If you are on iOS 14.2 Beta 4, you are getting this message now. (The update is not actually available!)
Have you had enough of this message yet? The answer is most likely YES. You just want it to go away. The message shows up every time that you unlock your iPhone or iPad screen if you are on iOS or iPadOS Beta 14.2 Beta 4.
UPDATE 10/30 7:00PM CST – Apple just released iOS 14.2 Release Candidate (Previously named GM). This new update fixes the constant pop up box issue! Update video below.
A new iOS update is now available. Please update from the iOS 14 beta.
CLOSE!
What can you do about this message?
This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen this message.
Just about two years ago, this same exact message came up for iOS 12 Beta users. Guilherme Rambo figured this out by looking at the code.
iOS 14.1 Beta 4 pop-up Issue – How to fix!
I will show you 3 quick ways how to fix this issue.
UPDATE 10/30 7:00PM! – Apple has released iOS 14.2 Release Candidate Beta! This update fixes the constant pop up problem! Be sure to turn automatic time back on and reinstall the beta profile if you removed it. You will now see the update!
1. Wait for Apple to publish iOS 14.2 Beta 5. This happen two years ago when the iOS 12 Beta pop up problem happened. Apple pushed quick fix the next day.
2. Move your clock back to the 26th or before. The timer was set to start warning the user. This is temp fix, that could cause issues with some websites & apps like twitter, Gmail or Instagram.
3. Restore to your iOS 14.1 production backup. Maybe you have had enough of the Beta 14.2 and just want to go back to the production version.
Again, I recommend just waiting a day or two for Apple to release a fix. I will update when Apple has published the new beta.
I’m hoping the DTK labs are setup just like the virtual WWDC 2020 labs.
I was lucky enough to be picked for 2 out of 3 labs that I signed up for at WWDC 2020.
I really was not sure what to expect. When I joined the call, two Apple Engineers were on the call waiting. We introduced ourselves and immediately jumped in and started to talk about the questions that I had.
Both Engineers had answers to every question that I had. The entire experience was great. This is something that MacAdmins need, the ability to talk directly with engineers about the issues they are facing every single day.
If the Apple Silicon labs are anything like the WWDC Labs, then you will defiantly be happy. Don’t miss your chance!
Everything you need to know about Apple Silicon
Be sure to check out my new “Everything you need to know” article on Apple Silicon. The article will be updated as new information comes in!
Today Apple released macOS Big Sur Beta 11.0.1 Beta 1 (20B5012d) to Developers
MacOS Big Sur 11.0.1 Beta 1 was released on October 28th, 2020. The release comes about 2 weeks after Beta 10. We were expecting Beta 11 or a GM seed, so it’s strange that we are getting 11.0.1 Beta. It’s possible that Apple Silicon Macs (currently in active production) will have 11.0 installed on them. When they arrive they will see 11.0.1 as an available update.
UPDATE: 10/29
Full Installer now available!
Fixes VP9 Safari YouTube Codec Error
New wallpaper + Mojave wallpaper was removed
New Startup chime for 2013-2017 Macs = Same as T2 chime
AirPods Update Bug – Moves volume mixer to Right or Left
Software Update Button = Downloading Beta 10 full installer for some users.
Updating to macOS Big Sur 11 beta from previous versions of macOS might take significantly longer than expected. Data loss could occur if the update is interrupted. (59101197)
Previous Big Sur 11 Beta Releases
11. Big Sur 11 Beta 11.0.1 (20B5012d) Beta 1 – 10/28/20 – Current Release
Now that macOS Big Sur 11.0 Beta is live, start testing as soon as you can! You will want to submit any bugs that you find into Apple ASAP. If you get bugs in quickly, they could be fixed in the current beta cycle instead of waiting until after the public release. If not, you could be waiting months before the fix is put into a dot release combo update.
macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 Beta 11 (20B5012d) Release Notes
General
Known Issues
Important
Updating to macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 beta from previous versions of macOS might take significantly longer than expected. Data loss could occur if the update is interrupted. (59101197)
Accessibility
Known Issues
You might be unable to pair certain braille displays using Bluetooth. (69794099)Workaround: Connect these devices using USB instead.
macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 beta is designated as qualifying for the 50% Apple Security Bounty bonus payment for issues that are unknown to Apple or reintroduced in this release. See Apple Security Bounty for more information.
Installer and Software Update
Known Issues
When updating from macOS Big Sur 11 beta 2 to macOS Big Sur 11 beta 3 or later, you might be offered an unexpectedly large download rather than an incremental software update. (65753086)Workaround: Under the “Another update is available” text, click the “More info…” link. This reveals the incremental update where you can click the Install Now button.
You might need to adjust Energy Saver settings so your Mac doesn’t go to sleep while preparing to install macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 beta. (63166401)
If macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 beta is installed into the same APFS container as previous versions of macOS Catalina 10.15, system software updates can no longer be installed on the previous versions of macOS. (64411484)Workaround: Update the previous version of macOS Catalina to 10.15.6 or later.
Kernel
Known Issues
Installing a new kernel extension requires signing in as an Admin user. You must also restart your Mac to load the extension. Kernel extensions using certain deprecated KPIs won’t be loaded. For more information, see Deprecated Kernel Extensions and System Extension Alternatives. (55068348)Workaround: During development, you can temporarily disable System Integrity Protection to allow these deprecated kernel extensions to load.
