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.
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
17. 10.15.6 = (19G73) July 15th, 2020 – Current Release
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.
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 ..
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.
macOS Big Sur Beta Download, Install and Availability issues.
Are you Having Trouble Downloading or Getting a Big Sur Beta Update to show up in Software Update?
UPDATED: 9/18/20
Big Sur Beta #2 was just released today and some users are having problems getting the new beta update to show up in System Preferences > Software Update. The same thing goes for the Command Line Interface or CLI using softwareupdate -l. Other users are saying that they are getting strange errors or download issues. Let’s dive in and see what’s going on here. If you missed it, my Beta 2 patch notes article is here > mrmacintosh.com/whats-new-in-macos-big-sur-11-beta-2-20a4300b/
Table of Contents
1. Download Problems/Errors
2. Big Sur Beta is not Showing up in Software Update – GUI
3. Big Sur Beta is not showing up when using softwareupdate -l
4. Other Problems, Snapshot Errors + Troubleshooting
5. DTK Mac Mini ?
6. 2020 27-inch iMac = Update not Found – The requested version of macOS is not available (FIXED!)
7. Beta 7 download/install stalling out at 1% in the software update pane.
1. Download Problems & Errors
If you are having download problems/errors the solution is usually pretty simple, try again! Most download complaints come on the very first day the update is available. One thing that you will notice is, the download speeds can be slower. Usually that means that hundreds if not thousands of other users are trying to get the same update. Normally after a few hours everything clears up and you can download the update without any errors. I have included a screenshot of the error message that you might get below.
macOS Big Sur Beta Download failed error.
Download failed An error occurred while downloading the selected updates. Please check your internet connection and try again.
2. Big Sur Beta is not Showing up in Software Update – GUI
For most users, when a new Big Sur Beta is released it will show up in system preferences > software update. Your software update pane should look like the screenshot below.
This is what the Software Update Pane should look like when a new beta is available.
Notice that on the left hand side it says that Updates for this Mac are managed externally. This means that you are enrolled in the Beta Program.
Software Update might look like the screenshot below.
macOS Big Sur Beta 2 Not showing up – Updates for this mac are managed by swscan.apple.com
Software Update might unexpectedly indicate updates for your Mac are being managed by swscan.apple.com, instead of indicating your Mac is enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program. This doesn’t impact your ability to update macOS Big Sur 11 beta.
Beta 1 & 2 patch notes.
As the note says, you should be fine but in this case the new beta update is NOT showing up in software update!
What if you are not enrolled in beta or something happened to your enrollment? Software Update might look like the screenshot below.
This is what Software Update looks like when you are NOT enrolled in any beta program.
Workarounds
The first thing you will want to do is to reinstall the Beta Profile.
This usually gets you up and going again. You might need to close and reopen System Preferences > Software Update. Once your Mac is enrolled in the Developer Beta Seed, you should see Beta 2 show up in Software Update or in terminal via softwareupdate -l
If software update still says No new software available. You might need to check a few things.
Unenroll & Re-enroll in Developer Seed
Look at SeedUtil’s Options –sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Seeding.framework/Versions/A/Resources/seedutil
Unenroll from the Beta Program sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Seeding.framework/Versions/A/Resources/seedutil unenroll
Enroll in the DeveloperSeed Beta sudo /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Seeding.framework/Versions/A/Resources/seedutil enroll DeveloperSeed
Close and re-open System Preferences > Software Update
The new Beta should now show up.
3. Big Sur Beta is not showing up when using softwareupdate -l
This is pretty cut and dry, as the GUI is just running softwareupdate -l in the background. If the new beta does not show up with the softwareupdate CLI check, follow the GUI instructions above.
4. Other Problems, Snapshot Errors + Troubleshooting
A few other things might go wrong when trying to check for updates.
1. If you updated to macOS Big Sur 11 beta from a previous version of macOS, Software Update might show “Unable to check for updates – Failed to download the documentation for the minor update. Please try again later”
If you upgraded from 10.13-10.15 for example you might get this message. Follow the instructions below.
Start up from macOS Recovery.
If your data volume is encrypted, use Disk Utility to mount it.
In Terminal type rm -rf "/Volumes/Macintosh HD - Data/private/var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000y800007k"
Restart your Mac.
2. Softwareupdate Error on a T2 Mac
The volume can not be used because it is not snapshot booted.
-> Current device configuration requires an alternate installer to perform the update.
NSLocalizedDescription=Current device configuration and target is invalid for install in the current state. Please try again., NSDebugDescription=[SUMacControllerErrorPreflightPrerequisiteCheckFailed=7722] Failed to perform PreflightPrerequisite operation: com.apple.MobileSoftwareUpdate.preflight.error(Preflight):MSUPreflightErrorTargetIsNotSnapshotBooted(6) | The volume can not be used because it is not snapshot booted.
A macOS Big Sur is not Intel/Apple Silicon unified yet. A DTK version of Big Sur has not been released yet. I will update when it becomes available.
UPDATE! – As of Beta 3+, Big Sur is unified! The installer will work on both Intel Macs and the Apple Silicon DTK Mac Mini.
6. 2020 iMac = Update not Found – The requested version of macOS is not available.
UPDATE 09/16/20 – Big Sur Beta 6 now supports the 2020 iMac!
Did you buy a brand new 2020 Retina 5k 27-inch iMac and were excited to try the new Big Sur Public Beta? If you tried to download you would get this error. HT Reddit user givemesuck for the screenshot.
Update not Found – The requested version of macOS is not available. – 2020 27″ iMac
The reason for this error is that Apple did not include driver support for the new 2020 iMac in Beta 4 or the Public Beta yet. The installer does not include the 2 new iMac BoardIDs in the compatibility list. You can take a look at my BoardID index here.
You will need to wait for Big Sur Public Beta 2 or Developer Beta 5.
7. Beta 7 download/install stalling out at 1% in the software update pane
Beta 7 is having some problems downloading and installing. You might see the process get stuck like the screenshot below.
