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If FirmwareFeature allow us to install / update Big Sur without any side effect. IMO, it's a better option than VMM (which we should keep it off for daily use).
Minor point: Maybe misleading to talk about FirmwareFeatures as being what enables Big Sur install/updates? As seems to be becoming popular. I believe it's still essentially the 'hybridization' (aka board id spoofing) which enables updates (on later machines, and/or once already on Bug Sur). FirmwareFeatures is also (currently) needed to undo a separate problem which is then stopping them again - so would still be more correct to talk about 'hybridization', here. I think!
 
Right. I can repeat the experiment with the same result.

The firmware features are not being set globally via the SMBIOS, but when setting them through the NVRAM, despite being able to retrieve them as NVRAM variables and seeing them in the bless command, they are not necessarily being set globally either. We know that setting them via the SMBIOS has an effect, though.
Not sure if this adds much, or is coming a bit late to this party, but my understanding (after being bitten by this, and raising some issues related to it on the OC bugtracker) is that nothing affects anything else - essentially! Other than if you are using the Generic section (which follows its own, different rules), there is no cross-talk at all between Data Hub, NVRAM and SMBIOS settings, even where these would normally refer to the same thing. (Also, there is no difference between the different ways of setting NVRAM variables, in this respect.)
 
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Minor point: Maybe misleading to talk about FirmwareFeatures as being what enables Big Sur install/updates? As seems to be becoming popular. I believe it's still essentially the 'hybridization' (aka board id spoofing) which enables updates (on later machines, and/or once already on Bug Sur). FirmwareFeatures is also (currently) needed to undo a separate problem which is then stopping them again - so would still be more correct to talk about 'hybridization', here. I think!
Board ID spoofing is purely for enabling HWAccel. It won't allow the cMP to install / update / run any OS beyond Mojave.
 
Board ID spoofing is purely for enabling HWAccel. It won't allow the cMP to install / update / run any OS beyond Mojave.
Oh, sorry. I misunderstood something I was told at some point, then. I know it works like that on later Macs, but totally willing to accept I must have got the wrong end of the stick about MacPro's. Okay, that makes sense then, sorry.
 
Oh, sorry. I misunderstood something I was told at some point, then. I know it works like that on later Macs, but totally willing to accept I must have got the wrong end of the stick about MacPro's. Okay, that makes sense then, sorry.
I was actually thinking about buying a cMP (as a second test machine) so I could contribute a bit more knowledgeably on this thread, while benefiting from the accumulated wisdom about OC that you guys undoubtedly have! But they seem to keep their value just a bit too well for that to be an easy decision.
 
Technically, it's the combination of board ID and firmware features that allows for installation and updates in Big Sur. With hybridization, the issue is that we previously relied on the failsafe for the firmware features, effectively zeroing them. Upon detecting the zeroed firmware features, macOS will not install or update.
 
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Board ID spoofing is purely for enabling HWAccel. It won't allow the cMP to install / update / run any OS beyond Mojave.
Board ID spoofing also allows for continuity/handoff/Apple Watch unlock as I haven't seen any instructions on how to patch Big Sur for continuity in the way you can for Mojave and Catalina.
 
Technically, it's the combination of board ID and firmware features that allows for installation and updates in Big Sur. With hybridization, the issue is that we previously relied on the failsafe for the firmware features, effectively zeroing them. Upon detecting the zeroed firmware features, macOS will not install or update.
@cdf - I was able to install 11.2.1 with just Board ID spoofing (I did leave the VMM flag set). I am not doing HWAccel as I only have a GTX680 and no reason to enable it.
 
Technically, it's the combination of board ID and firmware features that allows for installation and updates in Big Sur. With hybridization, the issue is that we previously relied on the failsafe for the firmware features, effectively zeroing them. Upon detecting the zeroed firmware features, macOS will not install or update.
Can I try again, as a question this time!

I _think_ that:

VMM alone gets you off Mojave, maybe all the way to some version of Big Sur?

As things currently stand, at some later point in this upgrade through the OSes, VMM is no longer required (maybe even, no longer works?), and you then need board ID spoofing and FirmwareFeatures?
 
