In October last year, Apple releases a new version of macOS dubbed as ‘Catalina.’ This latest installment of macOS includes new features, including new apps for podcasts, music, and TV (replacing iTunes), the ability to use iPad as an external monitor, a revamped Photos app, and many more. Seeing this, it’s no wonder that some Mac users want to update their OS version to Catalina. However, not all of them have the luxury to do so.
Aug 24, 2018 There's a compelling reason for installing Mojave on my mid-2009 MacBook Pro: Adobe Creative Cloud 2019 will not install on any older versions of MacOS. DosDude's patcher worked flawlessly, and the only problem with the update is cosmetic; the menu bar has a grey tint. I was able to install CC 2019 and it works perfectly. How to install macOS Big Sur on unsupported Mac models? Step 1: Create a Backup. Step 2: Download Big Sur Patcher File. Step 3: Open the macOS Big Sur Patcher file. Step 4: Insert USB Drive. Step 5: Install macOS Bir Sur on Unsupported Mac. Install macOS Big Sur on unsupported Mac: Some common errors and their fix.
Officially, macOS Catalina won’t work on older Mac devices that are deemed not powerful enough, according to Apple. Additionally, they provided the official list of the supported Macs:
- MacBook models released in 2015 or after
- MacBook Air models released in mid-2012 or after
- MacBook Pro models released in mid-2012 or after
- Mac mini models released in late 2012 or after
- iMac models released in late 2012 or after
- iMac Pro released in 2017
- Mac Pro models from late 2013
The procedure below will allow Macs or Hacks able to install High Sierra to also install Catalina or Mojave (eg SMBIOS MacPro5,1, iMac11,3, MacBook Pro7,1 which have been unsupported in macOS 10.14.x and 10.15beta) -credit to @ASentientBot's post. Mac or Hack capable of and running High Sierra 10.13.x 2. The Mojave 10.14.1 update does NOT install properly on unsupported machines, and could result in an unbootable OS. If you want to install the 10.14.1 update (and are not currently running 10.14.1), perform the following steps:. Download the latest version of Mojave Patcher. Download the installer using the Tools menu of Mojave Patcher.
This means that if you have a Macbook Air or iMac released in 2011, you won’t be able to upgrade your OS to Catalina. What version of macOS do you have? Adobe flash player for mac os x latest version.
If you’re unsure what version of macOS you have, you can check your macOS or OS X version by clicking the Apple icon at the top-left corner of Mac’s screen, then select About This Mac. In the Overview tab, look at the Mac model year below the OS version number. If the year is the same or above the previous compatibility list, then you should be able to install macOS Catalina formally. If not, read on.
Make your old Mac support macOS Catalina
Older Mac owners don’t have to worry. It’s not the end of the world. There’s a patch that lets you install Catalina to Macs that are not officially supported.
The patch is known as DosDude Catalina Patcher. DosDude Catalina Patcher is a third-party tool, meaning Apple does not develop the tool. It’s made by an individual developer instead. Keep in mind that just because you can make your old Mac run Catalina, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will always be a good thing to do.
Apple prevents older devices to run Catalina for a reason. As mentioned before, anything older than the officially supported hardware will most likely offer suboptimal performance using Catalina, not to mention that some features need newer hardware to function properly.
Despite that, it doesn’t mean that all old machines won’t run macOS Catalina well. Given that your hardware is capable enough, running Catalina shouldn’t introduce any lasting problems. The macOS Catalina Patcher is also updated regularly to address any issues that may surface. Otherwise, you can always downgrade your macOS to an older version if needed.
Install macOS Catalina on an older Mac
Before we begin, it might be a good idea to have a backup of your system using Time Machine, just in case. Creating a backup is always recommended. It’s not only useful for installing a new OS version can enable you to undo any changes after an update, which would be very helpful should something go wrong.
Once you are ready to jump into upgrading, follow the step-by-step guide below to install macOS Catalina on an older Mac using DosDude Catalina Patcher.
- First off, download the most recent version of Catalina Patcher from the official website.
- After the app is downloaded and installed, open it.
- The app will present you with a welcoming message. Keep clicking Continue until it finishes.
