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

[spacedcadet]

Appreciate this might not be the right place as only tangentially linked to Open Core.
After Effects > Cinema 4D > AVX issue.
I am running Big Sur 11.7.4 via OC on my 5,1. All is good. Except I recently updated After Effects to the latest 2023 version. AE installs a lite version of Cinema 4D as well as a plug-in, enabling use of the C4D renderere in AE.

This worked fined with AE 2022. On updating to AE23 it no longer recognises that C4D is present and says it requires C4D2023 to work. I tried doing the C4D standalione installer and it complains that it needs AVX support on the processor so won't install. I assume the issue with AE23 is that it can't install the latest version of C4D in the background due to the lack of AVX but doesn't complain. Maybe because Adobe only test with more modern Macs nowadays?

Not a biggie as I can just revert to AE22, but I wondered if going to Monterey would change anything regarding the AVX (spoofing?).

Clearly this is the kind of thing that will just keep happening as the old girl gets left behind and I will eventually go AS or 7,1.

 

[tsialex]

if going to Monterey would change anything regarding the AVX (spoofing?).

Spoofing instruction sets, AVX in this case, will get you to a kernel panic as fast as the speed of the light when your app requires any spoofed instruction.

Go back to the last working version of your app. Upgrading to Monterey will get you nothing related to something that your hardware does not have.

 

[spacedcadet]

Spoofing instruction sets, AVX in this case, will get you to a kernel panic as fast as the speed of the light when your app requires any spoofed instruction.

Go back to the last working version of your app. Upgrading to Monterey will get you nothing related to something that your hardware does not have.

That's what I thought, but good to have it confirmed before I find out the hard way. Thankyou @tsialex
Which reminds me, I need to do a ROM dump soon!

 

[ebbemonke]

Hi, I am brand new to Mac Pro's, bought a 4,1 flashed it to 5,1 upgraded the CPU to x5680, initially had problem with SSD due to el cheapo amazon special would not initialise, switched to Samsung and all good, but I wasted two days trying to install 13.2.1, it would go through installation process and then go to some error mode, change the installation target disk name to orinalname-Data and would add another -Data after each manual reboot... I decided to try with 13.1 and it went through the first time, is it a known problem with 13.2.1 or is it me doing something wrong?

 

[hwojtek]

"Some error mode" is not exactly a problem description that will bring tons of eye-opening answers.

 

[mrkapqa]

There are several working alternatives, such as iStumbler.

thanks, will look for those if needed again.

the usb1.1 dbt-link 120 flashed for powermac however would no longer function on the monterey;
if i remember correctly, it function before, just plug-and-play, on a previous installation of mac os 12, so i wonder what happened in the meantime.

did also try with this command, taken from teresa@morgonaut, to no avail;

sudo nvram bluetoothHostControllerSwitchBehavior=always

also switching to a USB 3 hub and connecting the dongle there, would not revive it.


taken from here

PR

 

[PeterHolbrook]

You mean this one?
View attachment 2163002

I mean this one, which is working great on Monterey:

EDIT: Perhaps it will crash on Monterey if SIP is enabled (?). I usually keep SIP off.

 

[Macschrauber]

thanks, will look for those if needed again.

the usb1.1 dbt-link 120 flashed for powermac however would no longer function on the monterey;
if i remember correctly, it function before, just plug-and-play, on a previous installation of mac os 12, so i wonder what happened in the meantime.

did also try with this command, taken from teresa@morgonaut, to no avail;



also switching to a USB 3 hub and connecting the dongle there, would not revive it.


taken from here

PR

I tried that nvram settings years ago, it was always working randomly. Ended up pulling the little 4 pins cable on the original Bluetooth board got the external one working reliable.

That disconnects it entirely, is reversible if needed.

 

[NoLemon]

Hello everyone, I got a question about installing Open Core,
regarding a pre existing UEFI Windows installation on a SATA SSD.

in Post #1 I read, that there is a EFI protection in Open Core.

To make it short, I bricked a 5.1 in 2019 because of that UEFI install.
Im not planning on finding out, by bricking it again.

Is possible to use that original installation with Open Core,
or do I have to install it again from scratch ?

