macOS 10.15 Catalina on Unsupported Macs

[smnbldwn]

I am getting the problem again where Chrome, Edge and all the Microsoft Office apps won't launch. SIPS is off and I am running 10.15.7 with all the patches.

Process:               Google Chrome [1886]
Path:                  /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome
Identifier:            com.google.Chrome
Version:               ???
Code Type:             X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process:        ??? [1]
Responsible:           Google Chrome [1886]
User ID:               501

Date/Time:             2020-10-19 17:37:25.270 +0100
OS Version:            Mac OS X 10.15.7 (19H2)
Report Version:        12
Anonymous UUID:        BE2CFA41-18DB-A919-8218-1F84B1447B13


Time Awake Since Boot: 3400 seconds

System Integrity Protection: disabled

Crashed Thread:        0

Exception Type:        EXC_CRASH (Code Signature Invalid)
Exception Codes:       0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000
Exception Note:        EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY

Termination Reason:    Namespace CODESIGNING, Code 0x1

This is a sample of the message I get. Anyone else got the same problem?

 

[smnbldwn]

I am getting the problem again where Chrome, Edge and all the Microsoft Office apps won't launch. SIPS is off and I am running 10.15.7 with all the patches.

Process:               Google Chrome [1886]
Path:                  /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome
Identifier:            com.google.Chrome
Version:               ???
Code Type:             X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process:        ??? [1]
Responsible:           Google Chrome [1886]
User ID:               501

Date/Time:             2020-10-19 17:37:25.270 +0100
OS Version:            Mac OS X 10.15.7 (19H2)
Report Version:        12
Anonymous UUID:        BE2CFA41-18DB-A919-8218-1F84B1447B13


Time Awake Since Boot: 3400 seconds

System Integrity Protection: disabled

Crashed Thread:        0

Exception Type:        EXC_CRASH (Code Signature Invalid)
Exception Codes:       0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000
Exception Note:        EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY

Termination Reason:    Namespace CODESIGNING, Code 0x1

This is a sample of the message I get. Anyone else got the same problem?

BTW it doesn't launch even if I try over and over again.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Hello,
My iMac late 2009 (GPU : Nvidia GTX780M (@Nick22 flashed) METAL Support) works well under Mojave.
I want to switch to Catalina, and i do not find how to do not install "Legacy video card patch" dosdude1's patcher Catalina.
I tried several things:
1 - Uncheck "Legacy video card patch" in the post install tool at the end of Catalina installation (by holding down the option key ).
2 - I used @Ausdauersportler 's method modifying the "macmodels.plist" file of the Patcher Catalina.
With these 2 methods "Legacy video card patch" is always installed.
What i'm doing wrong?

While building the patcher, you can go to the "Options" menu and de-select "Auto-Apply Post-Install Patches" to avoid this.
Important: While running the Post Install tool, make sure you deselect the Legacy Video Card patch option (since you will using a new, compatible metal graphics card).

(copied from the famous first post)

You have to boot into the USB installer to run the post installation tool.

On http://dosdude1.com/catalina/ @dosdude1 published a really cool installation video. Please take the time to watch it and follow all instructions...

Edit:
If you modify the plist file correctly you will not get the legacy video patch installed. I use this method for months, now.

 

[0134168]

I've been trying to get my 3,1 to Catalina using the dosdude patcher. According to his website, I should be able to do it and yet I can't seem to get a stable install. I've only gotten one install through 100% (through setup all the way to a desktop screen) but it crashes extremely frequently. I have one ssd mounted on a PCIe and another installed in a regular HD slot. For the other 49 failed installs of catalina, they fail either during the install process or install almost completely ("about a minute left") and then crash. However, the volumes are recognized as startup disks with 10.15. If I choose it as a startup disk or run the post-installs and do the same, I'll see the APFS fix and then the computer crashes and turns off. Any idea what could be the reason why? Or did you do anything differently to get yours to work? Really appreciate any help you can give.
View attachment 968647

Mine is extremely stable and rocket solid. Not a single problem in more than a year. So happy.

