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

[N008]

boot verbose (hold cmd-v) and take a photo of the error message.

Maybe you got something totally wrong and boot Mojave with a board ID of a Mac Pro 7,1

btw: this thread is not the correct thread, this is for the manual approach.

this is the Martin Lo flavor thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/32880950/

Thank You Macshrauber,

I am sorry if I have mistaken with the thread, but it somehow seemed very similar to this discussion in ths thread. Before I go on with this discussion. Should I copy all my post to your appointed thread and proceed over there?
Or is there any other platform/channel where I could communicate with you in this matter?

These are the photos. I accidentaly pressed the space key and then the second picture opened with more options.
Should I pick any of them?
Could you give me short description of each definition?
I had no idea about this option(verbose mode).
This is all I could get for you now.

 

[Macschrauber]

Thank You Macshrauber,

I am sorry if I have mistaken with the thread, but it somehow seemed very similar to this discussion in ths thread. Before I go on with this discussion. Should I copy all my post to your appointed thread and proceed over there?
Or is there any other platform/channel where I could communicate with you in this matter?

These are the photos. I accidentaly pressed the space key and then the second picture opened with more options.
Should I pick any of them?
Could you give me short description of each definition?
I had no idea about this option(verbose mode).
This is all I could get for you now.

Like expected, you boot Mojave with OpenCore. If OpenCore is spoofing a MacPro 7,1 this is an incompatible board for Mojave.

You should start, reading the documentation and learn how OpenCore works. If not you will fall into further traps and get more frustrated than pleased…

OpenCore Legacy Patcher

Experience macOS just like before

dortania.github.io

We could say, add: -no_compat_check to the boot args in OpenCore configuration, but this just would let you boot Mojave with your setup and you are not one step further.

The effect is the same, booting, lets say, Mojave with wrong board IDs, but the reason is different.

 

[N008]

Like expected, you boot Mojave with OpenCore. If OpenCore is spoofing a MacPro 7,1 this is an incompatible board for Mojave.

You should start, reading the documentation and learn how OpenCore works. If not you will fall into further traps and get more frustrated than pleased…

OpenCore Legacy Patcher

Experience macOS just like before

dortania.github.io

We could say, add: -no_compat_check to the boot args in OpenCore configuration, but this just would let you boot Mojave with your setup and you are not one step further.

The effect is the same, booting, lets say, Mojave with wrong board IDs, but the reason is different.

Thank you again for your answer, but it is hard for me to read your answer in a flowing format(it leaves me impression that we are “Talking past each other” - “aneinander vorbeireden“"

I try to restart with this conversation - because in previous answer I didn't see any recognisable details referring to my questions.

1. I have never installed Open Core in my cMP. All I did was "performed a 3xNVRAM reset,".
Yes, it is one step of the installation of Open Core(but the very first one)
I don't see how the Open Core itself has anything to do with my situation.
All I did before was "flashing the ROM" with "EnableGOP" method.

Your suggestion was: "Like expected, you boot Mojave with OpenCore."
So, How can I boot Mojave with OpenCore if I don't even have Open Core installed?
And before that, First I have to get out of this error situation where I am stuck currently


/
I have never used the "verbose mode" before. There is short description about it on this link about it, but that is all I found. That is why I am asking more experienced people in this forum.
/

2. So I entered the "verbose mode" as you asked "IMG_4872".
These are the only photos I could get for "error message".

3. I accidentaly pressed the space key and then the second picture"IMG_4873" opened up with more options.
Should I pick any of them?

4. Could you give me short definition for those 5 boot options on the picture"IMG_4873"?

 

[Macschrauber]

1. I have never installed Open Core in my cMP. All I did was "performed a 3xNVRAM reset,".
Yes, it is one step of the installation of Open Core(but the very first one)
I don't see how the Open Core itself has anything to do with my situation.
All I did before was "flashing the ROM" with "EnableGOP" method.

So, why do we see the screen of OpenCore V096 from November 2023 ?

You start Mojave with OpenCore, OpenCore is spoofing a machine what is not Mojave compatible, so you get the incompatible Board ID message / icon.

Start with alt-key (if you have a bootscreen capable GPU) and select your Mojave disk, also hold the ctrl-key, when selecting it, to bless it (set it as the starting OS).

Then find the ESP with OpenCore on it. You can use the ESP tools from the Dumper to easily find it (link in the signature).

