Can't find where I'm set to 14,2 in config.plist

[pizzaguy]

Seems like a dumb question but on my Catalina hack, I cannot locate the string 14,2 in my config.plist for clover. I need to set it to a different value but I cannot locate where it is being set. The SMBIOS section is:

<key>SMBIOS</key>
<dict>
<key>#BiosReleaseDate</key>
<string>05/03/10</string>
<key>#BiosVendor</key>
<string>Apple Inc.</string>
<key>#BiosVersion</key>
<string>MB11.88Z.0061.B03.0809221748</string>
<key>#Board-ID</key>
<string>Mac-F4208CC8</string>
<key>#BoardManufacturer</key>
<string>Apple Inc.</string>
<key>#BoardSerialNumber</key>
<string>C02032101R5DC771H</string>
<key>#BoardType</key>
<integer>10</integer>
<key>#BoardVersion</key>
<string>Proto1</string>
<key>#ChassisAssetTag</key>
<string>LatitudeD420</string>
<key>#ChassisManufacturer</key>
<string>Apple Inc.</string>
<key>#ChassisType</key>
<integer>16</integer>
<key>#EfiVersion</key>
<string>220.200.252.0.0</string>
<key>#Family</key>
<string>MacBook</string>
<key>#FirmwareFeatures</key>
<string>0xC0001403</string>
<key>#FirmwareFeaturesMask</key>
<string>0xFFFFFFFF</string>

Elsewhere in the config it has a string Macbook1,1 but that is apparently being ignored as in About, this claims to be an iMac14,2.

What am I missing?






<key>#LocationInChassis</key>
<string>MLB</string>
<key>#Memory</key>

 

[P1LGRIM]

What am I missing?

A clear explanation of the problem.
What makes you think that you have to find and change a value of 14,2 ?

 

[pizzaguy]

I'm trying to get past Catalina to either Big Sur or a newer release. i find that BS is not interested in attempting to install on 14,2 but is quite willing on 15,1. I have other hurdles to cross as so far my attempts result in a looping install so I am missing something but it would be convenient to fix this issue in Clover first... though I guess I'm just assuming it is changeable in Clover... maybe elsewhere?

 

[pizzaguy]

I tried to just make this change using Multibeast but it fails every time. Log shows a "could not bless helper" error... no idea where that comes from so we're back to this method.

 

[trs96]

I have other hurdles to cross as so far my attempts result in a looping install so I am missing something but it would be convenient to fix this issue in Clover first... though I guess I'm just assuming it is changeable in Clover... maybe elsewhere?

Never edit your plist with a text editor. It's too easy to corrupt it that way. Then you'd need to make a new one.

Use a .plist editor to open the config.plist and then edit. Try using the PlistEdit Pro app. Free trial. Google it.

 

[mbatrawi]

it's under

<key>PlatformInfo</key>
<dict>
<key>Automatic</key>
<true/>
<key>CustomMemory</key>
<false/>
<key>Generic</key>
<dict>
<key>AdviseFeatures</key>
<true/>
<key>MLB</key>
<string></string>
<key>MaxBIOSVersion</key>
<false/>
<key>ProcessorType</key>
<integer>0</integer>
<key>ROM</key>
<data>ABEiM0RV</data>
<key>SpoofVendor</key>
<true/>
<key>SystemMemoryStatus</key>
<string>Auto</string>
<key>SystemProductName</key>
<string>iMac 14,2</string>
<key>SystemSerialNumber</key>
<string></string>
<key>SystemUUID</key>
<string></string>

 

[jaymonkey]

I cannot locate the string 14,2 in my config.plist for clover.
I need to set it to a different value but I cannot locate where it is being set.

@pizzaguy,

If you need to change the SMBIOS that your hack is using then you can not just change the model identifier, if you do then your Apple ID will no longer work with Apple's on-line services such as iMessage, iCloud, App store ... etc.

This is because the S/N is made up of codes that match the model identifier, other parameters such as the MLB use parts of the S/N. If you change the SMBIOS without changing these other parameters then MacOS will fail Apple's on-line server validation/security checks as the S/N and MLB will not match the SMBIOS model identifier. This can lead to your hack and AppleID being blocked by Apple as they will see it as someone trying to spoof a Mac on their systems.

You need to change all the SMBIOS identity parameters so that everything matches and will pass Apple's on-line server validation/security checks. I also recommend using a new SMUUID as this too is used by Apple's on line services. There are many 3rd party tools you can use to generate a new SMBIOS identity for your hack such as CorpNewt's GenSMBIOS python script.

GitHub - corpnewt/GenSMBIOS: Py script that uses acidanthera's macserial to generate SMBIOS and optionally saves them to a plist.