 

[nekton1]

1. Set Autopatching to OFF when first creating the USB installer with the 1.4.4 Patcher.
2. After the install completes, reboot by pressing the Option key to boot from the USB installer again and choose Post-install to MANUALLY patch with the video legacy patch and AMD SSL patches checkboxes set to OFF.

Hello,
My iMac late 2009 (GPU : Nvidia GTX780M (@Nick22 flashed) METAL Support) works well under Mojave.
I want to switch to Catalina, and i do not find how to do not install "Legacy video card patch" dosdude1's patcher Catalina.
I tried several things:
1 - Uncheck "Legacy video card patch" in the post install tool at the end of Catalina installation (by holding down the option key ).
2 - I used @Ausdauersportler 's method modifying the "macmodels.plist" file of the Patcher Catalina.
With these 2 methods "Legacy video card patch" is always installed.
What i'm doing wrong?

 

[traser]

Thank you very much for your help @Ausdauersportler and @nekton1.
Catalina works great now on my iMac.

 

[DX9OSCar]

BTW it doesn't launch even if I try over and over again.

I have this similar problem with Chrome, Brave and the odd other app too (I don't use Office) — what works for me (most of the time) as a workaround is to open Terminal, go to the Applications folder, then start the app I need using the "open" command — might need to do it a couple of times — weirdly, once started, if I quit the app, it will then open normally from the Dock (until I reboot)

 

[K two]

This Mini was pieced together from 3 dead Minis w/cheap Pioneer SSD now on 10.15.7. Best Catalina, yet.

 

[Smoker46]

Two ideas here, both covering the non-bootable APFS that Catalina seems to install:
- you could try to use the dosdude1 patcher to _only_ patch the APFS issue (de-select all other patches)
- use the APFS ROM patch to deal with it permanently (the tool itself has to modded slightly to accept the 4,1 as
a valid patchable machine - have done it successfully and it´s somewhere in the posts here)

good luck

I succeded in installing catalina on the 4.1!
Following the guide of the RMC Patcher and the system boot without any problem.

The "only" problem is that is very sluggish! there is some way to improve it?

 

[0403979]

I succeded in installing catalina on the 4.1!
Following the guide of the RMC Patcher and the system boot without any problem.

The "only" problem is that is very sluggish! there is some way to improve it?

Unfortunately that’s a side effect of not having acceleration. You can upgrade to an SSD and more RAM (which is highly recommended) but it won’t be as fast as a Mac with acceleration.

 

[Smoker46]

Unfortunately that’s a side effect of not having acceleration. You can upgrade to an SSD and more RAM (which is highly recommended) but it won’t be as fast as a Mac with acceleration.

hI Julian!
first of all thanks for your hard work on our old machine!
I already installed 4gb of ram and a 240gb ssd
With lion tha machine work really fast, but isn't really usable with catalina.
I hope that in the next future will come up some path for the HW acceleration.

 

[Barry K. Nathan]

hI Julian!
first of all thanks for your hard work on our old machine!
I already installed 4gb of ram and a 240gb ssd
With lion tha machine work really fast, but isn't really usable with catalina.
I hope that in the next future will come up some path for the HW acceleration.

The latest OS you can install on that Mac and still have acceleration is Mountain Lion. Use ParrotGeek's NexPostFacto.

 

[Larsvonhier]

hI Julian!
first of all thanks for your hard work on our old machine!
I already installed 4gb of ram and a 240gb ssd
With lion tha machine work really fast, but isn't really usable with catalina.
I hope that in the next future will come up some path for the HW acceleration.

"not really usable" really depends on what you want to do - and on the software you use.
For instance, if you´re kind of stuck with using "Music" instead of iTunes with Catalina, you can revert back to iTunes (some older version) by using the tool "retroactive". Even some of the last iTunes releases had the problem that they slowed everything down on the machine without acceleration. Slightly older versions did not have that effect. For video streaming or replay try IINA instead of VLC or Quicktime. Long story short, if you find the right replacement Apps for stuff that is too slow, you´re gaining the extra mileage ;-)
GMA950 and x3100 GPUs probably will not see real acceleration, ever - but make sure that you get the full 144MB framebuffer at least, using the right kexts.
Sidenote: I know someone working as doctor in a nearby hospital, and the main (sole!) work machine is a MB4,1 with High Sierra, also without GPU acceleration. For the daily tasks (creating office documents, some light browsing, email, connecting/syncing to a not-too-old iPhone) the machine is absolutely useable and considered helpful. From time to time I´m in charge of updating macOS and applications, and always ask if the computer should be exchanged - but the owner likes to stick to it, since years!

