MP 1,1-5,1 Mac Pro 2010 Can't get back to supported OS from Catalina

[ntemples1]

I am a bit stuck, my mac pro was on catalina, which was on a m.2 in a pci express expansion slot, the ssd was faulty and i have no OS now, I was running a HD7950 to have metal support but I still have a 5770 for boot screens if I need it. As i don't have an operating system to create a bootable USB how can I get back to an operating system?

I have a new Mac Mini M1 but for some reason it won't let me open previous operating systems to try and make a thumbdrive.

I am a bit stuck so any help would be greatly appreciated, even if I can just get back to the last support OS (High sierra???)

thanks

 

[h9826790]

I am a bit stuck, my mac pro was on catalina, which was on a m.2 in a pci express expansion slot, the ssd was faulty and i have no OS now, I was running a HD7950 to have metal support but I still have a 5770 for boot screens if I need it. As i don't have an operating system to create a bootable USB how can I get back to an operating system?

I have a new Mac Mini M1 but for some reason it won't let me open previous operating systems to try and make a thumbdrive.

I am a bit stuck so any help would be greatly appreciated, even if I can just get back to the last support OS (High sierra???)

thanks

M1 Mac only support Big Sur or later macOS, of course can't run previous installer.

In your case, use the M1 to make a Mojave USB installer.

Insert that into the cMP's front port with only the 7950 and your target hard drive (blank) installed. Then your cMP should boot to the installer automatically.

If your 7950 is flashed, you may hold option to boot, then select the installer.

if the 7950 is not flashed, and you can't boot to the Mojave installer. Then create a HS USB installer on the M1.

Insert that into the cMP's front port, but this time, with the 5770, and hold option to boot.

If your M1 can't create the bootable USB installer, please make some screen captures, and let us know what's wrong. Otherwise, hard to help.

 

[ntemples1]

M1 Mac only support Big Sur or later macOS, of course can't run previous installer.

In your case, use the M1 to make a Mojave USB installer.

Insert that into the cMP's front port with only the 7950 and your target hard drive (blank) installed. Then your cMP should boot to the installer automatically.

If your 7950 is flashed, you may hold option to boot, then select the installer.

if the 7950 is not flashed, and you can't boot to the Mojave installer. Then create a HS USB installer on the M1.

Insert that into the cMP's front port, but this time, with the 5770, and hold option to boot.

If your M1 can't create the bootable USB installer, please make some screen captures, and let us know what's wrong. Otherwise, hard to help.

Thanks for the help, Unfortunately on my mac m1 when I click the link to download the HS installer it looks on software update then comes back saying it can't find the OS. So I am stuck to know where to get HS from?

 

[h9826790]

Thanks for the help, Unfortunately on my mac m1 when I click the link to download the HS installer it looks on software update then comes back saying it can't find the OS. So I am stuck to know where to get HS from?

I see. It's not you can't make the USB installer, but you can't download it from the AppStore.

You may try mas-cli. That may allow you to download the HS installer into the Application folder.

 

[Petri Krohn]

You can download the installer for El Capitan or Sierra without going through Apps Store.

Apple made a huge mistake by allowing their 10-years old security certificate to expire on October 24, 2019 without updating any of the installation files on App Store.

They compensated by making Yosemite, El Capitan, and Sierra free downloads that can be downloaded without going to the App Store. Problem is, they somehow made the pages nearly impossible to find on search engines.

Here is a link to the master download page on Apple support site. There are App Store links for the three latest macOS versions and links to direct download pages for three older ones, Yosemite, El Capitan, Sierra.

https://support.apple.com/HT208052

 

[ntemples1]

You can download the installer for El Capitan or Sierra without going through Apps Store.

Apple made a huge mistake by allowing their 10-years old security certificate to expire on October 24, 2019 without updating any of the installation files on App Store.

They compensated by making Yosemite, El Capitan, and Sierra free downloads that can be downloaded without going to the App Store. Problem is, they somehow made the pages nearly impossible to find on search engines.

Here is a link to the master download page on Apple support site. There are App Store links for the three latest macOS versions and links to direct download pages for three older ones, Yosemite, El Capitan, Sierra.

https://support.apple.com/HT208052

Thanks for that but that page just takes me to a link which opens up the app store which shows High Sierra but when I try and get it, it opens up software update on my m1 then comes back with software not available

 

[rmanbike]

Find someone that has a installer on a usb. Its allways wise with older macs to keep the original OS installer. It has 4 hard drive bays and drives are cheap. I have 4 ssd and one HDD installed, with El Capitan and High Sierra and a bootable usb.

 

[Soba]

I am a bit stuck, my mac pro was on catalina, which was on a m.2 in a pci express expansion slot, the ssd was faulty and i have no OS now, I was running a HD7950 to have metal support but I still have a 5770 for boot screens if I need it. As i don't have an operating system to create a bootable USB how can I get back to an operating system?

