Yes, older versions of MacOS can run on the new M4 chip.
Yes, older versions of MacOS can run on the new M4 chip.
Hi, guys. I recently bought a Mac Mini M4 32GB, 1TB... It came with the Mac Sequoia 15.2 (24C101)... I´m having issues installing my old Motu 828 USB MKII. With the old drivers, the Mac won´t recognize it, and with the latest Motu 828 drivers, the sound card is recognized, but it crashes the computer every time Ableton is connected. So, I wanted to downgrade it to Big Sur, which I'm currently using on my old Mac mini M1. But then, when I tried to download it from the Apple store, I got an error message: UPDATE NOT FOUND. The requested version of macOS is not available. Please check if your Mac is compatible with this software. So I tried to download Monterey, Ventura, and Sonoma using the new M4 and still got the same error for every one of them: UPDATE NOT FOUND. The requested version of macOS is not available. Please check if your Mac is compatible with this software. Before all this, I downloaded Big Sur using my old M1 and made a bootable drive...after that copied the downloaded version of Big Sur to the applications folder of the new M4, restarted in safe mode, selected the bootable drive with Big Sur and got a different error though...That Mac needed to download some files and was not been able to do it or something like that...that´s why I tried to download directly from the Apple store to the M4... Is there another way to downgrade the OS? I would really appreciate some help! Thanks! Edited February 13, 2025 by Sheikpablo Correct screen shots uploaded
I can't be certain. However, if I had to guess, the MacOS version included with the computer probably matches the minimum needed for it to run. Although older Mac OS versions were found on Apple Silicon chips, they used outdated hardware support. Similar to driver problems you're facing, the older MacOS might lack drivers for newer components like the M4 chip. You could possibly run an older OS in a virtual machine, but I’m not sure about the available options or how to set it up. I also don’t know which VM software supports MacOS, except Parallels, which is costly.
The operating system needs compatible hardware to function. If the system can't support the required components, it won't work. Apple Silicon Macs are powerful devices similar to large iPhones, so running older software like iOS 7 on a modern Mac isn't possible. This highlights how hardware limitations affect software compatibility.
I wasn't aware of Parallels, but it could be worth checking out. At 130€ it's significantly cheaper than purchasing a new sound card. Would just need to install it on Parallels?
I didn't notice it was a sound card. The problem seems to be with the sound card itself—it would only appear when running an OS under Parallels. A VM, like what Parallels provides, functions as a separate system inside your main computer, letting you run multiple operating systems simultaneously. People often use Parallels mainly for Windows or software that isn't compatible with MacOS, especially since Boot Camp is no longer available on Apple Silicon. I checked the sound card information online; it appears to match the latest MacOS version. What’s likely happening is a software bug. You might want to contact their support team for assistance.
I recently tested a demo of Parallels and attempted to install Big Sur via the bootable drive, but it failed again with the same compatibility issue. After downloading a VOS version tailored for Apple M4, the OS was still Sequoia LOL. I just found an update for Mac Sequoia 15.2 (24C101) in Cue, which might fix the problem. Thanks again!
I haven't reviewed that specific documentation yet. Did you want me to check it for you? You can also reach out to their support team if needed.
Hello, I've reached out to Motu support with an open ticket, but I haven't received a response yet. I've also reviewed their documentation and followed the instructions, yet I'm still facing issues. I attempted various settings—switching between options, turning off the first one while keeping the second, and vice versa—but both toggles worked without resolving the problem. The sound card remains detected. Please see the attached picture for reference.