- Afterward, you need to get the macOS Installer App from Apple. You can either Download a Copy or Browse for a Copy… if you already have one. If you choose to download, the file size is about 7 to 8 GB, so you may need to wait for a while.
- Plug in a USB flash drive to your Mac and select Create a bootable installer on the Installation Method section.
- On the next screen, your flash drive should be detected as a volume. Else, you may have to first format your USB drive into macOS Extended Journaled if you haven’t already.
- When the flash drive is detected, select it, and click Start.
- Once the bootable installer is copied into the USB drive, restart your Mac. Hold down the Option key while the rebooting process takes place to open up the Startup Manager.
- From the boot list, choose the USB flash drive installer.
- Then, you’ll be taken to the macOS Utilities window. One thing to note is that if you run a version of macOS that is earlier than High Sierra, you’ll need to reformat your installation hard drive to APFS before proceeding. Use the Disk Utility option from the available list on the macOS Utilities window to do so. Otherwise, skip to the next step.
- Click on Reinstall macOS to install Catalina. Simply follow the process until the new OS, and the relevant patches are installed successfully.
Now, you can enjoy the latest version of macOS on an older Mac. Remember that Apple doesn’t recommend you do this, so some troubles might show up when operating your device. Even though dosdude1, the developer of Catalina Patcher, introduces new patches regularly, it shouldn’t be surprising if the experience may not be as good as using Catalina on Macs that officially supports it.
How to Install MacOS Mojave on Unsupported Macs with DosDude Mojave Patcherhttps://ift.tt/2zAfYdb
Mac Os Mojave Patch Tool For Unsupported Macs Files
As you may know by now, the list of MacOS Mojave compatible Macs is more strict than previous releases of Mac OS system software, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t install and run macOS Mojave on some unsupported Macs. If you’re an advanced Mac user and you’re reasonably brave (and have adequate backups), then it turns out you might be able to install and run MacOS Mojave on unsupported Mac hardware after all, thanks to a free third party tool from the technical wizard known as “DosDude”.
Essentially the Mojave Patcher Tool creates a modified USB installer drive (similar to the regular Mojave boot installer drive you can make) which you can then use to install not only macOS Mojave on the otherwise unsupported Macs listed below, but also a series of patched macOS Mojave component files that allow it to boot.
Just a quick word of caution: while you may be able to get macOS Mojave running on an unsupported Mac, this is truly only for advanced users who are adventurous. You certainly wouldn’t want to try this on a Mac that you must have performing in an optimal setting at all times, or on your only computer, but if you feel like tinkering around and running macOS Mojave on an unsupported Macintosh computer you can certainly try it out. Because it patches the operating system and installer, not everything is going to work perfectly on all machines – for example, on some machines networking may not work, or an iSight camera may not work, or GPU acceleration may not function – and there could be various bugs, performance quirks, and other theoretical problems with attempting this, but for the truly tech savvy and brave, the Mojave patcher tool and accompanying walkthrough from DosDude can get the job done.
The DosDude website has both a complete tutorial available at the above link, along with the downloadable patcher tool.
Dosdude also produced a YouTube video demonstrating macOS Mojave on a technically unsupported older MacBook Pro 17″ model from 2009, and Mojave actually appears to run pretty well on the machine:
Thanks to the Dosdude website for the screenshot above of the “About This Mac” screen, which is showing Mojave on an older unsupported Mac.
So while the official list of supported Macs for macOS Mojave is pretty strict in comparison, and you can’t just download Mojave and install it on unsupported hardware without the DosDude utility, the unofficial list of Macs that can run the OS through the tool is much more generous as you can see below, with many perfectly good Macs making the cut.
