Category: 10.15 Catalina

How To Downgrade T2 BridgeOS Beta to a Production Version

MrMacintosh.com - How to Downgrade BridgeOS Beta to a Production Compatible Version
Downgrade Big Sur T2 BridgeOS Beta to a Production Catalina version of BridgeOS.

Using Apple Configurator, you can now downgrade T2 BridgeOS Beta to a Production version of BridgeOS.

Downgrading the version of your T2 BridgeOS has never been possible. Developers and customers could only get a NEWER version of BridgeOS when updating or upgrading macOS. The ability to downgrade BridgeOS on a T2 Mac was simply not possible. This new change to Apple Configurator 2 most likely happened between version 2.12 – 2.12.1.

My quick 4 min video on how to boot your into DFU mode + restore / revive BridgeOS.
Deep Dive explanation on how to boot your Mac into DFU Mode + How to Reinstall BridgeOS with Apple Configurator 2 – Mr. Macintosh YouTube live demo.

Table of Contents

  • 1. Why would you want to downgrade from a beta version of BridgeOS?
  • 2. Can you Downgrade to a Lower Production version of BridgeOS?
  • 3. Problems Running Catalina with a Big Sur Beta BridgeOS Version.
  • 4. Closer look at BridgeOS versioning
  • 5. The Big Sur installer is now using DeviceIDs compatibility checks.
  • 6. BridgeOSUpdateCustomer updater
  • 7. How to Downgrade a Beta Version of BridgeOS to a Production Version.
  • 8. The Revive Option (for science)
  • 9. Final Notes

1. Why would you want to downgrade from a beta version of BridgeOS?

Let’s say that you installed Big Sur Beta 6, and are now having a ton of problems. You probably want to downgrade to Catalina so you can work again. The only problem is, you are still on Big Sur Beta 6 BridgeOS version 18.16.12370. Keep in mind, your Mac SHOULD still work fine with this version. An example of this is if you have Catalina 10.15.6 installed on your Mac, your BridgeOS version is 17.16.16610. Let’s say that you need to test something on version 10.15.3. After installing Catalina 10.15.3, your BridgeOS version will NOT be downgraded to the period correct version of 17.16.13050. It will run just fine on the 10.15.6 version of 17.16.16610 BridgeOS. The same is the case if you have a Big Sur Beta version of BridgeOS and you downgrade to Catalina.

2. Can you Downgrade to a Lower Production version of BridgeOS?

If you are running macOS Beta, then you can use Apple Configurator 2 to downgrade your T2 BridgeOS to a final or production version of BridgeOS.

What about if you are running a production version of macOS? You can downgrade BridgeOS with Apple Configurator 2, but only for 1 week after a new macOS software update. Apple will unsign the previous version of BridgeOS along with previous iOS updates.

3. Problems Running Catalina with a Big Sur Beta BridgeOS Version.

Let’s say after you downgraded from Big Sur Beta to Catalina 10.15.6, you are now having problems. You might start to see weird issues or crashes? Normally you would have to wait until the next beta or the production version of Big Sur to get a stable version of BridgeOS on your Mac.

How do you even know what the correct version of BridgeOS your Mac should be on? I keep track of all macOS & BridgeOS versions for you here > mrmacintosh.com/macos-system-status-version-info-for-macadmins/

4. Closer look at BridgeOS versioning

Apple Configurator 2 logs are stored in ~/Library/Group Containers/xxxxxxx.group.com.apple.configurator/Library/Logs

For some reason 2.12.1 no longer creates a log, this problem looks like a bug.

The plist containing what BridgeOS ipsw file is used is located at the web address below.

https://mesu.apple.com/assets/bridgeos/com_apple_bridgeOSIPSW/com_apple_bridgeOSIPSW.xml

Looking at the xml file, I need to find my 2019 16″ MacBook Pro. Regular Model Identifiers or BoardIDs are not used here. You need to find the iBridge ProductID. Below is a snippet of the above .xml file. Below the version of BridgeOS = 17P6610

iBridge2,14

17P6610

Restore

BuildVersion
17P6610
DocumentationURL

FirmwareSHA1
e9776dda5d2d70e0e0988c18a84b528155b6423b
FirmwareURL
http://updates-http.cdn-apple.com/2020/macos/001-36803-20200810-A97B835C-DB65-11EA-B99D-EC2029ACBA60/iBridge2,1,iBridge2,10,iBridge2,12,iBridge2,14,iBridge2,15,iBridge2,16,iBridge2,19,iBridge2,20,iBridge2,21,iBridge2,22,iBridge2,3,iBridge2,4,iBridge2,5,iBridge2,6,iBridge2,7,iBridge2,8_4.6_17P6610_Restore.ipsw

The iBridge ProductID = iBridge2,14

I started to keeping track of all the DeviceIDs in my BoardID Database. We can now find iBridge ProductID = iBridge2,14 below.

mrmacintosh.com/list-of-mac-boardid-deviceid-model-identifiers-machine-models/

iBridge2,14J152FAP0x3AApple T2 MacBookPro16,1 (j152f)
iBridge2,14 is a 2019 16″ MacBook Pro!

5. The Big Sur installer is now using DeviceIDs compatibility checks.

A change to the macOS Installer Beta was noticed by @grahampugh. He noticed that the new Big Sur installer now looks at the Mac DeviceID for T2 Systems and BoardID for older 2017 and below Macs.

6. BridgeOSUpdateCustomer updater

Now that we have the DeviceID, how do we know which version of BridgeOS is compatible for this model? The xml file gives us a clue BuildVersion
17P6610. I am used to keeping track of the BridgeOS Boot Rom version which is listed like this 17.16.16065.

The BuildVersion/BuildNumber is located inside the BridgeOSUpdateCustomer > BridgeOSUpdateCustomer.pkg > BuildManifest.plist.

BuildIdentities

ApBoardID
0x3E
ApChipID
0x8012
ApSecurityDomain
0x01
Info

BuildNumber
17P6610
BuildTrain
bridgeOSJazzGHW
DeviceClass
j214kap

7. How to Downgrade a Beta Version of BridgeOS to a Production Version.

I documented how to restore & revive BridgeOS here > mrmacintosh.com/how-to-restore-bridgeos-on-a-t2-mac-how-to-put-a-mac-into-dfu-mode/

The process to downgrade is basically the same.

Apple Configurator 2 offers two options to Reinstall/Downgrade BridgeOS. Only the Restore option will help you downgrade and stay on the Catalina specific version.

  • Restore = ERASES YOUR HARD DRIVE + Downgrade BridgeOS
  • Revive = Actions > Advanced > Revive Device = Downgrade BridgeOS*

If you want to downgrade to macOS Catalina and a Catalina version of BridgeOS, the fastest way is to use the Restore option. Once the restore is complete, you will be on a the Catalina Production Version of BridgeOS and will have empty hard drive. You can now use Internet Recovery to reinstall macOS Catalina.

What happens if you chose the Revive option?

8. The Revive Option (for science)

As noted above, you have no real reason to use this option. But for science, what would happen? If you are on Big Sur Beta want to downgrade T2 BridgeOS Beta using the Revive option, you will leave your Mac in a non bootable state. This is because you are now running a BridgeOS version that is OLDER than the required Big Sur Beta BridgeOS. The good news is, your T2 Mac is smart enough to repair itself! As soon as the revive option finishes, your Mac will boot to a flashing folder alert or the Internet Recovery boot menu. If it boots to the flashing folder, just boot to Command Option R or Command R and you will get the menu below.

MrMacintosh.com - Internet Recovery Boot Menu
Internet Recovery Boot Menu

Connect to the internet and let it continue. You will be brought to a message that says,

MrMacintosh.com - A software update is required to use this startup disk.
You will get this message as soon as you are booted to the Internet Recovery environment.

A software update is required to use this startup disk.

Click Update and your mac will download the correct build of Big Sur Beta BridgeOS.

MrMacintosh.com - On this screen your Mac is updating Bridge OS to a Big Sur compatible BridgeOS.
On this screen your Mac is updating Bridge OS to a Big Sur compatible BridgeOS.

Once complete, the Mac will boot back to Big Sur. The only way to avoid this would be to boot the Mac to Target Disk Mode so you could erase the drive and reinstall Catalina. That’s why if you want to have BridgeOS and Catalina on the same version the Apple Configurator RESTORE option is the way to go. Just make sure to backup everything before you start as all data will be lost.