New in macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 beta, the system ships with a built-in dynamic linker cache of all system-provided libraries. As part of this change, copies of dynamic libraries are no longer present on the filesystem. Code that attempts to check for dynamic library presence by looking for a file at a path or enumerating a directory will fail. Instead, check for library presence by attempting to dlopen() the path, which will correctly check for the library in the cache. (62986286)
Use only absolute paths with the --volume-root option of kmutil, and don’t use a trailing /. (63773848)
Symbols exported by both xnu and Apple kernel extensions will change. Recompile your kernel extension with each update to macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 beta to ensure compatibility. (64262563)
Localization
Resolved in macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 beta
Certain languages no longer exhibit clipped or misaligned layout. (63105445)
Certain languages no longer display unlocalized text. (63105674, 64040564, 64045718)
When you deliver your iPad app on the Mac via Catalyst, your existing users on iOS no longer need to purchase your app a second time. In addition, you can manage the capabilities and App Store metadata of your app in one place.
Application preferences that include no items users can set are instead shown in the About box.
Known Issues
A ToolbarItem with automatic placement isn’t placed in the window toolbar. (63690384)
Select UIKit controls, control customizations, and methods throw exceptions when used in the Mac idiom. Unsupported controls and behaviors on macOS Big Sur 11 throw exceptions as follows:
If you apply both preferredAction and UIAlertActionStyleCancel to the same action, preferredAction takes precedence. It’s not possible to have a default button with the escape key equivalent.
The system adds an Open Recent menu automatically to applications that support opening files. The menu identifier is UIMenuOpenRecent.
You must adopt the NETransparentProxyProvider API in your transparent proxy implementation in order for it to function correctly. (65228404)
SwiftUI
Known Issues
ProgressView generic type signature has changed, adding the currentValueLabel generic parameter. This change doesn’t require any source changes, but it causes apps compiled using an earlier beta SDK to quit unexpectedly. (63580200)Workaround: Re-compile apps for macOS Big Sur 11 Beta 6 or later to resolve this issue.
Resolved in macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 beta
DisclosureGroup’s isExpanded binding now works as expected in a List. (58820037)
The system now lazily evaluates List updates. (58820037)
You might experience kernel panics when using earlier versions of Parallels Desktop 16. (67358596)Workaround: Upgrade to the most-recent version of Parallels Desktop 16.
Some third-party scripts might produce unexpected results due to the change in macOS version from 10.x to 11. (62477208)Workaround: Set SYSTEM_VERSION_COMPAT=1 in the calling environment, for example: $ SYSTEM_VERSION_COMPAT=1 legacy_script.pl
Wallet
Known Issues
isPassLibraryAvailable() doesn’t ensure uniform availability of pass library functionality between platforms and devices. (60697880)Workaround: Call a more specific API to check available functionality, such as canAddPasses().
Xcode
Known Issues
Legacy Xcode versions prior to 11.5 might unexpectedly quit when launched. (59991056)Workaround: Run the following command in Terminal: defaults write com.apple.dt.Xcode DVTDisableMainThreadChecker 1, then deselect Main Thread Checker in the Diagnostic tab of the Run and Test actions for each scheme in your project.
On Friday October 23rd, HP printer owners started reporting that they couldn’t print. The error message = HPDeviceMonitoring.framework will damage your computer.
UPDATE: 10/28/20 – I just finished my new video that goes over the issue. I also give a live demo of how to uninstall the bad HP drivers. In the second part, I go over 5 different ways to reinstall new HP drivers. (Video is below this paragraph)
UPDATE: 10/28/20 – I’ve added multiple new instructions to #8 Workarounds / Fixes section.
UPDATE: 10/27/20 – HP has posted a new community knowledge article on the issue with full install instructions.I posted the link in section 8 (Workarounds/ Fixes).
An issue like this is normally something that I would be immediately reporting on, but I was away from my Mac until late Saturday. I started to investigate the issue as soon as I returned. One thing I noticed right away was that the signature was valid! Howard Oakley covered this issue extensively since Friday. I asked Howard to check the signature again and sure enough he confirmed it was good. I figured it was case closed, and shelved the article.
NOPE!
Many users are still reporting printing problems. This time around though, it seems like a different cert issue. Plus users are reporting errors from other frameworks and services like scanning.
Below are a few of Howard’s articles covering this issue.
1. HP Printer Driver Certificate Problem Error Messages
2. Affected macOS Build Versions
3. Affected Mac Hardware
4. What is the error message “X will damage your computer” means.
5. User Reports
6. HP & Apple Response?
7. Replicate the issue.
8. Investigation
9. Workarounds / Fixes
10. If you are seeing this issue, please let Apple know.
11. HP Printer Driver Certificate Problem links
12. Hat Tip/Credits
1. HP Printer Driver Certificate Problem Error Messages
If you are having the issue, you might get one of the error messages below.
1. “HPDeviceMonitoring.framework” will damage your computer.
2. “hpPostProcessing.bundle” will damage your computer.
3. “HPDM.framework” will damage your computer.
4. “Matterhorn.framework” will damage your computer.
5. “Productimprovementstudy.hptask” will damage your computer.
6. “HP Scanner 3” will damage your computer.
7. “inkjet1.driver” will damage your computer.
8. “HP Utility” will damage your computer.
9. “PDE.plugin will damage your computer.
10. “ScanEventHandler.app” will damage your computer.
11. “FaxArchive.task” will damage your computer.
12. “inkjet3.driver” will damage your computer.
13. “commandtohp.filter” will damage your computer.
2. Affected macOS Build Versions
This issue affects the following macOS Build Versions.
macOS Catalina
macOS Mojave
No reports so far of this happening on macOS High Sierra 10.13.
If you are on macOS High Sierra 10.13 and are having this issue, let me know in the comments.
3. Affected Mac Hardware
Past problems would only happen with certain hardware models. Not this time, if you running Catalina or Mojave with an HP Printer, you might be having problems.