Beta 7 install problems
If this happens and has stalled out for over an hour, all you need to do is quit system preferences and re open software update. You should see an “Update Now” Button. You might need to click “More Info” then “Install Now”. HT to @arekdreyer for the screenshot and info.
macOS Big Sur 11 – 10.16 Beta 2 (20A4300b) is now available.
Today Apple released macOS Big Sur 11 – 10.16 Beta 2 (20A4300b) to Developers
MacOS Big Sur 11 Beta 2 (20A4300b) was released today, two weeks after the WWDC20 Keynote introduction. During the Big Sur beta release cycle, only the current beta patch notes are available. When a new beta is released the previous patch notes are overwritten. I compare both sets of release notes so I find the changes.
UPDATE 7/08/20 – Apple has not yet released a Beta 2 version for the DTK Apple Silicon Mac Mini yet.
Just like last year, the 11.0 beta 1 patch notes list is huge! The amount of detail is just what MacAdmins are looking for! Let me give you some stats from the 11.0 Beta 1 Patch notes document.
1. The system ProductVersion is reported as 11.0 only on the Developer Transition Kit at this time. Existing Mac systems will temporarily report the value as 10.16.
Moving a kernel extension bundle out of /Library/Extensions might not completely uninstall it. (64331929) Workaround: = Change removes step 6 & 7 from the Beta 1 instructions.
macOS Big Sur Beta 2 not showing up in software update or CLI via softwareupdate -l – See my article on this here.
Previous 10.15 Beta Releases
2nd Big Sur 11 Beta 2 (20A4300b) – 07/07/20 – Current Release
1st Big Sur 11 Beta 1 (20A4299v) – 06/22/20 – Release Notes
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 Beta 2 (20A4300b) Release Notes
I always post the full patch notes to this page to document them for you. The reason behind that is that Apple will usually just replace over the old patch notes so you are then unable to see what was fixed in the previous release.
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)
The system ProductVersion is reported as 11.0 only on the Developer Transition Kit at this time. Existing Mac systems will temporarily report the value as 10.16.
Accessibility
Known Issues
VoiceOver might be unavailable at certain times while installing macOS Big Sur 11 beta. (63025357)
You might be unable to set up Auto Unlock. (64120075)
Calendar
Known Issues
If you click the Directions button on a calendar notification, Maps might not launch as expected. (63697152)
It isn’t possible to edit Calendar widgets. (63984003)
Accounts might not be visible in Preferences. (64117985)
Continuity
Known Issues
Continuity Handoff isn’t currently available in macOS Big Sur 11 beta. (64140413)
Core ML
Known Issues
When setting isSynchronizationEnabled to true on a MLModelCollection, the initial download may take longer than expected to complete. The collection then becomes available. (64131243)
Deprecations
The default initializer on the auto-generated model interface has been deprecated in favor of init(configuration:). Please use init(configuration:) or the newly introduced .load() method and handle model load errors as appropriate. (64432588)
Desktop Picture
Known Issues
If the desktop picture was never changed from the default macOS Catalina 10.15 image, it will persist after updating to macOS Big Sur 11 beta, even though the new default desktop picture is displayed in Desktop and Screen Saver preferences. (64390185)
Installer and Software Update
Known Issues
If you updated to macOS Big Sur 11 beta from a previous version of macOS, Software Update might show “Unable to check for updates – Failed to download the documentation for the minor update. Please try again later”. (63158434)Workaround:
Start up from macOS Recovery.
If your data volume is encrypted, use Disk Utility to mount it.
In Terminal type rm -rf "/Volumes/Macintosh HD - Data/private/var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000y800007k"
Restart your Mac.
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)
APFS containers with non-default allocation block sizes aren’t currently supported for installation. (64312561)
Update iMac Pro to macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 or later before installing macOS Big Sur 11 beta. (64314272)
Installation might pause on Macs that don’t have input devices connected. (64348347)Workaround: Connect an input device and dismiss the alerts to continue installation.
You might be unable to install macOS Big Sur 11 beta onto additional volumes. (63677460, 64445236)Workaround: Create a bootable installer using the createinstallmedia command.
Software Update might unexpectedly indicate updates for your Mac are being managed by swscan.apple.com, instead of indicating your Mac is enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program. This doesn’t impact your ability to update macOS Big Sur 11 beta. (64407436)
If macOS Big Sur 11 beta is installed into the same APFS container as previous versions of macOS, system software updates can no longer be installed on the previous versions of macOS. (64411484)
Installation on Core Storage Fusion volumes with FileVault encryption enabled isn’t currently supported. (64472080)
Kernel
New Features
The kern.argmax limit has been increased, allowing programs to receive longer argument lists. (48661669)
Darwin kevent now allows non-parent processes to register for NOTE_EXITSTATUS, which delivers the same values as the wait() family of functions in the event data. Refer to the wait4() man page for more information. This event is subject to the following security checks:
The requesting process is allowed to send signals by sandbox restrictions.
The requesting process and the target process are running as the same user or the requesting process has root privileges. (58134463)
Known Issues
Installing a new kernel extension requires signing in as an Admin user. During kernel extension development, every time a kernel extension is changed, it must be signed and notarized. In both cases, your Mac must be restarted to load the extension. (55068348)
Remote panic dumps aren’t currently available. (57915324)
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)
After removing a DriverKit extension, restart your Mac to complete uninstallation. (63995046)
Adhoc signed kernel extensions are displayed with a developer name of unknown in update dialogs and in Security preferences. (64215260)
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)
Moving a kernel extension bundle out of /Library/Extensions might not completely uninstall it. (64331929)Workaround:
Remove the extension from /Library/Extensions.
Boot to macOS Recovery.
Run Terminal.
Enter the command kmutil trigger-panic-medic --volume-root /Volumes/<YourVolumeName>.
Restart your Mac.