9. Final Notes

It should be pretty rare that you should ever need to downgrade BridgeOS from a Beta version. Keep in mind this will ONLY work for beta versions. As I noted above you can’t downgrade from a 10.15.6 version of BridgeOS to say a 10.15.3 version. With that said I would love to be able to downgrade to a previous version. If it’s your job to test OS Updates, once you update one test T2 Mac it’s done. It will not perform the BridgeOS update again until the next update. I really like that Apple let’s us downgrade from a beta version of BridgeOS, the more ways for customers to fix their devices the better! A big hat tip goes out to Mr. Macintosh reader thomas089 for first testing this and commenting in my main article!

Downgrade T2 BridgeOS Beta

Catalina 10.15.6 Supplemental Update (19G2021) Released!

MrMacintosh.com - Catalina 10.15.6 Supplemental Update (19G2021) Released!
macOS Catalina 10.15.6 Supplemental Update (19G2021) Released!

macOS Catalina 10.15.6 Supplemental Update is now Available.

Today Apple released the 5th Supplemental Update for macOS Catalina. This time around, the fix is for memory leaks with virtualization software . You can read more about the issue from Howard Oakley and a VMware engineer. The other fix has to do with the brand new 2020 5k 27-inch iMac.

Build Version Number Mistake?

The Build version for this update is (19G2021). Normally a 4 digit end number on a macOS build version number means that it’s a “Forked” installer. A “Forked” installer means that it will ONLY install on brand new hardware from Apple. A perfect example of this is when Apple released the new 2020 iMac. It includes brand new hardware drivers that the previous builds of macOS didn’t include. To resolve this, Apple will release a full installer that has this new hardware included but will only install the new hardware. When a new dot release comes out, Apple will unify the installer so it can be install on any Mac including the new hardware. Tidbits has a great article that explains Apple build versions. The only problem is, the article does mention macOS hardware specific or forked build versions.

Below is a list of all the forked hardware specific installer build versions that Apple released for 10.15.

19B2093, 19B2106, 19D2064, 19E2269, 19F2096, 19F2200, 19G2005 & 19G2006

Below is a list of standard releases.

19B88, 19A603, 19A602, 19A583, 19C57, 19D76, 19E266, 19E287, 19F96, 19F101 & 19G73

Why did Apple give this unified installer a forked build version number (19G2021) ?

UPDATE: – Erik Gomez @Contains_ENG mentioned that 4 digit daily builds are common near the end of an OS release. Looking back at 10.13 and 10.14, this is true only when Apple starts to release 2020-001 type security updates. For example when Big Sur is released, Apple will stop working on bug fixes for Catalina and will only send out security updates. After the switch the build version usually makes the jump to 4 digits. I guess Apple decided to get a head start this year.

Unified 10.15.6 Full Installer

The good news about this update is that includes the 2 new BoardIDs for the 2020 iMacs. This means you do not have to keep a separate installer if you have any of the new iMacs in your fleet. The new installer (19G2021) will work on them.

The Catalina 10.15.6 Supplemental Update Includes the following fixes.

macOS Catalina 10.15.6 supplemental update includes big fixes for your Mac

  • Fixes a stability issue that could occur when running virtualization apps
  • Resolves an issue where an iMac (Retina 5k, 27-inch 2020) may appear washed out when waking from sleep.

Apple’s Public Patch Notes / Release Notes Documentation

NOTE: Apple Documentation takes a little while to show up online after release. I will update when the new articles are made available.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210642

developer.apple.com/documentation/macos_release_notes

developer.apple.com/documentation/macos-release-notes/macos-catalina-10_15_6-release-notes

For more detailed information about this update and previous updates, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT210642

Previous 10.15 Releases + Previous Patch Notes

10.15.6 Supplemental Update Info & Download Links

Supplemental Update

The Supplemental Update is only for 10.15.6 users = (19G73, 19G2005, 19G2006 & current version 19G2021)

Download Link – https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2049

Size = 2.8 GB

Product ID = 001-36816

Requirements = 10.15.6

Delta Update

The “Delta” update is smaller in size because it only includes fixes for the previous point release only.

Download Link – support.apple.com/kb/DL2047

Size = 2.97 GB

Product ID = 001-22632

Requirements = 10.15.5

Combo Update

The “Combo” update is for all previous versions of Catalina.

Download Link – support.apple.com/kb/DL2048

Size = 4.78 GB

Product ID = 001-22626

Requirements = 10.15.0, 10.15.1, 10.15.2, 10.15.3, 10.15.4 or 10.15.5

Full Installer.app

Link – Catalina 10.15.6 Mac App Store

Size = 8.75 GB

Product ID = 001-36801

Requirements – 10.15 Catalina Requirements

T2 BridgeOS Update

T2 BridgeOS was updated along with the 10.15.6 Supplemental Update.

Size = 417.7 MB

Product ID = 001-36736

BridgeOS Update Version = 17.16.16610

Previous BridgeOS Update Version = 17.16.16065

If I deployed/cached the old 10.15.6 Installer.app for OS Upgrades, do I need to redeploy?

Do I have to replace my deployable 10.15 Installer.app? – Yes

If you deployed the old version of the 10.15.6 (19G73) Installer, you should update it to the new (19G2021). If you don’t your users will have to install the New Catalina Supplemental Update after installing or upgrading.

Security Content of macOS Catalina 10.15.6 Supplemental Update.

The Supplemental Update does not list any public CVE entries.

Catalina 10.15.6 Supplemental Update

What’s New in the macOS Catalina 10.15.6 Update 19G73?

MrMacintosh.com - What’s New in the macOS Catalina 10.15.6 Update 19G73?
The final macOS Catalina point release update is live!

macOS Catalina 10.15.6 19G73 is now Available.

The final macOS Catalina 10.15.6 update is live! The update is now available for download as a full installer.app, delta and combo update. This update might include a fix for the fix for the MacBook Pro 16″ wake from sleep Kernel Panic Issue! NOTE: as in 10.15.5, the patch notes do not mention this issue. Did 10.15.6 fix the wake from sleep KP issue for you ? Let me know in the comments.

Let’s take a closer look at the final Catalina point release update. When I say final update, I mean that for the past 4 (10.11-10.14) macOS releases Apple has gone to .6. We could see a supplemental update or 2 (Mojave) if a serious defect is found in 10.15.6. Don’t count on this though, as all development is now being put into macOS Big Sur.

10.15.6 Patch Notes Summary

  • 2 New Features
  • 2 Resolved Issues
  • 4 Enterprise Fixes
  • 14 Security Fixes

Apple’s Public Patch Notes / Release Notes Documentation

NOTE: Apple Documentation takes a little while to show up online after release. I will update when the new articles are made available.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210642

developer.apple.com/documentation/macos_release_notes

developer.apple.com/documentation/macos-release-notes/macos-catalina-10_15_6-release-notes

For more detailed information about this update and previous updates, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT210642

Apple Reverts softwareupdate –ignore changes from 10.15.5

You might remember my article talking about the changes Apple made in 10.15.5 and the 2020-003 security updates. mrmacintosh.com/10-15-5-2020-003-updates-changes-to-softwareupdate-ignore/. With the Catalina 10.15.6 & 2020-004 security updates, those changes were reverted back. After installing 10.15.6 or the 2020-004 updates, you can once again use softwareupdate --ignore to block minor and major updates. As long as the Mac is enrolled in Apple School Manager, Apple Business Manager or a User Approved MDM.

Previous 10.15 Releases + Previous Patch Notes

Catalina 10.15.6 Info & Download Links

Delta Update

The “Delta” update is smaller in size because it only includes fixes for the previous point release only.

Download Link – support.apple.com/kb/DL2047

Size = 2.96 GB

Product ID = 061-94461

Requirements = 10.15.5

Combo Update

The “Combo” update is for all previous versions of Catalina.

Download Link – support.apple.com/kb/DL2048

Size = 4.78 GB

Product ID = 061-94457

Requirements = 10.15.0, 10.15.1, 10.15.2, 10.15.3, 10.15.4 or 10.15.5

Full Installer.app

Link – Catalina 10.15.6 Mac App Store

Size = 8.74 GB

Product ID = 061-94403

Requirements – 10.15 Catalina Requirements

T2 BridgeOS Update

T2 BridgeOS was updated along with the 10.15.6 update.

