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

[startergo]

is there a working GUI like Clover Configurator to edit the config.plist?

i will try OC with my 5.1 to spoof a 7.1.
Maybe anybody can share his working config

Sure there is

 

[mullemeck]

Hello,

First. Thanks for the guide!

I seem to do something wrong that gets me stuck before step 5e. Rather than booting into Mojave from disk B I end up in recovery. sysctl machdep.cpu.features returns VMM so something must have gone right though. Any ideas why I am unable to escape recovery rather than a normal boot?

My system:
MacPro5,1
PC rx580
disk A APFS NVMe (disk0)
disk B APFS SSD (disk1)
BootROM 144.0.0.0.0

In addition to FwRuntimeServices.efi I have also tried copying ApfsDriverLoader.efi. I have tried to reset SMC several times. EFI directory structure looks good.

Best Regards

 

[cdf]

I seem to do something wrong that gets me stuck before step 5e. Rather than booting into Mojave from disk B I end up in recovery. sysctl machdep.cpu.features returns VMM so something must have gone right though. Any ideas why I am unable to escape recovery rather than a normal boot?

When you enter recovery for the first time to bless the EFI partition, you are doing it outside of OpenCore. After that, OC should automatically boot the first system it finds. Normally, with the setup described in the guide, this system should be Mojave. But for some reason, in your case, recovery seems to have precedence. Perhaps OC is booting a leftover recovery partition on Disk A...

Anyways, if you have set RequestBootVarRouting to true, then you can use terminal to set the Mojave disk from the OC-booted recovery. (In step 5c, replace "EFI" by the name of your disk.) Then, after carrying out steps 5d and 5e, OC should boot Mojave.

 

[205Maxi]

This is what can be done via OpenCore in Catalina.
View attachment 874043

Ident as Mac Pro in About This Mac (but if further go to System Report. It will shows as 7,1).

All display ports work natively (I didn't even install Lilu and WhateverGreen).

BootROM keep 144.0.0.0.0

SMC keep 1.39f5 for 2009 cMP

System Report still suggest there is a processor tray.

CPU performance normal (but Clock speed report as 3.5GHz for my W3690, obviously this is incorrect)

Temperature sensors work. Fans work. Can build my own fan profile via TG-Pro.

Full HWAccel.

Sidecar shows up natively.

MacOS can be updated via system preferences natively.

I am not sure if I still miss anything, but if I want to run Catalina on my cMP. Most likely this is what I want to see.

Anyway, there is a warning in the Memory tab.
View attachment 874033

But I am quite sure that's just cosmetic error.
View attachment 874034

Hello i'd love to try your config if you share in private the files that you used for the spoof, i have tried already the OC config but i am pretty sure that just putting the config generated buy OC configurator did not suffice or not enough. Am i missing ACPI? No idea. If you would share and explain what you did then i could try as i have the same MacPro2009-12core with an RX590 but will soon change for the VII if your config works. Right now what i have is just the normal preliminary OC and it works, but would love to spoofMacPro7.1 just like you did.

right now in the OC folder i only have the config provided in the first post and the efiruntime. I tried to put the SMBIOS created by OC configurator into the OC folder in lieu of the config.plist restarted the machine and nothing.

any help for would be really appreciated or the files that you used for the config in that big picture...

Again thanks

 

[h9826790]

Hello i'd love to try your config if you share in private the files that you used for the spoof, i have tried already the OC config but i am pretty sure that just putting the config generated buy OC configurator did not suffice or not enough. Am i missing ACPI? No idea. If you would share and explain what you did then i could try as i have the same MacPro2009-12core with an RX590 but will soon change for the VII if your config works. Right now what i have is just the normal preliminary OC and it works, but would love to spoofMacPro7.1 just like you did.

right now in the OC folder i only have the config provided in the first post and the efiruntime. I tried to put the SMBIOS created by OC configurator into the OC folder in lieu of the config.plist restarted the machine and nothing.

any help for would be really appreciated or the files that you used for the config in that big picture...

Again thanks

You use the settings similar to the one that in post #7, then change MLB, SystemProductName, SystemSerialNumber, SystemUUID to 7,1 (generated from Clover configurator), then your cMP only boot to black screen?
[automerge]1572838805[/automerge]
I don’t mind to share my settings, but I am out of town now. May do that once I back home. Anyway, I have no idea how safe it is.

