macOS 11 Big Sur on Unsupported Macs Thread

[GSXB]

Hi guys, I installed beta 2 easy as pie using parrot geeks method now on beta 3 initial install starts continues till 12 minutes then constant reboots. Am I missing something
cMP4.1/51.

 

[jackluke]

I tried this approach on a Late 2012 Mac Mini but pressing Alt/Option during the boot chime (after the second stage), there was no "Big Sur - Data" to select, only "mac OS Installer." Ended up with a sealed volume. On Beta 3, my install try showed "14 minutes remaining" on the initial stage.

Maybe if you reinstall it (without erasing) that method should work because on a clean BigSur install there isn't yet any BigSur Label (the installer needs to make during stage3 the "Big Sur Data"), or you could also allow the "macOS Installer" stage3 and then power-off at three quarter loading bar of that stage.

I guess "14 minutes remaining" is related to a faster cpu or sata3 ssd ? So it should be the same stage2 as "29 minutes remaining".

Otherwise after the stage1 quickly boot to another macOS and replace this file: UpdateOptions.plist.zip
on the /Volumes/BigSurLabel/macOS Install Data/

But to prevent the snapshot booting you should anyway skip the stage3 or during it power off at half loading bar.

You can even boot the stage3 "macOS Installer" with CMD+S (single user mode), then type "exit" and when verbose messages show a running of this command: apfs_sealvolume

you force a power-off exactly there (that command requires at least 3 minutes to complete, so you have enough time to power off), if that apfs_sealvolume fails you result in an unsealed volume with "sudo mount -uw /" working.

 

[civotit]

Maybe if you reinstall it should work because on a clean BigSur install there isn't yet any BigSur Label, or you could also allow the "macOS Installer" stage 3 and then power-off at three quarter loading bar of that stage.

Otherwise after the stage1 quickly boot to another macOS and replace this file:
on the /Volumes/BigSurLabel/macOS Install Data/

Thanks @jackluke, I'll reinstall on top of the sealed one I have now.

Question on the last suggestion, isn't the key value for DoNotSeal already set to "true" on the binary plist? Or was there any other change on the file?

 

[jackluke]

Thanks @jackluke, I'll reinstall on top of the sealed one I have now.

Question on the last suggestion, isn't the key value for DoNotSeal already set to "true" on the binary plist? Or was there any other change on the file?

I also noticed that DoNotSeal is already set to "true" or maybe because I used the ASentientBot Hax3.app : https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...unsupported-macs-thread.2242172/post-28619108

 

[TimothyR734]

You mean, in the opt/alt boot selector? That I also have since installing beta3, for my BS SSD on USB. In OpenCore it is labelled Preboot. On the desktop the volume is labelled correctly.

When I fixed my ethernet in Big Sur on the boot menu it went fro EFI Boot to Big Sur fix then once I got my Wifi working it is Macintosh HD -Data. On the Big Sur Desktop its Macintosh-HD-Data but on the Catalina Desktop its called Update

 

[TimothyR734]

That is really strange. (With my patcher, make sure you always do step 6 before step 7, and make sure not to reboot between steps 6 and 7. If you boot from a USB stick that has my patch, then try to do step 7 without doing step 6 first, that could cause the kinds of errors you're having. I can't think of anything else... By the way, earlier versions of my patcher would display a misleading message after step 6 that could make it sound like a reboot was necessary before step 7, but I fixed that in v0.0.11.)

Yes I have use the set-vars.sh that is when I run into can't prepare for installation error and I thing it is because of the amfi_get_get_out_of_my_way in nvram so I just set mine csrutil-disable and nvram boot-args="-no_compat_check" and install no issues. The only my iMac was on the chopping block for Big Sur is because of the Wifi card. And I also have noticed that Catalina run a heck of lot smother with SIP disabled if I have SIP disabled all my apps in launchpad are rearranged. My first page with my clock, calendar, weather dock and the Apple preinstalled apps now becomes my last page. All the apps in the Utilities folder terminal, etc are move out of the folder so I have hunt them all down and place them back in the Utilities folder

 

[civotit]

Maybe if you reinstall it (without erasing) that method should work because on a clean BigSur install there isn't yet any BigSur Label (the installer needs to make during stage3 the "Big Sur Data"), or you could also allow the "macOS Installer" stage3 and then power-off at three quarter loading bar of that stage.