An unexpected System Extension Updated alert for third-party kernel extensions which are included in macOS might appear. These include: Accusys, Inc., ATTO Technology, Inc., Areca Technology Corporation, CalDigit, Inc., HighPoint Technologies, Inc., Promise Technology Mobile Apps, and Other World Computing. (64337113)
Deprecations
Kernel extensions using certain deprecated KPIs no longer load. Refer to the support page. While macOS Big Sur remains in development, you can temporarily disable System Integrity Protection to allow these deprecated extensions to load. (55068348)
Localization
Known Issues
Certain languages might exhibit clipped or misaligned layout. (63105445)
Certain languages might display unlocalized text. (63105674, 64040564, 64045718)
Some keyboard shortcuts might not work when running macOS Big Sur 11 beta in a language other than English. (63834383)
Location
Known Issues
Widgets have access to location information even if the NSWidgetWantsLocation key isn’t in their Info.plist. (61953645)
New APIs are available for using os_log from Swift as part of the os framework:
A new type Logger can be instantiated using a subsystem and category and provides methods for logging at different levels (debug(_:), error(_:), fault(_:)).
The Logger APIs support specifying most formatting and privacy options supported by legacy os_log APIs.
The new APIs provide significant performance improvements over the legacy APIs.
You can now pass Swift string interpolation to the os_log function.
Note: The new APIs can’t be back deployed; however, the existing os_log API remains available for back deployment. (22539144)
Mac Catalyst
Known Issues
Content Extensions require a temporary workaround. (57442394)Workaround: Add the following key/value pair to the NSExtension dictionary in the Info.plist: "NSExtensionContainingViewControllerClass" = "_UNNotificationContentExtensionViewController".
If Messages is launched immediately after logging into iCloud, a login window might be displayed unexpectedly. (56309057)Workaround: Relaunch Messages after a few minutes or try restarting your Mac.
You might be unable to type in the photo picker search field when attaching a photo. (60011306)Workaround: Click the search field, press the tab key, then click the search field again.
You might receive an alert that indicates the maximum number of pinned conversations has been reached. (62919406)Workaround: Pin the conversation using drag and drop instead of using a swipe action or quick action with Haptic Touch.
Keyboard navigation to move focus between controls isn’t currently available. (63987810)
Messages Preferences are inaccessible until at least one message has been sent or received. (64122975)
Autocomplete fields and conversation titles aren’t visible while Messages is in full-screen mode. (64134303)
Message outlines might be missing when printing or exporting a conversation as a PDF. (64181169)
The first and last name fields in Messages Preferences might be misaligned. (64346872)Workaround: Set up your name in Messages Preferences by following the placeholder text then close and reopen Messages Preferences.
Metal
Known Issues
The logs property isn’t currently available from Swift while using Shader Validation. (64055248)
Migration Assistant
Known Issues
You might need to reset the password for a Standard account after migration, if the previous password doesn’t work. (63878129)Workaround: Log into an Admin account and change the Standard account’s password in the Users & Groups system preference.
Motion
Known Issues
Many elements of the user interface are currently missing when running Motion on macOS Big Sur 11 beta. (62531765)
Music
Known Issues
Music might quit unexpectedly while using the search field. (64183834)
Networking
New Features
Experimental HTTP/3 support can be enabled in Safari via Experimental Features in the Developer menu, and enabled system-wide using the Terminal command defaults write -g CFNetworkHTTP3Override -int 3. (62969220)
Known Issues
HTTP/3 Draft 29 isn’t yet supported. (63524866)
Phone and FaceTime
Known Issues
Regular and emergency Wi-Fi calling using iPadOS 14 beta, macOS Big Sur 11 beta, and watchOS 7 beta isn’t currently available for T-Mobile USA customers. (63078572)
Quartz
Known Issues
Importing Quartz or PDFKit frameworks in the macOS SDK might result in an errors such as “Umbrella for module ‘Quartz.PDFKit’ already covers this directory”. (63886438)
Safari and Webkit
New Features
Support for Web Extensions is now available. Existing Chrome and Firefox extensions can be converted for Safari using xcrun safari-web-extension-converter and distributed through the App Store for use in Safari 14. (55707949)
Webpage Translation is now available in the U.S. and Canada. Supported languages include English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Russian, and Brazilian Portuguese. Safari will automatically detect if translation is available based on your Preferred Languages list. (64437861)
Known Issues
Safari might quit unexpectedly when opening the Start Page if Frequently Visited Sites are visible as thumbnails. (63945984)Workaround: Make the window wider, hide the sidebar, or Control-click on Frequently Visited Sites and choose View as Icons.
Security
New Features
macOS Big Sur 11 beta improves system security by requiring an administrator password when a certificate trust settings change is made in the admin trust domain. Running as the root user alone is no longer sufficient to modify certificate trust. User trust domain settings continue to require confirmation by entering the password for the user’s account. This change may affect you if one of the following is true:
You have written scripts which call /usr/bin/security add-trusted-cert -d ... as root.
Your process runs as root and calls the SecTrustSettingsSetTrustSettings function to trust a certificate.
Workflows that add trust settings in the admin trust domain, such as for an enterprise root certificate, may require modification if the user can’t authenticate as an administrator at the time settings are changed. (21855995)Workaround: Use Apple Configurator 2 to create and install a configuration profile containing your root certificate.
Spotlight
Known Issues
When quickly typing a search query in Spotlight, the result from a previous search might appear, then pressing return may create a wrong launch shortcut for subsequent queries. (64428836)Workaround: Type your query and click the desired result from the list that appears.
If you can’t find an application using Spotlight, launch the application at least once using Finder. (64463806)
SwiftUI
Known Issues
Disclosure groups in Forms might produce unexpected results. (64079102)
Nested disclosure groups generated by OutlineGroup might produce unexpected results. (64097731)
The SceneStorage property wrapper isn’t yet supported. (64414712)
A label used with a symbol image might appear misaligned. (60193698)
SystemExtensions
Known Issues
Driver extensions might not launch on-demand after installation. (51229724)Workaround: Disable System Integrity Protection, then launch Terminal and execute the following command before approving the newly installed driver: sudo touch /Library/DriverExtensions.
