MP 1,1-5,1 Manually Configured OpenCore on the Mac Pro

[PeterHolbrook]

@startergo
No, I'm not trying to update my Mac Pro 5,1's firmware, and I haven't installed any of the Big Sur betas on this physical computer. I'm simply saying that is seems the latest official installer of Big Sur defeats one (or more?) of the "quirks" used by OpenCore to thwart firmware updates. I do have the relevant "No" value in the "run-efi-updater" parameter, but it seems that's now ineffective. That's why I asked and suggested a workaround for the worst-case scenario.

 

[startergo]

The config file is still at the same state as it was at the 0.6.3

/Users/g5/Desktop/ocvalidate ; exit;                                           
g5@G5s-Mac-Pro-2 ~ % /Users/g5/Desktop/ocvalidate ; exit;
OCS: Missing key BlacklistAppleUpdate, context <Security>!
Done checking /Volumes/EFI/EFI/OC/config.plist in 1 ms

 

[PeterHolbrook]

Hi everybody, I have a flashed 4,1 in 5,1 with dosdude catalina 10.15.5 and rx580. What are the steps to go OpenCore ?

The validity of my explanation below might depend on whether your rx580 has a boot screen or not. If it doesn't have one, chances are the OpenCore Boot Picker won't work with your GPU either. In that case, difficulties might arise.

Be that as it may, whether you follow it or not, study the first post. Then, you can opt for one of two paths: either follow the instructions minutely, or ask someone on this thread to provide the relevant folder structure that you need to copy to the unmounted EFI volume of one of your disks (for instance, the one where Catalina resides). If you follow the latter path, you would only need to bless a folder and you would be done. You can probably ask anyone to provide the relevant folder structure and config.plist via a private message. I, for one, would be willing to share it with you, but there are more experienced users here that, no doubt, can provide further insights and more advanced explanations and solutions.

 

[205Maxi]

After playing around with the ram, we can now say that we can run 256GB 8x32GB of ram in this Mac Pro.

The 1.12TB of ram showing here is just to see how far I could go with the config.

No more " Notification Message Error " anymore. I do not even think that Notification disabler.Kext is needed anymore too..

Everything runs smooth..

 

[startergo]

After playing around with the ram, we can now say that we can run 256GB 8x32GB of ram in this Mac Pro.

The 1.12TB of ram showing here is just to see how far I could go with the config.

No more " Notification Message Error " anymore. I do not even think that Notification disabler.Kext is needed anymore too..

Everything runs smooth..View attachment 999535View attachment 999499

But how much is the actual memory installed?

 

[h9826790]

After playing around with the ram, we can now say that we can run 256GB 8x32GB of ram in this Mac Pro.

The 1.12TB of ram showing here is just to see how far I could go with the config.

No more " Notification Message Error " anymore. I do not even think that Notification disabler.Kext is needed anymore too..

Everything runs smooth..View attachment 999535View attachment 999499

You are the man!

Do you have any single processor cMP? Can you test 4x32GB with single CPU setup as well?

 

[205Maxi]

But how much is the actual memory installed?

Right now I have 256GB running 8x32GB and with no issues at all... But if we could find 64GB DIMMM stick we could run more..

 

[David403]

The validity of my explanation below might depend on whether your rx580 has a boot screen or not. If it doesn't have one, chances are the OpenCore Boot Picker won't work with your GPU either. In that case, difficulties might arise.

Be that as it may, whether you follow it or not, study the first post. Then, you can opt for one of two paths: either follow the instructions minutely, or ask someone on this thread to provide the relevant folder structure that you need to copy to the unmounted EFI volume of one of your disks (for instance, the one where Catalina resides). If you follow the latter path, you would only need to bless a folder and you would be done. You can probably ask anyone to provide the relevant folder structure and config.plist via a private message. I, for one, would be willing to share it with you, but there are more experienced users here that, no doubt, can provide further insights and more advanced explanations and solutions.