Size = 391.3 MB

Product ID = 061-94409

BridgeOS Update Version = 17.16.16065

Previous BridgeOS Update Version = 17.16.15290

Security Content for Safari 13.1.2

Waiting on new link, the old link for 13.1.1 is below.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211177

New Apple Support Documents

Use your iPhone or Apple Watch as a car key – Some car makers offer the option to control your vehicle with a digital car key. If your car is compatible, you can add this key to the Wallet app on your iPhone.

support.apple.com/en-us/HT211234

How to turn notifications and emails on or off in Apple News – Learn how to turn notifications on or off for the channels that you follow, new issues of magazines in Apple News+, and Apple News Today audio briefings in the ..

support.apple.com/en-us/HT211230

Catalina 10.15.6 Update 19G73 Overview

support.apple.com/en-us/HT210642

macOS Catalina 10.15.6 introduces local news in your Today feed in Apple News and improves the security and reliability of your Mac.

New Features

Apple News

  • Local news in your Today feed provides extensive coverage of San Francisco, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Houston, and New York City
  • More stories available from local news providers with a subscription to Apple News+
  • Your daily newsletter from Apple News can now be personalized with stories that reflect your interests

This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements.

  • Adds a new option to optimize video streaming on HDR-compatible Mac notebooks for improved battery life
  • Fixes an issue where the computer name may change after installing a software update
  • Resolves an issue where certain USB mouse and trackpads may lose connection

Enterprise Fixes

  • When using a Mac with a built in keyboard that has a non-US layout, the FileVault login window would not recognize passwords containing certain characters on devices without an Apple T2 Security Chip. These passwords are now recognized.
  • Command Line utilities that don’t not use CFnetwork such as curl to continue connecting to TLS servers that use certificates issued by the recently expired AddTrust External Ca Root.
  • After installing software that uses a sudo plugin, attempting to use sudo command would fail with an error about being unable to load the plugin.
  • Major releases of macOS can be hidden when using the softwareupdate command with the --ignore flag, if the Mac is enrolled in Apple School Manager, Apple Business Manager or a User Approved MDM. This change also affects macOS Mojave and macOS High Sierra after installing security update 2020-004

Some features may not be available for all regions, or on all Apple devices.

Security Content of macOS Catalina 10.15.6

support.apple.com/en-us/HT211289

10.15.5 Update Resets Automatic Proxy Configuration Setting & URL

MrMacintosh.com - 0.15.5 Update Resets Automatic Proxy Configuration Setting & URL
macOS Catalina 10.15.5 update resets Automatic Proxy Configuration & URL

The 10.15.5 Update Erases Auto Proxy Setting + Proxy URL

Does your organization use a corporate proxy? Do you set the Automatic Proxy Configuration & URL via script? If so, you better check your proxy settings after installing the 10.15.5 update. On MacAdmins we have our own sad channel called #proxylife. It’s more of a support group for proxy issues.

10.15.1-10.15.5 Update Problems

This is my 10th article on Catalina Update issues. Take a look at the links below if you are interested.

Let’s take a closer look.

The test setup to reproduce this issue is pretty straight forward.

  • Build out a fresh 10.15.4 system
  • System Preferences > Network > Advanced > Proxy Tab
  • Verify Proxy settings (Proxy settings set with script in this test)
  • Update to 10.15.5
  • Automatic Proxy Configuration now UNCHECKED + Proxy URL erased.

Proxy Settings

NOTE: This test was set with a script that would run the following commands.

  • networksetup -setautoproxystate <networkservice> <on off>
  • networksetup -setautoproxyurl <networkservice> <proxyurl>

What can I do about this?

Let Apple know. Hopefully this can still be fixed in 10.15.6, we are quickly running out of time.

Until then, you will probably want your proxy configuration to still be set after the update. You could do the following as a workaround.

  • MDM Policy that will set the Proxy Settings again after the Update.
  • Install a LaunchDaemon that will run after the update to set the proxy setting again.
  • Install Proxy settings as a PROFILE. Note: I have not tested this to see if the settings still remain after the update. My guess the profile settings will remain. Please let me know if you have tested this.

Feedback Assistant Request #

I am having mixed success getting some of these issues fixed. I think we need a flag lead us. From now on, I will submit a FeedBack Assistant Request for each issue that I post about. You can reference this number when submitting your request.
NOTE: My request will not be enough, to get issues fixed we need to submit multiple requests to get proper visibility inside Apple Care.

FB7830358 – 10.15.5 Update Resets Automatic Proxy Configuration to OFF + Deletes Proxy Configuration File URL

Software Updates

Now is a good time to mention that we still need the ability to –ignore minor software updates.

Listed below are a few articles to help you understand the current situation.

I hope that my articles have helped you! If you have any questions, leave a comment below or Contact Me.

New AMD 5600M 16″ MBPro 10.15.5 Supplemental Update + Forked Build

MrMacintosh.com - Apple has a released a 2nd Supplemental Update for macOS Catalina 10.15.5 (19F2200). This update is ONLY for the new AMD 5600 GPU equipped 16" MacBook Pro.
New Supplemental Update released ONLY for the new AMD Radeon Pro 5600M 16″ MacBook Pro.

Apple has a released a new Supplemental Update for macOS Catalina 10.15.5 (19F2200). This update is ONLY for the new AMD Radeon Pro 5600M equipped 16″ MacBook Pro.

In a surprise one week before WWDC, Apple has released a new version of the 16″ MacBook Pro. The new option is a new AMD Radeon Pro 5600M graphics card with 8GB of HBM2 memory. The new A new Supplemental Update build of macOS Catalina 10.15.5 was also released today. This update is only for the new 5600M equipped 16″ MacBook Pro that was released today. The New Supplemental update patch notes say “macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Supplemental Update provides important security updates and is recommended for all users“. This says “All Users” even though it’s only for the new model. The Supplemental Update is now also available for download as a pkg update and updated full installer.app.

New (16-inch, AMD Radeon Pro 5600M)

The new Machine model name = (16-inch, AMD Radeon Pro 5600M). The shipping BuildVersion of this new model is macOS Catalina 10.15.5 (19F2096). The new supplemental update will show up in softwareupdate for the new AMD 5600M 16″ MacBook Pro only. After the Supplemental Update is installed the BuildVersion will be (19F2200).

New BoardID

I keep an index of all Mac BoardID’s on this page.

mrmacintosh.com/list-of-mac-boardids-model-identifiers-machine-models-updated/

The new BoardID for (16-inch, AMD Radeon Pro 5600M) is

Mac-A61BADE1FDAD7B05

10.15.5 Supplemental Update #2 Patch Notes Summary

  • Announcements
  • New Features
  • ? Resolved Issues
  • Enterprise Fixes
  • ? Security Fixes

Apple’s Public Patch Notes / Release Notes Documentation

NOTE: Apple Documentation takes a little while to show up online after release. I will update when the new articles are made available.

developer.apple.com/documentation/macos_release_notes

For more detailed information about this update and previous updates, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT210642

For Detailed Security information visit support.apple.com/en-us/HT201222

Previous 10.15 Releases + Previous Patch Notes

Catalina 10.15.5 (19F2200) Info & Links

Supplemental Update

The 10.15.5 Supplemental Update #2 is only for the new 2020 AMD 5600 GPU Equipped 16″ MBPro

Download Link – support.apple.com/kb/DL2044

Size = 3.13GB

Product ID = 061-78582

Requirements = 10.15.5 (19F2096) – (16-inch, AMD Radeon Pro 5600M)

Full Installer.app (19F2200) NEW Updated Version

Link – Only available via installinstallmacos.py or MDS3 until 10.15.6

Size = 8.74 GB

Product ID = 001-115219

Requirements – 2020 16″ AMD 5600 MacBook Pro

Full Installer.app (19F2096) OLD Shipping Version

Link – No longer available = Deprecated

Size = 8.74 GB

Product ID = 001-15219

Requirements – 2020 16″ AMD 5600 MacBook Pro

T2 BridgeOS Update NEW Updated Version

The Supplemental Update updates the T2 BridgeOS Software.

Note: this is a forked BridgeOS version

Size = 412.5 MB

Product ID = 001-15220

BridgeOS Update Version = 17.16.15580

T2 BridgeOS Update OLD Shipping Version

Note: this is a forked BridgeOS version that shipped with the 2020 16″ MacBook Pro equipped with the new AMD 5600 GPU

Note: this is a forked BridgeOS version

Size = 412.5 MB

Product ID = 061-78586

BridgeOS Update Version = 17.16.15566

macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Supplemental Update Security Info

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201222

10.15.5 Supplemental Update (19F2200)

macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Supplemental Update (19F101) CVE-2020-9859

MrMacintosh.com - macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Supplemental Update 19F101 addresses CVE-2020-9859
macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Supplemental Update 19F101 addresses CVE-2020-9859

Apple has a released a new Supplemental Update for macOS Catalina 10.15.5. The update patches CVE-2020-9859, a Kernel Exploit from uncOver.

