iMac mid 2011 Mojave install question...

[jimbob200521]

Long story short, I have a mid 2011 iMac with a Core i5, 12gb RAM, and a replacement GPU (from a Dell, it's a Quadro K2000M). The machine boots into High Sierra, albeit without a boot screen, and runs flawlessly. My issue is, since I have no boot screen, I am unsure of how to properly install Mojave as, since I have no boot screen, I am unable to select a boot device. I understand that for initial boot I can select a boot device from within High Sierra but dosdudes installer requires you boot once more into the installer to run some post scrips to finish things up but, again, since I have no boot screen/boot selector, I cannot reboot into the installer.

I can't be the only one to run into this so my question is, how do you guys handle this? High Sierra isn't bad at all but I crave me some Mojave! Thanks in advance!!

 

[redheeler]

Just a suggestion, but you should be able to hold down Option and use the arrow keys to select it blindly even though nothing appears on the screen.
[doublepost=1553037328][/doublepost]I wouldn't recommend installing Mojave on top of High Sierra though. A dual-boot is a better idea.

 

[JDLang76]

If you have access to a compatible mac, you can install it then just move the drive over.

 

[jimbob200521]

Just a suggestion, but you should be able to hold down Option and use the arrow keys to select it blindly even though nothing appears on the screen.
[doublepost=1553037328][/doublepost]I wouldn't recommend installing Mojave on top of High Sierra though. A dual-boot is a better idea.

I tried that but as there is no boot select screen, I had no luck

If you have access to a compatible mac, you can install it then just move the drive over.

Unfortunately, I do not have access to a Mac that is compatible with Mojave. My Macbook tops out at High Sierra, as well :-/

 

[JDLang76]

I tried that but as there is no boot select screen, I had no luck



Unfortunately, I do not have access to a Mac that is compatible with Mojave. My Macbook tops out at High Sierra, as well :-/

When you select the startup disk in settings, it sticks that way for as long as that selected drive is connected. So it should reboot to the installer drive automatically. If i were you, I would clone my OS to an external HDD as a backup then just try that. It should work.

 

[jimbob200521]

When you select the startup disk in settings, it sticks that way for as long as that selected drive is connected. So it should reboot to the installer drive automatically. If i were you, I would clone my OS to an external HDD as a backup then just try that. It should work.

That might actually make sense! I had initially thought that when you select a boot drive (via the option key when booting), it resets on the next reboot back to the default drive. It didn't click until now that pre-selecting a boot drive from within MacOS might stick around as a change until you change it back. Am I reading/interpreting this correct or am I still crazy?

 

[JDLang76]

That might actually make sense! I had initially thought that when you select a boot drive (via the option key when booting), it resets on the next reboot back to the default drive. It didn't click until now that pre-selecting a boot drive from within MacOS might stick around as a change until you change it back. Am I reading/interpreting this correct or am I still crazy?

You read it right. Its supposed to stick until you change it again in startup settings.

 

[gauchomac]

That might actually make sense! I had initially thought that when you select a boot drive (via the option key when booting), it resets on the next reboot back to the default drive. It didn't click until now that pre-selecting a boot drive from within MacOS might stick around as a change until you change it back. Am I reading/interpreting this correct or am I still crazy?

Take a look at the giant graphic card upgrade thread. towards the last there is a lot of discussion on installing Mojave. Apparently, the key is to make a partition the drive and keep High Sierra on that partition so you can always get back in, for both the initial install, and then to recover after an OSX update.