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MP 1,1-5,1 Attempting to install onto blank computer

DanielGMac

DanielGMac

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 9, 2011
47
3
Mac Pro 5,1 Mid-2010

I’ve been running this booted into centOS for a few years and thought I’d restore it to an OS X machine and use it properly for a bit.

I took out all the hard drives and put a blank 1Tb drive in

No operating system.

Originally it had the GT120 video card and was being used just fine. That was probably three OS X updates ago.

Attempting to boot just to install again. Here are the outcomes of each attempted boot. Hold down Option while si:

Snow Leopard factory install disks (two sets) Gray screen with apple in middle.

Mojave Blu Ray “graphics card must be Metal Capable” even when one is. I expected this one with the GT120 card as it’s not metal capable so I picked up NVIDIA GT 630 from macvidcards.com and get the same error after trying to boot with tha



High Sierra Flash Drive bootable got to installer “This copy is damaged…” can’t be installed


Nvidia GT 630 from macvidcards.com supposed to be metal capable. No idea.

(edit to correct to OS X Mojave)
 
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DeltaMac

DeltaMac

macrumors G5
Jul 30, 2003
13,763
4,589
Delaware
hmm... Mavericks (OS X 10.9.x) was not "metal" aware, and could not give that error about a metal-capable card. Support for metal did not start until El Capitan.
So, your "Mavericks" installer is not actually Mavericks, but El Capitan, or something newer.
 
DanielGMac

DanielGMac

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 9, 2011
47
3
Oops. Mojave, not Mavericks.

I can boot a macbook pro to target mode and boot off that with the Mac Pro. I cannot find a way to install anything doing that, though. If there's a way, I'm all ears.
 
KeesMacPro

KeesMacPro

macrumors 65816
Nov 7, 2019
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I'd make a bootable installer usb with El Capitan on your MacBook Pro and install the GT120 and the blank 1TB HDD in the MP.
Then boot it without the option key,( it should boot from the usb automatically) format the HDD to HFS+ and install EC on the 1TB.
Assuming it works you could upgrade to Mojave after swapping the GT120 for the GT630.

Depending on the Firmware version of your MP, you may have to upgrade to High Sierra first to get to Mojave.

The reason why the Mojave installer didnt work with the GT630, is a known bug:
With a Kepler Nvidia card e.g. GT 630 it's not possible to install from an external installer (only with 2 HDDs: 1 installer , 1 blank HDD for Mojave).

Supposing you got EC or HS running, you can just upgrade on the same disk without external/internal installer HDD.

BTW: download the latest version of the installer here:
point #4 says "download here"/"get Mac OS High Sierra"/"Get Mojave"

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

EDIT: It's recommended after a working install to look for updates and install them before upgrading to another OS.
 
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h9826790

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,587
Hong Kong
Something is wrong.

Original 5,1 won't ship with GT120. If your cMP original comes with GT120, then it's a 4,1. And the associated recovery disc only good for 4,1.

If the recovery disc is 10.6.4 or later, then it should work for 5,1 (regardless flashed or not). Of course, you have to wait for a long time for it to boot and recover. It's slow for today's standard.
 
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macguru9999

macguru9999

macrumors 6502a
Aug 9, 2006
817
387
Do you have another mac. ? You need to make up an external boot drive with a system and some installers on it... get a mac with sierra or high sierra and clone it to a boot external usb drive (guid partition map/extended journaled) using carbon copy cloner. Download CURRENT installers for mojave or whatever you want to install, not older ones that have expired.) either clone or install high sierra onto the mac pro. see how you go. if its a 4,1 flash the firmware, sounds like maybe thats already been done. locate a flashed nvidia gtx680 or radeon 78xx 79xx card with a boot screen and install. run the mojave installer . you may need the dosdude one as some video card combinations make the installer baulk even though they are compatible. check the firmware is up to date and away you go ... !
 
macguru9999

macguru9999

macrumors 6502a
Aug 9, 2006
817
387
KeesMacPro said:
Why install a patched OS if it can be installed natively?
Click to expand...
It depends. I had a flashed nvidia gtx 680 in my mac pro 5,1 when i wanted to install mojave.... it would do the firmware update, but then tell me i had the wrong video card even though it was supported... maybe they fixed that i dont know, so i made up a mojave installer from dosdude on a usb and used that... maybe if i had had an nvidia 7xxx card i would not have needed that step. But i had already tried one and it had an annoying flicker or flash every now and then so i sent it back. I did not need to install any patches of course you get a vanilla os, but the dosdude one bypasses the machine check.
 
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h9826790

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,587
Hong Kong
macguru9999 said:
It depends. I had a flashed nvidia gtx 680 in my mac pro 5,1 when i wanted to install mojave.... it would do the firmware update, but then tell me i had the wrong video card even though it was supported... maybe they fixed that i dont know, so i made up a mojave installer from dosdude on a usb and used that... maybe if i had had an nvidia 7xxx card i would not have needed that step. But i had already tried one and it had an annoying flicker or flash every now and then so i sent it back. I did not need to install any patches of course you get a vanilla os, but the dosdude one bypasses the machine check.
Click to expand...
That's a known issue, the installer's problem.
 
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KeesMacPro

KeesMacPro

macrumors 65816
Nov 7, 2019
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The Mojave installer got a known bug:
With a Kepler Nvidia card it's not possible to install from an external installer.
 
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tsialex

tsialex

Contributor
Jun 13, 2016
13,455
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For some people, it's valid to go the easy way now and spend time managing hacked installs forever than doing the right way one time.

Always do the right way, even if you have to fight the initial cross flash process or have to do clean installs with two disks. In the log run, it will be so much easier to maintain your Mac Pro.
 
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