2006/2007 Mac Pro (1,1/2,1) and OS X El Capitan

[Larsvonhier]

Thanks for that advice, is it possible (when new KErnel is updated) to just throw El Capitan back on the Machine and keep all the Apps and Plugins as they are right now, or is it necessary to re-install all apps and stuff? As this would be a pain in the ****

Thanks for your Help Friend!

I´d suggest to clone your El Cap volume first. Put it in a safe place!
Then install Mojave on your boot drive and see how far you can get and if there is need to return to El Cap.
If you want to return, boot from the cloned El Cap and clone back to your internal boot volume.

Doing all this hack-testing with only one working boot drive and precious data on it should be a no-brainer ;-)

 

[JPS_3000]

Then install Mojave on your boot drive and see how far you can get and if there is need to return to El Cap

Bro, Not sure if that is Even possible on my 2,1 Mac Pro. Guess El Cap is the latest Version working on that machine

 

[flyinmac]

I´d suggest to clone your El Cap volume first. Put it in a safe place!
Then install Mojave on your boot drive and see how far you can get and if there is need to return to El Cap.
If you want to return, boot from the cloned El Cap and clone back to your internal boot volume.

Doing all this hack-testing with only one working boot drive and precious data on it should be a no-brainer ;-)

Bro, Not sure if that is Even possible on my 2,1 Mac Pro. Guess El Cap is the latest Version working on that machine

El Capitan is the latest version that can be run on the Mac Pro 1,1 and 2,1.

 

[Larsvonhier]

El Capitan is the latest version that can be run on the Mac Pro 1,1 and 2,1.

You´re completely right, I confused the post with the ongoing torment of that type of questions in the "Mojave on unsupported machines" thread. Core advice is still very valid: Don´t mess with your only boot volume... ;-)

 

[rthpjm]

Thanks for that advice, is it possible (when new KErnel is updated) to just throw El Capitan back on the Machine and keep all the Apps and Plugins as they are right now, or is it necessary to re-install all apps and stuff? As this would be a pain in the ****

Thanks for your Help Friend!

There is no need to perform a re-install of the whole OS. Simply download a copy of Security Update 2017-005 from the Apple Support web site, use Pacifist to extract that kernel, and replace the Apple updated one.

I think someone posted the kernel itself in one of the earlier replies here. If so, grab that for the replacement...

 

[kaosnews]

I think someone posted the kernel itself in one of the earlier replies here. If so, grab that for the replacement...

I can confirm that this kernel (https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...s-x-el-capitan.1890435/page-171#post-26218181) is the latest, working kernel and working perfectly on my Mac Pro which I use daily (with the lastest 2018-004 security updates). Think it's safe to say that getting the lastest security updates (2018-004) and 'downgrading' the kernel doesn't give any problems.

 

[Inspector42]

I can confirm that this kernel (https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...s-x-el-capitan.1890435/page-171#post-26218181) is the latest, working kernel and working perfectly on my Mac Pro which I use daily (with the lastest 2018-004 security updates). Think it's safe to say that getting the lastest security updates (2018-004) and 'downgrading' the kernel doesn't give any problems.

Interestingly the installer claims on my MacPro 2,1 than the „volume does not meet the requirements for this update“.
System Version shows as 15G21012 and Security Update 2018-003 installed.
Putting the 2018-003 kernel back (including cache rebuild) and booting from a cloned drive did not make a difference.
I can live with this, but would like to understand, what prevents the installation of the latest security Update.

[Edit] Went ahead and installed via Pacifist. Now shows System Version 15G22010 and runs without issues using kernel from 2017-005 update.

[Edit2] Very interesting: after installing the security update with Pacifist, the regular installer now offers this drive for installation again. I must have screwed up something with the last update.

 

[jacquesd]

hello, is there a post detailing the process to replace the kernel in the security update, i didn't find it? i already downloaded the kernel do i have to apply the security update and then replace the kernel while booting on an other disk ? but where is it located ? sorry for all my noob questions

running el cap on mac pro 1.1 16gb ram ati 4870 ( by the way quite unstable)

 

[Inspector42]

hello, is there a post detailing the process to replace the kernel in the security update, i didn't find it? i already downloaded the kernel do i have to apply the security update and then replace the kernel while booting on an other disk ? but where is it located ? sorry for all my noob questions

running el cap on mac pro 1.1 16gb ram ati 4870 ( by the way quite unstable)

I don‘t recall where I read it, so here is one way to do it:

• Have a copy of the kernel from security update 2007-005 ready somewhere (YourKernel2017-005Location)
• Boot into recovery Partition by pressing the cmd+R at startup (that way you don´t have to worry about SIP). You can also hold the Option-Key and then select the recovery partition if your graphic card does have a boot screen)
• Open Terminal from the Menu „Utilities“ and ignore the main window on the screen
• Type the following commands (replace YourNormalBootDrive with the name of your Boot Drive)

cd "/Volumes/YourNormalBootDrive/System/Library/Kernels"
cp kernel kernel2018-004
rm kernel
cp "YourKernel2017-005Location" kernel2017-005
ln kernel2017-005 kernel
touch "/Volumes/YourNormalBootDrive/System/Library/Extensions"
reboot

By using the hard link function you can keep the old kernel around and just need to renew the link with any update. The touch command forces cache rebuilt, else you may still be booting with the pre-linked cache including the latest kernel installed by the security update.

