Os Catalina Should I Upgrade

MacOS 11 Big Sur is finally here, and it comes with better optimization, lots of extra features, and a big visual redesign. Here's how to download it right now. It succeeded Mac OS High Sierra 10.13 which was released on the 25th of September in 2017 and was preceded by the macOS Catalina 10.15 which was released on the 7th of October in 2019. This macOS is known to be the last one developed by Apple to support 32-bit applications as macOS Catalina only supports 64-bit applications. Primarily what macOS 11 Big Sur will bring to you if you upgrade from Catalina is a design refresh, Control Centre, a revamped Notification Centre, and a new version of Messages.

on VMware ESXi 6.7 U3 P02

** UPDATE 12/03/2020**

This now installs natively on ESXi 6.7 Update 3 Patch 02 - 202004002

I followed my same procedure below after downloading Catalina and Big Sur.

** I increased the image sise to 13GB as Some Catalina versions were greater than 8GB and Big Sur is 12.9GB

hdiutil create -o /tmp/catalina -size 13000m -layout SPUD -fs HFS+J

hdiutil attach /tmp/catalina.dmg -noverify -mountpoint /Volumes/install_build

/Applications/Install macOS Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/install_build

hdiutil convert /tmp/catalina.dmg -format UDTO -o ~/Downloads/catalina

mv ~/Downloads/catalina.cdr ~/Downloads/catalina.iso

Next, I copy the ISO to a external system (my desktop) an a network drive where I will install from.

In VMware (I am using vCenter)

Name it, I use macos-catalina

Pick a folder, Pick a Server/resource Pool and Pick Storage

For Compatibility, click the dropdown and select ESXi 6.7 Update 2 and later

For Select OS, click the Gueast OS Family drop down and select Other

For Guest OS Version, click the dropdown and select Apple macOS 10.14 (64-bit)

Under the datastore, I choose Disk Provisioning Thin Provision

Finish and save the VM

To install, I open a remote console on the VM

Select VMRC - > Removable Devices -> CD/DVD Drive1 -> Connect to Disk Image File (ISO)

In the OS boot menu, select SATA CD/DVROM, then boot to the installer

Select the VMware Virtual Disk

Give the disk a name

Start the macOS installer and complete the install steps. This takes about 45 minutes total.

Once installed, disconnect the ISO from the console client.

Reboot one last time to make sure it still boots OK.

** UPDATE 04/15/2020**
Seems you need to start at Mojave to be able to download the full Catalina package from the App Store. I started from Mojave so I never ran into the issues found in the comments. Check the comments for what Adam had to say...
** UPDATE 10/17/2019**
After applying the first update, the VM was rendered un-bootable again. That is the same crash that is originally experienced. SEE Boot Work Around at the bottom.
This exercise was to get a running MacOS Catalina VM instance running on VMware. I first wrote this for Catalina Beta but afte rthe official release, a couple things changed. So now it is how to install Catalina on ESXi 6.7.
I am using a 2013 Mac Pro with VMWare 6.7 U2 installed. I have High Sierra and Mojave VMs running on the host. Running VMs on VMware is something I've done for a few years.

A lot has changed in Catalina. Admittedly, I am not a MacOS expert. I'm not particularly good a Mac user either. So, I can't speak to the changes only that it is not currently (Oct 1, 2019) frienld to install on VMware ESXi. Catalina runs fine once you get a working VM though.

The MacOS Part

As of this writing (10/10/2019), You cannot upgrade and existing VM running High Sierra or Mojave. At least, I could not successfully upgrade and boot to Catalina.

If at first You Don't Succeed...

Note: You need to start at Mojave to upgrade to download the fill Catalina package.
I started with trying to upgrade a Mojave VM to Catalina. I just downloaded Catalina from the Apple Store (Search: macos catalina).

I followed the prompts and downloaded the Catalina installation image. I ran though the installation process which seemed to go pretty well. That is until it booted from the upgraded image. Then, it crashed. You can't see the crash, you just has an frozen Apple logo.

To see what is happening, reboot the VM and hold down the Windows Key + v for Verbose mode and see the boot attempt and the kernel panic. Changing VMware setting had no affect. After a couple hours, I gave up.

