macOS 11 Big Sur on Unsupported Macs Thread

[abelpinate]

hello i want to ask about BS for macbook pro 2011 late 8.1 right now im running catalina using dosdude1 patcher on it without having any problem im thinking to try BS on it but can anyone tell me what are the known issues that i could have and could i fix all of them and let it run as smoother as catalina on it or it s impossible
thanks alot .

Please, can anybody respond this to him? I'm aware to know too.
Thanks!

 

[eZigma]

Please, can anybody respond this to him? I'm aware to know too.
Thanks!

It was answered in the very next post AND with 3 further followup answers after that!!!

 

[abelpinate]

I made a mistake quoting... feel so so sorry for those who got affected:

MacBook Pro 9,2 (Mid 2012) / Micropatcher 0.5.1 / Big Sur 20B29


Question regarding opencore vs patched installation. For some context, I have been running the barrykn micropatcher since beta 4 and have had nothing but positive things to say about the performance of my machine, and the process of installing has been very easy. My question is, what is the benefit of moving to the opencore method? As I understand it, opencore allows for a few things: ota/incremental updates directly from apple, activation of sip, and some other security improvements. If anybody could provide some other benefits it would be much appreciated! (i.e. is there a performance benefit?)

I didn't see someone respond this... I'm aware to know...




PD: kindness it's ALWAYS a good road... just saying.

 

[roysterdoyster]

My machine is a MacBookPro4,1 17-inch (Early 2008), running flawlessly on Catalina 10.15.7 (19H15).
Has anyone succeeded in installing Big Sur on this model?
Your assistance is highly appreciated.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

My machine is a MacBookPro4,1 17-inch (Early 2008), running flawlessly on Catalina 10.15.7 (19H15).
Has anyone succeeded in installing Big Sur on this model?
Your assistance is highly appreciated.

Please check out the first post for patcher and system "support"! And than you may better search the thread for your particular system using the search function on the top right off the page and limit results to this thread. It is highly unlikely that every or a single owner of your old system is responding in time. We are simply not all online 24/7.

It will have no graphics acceleration and will not run flawlessly...

Your assistance is highly appreciated.

 

[Sevenfeet]

Thanks to everyone on this forum for the outstanding help getting BigSur installed on my 2008 Mac Pro 3,1.
I did the following:
I used a BigSur already installed disk image from StarPlayrX.
After I restored from the BigSur image, I booted from the BigSurBaseSystemfix and apply "BigSurFixes Legacy USB patches", after reboot it worked perfect.

I just downloaded this. For some reason I can't restore the disk image. Getting a "Can't validate BM01.dmg" as an image file. Not sure what's happening.

Update: figured it out. Installing now. Will report back if it works.

 

[hvds]

Hello everyone! I'm very excited to announce the release of our patcher:

• OpenCore Legacy Patcher

The goal of this patcher is fairly simple, try to patch as much in memory and modify as little on disk as possible. With this idea, we're able to keep APFS snapshotting, AMFI, SIP, FileVault and other security features enabled without any concerns for stability or security.

This patcher also has a few other benefits:

• Uses Apple's native IO80211 framework for Broadcom cards
  • This should ensure sleep wake cycles no longer break network scanning
• Allows for non-permanent, in-memory firmware upgrades on
  • For machines like MacPro3,1, no need to perform APFS ROM patching
• Allows for boot screen support on 3rd party GPUs without any GPU ROM patching
  • Ideal for iMac and Mac Pro GPU upgrades
• Only way to boot Arrendale, Lynnfield and Clarkdale based Macs in Big Sur
  • ie. iMac11,1, iMac11,2, iMac11,3, MacBookPro6,1, MacBookPro6,2
• Incorporates the IOHIDFamily bug patch found on some older Macs
• Native OTA updates!
  • Firmware updates for newer Machines do not apply, so don't need to worry with that

While this all sounds amazing, there are some limitations of this patcher:

• Legacy Audio Patches
  • ie. 2011 and older Machines
  • Currently working on AppleALC patches to have this done in memory as well
• Legacy GPU patches
  • There are plans to add this in for Mojave and Catalina, Big Sur is still unknown

The main users I'd recommend to this patcher are:

• 2012+ MacBooks, iMacs and Mac Minis with native GPUs
• 2008+ Mac Pros with Metal capable GPUs

Other users are more than welcome to use this patcher, and it should work great however audio and GPU issues are the main things that need to be resolved.

To use this program, simple download the release and run the OpenCore-Patcher.command file.