The original version of Catalina 10.15.5 was only released 6 days ago on May 26th. The New Supplemental update patch notes remain unchanged. The update patches CVE-2020-9859, a Kernel Exploit. “An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privilege“. The Supplemental Update is now available for download as a full installer.app, delta and combo update.

10.15.5 Supplemental Update Patch Notes Summary

  • Announcements
  • New Features
  • Resolved Issues
  • Enterprise Fixes
  • 1 Security Fixes

Apple’s Public Patch Notes / Release Notes Documentation

NOTE: Apple Documentation takes a little while to show up online after release. I will update when the new articles are made available.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210642

developer.apple.com/documentation/macos_release_notes

developer.apple.com/documentation/macos_release_notes/macos_catalina_10_15_5_release_notes

For more detailed information about this update and previous updates, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT210642

Previous 10.15 Releases + Previous Patch Notes

Catalina 10.15.5 Info & Download Links

Supplemental Update

The Supplemental Update is only for Macs that already have the origional version of 10.15.5 installed.

Download Link – https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2043

Size = 1.02 GB

Product ID = 001-12339

Requirements = 10.15.5

Delta Update

The “Delta” update is smaller in size because it only includes fixes for the previous point release only.

Download Link – https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2039

Size = 2.98 GB

Product ID = 001-12341

Requirements = 10.15.4

Combo Update

The “Combo” update is for all previous versions of Catalina.

Download Link – https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2040

Size = 4.76 GB

Product ID = 001-12343

Requirements = 10.15.0, 10.15.1, 10.15.2, 10.15.3 or 10.15.4

Full Installer.app

Link – Catalina 10.15.5 Mac App Store

Size = 8.73 GB

Product ID = 001-12336

Requirements – 10.15 Catalina Requirements

T2 BridgeOS Update

The Supplemental Update updates the T2 BridgeOS Software.

Size = 392.8 MB

Product ID = 001-12349

BridgeOS Update Version = 17.16.15300

macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Supplemental Update, Security Update 2020-003 High Sierra

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211215

Released June 1, 2020

Kernel

Available for: macOS High Sierra 10.13.6, macOS Catalina 10.15.5

Impact: An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

Description: A memory consumption issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2020-9859: unc0ver

10.15.5 & 2020-003 Updates = Changes to softwareupdate –ignore

MrMacintosh.com - Big changes coming to softwareupdate --ignore command after installing the 2020-003 update.
Big changes coming to softwareupage –ignore command after installing the 2020-003 update.

The Catalina 10.15.5 Update & 2020-003 Security Updates remove the software update –ignore ability for Major Updates. The –ignore flag for Minor Updates is now deprecated.

UPDATE 7/16/20 – Apple just released Catalina 10.15.6 and Security Updates 2020-004. Apple listened to us and reverted the changes made in 10.15.5 and 2020-003 (with a caveat). After installing 10.15.6 or the 2020-004 updates, you can once again use softwareupdate --ignore to block minor and major updates. As long as the Mac is enrolled in Apple School Manager, Apple Business Manager or a User Approved MDM.

Catalina 10.15.6 Update – mrmacintosh.com/whats-new-in-the-macos-catalina-10-15-6-update-19g73/

Security Update 2020-004 for 10.13 & 10.14 – mrmacintosh.com/security-update-2020-004-for-mojave-10-14-high-sierra-10-13-released/

Managing macOS in Enterprise or Education is a tough job no matter how you look at it. One of the toughest things that we have to deal with is 3rd party software. On top of that macOS updates & upgrades can cause additional problems. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know what I’m talking about. 3rd party software is mission critical, and needs to run without issues. We need the ability to test new macOS Software Updates and Upgrades. Any of which could break that critical software, and cause major problems. A few points >

  • If we find a problem with 3rd party after installing an update, we would need to reach out the vendor. The fix might take longer than 90 days.
  • A macOS Update causes a big problem, so bad that we immediately need to block it. Sometimes it takes 2-5 months for Apple implement the fix to the next point release update.
  • Your Mac needs to be Supervised / Enrolled in an MDM, or you won’t be able to hide the Major Update (10.15.4+) update.
  • MacOS does NOT have an Update Recovery Ability. If something goes wrong after an update, we do NOT have any way to revert back to a previous update!!!

Table of Contents

  • 1. UPDATES!
  • 2. 10.15.5 & 2020-003 Update Changes.
  • 3. Right now, this only affects macOS Mojave
  • 4. What about High Sierra 10.13?
  • 5. Blocking the 2020-003 Security Update
  • 6. Catalina 10.15.5 Changes
  • 7. How can we ignore Updates and Upgrades in the future? (10.15.4+)
  • 8. System Preferences Icon Red Dot Notification (How To get rid of it)
  • 9. Don’t like this change? What can you do?

1. UPDATES!

UPDATE 6/9/20 – 10.15.6 Beta 2 (19G46c) was released today. The softwareupdate --ignore flag was changed to include some changes that we asked for! Be sure to check the AppleSeed Beta notes for all the details. I am still checking to see if the change will make it to Mojave 10.14.

UPDATE 5/28/20 – I ran a quick test on a 10.14.6 (2020-002) Mojave Mac. First I used the command softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina" to ignore the macOS Catalina Upgrade. The Upgrade disappeared from System Preferences > Software Update. I then installed a configuration profile that used the restrictions payload that deferred updates for 90 days. I installed the 2020-003 security update. Catalina showed up in System Preferences > Software Update. This can only mean one of two things…

  • 1. A Mojave Mac with 2020-003 installed can now understand the new MDM Profile “Major Update” deferral. The Upgrade shows up because we are more than 90 days away from when Catalina was released.
  • 2. We are taking this sentence literally “Starting with macOS 10.15.4, major releases of macOS can be deferred for up to 90 days using MDM.” Meaning the change was not backported to 10.14 and we will be unable to ignore 10.16 on Mojave.
  • I have reached out to Apple for clarification on this.

2. 10.15.5 & 2020-003 Update Changes.

Lets jump right in and look at the new changes.

Before I do, I need to do a quick shout out to @bp Balmes Pavlov

Balmes first called this out on April 16th, and really took a deep dive into this upcoming change.

babodee.wordpress.com/2020/04/16/apple-plans-on-removing-enterprise-options-for-macos-software-update/

The changes are here now, so let’s take a look at the 10.15.5 patch notes.

MrMacintosh.com - 10.15.5 Softwareupdate --ignore changes
10.15.5 Softwareupdate –ignore changes

“Major Releases of macOS are no longer hidden when using the softwareupdate command with the –ignore flag”.

  • Updates are considered 10.15.4 > 10.15.5.
  • Major Releases or Upgrades are considered 10.14 > 10.15.

Notice how at the bottom of the note it says, “This change also affects macOS Mojave and macOS High Sierra after installing Security Update 2020-003”.

3. Right now, this only affects macOS Mojave

The direct impact of this update is to macOS Mojave. If you are running 10.14.6 and have the 2020-002 Security update installed, you can block macOS Catalina with softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina"

After running the above command, macOS Catalina will not show up in System Preferences > Software Update.

This is what the Software Update Pane will look like in 10.14.6 before installing 2020-003.

MrMacintosh.com - Looks great! This is after running softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina" on 2020-002.
Looks great! This is after running softwareupdate –ignore “macOS Catalina” on 2020-002

After installing 2020-003, this is what the Software Update pane will look like.

MrMacintosh.com - Not so good. This is after running softwareupdate --ignore "macOS Catalina" on 2020-003.
10.15.5 2020-003 softwareupdate –ignore. this is what Software Update looks like after 2020-003.

This leaves macOS 10.14.6 with very few options if you want to block users from upgrading to macOS Catalina.

  • Turn Off Automatic Updates (manually deploy updates)
  • Hide/Block the Software Update Preference Pane
  • Software Restrictions on “Install macOS Catalina.app”

4. What about High Sierra 10.13?

The 10.15.5 patch notes specifically mention High Sierra. For Software Updates, 10.13 still uses the App Store Preference Pane. When you click on it, you go right to the App store updates tab. macOS Catalina is NOT listed anywhere in the “updates” Section.

High Sierra and Sierra used notification banners.

MrMacintosh.com - 10.13 and 10.14 macOSInstallerNotification_GM notification dialog.
10.13 and 10.14 macOSInstallerNotification_GM notification dialog.

If you wanted to block the banners on High Sierra and Sierra, you would run the following command.

sudo softwareupdate --ignore "macOSInstallerNotification_GM"

You will now run into another problem after installing the 2020-003 Update.