 

[Display PostScript]

When 10.15.7 came out, I did an inplace upgrade using @dosdude 's (thanks!) tool. Upon restarting, it seems that wifi is not able to find my SSID and will just fail after a while.

I ran into the exact same problem after upgrading from 10.15.6 to 10.15.7, both on a MacBookAir4,1 as well as a MacBookAir4,2. The fact that WiFi SSIDs are picked up only after running Wireless Diagnostics seems to suggest some issue with the WLAN driver. Running Onyx/Maintenance as suggested by K two unfortunately does not resolve the issue, nor would I have expected it to. Has anyone done a diff regarding WLAN drivers in 10.15.6 vs. 10.15.7?

 

[0403979]

Sidenote: I know someone working as doctor in a nearby hospital, and the main (sole!) work machine is a MB4,1 with High Sierra, also without GPU acceleration. For the daily tasks (creating office documents, some light browsing, email, connecting/syncing to a not-too-old iPhone) the machine is absolutely useable and considered helpful. From time to time I´m in charge of updating macOS and applications, and always ask if the computer should be exchanged - but the owner likes to stick to it, since years!

It's really humbling to know that this all started from one post and has come further than I could have ever imagined. Thank you for your work on this and to all the users of my patchers!

 

[K two]

I ran into the exact same problem after upgrading from 10.15.6 to 10.15.7, both on a MacBookAir4,1 as well as a MacBookAir4,2. The fact that WiFi SSIDs are picked up only after running Wireless Diagnostics seems to suggest some issue with the WLAN driver. Running Onyx/Maintenance as suggested by K two unfortunately does not resolve the issue, nor would I have expected it to. Has anyone done a diff regarding WLAN drivers in 10.15.6 vs. 10.15.7?

Tom - If both .6 and .7 MacOS installers are accessible. Use Suspicious Package 3.6 to determine the difference.

 

[Display PostScript]

If both .6 and .7 MacOS installers are accessible. Use Suspicious Package 3.6 to determine the difference.

They unfortunately aren't since the .7 installer overwrote the .6 bootable install stick, and I am unable to force the two machines to fetch an older .6 installer for a downgrade. In the absence of anyone else having already gone through the same process and having resolved the WiFi issue successfully, I guess I will have to do a deep dive into the installed kernel extensions over the weekend to see whether I can find the key to a solution.

 

[Funkstar2]

Hello everyone. I'm sorry to disturb the topic again by asking such a mundane question but the topic is now too large to read but the search won't find anything relevant.

I have a Mac Pro 3.1 running 10.15.6. Should I upgrade to 10.15.7? Is it worth while? If so, is the upgrade process the same as the installation process? Ie, I download the installer again and do a fully upgrade?

Thank you!

 

[joevt]

Hello everyone. I'm sorry to disturb the topic again by asking such a mundane question but the topic is now too large to read but the search won't find anything relevant.

I have a Mac Pro 3.1 running 10.15.6. Should I upgrade to 10.15.7? Is it worth while? If so, is the upgrade process the same as the installation process? Ie, I download the installer again and do a fully upgrade?

Yes, install 10.15.7 over 10.15.6. You won't lose any info.

 

[0134168]

Hello everyone. I'm sorry to disturb the topic again by asking such a mundane question but the topic is now too large to read but the search won't find anything relevant.

I have a Mac Pro 3.1 running 10.15.6. Should I upgrade to 10.15.7? Is it worth while? If so, is the upgrade process the same as the installation process? Ie, I download the installer again and do a fully upgrade?

Thank you!

