how to update to catalina from Mojave Dell Latitude 7480

[Nancy10]

hey!

I need to update to catalina from my previous setup, and i want to know the steps if there are any to do so. 
I am running the dell latitude 7480 with i7 7th gen vPro with 620 Graphics.
Should i just start the standard macOs updates and wait ? 

[arsradu]

Where are you updating from? In theory, if everything is correctly configured, and if you're not upgrading from Yosemite to Catalina or some really old version of MacOS, then yeah...it should work pretty smoothly.

 

What I would recommend is just making sure the following things are up to date:

1. Clover (here's the official place to download it from)

2. drivers and kexts (you can use Clover Configurator to update those)

 

Also, before anything, copy your existing EFI folder to the EFI partition of a USB drive for safe keeping. This way, if anything happens with the Clover update, you still have a backup.

 

When you're done updating Clover and kexts, before starting the upgrade to Catalina, try to see if you can still boot your current installation with updated files.

 

If everything ok, download the update directly from your current version of MacOS, or make a bootable USB drive with Catalina on it and try to install it. In case the updated EFI folder is still ok, you can add that to your USB, as well.

 

[Nancy10]

i am upgrading from mojave 10.14.1,  would the change be big ? 

[Jake Lo]

As @arsradu suggested, just update to latest Clover and update the kexts to the latest. If you have 3rd party kexts in /L/E make sure to update those as well, repair permission and rebuild cache. See if it still boots.

If no issue, then continue upgrading. 

For sure you'll need a minimum of Clover v5107 to boot 10.15.4. I would recommend just upgrading to the latest v5118 at the time of writing this.

[Hervé]

And don't forget the Embedded Controller patch as detailed in our promoted thread (see Our Picks column). Imperative for Catalina.

[Nancy10]

I have done all of that in fact except for EC, but that wasn't a problem for me yet. I tried to install the update and got a kernel cache problem, i tried to do ti manually from recovery terminal and got so many errors.
I did update the kexts to their last version since i am installing the last version of catalina (seems logical) 

here is the kext cache output :