1) initial evidence shows OC (at least, with SMBIOS spoofing) will write something into the BootROM NVRAM private section.

2) that’s mixing 7,1 and 5,1 parameters. Even though I can’t spot any instability yet, I also can’t guarantee no adverse effect.

 

[205Maxi]

You use the settings similar to the one that in post #7, then change MLB, SystemProductName, SystemSerialNumber, SystemUUID to 7,1 (generated from Clover configurator), then your cMP only boot to black screen?

What i would like is to know what did you use in your post#98

Yes what i did was just generating the config.plist mac pro 7.1with oc configurator and replace it... afterthat i got black screen and not booting at all i can hear the chime but screen stays black.
I would love to use your files since we have the same mac pro i believe according to your picture post#98 that it is also like mine with 12 cores.

i really do not have any idea what i really have to put there.

i wanted to use your files and see if it could work with my machine and report back here.

if you can send the file in PM it would be great.

thank you again
Max.
[automerge]1572839588[/automerge]

You use the settings similar to the one that in post #7, then change MLB, SystemProductName, SystemSerialNumber, SystemUUID to 7,1 (generated from Clover configurator), then your cMP only boot to black screen?
[automerge]1572838805[/automerge]
I don’t mind to share my settings, but I am out of town now. May do that once I back home. Anyway, I have no idea how safe it is.

1) initial evidence shows OC (at least, with SMBIOS spoofing) will write something into the BootROM NVRAM private section.

2) that’s mixing 7,1 and 5,1 parameters. Even though I can’t spot any instability yet, I also can’t guarantee no adverse effect.

Do i need to use only SMBIOS from OC configurator and put spoofvendor?
Or do i need more files to be able to achieve what you did achieve in post #98?

How many files need to be present?

1) SMBIOS
2) ACPI??
Maybe a third one?

i think i will use your files. And if it crashes then that on me ...lol

What i liked in you post#98 is that you got acceleration and H264 without lilu and WEG and the rest as well. The less we tweak the better.

But i also wanted to say thank you for answering my post actually... thank you

 

[h9826790]

What i would like is to know what did you use in your post#98

Yes what i did was just generating the config.plist mac pro 7.1with oc configurator and replace it... afterthat i got black screen and not booting at all i can hear the chime but screen stays black.
I would love to use your files since we have the same mac pro i believe according to your picture post#98 that it is also like mine with 12 cores.

i really do not have any idea what i really have to put there.

i wanted to use your files and see if it could work with my machine and report back here.

if you can send the file in PM it would be great.

thank you again
Max.
[automerge]1572839588[/automerge]

Do i need to use only SMBIOS from OC configurator and put spoofvendor?
Or do i need more files to be able to achieve what you did achieve in post #98?

How many files need to be present?

1) SMBIOS
2) ACPI??
Maybe a third one?

i think i will use your files. And if it crashes then that on me ...lol

What i liked in you post#98 is that you got acceleration and H264 without lilu and WEG and the rest as well. The less we tweak the better.

But i also wanted to say thank you for answering my post actually... thank you

I never use OC configurator, so, no idea if that can work in this case.

My config mix some different Macs parameters, not a normal setup. I don’t think OC configurator can generate that automatically.

I can share and explain my config later. But until I back home, a simple way to do that should be by replacing the associated parameters in the config.plist file that you get from post #1, and replace the associated parameters that I post in #7.

Then further replace MLB, SystemProductName, SystemSerialNumber, SystemUUID by a new one that you get via OC configurator.

Then, your cMP should able to boot as 7,1 in Catalina.

HOWEVER, as discussed before, spoofing SMBIOS with dual processors setting may have unexpected adverse effect.

It not just one more CPU, but the OS need to know how to handle multi processors. Since 7,1 has no dual CPU option. And there is no multi CPU Mac supported by Catalina. We simply have no idea what will happen.

 

[startergo]

You use the settings similar to the one that in post #7, then change MLB, SystemProductName, SystemSerialNumber, SystemUUID to 7,1 (generated from Clover configurator), then your cMP only boot to black screen?
[automerge]1572838805[/automerge]
I don’t mind to share my settings, but I am out of town now. May do that once I back home. Anyway, I have no idea how safe it is.

1) initial evidence shows OC (at least, with SMBIOS spoofing) will write something into the BootROM NVRAM private section.

