macOS 10.12 Sierra Unsupported Macs Thread

[dosdude1]

You don't need a supported Mac at all with my tool. I've made it so you can download Sierra, write it to a USB drive, and install it, all using only an unsupported machine. The main issue people seem to be having with it is related to SIP, the solution I've found is to just disable SIP from within Terminal "csrutil disable" (must be done after booting into a Recovery Partition), and then it usually works with no issues.

 

[fischersd]

the public release and gold master are the same version.

if you try to use just dosdudes patch and run the installer from the usb thumb stick it will come back with the error that no packages where found for this model of Macintosh try it.

it does display this message and its because the beta was missing information where the gold master has some new security and yes the great thing is that dosdudes Mac OS X Sierra tool works to create media as well as creating a patch usb stick to patch the o.s every time the App Store version and the gm are the same revision number.

You mean the public release and the 4th gold master are the same version...another reason to stop calling it a GM build.

Ok, just for fun, I'll use my 2008MBP to make the USB installer, rather than my 2012 mini.

UGH! USB2 ports!

 

[dexis]

I have a MacBook Pro 2009 17" with a custom fusion drive created. What is the right patch fix for this case?

MacBookPro5,2
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.66GHz

AirPort Exreme (0x14E4, 0x8D)

 

[pkouame]

the public release and gold master are the same version.

if you try to use just dosdudes patch and run the installer from the usb thumb stick it will come back with the error that no packages where found for this model of Macintosh try it.

it does display this message and its because the beta was missing information where the gold master has some new security and yes the great thing is that dosdudes Mac OS X Sierra tool works to create media as well as creating a patch usb stick to patch the o.s every time the App Store version and the gm are the same revision number.

Ouch! That seems so complex. If you really want to go this route, maybe target disk mode is for you. Otherwise, they're practically giving away 8GB sticks at my local microcenter...and that method has a very good track record here. A pretty simple portable solution.

 

[Ultracyclist]

@dosdude1, I plan to take out the optical drive from my Mac mini 3,1 to put in another HDD. I'll put the optical drive in a usb enclosure. Should I patch the Bootlist.plist USB superdrive?

 

[iModFrenzy]

Anyone have a 0x14E4 0x90?

I have a MacBook Air Mid-2009, 2.13ghz and wifi isn't working

Just curious if anyone's had any luck or I should start looking for a new wifi card.

Sierra is pretty snappy, snappier than El Cap anyway

 

[dosdude1]

@dosdude1, I plan to take out the optical drive from my Mac mini 3,1 to put in another HDD. I'll put the optical drive in a usb enclosure. Should I patch the Bootlist.plist USB superdrive?

Only if you notice issues; otherwise you should be fine without it.
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Anyone have a 0x14E4 0x90?

I have a MacBook Air Mid-2009, 2.13ghz and wifi isn't working

Just curious if anyone's had any luck or I should start looking for a new wifi card.

Sierra is pretty snappy, snappier than El Cap anyway

Yeah, that WiFi card isn't supported either (didn't realize the Air card had a different Device ID). I *think* you can replace the card with the one from the 2009 White Unibody MacBook (model A1342). The connector is the same and it's electrically compatible, but I don't know if it'll actually mount inside the Air or if the antenna connectors will line up. In theory it should work, though.

 

[hrutkaymods]

@dosdude1 question... the MacBook4,1 has an SSE 4.1 CPU correct? so other than the GPU not being supported since Lion... it has a 64bit EFI so could it in theory be supported with out the graphics acceleration eventually? I don't have one but it could be a fun experiment if I could get my hands on one.

 

[fischersd]

Anyone have a 0x14E4 0x90?

I have a MacBook Air Mid-2009, 2.13ghz and wifi isn't working

Just curious if anyone's had any luck or I should start looking for a new wifi card.

Sierra is pretty snappy, snappier than El Cap anyway

Page 1 of this thread lists the results of a number of systems that have been tested. If yours is the MBA 2,1, then you have the BRCM4321 that a lot of us had (and isn't supported under Sierra).
You'll need to get a replacement wifi card with a newer BroadCom chipset.

Edit: Oops...see dosdude1 already replied (need to refresh more)
Edit2: One of the cards available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/BroadCom-BCM943224PCIEBT-BCM43224-Bluetooth-607-5952-B/dp/B00UL7B59C/

 

[dosdude1]

@dosdude1 question... the MacBook4,1 has an SSE 4.1 CPU correct? so other than the GPU not being supported since Lion... it has a 64bit EFI so could it in theory be supported with out the graphics acceleration eventually? I don't have one but it could be a fun experiment if I could get my hands on one.

There is no way GPU acceleration will ever work with the GMAX3100 on Mavericks and newer. The OpenGL/CL libraries in 10.9 and newer do not support that card, and there is nothing you can do about that. Also, the USB controller won't work with EL Capitan and newer.