Run option 1 to build the EFI, or option 3 to select another machine model.

With regards to issues, generally the Github's Issue tab or on the Unsupported Macs discord are the best places to reach me. Generally discord is the fastest, and MacRumors is the slowest.(I'm not very active here) My discord name is MykolaG#7153 for easier pings in the discord, we also have a dedicated channel called #opencore-patchers

A further test with your OpenCore Legacy Patcher 0.0.3 (OC-L-P) on a MBP5,2:

- made a USB OC-L-P using the 1st link above, and also looked at the nicely written Python .command
- using a pre-existing USB installer made with createinstallmedia from 11.1 beta and jackluke's BS BaseSystem fix
- booted it with Apple boot selector and used it for a clean install on an erased partition on a USB SSD
- after stage1 booted into OC-L-P and from there into macOS installer to start stage2
- had to leave during the day, when back: country selection screen is up - no manual intervention since start of stage2
- finished setup, no further boot done, now writing from the freshly installed system.

As expected the MBP5,2 now shows as a MBP11,2. No internal audio yet also as expected, no night shift as expected, no WIFI yet but Ethernet is fine, rest all fine including USB mouse/keyboard.

Will now connect the USB disk to a supported MBP11,1 to see if it boots fine without OC. Will then apply patch-kexts.sh to get again my usual patches on disk, to be able to boot also without OC.

Installing BS on those old machines gets ever simpler. Thanks jackluke, khronokernel, BarryKN!
The focus is really on graphics acceleration for non-metal. It is only the beginning of the "year of the Big Sur".

 

[varvanin]

Not sure if Big sur supports a GT750M, but https://dortania.github.io/GPU-Buyers-Guide/modern-gpus/nvidia-gpu.html#native-nvidia-gpus implies it should work? But I think many people have issues with getting Nvidia cards to work with Big Sur.

Your cpu has Intel HD Graphics 4600 which is metal compatible - if you can figure out how to disable the 750 and use the iGPU it should work. Sorry I'm more helpful ...

I have metal 1 support. And on Light theme looks fine. How I can't disable Nvidia graphic card?

 

[vendini]

Second version beta of Big Sur 11.1 (20C5061b) is out. Any link to the .pkg file?

 

[jackluke]

Second version beta of Big Sur 11.1 (20C5061b) is out. Any link to the .pkg file?

I haven't downloaded it yet (neither 11.1 beta 1), but I made this consideration, if @buckrock posted that for Big Sur Beta 11.1 (20C5048l) the product id 001-83606

then this should be the next product id for 11.1 beta 2:
http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/40/05/001-84845-A_FH4MSCLO1S.../InstallAssistant.pkg

 

[jackluke]

A further test with your OpenCore Legacy Patcher 0.0.3 (OC-L-P) on a MBP5,2:

- made a USB OC-L-P using the 1st link above, and also looked at the nicely written Python .command
- using a pre-existing USB installer made with createinstallmedia from 11.1 beta and jackluke's BS BaseSystem fix
- booted it with Apple boot selector and used it for a clean install on an erased partition on a USB SSD
- after stage1 booted into OC-L-P and from there into macOS installer to start stage2
- had to leave during the day, when back: country selection screen is up - no manual intervention since start of stage2
- finished setup, no further boot done, now writing from the freshly installed system.

As expected the MBP5,2 now shows as a MBP11,2. No internal audio yet also as expected, no night shift as expected, no WIFI yet but Ethernet is fine, rest all fine including USB mouse/keyboard.

khronokernel made a very advanced OpenCore setup that also remapped Legacy USB devices for spoofing BigSur supported Mac, so if you want to use BigSur OTA updates, don't apply any kext or framework patch, because those break the OTA update feature that requires:

- Sealed System Volume (locked non mountable from another APFS macOS desktop, but APFS Data is readable and writeable anyway)

- stock BigSur System snapshot (snapshots with "com.apple.bless" won't work for OTA updates) that is com.apple.os.update-MSUPrepareUpdate

- stock APFS System Volume (with its stock KernelCollections, Extensions, Frameworks, telemetry plugin and so on)

 

[hvds]

I haven't downloaded it yet (neither 11.1 beta 1), but I made this consideration, if @buckrock posted that for Big Sur Beta 11.1 (20C5048l) the product id 001-83606

then this should be the next product id for 11.1 beta 2:
http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/40/05/001-84845-A_FH4MSCLO1S.../InstallAssistant.pkg

Thanks for the link!
Just downloaded it OK. It has version 16.3.01, the first 11.1 beta had 16.2.01.
I'll no try two ways from beta1 to beta2:
- update my existing USB installer by just executing your BigSurSharedSupportfix.command with the new installer.app in /Applications, then use the updated installer for a clean install on yet another USB disk partition. Will use again OC to resume stage2 and all the rest.
- boot existing 11.1 beta1 installation (with no further kext changes applied) via OC and use OTA update.
Then will report the results.