 

[Gustav Holdoff]

Maybe it will be useful for someone, may also be useful for N008
On the recommendation of Tsialex, I flash system ROM about once a year
despite the fact that OC Devs do the flash rom procedure in the presence of opencore, I’m afraid of doing something wrong.
So I do it according to the classic scheme - I take out all the SSD and HDD, all the psi-e cards
I leave an empty computer with a Mojave disk in the first SATA bay
When I did all the manipulations with the ROM, I returned to opencore,
inserted my special OC SSD into the first optical bay, did the opencore bless procedure in Mojave,
inserted all the removed hardware back, took out the Mojave disk and launched Monterey (or earlier BigSur)
Since I have long had a suspicion that the bless opencore procedure is unnecessary in my case;
yesterday I decided not to carry out this procedure
I just took out the Mojave SSD and put all the hardware back in
Inserted opencore into optic bay1
and turned on the computer
opencore in optic bey1 was recognized and loaded immediately
Therefore, I recommend installing opencore on a separate SSD or HDD in Optic Bay1 - it can be easily removed and replaced with a Mojave rescue - and you can edit opencore - if circumstances require it, connecting it to another computer (but just remember that if it is an SSD, then you must check whether there is trimforce on the sata - since resetting SMC and nvram makes trimforce disabled and you need to restore it every time - otherwise you will fill your disk with garbage)
I’ll wait to see what the gurus say, but it would be useful for beginners who find all these procedures complicated or don’t read the instructions
I always have only one working system on my computer -
- just read the cdf instructions to understand that to run multi-system you must have special opencore modifications in order to boot into old systems using OC
I do not consider an option for ordinary users, as Macscrauber and other devs do, when they use some programs for multi-download different versions of opencore, which are located on each system drive and are configured to load each version of Macos or Windows
Macschrauber has already warned that loading into HighSierra can damage the apfs structure on more modern systems
As far as I personally understand, he needs this multi-system to test the performance of the OC. Why do ordinary users who will not be able to fix their computer if it becomes a brick?
For those who use older systems, I would recommend providing the possibility of physically replacing system disks before booting
If you still need to reboot to boot into the old system, then why not just connect a disk with one or another system?
and if you are so impatient, you can use parallels - everything is instantaneous and without tricks

 

[Macschrauber]

the major problem he has, without offense, he does not know enough of what a bootloader like OpenCore is and what it does.

See the post telling he has not installed OpenCore tho showing OpenCore screens.

After he knows the functionality he could easily locate and remove the OpenCore ESP, if its not on his Mojave disk. The ESP tools I made help a lot, especially for the inexperienced user.

A reason I wrote them is to exactly support those guys.

So he starts natively into his OS and adjust whats wrong. By Recovery, boot picker, CD, whatever. But there is the need to know how things play together.

Bootrom, beside a broken nvram, has nothing to do with this problem.

and btw, I need the different OS (have one box from Snow Leopard to Sonoma) for testing and debugging my tools. My work horses run on one OS.

 

[Gustav Holdoff]

Of course he has opencore installed, I recommend N008 to remember the sequence of actions how opencore appeared on his computer
but N008 wrote that he plans Monterey for video, Windows for games
It’s not clear what method will be used to install Windows?
I’m not an expert, but on Mojave, Windows seems to be installed via bootcamp without opencore
Maybe that's why he needs Mojave?
but since Windows is on a separate disk, it means it’s not a bootcamp
In this situation, opencore is only needed for Monterey and for Windows
but keeping mojave, which can accidentally damage apfs in monterey, i probably wouldn’t recommend
It’s not clear from the post why Mojave is needed
or am I missing something?
I would recommend installing opencore on an easily removable disk - any non-system one

 

[N008]

the major problem he has, without offense, he does not know enough of what a bootloader like OpenCore is and what it does.

See the post telling he has not installed OpenCore tho showing OpenCore screens.

After he knows the functionality he could easily locate and remove the OpenCore ESP, if its not on his Mojave disk. The ESP tools I made help a lot, especially for the inexperienced user.

A reason I wrote them is to exactly support those guys.

So he starts natively into his OS and adjust whats wrong. By Recovery, boot picker, CD, whatever. But there is the need to know how things play together.

Bootrom, beside a broken nvram, has nothing to do with this problem.

and btw, I need the different OS (have one box from Snow Leopard to Sonoma) for testing and debugging my tools. My work horses run on one OS.

No offence taken. Yes, I know I am still studying all this(bootloaders, EnableGOP, Open Core, OCLP, etc. processes.) So far I have studied these materials:
- all of the relevant videos from “Lance McVicar - Mac Sound Solutions inc.”(because he has 90% similar cMP as I do”
- OCLP manual(about 50% of it)
- Joerg Henninges(some videos)
- Martin Lo’s Open Core guidance and videos
…and if I have not found proper tutorial/manual I have posted to forums.macrumors.com

That is why I have posted here - to make these things clear for me

Thank you again for your answer, but it is hard for me to read your answer in a flowing format(it leaves me impression that we are “Talking past each other” - “aneinander vorbeireden“"

I try to restart with this conversation - because in previous answer I didn't see any recognisable details referring to my questions.

