Install Mavericks on MacPro 1,1 without EFI card

[beppe.wide]

Hi to all and sorry for my bad english. I'm a newbie in Apple world.

I want to install Mavericks on my sister's MacPro 1,1 and the original GT7300 is broken. I've bought a Gainward GT640 from Amazon that will arrive tommorow. At the moment I use an old Geforce 9600 GT of my friend. It boots on 10.7.5 (boot screen doesn't work obviously) but i don't know how I'll be able to install Mavericks if i'll not able to choose the boot device! I don't have another Mac machine so i can't follow the procedure of install the OS on external hard disk.. I've heard about an alternative bootloader called Chameleon that could help me. Has anyone of you tried it in a similar situation?
Or......is it possible to select the boot device before restart the Mac? I do something similar on my Linux desktop by using a script for GRUB.

Thanks in advance and i hope to resolve the problem ASAP

 

[bax2003]

You need another/working Mac to prepare boot USB with SFOTT script (Sixty Four On Thirty Two) to be able to boot Mavericks on unsupported Mac.

GT640 will only boot with Lion 10.7.5 or newer. I am not sure will boot into 10.7.5 installer or you need at least 10.7.5 with nVidia web driver.

 

[beppe.wide]

I've installed the GT640 and it works smoothly with 10.7.5 (maybe beacuse i've installed 295.00.05f03 Nvidia driver before). Ok, i've a few doubts now:

- Why should I use another Mac to prepare USB install key by using SFOTT script? Can I use SFOTT during my 10.7.5 normal session? Following the original guide (http://oemden.com/?page_id=585) it seems like I can use it directly on "target computer"..

- I've a 10.9.4 install image found on the web and not the original package download from App Store (i can't find it since i use an unsupported MP), is it good anyway and ready to use in the SFOTT script? Is it illegal? (i know Mavericks is free) :S

- I've tried to boot my Mac with the install DVD of 10.7.5 to see if GT640 shows something but....i've just black screen Is it a driver related problem of 10.7.5 installer? I had to detach the DVD drive to boot from hard disk!!! Will i see black screen also with USB Mavericks install key (I remind you that my principal issue is the broken GT 7300?)

I really don't know where to start... Can you link me a "basic" guide or thread with clear steps for newbies?

Sorry again for my bad english. I hope you'll understand.

 

[dmiller10]

Just did this today!

Hey man,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl23HYRQrlw

This video tells you everything you need to know. It works flawlessly, I am currently typing this response on my 2006 MacPro1,1 running Yosemite!

Keep in mind, you will need a Yosemite compatible machine to download the OS off the App store and transfer to the MacPro (unless you can find the dmg online but obviously you want to be careful of the source).

You'll also need a thumb drive to host the boot loader. You mentioned not being able to see the disk selection screen when you option-boot? My only suggestion would be to pull the drive from the MacPro and connect it to a different machine, install the OS (as shown from the video above) and then reinstall it into the MacPro. I did this when Lion was released because (at the time) I didn't have 2GBs of RAM in the machine, so installed it on a separate machine to bypass the hardware check.

On a side note, you cannot do that aforementioned trick anymore, the 32bit vs 64bit variances aren't compatible with Yosemite, you need the script form the video above to change the installer configurations of 10.10.

Good luck! Again, it's DEFINITELY possible, I am doing it now myself

 

[Harry Muff]

I used Lion on my Mac Pro 1,1 to make the bootable USB, and then partitioned the SSD 50/50 before installing Yosemite on the second partition.

It's a very Jekyll & Hyde Mac Pro...



And to top it off, it's gone from being a 1,1 to a 2,1.



I love this forum.

 

[beppe.wide]

I've resolved just by making a SFOTT usb key in my 10.7.5. Rebooted MP with USB inserted and Mavericks installer just recognized correctly my GT640. I'm so happyyyy thank you all