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MP 1,1-5,1 Manually Configured OpenCore on the Mac Pro
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I've now seen "To update Catalina, simply turn on the VMM flag (remember to reboot). You can check for updates in System Preferences > Software Update. In Big Sur, the VMM flag should not be necessary with hybridization."
Could I suggest also adding earlier on page one (i.e. where each is first mentioned; the bits I found immediately) that the VMM flag is needed for updates in Catalina but is not needed for this in Big Sur, and that hybridization is needed for hardware acceleration, and also to get updates in Big Sur. If that seems sensible? Thanks!
(PS I know I should read the whole page before asking anything, but even then the current statements at the two bits I'm suggesting updating don't properly reflect current info.)
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It is not only about update availability, but also about brick possibility. I personally experienced partition destruction after security update which probably attempted to update the firmware. On the other hand VMM flag without hybridization is a much safer route.
Big Sur ≥ 11.1 is more permissive. We no longer need the VMM flag for updates. Hybridization is enough. However, the flag still has an effect on the Mac Pro 5,1: using it allows for macOS installation and updates with no additional spoofing (as in the basic config). The flag apparently also works on the Mac Pro 3,1, but our initial testing seemed to indicate the contrary: we were under the impression that support for the hypervisor framework was necessary. As for other models, limited reports seem to agree with your observations. Did you confirm the presence of the flag with
sysctl machdep.cpu.features?This can be clarified, yes. Note, however, that for the Mac Pro, the VMM flag still works in Big Sur without hybridization. In fact, I would encourage using the VMM flag to ensure smooth installation and updates. You may notice less reboots during the process: that's the VMM flag blocking firmware updates. Using BlacklistAppleUpdate and (in the case of hybridization) spoofing the BIOSVersion is also important.
Others have mentioned this too. I agree that the format should be compatible with the official documentation.
Ah. Just as well I didn't go clomping around, then. In my own defense, 0.6.6 sat there hanging on reboot for three different attempts, each time formatting the drive as HFS and reloading the OC. On formatting to APFS, it just worked. Coincidence, or possibly the drive hates me....
Presence and absence, mutatis mutandis, yes, I did. It is 100% not required on my machine.
Given the slowdown that the p.1 instructions mention, and also the precautionary principle of faking as little as possible (which - I understand - we agree on! 😊), I'd feel that the recommended approach, for machines where the VMM flag is NOT required for updates, might better be to not set it?
I certainly couldn't, hence my post. I redid the thing three times, became paranoid and re-considered APFS (which I associate with SSDs).
I am not talking about OC, but OSX or even rEFInd installed on an HFS+ partition just to see if it will appear in the Bootpicker.
It's a requirement for Catalina software updates with Mac Pro 5,1, unless you full spoof (like for MP3,1). If you don't needed it, like for Macs that support Catalina, don't use it
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Couldn't say; I might, once I've finished up with the tuning of OC, put up another spinning rust device to see, but that'll be later as this is my work device....
Oh, btw, I can also confirm from pretty extensive usage (using configs based on @jackluke's OpenCoreAPFSLoader, which had all of these set, including the VMM flag) that nothing except faking the BIOS version stops the firmware update on my model of Mac. (I put tons of posts about my struggles with semi-bricking in the other thread!) Which again means I'd still see no reason to keep that flag for myself, but also arguably might mean there's no longer any good reason to keep it on any machine which can get the update anyway, and is using one of the two ways to spoof the bios version?
No, not what I meant; rather, VMM flag (and a couple of other OC settings) with hybridization did not prevent it. Only MaxBIOSVersion did.
If using MaxBIOSVersion, then you must be on "Automatic" and not just using Hybridisation but into full spoofing, more or less, which will result in updates if available when MaxBIOSVersion is not active.
Yes, I believe it's safe - but the intro doc says it gives a slowdown? Also, I prefer to run with as few changes as possible, if they aren't doing anything positive.
EDIT: If you mean safe to prevent the semi-brick state, then I'm sure it's not. The confusion might be, I can't even get updates without hybridization, so I can't ever know whether VMM would have been safe to prevent a semi-brick, if I had got an update using it alone. (At least, I don't think I can?)
Slight confusion here - perhaps by me! But (EDIT) Automatic is not tied to *full* spoofing - though I agree that it means that (at a minimum, and as I was doing) you must fake the board name as well as the board id. But certainly no other serials or ids are required to be overridden just by using Automatic mode. Also, updates are available whether or not MaxBIOSVersion is set (as I'm sure is exactly the same using the bios version in the smbios section instead). Though it's true that I no longer install them when it's NOT set ... because I'm bored of taking my Mac apart to disconnect the battery! 🤣
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Actually, it says that it is required for updates, and that you should apply it whenever you want to get an update.
I'm not denying that the config here works, by the way, nor that it is already a great thing! It is!
Can these other units follow Minimalsation or must they always have more spoofing?
Coined "Minimalsation" just now and what that is is to be exactly defined or but putting this out as minimal spoofing. Guess @cdf will most like have a more extreme interpretation but perhaps can agree that means "Automatic" must be off.
Anyway, if this needs to be on for such units, then might muddy the waters here and might be best to create a spin off thread. Not sure.
That's why I used "more or less". Goes beyond Minimalsation as set out here which does not generate PlatformInfo from the "Generic" section. Hybridisation is an extension of this only when GPU Acceleration is needed and is not required otherwise. In both cases, "Automatic" is off.
So, extreme maybe, but once "Automatic" is on, you are into full spoofing ... more or less. (just an interpretation btw)
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Perhaps the default config should have it turned OFF so people pay attention. Otherwise they just leave it ON from my observations.
If you're just saying that spoofing the board-id will offer updates whether or not the increased bios version is there to protect you, then I fully agree. But that's exactly the same if using the smbios section instead, the fake one or both of those things! I agree, I'm used to Automatic, you guys are used to non-Automatic and SMBIOS, but I honestly don't think anything important that I was trying to mention depends on that! You can do the same things (under discussion) in either section, and will get the same results.
Automatic until recent commit would set some fake parameters including SN even if omitted in the generic section. Supposedly this have changed. Have you tested the new behavior?