4. What is the error message “X will damage your computer” means.
From Apple
Safely open apps on your Mac macOS includes a technology called Gatekeeper, that’s designed to ensure that only trusted software runs on your Mac.
support.apple.com/en-us/HT202491
For this particular error the article says this.
If Gatekeeper detects a problem with an application, it will give you this warning.
5. User Reports
The first reports came in on Friday October 23rd 2020.
I spent a while with Apple Support, Something this morning (10/23/20) broke the HP printing drivers framework on Catalina OS 10.15.7. They have received many calls with different items related to HP informing it will damage your computer, My printer does not print. I have a Laserjet 4200 with all kinds of options (envelop feeder, etc.) It is a vicious circle – Apple says to call HP as they need to provide the drivers, I have not been able to speak to anyone at HP that can help.
More reports started to roll in on the Apple Discussion Forums.
I’m getting the exact same popup, I know its not malware. because it’s part of my printer software downloaded from Apple Mac store but apple not updated my software a few OS’s ago and have Malwarebytes Premium installed for a few years now. I have not downloaded anything in past 24-48 hours. somehow I think its a MacOs compatibility issue apple will need to address
After over a year with having two HP printers in use, this morning, 10/23/2020 after startup of my Mac, I started getting this same pop-up. In searching for a cause, I saw where to look in the ~/Library/LaunchAgents folder and indeed this file was put there yesterday, 10/22/2020, at 10:00 AM: com.hp.devicemonitor.plist I deleted this file from the ~/Library/LaunchAgents folder, which resolved the pop-up box from coming up, however now my HP Envy 7640 printer will not work. Our other HP printer does continue to work. Hoping Apple will come up with suggestions on this.
Thomas Reed started to see a bunch of support tickets due to this problem.
6. HP & Apple Response?
HP has sent a response to The Register.
We unintentionally revoked credentials on some older versions of Mac drivers. This caused a temporary disruption for those customers and we are working with Apple to restore the drivers. In the meantime, we recommend users experiencing this problem to uninstall the HP driver and use the native AirPrint driver to print to their printer.
When issues like this have come up in the past, I always attempt to replicate the issue. When I got back late Saturday night, it seemed like the issue was resolved. I checked the certificate/signing and it looked good! The cert was showing as invalid earlier in the day. After this, nothing I could do could reproduce the issue on my home HP printer. This might mean that new users might not have the issue. It’s still unknown at this time.
I was able to get the error on a network printer using a spooler driver. I would get the same error. After clicking OK, the print que would stop with an error.
It looks like this issue can no longer be reproduced. From what we know so far, you would have needed to have your Mac online from October 23-24th and already have the printer drivers installed. If you try the same thing now, printing will be fine.
8. Investigation.
Let’s try to figure out what happened here.
1st Issue – (Friday – Late Saturday)
Howard was able to check the HP Utility.app using is home built free app ArchiChect. This is what the application reported.
The application signature check has FAILED! The check reports that the certificate was REVOKED!
2nd Issue – Late Saturday, I ran the same check and this is what it reported.
Looks good right? I thought that HP had reissued the cert and everything was good to go!
I started to receive more and more reports saying that the issue was still NOT fixed.
Let’s take a closer look.
If we run the same check on one of the frameworks we get this
The same thing happens if we run the command manually on the HP Utility.app
1.Use AirPrint – AirPrint is the future of printing on macOS. (NO DRIVERS NEEDED!) If your printer supports AirPrint use it. For more info check out this link >
2. Let macOS install the correct driver for you! After deleting the hp folder and removing the printer. Plug in your printer in via USB. You will get a popup like this
Click “Install” to let macOS attempt to find and install the HP printer driver.
When the install is complete the printer will show up in System Preferences > Printers & Scanners! Simple as pie right ?
3.Uninstall and then reinstall HP drivers. This is also is a proven workaround.
1. Delete the /Library/Printers/hp folder
2. Delete Printer from System Preferences > Printers and Scanners
3. Install HewlettPackardPrinterDrivers.dmg from Apple (Link below)
4. Add printer back in System Preferences > Printers and Scanners by hitting the + button. You should see your printer listed under USB
5. Test print!
Depending on your printer model, you should only need to install the Apple HP Printer Drivers 5.1.pkg. (HP printers from October 2017 and below)
Today Apple released macOS Big Sur Beta 10 (20A5395g) to Developers
UPDATE 10/15 12:30PM – Surprise! macOS Big Sur Beta 10 Full Installer is now available.
UPDATE 10/15 10:00AM – New Beta 10 Features found
1. New Feature – You can now press the power button to lock your screen!
2. New Menu Bar item – “Now Playing”. This was hidden away since Beta 1 but was now added to the menu bar by default in Beta 10.
4. New Feature – Redesigned Dynamic Wallpaper selection menu
5. New Wallpaper – “Big Sur Aerial”
6. Some users are reporting issues with YouTube and Netflix in Safari.
UPDATE 10/14 4:30PM – Looks like we are not going to get a full installer for this release. The good news is that Active Directory login seems to be fixed in Beta 10!!!
MacOS Big Sur 11 Beta 10 (20A5395g) was released on October 14th, 2020. The release comes 1 day after the Apple October Phone Special Event and two weeks after Beta 9. We could get a GM release in 1-2 weeks with a launch not much longer after that. MacOS Catalina had 11 beta releases including the gold master, so again we are getting very close to release.