2) that’s mixing 7,1 and 5,1 parameters. Even though I can’t spot any instability yet, I also can’t guarantee no adverse effect.

I tried your config in the acceleration thread with imacpro1.1 identities and I got black screen. If I leave only the 5.1 identities VMM is enabled but there is no hardware acceleration.

 

[startergo]

I tried to put the SMBIOS created by OC configurator into the OC folder in lieu of the config.plist restarted the machine and nothing.

I used OC configurator and the config from the first post. It works fine. Make sure you compare your file with the original in the configurator. There are tabs which you have to check also. Remember if you use text editor the values are in base64, With opencore configurator the values are in hex. There is a converter in the bottom right corner from text to hex and from hex to base64

 

[octoviaa]

I never use OC configurator, so, no idea if that can work in this case.

My config mix some different Macs parameters, not a normal setup. I don’t think OC configurator can generate that automatically.

I can share and explain my config later. But until I back home, a simple way to do that should be by replacing the associated parameters in the config.plist file that you get from post #1, and replace the associated parameters that I post in #7.

Then further replace MLB, SystemProductName, SystemSerialNumber, SystemUUID by a new one that you get via OC configurator.

Then, your cMP should able to boot as 7,1 in Catalina.

HOWEVER, as discussed before, spoofing SMBIOS with dual processors setting may have unexpected adverse effect.

It not just one more CPU, but the OS need to know how to handle multi processors. Since 7,1 has no dual CPU option. And there is no multi CPU Mac supported by Catalina. We simply have no idea what will happen.

Hi H98, 'gigignopechegno' actually use dual CPU and while spoofing as iMacPro1,1 his geek-bench score actually reflect the multi-core score properly so it looks like the benchmark able to utilise both CPU.
Shouldn't that means Catalina is able to support dual CPU just fine?

 

[205Maxi]

I tried your config in the acceleration thread with imacpro1.1 identities and I got black screen. If I leave only the 5.1 identities VMM is enabled but there is no hardware acceleration.

Hello and thank you for answering. I do not get it i think.

you take the config.plist and you open it with OC Configurator correct? Then you get:

tab: ACPI empty - Booter empty - Devices properties empty -

Kernel has : Cpuid1data and CpuidMask share the same values we find in post #1 but different 00000000 00000000 00000080 00000000

Tab Misc hide self by default is checked and use picker as well. Tab timeout 1

debug 0 - 0 - 0

security with Halt level number - expose sensitive data - 2 ; scan policy - 0

Tab NVRAM with a UUID and has boot args -no_compat_check type string. If we spoof then we do not need that tab? Do we?

then platforminfo tab has 2 tab one datahub - generic - platformNVRAM and then another tab SMBIOS between the 2 which one to keep / choose?

then the last tab UEFI has values of FwRuntimeServices.efi

I am not smarter than anyone else here i just need to be shown in the right direction. Once i understood then it is good.

Thanks y'all for your help.
[automerge]1572873635[/automerge]

I never use OC configurator, so, no idea if that can work in this case.

My config mix some different Macs parameters, not a normal setup. I don’t think OC configurator can generate that automatically.

I can share and explain my config later. But until I back home, a simple way to do that should be by replacing the associated parameters in the config.plist file that you get from post #1, and replace the associated parameters that I post in #7.

Then further replace MLB, SystemProductName, SystemSerialNumber, SystemUUID by a new one that you get via OC configurator.

Then, your cMP should able to boot as 7,1 in Catalina.

HOWEVER, as discussed before, spoofing SMBIOS with dual processors setting may have unexpected adverse effect.

It not just one more CPU, but the OS need to know how to handle multi processors. Since 7,1 has no dual CPU option. And there is no multi CPU Mac supported by Catalina. We simply have no idea what will happen.

To me if you keep the original config.plist from post#1 there aren't any MLB, SystemProductName, etc etc it probably needs to be added. Am i being correct?

that is why i prefer to get your files and see and compare, understand and then try to make my own ones.

thank you again for your insights.