It depends on what you consider ""worth". As for me, I always update cause of the security patches. In my case, I simply installed over, worked like a charm.

 

[K two]

They unfortunately aren't since the .7 installer overwrote the .6 bootable install stick, and I am unable to force the two machines to fetch an older .6 installer for a downgrade. In the absence of anyone else having already gone through the same process and having resolved the WiFi issue successfully, I guess I will have to do a deep dive into the installed kernel extensions over the weekend to see whether I can find the key to a solution.

Resetting NVRAM and SMC has been done?

 

[Funkstar2]

It depends on what you consider ""worth". As for me, I always update cause of the security patches. In my case, I simply installed over, worked like a charm.

Thanks. I gave it a go (tried both 'install this device', and a USB stick), but it just kept booting back into 10.15.6. I think I'll leave it alone

 

[Display PostScript]

Resetting NVRAM and SMC has been done?

Yes, resetting NVRAM as well as SMC has been tried on both machines, to no avail.

I have in the meanwhile downgraded one of the two machines to 10.15.6 again by asking a friend who is running Catalina on an officially supported Mac to execute sudo softwareupdate -d --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 10.15.6 on his machine, which provided me with a 10.15.6 installer that I could then put on a USB drive to perform the downgrade. WiFi on that machine works again without issues.

I am currently trying to further diagnose the problem on the remaining machine still running 10.15.7. What puzzles me is that low-level system diagnostics show that the wireless adapter does in fact see all the WiFi networks in the vicinity, returning proper ssids, bssids, channel information and so on, but for some reason that information does not seem to make it to the upper abstraction layers of the OS. Cache-assisted auto-join scan requests fail as well, even though en0 seems to be properly attached.

The MacBookAir4,x machines use the same Broadcom BCM43xx series firmware and driver, so I originally expected that driver to be the culprit. Then again, one of the 10.15.7 features explicitly advertised by Apple was that it resolved a WiFi bug associated with machines not connecting automatically to WiFi networks, so I suspect that that mechanism might be to blame. If anyone can share more precise information on what exactly Apple changed in that regard when moving from .6 to .7 then that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[K two]

Yes, resetting NVRAM as well as SMC has been tried on both machines, to no avail.

I have in the meanwhile downgraded one of the two machines to 10.15.6 again by asking a friend who is running Catalina on an officially supported Mac to execute sudo softwareupdate -d --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 10.15.6 on his machine, which provided me with a 10.15.6 installer that I could then put on a USB drive to perform the downgrade. WiFi on that machine works again without issues.

I am currently trying to further diagnose the problem on the remaining machine still running 10.15.7. What puzzles me is that low-level system diagnostics show that the wireless adapter does in fact see all the WiFi networks in the vicinity, returning proper ssids, bssids, channel information and so on, but for some reason that information does not seem to make it to the upper abstraction layers of the OS. Cache-assisted auto-join scan requests fail as well, even though en0 seems to be properly attached.

The MacBookAir4,x machines use the same Broadcom BCM43xx series firmware and driver, so I originally expected that driver to be the culprit. Then again, one of the 10.15.7 features explicitly advertised by Apple was that it resolved a WiFi bug associated with machines not connecting automatically to WiFi networks, so I suspect that that mechanism might be to blame. If anyone can share more precise information on what exactly Apple changed in that regard when moving from .6 to .7 then that would be greatly appreciated.

Spelunking the Installer packages with Suspicious Package should reveal the changes, now that you have both installers. Good luck. Finding machine specific issues on unsupported Macs can be daunting. Consider staying on .6?

 

[Absorbalov]

So I have a 2008 Mac Pro 4.1 500gb ssd , running high Sierra , I tried the Catalina update a while back but ran into an audio problem, I want to update so I can update logic x to the latest version, I use a focus rite Safire pro 24 FireWire audio unit, everything is good apart from the audio through the Safire which is glitchy really glitchy, built in audio is fine, I’m just wondering if anyone else has had the problem? I’ve done a clean install on both Mojave and Catalina and it’s the same. I’ve tried loads of different patch options but still get the same result
any help appreciated
Rob