macOS 12 Monterey on Unsupported Macs Thread

[MrGimper]

Security Update 2021-004 (Catalina) – Apple Support (UK)

Security Update 2021-004 is recommended for all users and improves the security of macOS.

support.apple.com

About EFI and SMC firmware updates for Intel-based Mac computers – Apple Support (UK)

This article lists firmware updates available as standalone installers for Intel-based Mac computers.

support.apple.com

This should be the one that contains the latest firmware updates when running Catalina. Besides, wouldn't it be enough to install Catalina on an external hard drive, swap it with the internal one, run the update and switch back?

When downgrading to Catalina you might need to know this:

I know it's a totally different machine, but I have a 2012 iMac (13,2) that had old firmware on it. I installed Catalina on an external USB drive and then booted from it. It updated the FW to a later version, but not the latest available. However when I installed some updates, including a very recent security update, it brought my FW up to the latest version. Once that was done I disconnected the USB and booted from my internal drive (OCLP Monty), and the FW is the latest possible for my machine.

There may be some nuances for your machine, but thought I'd chime in anyway. Sorry if it's a waste of time

 

[amaze1499]

I know it's a totally different machine, but I have a 2012 iMac (13,2) that had old firmware on it. I installed Catalina on an external USB drive and then booted from it. It updated the FW to a later version, but not the latest available. However when I installed some updates, including a very recent security update, it brought my FW up to the latest version. Once that was done I disconnected the USB and booted from my internal drive (OCLP Monty), and the FW is the latest possible for my machine.

There may be some nuances for your machine, but thought I'd chime in anyway. Sorry if it's a waste of time

About to do the same. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[izfernando]

<key>DeviceProperties</key>
(...)
                <key>brcmfx-country</key>
                <string>US</string>

Country Codes List

how do i use it?

 

[macpro_mid2014]

how do i use it?

Edit the config.plist, search for this string <key>brcmfx-country</key>, and change JP to US.

 

[macpro_mid2014]

Excellent thanks, exactly the reason I wanted it for

You can also use one of @chris1111 custom themes. Check this out:

GitHub - chris1111/My-Simple-OC-Themes: Themes for use with OpenCore and OpenCanopy

Themes for use with OpenCore and OpenCanopy. Contribute to chris1111/My-Simple-OC-Themes development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[cab_007]

233.0.0.0.0 over here.

I have a subsequent reply/update on how I was able to get to the latest EFI firmware, short story (repeat) -
1. Shutdown
2. Command-Option, P, R - to reset NVRAM
3. Boot from Catalina (will need to create installer on USB, be sure to download from Apple and createinstallmedia)
4. Install Catalina on a partition on the USB
5. Boot up Catalina
6. Apply all patches from Apple (a couple, will require restarts)
7. Run SilentKnight to verify updated EFI firmware
8. Boot back to OCLP/Monterey

 

[909allday]

Hello, is anyone kind enough to inform me what's the difference between beta blur on and off?
I've enabled it on my 8,1 MacBook Pro running 12.2, oclp 0.4.2, but I don't get the blur effect cosistently on all the elements of the UI.
Here's a screenshot of menu bar, finder window and the dock.

 

[borp99]

Has anyone else noticed a split-second boot message 'LNX: Does not appear to be root filesystem - not found' before the OCLP drive selection screen appears? For me, it seems to have only started appearing with the last couple of OCLP releases? Whilst it seems utterly benign, is there a way to prevent it from, I presume, probing the hardware and reporting the message at all?

Apart from that, I just updated 12.3b2 to b3 without a hitch. As ever, thank you to the development team!

 

[HowowcanIgo]

Dear all, I updated my MacBook 5,1 to 12.2 with OCLP 0.4.2 and patched it afterwards. Everything works, safe for WiFi, which does not find networks. If I repatch, it works again, but only until the next reboot. Any ideas? Patching with an earlier OCLP? Thanks

I'm experiencing the same thing but I'm on another OCLP-version and on 12.2.1.
It started happening after trying to uninstall the patches en then reinstalling them...

Has anyone else used the uninstalling button and had the feeling it didn't do a thing? It runs the process and I reboot. But it hasn't done anything visible to me. I've ran the uninstalling proces multiple times and I noticed the same thing.
On the upside the patches till work so I'm still on a usable computer 😄.

 

[joevt]

Excellent thanks, exactly the reason I wanted it for

I am having an issue where OCLP is erasing my nvram variables that are supposed to get used when I don't boot OpenCore. My background color of green for EFI is being removed so it defaults back to gray. OpenCore is correctly using the blue color I set for that in its config.plist.
The same thing happens for boot-args. What I want is for the nvram variables I set in the config.plist to not affect the real nvram variables that I want to use when I don't boot OpenCore. I think the nvram code in OpenCore is too complicated or not documented well enough.

 

[amaze1499]

I have a subsequent reply/update on how I was able to get to the latest EFI firmware, short story (repeat) -
1. Shutdown
2. Command-Option, P, R - to reset NVRAM
3. Boot from Catalina (will need to create installer on USB, be sure to download from Apple and createinstallmedia)
4. Install Catalina on a partition on the USB
5. Boot up Catalina
6. Apply all patches from Apple (a couple, will require restarts)
7. Run SilentKnight to verify updated EFI firmware
8. Boot back to OCLP/Monterey

on it. thanks!