[EDIT] Added parenthesis to account for special characters in the path names

 

[rthpjm]

I don‘t recall where I read it

My post at #3896, and those following it maybe?...

 

[Sevenfeet]

Some weeks ago I fired up my old Mac Pro 1,1 which had been off to check on it and I made the mistake of taking the security update, which got back to the boot loop problem that I hadn't seen before (I had previously just replaced boot.efi with other updates and proceeded along).

So now I've downloaded the posted kernel, booted the machine in Firewire disk mode, moved the old kernel into place and done the touch drill. Now the machine boots....

BUT, the video card (a GT120) doesn't work and I can't screen share into it from anything except another El Cap machine (which I fortunately had) and when I try to login, it thinks about it, then returns to the login screen.

Maybe I didn't do the "touch" part properly concerning rebuilding the caches?

One thing that I don't remember being discussed about is why this happened in the first place. Why would Apple start tinkering with an old kernel from a few years back? The only thing that makes sense is that this has to do with the Spectre/Meltdown security problems of the last several months. And those changes might be enough to cause havoc with a lot of other stuff with these hacked old Macs.
[doublepost=1531692547][/doublepost]An update....I got the machine booted again with the restored kernel but now it reboots every few minutes. Not sure what's going on.

 

[Inspector42]

My post at #3896, and those following it maybe?...

Yes, that was it - now I can give proper credit. I need to learn how to better utilize the search function

 

[Sevenfeet]

OK, the machine is more stable but it is still tending to crash at certain things, like running installers. Turns out that csrutil is back in the "enabled" setting which likely happened when I was trying to get control of the machine and reset PRAM. I'd boot to the recovery partition except that the machine has a non-flashed Nvidia GT120 card in it so I cannot see the screen until proper kexts boot, which doesn't happen in the recovery partition.

I have another GT120 with proper Mac EFI code in my 2008 Mac Pro (this machine replaced the 2006 machine). I'll have to shut it down, yank the card and place it in the 2006 machine for the sole purpose of resetting csrutil. After that, I think everything will be back to normal.

 

[swishpan]

Two words...'Bad RAM'. So...beware of that as well, if you have problems rebooting.

 

[Sevenfeet]

Two words...'Bad RAM'. So...beware of that as well, if you have problems rebooting.

Possible, sure. I did have to pull a bad DIMM a while back on the machine. But redoing the "touch" function stopped the reboots from happening. Now it just happens when I try certain installations (like upgrading to iTunes 12.8). Since I figured out that csrutil is wrong, I'm thinking this is my last problem that I have to fix.

 

[Sevenfeet]

Arghghghgh, my other GT120 isn't flashed either. I forgot this since both cards aren't on my daily driver Mac Pro anymore....an old 8800 is. Which means that I'm going to need to haul it next to my desktop machine and do the card swap on that machine.

*Sigh*.

 

[rthpjm]

Arghghghgh, my other GT120 isn't flashed either. I forgot this since both cards aren't on my daily driver Mac Pro anymore....an old 8800 is. Which means that I'm going to need to haul it next to my desktop machine and do the card swap on that machine.

*Sigh*.

If your recovery HD partition is working okay, simply reboot, wait until your hear the chime, then hold down Apple-R that should get you to the Recovery partition without the need for EFI visuals....

 

[alphascorp]

Hello everyone,
I do not know if anyone is interested but I have automated the task of replacing the kernel following security updates (SecUpd2018-XXXElCapitan) mac pro 1.1 and 2.1 under El Capitan.
After the update, when the system enters in startup loop, just start with a bootable external drive, launch the installation of the package "Fix SecUpdate ElCapitan Mac Pro 1.1-2.1 startup loop.pkg" and select the updated volume.
The task of the package is to replace the kernel with SecUpd2017-005ElCapitan with the root and wheel attributes and to repair the timestamp of "System/Library/Extensions" folder, thus the use of BatCmod and the use of Terminal is no longer necessary.
I did it successfully on my Mac Pro 1.1 (modified 2.1).
Someone could test and tell me if it's ok for him too.
Thank you

The download link of the "Fix SecUpdate ElCapitan Mac Pro 1.1-2.1 Start Loop.pkg" file is below in a dmg file...

