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

[eksu]

I'm using OpenCore with NDK's boot picker but recently something has gone wrong for me.

The boot picker doesn't display a background except around elements such as the date, time, restart, shutdown and around Hard Drive icons. I can't see the names of each of the drives. When I select my Catalina drive to boot up, the Apple Logo paints in the middle with everything else still there and then the FileVault password box paints over that. Any way to take a screenshot of OpenCore or should I take a photo with my phone to describe the issue?

Any idea what changes to output can be made to resolve this?

 

[lbuisson]

I'm using OpenCore with NDK's boot picker but recently something has gone wrong for me.

The boot picker doesn't display a background except around elements such as the date, time, restart, shutdown and around Hard Drive icons. I can't see the names of each of the drives. When I select my Catalina drive to boot up, the Apple Logo paints in the middle with everything else still there and then the FileVault password box paints over that. Any way to take a screenshot of OpenCore or should I take a photo with my phone to describe the issue?

Any idea what changes to output can be made to resolve this?

Hi
Have change resolution? or display?
SIP disable?

 

[eksu]

Same resolution and display.

Just noticed for example that it draws the initial time in the top right corner, but then that clock doesn’t update at all while in the boot picker.

EDIT: Issue started after a strange crash in Windows. Age of Empires II Definitive Edition was loading into a game, then the machine crashed with "System Threading Exception" on some ATI related file. When the BSOD popped up, it only filled the middle of my monitor, as if it was then running at a strange resolution.

EDIT 2: 0.5.7 Debugging with NDK is working fine now. Good news is my GPU is fine then. Bad news is my OpenCore must have gotten messed up somehow. Weird.

 

[w1z]

Ok. Thank you.

Here it is;

Are you booting in recovery with your Mac on OC?

I am booting and everything works great but can't boot in Recovery. When I try to boot I am getting this error. Does anyone know what could that be?

View attachment 907320

If this question unrelated just ignore it.

A simple search would reveal the solution to this error.

 

[HaypurTiryading]

I couldn't follow the whole topic. Did any overclocking possibilities added for cMP in Open Core?

 

[fhturner]

b) Copy the OpenCore/EFI folder to the EFI partition. The resulting folder, /Volumes/EFI/EFI, should contain the folders OC, BOOT, and Resources.

A little late to the party here... Stupid question: My EFI volume contains an existing EFI folder with structure /Volumes/EFI/EFI/APPLE/EXTENSIONS/Firmware.scap. I have searched the thread but could not find whether this folder should be left in place or overwritten. @h9826790 mentions in post #113, I believe, that he integrated the OC and APPLE EFI folders somewhat differently. What's best here? Overwrite the EFI/APPLE folder? Dump the BOOT, OC, and Resources folders alongside APPLE? Or add the nested EFI folder as Martin does?

Thx,
Fred

 

[w1z]

A little late to the party here... Stupid question: My EFI volume contains an existing EFI folder with structure /Volumes/EFI/EFI/APPLE/EXTENSIONS/Firmware.scap. I have searched the thread but could not find whether this folder should be left in place or overwritten. @h9826790 mentions in post #113, I believe, that he integrated the OC and APPLE EFI folders somewhat differently. What's best here? Overwrite the EFI/APPLE folder? Dump the BOOT, OC, and Resources folders alongside APPLE? Or add the nested EFI folder as Martin does?

Thx,
Fred

No harm in leaving or deleting it as it will be recreated by macos updaters/installers if and when a new firmware update becomes available for your mac.

 

[startergo]

No harm in leaving or deleting it as it will be recreated by macos updaters/installers if and when a new firmware update becomes available for your mac.

I doubt that is gonna happen in our lifetime on a cMP which is already vintage.

 

[fhturner]

No harm in leaving or deleting it as it will be recreated by macos updaters/installers if and when a new firmware update becomes available for your mac.

Okay, I cleaned it up a bit and left the APPLE folder there, but put the other folders alongside it. That worked, thanks!!

Next stupid question: after Catalina installed and the setup process starts, right after I choose my region, I am hit with a DEP Remote Management window. I bought my Mac Pro 2010 used via eBay years ago. I've installed a multitude of new and upgraded systems on many disks/partitions, and I've never had that come up before. Is there anything to this OpenCore process that would trigger Apple's MDM/DEP management to clamp down on our machines?

I didn't see any reports in this thread, but searching did turn up some other threads w/ used machines exhibiting this problem if they weren't properly "disowned" from DEP. And that may be the case w/ mine, but it struck me as odd, since I've never seen that before.

Thx,
Fred

 

[w1z]

Next stupid question: after Catalina installed and the setup process starts, right after I choose my region, I am hit with a DEP Remote Management window. I bought my Mac Pro 2010 used via eBay years ago. I've installed a multitude of new and upgraded systems on many disks/partitions, and I've never had that come up before. Is there anything to this OpenCore process that would trigger Apple's MDM/DEP management to clamp down on our machines?