Touch ID
Known Issues
Touch ID might become unexpectedly disabled on Macs with a T2 Security Chip after installing multiple operating systems. (62608379)Workaround: Reset the SMC of your Mac.
Third-Party Apps
Known Issues
CMake might not run, install, or might generate invalid outputs. (62905973)Workaround: Update to CMake 3.18rc1.
Unsigned apps and app extensions might unexpectedly receive nil from calls to containerURLForSecurityApplicationGroupIdentifier: when a URL was received with earlier versions of macOS. (64290206)Workaround: Check for nil returns from this API call.
The Weather widget may unexpectedly display weather for Cupertino instead of your current location. (64118168)
Xcode Previews
Resolved Issues
Rebuilding against the iOS 14, macOS 11, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14 SDKs changes uses of GeometryReader to reliably top-leading align the views inside the GeometryReader. This was the previous behavior, except when it wasn’t possible to detect a single static view inside the GeometryReader. (59722992) (FB7597816)
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 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.
The Jamf Enrollment process is having issues on macOS Big Sur Beta 1
Time to Start Testing Big Sur Beta Against Your MDM Workflows!
By now, you have already heard the news, the annual macOS release is here! The new OS is called Big Sur and is now macOS 11! That’s neat and all, but it’s time to start testing workflows. Time is of the essence, we only have about 10 or so beta releases before Big Sur is production ready.
Every year I put together a “Need to Know” article on all the latest macOS Beta changes. You can check out the post below, I will keep it updated new information comes out.
Big Sur enrollment using Jamf Pro is currently Broken. If you attempt to take Big Sur Beta 1 through DEP/Automated Enrollment it will fail. Behind the scenes, the jamf binary is not installing properly. A quick workaround is to build out a 10.15.5 Mac, then enroll it in to Jamf Pro. Run the Big Sur Upgrade and your Mac will be fully working with Jamf Pro.
As far as I can tell, the enrollment process is InstallApplication a zero payload pkg which then curls down the jamf binary. The binary is then trying to install the JSS communication certificate via the profiles command and this doesn’t work with Big Sur. The end result is I have a mac with the binary but no way for it to “phone home”.
franton
Fresh Big Sur Install Workaround
You just finished installing Big Sur, and don’t want to waste time erasing the drive + reinstalling the OS two times! There has to be a better way.
The workaround is pretty simple if your Mac serial number is in DEP.
1. Build out fresh Big Sur Beta 1 Mac
2. You are now at the Setup Assistant
2. Do not connect the Mac to WiFi or Ethernet
4. Create Local Account
5. Connect to network
6. Run sudo profiles renew -type enrollment
7. You will see an enrollment notification in the upper right corner.
10. Copy QuickAdd.pkg to Target Mac & Install Or run QuickAdd.pkg from downloads.
That’s it! You are now enrolled into Jamf Pro. Tomorrow I will try with the https://casperserverhere.domain.com:8443/enroll method to see if can figure out . This would be for any mac that is not enrolled into DEP.
Hat Tip goes out to MacAdmin @kennyb for testing this method. I was able to verify the method this afternoon.
Jamf fix Coming in the Next Beta Release
Jamf said just today, that they found the enrollment issue last week and a fix is coming in the next beta release!
Non DEP Mac Enrollment
MacAdmin @aaronpolley put together instructions for enrolling a device that is not in DEP. In his example, he is pulling directly from his Jamf Cloud instance and manually creating a Jamf configuration file.
Aaron’s instructions start below.
If anyone is testing macOS 11 Beta and using Jamf Pro as your MDM, the jamf binary fails to install and complete the enrolment (as some mentioned here already)I am putting together some notes to submit in the correct places….. however for the short term here are the steps to get the Binary installed and complete the enrolment (for either DEP or UIE)
sudo -i
mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/ mkdir -p /usr/local/jamf/bin/ cd /usr/local/jamf/bin/
You will need to trust the CA cert using your admin password via UI password prompt rather than it passing through via CLI when rootas in the pastAlso as shared previously this gives some greate debugging feedback WHILE the initial MDM enrolment is occuring, so best run whilst doing a DEP Nag enrolment (profiles renew -type enrollment) or via UIE:
Install macOS Big Sur 11 on VMware Fusion & Parallels Desktop
How To Install macOS Big Sur on VMware Fusion and Parallels Desktop.
Like clockwork, Apple delivers a new macOS every year. MacAdmins need to start testing the new OS right way. Running the new os in a virtualized environment is the way to go. The only problem is, sometimes the new OS will not install on the current version of VMware Fusion or Parallels Desktop.
Many MacAdmins have already jumped in to find out if macOS Big Sur will install on Fusion or Parallels. The initial report is that a straight install will NOT work. The macOS Big Sur installer presents this error to you.
The operation couldn't be completed. (BIErrorDomain error 3.)
Table of Contents
1. Updates
2. Notes
3. Creating a bootable macOS Big Sur ISO
4. Creating a bootable macOS Big Sur dmg
5. How To Install Big Sur 11 on VMware Fusion
6. How To Install Big Sur 11 on Parallels Desktop
7. How To Install Big Sur 11 on ESXi
Updates – 7/08/20
VMware Fusion Tech Preview 20H2 is now available!!
VM Tools – Even though Big Sur to works on Parallels and Fusion, do not install VM tools yet. Some reports say that after installing VM tools the system boots fine YMMV.
Parallels Tools – VM can get stuck on a black screen after the reboot. Would recommend not installing the tools.
Parallels – VRAM seems suck at 3mb, causing slow response.
Keyboard & Login Issues – Getting reports that VM’s are not accepting certain keys. 1, 2, t and y keys. You need to hold FN key to make them work.