 

[startergo]

Hello and thank you for answering. I do not get it i think.

you take the config.plist and you open it with OC Configurator correct? Then you get:

tab: ACPI empty - Booter empty - Devices properties empty -

Kernel has : Cpuid1data and CpuidMask share the same values we find in post #1 but different 00000000 00000000 00000080 00000000

Tab Misc hide self by default is checked and use picker as well. Tab timeout 1

debug 0 - 0 - 0

security with Halt level number - expose sensitive data - 2 ; scan policy - 0

Tab NVRAM with a UUID and has boot args -no_compat_check type string. If we spoof then we do not need that tab? Do we?

then platforminfo tab has 2 tab one datahub - generic - platformNVRAM and then another tab SMBIOS between the 2 which one to keep / choose?

then the last tab UEFI has values of FwRuntimeServices.efi

I am not smarter than anyone else here i just need to be shown in the right direction. Once i understood then it is good.

Thanks y'all for your help.
[automerge]1572873635[/automerge]



To me if you keep the original config.plist from post#1 there aren't any MLB, SystemProductName, etc etc it probably needs to be added. Am i being correct?

that is why i prefer to get your files and see and compare, understand and then try to make my own ones.

thank you again for your insights.

Cpuid mask and cpuid one data must be the same for the VMM flag.

 

[jackluke]

Cpuid mask and cpuid one data must be the same for the VMM flag.

Those "cpuid masks" are common to desktop cpus and mobile cpus ?

Mobile cpus the Mac laptops I meant (Core2Duo penryn for example) , or mobile ones from OpenCore perspective have a different RAW data ?

I ask because I'd want to test on MacBook, but I don't have proper soldering/desoldering skills in case of EFI/SMC chip brick and consequently reflashing.

 

[205Maxi]

Cpuid mask and cpuid one data must be the same for the VMM flag.

Ok thank you also in the datahub tab do you check from smbios spoof vendor

or from system spoof vendor?
[automerge]1572874782[/automerge]

Those "cpuid masks" are common to desktop cpus and mobile cpus ?

Mobile cpus the Mac laptops I meant , or mobile ones have a different RAW data ?

I ask because I'd want to test on MacBook, but I don't have proper soldering/desoldering skills in case of EFI/SMC chip brick and consequently reflashing.

I think that these are being converted

Cpuid mask and cpuid one data must be the same for the VMM flag.

going to try now... lets pray ahahah.. pretty sure i ****ed up somewhere...
Keeping y'all up to date...

has i understood the config plist has to stay identical except that now it has the value of the 7.1 in ...

 

[startergo]

Those "cpuid masks" are common to desktop cpus and mobile cpus ?

Mobile cpus the Mac laptops I meant (Core2Duo penryn for example) , or mobile ones from OpenCore perspective have a different RAW data ?

I ask because I'd want to test on MacBook, but I don't have proper soldering/desoldering skills in case of EFI/SMC chip brick and consequently reflashing.

Not sure what it does, but I use Matt card and I recommend everyone testing opencore use it.
There is a cloud editor too:

CCE - Web bootloaders manager [OpenCore, CloverEFI, Ozmosis, Chameleon]

Cloud Clover Editor (CCE) is an open source application that allows you to manage the configuration of various Hackintosh Bootloaders. Open CCE CCE Wiki CCE sources CCE issue tracker Features: Supports OpenCore, Clover EFI, Ozmosis, Chameleon GUI and Text Editor Mode CCE Bank (save your config in...

www.insanelymac.com

 

[cdf]

Just a reminder: OpenCore comes with a very comprehensive manual that takes much of the guessing out.

 

[205Maxi]

Alright little bit of progress here, i managed to boot and it first said memory missconfigured, then As expected each time i open the PCI cards tab in about this mac it crashes...

the mac pro sees tge 2 xeon procs @3.5GHz instead of 3.46GHz but it sees them... And sidecar seen in the system preferences.

The overview of about this mac says iMacPro, then in the system report it sees it as MacPro7.1 though ...

i get MaxRes H264-4K with VideoProc
But HEVC N/A

i will ding in and see what else i can do.

I just want to say that i did not use OC conf to generate the Config.plist...

 

[205Maxi]

And bricked MacPro lol..

Second attempt to mod the config the remove iMacPro trying to keep macpro5.1 info in the overview bricked it... i do not know yet what i have done wrong but ...

First part you keep, the info for MacPro7.1 and the second part should be info for MacPro5.1 and there i have done something wrong...

 

[w1z]

Just a reminder: OpenCore comes with a very comprehensive manual that takes much of the guessing out.