Rubbish - only MVC rx580's have a boot screen - every other standard one does not but still gives a 'Boot Screen' or correctly called in OpenCore at Graphical BootPicker

OpenCore will give you a graphical BootPicker just like at the very beginning of post 1,

You can follow post 1 as most people on this form have or you could shortcut the pocess and use on like the one provided by @h9826790. Follow his link here you will see at the end a copy of his EFI folder for the latest OpenCore 0.6.3

Activate AMD hardware acceleration

 

[PeterHolbrook]

Right now I have 256GB running 8x32GB and with no issues at all... But if we could find 64GB DIMMM stick we could run more..

Would your current setup be valid for other operating systems (like High Sierra or Snow Leopard) booted up from OpenCore? How would a UEFI version of 64-bit Windows behave (for instance, started from OpenCore)? Would a legacy non-UEFI 64-bit Windows (Boot Camp) work with that setup?

 

[PeterHolbrook]

Rubbish - only MVC rx580's have a boot screen - every other standard one does not but still gives a 'Boot Screen' or correctly called in OpenCore at Graphical BootPicker

I positively know your statement is FALSE. I've had an rx580 that didn't have a Boot Picker screen. The rubbish is all yours. That's too bad, really. I strongly suggest you moderate your language.

EDIT: I've tried several of such cards. A non-flashed 580 Nitro didn't provide a Boot Picker screen. A non-flahed XFX 580 didn't provide a Boot Picker screen with either of its ROMs. A Macvids-flashed XFX 580 provided both a Startup Disk Manager boot screen and a Boot Picker screen on its first, faster ROM, but no Boot Picker screen on its second, slower ROM. And that's that.

 

[ber404]

The validity of my explanation below might depend on whether your rx580 has a boot screen or not. If it doesn't have one, chances are the OpenCore Boot Picker won't work with your GPU either. In that case, difficulties might arise.

Be that as it may, whether you follow it or not, study the first post. Then, you can opt for one of two paths: either follow the instructions minutely, or ask someone on this thread to provide the relevant folder structure that you need to copy to the unmounted EFI volume of one of your disks (for instance, the one where Catalina resides). If you follow the latter path, you would only need to bless a folder and you would be done. You can probably ask anyone to provide the relevant folder structure and config.plist via a private message. I, for one, would be willing to share it with you, but there are more experienced users here that, no doubt, can provide further insights and more advanced explanations and solutions.

Hi, thanks a lot ! I followed a youtube tutorial on a test disk of my install, and it worked. I got boot screen and VMM flag is changed .. I just wonder how to do official catalina updates now, as the appstore doesn't propose any

 

[h9826790]

Hi, thanks a lot ! I followed a youtube tutorial on a test disk of my install, and it worked. I got boot screen and VMM flag is changed .. I just wonder how to do official catalina updates now, as the appstore doesn't propose any

In system preferences -> Software Update, not AppStore

 

[Dayo]

/Users/g5/Desktop/ocvalidate ; exit;                                          
g5@G5s-Mac-Pro-2 ~ % /Users/g5/Desktop/ocvalidate ; exit;
OCS: Missing key BlacklistAppleUpdate, context <Security>!
Done checking /Volumes/EFI/EFI/OC/config.plist in 1 ms

In that case, add the missing item

 

[startergo]

Right now I have 256GB running 8x32GB and with no issues at all... But if we could find 64GB DIMMM stick we could run more..

At what speed are they running?
for X5690 the maximum memory is:

Memory Specifications​

• Max Memory Size (dependent on memory type) 288 GB
• Memory Types DDR3 800/1066/1333
• Max # of Memory Channels 3
• Max Memory Bandwidth 32 GB/s
• Physical Address Extensions 40-bit
• ECC Memory Supported ‡ Yes

So in theory you can add another 32GB stick , but i don't know if that is even supported (even number required between the 2 banks), but 4x64GB might be possible.

 

[205Maxi]

You are the man!

Do you have any single processor cMP? Can you test 4x32GB with single CPU setup as well?