1. I have never installed Open Core in my cMP. All I did was "performed a 3xNVRAM reset,".
Yes, it is one step of the installation of Open Core(but the very first one)
I don't see how the Open Core itself has anything to do with my situation.
All I did before was "flashing the ROM" with "EnableGOP" method.

Your suggestion was: "Like expected, you boot Mojave with OpenCore."
So, How can I boot Mojave with OpenCore if I don't even have Open Core installed?
And before that, First I have to get out of this error situation where I am stuck currently


/
I have never used the "verbose mode" before. There is short description about it on this link about it, but that is all I found. That is why I am asking more experienced people in this forum.
/

2. So I entered the "verbose mode" as you asked "IMG_4872".
These are the only photos I could get for "error message".

3. I accidentaly pressed the space key and then the second picture"IMG_4873" opened up with more options.
Should I pick any of them?

4. Could you give me short definition for those 5 boot options on the picture"IMG_4873"?

In this post I put even numbers before my questions, but I didn’t get answers according to my numbers.
This type of “Questions&Answers” structure is necessary for me to orientate in this subject.
No Offence to the people who gives answers(You are very educated in these matters, but please If you could just try to understand my level of understanding this matter, I could learn more effectively and faster).

//////
So my humble request would be to get direct answers point by point to my numbered questions, that I could map the new knowhow on my chart:

As you both Macschrauber and Gustav Holdoff claim strongly that I have installed Open Core, please confirm me following.

As I mentioned that my last process was doing “EnableGOP” by following the Lance’s and Joerg’s videos
Ultimate Mac Pro 5,1 One More Thing... - YouTube
EnableGOP: Native Bootpicker with every GPU - A cMP Story - YouTube

1. Please confirm me is the “EnableGOP” procedure counted as “install Open Core”?

So, why do we see the screen of OpenCore V096 from November 2023 ?

You start Mojave with OpenCore, OpenCore is spoofing a machine what is not Mojave compatible, so you get the incompatible Board ID message / icon.

Start with alt-key (if you have a bootscreen capable GPU) and select your Mojave disk, also hold the ctrl-key, when selecting it, to bless it (set it as the starting OS).

Then find the ESP with OpenCore on it. You can use the ESP tools from the Dumper to easily find it (link in the signature).

This is also why you, Macschrauber, saw “the screen of OpenCore V096 from November 2023”

//////

2. Could you give me short definition for those 5 boot options on the picture"IMG_4873"?

3. What does ESP mean? And what is it’s function?


I managed to boot back to Mojave with with opt. and then ctrl. keys.
(I was not aware that this would work in my situation, I guess my mind was too much focused on the error that I didn’t think that as an option - now I added this note into my troubleshooting notes)
I am aware of those keys function in this situation:
- opt. gives me boot selection
- ctrl saves the selected boot mode to use same boot option automatically next time.


4. “Then find the ESP with OpenCore on it.” - how shall I do that? do I have to enter the config.plist and edit it?

5. Or I should resume to the point I made a mistake, by fix it by:
5.1. enabling SIP
5.2. 3 x nvram
5.3. disable SIP and go on with Martin Lo's Open Core installation guide?
(because I know that I made a mistake by (maybe)leaving the SIP enabled before NVRAM reset.)

Of course he has opencore installed, I recommend N008 to remember the sequence of actions how opencore appeared on his computer
but N008 wrote that he plans Monterey for video, Windows for games
It’s not clear what method will be used to install Windows?
I’m not an expert, but on Mojave, Windows seems to be installed via bootcamp without opencore
Maybe that's why he needs Mojave?
but since Windows is on a separate disk, it means it’s not a bootcamp
In this situation, opencore is only needed for Monterey and for Windows
but keeping mojave, which can accidentally damage apfs in monterey, i probably wouldn’t recommend
It’s not clear from the post why Mojave is needed
or am I missing something?
I would recommend installing opencore on an easily removable disk - any non-system one

Answering Gustav Holdoff Questions:
Q: It’s not clear what method will be used to install Windows?
A: I am not sure yet which method to use for installing windows 11.
(1st I thought to use Rufus, but I don’t have easy access to some windows PC currently…
… so maybe I find some solution from Jesse’s or Jensd_be videos)
Windows 11 on Apple Mac Pro 4,1 or 5,1 - YouTube
Tutorial: Windows 11 on UNSUPPORTED MACs?!? - YouTube

Of course I hear your suggestion if you know which would be best solution for me.

As far as I learnt I can’t use bootcamp with Mojave on cMP.
I try to follow Lance’s “build-up” and it makes most sense to me today.
So that is why I put windows on separate SSD.
As far as I have understood it is good idea to keep Mojave disk as a back up for the moment when “everything goes south”.