2. Updating to macOS Big Sur 11 beta from previous versions of macOS might take significantly longer than expected. Data loss could occur if the update is interrupted. (59101197)
Previous Big Sur 11 Beta Releases
10. Big Sur 11 Beta 10 (20A5395g) – 10/14/20 – Current Release
Now that macOS Big Sur 11.0 Beta is live, start testing as soon as you can! You will want to submit any bugs that you find into Apple ASAP. If you get bugs in quickly, they could be fixed in the current beta cycle instead of waiting until after the public release. If not, you could be waiting months before the fix is put into a dot release combo update.
macOS Big Sur 11 Beta 10 (20A5395g) Release Notes
General
Known Issues
Important
Updating to macOS Big Sur 11 beta from previous versions of macOS might take significantly longer than expected. Data loss could occur if the update is interrupted. (59101197)
macOS Big Sur 11 beta 10 is designated as qualifying for the 50% Apple Security Bounty bonus payment for issues that are unknown to Apple or reintroduced in this release. See Apple Security Bounty for more information.
Core Data
Resolved Issues
Core Data’s model editor no longer displays a blank Detail area for an Entity. (69472812)
Installer and Software Update
Known Issues
When updating from macOS Big Sur 11 beta 2 to macOS Big Sur 11 beta 3 or later, you might be offered an unexpectedly large download rather than an incremental software update. (65753086)Workaround: Under the “Another update is available” text, click the “More info…” link. This reveals the incremental update where you can click the Install Now button.
You might need to adjust Energy Saver settings so your Mac doesn’t go to sleep while preparing to install macOS Big Sur 11 beta. (63166401)
If macOS Big Sur 11 beta is installed into the same APFS container as previous versions of macOS Catalina 10.15, system software updates can no longer be installed on the previous versions of macOS. (64411484)Workaround: Update the previous version of macOS Catalina to 10.15.6 or later.
Kernel
Known Issues
Installing a new kernel extension requires signing in as an Admin user. You must also restart your Mac to load the extension. Kernel extensions using certain deprecated KPIs won’t be loaded. For more information, see Deprecated Kernel Extensions and System Extension Alternatives. (55068348)Workaround: During development, you can temporarily disable System Integrity Protection to allow these deprecated kernel extensions to load.
New in macOS Big Sur 11 beta, the system ships with a built-in dynamic linker cache of all system-provided libraries. As part of this change, copies of dynamic libraries are no longer present on the filesystem. Code that attempts to check for dynamic library presence by looking for a file at a path or enumerating a directory will fail. Instead, check for library presence by attempting to dlopen() the path, which will correctly check for the library in the cache. (62986286)
kmutil install might fail to build a development kextcache. (63772702)Workaround: Copy the release .elides to the locations of the development .elides:sudo cp /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/BootKernelExtensions.kc.elides /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/BootKernelExtensions.kc.development.elidessudo cp /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/BootKernelExtensions.kc.elides /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/BootKernelExtensions.kc.kasan.elides sudo cp /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/BootKernelExtensions.kc.elides /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/BootKernelExtensions.kc.debug.elidessudo cp /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/SystemKernelExtensions.kc.elides /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/SystemKernelExtensions.kc.development.elidessudo cp /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/SystemKernelExtensions.kc.elides /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/SystemKernelExtensions.kc.kasan.elidessudo cp /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/SystemKernelExtensions.kc.elides /path/to/livemount/System/Library/KernelCollections/SystemKernelExtensions.kc.debug.elides
Use only absolute paths with the --volume-root option of kmutil, and don’t use a trailing /. (63773848)
Symbols exported by both xnu and Apple kernel extensions will change. Recompile your kernel extension with each update to macOS Big Sur 11 beta to ensure compatibility. (64262563)
Localization
Known Issues
Certain languages might exhibit clipped or misaligned layout. (63105445)
Certain languages might display unlocalized text. (63105674, 64040564, 64045718)
Resolved in macOS Big Sur 11 beta 10
Notes and Photos no longer quit unexpectedly if the system language is set to Greek. (69548692)
Mac Catalyst
Known Issues
A ToolbarItem with automatic placement isn’t placed in the window toolbar. (63690384)
Network Extension
Resolved Issues
You must adopt the NETransparentProxyProvider API in your transparent proxy implementation in order for it to function correctly. (65228404)
SwiftUI
Known Issues
ProgressView generic type signature has changed, adding the currentValueLabel generic parameter. This change doesn’t require any source changes, but will cause apps compiled using an earlier beta SDK to quit unexpectedly. (63580200)Workaround: Re-compile apps for macOS Big Sur 11 Beta 6 or later to resolve this issue.
DisclosureGroup‘s isExpanded binding doesn’t work as expected in a List. (58820037)
ScrollView now has a correct default scroll position when underneath the titlebar. (64319463)
A TextField that you are editing inside a selected List row now has correct text foreground colors. (68545878)
Third-Party Apps
Known Issues
You might experience kernel panics when using earlier versions of Parallels Desktop 16. (67358596)Workaround: Upgrade to the most-recent version of Parallels Desktop 16.
Some third-party scripts might produce unexpected results due to the change in macOS version from 10.x to 11. (62477208)Workaround: Set SYSTEM_VERSION_COMPAT=1 in the calling environment, for example: $ SYSTEM_VERSION_COMPAT=1 legacy_script.pl
Wallet
Known Issues
isPassLibraryAvailable() doesn’t ensure uniform availability of pass library functionality between platforms and devices. (60697880)Workaround: Call a more specific API to check available functionality, such as canAddPasses().
Xcode
Known Issues
Legacy Xcode versions prior to 11.5 might unexpectedly quit when launched. (59991056)Workaround: Run the following command in Terminal: defaults write com.apple.dt.Xcode DVTDisableMainThreadChecker 1, then deselect Main Thread Checker in the Diagnostic tab of the Run and Test actions for each scheme in your project.
Apple said the first Apple Silicon Mac will launch before the end of 2020. The launch date is quickly approaching, now is the time to get up to speed! I will be following my “Everything you need to know” format from my previous articles.