 

[Sevenfeet]

I just downloaded this. For some reason I can't restore the disk image. Getting a "Can't validate BM01.dmg" as an image file. Not sure what's happening.

Update: figured it out. Installing now. Will report back if it works.

OK, I finally have success with the .dmg download file from StarPlayrX. So far, everything looks good although audio isn't working and I imagine there are a few other things that aren't working.

One thing I did figure out was that something I had done had impeded the process. And that was putting the BirSur installer on the same flash drive as the drive I was installing to (instead of on a separate USB drive). They were different partitions but during reboots, the Mac pro would default to the first bootable partition which was the installer and not the BigSur installation itself. I'm sure that if I did this from scratch now, I'd be successful now that I've deleted that partition.

 

[vendini]

I haven't downloaded it yet (neither 11.1 beta 1), but I made this consideration, if @buckrock posted that for Big Sur Beta 11.1 (20C5048l) the product id 001-83606

then this should be the next product id for 11.1 beta 2:
http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/40/05/001-84845-A_FH4MSCLO1S.../InstallAssistant.pkg

Thank you for the link! It's indeed version 16301, but, in the info.plist, I see that it is the DTSDKBuild 20C5061a version. The beta 2 is the 20C5061b. So there are not exactly the same. Maybe an internal pre-version?

EDIT : This is actually the beta 2 20C5061b version. Verified after installation.

 

[psbelectric]

WOW! Congratulations! Runs good?

Thanks! Mac mini M1 baseline model - for me, OUTSTANDING!! Cool case, no fan noise, faster than anything (PC and Mac) I've owned before - and I got it from Officeworks at $110 below retail price (now back to normal pice) so overall, WOW!!

 

[Quackers]

I haven't downloaded it yet (neither 11.1 beta 1), but I made this consideration, if @buckrock posted that for Big Sur Beta 11.1 (20C5048l) the product id 001-83606

then this should be the next product id for 11.1 beta 2:
http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/40/05/001-84845-A_FH4MSCLO1S.../InstallAssistant.pkg

Thanks
I downloaded and installed and unlike @vendini I got 20C5061b

 

[Ausdauersportler]

khronokernel made a very advanced OpenCore setup that also remapped Legacy USB devices for spoofing BigSur supported Mac, so if you want to use BigSur OTA updates, don't apply any kext or framework patch, because those break the OTA update feature that requires:

- Sealed System Volume (locked non mountable from another APFS macOS desktop, but APFS Data is readable and writeable anyway)

- stock BigSur System snapshot (snapshots with "com.apple.bless" won't work for OTA updates) that is com.apple.os.update-MSUPrepareUpdate

- stock APFS System Volume (with its stock KernelCollections, Extensions, Frameworks, telemetry plugin and so on)

Since the micro patcher has this -u option to roll back to the stock installation state may be it will be possible to exist in a Big Sur world where we simply roll back, upgrade, and patch again. Or is this sealing broken when adding the first patch?

Would it be possible to roll back to the original first snap shot after installation somehow? I did not spend any time on the APFS details and so my questions may sound simple, my assumptions may be complete wrong and weird...

 

[vendini]

Thanks
I downloaded and installed and unlike @vendini I got 20C5061b
View attachment 1686062

Great news! So it is the right version. I was scared to install it but I will do it now. Thanks for the information!

 

[hvds]

Thanks
I downloaded and installed and unlike @vendini I got 20C5061b
View attachment 1686062

Success also here on MBP5,2.
After download applied jackluke's BigSurSharedSupportfix.command to update the existing beta1 USB installer. Used the updated USB installer to install beta2 over beta1 on an external SSD, without using OC this time.

Re build numbers: I recall vaguely that DTSDKBuild is the build number of the system used to build the actual system... not the build number of the actual system.

 

[lumos]

Hej, how to fix this ui problem?

I have a similar problem on my Mac Pro 3,1 with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 Metal capable GPU.
On the left the correct background, on the right my wrong version.
There is a fix for this?