I have been thinking about such set up***:
Bay 1 - 256GB OC & Monterey (Monterey for the future video editing)
Bay 2 - 500 GB / 2TB Win 11 (for gaming and screen recording)
Bay 3 - 256 GB Mojave (just as a back up OS)
Bay 4 - 500 GB Big Sur

*** I am opened for the different set up suggestions.
(I may skip installing the Big Sur if I find enough confirmation that I can use Monterey instead(if it still has some supported video editing programs available - minding about AVX2).

 

[Macschrauber]

Since you added EnableGOP you will have the native Apple bootpicker, so holding alt as preboot key worked, also the ctrl-key to bless.

I am scratching my head: I don't get why you don't see your Screenshots show the OpenCore boot menu. In the lower right corner is even the version and date of OpenCore.
This is the OpenCore ESP (Efi System Partition) what you, or someone else, installed recently. See the date...



You can use the ESP tools of my Dumper package to find and mount OC. Use mount from list and show bootloader. You will get a list of disks and one or more of it has in brackets a bootloader addition.

You can mount the ESP with OC in it, edit it, delete it, whatever and start from scratch.


more details about the ESP tools:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/manually-configured-opencore-on-the-mac-pro.2207814/page-520?post=32382081#post-32382081

Install Windows in Bios/CSM mode, as you have the native boot picker you can boot it with holding the alt-key and select Windows. Don't use the USB installer as it would get you certificates what harms the nvram volume of the bootrom in the long run. Keep your bootrom backup well stored. In case you boot UEFI Windows accidentaly...

 

[N008]

So, why do we see the screen of OpenCore V096 from November 2023 ?

You start Mojave with OpenCore, OpenCore is spoofing a machine what is not Mojave compatible, so you get the incompatible Board ID message / icon.

Start with alt-key (if you have a bootscreen capable GPU) and select your Mojave disk, also hold the ctrl-key, when selecting it, to bless it (set it as the starting OS).

Then find the ESP with OpenCore on it. You can use the ESP tools from the Dumper to easily find it (link in the signature).

I am sorry, but still don't understand your answer.

1. Are you trying to tell me that the “EnableGOP” procedure is same as “install Open Core”?

Because I have not separately installed Open Core jet. I only installed "EnableGOP".
Yes, there may be screenshots with the number which points towards Open Core version number.
But I say once more, I have not installed "Open Core" - If I have not done it how can you explain that I have the version number?

Simple question, expecting simple answer.
This subject would be finished after 1st answer, if I could get direct answers to the direct questions.

No offence.

 

[Macschrauber]

I am sorry, but still don't understand your answer.

1. Are you trying to tell me that the “EnableGOP” procedure is same as “install Open Core”?

Because I have not separately installed Open Core jet. I only installed "EnableGOP".
Yes, there may be screenshots with the number which points towards Open Core version number.
But I say once more, I have not installed "Open Core" - If I have not done it how can you explain that I have the version number?

Simple question, expecting simple answer.
This subject would be finished after 1st answer, if I could get direct answers to the direct questions.

No offence.

1. no, EnableGop is independent

1a. This is my last try in this thread as we run in circles: You installed OpenCore. We see OpenCore on your screenshots.

I will open a conversation with you, this is getting way off topic.

 

[N008]

1. no, EnableGop is independent

1a. This is my last try in this thread as we run in circles: You installed OpenCore. We see OpenCore on your screenshots.

I will open a conversation with you, this is getting way off topic.

Thank you for your answer.
Meanwhile I also red Martin Lo's

"Pre-OpenCore GOP support for EFI-era iMacs and Mac Pros"​

and understood that I can run the EnableGOP "even without, the rest of OpenCore"
So technically I have installed just 1 part of the OpenCore not the whole OpenCore. In the name of studies I don't understand why this couldn't be told me at first place. So much confusion about so small thing. - At least I understand now.

You wait ten years for a driver to enable pre-boot graphics on unsupported GPUs in EFI era Macs, and then two come along at once...

This post is to announce a firmware driver to enable the native Apple boot picker and early macOS boot progress bar (plus other parts of the firmware UI: target disk mode; firmware password; internet recovery on machines which have it; etc.) on non-natively supported GPUs, before, or even without, the rest of OpenCore.

The basic idea is: if your GPU already works in but not before OpenCore, then with this driver added to your vBIOS or firmware it should be able to work before OpenCore, too.

It has now been fairly widely tested, on both iMac and Mac Pro, but nevertheless it is a firmware driver:

• If for any reason it fails (or perhaps is incorrectly installed) it can completely brick your machine.
• If you are not comfortable modifying and burning updates to firmware or vBIOS, and recovering from bricks of either of these (which will involve additional hardware) - do not proceed. (Or at the very least, wait for clear and replicable instructions and proven success stories for your specific system, from other users who do have this expertise, before proceeding.)