3. Creating a bootable Big Sur ISO
The instructions below will create a bootable Big Sur ISO.
hdiutil create -size 12G -fs hfs+ -volname macOSInstaller -type SPARSEBUNDLE /Users/Shared/macOSInstaller
hdiutil attach /Users/Shared/macOSInstaller.sparsebundle
"[path to]/createinstallmedia" --volume /Volumes/macOSInstaller --nointeraction
hdiutil detach /Volumes/Install\ macOS\ Beta
hdiutil makehybrid -o /Users/Shared/macOSInstaller /Users/Shared/macOSInstaller.sparsebundle
# Now create a macOS 10.15 VM with a 50 GB disk i Fusion
# Connect the virtual optical drive to /Users/Shared/macOSInstaller.iso
# Boot and install (you may need to "adjust" the disk Disk Utility to recognize the full capacity)
4. Creating a bootable Big Sur .dmg
Below is a script that Nathan Worster wrote to create a bootable macOS Big Sur Beta dmg.
#!/bin/bash
####################
# Notes #
####################
#
# Created 20200625 by Nathan Worster
#
# This script assumes that the macOS Beta installer is already staged in the Applications folder, and will convert that .app installer into a bootable .dmg.
# To download the latest macOS beta, go to https://developer.apple.com/download/ or, if applicable, https://appleseed.apple.com/.
# The .dmg file will be placed in ~/Downloads.
# This script must be run with sudo using "sudo bash <filename>" if run outside of an MDM.
#
####################
# Variables #
####################
dmgName=$"macOS11BigSurBeta"
####################
# Script #
####################
cd ~/Downloads
# Create and mount sparse volume:
hdiutil create -o install_container -size 20G -layout SPUD -fs HFS+J -type SPARSE
hdiutil attach install_container.sparseimage -noverify -mountpoint /Volumes/install_build
# Copy contents of installer .app into mounted volume:
/Applications/Install\ macOS\ Beta.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --nointeraction --volume /Volumes/install_build
# Detach the completed image:
hdiutil detach -force /Volumes/Install\ macOS\ Beta
# Convert and rename the image:
hdiutil convert install_container.sparseimage -format UDZO -o $dmgName.dmg
# Cleanup
rm install_container.sparseimage
exit 0
5. How To Install Big Sur 11 on VMware Fusion
Requirements
Disk Size – 50-60GB+ Virtual disk size required (40GB Standard size does not seem to work)
Clean install vs Upgrade – A Big Sur Upgrade from Mojave or Catalina is the easiest path. Usually all the values that I mention below are already set, so you have a clear path.
Mac Compatibility – Note if the hw.model is not supported for Big Sur the install will fail. You can fake it by setting a different hw.model and board-id. Be sure to check the compatibility list here.
Install Instructions
If you would like to use the same values from your Mac you can set this attribute. HT @lamw for the simplification!
smbios.reflectHost = "TRUE"
You can also manually set the the required values. The example below = 16-inch MacBook Pro.
hw.model = "MacBookPro16,1"
board-id = "Mac-E1008331FDC96864"
serialNumber = "serialnumberhere" (For DEP Enrollment testing)
To get the values you can run the following commands
Error message – “Not enough physical memory is available to power on this virtual machine with its configured settings.” – communities.vmware.com/thread/638385
Using Fusion 11.5.5 on Mojave 10.14.6, modifying the vmx file was unnecessary. I did a fresh install of Catalina 10.15.4 in a new VM, copied the macOS Beta installer to the VM, and ran the installer. It installed and booted fine. Note that I did not install the VMware Tools to the VM prior to installing macOS Beta. I had a prior Catalina VM with the Tools installed, and upgrading to the macOS Beta resulted in failures at the login screen after the Beta upgrade. So do the Beta upgrade on a fresh Catalina install and it should work fine (at least from 10.15.4).
Please note, if I added ‘board-id.reflectHost = “TRUE”‘ to the .vmx, the Fusion refused to boot the VM with an error that the vmx file is corrupted.
MrMacintosh Reader Corey
6. How To Install Big Sur 11 on Parallels Desktop
1. Create a new VM by installing a fresh copy of 10.15 Catalina
2. Do not install Parallels Tools
3. The install requires at least 80gb or more
4. Install beta profile
5. Download Beta
6. Set the following values set under Hardware > Boot Order > Advanced Settings > Boot Flags.
7. Create a 2nd admin account. (this can help with login problems after the Big Sur install. Some users are saying that they can’t login with the original account. If that happens, login with the 2nd account.)
devices.mac_hw_model="MacBookPro16,1"
devices.smbios.board_id="Mac-E1008331FDC96864"
Keep in mind, both examples above are from a 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro. You can get the correct hardware values by running the following commands.
sysctl hw.model = Model
ioreg -l | grep board-id = BoardID
Try to install Big Sur. If that doesn’t work, try the instructions below.
MacOS Big Sur 11.0 -10.16 (20A4299v) Beta 1 was released today on June 22nd, 2020 at 2:00 CST right after the keynote.
macOS Big Sur 11.0 Patch Notes
Just like last year, the 11.0 beta 1 patch notes list is huge! The amount of detail is just what MacAdmins are looking for! Let me give you some stats from the 11.0 Beta 1 Patch notes document.
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)
If macOS Big Sur 11 beta is installed into the same APFS container as previous versions of macOS, system software updates can no longer be installed on the previous versions of macOS. (64411484)
Installing a new kernel extension requires signing in as an Admin user. During kernel extension development, every time a kernel extension is changed, it must be signed and notarized. In both cases, your Mac must be restarted to load the extension. (55068348)
If you updated to macOS Big Sur 11 beta from a previous version of macOS, Software Update might show “Unable to check for updates – Failed to download the documentation for the minor update. Please try again later”. (63158434)Workaround Below
Kernel extensions using certain deprecated KPIs no longer load. Refer to the support page. While macOS Big Sur remains in development, you can temporarily disable System Integrity Protection to allow these deprecated extensions to load. (55068348)
macOS Big Sur 11 beta improves system security by requiring an administrator password when a certificate trust settings change is made in the admin trust domain. Running as the root user alone is no longer sufficient to modify certificate trust. User trust domain settings continue to require confirmation by entering the password for the user’s account.
