Update Directly to macOS Big Sur

[tonymacx86]

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Established users of macOS Catalina who wish to update directly to macOS Big Sur can do so just like a regular Mac would. This fully native method requires no USB creation or preparation and allows you to keep all of your files and settings.

Before you begin, we strongly recommend performing a full backup of your existing system using Carbon Copy Cloner. By doing this, you can always go back to your working macOS Catalina installation.

Guide: Update Directly to macOS Big Sur

1. Update your existing bootloader. Bootloader update to OpenCore 0.6.3 or Clover Release v5.1 r5126 required for installation. For the purposes of this guide, we will reference Clover locations. Note: Clover requires proper Quirks config.plist additions. See here for details.​

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2. Open Clover configuration folder on the root of your system drive or EFI Partition using EFI Mounter v3. Copy VirtualSMC.kext and any other extra necessary kexts to /EFI/CLOVER/kexts/Other/. If you need kexts, download them here. If you need precompiled SSDTs, download them here.​

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3. Download Install macOS Big Sur Application from the Mac App Store. When complete, the app will open. Please note, the Application will disappear after use.​

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4. Choose system drive for install (Example: Macintosh HD). When complete, the computer will automatically reboot.​

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5. At Clover boot screen, choose Boot macOS Install option (Example: Boot macOS Install from Macintosh HD). Choosing your system drive will go back to your previous installation without updating.​

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6. Complete the installation process- the computer will automatically reboot a few times.​

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7. At Clover boot screen, choose Boot macOS option (Example: Boot macOS from Macintosh HD). The computer will then complete the update.​

Let us know how this guide works for you! Please post all help requests in Big Sur Desktop Support and Big Sur Laptop Support forum sections. Thanks and good luck!

Please post your question(s) as a standalone thread in the Big Sur Desktop Support forum section. Violators will have their post removed.

Related:
How to Create a macOS Big Sur Public Beta Installation USB
How to Prepare for Big Sur
macOS Big Sur Does NOT Boot with iMac14,2 System Definition
tonymacx86 Clover Theme (Updated for Big Sur)
Introducing the macOS Big Sur Critter!
Big Sur Desktop Support
Big Sur Desktop Guides
Big Sur Laptop Support
Big Sur Laptop Guides
Apple Announces "3rd Transition" for macOS: From Intel CPUs to Apple Silicon
macOS Big Sur Public Beta is Now Available
Apple Previews macOS 11.0 Big Sur - Available Fall 2020

 

[sounderson]

Hello, I have a perfect running Catalina on my hackintosh with the latest updates which I’ve done simply from system preferences, software update with success. I didn’t install any big sur betas. is it possible to update to big Sur from Catalina from system preferences just doing software update from system preferences without any configuration in the clover or anywhere else using the same clover I have on Catalina? (I have Graphic card Nvidia GeForce 710 that works great with Catalina), ?

 

[eye2eyespy]

Same here:
OC 0.6.3
MSI TRX40
TR 3960x
RX 5700XT

I have already received the update in the notifications.

 

[ricky84]

bad luck doesn't work. i'm on catalina 10.15.7 supplemental update installed and working fine with icloud imessage etc on clover r5120, this is what i've done:
i try to update to r5126 and all kext updated, then from app store i've downloaded big sur, start to install, then during the first reboot no boot on big sur install icon on clover selection. so i restored my EFI folder that i've previously saved with r5120 and i'm be able to come back to catalina.

any ideas how to fix it?

my config is
z390 aorus pro
i7 9700k
rx 580
ssd nvme 512gb samsung 970 pro

 

[Chandler2]

Finally got this working after 2 days.

What didn’t work:
- Upgrading Catalina 10.15.7 /Clover 5102 to Bug Sur
- Upgrading Clover from 5102 to 5126 resulted in a system that would not boot.
- Tried incremental releases of Clover between 5102 and 5126 – all failed. Determined that my setup/config would fail boot on any Clover BOOTX64.efi dated after Mar 25 /2020

What worked:
Decided to learn OpenCore (2 days of reading + trials with a cloned Catalina system). Very surprised how easy it was to migrate my working Catalina on Clover over to OC. With my system now working on OC 0.6.3, I created an OC Big Sur install USB, kicked off the install/upgrade, did the 3 or 4 reboots and that’s it. Successful Catalina/OC to Big Sur upgrade.

So far everything but on-board Audio works, but that was also the case in Catalina.

 

[siansonu]

Finally got this working after 2 days.

What didn’t work:
- Upgrading Catalina 10.15.7 /Clover 5102 to Bug Sur
- Upgrading Clover from 5102 to 5126 resulted in a system that would not boot.
- Tried incremental releases of Clover between 5102 and 5126 – all failed. Determined that my setup/config would fail boot on any Clover BOOTX64.efi dated after Mar 25 /2020

What worked:
Decided to learn OpenCore (2 days of reading + trials with a cloned Catalina system). Very surprised how easy it was to migrate my working Catalina on Clover over to OC. With my system now working on OC 0.6.3, I created an OC Big Sur install USB, kicked off the install/upgrade, did the 3 or 4 reboots and that’s it. Successful Catalina/OC to Big Sur upgrade.

So far everything but on-board Audio works, but that was also the case in Catalina.

could you please care to write a noob friendly guide on how to migrate from clover to OC please,
trying from yesterday but no luck.
Thank you.

EDIT:
Finally after spending 1 day on learning about opencore.
watching 10+ videos.
I have switched successfully to opencore. everything is working fine.
Thank you.

 

[Max1194]

I did everything from the post but I dont get the "Boot macOS Install option" mentioned in step 5.

I copied all updates for all kexts files to the "other" directory. i didn't find an update for FakeSMC, but i guess VirtualSMC is the new upgrade for this right? do i have to delete the fakesmc files and go with the virtualsmc files only? does this cause the "Boot macOS Install option" not appearing error?

 

[Max1194]

Finally got this working after 2 days.

What didn’t work:
- Upgrading Catalina 10.15.7 /Clover 5102 to Bug Sur
- Upgrading Clover from 5102 to 5126 resulted in a system that would not boot.
- Tried incremental releases of Clover between 5102 and 5126 – all failed. Determined that my setup/config would fail boot on any Clover BOOTX64.efi dated after Mar 25 /2020

What worked:
Decided to learn OpenCore (2 days of reading + trials with a cloned Catalina system). Very surprised how easy it was to migrate my working Catalina on Clover over to OC. With my system now working on OC 0.6.3, I created an OC Big Sur install USB, kicked off the install/upgrade, did the 3 or 4 reboots and that’s it. Successful Catalina/OC to Big Sur upgrade.

So far everything but on-board Audio works, but that was also the case in Catalina.

could you tell me how to upgrade to the OC when my hackintosh is not booting like you mentioned and like your problem was?
i can connect my hackintosh boot ssd to my macbook and can do everything from there if this helps you give me a help

 

[Chandler2]

When loading Clover 5126 and trying to install on my Catalina it just says that it is not compatible with my macOS version. Did someone had this before?

Yep, seems this is a common issue.

could you please care to write a noob friendly guide on how to migrate from clover to OC please,
trying from yesterday but no luck.
Thank you.

 

[MusMir]

Don’t be fool. This will only work for OC but for clover you need to modify EFI like adding quirks.
Clover users don’t follow this. You modify EFI before upgrading