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

[cdf]

So, when using OpenCore, I need the no-compatibility flag even when booting an OS version that‘s natively supported by my machine?

Correct. The natively supported version of macOS is not supported for the spoofed model. Also, depending on your SecureBootModel setting, the -no_compat_check boot-arg might not even be enough.

Is my actual hardware irrelevant as soon as I use the SMBIOS of another machine?

Yes. macOS looks at the SMBIOS information to identify the machine.

 

[Taipan]

Correct. The natively supported version of macOS is not supported for the spoofed model. Also, depending on your SecureBootModel setting, the -no_compat_check boot-arg might not even be enough.


Yes. macOS looks at the SMBIOS information to identify the machine.

Thank you!
I guess the Mac Pro 6,1 SMBIOS value would be better suited then. I‘ll try that.

 

[cdf]

Thank you!
I guess the Mac Pro 6,1 SMBIOS value would be better suited then. I‘ll try that.

You may want to take a look at post #1.

 

[Dayo]

depending on your SecureBootModel setting, -no_compat_check might not be enough.

I might be wrong, but I believe that even when SecureBootModel is disabled, "-no_compat_check" is not enough to boot a Mac OS version released before a spoofed model. That is, it only works "forward" so to speak and that LoSierra will not boot when IMac1,1 is spoofed for instance ... IIRC

 

[JedNZ]

Is this for all outputs? Depending on spoofing and video card, you may need agdpmod.

Thanks for your help.

I added agdpmod=pikera to my boot args, but no luck. My brain is exploding with the reading and learning required to stay in the game here.

I have rolled back to MyBootMgr 0.7.3a because that is the last version that does not cause me problems (0.7.4 and 0.7.4a go blank at the logon screen).

 

[cdf]

I might be wrong, but I believe that even when SecureBootModel is disabled, "-no_compat_check" is not enough to boot a Mac OS version released before a spoofed model.

I just tested it: It is possible to boot Mojave with the MacPro7,1 board ID with SecureBootModel is disabled and "-no_compat_check". However, installing Mojave like this further requires the VMM flag.

 

[cdf]

I have rolled back to MyBootMgr 0.7.3a because that is the last version that does not cause me problems (0.7.4 and 0.7.4a go blank at the logon screen).

I wonder if something broke with OC in 0.7.4. I have to ask again because I'm curious: No matter which input of your video card has been connected (before booting), the login window will blank. Is this correct?

 

[Taipan]

You may want to take a look at post #1.

Even if I may not sound like it, I have read it several times, but I don’t see much regarding SMBIOS. I haven’t quite understood the connection between SMBIOS and the VMM flag. But I don’t want to drag this on for too long, I think I‘ll find my way from here. Thanks again!

 

[cdf]

Even if I may not sound like it, I have read it several times, but I don’t see much regarding SMBIOS.

That's the idea. On legacy Macs, we use minimal spoofing, which is limited to board ID (and firmware version to prevent unwanted and potentially dangerous firmware updates due to the board ID). As described in the guide, the iMacPro board ID is the one that you want. It's good for Sierra and later. (For Catalina and later, the best choice is arguably MacPro7,1.)

I haven’t quite understood the connection between SMBIOS and the VMM flag.

The VMM flag is a CPUID bit that tells macOS that your machine is a virtual machine. In some cases (such as Catalina), minimal spoofing just doesn't cut it for installing and updating, so we use the VMM flag temporarily, because it's less "invasive" than more extensive spoofing.

But I don’t want to drag this on for too long, I think I‘ll find my way from here.

No worries. Discussing these matters is what this thread is about.

 

[GunStrauss]

Anyone who've tested AMD 6800XT cards in their 5.1's?

 

[tsialex]

Anyone who've tested AMD 6800XT cards in their 5.1's?

Will never work, AMD firmware for NAVI 2x cards requires AVX instructions.

AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT / 6900 XT for macOS?

Update: As @Syncretic points out below, this analysis is incorrect. The Intel firmware image does not use AVX instructions. CONFIRMATION: The Radeon RX 6800 / 6900 series EFI uses AVX instructions I downloaded the VBIOS file for the reference design RX 6800 from the TechPowerUp site. I opened...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[Dayo]

I wonder if something broke with OC in 0.7.4. I have to ask again because I'm curious: No matter which input of your video card has been connected (before booting), the login window will blank. Is this correct?