I have a Dual Tray, But I already tried on a Single and you get 128GB working on a Single Tray... 4x32GB

 

[h9826790]

I positively know your statement is FALSE. I've had an rx580 that didn't have a Boot Picker screen. The rubbish is all yours. That's too bad, really. I strongly suggest you moderate your language.

He is correct (despite he may be not that polite), and you are wrong indeed.

OpenCore can shows boot picker by using UEFI GOP on cMP, which most RX580 has. And even don't have that from factory, most likely can flash another UEFI GOP ROM to "fix" it.

cMP use Mac EFI UGA to display the Apple boot screen, not UEFI GOP.

In fact, the OpenCore developers heard our voice, and specifically provide this function for cMP users. So that we can have boot picker even the graphic card cannot shows any boot screen by default (lack of Mac EFI UGA).

 

[205Maxi]

At what speed are they running?

I guess that since the FSB is 1333MHz, we can't go higher than that... Unless we can crack open something to mod...

 

[h9826790]

I have a Dual Tray, But I already tried on a Single and you get 128GB working on a Single Tray... 4x32GB

Could you mind provide more details?

e.g. memory speed, ECC availability, etc

If possible, can you post this page?

 

[PeterHolbrook]

He is correct (despite he may be not that polite), and you are wrong indeed.

OpenCore can shows boot picker by using UEFI GOP on cMP, which most RX580 has. And even don't have that from factory, most likely can flash another UEFI GOP ROM to "fix" it.

cMP use Mac EFI UGA to display the Apple boot screen, not UEFI GOP.

In fact, the OpenCore developers heard our voice, and specifically provide this function for cMP users. So that we can have boot picker even the graphic card cannot shows any boot screen by default (lack of Mac EFI UGA).

No, most definitely he is NOT correct. As said above, a significant number of 580's don't have a Boot Picker screen UNLESS something is done to them (i.e., flashing). So, again, no, he is NOT correct.

 

[205Maxi]

I will do that, ASAP but I can tell you that it ran the 128GB 4x32GB. Guarantied!

I only use SK Hynix R10600 but I am pretty sure that we could have a higher speed like 1867MHz or above... I will test that and report here...

 

[205Maxi]

I will do that, ASAP but I can tell you that it ran the 128GB 4x32GB. Guarantied!

I only use SK Hynix R10600 ECC Registered but I am pretty sure that we could have a higher speed like 1867MHz or above... I will test that and report here...

And ECC is enabled I will provide screenshot ASAP ...

 

[h9826790]

No, most definitely he is NOT correct. As said above, a significant number of 580's don't have a Boot Picker screen UNLESS something is done to them (i.e., flashing). So, again, no, he is NOT correct.

But that's "boot screen" unrelated, that's the point.

You said

The validity of my explanation below might depend on whether your rx580 has a boot screen or not. If it doesn't have one, chances are the OpenCore Boot Picker won't work with your GPU either.

And this is completely wrong.

 

[h9826790]

I will do that, ASAP but I can tell you that it ran the 128GB 4x32GB. Guarantied!

I only use SK Hynix R10600 but I am pretty sure that we could have a higher speed like 1867MHz or above... I will test that and report here...

I don't think we can run anything above 1333MHz in reality. Even we make macOS display higher, it doesn't mean the RAM really run at that speed. It's the hardware limit (e.g. CPU max memory speed limit), nothing we can do about it.

 

[Dayo]

No, most definitely he is NOT correct. As said above, a significant number of 580's don't have a Boot Picker screen UNLESS something is done to them (i.e., flashing). So, again, no, he is NOT correct.

Do you have such an RX 580 that doesn't show the OpenCore bootpicker and had not been tampered with (such as for crypto mining)?

 

[205Maxi]

I don't think we can run anything above 1333MHz in reality. Even we make macOS display higher, it doesn't mean the RAM really run at that speed. It's the hardware limit (e.g. CPU max memory speed limit), nothing we can do about it.

You are right about, but there is a chip near the CPU that we could mod ... I meant the one close to the NB