Try Something Else... And It Worked!

My next tack was to boot from a Catalina ISO. First, I had to create one. I'd done this before on Mojave so it wasn't all unfamiliar. The steps are below. I am not sure where they came from.

First, I had to boot back to Mojave. I had found by rebooting the VM to the Boot Manager settings (you can set this in the VM settings or press escape before the OS loads in a VM console) and Selecting the EFI VMware Virtual SATA Hard Drive (0,0) option (not Mac OS X), that boots to my original Mojave image.
To start from scratch on a Mojave instance, download Catalina from the app store (Search: macos catalina). Just don't run the installer. You need the app image to create the ISO.

Once Mojave loaded, to build the ISO file, I start by making the virtual disk:

hdiutil create -o /tmp/catalina -size 13000m -layout SPUD -fs HFS+J

Then, I mount it to I can copy the installer to it

hdiutil attach /tmp/catalina.dmg -noverify -mountpoint /Volumes/install_build

Now I copy the installer to the mounted image

sudo /Applications/Install macOS Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/install_build

The image is automatically mounted and is on your desktop. Select it and un-mount the image.

Now convert the image to an ISO file. You can put the file anywhere but I used ~/Downloads for simplicity

hdiutil convert /tmp/catalina.dmg -format UDTO -o ~/Downloads/catalina

Now rename the file from catalina.cdr to catalina.iso

mv ~/Downloads/catalina.cdr ~/Downloads/catalina.iso

You can delete /tmp/catalina.dmg.

Copy the ISO to your PC or where ever you want to attach it to the VM via a console session. I use WinSCP to copy to my PC.

The VMware Part

I created a blank VM with the following settings:
These are important. Just follow my lead here.

Guest OS Version: Apple macOS 10.14 64-bit

4GB Memory

The rest is default

Once the VM is saved, edit the settings and change to
Guest OS: Windows

Guest OS Version: Windows 10 64-bit

Changed to Windows 10

Next...
Open a Remote Console (VMRC)

Click VMRC --> Removeable Devices --> CD/DVD --> Connect to Disk Image File

Navigate to the catalina.iso file you saved where ever, Click Open

Attach ISO

Now ALT+CTRL+Insert in the VM to reboot it. It will boot from the ISO automatically. If not select the SATA CDROM frm the EFI menu. Note, sometimes it took several reboots for it to successfully boot from the ISO. usually, just one.

Once the installer image loads, use the disk tool to erase the VMware virtual disk (100GB in my case)

Use the default erase options (Note: Your keyboard doesn't work so just accept 'Untitled')

Next, choose to install MacOS

Follow the install steps and install Catalina

Once the install finishes, it will reboot to the OS. Make sure you detach the ISO so you don't boot to the installer again.
Reset the VM
The VM should boot to the image and continue installing Catalina. When it finishes (10 or so minutes) it will reboot.

After the reboot, it will freeze on the blank Apple logo or unsuccessfully load MacOS X. Don't fret.. We're OK.
Power off the VM

Edit the VM setting and change the OS values.

Guest OS Version: Apple macOS 10.14 64-bit

Power on the VM and it will boot to and load Catalina.

Once you go through the setup steps and Catalina is ready to go.

Good luck on your adventure!

Added 10/17/2019

After applying the update, the VM was no longer booting. Same cast at boot with the Apple Logo and no progress.

the work around is to change the boot order in EFI boot settings to boot to SATA Hard Drive 0.0

You need to enter EFI boot configuration for the VM. You can hit escape a the VMware logo or go to the VM settings and set to boor to EFI next boot. Boot/reboot to get the EFI menu

Enter Setup
Configure Boot Options
Change Boot Order

How To Upgrade To Os Catalina

Press Enter then change the boot order in the pop up window using + and - keys. Press Escape when done editing.
Move EFI Virtual SATA Hard Drive (0.0) to the Top
You can see I change the overall boot order to:
Hard Drive
CDROM
Mac OS X

Press Enter to Commit changes and exit

11 8 likes 17,991 views Last modified Feb 2, 2021 4:31 PM

This is a series of tips that cover Mac OS X client edition. Server forums cover Mac OS X server on the community.