Ignoring software updates is deprecated.

The ability to ignore individual updates will be removed in a future release of macOS

Reading that deprecation note, it looks like we will not only lose the ability to use the --ignore for Major updates (Right Now on 10.15.5 & 10.14) but also point updates in the future (10.16).

5. Blocking the 2020-003 Security Update

If you would like to block the 2020-003 Security update, run the following command below.

  • softwareupdate --ignore "Security Update 2020-003"
  • The Mac App Store (10.13) & System Preferences > Software Update (10.14) will respect the --ignore option.

6. Catalina 10.15.5 Changes

This change does not really affect Catalina right now. The problem will come when 10.16 is released.

You will not be able to use

softwareupdate --ignore "macOS 10.16"

7. How can we ignore Updates and Upgrades in the future? (10.15.4+)

Apple is providing something for 10.15.4+ users.

Starting with macOS 10.15.4, major releases of macOS can be deferred for up to 90 days using MDM.

Apple Patch Notes

The forceDelayedSoftwareUpdates key in the Restrictions payload will now apply to major OS versions in addition to software updates.

Apple Patch Notes

We already have the MDM Key forceDelayedSoftwareUpdates but after installing 10.15.4 you can now defer Major Upgrades for up to 90 Days.

Once macOS 10.16 is live, you will be able to hide the Major (Upgrade) and Minor (Point Release) Updates for 90 Days.

8. System Preferences Icon Red Dot Notification

MrMacintosh.com - System Preferences Red Dot Notification.
System Preferences Red Dot Notification.

HT goes out to Jeff Johnson who first investigated this earlier today.

lapcatsoftware.com/articles/software-update.html

He called out that even though we can’t block the Catalina Update in System Preferences, we might still want to remove the Red Dot Notification.

Check out his article to find out how disable the notification.

HT also goes out to this guy who first documented the fix.

tinyapps.org/blog/202005070700_remove_catalina_notification_badge.html

UPDATE 5/28/20 – A MacRumors forum user found a new way to block the notification.

I did by editing com.apple.dock.plist

changed “dock-extra” from YES to NO for system preferences and no more red annoyance.

MacRumors Forum User VTRN

9. Don’t like this change? What can you do?

Please let Apple know NOW, not later (10.16 is coming in one month!).

  • Apple Enterprise Ticket
  • Apple FeedBack Assistant
  • If you have an Apple SE assigned to your company, talk to them.
  • AppleSeed for IT: macOS Deployment & Management Survey (this survey is available for AppleSeed for IT participants and can only be taken in the FeedBack Assistant.app)

10.15.5 2020-003 softwareupdate –ignore

What’s New in the macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Update 19F96?

MrMacintosh.com - macOS Catalina 10.15.5 (19F96) Update
macOS Catalina 10.15.5 (19F96) Update

The macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Update 19F96 is now Available.

The much anticipated macOS Catalina 10.15.5 update is live! The update is now available for download as a full installer.app, delta and combo update. This update looks like it includes a fix for the MacBook Pro 16″ wake from sleep Kernel Panic Issue! Let’s take a look at the Catalina 10.15.5 Update 19F96 to find out what’s new. The update also includes a fix for the GPU Freezing issue with some Macs with an Intel Only Graphics Chip.

UPDATE 06/02/20 – Apple just released a 10.15.5 Supplemental Update. I have the info here – https://mrmacintosh.com/macos-catalina-10-15-5-supplemental-update-19f101-cve-2020-9859/

UPDATE 05/27/20 – I wrote an article on the changes to the softwareupdate --ignoreflag and what it means for MacAdmins. mrmacintosh.com/10-15-5-2020-003-updates-changes-to-softwareupdate-ignore/

10.15.5 Patch Notes Summary

  • 2 Announcements
  • 3 New Features
  • 8 Resolved Issues
  • 5 Enterprise Fixes
  • 41 Security Fixes

Apple’s Public Patch Notes / Release Notes Documentation

NOTE: Apple Documentation takes a little while to show up online after release. I will update when the new articles are made available.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210642

developer.apple.com/documentation/macos_release_notes

developer.apple.com/documentation/macos_release_notes/macos_catalina_10_15_5_release_notes

For more detailed information about this update and previous updates, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT210642

Previous 10.15 Releases + Previous Patch Notes

Catalina 10.15.5 Info & Download Links

Delta Update

The “Delta” update is smaller in size because it only includes fixes for the previous point release only.

Download Link – https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2039

Size = 2.98 GB

Product ID = 061-78581

Requirements = 10.15.4

Combo Update

The “Combo” update is for all previous versions of Catalina.

Download Link – https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2040

Size = 4.76 GB

Product ID = 061-78580

Requirements = 10.15.0, 10.15.1, 10.15.2, 10.15.3 or 10.15.4

Full Installer.app

Link – Catalina 10.15.5 Mac App Store

Size = 8.73 GB

Product ID = 061-78580

Requirements – 10.15 Catalina Requirements

T2 BridgeOS Update

T2 BridgeOS was updated along with the 10.15.5 update.

Size = 392.8 MB

Product ID = 061-70034

BridgeOS Update Version = 17.16.15290

Security Content for Safari 13.1.1

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211177

New Apple Support Documents

Adapters for the Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C port on your Mac or iPad Pro

If the cable from your external device doesn’t connect to the Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C port on your Mac or iPad Pro, you might need an adapter.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207443

About Mac notebook batteries

Learn how to optimize the life of the battery in your Mac notebook, fix battery issues, and get service.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204054

Catalina 10.15.5 Update 19F96 Overview

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210642

macOS Catalina 10.15.5 introduces battery health management in the Energy Saver settings for notebooks, an option to control automatic prominence of video tiles on Group FaceTime calls, and controls to fine-tune the built-in calibration of your Pro Display XDR. The update also improves the stability, reliability, and security of your Mac.

Battery Health Management

  • Battery health management to help maximize battery lifespan for Mac notebooks
  • Energy Saver preference pane now displays battery condition and recommends if the battery needs to be serviced
  • Option to disable battery health management

For more information, please visit https://support.apple.com/kb/HT211094

FaceTime Prominence Preference

  • Option to control automatic prominence on Group FaceTime calls so video tiles do not change size when a participant speaks

Calibration Fine-Tuning for Pro Display XDR

  • Controls to fine-tune the built-in calibration of your Pro Display XDR by adjusting the white point and luminance for a precise match to your own display calibration target

This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements.

  • Fixes an issue that may prevent Reminders from sending notifications for recurring reminders
  • Addresses an issue that may prevent password entry on the login screen
  • Fixes an issue where System Preferences would continue to show a notification badge even after installing an update
  • Resolves an issue where the built-in camera may not be detected when trying to use it after using a video conferencing app
  • Addresses an issue for Mac computers with the Apple T2 Security Chip where internal speakers may not appear as a sound output device in Sound preferences
  • Fixes a stability issue with uploading and downloading media files from iCloud Photo Library while your Mac is asleep
  • Resolves a stability issue when transferring large amounts of data to RAID volumes
  • Fixes an issue where the Reduce Motion Accessibility preference did not reduce the speed of animations in a FaceTime group call

Enterprise Fixes

  • Improves performance on certain Mac models when enabling hardware acceleration in GPU-intensive apps such as those used for video conferencing.
  • Addresses an issue where Microsoft Exchange accounts were unable to sign in during account setup when using Conditional Access.
  • Resolves an issue that prevented some displays connected to MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) from waking from sleep when the Mac wakes
  • Single sign-on (SSO) works immediately after installing an app that contains a third party SSO extension.
  • Apple Push Notification Service traffic now uses a web proxy when specified in a PAC file via the Proxies payload

Announcements

Software Update
For increased security, major releases of macOS are not hidden when using the --ignore flag and the softwareupdate command starting with macOS 10.15.5. A major release is defined as one which receives a name, such as macOS Catalina.
Starting with macOS 10.15.4, major releases of macOS can be deferred for up to 90 days using MDM.

More on this here – mrmacintosh.com/10-15-5-2020-003-updates-changes-to-softwareupdate-ignore/


networksetup Command
Starting with macOS 10.15.5, the networksetup command behaves differently when run as a standard user versus an admin user. Standard users can do the following:
• 1. Read various network settings
• 2. Turn Wi-Fi power on or off (networksetup -setairportpower en0 on)
• 3. Change the Wi-Fi access point (networksetup -setairportnetwork en0
ExampleWiFiAP)
Other network settings can no longer be modified by standard users via networksetup.
For admin users, networksetup will continue to behave as it has in previous releases of macOS, provided System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Advanced… > “Require an administrator password to access system-wide preferences” is unchecked (which is the default state). If it is checked, admins will be bound by the same constraints as standard users when
using networksetup.

