Install Mojave on an external HD or Volume within the internal HD?

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Install Mojave on an external HD or Volume within the internal HD?

So I have the brand new 16" MBP. I am running into an issue though because one of the programs that I brought forwards in my Time Machine install I am using for school doesn't run in Catalina. I can't switch to a different program because of how important it is to my class. So my question is what might be better (if it can be done)? Am I able to create a separate volume within the computer and format and install Mojave on it? Or do I have to take a separate HD and install Mojave on it and install the program into it and use the option key each time when I plug it in to boot into it in order to run that single program?

If there are other options possible then I am up for those suggestions also.

Thanks!

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Dec 4, 2019 12:59 PM

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Answer 1

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MrHoffman

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Dec 4, 2019 1:13 PM in response to crossczechfotoguy

Contact the maintainers of whatever app this might be, if there's not already a Catalina version available.

The developer migration to 64-bit apps started with OS X 10.4 Tiger, and there've more recently been end-user diagnostics issued for 32-bit apps starting with macOS High Sierra 10.13.4. Catalina shouldn't be news to a Mac developer, either.

As for your question, Mojave won't directly boot on a 16" MacBook Pro, so what you want to do won't work.

Some of the options for using older apps with Catalina follow, and the likelihood of success with some of these will vary by app and by local requirements...

Find an alternative to the 32-bit app, install and use that. (Which app? We might know of an alternative.)
Find a 64-bit version of the app, and use that.
Install and use a virtual machine app, and install and boot Mojave as a guest, and run the app there.

You could boot macOS Mojave as a guest, and—if you're transporting this system—you'll probably want that all stored internally. Less to haul around, less to cable, less to power. Unfortunately for these discussions, it's common for folks to under-configure their internal storage, and that means you may be forced to haul around external storage for the macOS guest for this app and for the app itself.

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Answer 2

Dec 5, 2019 10:54 AM in response to MrHoffman

So what that would mean is using Bootcamp and installing Mojave in that area of the computer separately? I might actually have to do that as there is not a 64-bit version of the software I am using. The software is called Movie Magic Screenwriter 6

and it's for a class I am doing and the software is free for students. I'm thinking that might have to be the option I will need to use in order to do this which won't be an issue because I have the 1TB version of computer and screenplays are minimal in size for what I am needing to do.

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Answer 3

Dec 5, 2019 3:22 PM in response to crossczechfotoguy

Boot Camp is not relevant here, and there may be some confusion over an environment intended for booting Windows—Boot Camp—and an environment that allows Windows, macOS, Linux and other guests—a virtual machine. You need the latter, here.

Again, Mojave will not boot natively on this Mac.

Boot Camp is centrally for booting Microsoft Windows, and will not change this Mojave limitation; that Mojave will not boot natively on this MacBook Pro 16” Late 2019.

Your choices are an alternative app such as Scrivener, wait for Movie Magic Screen Writer 6 to be updated for macOS Catalina, or to acquire and install a virtual machine (Parallels and Fusion are the primary commercial options, and maybe the free VirtualBox works well enough here) and install Mojave into that as a guest and then load and run the app onto the Mojave guest.

FWIW... The Write-Bros site has some pretty stale data on some of their main app pages, indicating support for only 10.7 to 10.12 for that app. PPC support too, which is positively ancient. The purchase page does list the Catalina restriction, and indicates recent purchases will get a license for that as it arrives.

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Answer 4

Dec 5, 2019 6:22 PM in response to MrHoffman

So the issue with all of this is the fact that I am using this program for my class and that is ending for the semester in about 2 weeks. I am working on getting a copy of Parallels as I used to have it when I worked for Apple and have some friends who work there still. So either that or a copy of Fusion I probably can get my hands on. Currently I am going to use the 14-day trial version of Parallels until I can see about getting a code.

In all honesty the screenplay software is a POS and for them to not be up to date in Catalina just leads me to believe that no one uses their stuff much anymore which is why they aren't up to date.

Thanks.

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Answer 5

Dec 5, 2019 6:33 PM in response to crossczechfotoguy

For a couple of weeks, maybe borrowing or renting a Mac? Somebody might still have an older model around.

If the software is free, there’s also a Windows version available, if you have a license for that. That’ll boot in either Boot Camp or a virtual machine.

I’ve been happy with Scrivener, for what writing I’ve been doing.

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Install Mojave on an external HD or Volume within the internal HD?

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