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 (20A4299v) Beta 1 Release Notes
I always post the full patch notes to this page to document them for you. The reason behind that is that Apple will usually just replace over the old patch notes so you are then unable to see what was fixed in the previous release.
Overview
The macOS 11 SDK provides support to develop apps for Macs running macOS Big Sur 11. The SDK comes bundled with Xcode 12 beta. For information on the compatibility requirements for Xcode 12 beta, see Xcode 12 Beta 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)
Third-Party Apps
Known Issues
CMake might not run, install, or might generate invalid outputs. (62905973)Workaround: Update to CMake 3.18rc1.
Accessibility
Known Issues
VoiceOver might be unavailable at certain times while installing macOS Big Sur 11 beta. (63025357)
You might be unable to set up Auto Unlock. (64120075)
Calendar
Known Issues
If you click the Directions button on a calendar notification, Maps might not launch as expected. (63697152)
It isn’t possible to edit Calendar widgets. (63984003)
Accounts might not be visible in Preferences. (64117985)
Continuity
Known Issues
Continuity Handoff isn’t currently available in macOS Big Sur 11 beta. (64140413)
Core ML
Known Issues
When setting isSynchronizationEnabled to true on a MLModelCollection, the initial download may take longer than expected to complete. The collection then becomes available. (64131243)
Deprecations
The default initializer on the auto-generated model interface has been deprecated in favor of init(configuration:). Please use init(configuration:) or the newly introduced .load() method and handle model load errors as appropriate. (64432588)
Desktop Picture
Known Issues
If the desktop picture was never changed from the default macOS Catalina 10.15 image, it will persist after updating to macOS Big Sur 11 beta, even though the new default desktop picture is displayed in Desktop and Screen Saver preferences. (64390185)
Installer and Software Update
Known Issues
If you updated to macOS Big Sur 11 beta from a previous version of macOS, Software Update might show “Unable to check for updates – Failed to download the documentation for the minor update. Please try again later”. (63158434)Workaround:
Start up from macOS Recovery.
If your data volume is encrypted, use Disk Utility to mount it.
In Terminal type rm -rf "/Volumes/Macintosh HD - Data/private/var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000y800007k".
Restart your Mac.
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)
APFS containers with non-default allocation block sizes aren’t currently supported for installation. (64312561)
Update iMac Pro to macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 or later before installing macOS Big Sur 11 beta. (64314272)
Installation might pause on Macs that don’t have input devices connected. (64348347)Workaround: Connect an input device and dismiss the alerts to continue installation.
You might be unable to install macOS Big Sur 11 beta onto additional volumes. (63677460, 64445236)Workaround: Create a bootable installer using the createinstallmedia command.
Software Update might unexpectedly indicate updates for your Mac are being managed by swscan.apple.com, instead of indicating your Mac is enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program. This doesn’t impact your ability to update macOS Big Sur 11 beta. (64407436)
If macOS Big Sur 11 beta is installed into the same APFS container as previous versions of macOS, system software updates can no longer be installed on the previous versions of macOS. (64411484)
Installation on Core Storage Fusion volumes with FileVault encryption enabled isn’t currently supported. (64472080)
Kernel
New Features
The kern.argmax limit has been increased, allowing programs to receive longer argument lists. (48661669)
Darwin kevent now allows non-parent processes to register for NOTE_EXITSTATUS, which delivers the same values as the wait() family of functions in the event data. Refer to the wait4() man page for more information. This event is subject to the following security checks:
The requesting process is allowed to send signals by sandbox restrictions.
The requesting process and the target process are running as the same user or the requesting process has root privileges. (58134463)
Known Issues
Installing a new kernel extension requires signing in as an Admin user. During kernel extension development, every time a kernel extension is changed, it must be signed and notarized. In both cases, your Mac must be restarted to load the extension. (55068348)
Remote panic dumps aren’t currently available. (57915324)
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)
After removing a DriverKit extension, restart your Mac to complete uninstallation. (63995046)
Adhoc signed kernel extensions are displayed with a developer name of unknown in update dialogs and in Security preferences. (64215260)
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)
Moving a kernel extension bundle out of /Library/Extensions might not completely uninstall it. (64331929)Workaround:
Remove the extension from /Library/Extensions.
Boot to macOS Recovery.
Run Terminal.
Enter the command kmutil invoke-panic-medic.
Restart your Mac.
Follow the prompt to open System Preferences and navigate to Security & Privacy.
Follow the prompt to restart.
An unexpected System Extension Updated alert for third-party kernel extensions which are included in macOS might appear. These include: Accusys, Inc., ATTO Technology, Inc., Areca Technology Corporation, CalDigit, Inc., HighPoint Technologies, Inc., Promise Technology Mobile Apps, and Other World Computing. (64337113)
Deprecations
Kernel extensions using certain deprecated KPIs no longer load. Refer to the support page. While macOS Big Sur remains in development, you can temporarily disable System Integrity Protection to allow these deprecated extensions to load. (55068348)
Localization
Known Issues
Certain languages might exhibit clipped or misaligned layout. (63105445)
Certain languages might display unlocalized text. (63105674, 64040564, 64045718)
Some keyboard shortcuts might not work when running macOS Big Sur 11 beta in a language other than English. (63834383)
Location
Known Issues
Widgets have access to location information even if the NSWidgetWantsLocation key isn’t in their Info.plist. (61953645)
New APIs are available for using os_log from Swift as part of the os framework:
A new type Logger can be instantiated using a subsystem and category and provides methods for logging at different levels (debug(_:), error(_:), fault(_:)).
The Logger APIs support specifying most formatting and privacy options supported by legacy os_log APIs.
The new APIs provide significant performance improvements over the legacy APIs.