List of Unsupported Macs That Can Run MacOS Mojave with DosDude Mojave Patcher
Unsupported Macs that apparently can use the Mojave patcher to install macOS Mojave include the following:
– Early-2008 or newer Mac Pro, iMac, or MacBook Pro:
– MacPro3,1
– MacPro4,1
– iMac8,1
– iMac9,1
– iMac10,x
– iMac11,x
– iMac12,x
– MacBookPro4,1
– MacBookPro5,x
– MacBookPro6,x
– MacBookPro7,1
– MacBookPro8,x
– Late-2008 or newer MacBook Air or Aluminum Unibody MacBook:
– MacBookAir2,1
– MacBookAir3,x
– MacBookAir4,x
– MacBook5,1
– Early-2009 or newer Mac Mini or white MacBook:
– Macmini3,1
– Macmini4,1
– Macmini5,x
– MacBook5,2
– MacBook6,1
– MacBook7,1
– Early-2008 or newer Xserve:
– Xserve2,1
– Xserve3,1
As you can see, the potential list of Macs that can run Mojave with the assistance of this process is much more thorough than what Apple officially supports. But caveat emptor, as with all software modifications.
Will everything be perfect? Certainly not. Will performance be better than some other versions of Mac OS or Mac OS X? Probably not, it might even be worse. Will everything work exactly as expected, as if it was an official support from Apple? No, probably not. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not worth pursuing for some Mac users, and perhaps the better features in macOS Mojave are too compelling to not try out by venturing into the waters of
If this sounds appealing to you, then check out the Dosdude tutorial and Mojave patch tool. Just remember this is NOT an official patch or release from Apple, and due to the technical nature of this it isn’t for the faint of heart, you will absolutely need above average technical knowledge, patience, and full backups of the computer, as this is basically a hack that allows Mojave to install and run on hardware that Apple does not support.
There’s obviously no tutorial included here in this post as I haven’t personally tried or tested this yet, but if you do, and you get macOS Mojave running on an older Mac, be sure to let us know in the comments below how well it works, and what your experience was. Personally, my older unsupported Macs are still running Snow Leopard, Mavericks, El Capitan, and Sierra, and only the latest machines will run Mojave for my particular setup, but to each their own, and it’s undoubtedly cool that Dosdude has consistently come up with utilities like this to get various versions of Mac OS system software running on hardware that it wasn’t specifically intended for. It’s your Mac so use it however you like and with whatever operating system software release you like best. Enjoy!
Related
Apple
Macos Mojave Patcher Tool For Unsupported Macs
via OS X Daily http://osxdaily.com
Mac Os Mojave Patch Tool For Unsupported Macs Usb
September 27, 2018 at 11:34PM
This advisory describes the changes and steps administrators can take to deploy Mac Connector 1.14.
The Mojave 10.14.1 update does NOT install properly on unsupported machines, and could result in an unbootable OS. If you want to install the 10.14.1 update (and are not currently running 10.14.1), perform the following steps. Jun 22, 2020 A: If your Mac had official support in macOS Catalina, they will likely be able to be patched to run Big Sur with minimal issues. As of writing, only WiFi appears to be unstable, and even then, not for all users. If your Mac was unsupported before the release of macOS Catalina, support remains to be seen as graphics acceleration may not be.
Mac Connector version 1.14 introduces a number of changes that require user attention. Most notably, this Connector release includes changes to full disk access approvals and adds support for macOS 11 (Big Sur) System Extensions.
Since the inital 1.14 launch, compatibility issues have been discovered with 3rd party applications on macOS 10.15 Catalina when system extensions are in use. Apple will be addressing these issues in future releases of macOS 11 but will not be fixing these issues in macOS 10.15. Consequently, starting with version 1.14.1, the Mac Connector will use legacy kernel extensions instead of system extensions on all versions of macOS 10.15.
Mac Connector 1.14 is required to ensure endpoint protection on macOS 11. Older Mac Connectors will not work on this version of macOS.
It is highly recommended to deploy the Mac Connector with an MDM profile that grants the required approvals. MDM profiles must be installed before installing or upgrading the Mac Connector to ensure the needed permissions are recognized. Refer to the Known Issues section later in this document if MDM cannot be used.
Minimum OS Requirements
AMP for Endpoints Mac Connector 1.14.0 supports the following macOS versions:
- macOS 11, using macOS system extensions.
- macOS 10.15.5 and later, using macOS system extensions.
- macOS 10.15.0 through macOS 10.15.4, using macOS kernel extensions
- macOS 10.14, using macOS kernel extensions.