Not sure on this issue and puzzling. Issue report started with 0.7.3 so not 0.7.4 related.

@JedNZ uses a MyBootMgr configured setup (basically the setup here plus misc stuff activated) and apparently, after a minor change which did not affect the config file, it stopped working for him.

Probably best to investigate in the MyBootMgr thread where I have requested a comparison of the config files. Jed is convinced it is OC related but I am not so sure. Either way, config file comparison should shed light on whether there was a change or not.

 

[JedNZ]

I wonder if something broke with OC in 0.7.4. I have to ask again because I'm curious: No matter which input of your video card has been connected (before booting), the login window will blank. Is this correct?

I clearly have further testing to do (with GPU inputs) and I’ll compare the OC config.plist files using FileMerge to try and identify where the issue may lie. Won’t have time today to do all of this sorry.

Update:
Attached is the difference between my MyBootMgr 0.7.3a OC config.plist (no GPU issues) and the 0.7.4a OC config.plist version (blank display after the Apple logo progress bar disappears, and therefore can't see logon screen onwards). I'm not too sure what to take from this because 073a doesn't have the Device Properties agdpmod section but works, and 074a does have it and doesn't work?! Hoping someone knows how to make sense of this.

 

[Dayo]

Hoping someone knows how to make sense of this.

One Config file is for when GPU acceleration is active and the other for when not.

Anyway, this suggests the PCiRoot (XYZ) path is incorrect. This can be either because the config file was generated on a different machine or some flaw in the code getting the path.

Follow the procedure in Post 1 (of this thread) >> ADVANCED CONFIGURATION >> Enabling Hardware Acceleration >> The path of your graphics card (Expand the Spoiler) to get your actual GPU path and replace the key under "Add" and "Delete" with what you get.

If you end up with the same value and that is the only material difference in the config files, then your issue is elsewhere. Other obvious action is to edit that part to match the one that is working and see if it works (but will not have GPU acceleration)

Please post any follow up to the MyBootMgr thread.

 

[cdf]

Anyway, this suggests the PCiRoot (XYZ) path is incorrect.

Another possibility is that the device properties did not take:

Bug: DeviceProperty injection issues · Issue #451 · dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher

With our refactor of DeviceProperty pathing generation, we omit to check if the acpi-path entry is present on the device we plan to inject onto. Because of this, our injected properties fail to app...

github.com

However, I don't think that the RX 590 (@JedNZ's card) has this problem.

 

[JedNZ]

I updated on the MyBootMgr thread, but basically I checked the PCI lane thing with gfxutil and it is correct
<key>PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x3,0x0)/Pci(0x0,0x0)</key>

I do have a Pulse RX580 in my second cMP that I can test to see if it does better than my primary cMP with the Pulse RX590. Will do it tomorrow.

 

[Dayo]

Good to know ConfigFactory is able to both correctly identify the GPU and get the correct Device Path.
Will take a look at the response on the MyBootMgr thread now

 

[calmacfan]

OK. Anyone having issues installing Monterey with the OC 0.7.4 package on a 5,1 ? My 2012 CMP will download the installer, install it, restart and then just hang after the progress bar has made it about halfway through. Any ideas? Is the plist good to go for Monterey or does it need a tweak? I’ve tried multiple times with Beta 8 and today with Beta 9 with no success. No USB devices attached either.

 

[Dayo]

I might be wrong, but I believe that even when SecureBootModel is disabled, "-no_compat_check" is not enough to boot a Mac OS version released before a spoofed model. That is, it only works "forward" so to speak and that LoSierra will not boot when IMac1,1 is spoofed for instance ... IIRC

I just tested it: It is possible to boot Mojave with the MacPro7,1 board ID with SecureBootModel is disabled and "-no_compat_check". However, installing Mojave like this further requires the VMM flag.

I may have missed a nuance as definitely recollect at least one issue reported.

It might be that, unlike in your case where Mojave is already natively supported by the host unit, the issue exists when the target Mac OS version is not supported by the host and was released before the spoofed model.

Seems like a something that would only affect a cMP3,1 as things stand if correct.

 

[deck1187hw]

Firstly, thanks for the amazing tutorial @cdf.721949 really simple to follow.