This article will be updated as new Apple Siliconinformation comes in.
The feedback that I’ve received from these has been really great. The big takeaway is that everyone really likes how all the information is all in one place. You are not wasting time looking for that one article, command or link.
NOTE: Everything in this article is public knowledge from Apple. Once the first Apple Silicon Mac ships, I will post more in depth articles.
Apple Silicon changes the way in which we enter recovery on the Mac. In the past, we had to remember multiple keyboard commands. On Apple Silicon, all you need to do is hold down the power button. In a few seconds, you will see the new Apple Silicon Startup Manager.
7. How to use the new start manager on Apple Silicon
To enter Apple Silicon Startup manager follow these steps.
1. Hold down the power button
2. You will see the message “Continue holding for startup options”
3. The next message will say “Loading Startup Options…”
4. You will now see the new Apple Silicon Startup Manager.
The startup manager will show you the main boot disk (Macintosh HD) Boot icon and Recovery Options. Click “Options” to boot into macOS Recovery.
8. Internet Recovery is dead on Apple Silicon
Have you had trouble booting into Internet Recovery in the past? You are not alone. Now with Apple Silicon, Internet recovery is officially retired. It will still remain for Intel based Macs. For Apple Silicon we now have 3 different ways to reinstall macOS.
1. macOS Recovery = First line of recovery.
2. System Recovery = Hidden partition for when normal macOS recovery is not available.
3. macOS System Restore via DFU mode + Apple Configurator 2.
9. Apple Silicon macOS Recovery
Apple Silicon macOS Recovery is almost exactly the same as it is on Intel Based Macs. The only difference is Security Policy options was moved from the Menu bar to the “Startup Disk”.
10. Apple Silicon System Recovery
Apple Silicon System Recovery is a new hidden recovery option in addition to macOS Recovery. If for some reason macOS Recovery becomes corrupt, System recovery will load which is the same as macOS recovery. You can use it to reinstall macOS and macOS Recovery.
11. Both macOS Recovery and System Recovery are not available?
The blinking folder icon is now retired. If the Mac is not bootable, you will now see an old friend.
12. Apple Silicon External Boot Options – USB Installer
On Apple Silicon external boot remains, but has changed.
External Boot for the macOS installer is now enabled by default
You no longer need to enter Security Options to enable External Boot!
You can build out a USB Installer of macOS Big Sur and boot your Apple Silicon Mac to it. The big difference that ONLY the installer is available for a reinstall of the OS. You can NOT erase the drive in this mode.
13. How to Use Apple Configurator 2 to reinstall macOS on Apple Silicon
If all options to reinstall macOS fail you can now use Apple Configurator 2.
This will help with rapid deployment in lab / school situations.
14. Apple Silicon Security Policy
We know that an Apple Silicon Mac will have 2 Security modes.
1.Full Security = “iOS Security” – Only the latest signed version of macOS can be installed on an Apple Silicon Mac.
Full Security
Ensures that only your current OS, or signed operating system software currently trusted by Apple, can run. This mode requires a network connection at software installation time.
WWDC 2020
2. Reduced Security = Any version of macOS that was signed by Apple.
Reduced Security
Allows any version of signed operating system software ever trusted by Apple to run.
WWDC 2020
With the new Apple Silicon Security Policy, you can set a security policy for each container! On an Intel based Mac the security policy would be set on the entire system.
15. Apple Silicon Compatible Versions of macOS
Will you be able to install older versions of macOS? A quick review;
Full Security = iOS based security, only the latest signed version of macOS can run on the system.
Reduced Security = Any version of macOS that was signed by Apple can run on Apple Silicon
Note: The shipping OS version will be the oldest OS available to install.
16. Can I downgrade macOS on Apple Silicon?
Yes! But only with your Apple Silicon Security Policy set to “Reduced Security”.
17. How to use SMB Mac Sharing Mode (Replaces Target Disk Mode – TDM)
Target Disk Mode has been retired on Apple Silicon. It was replaced with Apple Silicon Mac Sharing Mode.
Boot to macOS recovery and then select “Mac Sharing Mode” you will be able to transfer data over USB-C cable. You will need to authenticate with a SecureToken User that is on the host Mac.
18. Apple Mac Mini Developer Transition Kit (DTK)
New Mac Developer Transition Kit with Apple Silicon, a comprehensive set of resources, and one-on-one technical support, you’ll have everything you need to get your Universal apps ready before Apple Silicon Macs become available to customers.– developer.apple.com/programs/universal/
Universal App Quick Start Program – Get your Universal apps ready. The Universal App Quick Start Program includes all the tools, resources, and support you need to build, test, and optimize your next-generation Universal apps for macOS Big Sur. – developer.apple.com/programs/universal/apply/
5. What’s New for Enterprise and Education WWDC 2020 June 2020 (v1.0) (AppleSeed Account Required)– appleseed.apple.com
6. AppleSeed – macOS 11.0 Big Sur Beta Release Notes(AppleSeed Account Required) – appleseed.apple.com
23. WWDC20 Video Links
Port your Mac app to Apple Silicon – Your porting questions, answered: Learn how to recompile your macOS app for Apple Silicon Macs and build universal apps that launch faster, have better performance, and support the future of the platform. We’ll show you how Xcode makes it simple to build a universal macOS binary.developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10214/
What’s new in managing Apple devices. – iOS, macOS, tvOS We’ve made significant strides in bringing crucial device management features to macOS. Discover how these features can help you manage your all your devices using the same tools and technologies. Get details on changes coming this year and how they will impact your deployment workflows– developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10639/
iPad and iPhone apps on Apple Silicon Macs. – Apple Silicon Macs can run many iPad and iPhone apps as-is, and these apps will be made available to users on the Mac through the Mac App Store. Discover how iPad and iPhone apps run on Apple Silicon Macs, and the factors that make your apps come across better.– developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10114/
Explore the new system architecture of Apple Silicon Macs – Discover how Macs with Apple Silicon will deliver modern advantages using Apple’s System-on-Chip (SoC) architecture. Leveraging a unified memory architecture for CPU and GPU tasks, Mac apps will see amazing performance benefits. developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10686/
24. MacAdmin Blog Links
This list is specifically for MacAdmins. This will be an ongoing list of articles and posts that will help you learn the latest 11.0 changes.