Not sure, i could not find info on pre existing Windows UEFI installations.

I would even install it new but, I have to use that same UEFI Windows, because in that installation is something which works with an older device i have. This device worked fine with the 5.1, but didn´t on a newer mac with the same Windows installation over USB 3.1/Thunderbolt 3.

Im suspecting its hardware related, something like it does not accept USB 3 or the Chipset.

Easiest would be. to try what worked before, that way I can at least verify that the Device is shot if it does not work, before getting a new Device.

Thanks a lot
NoLemon

 

[h9826790]

Is possible to use that original installation with Open Core,
or do I have to install it again from scratch ?

You can use the original UEFI Windows after your cMP boot via OpenCore.

No need to install another one.

Not sure, i could not find info on pre existing Windows UEFI installations.

In fact, quite a few people mentioned they simply install UEFI Windows on a PC, then move the drive to cMP.

 

[prefuse07]

In fact, quite a few people mentioned they simply install UEFI Windows on a PC, then move the drive to cMP.

Can confirm, I used this method once to install Windows 11 Pro on my 5,1 running OC 0.8.5 (no longer in my sig since I've upgraded to a 7,1).

I used Rufus to bypass the TPM requirements, it does work!

 

[Macschrauber]

Hello everyone, I got a question about installing Open Core,
regarding a pre existing UEFI Windows installation on a SATA SSD.

in Post #1 I read, that there is a EFI protection in Open Core.

To make it short, I bricked a 5.1 in 2019 because of that UEFI install.
Im not planning on finding out, by bricking it again.

Is possible to use that original installation with Open Core,
or do I have to install it again from scratch ?

Not sure, i could not find info on pre existing Windows UEFI installations.

I would even install it new but, I have to use that same UEFI Windows, because in that installation is something which works with an older device i have. This device worked fine with the 5.1, but didn´t on a newer mac with the same Windows installation over USB 3.1/Thunderbolt 3.

Im suspecting its hardware related, something like it does not accept USB 3 or the Chipset.

Easiest would be. to try what worked before, that way I can at least verify that the Device is shot if it does not work, before getting a new Device.

Thanks a lot
NoLemon

take good care to do not start uefii Windows (even the usb thumb drive with the installer on it) outside OpenCore protection.

Backup your bootrom to flash it back in case you get certificates.

You can backup and check it for certificates (and other problems) with my dumper:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/healthy-nvram-normal-behaviour-on-4-1-5-1-machines.2333460/post-31979066

 

[NoLemon]

Thanks everyone =)
I wont make the same Mistake twice =)

Just checked now, both my Windoof (oups =) Installs are UEFI, I was hoping the older one would be MBR.

@ Mac Schrauber,
Wow a Rom Dumper/Installer ?!?
I still have the original Apple service CD, which can (probably) repair the ROM =)


But now something came up, reading the OC instructions, as well as the alternatives like
Martin's Package and OCLP.

First,
which one is best option Original, Martin or OCLP ?
Probably Original.

I dont need much I got one apple Nvidia 680GTX and one Non Apple, a PCIE NVME SSD Samsung 970pro and a 40" 4k screen, thats pretty much it. Later I want to add in the Titan Ridge. I have no plans on adding anything else, maybe some times a USB3 card but probably not.

Second,
I also got two existing 10.13.6 installs.
One is on the PCIE NVME 970 PRO.
The other one is on a Samsung PCIE AHCI blade.

The NVME is a APFS Volume.
The AHCI I didnt check yet, could be HFS+ this the Plan B SSD, in case I screw up.

Now Im not sure here, if it is no problem to install Open Core on to an existing OSX installation.

The instructions for installation is always from scratch starting with Partitioning the drive to Guid, then throwing Open Core on to the EFI partition, then Install the OS.

Third,
I would like to upgrade to here here Mojave,
BUT because of those super annoying 64bit messages, constantly popping up,
I actually downgraded again.
Is there any Fix for that ?

10.15, well I dont like the newer systems, its becomes more and more a pad or iphone ...
Adventually I probably go Linux.

This is just my "Recording some Music", teaching books Library and "need to do some Windoof" Mac, it wont´t even have any internet.