Instructions and required files can be found in the /Utilities/EnableGop directory of the current OpenCore release. For the very latest build (if any recent updates have been made) see the first couple of posts in the thread below.

Background​

This driver has a completely separate origin and development history from @Syncretic's current impressive work. This driver aims to be lightweight and standalone. It comes naturally out of the huge amount of work already done in OpenCore (and mainly finished a couple of years ago, except for these additional steps) to support the OpenCore boot menu on non-natively supported GPUs, within OpenCore. It is also - as part of OpenCore - open source.

After reversing enough of the firmware to work out how to link OpenCore’s GOP to the Apple firmware UI protocol, it seemed worth trying to enable this before OpenCore as well - i.e. to try to get 'as native' support for these cards. A little bit more experimentation made it clear that the best way to do this would be to piggy-back off the existing, very well tested work already done in OpenCore to support these cards - basically to package up the required parts of OpenCore (ForgeUefiSupport, ProvideConsoleGop and the recent code to connect this to the Apple firmware UI) into a firmware injectable driver, and then figure out a way to deliver its 'payload' (particularly the ProvideConsoleGop part) at the right time. Early versions also used OpenCore’s ReloadOptionRoms, as OpenCore has to do, to load any option ROM which needs ForgeUefiSupport - but with the correct approach it was possible to avoid this, letting the firmware do it for us, which turned out to make the driver much more stable.

So after considerable reversing, some additional new code, and a lot of helpful testing and input from those listed below, this is now working.

Spoiler: Supported hardware

Tested Mac models:​

• MacPro4,1/5,1
• MacPro5,1
• iMac10,1
• iMac11,1
• iMac11,2
• iMac11,3
• iMac12,2

Notes:

• The current version of the driver is believed to be safe on all 2009-2012 iMacs and on the MacPro4,1/5,1 and MacPro5,1
  • iMac12,1 should be supported but not yet known: a confirmed test result would be welcome
• Most recent available firmware in all cases
• Other Mac models not yet tested, and outside the ones listed above probably will not work (since the required patches apply to the listed firmware only) - please PM me to discuss support

NOT Supported:​

• The current version of the driver is NOT compatible with the MacPro3,1, it will make the boot process hang and should not be installed there

Tested GPUs:​

• GT610 (with original or added GOP in VBIOS)
• GT640
• GT710
• GT720 (EnableGopDirect)
• GT730
• GTX60
• GTX660
• GTX670
• GTX750Ti
• GTX780
• GTX960
• GTX1050Ti
• GTX1070
• GTX1080Ti
• HD 7770
• HD 7970 (all except EnableGop(Direct) version 1.2)
• K2000
• K2000d
• K420
• K600 (with GOP addition in VBIOS)
• M4000, M5100, W5170M (Venus, MXM)
• M6100, W6150M, W6170M (Saturn, MXM)
• NVS 510
• P3000
• Radeon VII
  • This flagship card appears to have a buggy GOP ROM - replacing the GOP with the one from the Radeon VII Pro makes it fully work. The DirectGopRendering setting in OpenCore and EnableGopDirect are no longer needed - with this replacement EnableGop can be used.
• RX460
• RX480 (PCI and MXM)
• RX5500XT (PCI and MXM)
• RX5700XT
• RX580 Nitro+
• RX6800
• RX6900XT
• W6600
• Vega 56
• Vega (687F)
• RX560, RX570, RX580, RX590
• S7100X (MXM)
• WX4130, WX4150, WX4170, WX7100 (MXM)

Notes​

• All GPUs work with EnableGop, unless explicitly listed as requiring EnableGopDirect
• Some GPUs listed above may need additional firmware - such as a GOP driver for older GPUs which do not come with one; or other patches - in order for them to work with OpenCore in the first place (hence to be eligible to work with EnableGop in firmware); try searching for the card in this thread or the following iMac specific threads:
  • https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2011-imac-graphics-card-upgrade.1596614/
  • https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/imac-2011-maxwell-and-pascal-gpu-upgrade.2300989/
• The driver should also work fine with natively supported GPUs such as GT120 (tested) (e.g. when installed in main firmware and swapping cards)
• It should work with OpenCore (of course) and with RefindPlus
• OpenCore settings which this driver already implements can be, but do not have to be, disabled

Spoiler: Releases

Releases of EnableGop in not-yet-released versions of OpenCore may be obtained as per the first couple of posts in the thread below. Older versions may be downloaded as required from the named OpenCore release.

If you find you are short on space when flashing to vBIOS - which can be especially a problem for AMD GPUs - then try EnableGop 1.1 (available with the 0.9.0 release of OpenCore).

EnableGop version (released with OpenCore version):

1.4 (0.9.3)​

• Incorporates recent updates to OpenCore console control code, but no difference in behaviour compared to version 1.3 is expected on any supported systems.