Thanks

 

[hvds]

A further test with your OpenCore Legacy Patcher 0.0.3 (OC-L-P) on a MBP5,2:

- made a USB OC-L-P using the 1st link above, and also looked at the nicely written Python .command
- using a pre-existing USB installer made with createinstallmedia from 11.1 beta and jackluke's BS BaseSystem fix
- booted it with Apple boot selector and used it for a clean install on an erased partition on a USB SSD
- after stage1 booted into OC-L-P and from there into macOS installer to start stage2
- had to leave during the day, when back: country selection screen is up - no manual intervention since start of stage2
- finished setup, no further boot done, now writing from the freshly installed system.

As expected the MBP5,2 now shows as a MBP11,2. No internal audio yet also as expected, no night shift as expected, no WIFI yet but Ethernet is fine, rest all fine including USB mouse/keyboard.

Will now connect the USB disk to a supported MBP11,1 to see if it boots fine without OC. Will then apply patch-kexts.sh to get again my usual patches on disk, to be able to boot also without OC.

Installing BS on those old machines gets ever simpler. Thanks jackluke, khronokernel, BarryKN!
The focus is really on graphics acceleration for non-metal. It is only the beginning of the "year of the Big Sur".

Just to add to this installation exercise on MBP5,2 using OC-L-P version 0.0.3:
- on a supported MBP11,1 the USB disk with 11.1 beta1 (prepared on my MBP5,2) boots and runs fine from the Apple boot selector
- booted the same disk again with OC-L-P on MBP5,2. It does recognise the beta2 in system settings > software update. I didn't proceed to install it yet (still a little fear of firmware updates).
No post-install kext patching has been done to this disk.

 

[MacHacJac]

Guys, I have awesome news regarding @moosethegoose2213 and I's patcher. I have been obsessing about "patching basesystem" for months now. Well, it's finally been done. I can officially say that you can run the entire post-install process in macOS recovery, just like in dosdude1's patchers. This proved to be a very challenging endeavor, as macOS Big Sur has been very finicky about pretty much everything. Thanks to the help of @moosethegoose2213 , @Minh_Ton , and @jackluke , I have been able to do it. This patching method is kind of like a "DIY recovery" I like to call it where you take a created install media and you pretty much replace all the files in it. Thanks to @ASentientBot 's boot.efi and @jackluke 's prelinkedkernel, I am able to boot with our post-install application attached. Our application is a shell application, so no extra framework patching was necessary. If anyone would like to know how I patched the basesystem, feel free to DM me. Thanks again to @jackluke for all the help!

If you still don't believe that I have done it, here's a picture of my patched macOS recovery:

Current version: 11.1 Beta

 

[Dilli]

Guys, I have awesome news regarding @moosethegoose2213 and I's patcher. I have been obsessing about "patching basesystem" for months now. Well, it's finally been done. I can officially say that you can run the entire post-install process in macOS recovery, just like in dosdude1's patchers. This proved to be a very challenging endeavor, as macOS Big Sur has been very finicky about pretty much everything. Thanks to the help of @moosethegoose2213 , @Minh_Ton , and @jackluke , I have been able to do it. This patching method is kind of like a "DIY recovery" I like to call it where you take a created install media and you pretty much replace all the files in it. Thanks to @ASentientBot 's boot.efi and @jackluke 's prelinkedkernel, I am able to boot with our post-install application attached. Our application is a shell application, so no extra framework patching was necessary. If anyone would like to know how I patched the basesystem, feel free to DM me. Thanks again to @jackluke for all the help!

If you still don't believe that I have done it, here's a picture of my patched macOS recovery:
View attachment 1686462
Current version: 11.1 Beta

great news. Will it also download the OS updates and then post install the patch like in case of dosdude1 catalina patcher. How do we get this patcher. tsk

 

[justperry]

I haven't downloaded it yet (neither 11.1 beta 1), but I made this consideration, if @buckrock posted that for Big Sur Beta 11.1 (20C5048l) the product id 001-83606

then this should be the next product id for 11.1 beta 2:
http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/40/05/001-84845-A_FH4MSCLO1S.../InstallAssistant.pkg

How did you figure that out, some kind of formula?

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Short update:

iMac 12,2
AMD Metal GPU (EG BIOS offering EFI Boot screen)
Big Sur Beta 1,1 20C5061b

Reset PRAM in advance to avoid grey screen on language selection.
Boot the EFI partition of the prepared USB installer to avoid prohibited sign.
Installing and patching using this micro patcher edition successful.