Thanks again guys =)
NoLemon

 

[tsialex]

I still have the original Apple service CD, which can (probably) repair the ROM =)

Sorry but this is a misconception, even if you could run the Firmware Restoration CD 1.9, most people never got it ever to work, Apple EFI firmware tools NEVER touch the NVRAM volume or the BootBlock and never repair a EFI firmware that is newer than MP51.007F.B03 - this is clear warned by the Firmware Restoration CD 1.9 support page:

Note: This CD cannot be used to return an Intel-based Macintosh computer's firmware to a previous version if a successful update has already been performed.

If you ever did a EFI firmware upgrade since 2010, you can't run the Firmware Restoration CD. It's a October 2010 repair tool that can only repair MP51.007F.B03 was abandoned since then.

Also, the Firmware Restoration CD 1.9 can only repair the EFI part of the BootROM while UEFI Windows SecureBoot signing happens inside the NVRAM volume, Apple EFI firmware tools never touch it since the Fsys store of the NVRAM volume is the location where part of the serialization of the MacPro was saved by the factory.

Anyway, even if from a strike of luck everything aligns and someway you can run the Firmware Repair CD and it works successfully, easier for you to win the lottery, you will go back to MP51.007F.B03 that you can only boot up to Sierra, no APFS support.

 

[NoLemon]

Wont try the cd =)

 

[NoLemon]

Coming from Hackingtosh, that was a very long time ago, I would say OC can be added to a existing installation. Dont remember what, but back then we had to do something to the EFI partition, and as soon as it was deleted it worked the other way round.
Same with OC ?

 

[Macschrauber]

observed a mad behaviour of High Sierra:

it has overwritten SystemVersion.plist and PlatformSupport.plist in both my /Preboot volumes in Ventura and Monterey (being in the same container of another drive)

(Noticed it by icons of Ventura and Monterey changed to High Sierra icons in OpenCore BootPicker)

Due to replacing PlatformSupport.plist odd things can happen.

the cure is easy:

sudo cp -p /System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist /System/Volumes/Preboot/_the_id_here_/System/Library/CoreServices
sudo cp -p /System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist  /System/Volumes/Preboot/_the_id_here_/System/Library/CoreServices

see both of my SystemVersion.plist of Ventura and Monterey changed magically to High Sierra:

cat /Volumes/Ventura/System/Volumes/Preboot/*/System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>ProductBuildVersion</key>
    <string>17G14033</string>
    <key>ProductCopyright</key>
    <string>1983-2020 Apple Inc.</string>
    <key>ProductName</key>
    <string>Mac OS X</string>
    <key>ProductUserVisibleVersion</key>
    <string>10.13.6</string>
    <key>ProductVersion</key>
    <string>10.13.6</string>
</dict>
</plist>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>ProductBuildVersion</key>
    <string>17G14033</string>
    <key>ProductCopyright</key>
    <string>1983-2020 Apple Inc.</string>
    <key>ProductName</key>
    <string>Mac OS X</string>
    <key>ProductUserVisibleVersion</key>
    <string>10.13.6</string>
    <key>ProductVersion</key>
    <string>10.13.6</string>
</dict>
</plist>

High Sierra PlatformSupport.plist in Monterey /Preboot - see the old date.



Edit: Did reverse test to double check. After booting High Sierra once natively it wrote its PlatformSupport.plist and SystemVersion.plist into Monterey /Preboot, also it changed .contentDetails back to "Monterey - Data".

Edit2: There is a dedicated thread about the issue and the tool:
Thread 'High Sierra booting possibly corrupts newer Systems. Fix, description and a boot picker renamer'

 

[mrkapqa]

dear @Macschrauber, how did you get the Gt640 functioning in MOnterey if i may ask? have one around, but never really tried hard (that one is bit faulty, functions only for some time)?

 

[Macschrauber]

dear @Macschrauber, how did you get the Gt640 functioning in MOnterey if i may ask? have one around, but never really tried hard (that one is bit faulty, functions only for some time)?

with OCLP root patching, adding kepler kexts.