Everything else was really smooth... However I got stuck on the section PART IV - Installing and Updating macOS when attempting installing Big Sur.

My config: 5,1 Dual Core
Boot Rom: 144.0.0.0.0
Graphics: Sapphire RX580
2 SSD:
- Current one with latest Mojave OS
- Another GUI with the EFI partition on it

After downloading BigSur 11.6 using installinstallmacos script.

1st attempt: Installing BigSur on Mojave SSD
Attempted to install it on the Mojave OS SSD. When prompted to restart, after restart I was asked to pick either SSD with Mojave on it or the mounted BigSur partition.

- Selecting SSD Mojave --> Just restarted the OS, no installation
- Selecting BigSur installation --> An error is shown and nothing happened, had to restart the MacPro, (see image).

2nd Attempt: Installing BigSur on the other SSD...
This is where the main problem came. When selecting the other SSD (Where EFI partition was). After installing and first restart, It doesn't restart at all, it boots, wait 1 minute or 2 and it automatically shuts down
So now I'm on the situation of not being able to start the mac at all.

Did I do anything really wrong here?

Any guidance, input would be really appreciated.

Thanks again!



UPDATE

Changed the RX580 by the default apple card and I'm able to boot via the Mojave SSD now.
BigSur / EFI SSD re-formatted now

I guess I need to start over again.

My question is, when installing BigSur, should I install it on the same SSD partition where Mojave is or in a new SSD?

Thanks!

 

[cdf]

Did I do anything really wrong here?

The first case you described indicates that the hybridization spoofing was not properly applied. The second case indicates that Big Sur tried to start outside of OC, perhaps because OC was not properly blessed.

To get out of this situation, physically remove your disk with OC and Big Sur. Your Mac should then be able to boot natively into Mojave. Then use Startup Disk to select your Mojave Disk (click the lock). Afterwards you can reinsert your disk with OC and Big Sur and proceed with the necessary maintenance.

 

[deck1187hw]

The first case you described indicates that the hybridization spoofing was not properly applied. The second case indicates that Big Sur tried to start outside of OC, perhaps because OC was not properly blessed.

To get out of this situation, physically remove your disk with OC and Big Sur. Your Mac should then be able to boot natively into Mojave. Then use Startup Disk to select your Mojave Disk (click the lock). Afterwards you can reinsert your disk with OC and Big Sur and proceed with the necessary maintenance.

Thanks for your quick reply CFD!, I will start over... just to confirm, on the tutorial, BigSur is meant to be installed on which SSD exactly? Where I have Mojave or where I have the OC installed? (or another one...)

 

[cdf]

Thanks for your quick reply CFD!, I will start over... just to confirm, on the tutorial, BigSur is meant to be installed on which SSD exactly? Where I have Mojave or where I have the OC installed? (or another one...)

In general, it's best to use the same drive for OC and Big Sur and to always keep a separate drive for Mojave (so that you can easily get out of situations such as the one you described).

 

[h9826790]

OK. Anyone having issues installing Monterey with the OC 0.7.4 package on a 5,1 ? My 2012 CMP will download the installer, install it, restart and then just hang after the progress bar has made it about halfway through. Any ideas? Is the plist good to go for Monterey or does it need a tweak? I’ve tried multiple times with Beta 8 and today with Beta 9 with no success. No USB devices attached either.

Did you enable the VMM flag?

 

[macnrolla]

Sorry if this is an off topic but I just successfully installed Windows 11 on my Mac Pro. It is quite easy, instead of downloading the ISO directly, you have to create it with https://gist.github.com/AveYo/c74dc774a8fb81a332b5d65613187b15 or see https://makmodo.com/install-windows-11-without-tpm/ for more details. Also the filename under `sources` changed from `install.wim` to `install.esd`. Thats all what changed from the great APPENDIX by @cdf.

Maybe someone else could try this. Currently Bluetooth and Wireless are not working. @cdf Do you know the problems with Bluetooth and Wireless in Windows 10? Sorry for the question, its my first Windows on my Mac Pro.

Edit: Got Bluetooth and Wireless working with https://github.com/timsutton/brigadier/.
Edit 2: I think a better way to install the missing drivers is to use https://www.driverscape.com/manufacturers/apple/laptops-desktops/macpro5,1/703, now audio is also working.