Security Content for 10.15.5

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211170

How To Regenerate a New FileVault 2 Personal Recovery Key (PRK)

MrMacintosh.com - How To regenerate a FileVault 2 Personal Recovery Key.
How To reissue a FileVault 2 Personal Recovery Key

It’s good practice to have a backup of important things in your life. You wouldn’t only keep one set of keys to your house or car. The same goes for your FV2 Encrypted Mac. The FileVault Personal Recovery Key is your backup key to your Mac. If your account password is not working or if you can’t remember the password, the Recovery Key will be the only way to get to your data.

Two Different Types of FileVault 2 Recovery Keys

When encrypting your Mac, you have two different types recovery key options.

  • (PRK) Personal Recovery Key – Every Mac has a unique Recovery Key.
  • (IRK) Institutional Recovery Key – One Recovery Key for every Mac

While it may be convenient to have one key for every Mac, having a Institutional Recovery Key is like having a Master Key to an Apartment Complex. If that key is stolen or lost, the bad guy has a key to every single apartment unit. The same thing goes for the (IRK) if one user has the key, it’s known for every single Mac.

The PRK is the way to go, as each Mac has a unique key.

I previously wrote about how to use the PRK to recover data from a Mac using Target Disk Mode.

https://mrmacintosh.com/filevault-2-target-disk-mode-unlock-using-the-personal-recovery-key/

Why Would Would I Need to Change my Personal Recovery Key?

Here are a few reasons why you might need to reissue or generate a new FileVault 2 Personal Recovery Key.

  • 1. The Computer Record was deleted from your MDM.
  • 2. The MDM Recovery Key Entry is corrupted.
  • 3. The Recovery Key is not working.
  • 4. The PRK is given to a user and you want to cycle and protect it.
  • 5. The PRK user is missing, or the ? mark is not showing at FV2 login.
  • 6. If you need to reenroll a Mac into a different MDM.

A good example of #2 is when Jamf Pro 10.7.1 screwed up the recovery key display in every computer record. This defect was fixed in Jamf Pro 10.10.

https://www.jamf.com/jamf-nation/discussions/31910/filevault-2-personal-recovery-key-issue

Reissue the FileVault 2 Recovery Key with FV2 Enabled Username and Password

To generate a new FileVault 2 Personal Recovery Key we will be using the fdesetup binary.

First you can check to see if your Mac is using a PRK or IRK.

sudo fdesetup haspersonalrecoverykey = true or false

sudo fdesetup hasinstitutionalrecoverykey= true or false

Now we can change the recovery key using username and password.

sudo fdesetup changerecovery -personal

Enter the user name:mrmacintosh 

Enter the password for user 'mrmacintosh':

New personal recovery key = 'Z5V7-K464-PEVT-09OX-Q2EW-8FO8'

This works for 10.13 – 10.15

Reissue the FileVault 2 Recovery Key using the Current Personal Recovery Key (PRK)

Staring in 10.14, you can now use the current Personal Recovery Key to generate a new PRK.

You will be using the UUID of the Personal Recovery User and the current PRK as the password.

Find the UUID of the Personal Recovery Key User

sudo fdesetup list -extended

ESCROW  UUID                                                                     TYPE USER

        0A1BCDC3-49BD-4E00-B741-813E143AD1E2                OS User mrmacintosh

        EBC6C064-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC   Personal Recovery Record

Note: The UUID of the Personal Recovery User is the same very every FV2 Encrypted Mac.

Let’s change it.

sudo fdesetup changerecovery -personal

Enter the user name:EBC6C064-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC 

Enter the password for user 'EBC6C064-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC':

New personal recovery key = 'Z5V7-K464-PEVT-09OX-Q2EW-8FO8'

For the password field, all we need to do is enter in the current FV2 PRK.

NOTE: If you want to send the Recovery Key to Jamf Pro, you need to run Recon twice.

Running commands are great for 1 or 2 Macs, but what if I have to fix more than that?

The guys at HCS Technology Group wrote up an excellent article showing us how to create a policy for this. The policy will search for all Macs that do not have a valid recovery key and will remediate with a script kicked off by a Jamf Policy.

https://hcsonline.com/images/PDFs/Jamf_Recovery_key_Filevault.pdf

Credits

Hat Tip goes out to Johan McGwire aka yohan on #MacAdmins. He brought up the 2nd way to reissue the Personal Recovery Key with the current PRK. Johan the expert behind the following projects. Check them out!

Also HCS Technology Group, I can’t say enough about these guys. They have written some of the best MacAdmins guides available today!

Get the full list HCS White Papers, visit this link.

http://hcsonline.com/support/white-papers.

Follow them on Twitter! https://twitter.com/HCSTechnology

Can I Upgrade or Downgrade macOS? Every Mac From 2006-2020

MrMacintosh.com - Can I upgrade or downgrade macOS? What is the minimum or maximum macOS Version my Mac can run? A full index of every Mac from 2006-2020
What is the minimum and maximum macOS Version my Mac can run?

Do you need to downgrade or upgrade macOS on your Mac? This page will show you the oldest and newest version of macOS that you can install on your Mac.

Can I upgrade or downgrade macOS? How many times has this question come up over the years? Probably hundreds if not thousands of times. Mac Hardware has a minimum and maximum version of macOS that can be installed. MacOS versions that come before or after the minimum and maximum listed OS do not have the correct drivers required. At a certain point Apple will decide that a Mac is no longer supported and will not include drivers.

Internet Recovery Version

If your Mac supports Internet Recovery, you can use this guide to find out which version of macOS you will get using the following options.

  • Newest OS – Option-⌘-R

This option will be the newest or latest version of macOS that can be installed on your Mac.

  • Shipping OS (Oldest OS Available) – Shift-Option-⌘-R

The “Shipping OS Version” is the macOS version that your Mac originally shipped with from the factory. This is the IR Version that you will see if you use Shift-Option-⌘-R.

NOTE! The “Shipping OS can change to a newer OS release as the hardware gets older. An example of this is a MacBook Pro released with 10.13 but later is shipped with 10.14.

Fun Hardware Info

As of 5/1/321, Apple has released over 150 different Intel Model Identifiers.

  • Most Supported Mac =

MacBookPro9,1 (15-inch Mid 2012) – 10.7.3 – 10.15 = 9 OS Versions

  • Least Supported Mac =

MacBook1,1 (13-inch Core Duo 2006) – 10.4.6 – 10.6.8 = 3 OS Versions

Updates

In the future when Apple releases new hardware or OS, I will update this page. You can keep track of future updates from my Twitter Account @ClassicII_MrMac using the hashtag –

#UpgradeorDowngradeMacOS

Index of Intel-Based Mac Hardware From (2006-2020)

  • 1. MacBook Pro – (2006-2020)
  • 2. MacBook Air – (2008-2020)
  • 3. MacBook – (2006-2017)
  • 4. Mac Pro – (2006-2019)
  • 5. iMac – (2006-2020)
  • 6. iMac Pro – (2017)
  • 7. Mac Mini – (2006-2018)
  • 8. Xserve – (2006-2009)

1. MacBook Pro (2006-2020)

The MacBook Pro was introduced by Steve Jobs at Macworld Conference & Expo on January 10th, 2006. The MacBook Pro has seen five redesigns over the last 15 years. Starting with Gen 1 (2006-2008), Gen 2 Unibody (2008-2012), Gen 3 Retina (2012-2015), Gen 4 Touch Bar (2016-2019) & Gen 5 16″ Scissor (2019).