You can now pass Swift string interpolation to the os_log function.
Note: The new APIs can’t be back deployed; however, the existing os_log API remains available for back deployment. (22539144)
Mac Catalyst
Known Issues
Content Extensions require a temporary workaround. (57442394)Workaround: Add the following key/value pair to the NSExtension dictionary in the Info.plist: "NSExtensionContainingViewControllerClass" = "_UNNotificationContentExtensionViewController".
If Messages is launched immediately after logging into iCloud, a login window might be displayed unexpectedly. (56309057)Workaround: Relaunch Messages after a few minutes or try restarting your Mac.
You might be unable to type in the photo picker search field when attaching a photo. (60011306)Workaround: Click the search field, press the tab key, then click the search field again.
You might receive an alert that indicates the maximum number of pinned conversations has been reached. (62919406)Workaround: Pin the conversation using drag and drop instead of using a swipe action or quick action with Haptic Touch.
Keyboard navigation to move focus between controls isn’t currently available. (63987810)
Messages Preferences are inaccessible until at least one message has been sent or received. (64122975)
Autocomplete fields and conversation titles aren’t visible while Messages is in full-screen mode. (64134303)
Message outlines might be missing when printing or exporting a conversation as a PDF. (64181169)
The first and last name fields in Messages Preferences might be misaligned. (64346872)Workaround: Set up your name in Messages Preferences by following the placeholder text then close and reopen Messages Preferences.
Metal
Known Issues
The logs property isn’t currently available from Swift while using Shader Validation. (64055248)
Migration Assistant
Known Issues
You might need to reset the password for a Standard account after migration, if the previous password doesn’t work. (63878129)Workaround: Log into an Admin account and change the Standard account’s password in the Users & Groups system preference.
Motion
Known Issues
Many elements of the user interface are currently missing when running Motion on macOS Big Sur 11 beta. (62531765)
Music
Known Issues
Music might quit unexpectedly while using the search field. (64183834)
Networking
New Features
Experimental HTTP/3 support can be enabled in Safari via Experimental Features in the Developer menu, and enabled system-wide using the Terminal command defaults write -g CFNetworkHTTP3Override -int 3. (62969220)
Known Issues
HTTP/3 Draft 29 isn’t yet supported. (63524866)
Phone and FaceTime
Known Issues
Regular and emergency Wi-Fi calling using iPadOS 14 beta, macOS Big Sur 11 beta, and watchOS 7 beta isn’t currently available for T-Mobile USA customers. (63078572)
Quartz
Known Issues
Importing Quartz or PDFKit frameworks in the macOS SDK might result in an errors such as “Umbrella for module ‘Quartz.PDFKit’ already covers this directory”. (63886438)
Safari and Webkit
New Features
Support for Web Extensions is now available. Existing Chrome and Firefox extensions can be converted for Safari using xcrun safari-web-extension-converter and distributed through the App Store for use in Safari 14. (55707949)
Webpage Translation is now available in the U.S. and Canada. Supported languages include English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Russian, and Brazilian Portuguese. Safari will automatically detect if translation is available based on your Preferred Languages list. (64437861)
Known Issues
Safari might quit unexpectedly when opening the Start Page if Frequently Visited Sites are visible as thumbnails. (63945984)Workaround: Make the window wider, hide the sidebar, or Control-click on Frequently Visited Sites and choose View as Icons.
Security
New Features
macOS Big Sur 11 beta improves system security by requiring an administrator password when a certificate trust settings change is made in the admin trust domain. Running as the root user alone is no longer sufficient to modify certificate trust. User trust domain settings continue to require confirmation by entering the password for the user’s account. This change may affect you if one of the following is true:
You have written scripts which call /usr/bin/security add-trusted-cert -d ... as root.
Your process runs as root and calls the SecTrustSettingsSetTrustSettings function to trust a certificate.
Workflows that add trust settings in the admin trust domain, such as for an enterprise root certificate, may require modification if the user can’t authenticate as an administrator at the time settings are changed. (21855995)Workaround: Use Apple Configurator 2 to create and install a configuration profile containing your root certificate.
Spotlight
Known Issues
When quickly typing a search query in Spotlight, the result from a previous search might appear, then pressing return may create a wrong launch shortcut for subsequent queries. (64428836)Workaround: Type your query and click the desired result from the list that appears.
If you can’t find an application using Spotlight, launch the application at least once using Finder. (64463806)
SwiftUI
Known Issues
Disclosure groups in Forms might produce unexpected results. (64079102)
Nested disclosure groups generated by OutlineGroup might produce unexpected results. (64097731)
The SceneStorage property wrapper isn’t yet supported. (64414712)
A label used with a symbol image might appear misaligned. (60193698)
SystemExtensions
Known Issues
Driver extensions might not launch on-demand after installation. (51229724)Workaround: Disable System Integrity Protection, then launch Terminal and execute the following command before approving the newly installed driver: sudo touch /Library/DriverExtensions.
Touch ID
Known Issues
Touch ID might become unexpectedly disabled on Macs with a T2 Security Chip after installing multiple operating systems. (62608379)Workaround: Reset the SMC of your Mac.
Rebuilding against the iOS 14, macOS 11, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14 SDKs changes uses of GeometryReader to reliably top-leading align the views inside the GeometryReader. This was the previous behavior, except when it wasn’t possible to detect a single static view inside the GeometryReader. (59722992) (FB7597816)
MacOS Big Sur 11.0 – Updated Index of Need to Know Changes & Links
WWDC 2020 – macOS Big Sur 11.0
WWDC is here again! For the first time ever, Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference will be 100% Virtual. MacAdmins everywhere are wondering what changes macOS Big Sur will bring and how deployment workflows will be affected. I hope to help you answer multiple question with this article. This year I will follow the same format as my previous MacOS 10.15 Catalina – Updated Index of Need to Know Changes & Links post. Be sure to check back frequently, I will keep you up to date with the latest macOS Big Sur 11.0 changes!
macOS Big Sur brings a refined new design, powerful controls, and intuitive customization options to the most advanced desktop operating system in the world.
