MP 1,1-5,1 Can 2012 MacPro 5,1 support 4K graphics running Sequoia?

[danallen]

This thread is started in search of a for-sure-definitely-correct yes/no answer.

Looking around, I have not found any claims of 4k graphics coming out of a MacPro using open core.

My question is: Is 4k graphics out of MacPro 5,1 running Sequoia possible? If not, I need to get off this machine. If yes, then will begin diving into details I would rather ignore, but, there it is.

I installed Monterey using Martin Lo's open core. I didn't get the drivers the graphics needed, so I bailed off it.

What I need to know is whether I can run 4k with the most recent releases of MacOS on my machine. It is my understanding that some form of open core is a requirement for running those versions of macOS on this hardware


overdue upgrade of my 2012 MacPro 5,1

I use my mac for programming websites and databases, need current browsers running on it. Need 4k, really want dual 4k monitors, built one suffices. Can it be done with open core and Sequoia.

Catalina is running with the DosDude path, following one of is masterpiece videos.





UPON FURTHER REVIEW:

More data and a sophisticated analysis model, that I have not, are required for a definitive finding. That said, I am willing to risk exposing my ignorance, misunderstanding, poor instincts, and absolutely unjustified confidence in my perceptions pertaining to information technology, by offering this hypothesis without evidence except that which think I see here: 81 views without a comment in 5.5 hour time span in the MacRumors forum for MacPros says to me, IF there are any 2012 MacPro 5,1 machines producing 4k output running Sequoia, there are not many, it is not common, it might well not be possible.

I suspect it is possible. Can't say for sure without seeing it done or hearing terrific analysis by someone who knows a lot, such as the 20% of the membership here that lead the MacOS understanding and practices of the world.

Bonus unverified observation: I don't see too many of the developer jocks who who for Apple identifying themselves and sharing their knowledge at MacRumors. I might start a thread to inquire about that one.

 

[reader50]

I have a MacPro 4,1 flashed to 5,1 with an RX580 card, and am running the latest Sequoia version (installed with OpenCore Legacy Patcher).

I currently have 3x 4K monitors attached. Yes, I get the full 4K resolution on all three monitors.

 

[danallen]

I have a MacPro 4,1 flashed to 5,1 with an RX580 card, and am running the latest Sequoia version (installed with OpenCore Legacy Patcher).

I currently have 3x 4K monitors attached. Yes, I get the full 4K resolution on all three monitors.

Thank you @reader50 Reader50. I am really glad to get a clear YES to my yes/no question, with a bonus that the YES answers means the chance of running my antique computer into the next level of antiqueness is much better than what I had been estimating.

Brief followups:
I know mountains of documentation is available on how to get Sequoia running on the cMP 4,1->5,1 with open core Legacy Patcher.

If you have a moment to respond on a couple details:

1. Bringing the Graphics Card Along. Are special notes or procedures required for bringing RX 580 through the upgrade at its full capacity? When I installed Monterey on my cMP 5,1 with the GTX 680, it was not running well. I started asking questions about that and someone asked. "Did you get the drivers you need for the Nvidia card?"

Am I correct in believing the RX 580 with Apple EFI installed (to produce the Apple-Iconed gray startup screens) already has the drivers it will need, that the already flashed-withApple RX 580, will not require flashing or other special processes for the Sequoia w/ Open Core Legacy Patcher?

2. Primary Documentation for the Upgrade You Happened to Use

I have little experience with Open Core or installations of MacOS on cMP requiring work arounds. Years ago I put Catalina onto my machine with a Dosdude path. That has been great, but it getting locked out of a lot of stuff now for being out of date. When installing Catalina and Monterey, I was as thorough as I could be, but I know very little about any of the after-market MacOS installations. I also know little about the various boot modes available on MacOS. Once every few years I need to boot into Recovery mode, start disk selector, safe mode, PRAM reset or any of the other alternates to regular start/boot. I had bad experience trying to use the website and Discord based support for some form of Open Core (forgot what version it was). I never was able to authenticate and be allowed in, because the instructions were based on having a knowledge base I don't have. For all I have done with Catalina and Monterey, I used reference material primarily from @DosDude, here at MacRumors, and Lance from Mac Sound Solutions inc. on YouTube

I am not asking for a solution to those complications, I was just wondering if you might be able top tap out a few bullet points or sentences sharing what reference material you used as your guide to getting Sequoia running on your cMP 4,11->5,1?

Do you happen to recall the sequence of MacOS versions you installed from Catalina through to Sequoia. I am looking at going frmo Catalina directly to Sequoia, not installing any of the intermedia versions of MacOS

 

[danallen]

I have a MacPro 4,1 flashed to 5,1 with an RX580 card, and am running the latest Sequoia version (installed with OpenCore Legacy Patcher).

I currently have 3x 4K monitors attached. Yes, I get the full 4K resolution on all three monitors.

Not that I have right to know, but if you send a few words of response, it would be helpful and interestring

Do you have only one graphics card?

How are the 4k monitors connected to the computer.

What model monitors

 

[reader50]

OCLP is for the most part a straightforward solution. They've ironed out most issues that could trip you up. Follow the OCLP documentation for an installation. You'll use the OCLP app to download a later macOS installer from Apple. Which it then uses to create a USB installer customized for your system. Boot from the USB drive and install as normal.

I went from Mojave -> Monterey -> Sonoma -> Sequoia. I also had trouble using Migration Assistant after an install. Maybe the developers have fixed that, but my solution was to declare a new partition for the new OS. Clone my existing OS over, then install the newer OS onto the clone. If anything goes wrong, your old install is completely intact. You just need enough free disk space for multiple OS installs.

For whatever reason, the upgrade to Monterey was particularly difficult for me. The installer got stuck, and needed a forced-shutdown. Upon reboot, continue where it left off, and everything finished up. You can try going from Catalina -> Sequoia, but if you run into problems, I'd suggest Catalina -> Monterey -> Sequoia.

Most monitors will just work. I cheaped out once with BestBuy TVs (they were on sale). Unlike a real monitor, the TV apparently insisted on the latest HDCP encoding, and would not accept a plain signal from my RX580. I had to add active adapters to satisfy then. I haven't run into this issue with any other screen, not even other TVs used as monitors. So it was probably a one-off problem with BestBuy Insignia TVs

 

[dannyseek]

If I may add, I have a 2010 5,1 and I am using an Apple Studio Display which is 5K resolution. The GPU is an RX5700. I have reason to believe that you could go all the way to 8K, but I have not tested that as I do not own an 8K monitor. I'm currently using Windows 10 but I've had Monterey working with this setup. Unfortunately Sequoia doesn't work for me due to my GPU, but the RX580 should work with Sequoia.