AMP for Endpoints Mac Connector 1.14.1 supports the following macOS versions:
- macOS 11, using macOS system extensions.
- macOS 10.15 using macOS kernel extensions.
- macOS 10.14, using macOS kernel extensions.
For deployments that include endpoints running older macOS versions, consult the OS Compatibility Table for compatible Mac Connector versions.
Important Changes
Mac Connector 1.14 introduces important changes in three areas:
- Approving AMP macOS Extensions to load
- Full Disk Access
- New Directory Structure
Approving Mac Connector macOS Extensions
The Mac Connector uses either System Extensions or legacy Kernel Extensions to monitor system activities, depending on the macOS version. On macOS 11, System Extensions replace the legacy Kernel Extensions that are unsupported in macOS 11. User approval is required on all versions of macOS before either type of extension is allowed to run. Without approval, certain Connector functions such as on-access file scan and network access monitoring will be unavailable.
Macos catalina for macbook pro 2015. Mac Connector 1.14 introduces two new macOS system extensions:
- An Endpoint Security extension, named AMP Security Extension, to monitor system events
- A Network Content Filter extension, named AMP Network Extension, to monitor network access
The two legacy Kernel Extensions, ampfileop.kext
and ampnetworkflow.kext
, are included for backwards compatibility on older macOS versions that don't support the new macOS System Extensions.
The following approvals are required for macOS 11** and later:
- Approve AMP Security Extension to load
- Approve AMP Network Extension to load
- Allow AMP Network Extension to filter network content
** Mac Connector version 1.14.0 also required these approvals on macOS 10.15. These approvals are no longer required on macOS 10.15 when running Mac Connector 1.14.1 or later.
The following approvals are required for macOS 10.14 and macOS 10.15:
- Approve AMP Kernel Extensions to load
These approvals can be granted using the macOS Security & Privacy Preferences on the endpoint, or by using Mobile Device Management (MDM) profiles.
Approving Mac Connector macOS Extensions at the Endpoint
System and Kernel extensions can be approved manually from the macOS Security & Privacy Preferences pane.
Approving Mac Connector macOS Extensions using MDM
NOTE: macOS Extensions cannot be retroactively approved via MDM. If the MDM profile is not deployed prior to installing the Connector then the approvals will not be granted and additional intervention will be required in one of the following forms:
1. Manual approval of the macOS Extensions on endpoints that had the management profile deployed retroactively.
2. Upgrading the Mac Connector to a newer version than the one currently deployed. Endpoints that had themanagement profile deployed retroactively will recognize the management profile after upgrade and gain approval once the upgrade completes.
AMP extensions can be approved using a management profile with the following payloads and properties:
Payload | Property | Value |
SystemExtensions | AllowedSystemExtensions | com.cisco.endpoint.svc.securityextension, com.cisco.endpoint.svc.networkextension |
AllowedSystemExtensionTypes | EndpointSecurityExtension, NetworkExtension | |
AllowedTeamIdentifiers | DE8Y96K9QP | |
SystemPolicyKernelExtensions | AllowedKernelExtensions | com.cisco.amp.fileop, com.cisco.amp.nke |
AllowedTeamIdentifiers | TDNYQP7VRK | |
WebContentFilter | AutoFilterEnabled | false |
FilterDataProviderBundleIdentifier | com.cisco.endpoint.svc.networkextension | |
FilterDataProviderDesignatedRequirement | anchor apple generic and identifier 'com.cisco.endpoint.svc.networkextension' and (certificate leaf[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.1.9] /* exists */ or certificate 1[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.2.6] /* exists */ and certificate leaf[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.1.13] /* exists */ and certificate leaf[subject.OU] = DE8Y96K9QP) | |
FilterGrade | firewall | |
FilterBrowsers | false | |
FilterPackets | false | |
FilterSockets | true | |
PluginBundleID | com.cisco.endpoint.svc | |
UserDefinedName | AMP Network Extension |
Full Disk Access
MacOS 10.14 and later require approval before an application can access parts of the filesystem that contain personal user data (e.g. Contacts, Photos, Calendar, and other applications). Certain Connector functions such as on-access file scan will be unable to scan these files for threats without approval.