Faster updates – Once macOS Big Sur is installed, software updates begin in the background and complete faster than before — so it’s easier than ever to keep your Mac up to date and secure.
Updated menu bar – The menu bar is now taller and more translucent, allowing your desktop picture to extend from edge to edge. Words lighten or darken based on the color of your desktop picture. And pull-down menus are larger, with more space between the lines to make everything easier to read.
Floating Dock – The redesigned Dock is lifted from the bottom of your display and is more translucent, allowing your desktop wallpaper to shine through. And app icons are all-new and even easier to recognize.
Updated Notification Center – A redesigned Notification Center puts all your notifications and widgets into a single, dedicated column. Notifications are automatically sorted by most recent, and redesigned Today widgets deliver information at a glance.
New icons for apps – App icons have been redesigned to feel both familiar and fresh. Icons have a uniform shape but retain the stylistic touches and details that give Mac its character.
New and updated sounds – System sounds are all-new and even more pleasing to the ear. The new system alerts were created using snippets of the originals, so they sound familiar.
New Control Center – Designed just for Mac, the new Control Center consolidates your favorite menu bar items into a single place to give you instant access to the controls you use most. Just click the Control Center icon in the menu bar and adjust Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirDrop, and other settings — without opening System Preferences.
Signed system volume – macOS Big Sur introduces a cryptographically signed system volume that protects against malicious tampering. It also means that your Mac knows the exact layout of your system volume, allowing it to begin software updates in the background while you work.
Safari extensions on the App Store – An all-new extensions category on the App Store showcases Safari extensions with editorial spotlights and top charts, making it easier to discover great extensions from developers. All extensions are reviewed, signed, and hosted by Apple for your security.
Privacy information on the App Store – A new section on each app’s page on the App Store will help you understand the privacy practices of the app before you download it.9 It’s similar to the way nutrition labels help you understand what’s in food before you buy it.
Self-reported privacy practices – Developers self-report their app privacy practices on the App Store.9 See the types of data their app might collect — like usage data, contact information, or location — and whether that data is shared with third parties.
App Privacy is Displayed in a simple format – Just as nutrition labels are convenient and easy to read, an app’s privacy information on the App Store is displayed in a consistent, simple format.9 This lets you quickly and easily understand the app’s privacy practices.
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/
10. What’s New for Enterprise and Education WWDC 2020 June 2020 (v1.0) (AppleSeed Account Required)– appleseed.apple.com
11. AppleSeed – macOS 11.0 Big Sur Beta 1 (20A4299v) Release Notes(AppleSeed Account Required) – appleseed.apple.com
16. WWDC20 Video Links
Platforms State of the Union – iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS Join the worldwide developer community for an in-depth look at the future of Apple platforms, directly from Apple Park. – developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/102/
Adopt the new look of macOS – Make over your Mac apps: Discover how you can embrace the new design of macOS Big Sur and adopt its visual hierarchy, design patterns, and behaviors. We’ll explore the latest updates to AppKit around structural items and common controls, and show you how you can adapt more customized interfaces. – /developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10104/
Create great enterprise apps.A chat with Box’s Aaron Levie iOS, macOS Discover how organizations like Box are adapting to changing conditions in the business world and remote work. Listen to Apple’s Vice President of Cloud Services Mike Abbott and Box CEO and co-founder Aaron Levie chat about the modern working environment, how cloud-based apps are helping people. developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10204/
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/
Part 2
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/
Build an Endpoint Security app – System Extensions improve the reliability and security of macOS. Learn about the modern replacement for Kernel Authorization KPIs and discover tips for making a great security product with the Endpoint Security framework. – developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10159/
Custom app distribution with Apple Business Manager – Apple Business Manager is the best way to manage and deploy business apps to your employees and customers. Whether you’re a developer, business owner, or IT administrator, we’ll showcase the benefits of Custom apps for each role and provide guidance on each step in the process. – developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10667/
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/
Leverage enterprise identity and authentication – Empower your organization with the right tools while protecting privacy and security. Discover Apple’s identity management tools for enterprise, and how they can help you create a smoother experience for users when signing in to devices, apps and websites. – developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10139/
Introducing StoreKit Testing in Xcode – Discover StoreKit Testing in Xcode — a local environment for testing your in-app purchases without needing to connect to App Store servers. We’ll show you how to set up a test environment, create a StoreKit configuration file, and prepare to validate receipts locally. – developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10659/
Part 3
Discover AppleSeed for IT and Managed Software Updates – With AppleSeed for IT, you can help your school or business test pre-release versions of Apple software and provide valuable feedback directly to Apple. We’ll guide you through getting started in AppleSeed for IT and provide insight on how to file great feedback collaboratively. developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10138/
Boost performance and security with modern networking – Speed up your app and make it more nimble, private and secure with modern networking APIs. Learn about networking protocols like IPv6, HTTP/2, TLS 1.3 and Encrypted DNS, and how incorporating these within your app and server can provide faster performance and reduce both your power consumption – developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10111/
What’s new in Education. – For over 40 years, Apple has been working with educators to create technologies for students, teachers, and school administrators and help them share in a rich and meaningful learning experience. Explore the breadth of Apple’s education technologies, including classroom management apps and tools. – developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10658/
What’s new in Mac Catalyst – Discover the latest updates to Mac Catalyst and find out how you can bring your iPadOS app to the Mac. Explore enhancements to the application lifecycle, integrate new extensions into your apps, and learn how the new look and feel of macOS impacts Mac Catalyst apps. –developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10143/
Build trust through better privacy – Privacy is a more important issue than ever. Learn about Apple’s privacy pillars, our approach to privacy, and how to adopt the latest features on our platforms that can help you earn customer trust, create more personal experiences, and improve engagement. –developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10676/
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.
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.
