Is Direct Upgrade from El Capitan to Catalina Possible?

[Hack_The_Gibson]

I am trying to do a direct upgrade from El Capitan to Catalina. The existing install is formatted to GUID and macos extended Journaled.

El capitan does not allow you to format for APFS. Is there a way to format for APFS without making the drive external for a real mac with catalina, without deleting it's contents, and then install catalina?

 

[scottkendall]

I am trying to do a direct upgrade from El Capitan to Catalina. The existing install is formatted to GUID and macos extended Journaled.

El capitan does not allow you to format for APFS. Is there a way to format for APFS without making the drive external for a real mac with catalina, without deleting it's contents, and then install catalina?

it should update it to APFS during the install.

 

[UtterDisbelief]

it should update it to APFS during the install.

This is a new one on me - do you think El Capitan will let the OP run a Catalina installer from the App directory? I've never tried it's so don't know. I've run High Sierra installers from my El Cap rescue drive but that's about it.

It's an interesting question actually, because how far back is a new macOS installer able to run on old systems?

 

[scottkendall]

This is a new one on me - do you think El Capitan will let the OP run a Catalina installer from the App directory? I've never tried it's so don't know. I've run High Sierra installers from my El Cap rescue drive but that's about it.

It's an interesting question actually, because how far back is a new macOS installer able to run on old systems?

As far as I know El Cap should allow a Catalina update, and it should convert the drive to APFS. The Key here is that the drive is GUID already an not something else, had it been say Master boot record the same results might not occur. Because of Hackintosh it might be better to make a UBS installer and install ontop of the current install this way. However, from the App Store should be fine.

This is directly from apple:

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.

support.apple.com

 

[UtterDisbelief]

As far as I know El Cap should allow a Catalina update, and it should convert the drive to APFS. The Key here is that the drive is GUID already an not something else, had it been say Master boot record the same results might not occur. Because of Hackintosh it might be better to make a UBS installer and install ontop of the current install this way. However, from the App Store should be fine.

This is directly from apple:

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.

support.apple.com

Good call. Yes, Apple says El Cap to Catalina's fine, as long as the Mac sys-def is supported

Agreed though, I would probably create a Catalina UniBeast and use that as it should preserve all docs and settings and should boot more safely. If the direct from El Cap installer went belly-up there would be no easy way to rescue the system without a UniBeast USB handy.

 

[scottkendall]

Good call. Yes, Apple says El Cap to Catalina's fine, as long as the Mac sys-def is supported

Agreed though, I would probably create a Catalina UniBeast and use that as it should preserve all docs and settings and should boot more safely. If the direct from El Cap installer went belly-up there would be no easy way to rescue the system without a UniBeast USB handy.

Yes provided the SM is up to snuff but I think it would fail long before it overwrote his El Cap install if it

 

[scottkendall]

Is there a way to format for APFS without making the drive external for a real mac with catalina, without deleting it's contents, and then install catalina?

You should update your profile also I did not notice that you did not have your profile set up... With out that you likely will receive friction from people if you need further support.

 

[Hack_The_Gibson]

Sorry about the lack of hardware update.

it’s an Build from a few years ago that was working perfectly. I will get back and find more details in pics.

also even when it was booting from El Capitan and clover it would only recognize 16gb out of 32gb. I tested each port and every ram module and they work in single pairs but not double.

I have most updated bios, updated clover successfully.

I have tried installing Catalina directly from the applications folder On my existing El Capitan hackintosh. (Had to download from AppStore on my legit mac and transfer to hackintosh) but it freezes about half way through even after leaving it for days.

I tried using UniBeast creating a bootable drive from Several different 16gb usb 3 drives and the port is usb 3 but that freezes at half way for days as well.

I tried creating a bootable usb with the MacBook Pro using UniBeast. Same issue.

I did make a back up copy to a separate drive but somewhere down the line I messed up clover and can’t boot from either copy anymore.

I double checked my mode number 14,2 or something but it’s compatible.

any help with why I can’t make UniBeast drives on any Mac would be great too

Gigabyte - Z97MX - Gaming 5

250GB SSD

Intel Core i7 Haswell 4th Gen - 4790K @ 4Ghz

32GB Ram (originally but now only sees 16GB)

H60 Liquid Cooling

650W PSU

Intel HD Graphics 460 + Nvidia GTX 970 4GB


Gigabyte - Z97MX - Gaming 5

250GB SSD

Intel Core i7 Haswell 4th Gen - 4790K @ 4Ghz

32GB Ram (originally but now only sees 16GB)

H60 Liquid Cooling

650W PSU

Intel HD Graphics 460 + Nvidia GTX 970 4GB

 

[P1LGRIM]

Will my Nvidia Graphics Card work with macOS ? List of Desktop Cards with Native Support

Preamble for those new to Nvidia graphics card choices for a Hackintosh 1. You will only have success choosing macOS compatible graphics if you remember that: macOS is not Windows 2. Apple incorporates all their graphics drivers into the Mac Operating System. There are only drivers in macOS...

www.tonymacx86.com

 

[tedyun]

I don't think you can use the Nvidia in Catalina. I believe the Web Drivers will only work up to High Sierra.

Sorry about the lack of hardware update.

it’s an Build from a few years ago that was working perfectly. I will get back and find more details in pics. View attachment 488077View attachment 488078View attachment 488079

also even when it was booting from El Capitan and clover it would only recognize 16gb out of 32gb. I tested each port and every ram module and they work in single pairs but not double.

I have most updated bios, updated clover successfully.

I have tried installing Catalina directly from the applications folder On my existing El Capitan hackintosh. (Had to download from AppStore on my legit mac and transfer to hackintosh) but it freezes about half way through even after leaving it for days.

I tried using UniBeast creating a bootable drive from Several different 16gb usb 3 drives and the port is usb 3 but that freezes at half way for days as well.

I tried creating a bootable usb with the MacBook Pro using UniBeast. Same issue.

I did make a back up copy to a separate drive but somewhere down the line I messed up clover and can’t boot from either copy anymore.

I double checked my mode number 14,2 or something but it’s compatible.

any help with why I can’t make UniBeast drives on any Mac would be great too