@cdf - I was able to install 11.2.1 with just Board ID spoofing (I did leave the VMM flag set).
In this case, the VMM flag enabled the update. However, you should probably add the firmware features, so that you can update without having to toggle the flag.

VMM alone gets you off Mojave, maybe all the way to some version of Big Sur?

As things currently stand, at some later point in this upgrade through the OSes, VMM is no longer required (maybe even, no longer works?), and you then need board ID spoofing and FirmwareFeatures?
Correct. Also, the zeroed firmware features threw us off for a while.
 
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I’m thinking about getting my rx580 flashed by macvidcards. Anyone know if there are any issues or special handling needed to use with OC?
 
Have been working with Alex to reflash my boot rom and have had a lot of hassles without boot screen which he reccomended. Are there any known problems with rEFIndplus or OC if I get it flashed?
 
MyBootMgr Guide:
Screen Shot 2021-02-19 at 00.03.23.jpg


Might be best to refer back to him as he knows a lot about GPUs.
 
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So the reason it came up is becuase in order to flash BootROM, I had to pull all my drives out inluding EFI and make sure native booting to Mojave, but somehow the machine got all wacked with recovery mode and different things and it became quickly very tiresome...ultimatley still haven't gotten the machine back, have to reinstall Mojave, and Had to go get another mac in order to create a USB boot drive, which will be easier to manage with native boot screen also...not that Refind couldn't do that just fine, but Refind isn't currently on my native mojave drive, which I have been trying to keep pristine and "native"

you have me wondering though, perhaps I could put a different instance of RefindPlus on that drive (without OC), so that when I am going to boot native mojave, it would still go through RefindPlus first for the bootscreen, etc..without running OC... Then my other main EFI partition would have the normal RefindPlus+OC setup. that break my rule though of keeping the "fallback" drive absolutely native.

That might negate the need to flash the GPU...especially if there are going to be any potential issues with a MVC flashed GPU conflicting with RefindPlus+OC.
 
If FirmwareFeature allow us to install / update Big Sur without any side effect. IMO, it's a better option than VMM (which we should keep it off for daily use).
Martin, so I can technically revert to default 16 byte all zero values the Cpuid1Data and Cpuid1Mask, since I use the FirmwareFeatures and FirmwareFeaturesMask info? Nevermind, just saw @cdf response on #7,144, thank you guys for your help.
 
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In this case, the VMM flag enabled the update. However, you should probably add the firmware features, so that you can update without having to toggle the flag.


Correct. Also, the zeroed firmware features threw us off for a while.
@cdf - actually 11.2.1 wouldn't show up with just VMM set - I had to use the Board ID to get the update to show and install. That was part of what you advised me in post #6,825
 
Martin, so I can technically revert to default 16 byte all zero values the Cpuid1Data and Cpuid1Mask, since I use the FirmwareFeatures and FirmwareFeaturesMask info? Nevermind, just saw @cdf response on #7,144, thank you guys for your help.
Yeah, for Big Sur only, you can set both Cpuid1Data and Cpuid1Mask to AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==
 
So the reason it came up is becuase in order to flash BootROM, I had to pull all my drives out inluding EFI and make sure native booting to Mojave, but somehow the machine got all wacked with recovery mode and different things and it became quickly very tiresome...ultimatley still haven't gotten the machine back, have to reinstall Mojave, and Had to go get another mac in order to create a USB boot drive, which will be easier to manage with native boot screen also...not that Refind couldn't do that just fine, but Refind isn't currently on my native mojave drive, which I have been trying to keep pristine and "native"

you have me wondering though, perhaps I could put a different instance of RefindPlus on that drive (without OC), so that when I am going to boot native mojave, it would still go through RefindPlus first for the bootscreen, etc..without running OC... Then my other main EFI partition would have the normal RefindPlus+OC setup. that break my rule though of keeping the "fallback" drive absolutely native.

That might negate the need to flash the GPU...especially if there are going to be any potential issues with a MVC flashed GPU conflicting with RefindPlus+OC.
Your problem was not having a reliable fail-safe ready disk. I bet that most people here have old small SATA disks, some like me have several from old upgrades. I have one pair of vanilla Mojave fail-safe installs at my home and at my office and when things go whacko, I just install one with SATA bay 1 and reset the NVRAM 4-times.