I guess "14 minutes remaining" is related to a faster cpu or sata3 ssd ? So it should be the same stage2 as "29 minutes remaining".

Otherwise after the stage1 quickly boot to another macOS and replace this file: UpdateOptions.plist.zip
on the /Volumes/BigSurLabel/macOS Install Data/

But to prevent the snapshot booting you should anyway skip the stage3 or during it power off at half loading bar.

You can even boot the stage3 "macOS Installer" with CMD+S (single user mode), then type "exit" and when verbose messages show a running of this command: apfs_sealvolume

you force a power-off exactly there (that command requires at least 3 minutes to complete, so you have enough time to power off), if that apfs_sealvolume fails you result in an unsealed volume with "sudo mount -uw /" working.

I’ve tried those approaches in Beta 2 but still ended up with a sealed volume. Yet to try them again on Beta 3 but previously on beta2:

• The UpdateOptions technique did nothing to inhibit sealing
• The execution of apfs_sealvolume always gets past me. I even set verbose mode prior to starting the install.

The only process that worked for me is to install beta 2 on an external drive, restore it to my internal target resulting in the internal copy being unsealed, idk why but it is consistent. I’ve only done clean installs, btw.

This install-to-external, restore-to-internal approach also appeared to work on beta 3. However, while I am trying TM backup to an APFS disk the other evening, a kernel panic happened which left my volume sealed. The only way to write to it from then on was through the “mount -o nobrowse” of the underlying volume.

 

[jackluke]

This install-to-external, restore-to-internal approach also appeared to work on beta 3. However, while I am trying TM backup to an APFS disk the other evening, a kernel panic happened which left my volume sealed. The only way to write to it from then on was through the “mount -o nobrowse” of the underlying volume.

I guess then since apple with Big Sur beta 3 introduced the APFS-formatted time machine, maybe after a backup it seals again the volume making a bootable snapshot of it.

You should try to use ASentientBot Hax3.app instead of USB Big Sur installer, because this method show correctly the stage2 installer as "29 minutes remaining".

To fix "sudo mount -uw /" try use this other method :
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...unsupported-macs-thread.2242172/post-28701959

 

[Bravo2zero]

************* Big Sur Beta 3 is breaking Mac's ***************

I'm having real issues on my supported device , 105 degree temps on idle , machine turning off and will not turn back on , no recovery mode , machine is all but dead then takes about 50 power on and offs to come back on and takes about 10 to fully come on as HDD loads a little bit then dies , loads a little more than before then dies till it's fully booted.

 

[PBiscaia]

Try reapplying from Catalina: BigSur Penryn beta3 prelinkedkernel fix.command.zip

If still don't work from a macOS Recovery open terminal and type: nvram boot-args="-no_compat_check"

otherwise use this: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...unsupported-macs-thread.2242172/post-28675922

or for non-APFS firmware snapshot booting try this from Catalina (or Mojave): BigSur snapshot fix.command.zip

Well, maybe this installation is all damaged, none the options worked, the volume now is named "BigSurFix" instead of "Efi Boot".
Maybe its time for a new install, what do you say?

Thanks.

 

[hvds]

************* Big Sur Beta 3 is breaking Mac's ***************

I'm having real issues on my supported device , 105 degree temps on idle , machine turning off and will not turn back on , no recovery mode , machine is all but dead then takes about 50 power on and offs to come back on and takes about 10 to fully come on as HDD loads a little bit then dies , loads a little more than before then dies till it's fully booted.

No such issues on my mid-2009 MBP5,2 running beta3 from an external SSD.
It is remarkably stable, no KPs.
I'm using it for a lot of testing, more hours than my production Catalina actually. Always boots well.
No graphics acceleration yet but framebuffer usage. Slow but usable. Photos6.0 crashes.

 

[Barry K. Nathan]

Same here (10,1 mid 2012 Retina MBP). I upgraded from Beta 2 - where I had no issues at all - following Parrotgeek's instructions and lost the ability to connect to the Internet with my thunderbolt ethernet card. I tried a USB ethernet dongle, but with no luck. Any suggestions?