Py script that uses acidanthera's macserial to generate SMBIOS and optionally saves them to a plist. - corpnewt/GenSMBIOS

github.com

@trs96 has a guide on how to use GenSMBIOS here :-

Create Unique System & Board Serial Numbers with GenSMBIOS - Video Tutorial

Many in this community are starting fresh with a clean install of macOS Big Sur using the OpenCore bootloader. If you have used Clover bootloader previously, remember to Reset NVRAM first before installing Big Sur. This video guide shows you how to get your new install properly working with...

www.tonymacx86.com

IMPORTANT:

Be sure to also copy macserial to the folder you install GenSMBIOS in to, you can find macserial in the OpenCore release package in the folder .~\utilities\macserial, this is also detailed in the above thread if you read posts 6 -> 11. If you don't use OpenCore or have it at hand then you can use option 1 in GenSMBIOS to download and install the latest version of macserial.

Cheers
Jay

 

[pizzaguy]

it's under

<key>PlatformInfo</key>
<dict>
<key>Automatic</key>
<true/>
<key>CustomMemory</key>
<false/>
<key>Generic</key>
<dict>
<key>AdviseFeatures</key>
<true/>
<key>MLB</key>
<string></string>
<key>MaxBIOSVersion</key>
<false/>
<key>ProcessorType</key>
<integer>0</integer>
<key>ROM</key>
<data>ABEiM0RV</data>
<key>SpoofVendor</key>
<true/>
<key>SystemMemoryStatus</key>
<string>Auto</string>
<key>SystemProductName</key>
<string>iMac 14,2</string>
<key>SystemSerialNumber</key>
<string></string>
<key>SystemUUID</key>
<string></string>

This section does not appear to be included in my config. I have attached the config.plist in a zip file if you have time to have a look. Now I'm really perplexed... my box swears it's a 14,2 but that string does not appear in config. How can that be?

 

[pizzaguy]

@pizzaguy,

If you need to change the SMBIOS that your hack is using then you can not just change the model identifier, if you do then your Apple ID will no longer work with Apple's on-line services such as iMessage, iCloud, App store ... etc.

This is because the S/N is made up of codes that match the model identifier, other parameters such as the MLB use parts of the S/N. If you change the SMBIOS without changing these other parameters then MacOS will fail Apple's on-line server validation/security checks as the S/N and MLB will not match the SMBIOS model identifier. This can lead to your hack and AppleID being blocked by Apple as they will see it as someone trying to spoof a Mac on their systems.

You need to change all the SMBIOS identity parameters so that everything matches and will pass Apple's on-line server validation/security checks. I also recommend using a new SMUUID as this too is used by Apple's on line services. There are many 3rd party tools you can use to generate a new SMBIOS identity for your hack such as CorpNewt's GenSMBIOS python script.

GitHub - corpnewt/GenSMBIOS: Py script that uses acidanthera's macserial to generate SMBIOS and optionally saves them to a plist.

Py script that uses acidanthera's macserial to generate SMBIOS and optionally saves them to a plist. - corpnewt/GenSMBIOS

github.com

@trs96 has a guide on how to use GenSMBIOS here :-

Create Unique System & Board Serial Numbers with GenSMBIOS - Video Tutorial

Many in this community are starting fresh with a clean install of macOS Big Sur using the OpenCore bootloader. If you have used Clover bootloader previously, remember to Reset NVRAM first before installing Big Sur. This video guide shows you how to get your new install properly working with...

www.tonymacx86.com

IMPORTANT:

Be sure to also copy macserial to the folder you install GenSMBIOS in to, you can find macserial in the OpenCore release package in the folder .~\utilities\macserial, this is also detailed in the above thread if you read posts 6 -> 11. If you don't use OpenCore or have it at hand then you can use option 1 in GenSMBIOS to download and install the latest version of macserial.

Cheers
Jay

Thanks Jay for all of that info. Wow... seems like a long way to go. The original problem was that when I tried to upgrade to Big Sur the messages shows "this software cannot be installed on this computer" or words to that effect, and I found by trying with 15,1 temporarily set, it does go through. Any idea how I can get around this error other than all of the other steps you mentioned? I guess if I had to abandon my appleid stuff and create new that wouldn't be the end of the world if it comes to that... reminders are about all I really use there anyway.

 

[mbatrawi]

This section does not appear to be included in my config. I have attached the config.plist in a zip file if you have time to have a look. Now I'm really perplexed... my box swears it's a 14,2 but that string does not appear in config. How can that be?

that's yours
</dict>
<key>#Mobile</key>
<true/>
<key>#PlatformFeature</key>
<string>0x03</string>
<key>#ProductName</key>
<string>MacBook1,1</string>
<key>#SerialNumber</key>
<string>******</string>
<key>#Slots</key>
you are using MacBook1,1