Model Identifier Machine Model T1 T2 Ship OS Oldest OS Latest OS
MacBookPro16,2 (13-inch 2020) T2 10.15.4 10.15 > 11.0 >
MacBookPro16,2 (13-inch 2020) T2 10.15.4 10.15 > 11.0 >
MacBookPro16,1 (16-inch Late 2019) T2 10.15.1 10.15 > 11.0 >
MacBookPro15,4 (13-inch Mid 2019) T2 10.14.5 10.14.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro15,1 (15-inch 2019) T2 10.14.5 10.14.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro15,3 (15-inch 2019 Vega) T2 10.14.5 10.14.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro15,3 (15″ Mid 2018 Vega) T2 10.14.1 10.14.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro15,2 (13-inch Mid 2018) T2 10.13.6 10.13.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro15,1 (15-inch Mid 2018) T2 10.13.6 10.13.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro14,3 (15-inch Mid 2017) T1 10.12.5 10.12.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro14,2 (13-inch Mid 2017) T1 10.12.5 10.12.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro14,1 (13-inch Mid 2017) T1 10.12.5 10.12.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro13,3 (15-inch Late 2016) T1 10.12.1 10.12.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro13,2 (13-inch Late 2016) T1 10.12.1 10.12.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro13,1 (15-inch Late 2016) T1 10.12.1 10.12.6 11.0 >
MacBookPro11,5 (15-inch Mid 2015)   10.10.3 10.10.5 11.0 >
MacBookPro11,4 (15-inch Mid 2015)   10.10.3 10.10.5 11.0 >
MacBookPro12,1 (13-inch Early 2015)   10.10.2 10.10.5 11.0 >
MacBookPro11,3 (15-inch Mid 2014)   10.9.4 10.9.5 11.0 >
MacBookPro11,2 (15-inch Late 2013)   10.9.0 10.9.5 11.0 >
MacBookPro11,1 (13-inch Late 2013)   10.9.0 10.9.5 11.0 >
MacBookPro10,2 (13-inch Early 2013)   10.8.2 10.8.5 10.15 >
MacBookPro10,1 (15-inch Early 2013)   10.8.2 10.8.5 10.15 >
MacBookPro10,2 (13-inch Ret 2012)   10.7.4 10.7.5 10.15 >
MacBookPro10.1 (15-inch Ret 2012)   10.7.4 10.7.5 10.15 >
MacBookPro9,2 (13-inch Mid 2012)   10.7.3 10.7.5 10.15 >
MacBookPro9,1 (15-inch Mid 2012)   10.7.3 10.7.5 10.15 >
MacBookPro8,3 (17-inch Late 2011)   10.7.2 10.7.5 10.13.6
MacBookPro8,2 (15-inch Late 2011)   10.7.2 10.7.5 10.13.6
MacBookPro8,1 (13-inch Late 2011)   10.7.2 10.7.5 10.13.6
MacBookPro8,3 (17-inch Early 2011)   10.6.6 10.6.6* 10.13.6
MacBookPro8,2 (15-inch Early 2011)   10.6.6 10.6.6* 10.13.6
MacBookPro8,1 (13-inch Early 2011)   10.6.6 10.6.6* 10.13.6
MacBookPro7,1 (13-inch Mid 2010)   10.6.3 10.6.3* 10.13.6
MacBookPro6,2 (15-inch Mid 2010)   10.6.3 10.6.3* 10.13.6
MacBookPro6,1 (17-inch Early 2010)   10.6.3 10.6.3* 10.12.6
MacBookPro5,5 (13-inch Mid 2009)   10.5.7 10.5.7* 10.11.6
MacBookPro5,4 (15-inch Mid 2009)   10.5.7 10.5.7* 10.11.6
MacBookPro5,3 (15-inch Mid 2009)   10.5.7 10.5.7* 10.11.6
MacBookPro5,2 (17-inch Early 2009)   10.5.6 10.5.6* 10.11.6
MacBookPro5,1 (15-inch Late 2008)   10.5.5 10.5.5* 10.11.6
MacBookPro5,1 (17-inch Late 2008)   10.5.5 10.5.5* 10.11.6
MacBookPro4,1 (15-inch Early 2008)   10.5.2 10.5.2* 10.11.6
MacBookPro4,1 (17-inch Early 2008)   10.5.2 10.5.2* 10.11.6
MacBookPro3,1 (15-inch Late 2007)   10.4.9 10.4.9* 10.11.6
MacBookPro3,1 (17-inch Late 2007)   10.4.9 10.4.9* 10.11.6
MacBookPro2,2 (15-inch Late 2006)   10.4.8 10.4.8* 10.7.5
MacBookPro2,1 (17-inch Late 2006)   10.4.8 10.4.8* 10.7.5
MacBookPro1,2 (17-inch 2006)   10.4.5 10.4.5* 10.6.8
MacBookPro1,1 (15-inch 2006)   10.4.5 10.4.5* 10.6.8
*Available on Reinstall DVD or CD        

2. MacBook Air (2008-2020)

The MacBook Air was first introduced at Macworld San Fransisco by Steve Jobs on January 15th, 2008. For the 1st Generation from 2008-2010 the screen size was or a 13.3″ and included a Intel Core 2 Duo Processor. The Second Generation introduced in 2010 added an 11″ version. From 2017 on you could only get the 13″ Model. The 3rd Generation 13-inch MacBook Air was released in 2018.

Model Identifier Machine Model T1 T2 Ship OS Oldest OS Latest OS
MacBookAir9,1 (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) T2 10.15.3 10.15> 10.15>
MacBookAir8,2 (Retina, 13-inch, 2019) T2 10.14.5 10.14.6 10.15>
MacBookAir8,1 (Retina, 13-inch, 2018) T2 10.14.1 10.14.6 10.15>
MacBookAir7,2 (Mid 2017)   10.12.6 10.12.6 10.15>
MacBookAir7,2 (13-inch Early 2015)   10.10.2 10.10.5 10.15>
MacBookAir7,1 (11-inch Early 2015)   10.10.2 10.10.5 10.15>
MacBookAir6,2 (13-inch Early 2014)   10.10.2 10.10.5 10.15>
MacBookAir6,1 (11-inch Mid 2013)   10.8.4 10.8.5 10.15 >
MacBookAir6,2 (13-inch Mid 2013 )   10.8.4 10.8.5 10.15 >
MacBookAir6,1 (11-inch Mid 2012)   10.7.4 10.7.5 10.15 >
MacBookAir5,2 (13″ EDU Mid 2012)   10.8.2 10.8.5 10.15 >
MacBookAir5,2 13-inch Mid 2012)   10.7.4 10.7.4* 10.15>
MacBookAir5,1 (11-inch Mid 2012)   10.7.4 10.7.4* 10.15 >
MacBookAir4,2 (13″ EDU Mid 2012)   10.7.3 10.7.4* 10.15 >
MacBookAir4,1 (11-inch Mid 2012)   10.7 10.7.4* 10.15 >
MacBookAir3,2 (13-inch Late 2010)   10.6.4 10.6.4* 10.13.6
MacBookAir3,1 (11-inch Late 2010)   10.6.4 10.6.4* 10.13.6
MacBookAir2,1 (13-inch Mid 2009)   10.5.7 10.5.7 10.11.6
MacBookAir2,1 (13-inch Late 2008)   10.5.5 10.5.5 10.11.6
MacBookAir1,1 (13-inch Early 2008)   10.5.1 10.5.1 10.11.6
*USB Installer          

 

3. MacBook – (2006-2017)

This Section covers the original 2006 13-inch MacBook all the way to the 2017 12″ Version. The MacBook has seen 4 different designs since 2006. Gen 1 Polycarbonate (2006-2008), Gen 2 Aluminum Unibody (2008-2009). Gen 3 Polycarbonate Unibody (2009-2010) & Gen 4 12″ USB-C (2015-2017).

Model Identifier Machine Model Ship OS Oldest OS Latest OS
MacBook10,1 (Mid 2017) 10.12.5 10.12.6 10.15 >
MacBook9,1 (Early 2016) 10.11.4 10.11.6 10.15 >
MacBook8,1 (Early 2015) 10.10.2 10.10.6 10.15 >
MacBook7,1 (Unibody Mid 2010) 10.6.3 10.6.3 DVD 10.11.6
MacBook6,1 (Unibody Late 2009) 10.6.1 10.6.1 DVD 10.13.6
MacBook5,2 (White Mid 2009) 10.5.7 10.5.7 DVD 10.11.6
MacBook5,2 (13-inch C2D Early 2009) 10.5.6 10.5.6 DVD 10.11.6
MacBook5,1 (13-inch C2D Late 2008 Aluminum) 10.5.5 10.5.5 DVD 10.11.6
MacBook4,1 (13-inch C2D Early 2008) 10.5.2 10.5.2 DVD 10.7.5
MacBook3,1 (13-inch C2D Late 2007) 10.5 10.5 DVD 10.7.5
MacBook2,1 (13-inch C2D Mid 2007) 10.4.9 10.4.9 DVD 10.7.5
MacBook2,1 (13-inch C2D Late 2006) 10.4.8 10.4.8 DVD 10.7.5
MacBook1,1 (13-inch Core Duo 2006) 10.4.6 10.4.6 DVD 10.6.8

4. Mac Pro – (2006-2019)

The Mac Pro was first introduced at WWDC on August 7, 2006. It has seen 3 Generations from 2006-2019. Gen 1 “Cheese Grater” V1 (2006-2012), Gen 2 “Trash Can” (2013) & Gen 3 “Cheese Grater” V2 (2019).