Besides that, I also have a createinstallmedia USB Mojave installer always ready, everyone should have one 8GB USB key with it, things can go wrong and it's too cheap to not have one just for the day Murphy arrives. I remove any bootable disks and my Mac Pro the boots from the Mojave createinstallmedia USB disk automatically and after SIP is disabled, I do what is needed to be done.

If things really go out of hand, I remove the non-flashed GPU, install an AppleOEM (I have a GT120 always ready) and then I get everything working again.

You don't want it to happen, but when it will, you'll be glad to be ready.
 
Followed the guide and was able to go from Mojave to Big Sur, but can't get updates to show up in system preferences. Do I need to change any of the config settings? Thanks

Settings:

Code:
        <key>Emulate</key>
        <dict>
            <key>Cpuid1Data</key>
            <data>
            AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==
            </data>
            <key>Cpuid1Mask</key>
            <data>
            AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==
            </data>
            <key>DummyPowerManagement</key>
            <false/>
            <key>MaxKernel</key>
            <string></string>
            <key>MinKernel</key>
            <string></string>
        </dict>

Code:
<key>SMBIOS</key>
        <dict>
            <key>BIOSVersion</key>
            <string>9999.0.0.0.0</string>
            <key>BoardProduct</key>
            <string>Mac-7BA5B2D9E42DDD94</string>
            <key>FirmwareFeatures</key>
            <data>
            A1QM4A==
            </data>
            <key>FirmwareFeaturesMask</key>
            <data>
            P/8f/w==
            </data>
        </dict>


EDIT: Solved, VPN was causing issues with the update showing up.
 
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Newbie q!

Currently have OC installed on a USB flash drive plugged into the front USB port. I'm wondering if I can move it to one of the back USB ports, and do I need to bless it again afterwards?

It's one of the tiny ones, barely bigger than a USB mouse receiver, so doesn't really stick out that much, more for my own piece of mind.
 
@sfalatko you should set the VMM off and use the SMBIOS FirmwareFeatures instead. See the previous 3-4 posts @cdf and @h9826790 made.
@TECK - I will see what 11.3 brings. Right now I normally boot without OC. When I need to update I boot from OC on a USB stick. Up until 11.2.1 the VMM flag was sufficient to allow OTA updates - for 11.2.1 to show up I needed to spoof the Board ID. At some point when I feel that OC and Big Sur are stable enough I expect I will move to OC full time.

For now I primarily use Catalina. I have full functionality in Catalina without boot flags using a modified PlatformSupport.plist to make my 5,1 look "supported". I have modded the plist in the Preboot and Recovery partitions so I can boot without any boot flags and also get into recovery mode without any boot flags.

In Mojave and Catalina I have also manually patched my system to enable Continuity/Handoff. For Big Sur there is no "how-to" to manually patch so if I want Continuity I need to boot with OC and spoof the Board Id to a Continuity supported model.

Lots going on but my base approach is to keep my system as close to unmodified as I can and with my flashed GTX 680 I don't worry about hardware acceleration at this point. At some point I expect I may update to a RX580 or such, look at hardware acceleration and/or use OC full time - especially if I move to Big Sur and can't manually patch for Continuity.

The best thing about all of this is the team here that is keeping our MacPros alive. Give me a few more years and I will see what I want to move to. Hopefully a new MacPro since we all have a perfect example of what expandability provides in longevity (though hopefully there will be such an option at a lot less than $5000 (US) plus a monitor!).

Oh and yes - @tsialex has fixed my ROM so I'm humming along there. As I said - a great group of people keeping our MacPros alive.

Regards
 
Newbie q!

Currently have OC installed on a USB flash drive plugged into the front USB port. I'm wondering if I can move it to one of the back USB ports, and do I need to bless it again afterwards?
1. Yes, you can, 2. No, you do not have to, 3. You'd be better off with replacing the EFI partition anyway, but your mode of operation works as well.
 
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