 and 6 were also good: the next screen after selecting and option was clear on the outcomes and why one would want to change the settings.

 

[buckrock]

Hi Everyone
I have an issue trying to run this code

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Big\ Sur.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume/
Password:
dyld: Library not loaded: @executable_path/../Frameworks/IAESD.framework/Versions/A/IAESD
  Referenced from: /Applications/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia
  Reason: no suitable image found.  Did find:
    /Applications/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/Resources/../Frameworks/IAESD.framework/Versions/A/IAESD: mmap() error 1 at address=0x10AF65000, size=0x00008000 segment=__TEXT in Segment::map() mapping /Applications/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/Resources/../Frameworks/IAESD.framework/Versions/A/IAESD
    /Applications/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/Resources/../Frameworks/IAESD.framework/Versions/A/IAESD: mmap() error 1 at address=0x10AF80000, size=0x00008000 segment=__TEXT in Segment::map() mapping /Applications/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/Resources/../Frameworks/IAESD.framework/Versions/A/IAESD

$ sysctl -n hw.model
MacBookPro8,1

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2011)
2,8 GHz Intel Core i7
4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3

You problem might be simple: you do not want a "/" after "MyVolume" in the createinstallmedia command.

 

[Whynot2018]

You problem might be simple: you do not want a "/" after "MyVolume" in the createinstallmedia command.

I solved that issue.I need to upgrade first my macOS Sierra 10.10.5 to High Sierra 10.13.6 and then It works.

 

[Whynot2018]

You are better suited trying OCLP right now. The main developer of the micropatcher went away more than six month ago and I stopped developing on my fork.

OLCP includes even HD3000 graphics acceleration right now. Check the docs ... and the first post.

I solved that problem.I need to upgrade first my macOS Sierra 10.10.5 to High Sierra 10.13.6 and then It works.

You are better suited trying OCLP right now. The main developer of the micropatcher went away more than six month ago and I stopped developing on my fork.

OLCP includes even HD3000 graphics acceleration right now. Check the docs ... and the first post.

Ok I will check that.

 

[hvds]

Overall, Big Sur runs as well as patched Catalina, the only issues observed are not with the macOS itself but in the implementation of the patches and is to be expected. Can be used as daily driver on Mini3,1 and iMac11,2 w/ OCLP very reliably. YMMV

I'm using a BS 11.3.1 installed with OCLP 0.1.3, and one installed with BigSurBaseSystemfix, on separate SSDs. Both work very well.

I have a few Arduinos installed for hardware control functions, which need re-programming from time to time. They need an older version of AppleUSBACM.kext (v5.0.0, from Mojave I guess), as ASentientBot had found out long ago, and which still works in BS. I know how to do the replacement in the BigSurBaseSystemfix installation using jackluke's snapshot utilities, and I can access the Arduinos this way.

My question is: how to replace this kext in the OCLP installation?
(and some other kexts for more exotic use as well)


EDIT: using BS 11.3.1, not 11.3 (corrected above)

 

[Pri-est]

Hi guys!
Successfully Updated to 11.4 Beta 3 on Mac Pro 3.1 without issues.
OCLP 0.1.2

 

[hvds]

Updated MBP5,2 to 11.3.1 from 11.3.
This is a system-volume-patched system, to have graphics acceleration.

The update was offered in system settings. Download a little above 11GB, I stopped it to use the full installer.
Started the 11.3.1 installer app. Stage 1 is announced to take about 1.5h, so stopped this as well.

Then made with createinstallmedia a new USB installer for 11.3.1, and installed this via OCLP 0.1.2. One freeze during installation, retried with manual power-off and reboot od macOS installer via 0.1.2, then proceeds right to login. Ran 0.1.2 in booted system to re-apply graphics acceleration patches.

All running fine. Setting up prior to graphics acceleration patching is a bit slow, but once done, the MBP5,2 is still a very usable system with BS.

About the (rather infrequent) freezes observed on my MBP5,2 ( a Legacy USB machine) when installing to or booting an SSD on USB, with OCLP.

The appended picture is with BS 11.3, OCLP 0.1.3 with verbose setting, during booting. SSD and OCLP stick are on USB.
I've seen similar verbose output several times. Slightly different one from earlier exercises in 2nd picture.
On another boot attempt, SSD disk with BS and also holding OCLP (non-verbose) on USB, I looked at a KP which happened during boot, after the succeeding successful booting. Also attached.

 

[HonzaJaros]

Hi all,

I was searching here how to reinstall from Bensova's Patched Sur to OCLP without clean install? just reinstall I have 11.0.1 so I would go straight to 11.3. thanks

 

[Whynot2018]

You are better suited trying OCLP right now. The main developer of the micropatcher went away more than six month ago and I stopped developing on my fork.

OLCP includes even HD3000 graphics acceleration right now. Check the docs ... and the first post.

Great Work.I'm really impressed.It's not that slow.During Apple ID settings at the beginning was too slow but afterwards It was just like Sierra or little bit slower.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Hi all,

I was searching here how to reinstall from Bensova's Patched Sur to OCLP without clean install? just reinstall I have 11.0.1 so I would go straight to 11.3. thanks


View attachment 1773091

Patched Sur is a special case. While you can try to install a more recent version using an unpatched USB Installer and OCLP you may also open up your system to some problems discussed in this post by one of the main developers. Just read it, the few posts made on the same page before and decide yourself.

I would (still) recommend to use the backup / clean installation /restore way when migrating away from Patched Sur. The reward will be OTA upgrades in the future as long as Apple does not break things

 

[K two]

Don't know whether this is due to OCLP graphics patches or macOS but changing the resolution to one that is not listed in the Display CP (Apple removed the resolution I use for this 46" Samsung LED TV 1360x768 with the introduction of Big Sur) the Mini3,1 will freeze on boot-up w/ 25% progress. NVRAM reset will allow it to boot but only at full resolution. Any settings listed in the Display CP are bootable just fine. Using the EasyRes app from the AppStore to get 1360x768 among others also not listed in the CP. A minor PITA but getting that resoltion, present in ALL previous macOS, back in the CP would be nice.

Further: Removing display resolutions is Apple's doing and OCLP has nothing to do with it. Updating to v.0.1.3 improved boot-up times and removed the subtle shimmering graphics artifact seen at some resolutions on this Mini3,1.

 

[karesake]

Hi everyone,

I installed Big Sur with the latest version of OCLP on several Macs. (iMac 27" 2009 with i5, 4850) (iMac 21,5" 2010) and on following Macs - works everthing exept Audio. Does anyone have an fix ?

iMac 24" Early 2009
MacBook Pro 15" (2009)

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Hi everyone,

I installed Big Sur with the latest version of OCLP on several Macs. (iMac 27" 2009 with i5, 4850) (iMac 21,5" 2010) and on following Macs - works everthing exept Audio. Does anyone have an fix ?

iMac 24" Early 2009
MacBook Pro 15" (2009)

On the iMac11,x series AppleALC should provide sound out of the box. For the other systems read the online docs or search back the thread.

 

[Allistah]

With the latest OCLP on an iMac12,2 with a K4100M, do I have to do anything special for it? I'm getting some interesting banding issues going on with the transparency of windows. Everything else seems fine.. Not a big deal, was just curious. I installed 11.3.1.