Here is the series of tips for related Macs. 10.6,10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 10.10,10.11,

10.12 ,10.13, 10.14 Mojave, 10.15 Catalina , 11.0 Big Sur.

See special note about resetting the SMC during updates and upgrades, later in the tip.

is an article I wrote that everyone updating their Mac should read. No update should be ventured into with operating systems or software without first ensuring your data is backed up in two separate places. Slowing down of your Mac should not lead you to assume an update will fix everything. First isolate why your Mac is slowing down or crashing before installing anything new.

Apple includes many full upgrade installer links on https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683

Note: APFS came about with High Sierra, and Mojave continues the practice of auto-reformatting drives into APFS that are solid state like flash drives from HFS Journaled. If you need to downgrade to an older system than High Sierra, you will need to reformat the drive again, or leave a partition with the old formatting available.

Apple released for 10.14.6 users, 2020-003 Mojave security update. If running an earlier version of 10.14, run the 10.14.6 Combo update first.

Apple recommends you have these Macs according to: https://support.apple.com/kb/SP777?locale=en_US

MacBook (Early 2015 or newer) [model identifier 8,1 or later]
MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer) [model identifier 5,1 or later]
MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer) [model identifier 9,1 or later]
Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer) [model identifier 6,1 or later]
iMac (Late 2012 or newer) [model identifier 12,1 or later]
Mac Pro (Late 2013; Mid 2010 and Mid 2012 models with recommended Metal-capable graphics cards) [model identifier 5,1 or later]

Is It Ok To Upgrade To Catalina

bracketed items in quotes were added for additional identification purposes. Your Apple menu -> About This Mac -> System Report or System Profiler gives you the model identifier.

All of the Macs that are older than 10.11, need to be updated to 10.11 first before installing Mojave.

The oldest MacBook Air, Mac mini, and iMac which can upgrade to Mojave shipped with 10.8, Mountain Lion.

The oldest MacBook Pro which can upgrade to Mojave shipped with 10.7, Lion.

The oldest MacBook had Mac OS X 10.10 installed.

The oldest Mac Pro on the list above with the compatible graphics cards, had 10.6 originally installed, and is the only Mac that shipped with 10.6 that can install Mojave. Before upgrading to 10.7 or later, read this tip as Apple has not reintroduced a series of software that made older Mac compatible software compatible with Intel Macs since 10.6.8's release.

Apple released Mojave on September 24, 2018. Reports from:

earlier than that date were made with pre-release Mojave versions and can not be relied upon.

September 30, 2018 driver additions from third party update pages:

HP, and Samsung (HP has become the download site for at least some Mojave Samsung printers, if you have Samsung see if any are Catalina compatible)

Silverfast.

10.14.3 was released January 22, 2019. Note, some users are reporting 10.14.3 will not successfully apply as an update without an SMC reset as described how to do in this link: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

Frequently both updates and upgrades will require multiple reboots to successfully apply. Do NOT become impatient if you find the screen go blank during the update or upgrade process. If you press the power button to shut it down while it is rebooting for the update or upgrade, it may quit the process, and leave you stuck.

Use the macOS Mojave forum for operating system specific questions of other end users such as yourself.

Is Catalina A Good Upgrade

Note: https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/partition-a-physical-disk-dskutl14027/mac

are directions for creating a separate partition that will allow you to dual boot into an older operating system

if you find something not compatible with the current. Once you install the older operating system, you can use the Startup manager to dual boot to the older system.

You can't install Mojave from the Finder, unless you are running 10.13.6 or earlier.

Mac Os Catalina Should I Upgrade

The direct download link for Mojave is:

Note: some people have had trouble downloading the latest Mojave links. https://brave.com/ has been found to be a better web browser than some if you run into issues and is known to work on Mac OS X 10.10 and later.

Note: the 2020-004 security update for Mojave has a bug with the screen saver getting stuck. To repair delays in the screen saver, 'The workaround is to choose a non-picture screen saver such as Flurry, Message, etc.' (special thanks to community member dialabrain for this report.