On my MacBookPro8,1 it turns out that my Thunderbolt Ethernet dongle fails to work on all 3 Big Sur betas. Built-in Ethernet works on betas 1 and 2 but not 3. Taking Big Sur beta 3 and replacing AppleBCM5701Ethernet.kext (in /System/Library/Extensions/IONetworkingFamily.kext/Contents/Plugins) with the one from Catalina 10.15.6 makes both Thunderbolt Ethernet and built-in Ethernet work, so that's what I'll do in my patcher. I'll probably do it as part of v0.0.17, probably coming out tomorrow (in all likelihood I just don't have enough spare time today to get it done).

I've misplaced my USB Ethernet dongle, so I'll have to take a look at that aspect of the situation later.

 

[civotit]

I also noticed that DoNotSeal is already set to "true" or maybe because I used the ASentientBot Hax3.app : https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...unsupported-macs-thread.2242172/post-28619108

Mine’s essentially the same as i use the Hax3 lib through the micropatcher 14 of @Barry K. Nathan

 

[jackluke]

Well, maybe this installation is all damaged, none the options worked, the volume now is named "BigSurFix" instead of "Efi Boot".
Maybe its time for a new install, what do you say?

Thanks.

Try this : USBOpenCoreAPFSloader3b.app.zip

If also that USB external bootloader doesn't work then you should reinstall, and maybe try to force power-off during the stage3 installer as explained on some previous post, so you could get "sudo mount -uw /" .

 

[TimothyR734]

Well, maybe this installation is all damaged, none the options worked, the volume now is named "BigSurFix" instead of "Efi Boot".
Maybe its time for a new install, what do you say?

Thanks.

That is normal if you read my post once wifi is working it will change again

 

[MacPeet]

my MacPro3.1 now also on DP3 ?



installed externally with DoNotSeal
then deleted telemetry
then overwritten AppleHDA
repair permission AppleHDA
sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions && sudo kextcache -u /
kmutil install --update-all
kcditto

I boot kc (no snapshot creation).
AppleHDA works
WiFi still native
Ethernet works
BT works

unfortunately LegacyUSB not with kc (missing signature)

 

[jhowarth]

my MacPro3.1 now also on DP3 ?

View attachment 937735

installed externally with DoNotSeal
then deleted telemetry
then overwritten AppleHDA
repair permission AppleHDA
sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions && sudo kextcache -u /
kmutil install --update-all
kcditto

I boot kc (no snapshot creation).
AppleHDA works
WiFi still native
Ethernet works
BT works

unfortunately LegacyUSB not with kc (missing signature)

I wonder if the problem with LegacyUSB isn't just the signing issue. Are we sure that Apple allows third-party kext to reside in S/L/E and hasn't banished them to L/E without Apple's own signature applied? The following suggests that might be the case...

Installing a Custom Kernel Extension | Apple Developer Documentation

Install kernel extensions using a custom installer package, and help users understand the installation process.

developer.apple.com

If so, that would mean that

1) LegacyUSBInjector.kext would have to go into L/E and thus be put in the auxilary kc rather than BootKernelExtensions.kc. I could imagine that would foul up getting the changes applied to IOUSBFamily.kext since those two kc's load at different times.

2) If the signatures are being required, it might also explain why patching the Info.plist files in IOUSBFamily.kext doesn't provide usable legacy usb as that would spoil the current signature on IOUSBFamily.kext.

ps Have you tried booting your kc with broken LegacyUSB in 'Cmd-S; exit'? Does that bring the legacy usb support back?

 

[OnawaAfrica]

Any new infos on the KP issues on the MacBookPro6.2?

 

[justperry]

Installing BS on an unsupported system is such a pain in the behind, I'm not really up to these installer steps/issues the whole time.
I fiddled with OSX/macOS since it came out(10.0b), I will probably buy an arm mac as soon as they come out.
Bit exhausted by this crap.

Oh, and then this, I had my first Kernel panic (Today) in years, guess who's the culprit...Parallels Desktop.

 

[EdGlassgow]

No such issues on my mid-2009 MBP5,2 running beta3 from an external SSD.
It is remarkably stable, no KPs.
I'm using it for a lot of testing, more hours than my production Catalina actually. Always boots well.
No graphics acceleration yet but framebuffer usage. Slow but usable. Photos6.0 crashes.

Do you mind if I ask what method you used to install on your MBP 5,2? I have tried about every method and when I try to boot from the install USB halfway through the boot I get the "Prohibited" sign.

 

[hvds]

Do you mind if I ask what method you used to install on your MBP 5,2? I have tried about every method and when I try to boot from the install USB halfway through the boot I get the "Prohibited" sign.