Previous Mac Connector versions required the user to grant Full Disk Access to the ampdaemon
program. Mac Connector 1.14 requires Full Disk Access for:
- 'AMP for Endpoints Service' and
- 'AMP Security Extension'
The ampdaemon
program no longer requires Full Disk Access starting with this new Mac Connector version.
Full Disk Access approvals can be granted using the macOS Security & Privacy Preferences on the endpoint, or by using Mobile Device Management (MDM) profiles.
Approving Full Disk Access at the Endpoint
Full Disk Access can be approved manually from the macOS Security & Privacy Preferences pane.
Approving Full Disk Access Using MDM
NOTE: macOS Extensions cannot be retroactively approved via MDM. If the MDM profile is not deployed prior to installing the Connector then the approvals will not be granted and additional intervention will be required in one of the following forms:
1. Manual approval of the macOS Extensions on endpoints that had the management profile deployed retroactively.
2. Upgrading the Mac Connector to a newer version than the one currently deployed. Endpoints that had the management profile deployed retroactively will recognize the management profile after upgrade and gain approval once the upgrade completes.
Full Disk Access can be approved using a management profile's Privacy Preferences Policy Control payload with a SystemPolicyAllFiles property with the following two entries, one for the AMP for Endpoints Service
and one for the AMP Security Extension
:
Description | Property | Value |
AMP for Endpoints Service | Allowed | true |
CodeRequirement | anchor apple generic and identifier 'com.cisco.endpoint.svc' and (certificate leaf[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.1.9] /* exists */ or certificate 1[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.2.6] /* exists */ and certificate leaf[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.1.13] /* exists */ and certificate leaf[subject.OU] = DE8Y96K9QP) | |
Identifier | com.cisco.endpoint.svc | |
IdentifierType | bundleID | |
AMP Security Extension | Allowed | true |
CodeRequirement | anchor apple generic and identifier 'com.cisco.endpoint.svc.securityextension' and (certificate leaf[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.1.9] /* exists */ or certificate 1[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.2.6] /* exists */ and certificate leaf[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.1.13] /* exists */ and certificate leaf[subject.OU] = DE8Y96K9QP) | |
Identifier | com.cisco.endpoint.svc.securityextension | |
IdentifierType | bundleID |
If your deployment includes computers running AMP Connector version 1.12.7 or older, the following additional entry is still required to grant full disk access to ampdaemon
for those computers:
Description | Property | Value |
ampdaemon | Allowed | true |
CodeRequirement | identifier ampdaemon and anchor apple generic and certificate 1[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.2.6] /* exists */ and certificate leaf[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.1.13] /* exists */ and certificate leaf[subject.OU] = TDNYQP7VRK | |
Identifier | /opt/cisco/amp/ampdaemon | |
IdentifierType | path |
New Directory Structure
Install Macos Mojave On Unsupported Mac
Mac Connector 1.14 introduces two changes to the directory structure:
- The Applications directory has been renamed from
Cisco AMP
toCisco AMP for Endpoints
. - The command-line utility
ampcli
has been moved from/opt/cisco/amp
to/Applications/Cisco AMP for Endpoints/AMP for Endpoints Connector.app/Contents/MacOS
. The directory/opt/cisco/amp
contains a symlink to theampcli
program at its new location.
Install Mojave On Unsupported Mac Mini
The complete directory structure for the new AMP Connector is as follows:
Known Issues with macOS 11.0 and Mac Connector 1.14.1.
- Guidance for fault 10, 'Reboot required to load kernel module or system extension,' may be incorrect if four or more Network Content Filters are installed on the computer. Refer to the AMP For Endpoints Mac Connector Faults article for more details.
Known Issues with macOS 10.15/11.0 and Mac Connector 1.14.0.
- Some faults raised by the Mac Connector may be raised unexpectedly. Refer to the AMP For Endpoints Mac Connector Faults article for more details.
- Fault 13, Too many Network Content Filter system extensions, may be raised after upgrading. Rebooting the computer will resolve the fault in this situation.