I have a new Mac Mini M1 but for some reason it won't let me open previous operating systems to try and make a thumbdrive.

I am a bit stuck so any help would be greatly appreciated, even if I can just get back to the last support OS (High sierra???)

thanks

Have you tried downloading it using Terminal?

Download macOS Installers with Terminal

Most of the time, you can re-download the current version of macOS via the Mac App Store, and older ones via these links: macOS Catalina macOS Mojave macOS High Sierra macOS Sierra OS X El Capitan OS X Yosemite However, I've run into a situation several times where the Software Update mechanism...

512pixels.net

If that works, you should be able to create a USB installer using this procedure:

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

You can use a USB flash drive or other secondary volume as a startup disk from which to install the Mac operating system.

support.apple.com

Also, the last supported OS for the 2010 Mac Pro is Mojave, so you should be able to install that with no problem with your 7950.

A side note: If your BootROM is not already version 144 (the most recent—and probably final—BootROM update for the 2010 Mac Pro), then you will want to update your BootROM. You cannot update the BootROM using a USB installer prepared with the createinstallmedia command, but you can update it separately after you have an OS running on your Mac Pro again. See the first post of this thread for instructions:

MP5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave (BootROM upgrade instructions thread)

Please fully read this first post, you will probably find that you have one or more problems described into the various notes below. Mojave will only install if you have upgraded your BootROM to the current release and your Mac Pro have a Metal capable GPU*. If you are trying to install Mojave...

forums.macrumors.com

Hope this helps.

 

[DFP1989]

I used the dosdude1 patcher to download the installer file back when I was working with a 5,1. Don’t need to use any of the patching features, but it should get you an installer.

macOS Mojave Patcher

 

[ntemples1]

Have you tried downloading it using Terminal?

Download macOS Installers with Terminal

Most of the time, you can re-download the current version of macOS via the Mac App Store, and older ones via these links: macOS Catalina macOS Mojave macOS High Sierra macOS Sierra OS X El Capitan OS X Yosemite However, I've run into a situation several times where the Software Update mechanism...

512pixels.net

If that works, you should be able to create a USB installer using this procedure:

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

You can use a USB flash drive or other secondary volume as a startup disk from which to install the Mac operating system.

support.apple.com

Also, the last supported OS for the 2010 Mac Pro is Mojave, so you should be able to install that with no problem with your 7950.

A side note: If your BootROM is not already version 144 (the most recent—and probably final—BootROM update to the 2010 Mac Pro's BootROM), then you will want to update your BootROM. You cannot update the BootROM using a USB installer prepared with the createinstallmedia command, but you can update it separately after you have an OS running on your Mac Pro again. See the first post of this thread for instructions:

MP5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave (BootROM upgrade instructions thread)

Please fully read this first post, you will probably find that you have one or more problems described into the various notes below. Mojave will only install if you have upgraded your BootROM to the current release and your Mac Pro have a Metal capable GPU*. If you are trying to install Mojave...

forums.macrumors.com

Hope this helps.

Great help!! thanks so much I am going to try this now!!

 

[ntemples1]

I used the dosdude1 patcher to download the installer file back when I was working with a 5,1. Don’t need to use any of the patching features, but it should get you an installer.

macOS Mojave Patcher

thanks!! I will have a look

Have you tried downloading it using Terminal?

Download macOS Installers with Terminal

Most of the time, you can re-download the current version of macOS via the Mac App Store, and older ones via these links: macOS Catalina macOS Mojave macOS High Sierra macOS Sierra OS X El Capitan OS X Yosemite However, I've run into a situation several times where the Software Update mechanism...

512pixels.net

If that works, you should be able to create a USB installer using this procedure:

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

You can use a USB flash drive or other secondary volume as a startup disk from which to install the Mac operating system.

support.apple.com

Also, the last supported OS for the 2010 Mac Pro is Mojave, so you should be able to install that with no problem with your 7950.

A side note: If your BootROM is not already version 144 (the most recent—and probably final—BootROM update to the 2010 Mac Pro's BootROM), then you will want to update your BootROM. You cannot update the BootROM using a USB installer prepared with the createinstallmedia command, but you can update it separately after you have an OS running on your Mac Pro again. See the first post of this thread for instructions:

MP5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave (BootROM upgrade instructions thread)

Please fully read this first post, you will probably find that you have one or more problems described into the various notes below. Mojave will only install if you have upgraded your BootROM to the current release and your Mac Pro have a Metal capable GPU*. If you are trying to install Mojave...

forums.macrumors.com

Hope this helps.

Just tried the terminal way I am getting this error (attached)

 

[h9826790]

thanks!! I will have a look

Just tried the terminal way I am getting this error (attached)

Use the dosdude patcher as the downloader should be the easiset way. Try that first.

 

[ntemples1]

Use the dosdude patcher as the downloader should be the easiset way. Try that first.

Thanks mate!! That's sorted it!! thanks god for dosdude!!