Unfortunately mid-2009 and older machines, like MBP5,2, are what jackluke calls "legacy USB", meaning:
For Big Sur installer, one can boot the installer only halfway when connected to USB. Also one can install BS only halfway to a disk connected to USB. I am assuming yours is also such a machine.
(Already for Catalina over-the-air updates (system settings->software update) this was a problem, solvable fortunately with OpenCore booting by jackluke. Maybe a similar thing will be invented for BS later in the game?)

So I used this method:
- connected the target disk for BS installation to the internal SATA connector temporarily, and my production Catalina disk to USB
- running Catalina, downloaded BS (beta3 now) to /Applications, ASentientBot's Hax3.app, and jackluke's prelinkedkernel fix (the latest being for Nvidia Tesla)
- set nvram boot-args="-no_compat_check amfi_get_out_of_my_way=1" e.g. in Catalina terminal, and csrutil disable e.g. in a bootable USB installer of Catalina (unless already disabled)
- in Catalina, run Hax3.app to start the BS installer and let it proceed to the end
- BS can't boot then, boot to Catalina. As kind of "post-install patching" executed in terminal prelinkedkernel fix command. This in effect applies legacy USB, WIFI and internal audio patches, and also Nvidia Tesla patches if the latest prelinkedkernel fix is used (no full graphics acceleration so far, but framebuffer is working)
- then should be able to boot BS.

At that point one can swap disks back if desired - BS can boot from USB.

- then used migration assistant to pull my user data, settings, applications from Catalina to BS. I had to re-apply the prelinkedkernel fix, otherwise couldn't boot BS anymore. So migration assistant does something on the system level.

So far it works well, but others had no luck with the Nvidia bit. Apart from missing full graphics acceleration, what disturbs me is that Photos (BS version 6.0) crashes.

I'll have to look up the post #s where Hax3.app and prelinkedkernel fixes are attached.
I attach an archive from my system with Hax3 and two prelinkedkernel fix commands (with/without Nvidia, for Penryn C2D processor machines).

 

[justperry]

In my last post I said I had my first kernel panic since years, parallels desktop was the app which caused the kernel pains.
What is odd is that my WiFi seems to be non working afterwards.

 

[Starmina]

Parrotgeek website propose the link to download 11.0b2, how to actually download the beta 3 ?

 

[ricoc90]

Parrotgeek website propose the link to download 11.0b2, how to actually download the beta 3 ?

macOS 11 Big Sur on Unsupported Macs Thread

Here is a link for beta3 (12.88 GB) : http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/34/37/001-26097-A_OYW4Z0U99Z/gdas3ubse9fasb0217grmmyplfd6o7mqfp/InstallAssistant.pkg (I guess CatalinaOTAswufix also can download it from Catalina) Thanks to @ASentientBot for his Hax.dylib and BigSur beta1 hint of...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[joevt]

I wonder if the problem with LegacyUSB isn't just the signing issue. Are we sure that Apple allows third-party kext to reside in S/L/E and hasn't banished them to L/E without Apple's own signature applied? The following suggests that might be the case...

Installing a Custom Kernel Extension | Apple Developer Documentation

Install kernel extensions using a custom installer package, and help users understand the installation process.

developer.apple.com

If so, that would mean that

1) LegacyUSBInjector.kext would have to go into L/E and thus be put in the auxilary kc rather than BootKernelExtensions.kc. I could imagine that would foul up getting the changes applied to IOUSBFamily.kext since those two kc's load at different times.

2) If the signatures are being required, it might also explain why patching the Info.plist files in IOUSBFamily.kext doesn't provide usable legacy usb as that would spoil the current signature on IOUSBFamily.kext.

ps Have you tried booting your kc with broken LegacyUSB in 'Cmd-S; exit'? Does that bring the legacy usb support back?

You don't need to install kexts to /S/L/E or /L/E. kmutil load -p can be used on a kext that is stored anywhere (for example: ~/Downloads) and it will get added to the aux kext cache. I guess the reason to install a kext to /L/E is so that it's automatically included in the kext cache if the kext cache gets deleted or rebuilt? Also, removing a kext from /L/E is supposed to uninstall the kext (but that's not working yet?)

I can't find instructions on the best way to test kexts. "kmutil load -p" can update a kext only if the version has changed (it doesn't check modification dates or contents).