- Fault 15, System Extension requires Full Disk Access, may be raised after reboot due to a bug in macOS 11.0.0. This issue is fixed in macOS 11.0.1. The fault can be resolved by re-granting full disk access in the Security & Privacy pane in macOS System Preferences.
- During installation, the Security & Privacy pane may display 'Placeholder Developer' as the application name when granting permission for the Mac Connector system extensions to run. This is due to a bug in macOS 10.15. Check the boxes beside 'Placeholder Developer' to allow the Mac Connector to protect the computer.
- The
systemextensionsctl list
command can be used to determine which system extensions are awaiting approval. System extensions with the state[activated waiting for user]
in this output are displayed as 'Placeholder Developer' in the macOS preferences page shown above. If more than two 'Placeholder Developer' entries are showin in the above preferences page, uninstall all software that uses system extensions (including the Mac Connector) so that no system extensions are awaiting approval, and then reinstall the Mac Connector.
The Mac Connector sysem extensions are identified as follows:- The Network Extension is shown as
com.cisco.endpoint.svc.networkextension
. - The Endpoint Security extension is shown has
com.cisco.endpoint.svc.securityextension
.
- The Network Extension is shown as
- The
- During install, the prompt to allow the Mac Connector's Content Filter to monitor network traffic may display '(null)' as the application name. This is caused by a bug in macOS 10.15. The user needs to select 'Allow' to to ensure protection of the computer.
If the prompt was dismissed by clicking 'Don't Allow' it can be displayed again by clicking the AMP Agent menulet icon in the menu bar and selecting 'Allow Network Filter.'
Once enabled, the AMP Network Extension filter will be listed in the Network Preferences page. - On macOS 11, when upgrading from Mac Connector 1.12 to Mac Connector 1.14, Fault 4, System Extension Failed to Load, may be raised temporarily while the Connector is transitioning from the kernel extensions to the new system extensions.
Revision History
Dec 1, 2020
- Mac Connector 1.14.1 no longer uses system extensions on macOS 10.15.
- Additional guidance on using terminal check which 'Placeholder Developer' System Extensions are awaiting approval when using Mac Connector 1.14.0.
Nov 9, 2020
- Corrected bundle ID in full disk access CodeRequirement MDM payload.
Nov 3, 2020
Macos 10.14 Mojave On Unsupported Macs
- Release date for 1.14.0 Mac Connector is November 2020.
- The 1.14.0 Mac Connector will use System Extensions starting with macOS 10.15.5. Previously this was 10.15.6.
- Added Known Issues section.
- Updated directory structure outline.
Welcome to Mr. Macintosh.com. If you are part of one of the following groups, Mac Admins, Mac Support, Mac Developer, Mac in Education or Mac User, then this is the site for you. Each group is important, yet has different needs.
- Mac Admin = This tag is for anyone in who is in Macintosh Architecture, Engineering, System Administration, or MDM Administrators.
- Mac Support = Someone who supports or fixes Macintosh issues. This group includes anyone who works in a Macintosh Helpdesk role. You could be level 1-3 or even a Subject Matter Expert (SME) or Team Lead or Management.
- Mac in Education = This group is for anyone working in K-12 or Higher Education. You could be a teacher, Helpdesk Analyst, or Administrator.
- Mac Developer = A Mac Developer, covers anyone who develops software on the Mac, including macOS iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
- Mac User = This could be anyone who uses a Mac. You want to learn more about how the Mac works. You could be an everyday user, enterprise user, student, collector, or even an enthusiast.
I have at one time or another been a part of 4 of 5 groups. I started as a Mac User when I got my first Mac (Blue and White PowerMac G3). Then I got my first job in Mac EDU (Mac Higher Education). After that, I moved on to Mac Support (Mac Enterprise IT Support). Today I am a member of Mac Admins (Macintosh Architecture & Engineering).
If you are just getting started and are thinking of getting into a career supporting Apple devices, knowledge and learning is critical. Read and learn as much as you can along the way.
Macos Mojave On Unsupported Macs
Install Mojave On Unsupported Macs
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