Model Identifier Machine Model T1 T2 Ship OS Oldest OS Latest OS
MacPro7,1 (2019) T2 10.5.1 10.15 > 10.15 >
MacPro6,1 (Late 2013) NA 10.9.1 10.9.5 10.15 >
MacPro5,1 (2012 Server) NA 10.7.4 10.7.5 10.14.6*
MacPro5,1 (Mid 2010) NA 10.6.4 10.6.4 DVD 10.14.6*
MacPro4,1 (Nehalem 2009) NA 10.5.6 10.6.6 DVD 10.11.6
MacPro3,1 (Eight Core 2008)  NA 10.5.1 10.5.1 DVD 10.11.6
MacPro2,1 (Eight Core 2007) NA 10.4.9 10.4.9 DVD 10.7.5
MacPro1,1 (Quad Core 2006) NA 10.4.7 10.4.7 DVD 10.7.5
*Metal Graphics Video Card Required        

5. iMac – (2006-2019)

The iMac was first introduced at an Apple Special Event at the Flint Center,  Cupertino on May 6, 1998 by Steve Jobs. The First Intel Based iMac was introduced at Macworld Conference and Expo on January 10, 2006 by Steve Jobs. It has seen seven different designs since 1998.

Model Identifier Machine Model Ship OS Oldest OS Latest OS
iMac20,2 (5K, 2020; 5700/XT) 10.15.6 10.15.6 10.15>
iMac20,1 (27-Inch 5K, 2020) 10.15.6 10.15.6 10.15>
iMac19,2 (21.5-Inch 4k, 2019) 10.14.4 10.14.6 10.15 >
iMac19,1 (27-Inch 5k, 2019) 10.14.4 10.14.6 10.15 >
iMac18,3 (27-Inch 5k Mid-2017) 10.12.4 10.12.6 10.15 >
iMac18,2 (21.5-Inch 4k Mid-2017) 10.12.4 10.12.6 10.15 >
iMac18,1 (21.5-Inch Mid-2017) 10.12.4 10.12.6 10.15 >
iMac17,1 (27-Inch 5k, Late 2015) 10.11 10.11.6 10.15 >
iMac16,2 (21.5-Inch 4k. Late 2015) 10.11 10.11.6 10.15 >
iMac16,2 (21.5-Inch Late 2015) 10.11 10.11.6 10.15 >
iMac16,1 (21.5-Inch Late 2015) 10.11 10.11.6 10.15 >
iMac15,1 (27-Inch 5K, Mid-2015) 10.10.2 10.10.5 10.15 >
iMac15,1 (27-Inch 5k, Late 2014) 10.10 10.10.5 10.15 >
iMac14,4 (21.5-inch Mid 2014) 10.9.3 10.9.5 10.15 >
iMac14,3 (21.5-inch Late 2013) 10.8.4 10.8.5 10.15 >
iMac14,2 (27-inch Late 2013) 10.8.4 10.8.5 10.15 >
iMac14,1 (21.5-inch Late 2013) 10.8.4 10.8.5 10.15 >
iMac13,2 (27-Inch Late 2012) 10.8.2 10.8.5 10.15 >
iMac13,1 (21.5-inch Late 2012) 10.8.2 10.8.5 10.15 >
iMac12,1 (21.5-inch Late 2011) 10.7.2 10.7.5 10.13.6
iMac12,2 (27-inch Mid 2011) 10.6.6 10.6.6 DVD 10.13.6
iMac12,1 (21.5-inch Mid 2011) 10.6.6 10.6.6 DVD 10.13.6
iMac11,3 (27-inch Mid 2010) 10.6.3 10.6.3 DVD 10.13.6
iMac11,2 (21.5-inch Mid 2010) 10.6.3 10.6.3 DVD 10.13.6
iMac11,1 (27-inch Late 2009) 10.6.2 10.6.2 DVD 10.13.6
iMac10,1 (21.5-inch Late 2009) 10.6.1 10.6.1 DVD 10.13.6
iMac10,1 (27-inch Late 2009) 10.6.1 10.6.1 DVD 10.13.6
iMac9,1 (20-inch Mid 2009 EDU) 10.5.8 10.5.8 DVD 10.11.6
iMac9,1 (24-inch Early 2009) 10.5.6 10.5.6 DVD 10.11.6
iMac9,1 (20-inch Early 2009) 10.5.6 10.5.6 DVD 10.11.6
iMac8,1 (24-inch Early 2008) 10.5.2 10.5.2 DVD 10.11.6
iMac8,1 (20-inch Early 2008) 10.5.2 10.5.2 DVD 10.11.6
iMac7,1 (24-inch Mid 2007) 10.4.10 10.4.10 DVD 10.11.6
iMac7,1 (20-inch Mid 2007) 10.4.10 10.4.10 DVD 10.11.6
iMac6,1 (24-inch Late 2006) 10.4.7 10.4.7 DVD 10.7.5
iMac5,2 (17-inch Late 2006) 10.4.7 10.4.7 DVD 10.7.5
iMac5,1 (20-inch Late 2006) 10.4.7 10.4.7 DVD 10.7.5
iMac5,1 (17-inch Late 2006) 10.4.7 10.4.7 DVD 10.7.5
iMac4,2 (17-inch Mid 2006) 10.4.7 10.4.7 DVD 10.6.8
iMac4,1 (20-inch Early 2006) 10.4.4 10.4.4 DVD 10.6.8
iMac4,1 (17-inch Early 2006) 10.4.4 10.4.4 DVD 10.6.8

6. iMac Pro (2018)

The iMac Pro was introduced at WWDC on June 5, 2017.

Model Identifier Machine Model T2 Ship OS Oldest OS Latest OS
iMacPro1,1 (5k, 27-inch Late 2017) T2 10.13.2 10.13.6 10.15 >

7. Mac Mini – (2006 -2018)

On January 10, 2005, the Mac mini was announced at the Macworld Conference & Expo by Steve Jobs. He said at the time the Mac Mini was “the cheapest, most affordable Mac ever”. The Intel Version was announced on February 28, 2006.

Model Identifier Machine Model T1 T2 Shipping OS Oldest OS Latest OS
Macmini8,1 (Late 2018) T2 10.14 10.14.6 10.15 >
Macmini7,1 (Late 2014) NA 10.10 10.10.5 10.15 >
Macmini6,2 (Late 2012 Server) NA 10.8.2 10.8.5 10.15 >
Macmini6,2 (Late 2012) NA 10.8.1 10.8.5 10.15 >
Macmini6,1 (Late 2012) NA 10.8.1 10.8.5 10.15 >
Macmini5,3 (Mid 2011 Server) NA 10.7 10.7.5 10.13.6
Macmini5,2 (Mid 2011) NA 10.7 10.7.5 10.13.6
Macmini5,1 (Mid 2011) NA 10.7 10.7.5 10.13.6
Macmini4,1 (Mid 2010 Server) NA 10.6.4 10.6.4 DVD 10.13.6
Macmini4,1 (Mid 2010) NA 10.6.4 10.6.4 DVD 10.13.6
Macmini3,1 (Late 2009 Server) NA 10.6.1 10.6.1 DVD 10.11.6
Macmini3,1 (Late 2009) NA 10.6.1 10.6.1 DVD 10.11.6
Macmini3,1 (Early 2009) NA 10.5.6 10.5.6 DVD 10.11.6
Macmini2,1 (Mid 2007) NA 10.4.10 10.4.10 DVD 10.7.5
Macmini1,1 (Late 2006) NA 10.4.7 10.4.7 DVD 10.6.8
Macmini1,1 (Early 2006) NA 10.4.5 10.4.5 DVD 10.6.8

8. Xserve – (2006-2009)

I almost forgot about Xserve. How could I forget about one of my favorite most reliable Macs ever created? The Xserve was introduced on May 14, 2002. The First Generation was based on a G4 Processor. The 2nd Generation was based on the G5 and the 3rd and final Generation was based on Intel’s Xeon Processor.

Model Identifier Machine Model Shipping OS Oldest OS Latest OS
Xserve3,1 (Quad Core Early 2009) 10.5.6 Server 10.5.6 Server DVD 10.11.6
Xserve2,1 (Eight Core Early 2008) 10.5 Server 10.5.0 Server DVD 10.7.5
Xserve1,1 (Quad Core Late 2006) 10.4.8 Server 10.4.8 Server DVD 10.7.5

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