Catalina problems

[johnrobert]

I guess she could wipe and install an earlier version on her existing Mac depending on how old it is

My present acctg software (acct edge) is not compatible with the recent (6 months ago) software update on a Mac. Therefore I have not updated the software until I find a solution (and complete year end which is June 30th). Options are: cloud application, segmenting (she means partition) hard drive, get new computer and not upgrade it.

 

[Markverhyden]

Two words. Virtual machine.

 

[johnrobert]

Thanks, Mark never done this before is it difficult do you know of any links. I guess with the Virtual machine you don't have to worry about your mac being updated again to Catalina

she sent me this link, Macbook Pro - 18 months old
https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/macos-10-15-catalina-downgrade-operating-system/

also when I installed 2 macs over the internet recently I never got the option to choose OS it installed Catalina was that because I was not signed in to Apple, I did not see the option they were both 2012 MBP's run very slow with spinners.

 

[Markverhyden]

That link is just for wiping and re-installing an older macOS. Just like in the M$ ecosystem it's not trivial.

It's just as easy as doing a VM with M$, more or less. The best thing is for her to just buy Parallels. You can use Virtual Box which is free but it's not trivial. Your labor charges will easily exceed the cost ov Parallels. Parallels allows building a macOS VM on an Apple machine. Completely supported. Best of all you can download Parallels and run a trial license.

You need to see what the user has in the App Store for macOS. If she upgraded she should have the older version in the App Store to download. If you need any help getting an older version let me know.

 

[johnrobert]

Thanks, Mark great advice totally agree.

 

[johnrobert]

If you have Mojave it would be greatly appreciated
I tried a few, get message selected item does not appear to be a valid installer, it is lacking the file contents/shared
Apple has made it a lot of complicated than it needs to be
I have a couple of MBP's been trying to install for the past few weeks can only get Catalina

she is getting another MBP from a friend with Catalina and wants me to go one lower than Catalina she is also worried in case it auto-updates.


Thanks

 

[Markverhyden]

If you have Mojave it would be greatly appreciated
I tried a few, get message selected item does not appear to be a valid installer, it is lacking the file contents/shared
Apple has made it a lot of complicated than it needs to be
I have a couple of MBP's been trying to install for the past few weeks can only get Catalina

she is getting another MBP from a friend with Catalina and wants me to go one lower than Catalina she is also worried in case it auto-updates.


Thanks

The valid installer thing is linked to expired cert sigs.

 

[johnrobert]

I will have to wait until I get laptop and see what's on her Apple ID
when I do have a valid version do I press the Option key on boot up then choose USB from menu.
can I install from there or is it what's called target mode
I think once internet recovery is setup pressing C no longer works only before SL

 

[NviGate Systems]

You can change the date from terminal and in the past that has fixed that issue for me.

 

[Markverhyden]

You can change the date from terminal and in the past that has fixed that issue for me.

That's a common technique to solve many expired cert problems as long as you do not have the machine connected to an NTP, etc service

 

[NviGate Systems]

And just as an addendum for anyone reading this in the future, if you are trying to install Mac OS X from say a USB you made and it keeps having errors, restart, don't connect to the internet, use terminal to change the date to when the OS was released.

date -u 0326225320

That sets the date to March 26 22:53 2020. You can change that command based on what date you need. Your installer should now work.

 

[johnrobert]

Many thanks, getting the MBP sometime this week I asked for them to check there Apple ID's