 

[Pointy-Head]

Hi everyone, I just replaced my NVIDIA GTX 680 2 GB with a MSI R9 280X 3 GB Gaming (flashed with Mac boot screen support). I then updated from Big Sur to the latest Monterey and OC 0.8.9. Everything works fine except I cannot get hardware acceleration and Safari DRM working (in either Big Sur or Monterey).

I set up my OC config.plist again from scratch, carefully working through all the options and steps in post #1 here. I've checked the plist validates with plutil and the latest ocvalidate. I have tried using the boot arguments option suggested in post #1 (wegtree=1 unfairgva=1) instead of (and as well as) device properties. The Lilu and WhateverGreen kexts are listed in kextstat, which I assume means they are loading. I've looked through the config.plist in Martin Lo's latest package for OC 0.8.9 and compared it to mine - that uses boot arguments (several more than suggested by CDF in post #1). I haven't tried installing the whole Martin Lo package yet - I prefer the minimal approach here if possible, but I guess it would be worth a try.

If anyone has any suggestions for what I might be missing, I'd really appreciate it. I'm hoping it's not something weird about the MSI version of the R9 280X. I have attached my config.plist in case it's helpful. Thanks guys!

 

[cdf]

Everything works fine except I cannot get hardware acceleration and Safari DRM working (in either Big Sur or Monterey).

Just so that we're on the same page, what tests have you done to verify this (ex. VideoProc, Netflix, etc.)?

I've looked through the config.plist in Martin Lo's latest package for OC 0.8.9 and compared it to mine - that uses boot arguments (several more than suggested by CDF in post #1).

The settings in post #1 are (should be?) just enough for Monterey (and Big Sur). Other settings can be added as needed for Mojave and Catalina, as described at the end of the third part.

I'm hoping it's not something weird about the MSI version of the R9 280X.

There could always be particularities with certain cards, though I'd like to think they would've been identified by now.

I haven't tried installing the whole Martin Lo package yet - I prefer the minimal approach here if possible, but I guess it would be worth a try.

Make sure to let us know if you get it working. That way, we can identify exactly what needs to be added to your setup.

 

[Pointy-Head]

Just so that we're on the same page, what tests have you done to verify this (ex. VideoProc, Netflix, etc.)?

Yes, VideoProc shows hardware acceleration status as "Unavailable". Netflix and other DRM protected video streams won't play in Safari.

I have now replaced my "vanilla" EFI from post #1 with Martin's package for OC 0.8.9, but still no joy. I will try OCLP in case that builds something that works. I will report back if I have any success. Otherwise is there anything I should check or test to try to understand where the problem lies? Perhaps booting in verbose mode might show an error (hard to spot as it flies by though). Would it be worth trying the debug version of OC? I have not used it before so not sure what it might give me.

Many thanks for the help.

 

[Macschrauber]

Yes, VideoProc shows hardware acceleration status as "Unavailable". Netflix and other DRM protected video streams won't play in Safari.

I have now replaced my "vanilla" EFI from post #1 with Martin's package for OC 0.8.9, but still no joy. I will try OCLP in case that builds something that works. I will report back if I have any success. Otherwise is there anything I should check or test to try to understand where the problem lies? Perhaps booting in verbose mode might show an error (hard to spot as it flies by though). Would it be worth trying the debug version of OC? I have not used it before so not sure what it might give me.

Many thanks for the help.

This generation of graphics card has no acceleration for the VideoToolbox. It starts afair with Polaris.

 

[Pointy-Head]

This generation of graphics card has no acceleration for the VideoToolbox. It starts afair with Polaris.

Aha! Well that would explain it. Thank you Macschrauber. I should have discovered that before buying this particular card. Maybe I will put it back on eBay.

Interestingly OCLP has built a version of OC that does enable DRM in Safari. When I have more time I will try to figure out what enabled that.

Thanks for the help!

 

[NoLemon]

Ok, so I tested saved and checked the EFI all good.
I installed OC, its running.
BUT
in the how to in Post #1, Copy your config to the Home Folder, trying to mount the EFI I with
the ecommand: diskutil mount /dev/disk0s1

I get the Terminal response:

Volume on disk0s1 failed to mount

If the volume is damaged, try the "readOnly" option

so after this install is the UEFI protection active, or do we have to activate it ?

thanks NoLemon