Fix SecUpdate ElCapitan Mac Pro 1.1-2.1 Start Loop.dmg

 

[jbarley]

Good work, I'll give it a go when the next security update comes down the pipe.
Thanks.

 

[JPS_3000]

touch "/Volumes/YourNormalBootDrive/System/Library/Extensions"
reboot[/CODE]

By using the hard link function you can keep the old kernel around and just need to renew the link with any update. The touch command forces cache rebuilt, else you may still be booting with the pre-linked cache including the latest kernel installed by the security update.

Thanks a lot, did not tried the ‚touch‘ command yet, as i did not know the entire path of the Operation.. thanks !! Will try it out as the Rest worked out without a Problem.. will drop you a Feedback Right away!!

 

[Mystere65]

In my opinion it does not make any sense to go beyond the last update 2017, on the contrary, it risks damaging the functionalities of the operating system, after all, to find oneself with an old kernel

 

[alphascorp]

In my opinion it does not make any sense to go beyond the last update 2017, on the contrary, it risks damaging the functionalities of the operating system, after all, to find oneself with an old kernel

Hello everyone,
No, I do not think so.
Security updates contain applications updates, extensions updates, and various frameworks changes in addition to modified kernels.
The new kernels since January 2018 have been modified mainly to correct the Spectre & Meltdown security flaw, which is useless because the Intel Xeon that equips the Mac Pro1,1, 2,1 and 3,1 are not Concerned by Spectre & Metldown (Xeon 5130, 5150 and 5160 for the MP1,1, X5365 for the MP2,1, E5462, E5472 and E5482 for the MP3,1), Xeons affected by Spectre & Meltdown are: 34xx, 36xx, 55xx, 56xx, 65xx, 75xx, E3 Vx, E5 Vx and E7 Vx ...)
So we can keep the old Kernel without fear ... which suits us very well in our case ... because we can use the latest security updates on our MP1,1 and 2.1 without having a reboot loop (if performing the Kernel replacement operations explained by "Larsvonhier" and "kaosnews" (page 170 post #4237) or using my package (page 172 post #4293) that automates these operations).

In addition, I modified my installation package unrestricted OS, you no longer need to have a clone of your ElCapitan system disk, for my part I launched my installation package from a External SSD with Lion 10.7.5 and everything worked very well ...

 

[Argyboy]

Is using an old kernel with updated kernel extensions not a stability risk, though? I haven't installed a security update since 2017-005 and everything is working fine. I don't want to disrupt my working system. Have just been installing application updates to iTunes and Safari, and these have been fine.

 

[alphascorp]

Is using an old kernel with updated kernel extensions not a stability risk, though? I haven't installed a security update since 2017-005 and everything is working fine. I don't want to disrupt my working system. Have just been installing application updates to iTunes and Safari, and these have been fine.

Hello,
Yes, indeed it's a good question ...
Personally I was surprised at the beginning of January (I'm not the only one, I think), following the security update 2018-001, to see my Mac Pro went into a boot loop ...
I reinstalled 10.11.6 (15G31) and then upgraded until "SecUpd2017-005ElCapitan".
Since this time I was looking for a way to continue the updates, and I found it 10 days ago.
I have updated to "SecUpd2018-004ElCapitan" installed following the procedure explained by "Larsvonhier" and "kaosnews "(page 170 post #4237).
NO PROBLEM OF STABILITY TO BE DEPLORED FOR THIS TIME...

Maybe I'm very lucky ... but I do not think so. ;-)

 

[Argyboy]

Hello,
Yes, indeed it's a good question ...
Personally I was surprised at the beginning of January (I'm not the only one, I think), following the security update 2018-001, to see my Mac Pro went into a boot loop ...
I reinstalled 10.11.6 (15G31) and then upgraded until "SecUpd2017-005ElCapitan".
Since this time I was looking for a way to continue the updates, and I found it 10 days ago.
I have updated to "SecUpd201-004ElCapitan" installed following the procedure explained by "Larsvonhier" and "kaosnews "(page 170 post #4237).
NO PROBLEM OF STABILITY TO BE DEPLORED FOR THIS TIME...

Maybe I'm very lucky ... but I do not think so. ;-)

Hi! Thanks for the input and the feedback. I am a bit wary of upsetting my stable system but I might take a clone of my boot drive and try what you've suggested. But, I feel lucky to have had the 10.11 opportunity on this system - some people still run 10.7 on original Mac Pros, so even if we leave our updates to the end of 2017, we've done pretty well! ;-)