 

[fischersd]

if you try to use just dosdudes patch and run the installer from the usb thumb stick it will come back with the error that no packages where found for this model of Macintosh try it.

it does display this message and its because the beta was missing information where the gold master has some new security and yes the great thing is that dosdudes Mac OS X Sierra tool works to create media as well as creating a patch usb stick to patch the o.s every time the App Store version and the gm are the same revision number.

When exactly is this supposed to happen? No issues creating the USB Installer using dosdude1's tool on my 2008 MBP.
Now installing Sierra on a 13" MacBook (5,2 - Early 2009).

You're saying this is an issue with the Post-Install utility?

 

[hrutkaymods]

There is no way GPU acceleration will ever work with the GMAX3100 on Mavericks and newer. The OpenGL/CL libraries in 10.9 and newer do not support that card, and there is nothing you can do about that. Also, the USB controller won't work with EL Capitan and newer.

well I knew about the acceleration, but is it really needed? El Capitan was able to run with MacPostFactor and the acceleration disabled. If it could boot up at least, Sierra could possibly be modified to support the USB Controller Just like all the rest right?

 

[dexis]

I have a MacBook Pro 2009 17" with a custom fusion drive created. What is the right patch fix for this case?

MacBookPro5,2
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.66GHz

AirPort Exreme (0x14E4, 0x8D)

 

[dosdude1]

well I knew about the acceleration, but is it really needed? El Capitan was able to run with MacPostFactor and the acceleration disabled. If it could boot up at least, Sierra could possibly be modified to support the USB Controller Just like all the rest right?

I mean... Yeaaah, it could.... But it's honestly not worth the time or effort to run Sierra (or anything newer than 10.8) on that machine, because it just runs like crap and makes the machine practically unusable.

 

[fischersd]

well I knew about the acceleration, but is it really needed? El Capitan was able to run with MacPostFactor and the acceleration disabled. If it could boot up at least, Sierra could possibly be modified to support the USB Controller Just like all the rest right?

I picked up a 13" MB 5,2 for $100 - there's deals on systems that will run it better - just need to look around long enough to find them.

 

[hrutkaymods]

I mean... Yeaaah, it could.... But it's honestly not worth the time or effort to run Sierra (or anything newer than 10.8) on that machine, because it just runs like crap and makes the machine practically unusable.

yeah but it's the fun in doing it

I picked up a 13" MB 5,2 for $100 - there's deals on systems that will run it better - just need to look around long enough to find them.

Lol i Have a MB 5,2... I'm typing on it right now. I'm just seeing if it could eventually happen for the 4,1

 

[fischersd]

yeah but it's the fun in doing it

Lol i Have a MB 5,2... I'm typing on it right now. I'm just seeing if it could eventually happen for the 4,1

Heh. I hear ya. I picked this up to see if I can't find a fix for the trackpad preferences that people are missing.
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if you try to use just dosdudes patch and run the installer from the usb thumb stick it will come back with the error that no packages where found for this model of Macintosh try it.

it does display this message and its because the beta was missing information where the gold master has some new security and yes the great thing is that dosdudes Mac OS X Sierra tool works to create media as well as creating a patch usb stick to patch the o.s every time the App Store version and the gm are the same revision number.

So, yeah, I have to say that the issues that you're running into are of your own doing.

Built my 16GB USB Flash installer on my MBP 2008 (over USB2 *sigh*), then installed on my MB 13" 5,2 (Early 2009), not a single hiccup or error anywhere.

Edit: And that's with the current version of the tool (4.1.2) - but I've also used without issue a number of prior revisions of his tool.

 

[foxlet]

the public release and gold master are the same version.

if you try to use just dosdudes patch and run the installer from the usb thumb stick it will come back with the error that no packages where found for this model of Macintosh try it.

it does display this message and its because the beta was missing information where the gold master has some new security and yes the great thing is that dosdudes Mac OS X Sierra tool works to create media as well as creating a patch usb stick to patch the o.s every time the App Store version and the gm are the same revision number.

There is no new security in the current Sierra installer, that was defeated a while ago and was for a different error. The error you're mentioning would appear if OSInstall.mpkg failed to be modified (unchanged) and the option was set to hidden by the default script. Most likely the patcher didn't run correctly or a new bug has popped up.

There's also a boot.plist patch, but none for boot.efi.

 

[RumorzGuy]

Man, the lengths that some folks in this thread are going to just to install Sierra on their old machines . . . and the many troubles that are ensuing.

This is just a gentle suggestion, but I think that some of you really need to ask yourselves if the trade-off in performance, and the many problems that are created with Sierra, really make it worth it to install Sierra on a machine that is already nearing the end of its life.