1.3 (0.9.2)​

• Included fix to GopBurstMode for non-standard frame buffer information on AMD Radeon HD 7970 and similar
• Applied GopBurstMode even on natively supported cards, as it can provide a noticable speed up

Note: GopBurstMode is applied by all versions of this driver for the speed-up it gives, so it may be advisable to test OpenCore with GopBurstMode enabled before burning to main firmware or vBIOS. However the driver has been fairly widely tested now, and there are no known remaining issues on any systems listed as supported, after the fix mentioned above.

1.2 (0.9.1)​

• Added GopBurstMode support

Note 1: This should provide faster GOP rendering on all EnableGopDirect systems; and rendering at least at the same speed as before, and on some systems noticeably faster than before, on almost all EnableGop systems.

Note 2: The compressed driver for version 1.2 is 1KB larger than for version 1.1, so for AMD vBIOSes which are tight on space version 1.1 may be used instead to avoid the need for VGA stripping to make additional space.

1.1 (0.9.0)​

• Fixed early verbose boot lines appearing over picker
• Added EnableGop version number to UI section

1.0 (0.8.9)​

• Initial public release

Spoiler: AMD

The vBIOS insertion script vBiosInsert.sh now supports both AMD and Nvidia cards.

In the case of AMD, considerably less space is normally available than with Nvidia, due to a strict limit of 128k for legacy and EFI parts of the potentially larger ROM image (the rest of which is only usable internally by the card itself).

So far, there has largely been enough spare space on desktop format (PCIe) cards for Mac Pro, and not enough space on iMac format (MXM) cards. If there is not enough space (i.e. script reports ROM data exceeds the 128k limit) then it is necessary to strip some legacy VGA parts of the vBIOS, or check on the iMac threads listed in the next spoiler to see if this has already been done for your card.

You can also inject EnableGop into the main system firmware instead of the GPU vBIOS - see the README.md file in the Utilities/EnableGop directory of the most recent OC builds, or here. In that case the AMD vBIOS limit does not matter.

Spoiler: iMac

There has been an active community of iMac users making updates and modifications to iMac GPU vBIOSes since long before EnableGop was written. They have kindly adopted EnableGop (and helped to test it), so for many iMac GPUs, you can already find a modified version including EnableGop (and with legacy VGA parts stripped if necessary, see previous spoiler), if you search for your GPU in these threads:

• https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2011-imac-graphics-card-upgrade.1596614/
• https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/imac-2011-maxwell-and-pascal-gpu-upgrade.2300989/

Spoiler: Additional Tools

The script relies on the EDK-II EfiRom tool to compress the driver EFI file into option ROM format, and on UEFIRomExtract as part of verifying the modified ROM.

• A current version of EfiRom can be obtained from the Utilities/BaseTools directory of OpenCore releases (0.9.0+)
  • Just for the purposes of obtaining EfiRom in this way, you should avoid the Dortania build server (for technical reasons, which don't affect the rest of OpenCore, it produces an Apple-silicon EfiRom); use releases (or other builds, if need be) from the Acidanthera OpenCore site.
• UEFIRomExtract can be obtained here: https://github.com/andyvand/UEFIRomExtract/tree/master/Release

These additional tools should be on your path rather than in the same directory as the script. For example, you could:

• mkdir ~/MyTools
• Copy the required tools into ~/MyTools
• Add export PATH=~/MyTools:$PATH to ~/.bashrc or ~/.profile
• Close and re-open your shell window

Also useful, if you want to starting looking inside vBIOS roms:

• http://hexfiend.com/
• https://gist.github.com/al3xtjames/b58f22f12bd4952e08c9f30195cc8de6

And for examining main firmware:

• https://github.com/LongSoft/UEFITool

Credits​

• @cdf - extremely helpful input throughout
• @m0bil, @Ausdauersportler, @internetzel, @dfranetic, @Jazzzny - very helpful input, and much testing
• @Syncretic - additional helpful advice
• @joevt, @Dayo - additional advice on legacy details of ForgeUefiSupport
• @Bmju - this driver
• OpenCore, @vit9696, @mhaeuser - sine qua non

Good idea to start separate conversation.

 

[crjackson2134]

I am sorry, but still don't understand your answer.

Perhaps you have a knowledgeable friend who could help you through this.

Are you trying to tell me that the “EnableGOP” procedure is same as “install Open Core”?

No, he’s not saying that at all.

I have not separately installed Open Core jet. I only installed "EnableGOP".

Apparently someone else has, if not you.

Yes, there may be screenshots with the number which points towards Open Core version number.

Logically, you should understand that it didn’t magically appear. Someone installed OC apparently.

But I say once more, I have not installed "Open Core" - If I have not done it how can you explain that I have the version number?