 

[macpro_mid2014]

I am having an issue where OCLP is erasing my nvram variables that are supposed to get used when I don't boot OpenCore. My background color of green for EFI is being removed so it defaults back to gray. OpenCore is correctly using the blue color I set for that in its config.plist.
The same thing happens for boot-args. What I want is for the nvram variables I set in the config.plist to not affect the real nvram variables that I want to use when I don't boot OpenCore. I think the nvram code in OpenCore is too complicated or not documented well enough.

Every time you boot OCLP and then want to boot without it, you should perform an NVRAM reset with CMD+OPT+P+R.

 

[joevt]

Has anyone else noticed a split-second boot message 'LNX: Does not appear to be root filesystem - not found' before the OCLP drive selection screen appears? For me, it seems to have only started appearing with the last couple of OCLP releases? Whilst it seems utterly benign, is there a way to prevent it from, I presume, probing the hardware and reporting the message at all?

Apart from that, I just updated 12.3b2 to b3 without a hitch. As ever, thank you to the development team!

That message is from https://github.com/acidanthera/Open...e38b/Platform/OpenLinuxBoot/Autodetect.c#L829

Do you use Linux? If not, then you can remove the OpenLinuxBoot driver.

Are you using a debug version of Open Core? Maybe the release version doesn't show that message?

 

[joevt]

Every time you boot OCLP and then want to boot without it, you should perform an NVRAM reset with CMD+OPT+P+R.

That shouldn't be necessary. I said my problem was OCLP removing NVRAM variables. Command-Option-P-R will definitely also remove NVRAM variables.

 

[macpro_mid2014]

That shouldn't be necessary. I said my problem was OCLP removing NVRAM variables. Command-Option-P-R will definitely also remove NVRAM variables.

Maybe, one solution would be to add your custom variables to config.plist. This way, NVRAM will still keep them when you boot without OCLP.

 

[headlessmike]

That shouldn't be necessary. I said my problem was OCLP removing NVRAM variables. Command-Option-P-R will definitely also remove NVRAM variables.

OCLP makes changes to the NVRAM when booting, so it's probably working as intended.

 

[borp99]

That message is from https://github.com/acidanthera/Open...e38b/Platform/OpenLinuxBoot/Autodetect.c#L829

Do you use Linux? If not, then you can remove the OpenLinuxBoot driver.

Are you using a debug version of Open Core? Maybe the release version doesn't show that message?

I'm just allowing the standard release TUI app to auto-build my EFI and System folders for the EFI partition. As I don't have any Linux OS's installed and only a Windows 10 legacy NTFS on an MBR partition (on a sep. SSD), I'm not really sure why OCLP is adding the ExFat and OpenLinux drivers for me.

However, thanks for the direction to follow. I'll remove the Linux driver as suggested. [Note: I needed to remove the reference in the config.plist UEFI/Drivers section, otherwise the reboots seemed to hang]

 

[hvds]

I am having an issue where OCLP is erasing my nvram variables that are supposed to get used when I don't boot OpenCore. My background color of green for EFI is being removed so it defaults back to gray. OpenCore is correctly using the blue color I set for that in its config.plist.
The same thing happens for boot-args. What I want is for the nvram variables I set in the config.plist to not affect the real nvram variables that I want to use when I don't boot OpenCore. I think the nvram code in OpenCore is too complicated or not documented well enough.

There is an option under OCLP's Settings/Developer Settings. Though it seems to be made for a different situation, disabling it may be useful for you?

 

[theblueberru]

Success installing Monterey on an external SSD and booting with minimal issues using 2011 MBP! Worked quite well, just had some minor shading discolouration, even the external displays worked, which they did not in Big Sur.

 

[mwidjaya]

What I want is for the nvram variables I set in the config.plist to not affect the real nvram variables that I want to use when I don't boot OpenCore

Huh? Not sure what you mean?

NV-non volatile, ie. persists until set to another value.

Once you boot OCLP EFI, its setting will be in NVRAM until you reset it.

And if you don't bypass OCLP EFI at startup, it will keep bootstrapping into NVRAM every time.

Note the instructions for removing OCLP:
1. Remove OCLP EFI
2. Reset NVRAM

 

[amaze1499]

I have a subsequent reply/update on how I was able to get to the latest EFI firmware, short story (repeat) -
1. Shutdown
2. Command-Option, P, R - to reset NVRAM
3. Boot from Catalina (will need to create installer on USB, be sure to download from Apple and createinstallmedia)
4. Install Catalina on a partition on the USB
5. Boot up Catalina
6. Apply all patches from Apple (a couple, will require restarts)
7. Run SilentKnight to verify updated EFI firmware
8. Boot back to OCLP/Monterey

Thanks to you this machine is now running on 426.0.0.0.0

Cheers!

 

[rehkram]

.

 

[yukio]

Does anyone else running Big Sur keep getting prompted on an unsupported Mac (in my case MBP 15 Late 2013) to upgrade to Monterey? All the time? Then when you try and follow the Notification, it doesn't show up?

Am I missing something?

 

[adrianlondon]

I had it once, and then followed this thread and upgraded

Same as you: Late-2013 MBP

 

[mwidjaya]

Does anyone else running Big Sur keep getting prompted on an unsupported Mac (in my case MBP 15 Late 2013) to upgrade to Monterey? All the time? Then when you try and follow the Notification, it doesn't show up?

- MBP15 late 2013 can run supported Big Sur

- Yes, there is a problem with that Monterey upgrade notification. It should not come up for models not allowed to run it.