I didn't see any reports in this thread, but searching did turn up some other threads w/ used machines exhibiting this problem if they weren't properly "disowned" from DEP. And that may be the case w/ mine, but it struck me as odd, since I've never seen that before.

Did you try booting into Catalina without using OpenCore and got the same DEP window? If so, then it's not OpenCore related otherwise I would reach out to OC's developers to see if they could shed some light on this.

 

[fhturner]

Did you try booting into Catalina without using OpenCore and got the same DEP window? If so, then it's not OpenCore related otherwise I would reach out to OC's developers to see if they could shed some light on this.

Heheh...I appreciate your strikethrough on "stupid" in your quote...but now I feel like I'm asking more. ? Is there a way to disable OpenCore w/o removing the whole thing from EFI partition? Bless another startup folder/disk? Will Catalina boot on a 5,1 w/o OpenCore...I thought that was required, but maybe I misunderstood and it's only needed to install?

 

[startergo]

Heheh...I appreciate your strikethrough on "stupid" in your quote...but now I feel like I'm asking more. ? Is there a way to disable OpenCore w/o removing the whole thing from EFI partition? Bless another startup folder/disk? Will Catalina boot on a 5,1 w/o OpenCore...I thought that was required, but maybe I misunderstood and it's only needed to install?

If you rename bootx64.efi in the boot folder to lets say bootx64.efi.bac it will not boot from OC.
Now, Catalina requires nvram boot-args="-no_compat_check" on cMP. You may need to do that from Recovery without OC as a bootloader.

 

[h9826790]

If you rename bootx64.efi in the boot folder to lets say bootx64.efi.bac it will not boot from OC.
Now, Catalina requires nvram boot-args="-no_compat_check" on cMP. You may need to do that from Recovery without OC as a bootloader.

I personally prefer edit the Platform Support plist. This will ensure my cMP can boot to Catalina "natively" (even I disabled OC, removed boot argument, can't access recovery partition, and no other OS installed...)

 

[startergo]

I personally prefer edit the Platform Support plist. This will ensure my cMP can boot to Catalina "natively" (even I disabled OC, removed boot argument, can't access recovery partition, and no other OS installed...)

In the preboot partition right, which has to be mounted first?
[B]/Volumes/Preboot/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist[/B]
[automerge]1587662314[/automerge]

 

[cdf]

Heheh...I appreciate your strikethrough on "stupid" in your quote...but now I feel like I'm asking more. ? Is there a way to disable OpenCore w/o removing the whole thing from EFI partition? Bless another startup folder/disk? Will Catalina boot on a 5,1 w/o OpenCore...I thought that was required, but maybe I misunderstood and it's only needed to install?

After using recovery to add the -no_compat_check boot argument, edit the config so that RequestBootVarRouting is false. Reboot and select your Catalina disk in Startup Disk. Reboot again. It will boot natively.

However: with all the benefits that OC brings (unpatched installations, updates, bootscreen, Windows UEFI protection, hardware acceleration and DRM via WhateverGreen, and likely more to come), I wouldn't imagine booting without it anymore!

 

[h9826790]

In the preboot partition right, which has to be mounted first?
[B]/Volumes/Preboot/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist[/B]
[automerge]1587662314[/automerge]

Correct, and /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist, IMO, this is safer for cMP users.

 

[fhturner]

However: with all the benefits that OC brings (unpatched installations, updates, bootscreen,

I'm not seeing a boot screen on my Sapphire Pulse RX580 thus far. I've scanned another thread about possible firmware updating being necessary. I'm using a 27" iMac in TDM, so technically no HiDPI, but would the greater-than-1080p resolution be causing a problem for the boot picker? I occasionally see a momentary white rectangle positioned upper left on my screen (so about where 1080p dimensions would cover).

hardware acceleration and DRM via WhateverGreen

I may need to go scour more posts by Martin on this, but back in Mojave, I'm still using both WEG and Lilu, plus the "shiki" boot-args to keep HW accel enabled. I added these boot-args to the OC config file as well because it kept overwriting with only "-no_compat_check". Is this right?

Correct, and /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist, IMO, this is safer for cMP users.

So, you first rename the bootx64.efi in the OpenCore folder, then ALSO change PlatformSupport.plist in those 2 locations?

 

[startergo]

So, you first rename the bootx64.efi in the OpenCore folder, then ALSO change PlatformSupport.plist in those 2 locations?