Sadly, not everyone reads the manuals so I would highly suggest you place a warning in bold that fiddling with any mac's SMBIOS using OC without extensive knowledge of the configuration options or the use of a matt card as a test bed can lead to a bricked mac.

 

[205Maxi]

Well i read the manual yes 47 pages, but i am visual not booksmart .. It is fine i have everything to recover from a bricked mac... no worries.. Doing mistakes is part of the game and uou learn by doing mistakes... hopefully i can achieve what i want ...

 

[Flacko]

As suggested I have had a good read of the Open Core manual and have now in the process of producing a config.plist to do the following. Please correct me if I have misunderstood the inputs from various members.

1. Use VMM flag as per @cdf to allow OTA updates.
2. Using Patch to replace RX580 ACPI name from PXS1 to GFX0. Will this by itself be enough to allow H264 encode/decode? HEVC will not be available. Thanks @h9826790
3. No Lilu or WhateverGreen kext injection for now as happy with one display port. However, if I include them will HEVC decode be available and are they needed with step 2 to enable H264?

If have shied away from SMBIOS spoofing as an iMac Pro for now until we really know the NVRAM is safe and I have a dual CPU cMP5.1. The steps outlined seem to be pretty safe and will keep the system identifying as a cMP5.1.

There are a few questions I have who knows the ins and outs of Open Core as I am new to this and cannot find the answers in the manual.

PollAppleHotKeys - Page 25 of manual. Presently set to false but will true give use of more hot keys?

HideSelf (P25)True is set with failsafe of False. Could this be causing some of the issues with booting correct efi?

Timeout - (P26) set to 1. The failsafe is 0 so any reason it is set to 1?

Security Properties - (P28). Expose Sensitive Data has a failsafe of 0x6 , presently set as 2.

HaltLevel - 2147483648 is set. Where does this come from?

ScanPolicy (P29) Failsafe is 0xF0103 so any reason it is set to 0?

Apologies for the many questions but trying to get on top of this. It all looks very promising in keeping the cMP5.1 going for a bit longer. All this is planned for Catalina.

 

[startergo]

And bricked MacPro lol..

That is why I said use Matt card. Another way to partially survive is to bless a USB drive instead of the efi partition on the drive. Try clearing the NVRAM, deleting the efi partition from recovery etc. Hopefully it is not a firmware brick.

 

[cdf]

Those "cpuid masks" are common to desktop cpus and mobile cpus ?

Yes, cpuid1 is common to x86 processors.

There are a few questions I have who knows the ins and outs of Open Core as I am new to this and cannot find the answers in the manual.

PollAppleHotKeys - Page 25 of manual. Presently set to false but will true give use of more hot keys?

HideSelf (P25)True is set with failsafe of False. Could this be causing some of the issues with booting correct efi?

Timeout - (P26) set to 1. The failsafe is 0 so any reason it is set to 1?

Security Properties - (P28). Expose Sensitive Data has a failsafe of 0x6 , presently set as 2.

HaltLevel - 2147483648 is set. Where does this come from?

ScanPolicy (P29) Failsafe is 0xF0103 so any reason it is set to 0?

PollAppleHotKeys: May give more functionality. I have not been successful with it.

HideSelf: If you are referring to the remark in step 5d, I have not found that "false" helps.

Timeout: Because 0 disables the timeout, 1 is the quickest to boot.

Security Properties: 6 is the failsafe for the updated version.

HaltLevel: 2147483648 is the failsafe in decimal form.

ScanPolicy: 0 scans everything.

 

[205Maxi]

That is why I said use Matt card. Another way to partially survive is to bless a USB drive instead of the efi partition on the drive. Try clearing the NVRAM, deleting the efi partition from recovery etc. Hopefully it is not a firmware brick.

It is indeed a firmware brick Ahahahah gosh, but its ok i can manage that ...

 

[Flacko]

Yes, cpuid1 is common to x86 processors.



PollAppleHotKeys: May give more functionality. I have not been successful with it.

HideSelf: If you are referring to the remark in step 5d, I have not found that "false" helps.

Timeout: Because 0 disables the timeout, 1 is the quickest to boot.

Security Properties: 6 is the failsafe for the updated version.

HaltLevel: 2147483648 is the failsafe in decimal form.

ScanPolicy: 0 scans everything.

That is great, thanks.