Yes, not hard to explain. Either you installed it, or someone else did. There it is.

Simple question, expecting simple answer.
This subject would be finished after 1st answer, if I could get direct answers to the direct questions.

You’ve gotten simple answers, but still don’t understand. I recommend you find a friend who understands and can explain and assist in person.

I too am very new to OC, and had struggles CONFIGURING my install. It took me several tries over a period of 3 days to get going. If you follow the guide in the very 1st post, you should be able to do this.

I had to wipe my target drive every single time, and start from scratch each time. It’s a learning process, and each time you start from scratch, you learn something new. Eventually you (or a helping friend) should succeed. Once you do, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to grasp this.

Hang in there. Don’t give up, but do wipe your target drive, and start from scratch.

 

[N008]

Perhaps you have a knowledgeable friend who could help you through this.


No, he’s not saying that at all.


Apparently someone else has, if not you.


Logically, you should understand that it didn’t magically appear. Someone installed OC apparently.


Yes, not hard to explain. Either you installed it, or someone else did. There it is.


You’ve gotten simple answers, but still don’t understand. I recommend you find a friend who understands and can explain and assist in person.

I too am very new to OC, and had struggles CONFIGURING my install. It took me several tries over a period of 3 days to get going. If you follow the guide in the very 1st post, you should be able to do this.

I had to wipe my target drive every single time, and start from scratch each time. It’s a learning process, and each time you start from scratch, you learn something new. Eventually you (or a helping friend) should succeed. Once you do, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to grasp this.

Hang in there. Don’t give up, but do wipe your target drive, and start from scratch.

No Offence. In general I don't see this post to be relevant to this feed as it does not contain any new helpful information - it could of been private message as from previous helper.

Logically, you should understand that it didn’t magically appear. Someone installed OC apparently.
Yes, not hard to explain. Either you installed it, or someone else did. There it is.

So crjackson2134 are telling me that after:
1) I bought a Mac Pro
2) I re-insatalled Mojave
3) I flashed the ROM with "EnableGOP"
and after all this you still claim that Open Core is fully in my Mac Pro(even after re-install Mojave and flashing the ROM)?
After all this how could you explain Open Core to get in my Mac Pro?

You’ve gotten simple answers, but still don’t understand. I recommend you find a friend who understands and can explain and assist in person.

I got clear answers from you crjackson2134, but I disagree about getting clear answers before that.
Clear Q&A are coming in a form of:
Q: Is the duck a reptile?
A: No, duck is a bird.
or
1. What colour is the cat? (Question)
The cat is black. (Answer to the question)
I didn't see any of these forms in previous conversation(except your answers to me were very clearly formed).

I had to wipe my target drive every single time, and start from scratch each time. It’s a learning process, and each time you start from scratch, you learn something new. Eventually you (or a helping friend) should succeed. Once you do, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to grasp this.

Hang in there. Don’t give up, but do wipe your target drive, and start from scratch.

Yes, initially this is called part of the learning process(my only possible mistake so far was forgetting to "enable SIP").
I've used to read and study as much as possible materials before putting hands on.
It's better to learn from other's mistakes than do them all by yourself.
But anyway, thank you for the encouragement.
Please, if you, crjackson2134, must answer to this. Please write in PM, as I don't see any relevance to other members.

 

[tsialex]

So crjackson2134 are telling me:
1) I bought a Mac Pro
2) I re-insatalled Mojave
3) I flashed the ROM with "EnableGOP"
and after all this you still claim that Open Core in my Mac Pro(even after re-install Mojave and flashing the ROM)?

This screenshot you uploaded is the prove that OpenCore 0.9.6 is installed to your Mac Pro. Everyone in this thread is telling that you/someone else installed OC/OCLP to your Mac Pro.

Everyone noticed the OpenCore bootpicker, but you. This is the native Apple BootPicker:

 

[crjackson2134]

No Offence. In general I don't see this post to be relevant to this feed as it does not contain any new helpful information - it could have been private message as from previous helper.

Because you don’t see the relevance, doesn’t mean it’s not there. This is a community, and information like this may (or may not) help others.

So crjackson2134 are telling me that after:
1) I bought a Mac Pro
2) I re-insatalled Mojave
3) I flashed the ROM with "EnableGOP"
and after all this you still claim that Open Core is fully in my Mac Pro(even after re-install Mojave and flashing the ROM)?
After all this how could you explain Open Core to get in my Mac Pro?

Sure, it’s simple! Someone installed OC, and the drive was never wiped clean, or the EFI System Partition deleted. Even after reinstalling Mojave.

I got clear answers from you crjackson2134, but I disagree about getting clear answers before that.

Agree to disagree. They were clear answers, just not formatted like mine. You didn’t comprehend, so they seemed unclear to you. People are trying to help you. Please be gracious, this is a community.