-bash-3.2# touch /Volumes/APFSMAC/System/Library/Extensions/ && kextcache -u /Volumes/APFSMAC
kextcache -u /Volumes/APFSMAC
Warning: /Volumes/APFSMAC/AppleInternal/Library/Extensions: No such file or directory
kextcache -arch x86_64 -local-root -kernel /Volumes/APFSMAC/System/Library/Kernels/kernel -prelinked-kernel /Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Apple/System/Library/PrelinkedKernels/prelinkedkernel -volume-root /Volumes/APFSMAC /Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions /Volumes/APFSMAC/AppleInternal/Library/Extensions /Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Apple/System/Library/Extensions /Volumes/APFSMAC/System/Library/Extensions
Kext with invalid signature (-67050) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1c98ac0 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VoodooI2C.kext/Contents/PlugIns/VoodooInput.kext/", ID = "me.kishorprins.VoodooInput" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1c979e0 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VoodooI2C.kext/Contents/PlugIns/VoodooI2CServices.kext/", ID = "com.alexandred.VoodooI2CServices" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1c91170 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VoodooI2C.kext/Contents/PlugIns/VoodooGPIO.kext/", ID = "org.coolstar.VoodooGPIO" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1c7bb90 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VoodooI2C.kext/", ID = "com.alexandred.VoodooI2C" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1c133e0 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VoodooPS2Controller.kext/Contents/PlugIns/VoodooPS2Mouse.kext/", ID = "org.rehabman.voodoo.driver.PS2Mouse" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1ee0af0 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VoodooPS2Controller.kext/", ID = "org.rehabman.voodoo.driver.PS2Controller" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1c11b20 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VoodooPS2Controller.kext/Contents/PlugIns/VoodooPS2Keyboard.kext/", ID = "org.rehabman.voodoo.driver.PS2Keyboard" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1c0d710 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VoodooPS2Controller.kext/Contents/PlugIns/VoodooPS2Trackpad.kext/", ID = "org.rehabman.voodoo.driver.PS2Trackpad" }
Error returned: <error: 0x10ff58ff0> { count = 1, transaction: 0, voucher = 0x0, contents =
	"XPCErrorDescription" => <string: 0x10ff59158> { length = 18, contents = "Connection invalid" }
}
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d3865cc0 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/FakePCIID.kext/", ID = "org.rehabman.driver.FakePCIID" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d3848d10 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VirtualSMC.kext/", ID = "as.vit9696.VirtualSMC" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1e08a20 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/Lilu.kext/", ID = "as.vit9696.Lilu" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d382c120 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/AppleBacklightFixup.kext/", ID = "com.hieplpvip.AppleBacklightFixup" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d3815810 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VoodooI2CHID.kext/", ID = "com.alexandred.VoodooI2CHID" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d38142f0 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/Legacy_Sierra_QMI.kext/", ID = "com.apple.driver.Legacy_CellPhoneHelper" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d3811990 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/CPUFriend.kext/", ID = "org.vanilla.driver.CPUFriend" }
Error returned: <error: 0x10ff58ff0> { count = 1, transaction: 0, voucher = 0x0, contents =
	"XPCErrorDescription" => <string: 0x10ff59158> { length = 18, contents = "Connection invalid" }
}
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1ee02c0 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/USBInjectAll.kext/", ID = "com.rehabman.driver.USBInjectAll" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1e94550 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/SMCProcessor.kext/", ID = "as.vit9696.SMCProcessor" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1ec0900 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/SMCBatteryManager.kext/", ID = "ru.usrsse2.SMCBatteryManager" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1ed5390 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/WhateverGreen.kext/", ID = "as.vit9696.WhateverGreen" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1e8b570 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/SATA-100-series-unsupported.kext/", ID = "org.rehabman.injector.SATA-100-series-unsupported" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1e0ffe0 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/AppleALC.kext/", ID = "as.vit9696.AppleALC" }
Kext with invalid signature (-67062) allowed: <OSKext 0x7f83d1e0b9a0 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/NoTouchID.kext/", ID = "xyz.racermaster.NoTouchID" }
Invalid signature -67050 for kext <OSKext 0x7f83d1c98ac0 [0x10dcc8a50]> { URL = "file:///Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VoodooI2C.kext/Contents/PlugIns/VoodooInput.kext/", ID = "me.kishorprins.VoodooInput" }
Error returned: <error: 0x10ff58ff0> { count = 1, transaction: 0, voucher = 0x0, contents =
	"XPCErrorDescription" => <string: 0x10ff59158> { length = 18, contents = "Connection invalid" }
}
Error returned: <error: 0x10ff58ff0> { count = 1, transaction: 0, voucher = 0x0, contents =
	"XPCErrorDescription" => <string: 0x10ff59158> { length = 18, contents = "Connection invalid" }
}
kxld[as.vit9696.VirtualSMC]: The following symbols are unresolved for this kext:
kxld[as.vit9696.VirtualSMC]: 	KernelPatcher::routeMultipleLong(unsigned long, KernelPatcher::RouteRequest*, unsigned long, unsigned long long, unsigned long, bool, bool)
kxld[as.vit9696.VirtualSMC]: 	BaseDeviceInfo::get()
Link failed (error code 5).
Prelink failed for as.vit9696.VirtualSMC; omitting from prelinked kernel.
Can't use /Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VirtualSMC.kext - not linked.
Prelink failed for as.vit9696.SMCProcessor; omitting from prelinked kernel.
Can't use /Volumes/APFSMAC/Library/Extensions/VirtualSMC.kext - not linked.
Prelink failed for ru.usrsse2.SMCBatteryManager; omitting from prelinked kernel.
kxld[as.vit9696.WhateverGreen]: The following symbols are unresolved for this kext:
kxld[as.vit9696.WhateverGreen]: 	BaseDeviceInfo::get()
Link failed (error code 5).
Prelink failed for as.vit9696.WhateverGreen; aborting prelink.
Failed to generate prelinked kernel.
Child process /usr/sbin/kextcache[10603] exited with status 71.
Error 107 rebuilding /Library/Apple/System/Library/PrelinkedKernels/prelinkedkernel

I really don't know what to do exactly do i just delete the kexts with the errors and add deal with them later after the update, especially when one of them is VirtualSMC and that is mandatory to boot. or should i inject them from clover only for now ?
 

[arsradu]

Yes, my recommendation would be to always keep your kexts in Clover/kexts/Other, not L/E or S/L/E, unless there's really no other way around it (usually, there is). The errors are normal when you put your kexts in L/E or S/L/E. 

 

However, that doesn't look like an update issue. Is this from the installer log or something? The errors you get are from the commands above.

[Nancy10]

Yes the errors is when i tried to rebuild the kexxt cache with the command at the first line, i followed this post on insanelymac; thought i would be sure it is not a prelinking problem but apparently it is not and my kexts are not working properly.

 

As for your recommendation, i have seen other recommendations that say exactly the opposite.

[Hervé]

Basically, you're trying to cache VirtualSMC and it appears unsupported/incompatible with your Hack for whatever reasons (kext version, bootloader config, applied patches, etc.). I'd switch to FakeSMC instead (and ACPIBatteryManager of course).

 

And you appear to have the same with WEG. You really need to update your add-on kexts to latest versions before you upgrade to Catalina!

 

You're right to cache your kexts from /L/E.

[arsradu]

I'm sure you did, and I have a guess as to where you might have seen them.  

 

Having all the kexts in EFI/Clover/kexts/Other is easier to manage, and you can keep the system intact. Also, if I'm not mistaken, during the update, you rely entirely on the EFI partition. So...if you don't have your mandatory kexts there, you can't boot. Easy as that.

 

Update: I don't know, man. I never had any issues having all the kexts in Clover/kexts/Other. Also, because of that, I have no such errors when I try to rebuild caches.  And I don't wanna keep VirtualSMC/FakeSMC in EFI and everything else in other places. It's just not organised this way. And I tend to forget which kexts I have where. So I just have them all in one place. Easier this way.