I have been a long time Apple user, and aside from one hard-drive crash a few years ago I’ve never had any issues (that’s when I finally splurged for an SSD). When I heard about the new 16” MacBook Pros, I was due for an upgrade after I found the system requirements for Xilinx’s new Vitis IDE were so demanding. Unfortunately, not very long after getting my new 16” Pro setup and got my Ubuntu VM installed with all of my development tools I had trouble with it kernel panicking every time I tried to wake it up from a sleep state after more than an hour or so.

Apr 29, 2020 Open Finder on your Mac running macOS Catalina. Click on the iCloud Drive directory in the sidebar. (It’ll be under the iCloud heading.) Next, select a folder within your iCloud Drive. Use a Mac OS X installation Disc. If you’re unable to use Internet Recovery Mode or create a bootable USB installer, you can still use a Mac OS X installation disc. These discs are available for OS X Snow Leopard, OS X Lion, and OS X Mountain Lion. If your Mac is from 2012 or earlier, there was an installation disc in the original box. Dec 11, 2020 If you're using macOS Catalina or later, choose Apple menu  System Preferences, click Apple ID, then select iCloud in the sidebar: Store in iCloud turns on the Optimize Mac Storage setting on the right. To turn off iCloud Drive entirely, deselect iCloud Drive. Sep 06, 2019 Catalina finally brings true folder sharing to iCloud Drive. A right-click on a folder brings up the familiar share menu item, with choices to share via Mail, Messages, AirDrop, and Notes. What’s new is the “Add People” item, which add recipients to an access list (see screenshot below).

After combing through the logs of each kernel panic in Console, I noticed that each could be related to a timeout condition in a kernel task related to iCloud. After digging through several Reddit threads, Apple forums, and StackExchange posts, I started to find some common threads. Overall, the issue seems to be that in Catalina when the system attempts to go into a sleep state, the iCloud sync kernel task is not shut down appropriately and continues to attempt to connect to the iCloud server. However, since the reset of the appropriate system services are in a sleep state and not available, the iCloud sync kernel task times out and crashes.

Finally, in one of the Apple forums I found, an AppleCare tech that mentioned there was a known issue with Catalina that involved the order in which you sign into iCloud vs Apple Music and Apple TV, and that would cause iCloud syncing issues that could manifest in a variety of ways. So after 3 full erase and fresh re-installs of Catalina, I finally found the following sequence to resolve my issues:

Step 1 - Turn off Firevault if it’s enabled

Found under System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firevault. Firevault is a file encryption service and does not allow for the drive to be erased while it is enabled.

Step 2 - Sign out of iCloud & turn off Find My Mac

iCloud with Find my Mac locks a system to your specific Apple ID to prevent/deter thieves. However, the drive needs to be fully released to be erased for the OS re-install. To sign out, go to System Preferences > Apple ID and select Sign Out.

Step 3 - Shut down & boot into recovery mode

Be sure to save all of your important file to iCloud or elsewhere, do not create an image to restore from such as a Time Machine backup because it will also contain the bug causing any of these issues. Once ready, shut the computer down and restart it while holding down the ‘Command’ and ‘R’ keys. Keep holding these keys until the computer reboots into a gray screen with a menu of recovery options.

Step 4 - Erase the drive using Disk Utility

Before selecting the option to reinstall Mac OS, run Disk Utility and erase then reformat Macintosh HD. Once complete, quit Disk Utility and you’ll be returned to the main menu.

Step 5 - Reinstall Mac OS Catalina

Now select the option to reinstall Mac OS. Be sure to connect to a power adapter and a good wifi network.

Step 6 - Skip all of the setup screens possible (DO NOT SIGN INTO ICLOUD YET)

Once Catalina has finished installing, you’ll see the same set up screens as the very first time you turned on the computer. Select the skip option for all of these expect where you create a local user with a password to log into the computer and Touch ID. DO NOT SIGN IN USING YOUR Apple ID to anything in these setup screens.

Step 7 - In the local user, sign into Apple Music & Apple TV

Once you reach the normal desktop, first sign into Apple Music and authorize the computer. Do the same in the Apple TV application.

Step 8 - Sign into iCloud

Now is the time that you can finally go back and sign into iCloud under System Preferences > Apple ID. After signing in, do not move onto the next step until you see your files sync in the iCloud Drive tab in a Finder Window. This could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on the amount you have stored in your iCloud Drive, but it should not take more than 24 hours.

Step 9 - Merge local folders back into iCloud

Once your files have synced again, go back to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud Drive > Options… and select ‘Desktop & Documents Folders’ to merge the local folder on the computer back with iCloud so anything you save locally is automatically synced in iCloud.