Please, if you, crjackson2134, must answer to this. Please write in PM, as I don't see any relevance to other members.

As said. The relevance is there. There may be others who are struggling, and something helpful my be gleaned here.

Whether you like it or agree with it, doesn’t matter. You have OC installed on your machine, and you are inside OC when you take a pic with a black-screened boot-picker on a Classic Mac Pro. The native boot-picker for the Classic Mac Pro is a white colored background with icons of older style HDD’s.

Look at the pics tsialex posted. These illustrate the difference.

Until you are willing to be open and accepting of certain facts, it’s doubtful anyone here can guide you.

 

[N008]

This screenshot you uploaded is the prove that OpenCore 0.9.6 is installed to your Mac Pro. Everyone in this thread is telling that you/someone else installed OC/OCLP to your Mac Pro.

Everyone noticed the OpenCore bootpicker, but you. This is the native Apple BootPicker:

View attachment 2342259

I understand, that everyone are telling me that(I don't understand the reason to repeat this information) The conversation has moved on for some time already.
Instead of getting answer for more important question in my last post.

After all this how could you explain Open Core to get in my Mac Pro?

Doesn't: re-insatalling Mojave and flashing the ROM with "EnableGOP" overwrite "someones" OpenCore install in my Mac Pro?

Isn't the OpenCore located in ROM chip?

 

[crjackson2134]

Doesn't: re-insatalling Mojave and flashing the ROM with "EnableGOP" overwrite "someones" OpenCore install in my Mac Pro?

No

Isn't the OpenCore located in ROM chip?

No

 

[tsialex]

I understand, that everyone are telling me that(I don't understand the reason to repeat this information) The conversation has moved on for some time already.
Instead of getting answer for more important question in my last post.

You are being borderline disrespectful now. A bad way to get help here.

Doesn't: re-insatalling Mojave and flashing the ROM with "EnableGOP" overwrite "someones" OpenCore install in my Mac Pro?

EnableGop is written to the MacPro BootROM SPI flash memory or to the GPU ROM SPI flash memory.

EnableGop is an EFI module while OpenCore is a boot loader.

Isn't the OpenCore located in ROM chip?

No. OpenCore is saved to the ESP of a disk. One of your disks have OpenCore installed to the EFI System Partition. If you don't know how to manually remove it (mount the ESP, erase the OC files, etc), nuke the disk and start again.

 

[mohnumber7]

Hey everyone, so I installed Opencore on my SSD where I have Mojave installed, I then installed Monterey on my HDD and with a little bit of help with Martin, I booted into Monterey. But I have one problem, when I want to turn off VMM flag I get kernel panic and cant boot into Monterey. If I turn it on, it works.

I've the same problem, did you find a solution?

 

[mohnumber7]

@cdf
Much thanks for the guide. I installed OpenCore (manually) and managed to install Monterey on my MP51. Afterwards, I took note of this...


So I reversed the VMM flag. The result was the system wouldn't boot back into Monterey.

Then I enabled VMM again, and booting returned to normal.

Does the VMM flag need to remain ENABLED on my system in order to run Monterey, or is something else going on here?

Also, after I login to my iMessages or other iCloud accounts, it completes, shows my content, the kicks me out about 5 seconds later, and asks me to login again. Is this related?

same problem, did you find a solution?

 

[sfalatko]

same problem, did you find a solution?

Have you reviewed the details in the first post? Especially focus on the section on "Spoofing and enabling missing features". All part of "Complete your Setup". Hybridization and firmware features are important.

 

[mohnumber7]

I'm opencore of Martin Lo, V0.9.7, it's configured I guess, do you mean that I need to add modifications to the last version of martin lo?

 

[Gustav Holdoff]

I'm opencore of Martin Lo, V0.9.7, it's configured I guess, do you mean that I need to add modifications to the last version of martin lo?

cdf described in detail main strategies 1-st - manual OC, 2-nd Martin's (almost the same in functionality as the manual, only already ready for most SMP5.1) and OCLP,
in the chapter of updating Macos there are two updating strategies Method 1 (in principle, Martin this way)
and method 2
in method 2 you need to update the firmware features, in method 1 you don’t need
I recommend that you carefully read the entire post 1 - this is not a complicated instruction, but it will become clear what is being done and why it is needed
I am a user, not an OC developer - my answers are based on my experience using all these tools and methods -
Opencore gurus can provide more expert advice, but I think you have a problem with the installer, or a hardware conflict. Martin's config (with VMM on and smbios off) should ensure the appearance of the Monterey update option through the update system. why can you only install via USB and then with defects - let the gurus answer

 

[mohnumber7]

yes, I've another mac pro 5.1, and placed martin's opencore V0.9.7, and same thing, when I change VMM and SMBIOS to install, I don't see the update's proposition, so two different machines and same problem.