VMware Fusion Player 12 is now free for personal use on the Mac!
Last month VMware announced VMware Fusion 12. The new version includes macOS Big Sur support for host and guest. VMware also announced that the Mac version is now FREE ($149 Normal Price) for personal use! Previously the Free VMware player was only available on Windows. You can use it to test macOS, Windows 10, or Linux. If you’ve always wanted to set up a macOS VM, now is the time. It’s never been easier to build a test VM, so let’s get started!
Create a New VMware Account.
VMware notes that the free version is available for the following situations.
Fusion Player offers a Personal Use License, available for free with a valid MyVMware account. Home users, Open Source contributors, students, and anyone else can use Fusion Player Free for Non-Commercial activity.
VMware.com
If you are one of those, head over to the registration site.
This link also has a download area to get the the 600MB .dmg installer.
Install VMware Fusion Player 12
Open the .dmg and install Fusion Player 12. NOTE: VMware Fusion 12 requires macOS Catalina or newer. Once complete, open the application and you will be prompted to enter in the license key.
When you first start VMWare Fusion you will get a Select Install Method Screen. In the past you needed to run through a bunch of steps to create a macOS Install .ISO file. Not anymore, you can just drag and drop the full Install macOS Install.app (or Windows iso or Linux .iso) over to this window to begin!
The next screen will let you select macOS installer.app file. You will normally only see the one that you just dragged over. In my case, I have already installed 10.14, 10.15 and 11.0. Click Continue.
You will now see a final finish screen, before you start to configure the VM.
The next screen will tell you that VMware Fusion Player is creating installation media.
You will get a warning about running this VM machine with side channel mitigations enable. It says that side channel mitigations provide enhanced security but lower performance. You can change the settings when the VM is not running in the Advanced panel of the VM.
The new macOS VM is booting to the installer! Once booted, it will be just like you booted into the recovery partition. All you need to do is select Install macOS to begin.
30 Minutes or so later you will be at the Setup Assistant Screen.
Congratulations! You’ve just built your first macOS virtual Machine!
Snapshots
One of the best features about having a macOS virtual machine is snapshots. You can build out a fresh OS and then take a snapshot before you make any changes to the system. Did the test not work? No big deal! Instead of reinstalling the OS to test again, just revert back to a previous snapshot! It’s literally that simple. You can access snapshots from the Virtual Machine menu bar item.
Boot your macOS VM to Recovery Mode
Quick Way – sudo nvram "recovery-boot-mode=unused" && sudo reboot
If you need to boot the VM to macOS Recovery mode, all you need to do is edit the .vmx file located in /Users/youruserfolder/Virtual Machines/vmnamehere
Right on the file and then select “Show Package Contents”. Inside will be your vmnamehere.vmx file. Right click on that file and edit it with your favorite text editor. Add this line at the very end of the file and click save.
macosguest.forceRecoveryModeInstall = "TRUE"
Start up the VM an you will now be in recovey mode.
To boot back to macOS, open that same file and delete the line that you just added above and click save.
The final step is to delete the .nvram file in that same directory.
NOTE: 10/07/20
I am having trouble booting to recovery with Big Sur Beta, I’m going to run a few more tests. This works fine on 10.14 and 10.15.
If you recently installed the Mojave Supplemental Update and were surprised to see Safari 14.0 installed, you are not alone.
UPDATE 4/30/21 – This article explained originally how to downgrade from Safari 14.0 to 13.1.2 due to a problem. Apple has pulled the Safari 14.1 Update for both Catalina and Mojave. Users are reporting the error Safari 14.1 = webpage loading errors “a problem repeatedly occurred”. You can attempt to use the same instructions to downgrade from Safari 14.1 to 14.0.3. I’ve included Safari 14.0.3 download links at the bottom
Confirmed the following after reinstall of 10.14.6 over the top of current install (retains user data) Build Version (18G103) Safari 12.1.2 Software Update shows Security Update 2021-003 & Safari 14.0.3 Good workaround until Apple releases a fix ? Should be the same for 10.15
You are probably asking yourself, why would anyone want to downgrade from Safari 14 to 13. Safari was offered as a separate download in software update so users could remain on Safari 13 if they wanted. This was fine until the 2020-005 Security Update started to break systems. After issue, Apple re-issued Safari 14.0 but renamed it “Mojave Supplemental Update”. This caught many off guard because they didn’t understand that installing this update was actually installing Safari 14.0.
Readers wrote in and asked me if there is a way to downgrade Safari. Many still needed Flash, others had website compatibility issues. Some just really missed Top Sites. Another big problem was that some users upgraded to Safari 14.0.1 Beta. They are still broke because the supplemental update did not include 14.0.1 as a compatible upgrade version. I recommend that you do anything possible so you don’t need to downgrade. Most users will be just fine with Safari 14. The new version includes user privacy improvements and security fixes.
Supported and Unsupported
I will show you 2 different ways to downgrade from Safari 14.0 to 13.1.2.