While it was fairly frustrating to spend so much time troubleshooting & fixing such an expensive computer brand new out of the box, I have no regrets upgrading to the 16” MacBook Pro. It’s an amazing machine and powers through the intense developer load I put it under now that I have a good OS install on it. I guess the tech gods just like to give us a run for our money every once in a while.

macOS Catalina gives you more of everything you love about Mac. Experience music and podcasts in two all-new Mac apps. Enjoy your favorite iPad apps now on your Mac. Extend your workspace and expand your creativity with iPad and Apple Pencil. And discover smart new features in the apps you use every day. Now you can take everything you do above and beyond.

Music and podcasts take center stage.

iTunes forever changed the way people experienced music and podcasts. It all changes again with new, dedicated apps — Apple Music and Apple Podcasts — each designed from the ground up to be the best way to enjoy entertainment on your Mac. And rest assured; everything you had in your iTunes library is still accessible in each app. iCloud seamlessly syncs everything across your devices — or you can back up, restore, and sync by connecting the device directly to your Mac.

Presenting Apple Music on Mac.

The new Apple Music app is the ultimate music streaming experience on Mac. Enjoy all the music you’ve collected over the years and find it all in your music library on all your devices.

Listen up. Podcasts on Mac.

The best entertainment, comedy, news, and sports shows are now available on your Mac with Apple Podcasts. Search for podcasts by title, topic, guest, host, content, and more. Subscribe and be notified as soon as new episodes become available. And in the Listen Now tab, you can easily pick up where you left off across all your devices.

The apps you love.
Right on your Mac.

Experience your favorite iPad apps now on your Mac. With Mac Catalyst, developers can easily create Mac apps from the iPad apps you already know and love. They run natively alongside your existing Mac apps so you can drag and drop content between them. They take full advantage of the larger screen and powerful architecture of your Mac. And because they are built from their iOS versions, they provide a seamless experience across your devices. Enjoy a broad range of Mac apps — from travel, entertainment, and gaming to banking, education, and project management.

The Twitter for Mac app takes full advantage of the native Mac features like multiple windows, drag and drop, keyboard shortcuts, and more. See more of what’s happening on a larger screen and easily work alongside your other Mac apps.

Morpholio Board for Mac lets interior designers create their mood boards on a larger screen with much more detail. Users can scroll through a huge library of furnishings; use new editing, composition, curation, and organization tools; and work alongside web browsers, notes, and email.

With the Post-it® App on Mac, users can easily organize all their notes on the big screen. Grouping and sorting is much faster using a keyboard and mouse or trackpad. And importing boards from other users is even easier.

With Jira for Mac, manage projects like a boss. Take advantage of native Mac features and move through Jira faster than ever, push notifications, keyboard shortcuts, drag and drop, custom menu bar, and more.

The American Airlines app for Mac lets users check in and choose their seats, and even see three-dimensional renderings of their seats powered by SceneKit.

With TripIt on Mac, you can review all your plans in one place, edit and share your trip details, and research your destination, all while multitasking with other Mac apps. Your itinerary is even available offline, whether you’re at your desk or at 35,000 feet.

The Crew app for Mac is the first communications app designed for workers who don’t have easy access to communication technology on the job. Managers often use Mac computers in the back of house at stores, so users can access the experience they expect on the platform they prefer.

This popular language-learning solution opens a whole new world on Mac. The desktop is wonderfully suited for focus and learning. Rosetta Stone is tightly integrated with the Mac microphone and includes an offline mode for a seamless app experience that’s just not possible on the web.

Proloquo2Go on Mac is designed for people with communication challenges who are unable to make themselves understood using their own voices. The app lets parents, teachers, and therapists customize the app vocabulary using the keyboard and provide new words without requiring access to their child’s device, which may be at school or at home.

Even more amazing Mac apps.Even more amazing Mac apps

Developers are continuing to build for Catalyst as many more of your favorite iPad apps will be coming to Mac.

The apps you use every day, made extraordinary.

With macOS Catalina, the apps you love are now more beautiful and intelligent than ever. So your everyday tasks are easier than ever.

Focus on your best shots.

Photos has a new immersive, dynamic look that showcases your photos and memories. See only the best shots in your library, without the duplicates and clutter. Browse your favorite photos by days, months, and years and get larger previews of all your photos. And Photos is even smarter, so it can highlight important moments like birthdays, anniversaries, and trips.

Easier to find. And easier to share.

A new gallery view and more powerful search help you find your notes quicker than ever. Shared folders let you collaborate on entire folders of notes with another person or a group. And new checklist options let you move completed items to the bottom, quickly reorder items using drag and drop, and more.

Organization.
Reorganized.

The Reminders app has been completely rebuilt, with an all-new design and new ways to easily create, organize, and keep track of reminders. Add attachments to reminders, create or change reminders with the quick edit buttons, and let Siri suggest new ones found in Messages. Smart lists automatically organize and display your upcoming reminders. And if you tag someone in a reminder, you’ll be notified the next time you’re chatting in Messages.

Start browsing.
Faster.

