Update Mac mini and Run Legacy Apps in Parallels to Update OS or Stay With Mojave for CS6

[Sossity]

I have discovered that my newer Apple studio display is not compatible with Mojave OS, the webcam is not working, and scrolling on the web is a bit jerky, and found out it needs macOS 12. or newer.

My Mac mini 2018 is now on Mojave, and I had planned to keep it that way so I could run legacy 32 bit apps and Adobe CS6.

I am am being offered a software update to macOS Ventura in system preferences. If did this, I would hope that it would sovlve the webcam issue with my monitor, I did not realize these monitors had software requirements, my others never seem to.

If I go to the newest Os, I would install an older macOS, like Mavericks or something, through parallels desktop, and install all my older apps in that.

Would that work? I want to use my older apps, but I also do not want to have to be frozen into an older Os, to accommodate them, and also not be able to use newer things like my monitor.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I have discovered that my newer Apple studio display is not compatible with Mojave OS, the webcam is not working, and scrolling on the web is a bit jerky, and found out it needs macOS 12. or newer.

My Mac mini 2018 is now on Mojave, and I had planned to keep it that way so I could run legacy 32 bit apps and Adobe CS6.

I am am being offered a software update to macOS Ventura in system preferences. If did this, I would hope that it would sovlve the webcam issue with my monitor, I did not realize these monitors had software requirements, my others never seem to.

If I go to the newest Os, I would install an older macOS, like Mavericks or something, through parallels desktop, and install all my older apps in that.

Would that work? I want to use my older apps, but I also do not want to have to be frozen into an older Os, to accommodate them, and also not be able to use newer things like my monitor.

Yeah, these minimum software requirements for the Display is something that bothers me. What happens if in, say, 8 years, the monitor is perfectly good but won't work with the LATEST version of macOS at the time? I don't know if that will happen, but we don't know that it won't (if anyone knows of Apple being on the record as saying differently, please feel free to correct me).

I don't know for certain myself if the monitor itself will work when in a VM, but I feel like it should since the host hardware/OS is in control of it. I do have Mojave running under VMware Fusion on my 2019 iMac, so in that sense, yes, Mojave will work. There may be some apps that will not work well in a VM... that's another matter entirely, but most will be fine. But... my advice would be to move on from those legacy apps. Easier said than done for some people, I know, but you will be increasingly left behind. There is NO solution for these if you move on to Apple Silicon hardware. Forget Mojave, even in a VM. Won't work.

Quite frankly your best solution right now would be to get a different monitor. Failing that, what you could try is installing Ventura onto an external drive; boot from that; try Mojave in a VM while booted into that; and see how things play out. If it works, then you are good. Or make a cloned backup to an external drive; do the upgrades and try things out. If it doesn't work, then clone the backup back to the internal drive.

 

[MBAir2010]

Sossity​

you can partition your drive were both OS can run on the same Mac mini.

 

[Rich B22]

I have discovered that my newer Apple studio display is not compatible with Mojave OS, the webcam is not working, and scrolling on the web is a bit jerky, and found out it needs macOS 12. or newer.

My Mac mini 2018 is now on Mojave, and I had planned to keep it that way so I could run legacy 32 bit apps and Adobe CS6.

I am am being offered a software update to macOS Ventura in system preferences. If did this, I would hope that it would sovlve the webcam issue with my monitor, I did not realize these monitors had software requirements, my others never seem to.

If I go to the newest Os, I would install an older macOS, like Mavericks or something, through parallels desktop, and install all my older apps in that.

Would that work? I want to use my older apps, but I also do not want to have to be frozen into an older Os, to accommodate them, and also not be able to use newer things like my monitor.

You don't need Parallels or any virtual machine so long as you have enough storage space and assuming your drive is partitioned as APFS not HFS. You also don't need to install an older OS as you can continue using the existing Mojave one. Assuming you won't need to access the Mojave everyday, an alternative is you should be able to move the Mojave volume or partition to an external drive and boot to that when needed, however it will be slow.
First step is to add an APFS volume and install the modern operating system on the new volume. The key here is not to use the update to Ventura, but download the file and make a bootable disk or USB.
I have done this on an iMac to be able to run some 32 bit programs. After the installation, just move what will run to the Ventura Volume, delete what you don't need on the Mojave one and you're good to go.
Just make sure you have a good backup or two (not just Time Machine) before you do anything
Check these links: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208891
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

Good luck

 

[Lifeisabeach]

If he dual boots, won't he still have the issues of the webcam not working and jerky scrolling on web pages, assuming he needs to use those under Mojave?

 

[Rich B22]

Duh. I got completely tied up in getting the Ventura side going and forgot about the original problem! Thanks for the heads up.
Yes, monitor behavior would be the same, however, I don't know how it would run on Parallels or VMware either. Maybe there is a trial version and if it isn't the solution, perhaps he could sell the Studio and get a less finicky monitor.
I left my Mojave in place to run Photoshop 5.5, but after using Affinity Photo, haven't even looked at Photoshop for a couple of years. As you suggested, the best tack is to update the software if feasible

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Duh. I got completely tied up in getting the Ventura side going and forgot about the original problem! Thanks for the heads up.
Yes, monitor behavior would be the same, however, I don't know how it would run on Parallels or VMware either. Maybe there is a trial version and if it isn't the solution, perhaps he could sell the Studio and get a less finicky monitor.
I left my Mojave in place to run Photoshop 5.5, but after using Affinity Photo, haven't even looked at Photoshop for a couple of years. As you suggested, the best tack is to update the software if feasible

VMware Fusion is free for personal use. I very much like it.

 

[Boyd01]

If I go to the newest Os, I would install an older macOS, like Mavericks or something, through parallels desktop, and install all my older apps in that. Would that work?

My 2018 Mini is running Monterey and I run MacOS Mountain Lion and Sierra (also Windows 10) with Parallels. Works really well for me. However, I'm running some very old (and expensive) legacy apps. I decided to just get rid of my old version of Photoshop and subscribed to the Adobe Photography plan, which was reasonable (as opposed to upgrading my old 3d, database and CAD apps that would have cost around $5000).

Anyway, the concept is sound but I don't know whether CS6 will work in a VM. Some software is not compatible, due to graphics issues apparently. So you should probably use a trial version of Parallels and make sure all your apps work before purchasing.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I ran Parallels for several years, to get access to legacy Mac software and Windows software. If you use it every day, it’s fine… but as your requirements for the old software goes down, the PITA factor rises. I finally just “Cut myself off” and either found replacement, or completely abandoned the old stuff about 2-3 years ago. Very happily running the latest Ventura on my Macs now, with no worries.

 

[Sossity]

I have just upgraded my mac mini to macOs Ventura, and had installed mac os x mountain lion as a virtual machine in parallels desktop, however, I am running into issues with mountain lion connecting to the internet. I cannot get any updates from the app store, I keep getting an (102) error message.

I need to be able to connect and run updates as some of my old apps may need some of their last updates.

 

[Boyd01]

Not surprising that the 10-year-old version of the app store doesn't work. I have never tried doing that, or anything else internet-related in my Mountain Lion VM.

 

[Sossity]

What would be the best legacy macOS to install to run Adobe CS6 in parallels?