1. Supported Way – Reinstall (not erase and install) macOS Mojave 10.14.6 (18G103) = Safari 12.1.2
2. Unsupported Way – Disable SIP protection > Remove Safari 14.app and Files > Install Safari 13.1.2 > Enable SIP again = Safari 13.1.2
When I say Supported I mean this is what Apple would recommend and is the best path forward. Unsupported is what some users have done the past that might or might not have some compatibility issues. Consider this a warning. I have tested this multiple times and not had an issue, but you might! So please backup before you test this path. You can always install Safari 14.0 again if needed.
The following instructions are only for macOS Mojave.
I did not test this on Catalina or High Sierra, but I’ve included download links below if you would like to try. Readers who have contacted me were only asking about Mojave because of the Supplemental Update naming issue.
Supported Way = Reinstall macOS Mojave
The is pretty cut and dry, you will reinstall macOS Mojave 10.14.6 over the top of your current version of Mojave. An example of this that you are running 10.14.6 (18G6032). This is the latest version of Mojave available and includes all the security fixes in the 2020-005 Update. If you want to see a full listing of macOS versions, take a look at my macOS System Status and Versions Page. After reinstalling macOS Mojave you will be at version# 10.14.6 & BuildVersion number (18G103). Safari will be at 12.1.2.
1. Backup all your files (always a good thing just in case)
2. Reboot to the Recovery Partition (Command R)
3. Click Install macOS
4. You are now at macOS Mojave 10.14.6 BuildVersion 18G103 and Safari 12.1.2
5. Install Safari 13.1.2 (download link below)
6. Install Security Update 2020-004
7. NOTE: I did NOT test installing the 2020-005 Security Update after. The Safari 13.1.2 + 2020-004 Security Update install order was offered by Apple when the 2020-005 update was pulled. This was a tested path by them and is supported.
You are back on Safari 13.1.2! Keep in mind you aremissing important security updates. I hope that you can fix any compatibility issues that you may have and get on the latest version.
Unsupported Way = Uninstall Safari
As mentioned above, this is an unsupported path. Please backup your files or run a time machine before attempting this. Another thing you could do is run a tmutil localsnapshot /. You could immediately revert back to before any changes if needed. Remember the localsnapshots only last for 24 hours! I have tested this multiple times and have not found any issues, but you might! Let’s get started.
1. Make a backup first!
2. Disable SIP
3. Boot to the recovery partition > Open Terminal > Type in csrutil disable
10. Use AppCleaner to remove Safari 14.0 – Go to preferences and uncheck “Protect default OS X apps”. Drag safari.app over to the app then select all files. then click remove.
11. Install Safari 13.1.2MojaveAuto.pkg using Pacifist.app – Drag Safari13.1.2MojaveAuto.pkg over to the app. A new window will pop up. Highlight the main pkg in the list then hit install. You will see 2 admin prompts and a prompt to overwrite files, select overwrite all.
12. Reboot to recovery and re-enable SIP. Open Terminal > Type in csrutil enable
13. Reboot back to macOS. You are now back to Safari 13.1.2
Download Links
You might need to cut and paste the link in a new browser tab.
1. Safari 13.1.2 for Mojave – UPDATE LINK DEAD! added link above. http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/38/62/061-98246-A_DETHLIXKPC/njpb63acy0z0rgpdpewxts5rfjlkhtdvcy/Safari13.1.2MojaveAuto.pkg
2. Safari 14.0 for Mojave – http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/08/46/001-55225-A_FKPERA412C/z81r8bvj47p12e0pvcz9dj33l43z7h201b/Safari14.0MojaveAuto.pkg
3. Safari 14.0 for Catalina – http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/00/48/001-50020-A_14M4NE130Q/q4lojf164rqsmp57dawdtgs25ut2d1j44m/Safari14.0CatalinaAuto.pkg
The macOS Mojave 10.14.6 Supplemental Update is Live! It includes a fixed version of Safari 14.0. The update also address the problems of the previous release. Security Update 2020-005 was also re-released.
Apple has just released a Mojave Supplemental Update that address all the problems that the previous Safari 14.0 and 2020-005 Security Updates! This news comes one day after Apple pulled both software updates from the software update catalog.
You can find a full summary of the issue in the link below.
UPDATE 10/08 11:30PM – Safari 14.0.1 Seed 2 was just released today. Mr. Macintosh reader Joe wrote in to let me know that after he installed Seed 2 over Seed 1 all of his problems went away! This will be a perfect fix for anyone who installed Safari 14.0.1 Seed 1 and were still having problems (since the Supplemental Update was not compatible with 14.0.1).
UPDATE 10/03 3:00PM– I’ve added a direct download link to the safari 14.0 package from the software update service in section 16 below. Apple has also added back the Mojave 2020-005 Security Update back to Apple.com downloads. The security update link is also in section 16 below.
UPDATE: 10/02 3:00PM – NOTE: Apple still has an old link to the Supplemental Update from 9/26/19 up on the the Apple downloads site. This is NOT the update you need. Apple has not released a stand alone download for this update yet. The update is only available from software update.
UPDATE: 20/02 10:30AM – I’ve added section 5 to make sure you know that the Supplemental Update will install Safar 14.0. This is important to understand in case you needed to remain on Safari 12 or 13. Some users are asking me what they should so if they installed Safari 14.0.1 Beta. I’m looking into that now.
You can also check out my new update deep dive video below.