As some of you will know, I fully went that route myself using both dosdude1's tools and foxlet's tools. I was running 16A323 -- the final public build -- on my early 2009 iMac. However, after three strikes -- 1) losing an app that I use on a daily basis, 2) the problems with VirtualBox killing my camera under Sierra, and 3) 10.12.1 messing up my mailboxes and preventing me from using either keyboard, Magic Mouse or wired mouse -- I finally got smart and realized that Apple had been right to exclude my almost eight-year-old machine from their compatibility list.

Since then, I have returned to El Capitan, plus removed a number of apps and haxies. As I have mentioned before, since doing so, I am amazed by how much faster and smoother my machine is running now, and with a larger margin of free memory as well.

Again, it is obviously up to each one of you to make your own decisions, and you are free to do on your own machine(s) as you wish. However, if you take the time to read this thread from beginning to end -- as well as other threads where Sierra-related problems on older machines are discussed, I hope that it at least gives you some pause, if you are considering upgrading to Sierra on a machine that is 6 to 9 years old.

 

[fischersd]

READ!

Seriously, go to the start of the thread, read the information given, read the guides on how to use the tools and come back with specific questions (if you have any).

You're actually expected to put some effort into supporting your own system.

 

[RumorzGuy]

To those of you who are considering upgrading your old machines to macOS Sierra, but who haven't done so yet, following is a list of some of the key features which Sierra brings to the table:

• Siri integration
• Auto unlocking w/Apple Watch
• Apple Pay for web
• Revamped Apple Music app
• New storage optimization
• New file system w/native encryption (not yet)
• "Memories" tab in Photos
• Cross-device copy and paste
• Tabs in a few more apps

I ask all of you to carefully look at the previous list and determine not just the things that you think may be cool to have, but rather the things that you really NEED to have on your older machine to improve your workflow and increase your productivity.

If the ones you can do without are more than the ones that you really need, then perhaps you should forego installing Sierra on your aged machine, and just be content with El Capitan, as I now am.

For me personally, there is not a single thing on that list that I really need or want.

How about you?

But if your desire is still to have the latest and the "greatest", well then, go for it . . . but I hope that the contents of this thread serve as a warning to you that you may possibly be in for a bumpy ride.

Or maybe not. Maybe the installation will go as smooth as butter for you, just as it did for me. But then later, bad things began to happen and revealed themselves, such as a broken iSight camera.

Folks like dosdude1 and foxlet are doing their very best to help you install Sierra on your old machine -- and investing a lot of time and energy into their endeavors -- but you need to realize that there are so many different machines, and so many different personal configurations and setups out there, that success for one does not guarantee success for all; even if you are running the very same machine as someone else. You may have different apps installed, or different peripherals attached, or a different kind of hard drive, or a different amount of memory, etc.

My point is, installing macOS Sierra on our older machines is like the Wild, Wild West. Anything can happen, and probably will, eventually, somewhere.

 

[dexis]

READ!

Seriously, go to the start of the thread, read the information given, read the guides on how to use the tools and come back with specific questions (if you have any).

You're actually expected to put some effort into supporting your own system.

I've created a custom fusion drive, so if i "6. Select the disk or partition you want to install on, and erase it, ensuring to use Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as the filesystem type. If formatting an entire drive, ensure GUID is selected." this custom fusion drive will be broken isn't it?

 

[bbbggg]

I've been offline for a month, so I'm just catching up and I have a question:

I'm on the 16A313a beta and want to upgrade to the release version of Sierra. I downloaded @dosdude1 "macOS Sierra Software Update Patch" but it says "No Software Updates Available" in the dropdown where I expect to see a selection for the release version.

How do I proceed from here? Is it not possible to do a straight upgrade from the beta to the release version?

 

[RumorzGuy]

I've been offline for a month, so I'm just catching up and I have a question:

I'm on the 16A313a beta and want to upgrade to the release version of Sierra. I downloaded @dosdude1 "macOS Sierra Software Update Patch" but it says "No Software Updates Available" in the dropdown where I expect to see a selection for the release version.

How do I proceed from here? Is it not possible to do a straight upgrade from the beta to the release version?

I think you might find foxlet's AUS easier to use. Even dosdude1 recognized that it is a better, more streamlined method for getting Sierra on your machine.

Also, I am sure someone here will correct me if I am wrong, but that is because you need to move out of the beta phase and into the GM phase. The final public release is actually the same as the final GM -- 16A323.

Again, please look at foxlet's AUS. He even created a simple app called AUSEnabler to switch catalogs.

 

[dosdude1]

I think you might find foxlet's AUS easier to use. Even dosdude1 recognized that it is a better, more streamlined method for getting Sierra on your machine.

Well, you can't Software Update to the final release... Just download a copy from the App Store (using my tool if on an unsupported machine), and then create a USB drive to install from.