An updated start page helps you easily and quickly access your favorites and frequently visited sites. And Siri suggestions surface bookmarks, iCloud Tabs, and links from your reading list, as well as those you receive in Messages.

Extend your desktop. With iPad.

Sidecar lets you extend your workspace by using your iPad as a second Mac display.¹ Work in one app while you reference another or view your artwork on your Mac while you use tools and palettes on your iPad. You can also mirror the screens so they both display the same content, making it perfect for sharing exactly what you see with others.

Express your creativity. With Apple Pencil.

Bring the ease and precision of Apple Pencil to your favorite creative Mac apps with Sidecar.² Just drag your app window from your Mac to your iPad as you would with any second display. Then use Apple Pencil to design in Illustrator, edit photos in Affinity Photo, or create 3D models in ZBrush. The handy sidebar puts essential Command, Control, and Shift keys right at your fingertips.

Make your mark on Mac.

Use Apple Pencil for everyday tasks like drawing and sketching or marking up screenshots and PDFs. You can easily insert a sketch from your iPad into any document on your Mac.

Powerful apps. Made even more powerful.

Discover all the amazing apps that are compatible with Sidecar, including illustration, photography, and 3D apps.

Affinity Photo

Maya

Screen Time.
Now on Mac.

macOS Catalina brings all your favorite Screen Time features to Mac, giving you greater insight into how you’re spending your time. Monitor usage, schedule downtime, and set limits for both apps and websites across all your devices. And with Family Sharing, you can set app and communication limits for your kids to help them focus on the right things.

Communication Limits

Communication Limits let you choose who your children can communicate with throughout the day and during downtime, so you can make sure they’re always reachable.

Combined Limits

With Combined Limits, you can combine individual apps and websites, and even whole categories, into a single, easy-to-manage limit. Set a limit for a group of apps and websites, like gaming or your favorite streaming apps.

One More Minute

Need an extra minute to wrap up what you’re doing? You’ll get a notification when you’ve reached your time limit, so you can quickly wrap up a conversation, save a file, or close a game session before your time runs out.

Increased security.
Greater privacy.

With macOS Catalina, there are enhanced security features to better protect macOS against tampering, help ensure that the apps you use are safe, and give you greater control over access to your data. And it’s even easier to find your Mac if it’s lost or stolen.

More secure hardware.

The Apple T2 Security Chip keeps your Mac secure by ensuring that you’re running trusted software and automatically encrypting your stored data. It also provides secure authentication for Touch ID. And now macOS Catalina features Activation Lock, so only you can erase and reactivate your Mac.

Safer-running software.

macOS Catalina runs in its own read-only volume, so it’s separate from all other data on your Mac, and nothing can accidentally overwrite your system files. And Gatekeeper ensures that new apps you install have been checked for known security issues before you run them, so you’re always using good software.

Data protections.

Apps must now get your permission before directly accessing files in your Documents and Desktop folders, iCloud Drive, and external volumes, so you’re always in control of your data. And you’ll be prompted before any app can capture keyboard activity or a photo or video of your screen.

The new Find My app combines Find My iPhone and Find My Friends into a single, easy-to-use app on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Find My can help you locate a missing Mac — even if it’s offline and sleeping — by sending out Bluetooth signals that can be detected by Apple devices in use nearby. They can then relay the detected location of your Mac to iCloud so you can locate it in the Find My app.

It’s all anonymous and encrypted end-to-end so no one, including Apple, knows the identity of any reporting device. And because the reporting happens silently using tiny bits of data that piggyback on existing network traffic, there’s no need to worry about your battery life, your data usage, or your privacy.

Powerful features to empower everyone.

macOS Catalina includes new features to help everyone get the most out of Mac. Tools for users with low vision allow you to zoom in on a paragraph of text or the entire screen.

Zoom Display

If you have two screens, you can keep one screen zoomed in close while the other remains at a standard resolution. It’s great for everyday work and giving a presentation.

Hover Text

Hover Text makes it easier to view text on your Mac display. Just hover over any text with your cursor and press Command. You’ll get a dedicated window with large, high-resolution text. You can even choose the fonts and colors.

macOS Catalina

The power of Mac.
Taken further.

Featuring all-new, dedicated apps for music and podcasts. Smart new features in the apps you use every day. And Sidecar, which lets you use iPad as a second Mac display.

See if your Mac can run macOS Catalina.

MacBook

2015 and later

MacBook Air

2012 and later

MacBook Pro

2012 and later

Mac mini

2012 and later

iMac

2012 and later

iMac Pro

2017 and later

(all models)

Mac Pro

2013 and later

New tools to build new worlds.

If you can imagine it, you can create it. ARKit 3 gives you new tools to build incredible experiences on the world’s largest AR platform.

Icloud Drive Mac Os Catalina Reviews

Develop for macOS Catalina.

Icloud Drive Mac Os Catalina Upgrade

The Apple SDK offers enormous possibilities for developers to create apps that will work across Mac, iPhone, and iPad.