Table of Contents
1. Name of the Update?
2. Details of the macOS Mojave Supplemental Update
3. I’ve tested this update and confirmed that it fixes most issues!
5. The Supplemental update will install Safari 14.0!
6. Inside the macOS 10.14.6 Supplemental Update
7. Which update does your Mac need?
8. Did you ONLY install – Safari 14.0?
9. Did you ONLY install – 2020-005 Security Update?
10. Did you install BOTH Safari 14.0 & Security Update 2020-005?
11. Did you not install either of the updates?
12. Not seeing the 2020-005 Security Update?
13. I ran softwareupdate --ignore "Security Update xx" now what?
14. Did you install Safari Beta 14.0.1 ?
15. Did I cover all the situations that you could be in?
16. 10.14.6 Supplemental Update Links
17. Security Content of macOS 10.14.6 Supplemental Update
18. Final Thoughts
19. Thank You
1. Name of the Update?
Apple calls this update “macOS 10.14.6 Supplemental Update” Which is a bit confusing. In this particular case, the naming might make sense. Even though the update only includes a fixed Safari pkg, it also includes fixes that repair previous install OS level issues.
NOTE!!! The update also includes a required restart. (Normal Safari Updates do not require a restart.)
2. Details of the macOS Mojave Supplemental Update
Along with the new Supplemental Safari Update, the Mojave 2020-005 Security update was re-released back into the software update catalog.
5. The Supplemental update will install Safari 14.0!
I need to make this clear, If you do not want Safari 14.0 don’t install the new macOS Supplemental update! I’ve heard from a few users who need to remain on the old version. Only update when you are ready to make the jump to Safari 14.0
6. Inside the macOS 10.14.6 Supplemental Update
So if this is not a normal supplemental update, what is it?
As you can see, this update only has the fixed version of Safari 14.0 inside! NOTE: this update has a REQUIRED RESTART!
What does a normal supplemental update look like?
As you can see a normal “Supplemental Update” includes a bunch of stuff. I just wanted to clear up any confusion that you might have. (I was confused when I first saw the update.)
7. Which update does your Mac need?
We have multiple scenarios to work with here. I have used a test Mac to go over the many situations that a user might be in so you are not left wondering what to do!
1. Did you install ONLY install – Safari 14.0?
2. Did you install ONLY install – 2020-005 Security Update?
3. Did you install BOTH Safari 14.0 & Security Update 2020-005?
4. Did you not install either of the updates?
Below is a screenshot of what About This Mac > System Report > Installations will look like.
8. Did you only install – Safari 14.0?
Let’s say that you installed Safari 14.0 a few days ago but heard the news about all the problems that the 2020-005 security update was causing.
Your Safari Version is = 14.0 (14610.1.28.1.9)
You will see the following in Software update.
The following will happen in this scenario.
Fixed version of Safari Supplemental Update + fixes update will be installed
The Re-Released version of Mojave 2020-005 Security Update will install
Reboot
You are now fully up to date with no issues!
Mojave will be on the same Build Version 10.14.6 (18G6032)
Safari version is UPDATED – 14.0 (14610.1.28.1.10)
You are good to go!
9. Did you only install – 2020-005 Security Update?
Let’s say you need flash and you didn’t want to install Safari 14.0. But you did see the Security Update 2020-005 and installed it. In this situation, you would still be fine (maybe) even if you installed the old version of Safari 14.0. The problem would only happen if you installed Safari 14.0 first then the 2020-005 update.
What would you see in software update?
In this case you would only see the fixed Safari 14.0 Supplemental Update.
Once installed you are good to go!
10. Did you install BOTH Safari 14.0 & Security Update 2020-005?
Let’s say that you had automatic updates set and you got both updates. Your system is in a broken state.
What would you see in software update?
The following will happen in this scenario.
Fixed version of Safari Supplemental Update + fixes update will be installed
Reboot
You are now fully up to date with no issues!
Mojave will be on the same Build Version 10.14.6 (18G6032)
Safari version is UPDATED – 14.0 (14610.1.28.1.10)
You should be fixed!!!
11. Did you not install either of the updates?
Let’s say that you heard of the news of the problematic updates and were able to save your Mac.
What would you see in software update?
You would see both updates
The following will happen in this scenario.
Fixed version of Safari Supplemental Update + fixes update will be installed
The Re-Released version of Mojave 2020-005 Security Update will install
Reboot
You are now fully up to date with no issues!
Mojave will be Build Version 10.14.6 (18G6032)
Safari version now – 14.0 (14610.1.28.1.10)
You are good to go!
12. Not seeing the 2020-005 Security Update?
You might have either installed the update or ignored it by running
If you would like to install the re-released version of the 2020-005 Security Update, all you need to do is run this command.
sudo softwareupdate --reset-ignored
The security update will now show up in software update for you to install.
14. Did you install Safari Beta 14.0.1 ?
I am testing this situation out now.
Yikes, looks like the Supplemental Update does not show up if you have installed Safari Beta 14.0.1. The installer will let you install the Supplemental Update over the top of the 14.0.1 Beta, but does not actually install.
15. Did I cover all the situations that you could be in?
Did you have an install scenario that I missed. I attempted to cover and test them all. Let me know!
16. 10.14.6 Supplemental Update Links
Apple has not released a standalone installer or pkg for the supplemental Update. I’ve included direct links from the Software Update Service below. Apple has added the Mojave 2020-005 Security Update back to the Apple.com downloads page.
It was really cool to see this little blog mentioned. 🙂
With that said, I think Apple handled this pretty good. They might have taken a bit to pull the update, but they came out with a fix only one day later!
Hopefully we can get a closer eye on update quality moving forward.
19. Thank You
I wanted to thank all of my Mr. Macintosh readers, Twitter followers, YouTube Subscribers and those who emailed me. You have shared so many of your thank-you notes, comments, tips and fix stories. I really appreciated reading them all, I created this blog for you! I am finally at a point in my life where I can take all of the knowledge that I’ve learned along the way and share it with you.