Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Ploki

macrumors 601
Jan 21, 2008
4,322
1,560
Ok thanks. But I can easily wipe the machine and install Mojave I guess.
Well. Maybe.
My 2018 13" that originally shipped with High Sierra came with Mojave in 2019.
I did a couple of different things to install HS on it (i'm not the dumbest person alive), but couldn't. It just wouldn't install.
Not via boot drive, not via terminal special build HS to boot drive, just wouldn't.
probably someone could do it, i couldn't, and i just stopped trying after 5 wipes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: martyjmclean

raqball

macrumors 68020
Sep 11, 2016
2,323
9,573
A friend of mine just bought a MacBook Pro yesterday and it came with Mojave... She asked if she should update to Catalina and I said no way.....

She picked it up at local Apple store if that matters...
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikzn

Ploki

macrumors 601
Jan 21, 2008
4,322
1,560
A friend of mine just bought a MacBook Pro yesterday and it came with Mojave... She asked if she should update to Catalina and I said no way.....

She picked it up at local Apple store if that matters...
it does.

old stock probably.

in any case, some people are happy with mojave
 

ApfelKuchen

macrumors 601
Aug 28, 2012
4,335
3,012
Between the coasts
Ok thanks. But I can easily wipe the machine and install Mojave I guess.

Normally, a Mac can only run the OS that came installed, or higher. If you needed to erase/reinstall using the Recovery system, it won't give you anything older than the original version. Still, there's a busy forum here devoted to running older OSes on unsupported Mac.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,721
Im pretty sure you cant do that. Macs are locked to the OS they ship with or newer. Havent looked around to see if that is hackable or not.
Typically new macs with new chipsets cannot be downgraded, but since these machines haven't changed since Mojave, he may be able to go down to that version.
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
28,763
12,868
You should be able to "downgrade" the OS to the ORIGINAL version of the OS that the Mac shipped with.

That means if you buy a 2019 MBP that was originally designed to run Mojave -- but now ships with Catalina -- you ought to be able to "take it back" to Mojave.

It may involve jumping through a hoop or two.

I have read that if you boot to internet recovery using the following command:
Shift-Option-Command-R
...that you can then "wipe the drive" (erase it) and re-install the original version of the OS that came with the drive (or, the closest version to it).

I have not had the need to try this yet myself...
 

Ploki

macrumors 601
Jan 21, 2008
4,322
1,560
I can't imagine a machine that was released a few months ago wouldn't be downgrade-able. But you never know with Apple nowadays!
I know right? But I couldn't for the life of me get HS on my 2018 13" that shipped with Mojave.
It may be doable, but apple sure didn't make it easy. (I downloaded the special original build that came with this 13" when it originally released, via terminal, and made a bootable drive, all directly from apple - and when i tried to install it, it rebooted into recovery and wanted to install mojave)
 

mikzn

macrumors 68040
Sep 2, 2013
3,005
2,291
North Vancouver
A friend of mine just bought a MacBook Pro yesterday and it came with Mojave... She asked if she should update to Catalina and I said no way..... She picked it up at local Apple store if that matters...

For me - Living in Canada has it’s advantages - inventory is usually months behind ?
 

jerryk

macrumors 604
Nov 3, 2011
7,418
4,207
SF Bay Area
Just curious about the reason to downgrade. So you have 32 bit apps or other software that does not work on Catalina?
 

lyleberman

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 8, 2007
113
84
Annapolis, MD
Yes, too many 32bit apps. Office 2019 $150 + Quickbooks 2020 $200 + I'd have to get a Lightroom subscription which is $10 per month in perpetuity.
 

jerryk

macrumors 604
Nov 3, 2011
7,418
4,207
SF Bay Area
Yes, too many 32bit apps. Office 2019 $150 + Quickbooks 2020 $200 + I'd have to get a Lightroom subscription which is $10 per month in perpetuity.


I understand. I have Office 365 Business subscription and Adobe CC subscription. Fortunately I use both enough and on multiple device so they are quite a good value for me.

I hope your change to Mojave goes smooth.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.