Right, when I mounted my preboot I got 2 GUID's:

sudo -s
root@G5s-Mac-Pro ~ # nano /Volumes/Preboot/39090156-058C-363A-A921-52A8CB10F9FD/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist
nano /Volumes/Preboot/16E4A6AB-1134-4AC5-AB60-115323676F86/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist
spctl --master-disable
mount -uw /
killall Finder
nano /System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist

 

[fhturner]

Right, when I mounted my preboot I got 2 GUID's:

sudo -s
root@G5s-Mac-Pro ~ # nano /Volumes/Preboot/39090156-058C-363A-A921-52A8CB10F9FD/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist
nano /Volumes/Preboot/16E4A6AB-1134-4AC5-AB60-115323676F86/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist
spctl --master-disable
mount -uw /
killall Finder
nano /System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist

I normally am pretty confident w/ this stuff, but here I feel like I have more questions arise each time one is answered. I hope I'm not polluting the thread w/ a bunch of questions I should know the answer to.

First off, my SIP keeps getting kicked back on...am I doing something wrong to cause that?
In PlatformSupport.plist, is a Board ID needed, or just the Model ID for 5,1?
Is your "master-disable" command similar to disabling SIP?
From what system are you running these commands? The Catalina one, or a different one?
[automerge]1587665423[/automerge]
And what is added to /System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist, boot-args="-no_compat_check"?

 

[cdf]

I'm not seeing a boot screen on my Sapphire Pulse RX580 thus far. I've scanned another thread about possible firmware updating being necessary. I'm using a 27" iMac in TDM, so technically no HiDPI, but would the greater-than-1080p resolution be causing a problem for the boot picker? I occasionally see a momentary white rectangle positioned upper left on my screen (so about where 1080p dimensions would cover).

Was your card new when you got it? Often, second hand cards will be flashed with a modified ROM. Another possibility is that you have a dual BIOS card with a switch. Make sure that the switch is not in the "performance" position.

I may need to go scour more posts by Martin on this, but back in Mojave, I'm still using both WEG and Lilu, plus the "shiki" boot-args to keep HW accel enabled.

Well, without the SMBIOS spoof, you only have partial acceleration and DRM.

I added these boot-args to the OC config file as well because it kept overwriting with only "-no_compat_check". Is this right?

This is normal. By the way, boot arguments for WEG should really only be used for debugging. I will add a section to the guide later to explain this.

So, you first rename the bootx64.efi in the OpenCore folder, then ALSO change PlatformSupport.plist in those 2 locations?

My preference would be against this.

 

[startergo]

In PlatformSupport.plist, is a Board ID needed, or just the Model ID for 5,1?

Both

First off, my SIP keeps getting kicked back on

Please elaborate on this

Is your "master-disable" command similar to disabling SIP?

You can write to preboot volume with:

hdiutil mount /dev/diskXsY

where /dev/diskXsY is your preboot volume found with:

diskutil list

spctl --master-disable
mount -uw /
killall Finder

This code remounts sytem drive in writeable mode so you can write to:

/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist

 

[fhturner]

Was your card new when you got it? Often, second hand cards will be flashed with a modified ROM. Another possibility is that you have a dual BIOS card with a switch. Make sure that the switch is not in the "performance" position.

My card was new. I believe it has a switch. I will flip it to the other position and try again.

Well, without the SMBIOS spoof, you only have partial acceleration and DRM.

From reading earlier in the thread (have only gotten through a few hundred posts so far...), I was under the impression that SMBIOS spoofing was risky. The most important thing to me is smooth playback of H.264 (and HEVC, to a lesser extent), which WEG/Lilu are giving me, at least under Mojave.

This is normal. By the way, boot arguments for WEG should really only be used for debugging. I will add a section to the guide later to explain this.

I'm not sure how to keep my H.264 & HEVC playback on the GPU w/o this otherwise...

My preference would be against this.

I'm getting 2 suggested courses of action and don't fully follow either... ?

Both

I don't know what Board ID we use. I'll go search...

Please elaborate on this

I just notice that when trying to edit the PlatformSupport.plist on Preboot that I am unable, then find that SIP is turned on. I last turned it off and didn't reenable myself. Perhaps it is getting turned on when booting into Catalina and hitting the DEP Remote Management screen...

This code remounts sytem drive in writeable mode so you can write to:

I'm sorry, I've got PlatformSupport.plist edited (well, only w/ Model ID, not Board ID), but I still don't know what to write in /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist (I put the wrong file/path in my previous post).

Sorry if I'm sounding frustrated, guys. Very grateful for the multiple and quick responses. I just don't like not having a better handle on what I'm doing...

 

[startergo]

but I still don't know what to write in /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist (I put the wrong file/path in my previous post).

in there you can put "-no_compat_check".

<dict>
        <key>Kernel Flags</key>
        <string>-no_compat_check</string>
</dict>

But it will only work if you write it in the preboot volume in the same location as well. This is an alternative way instead of adding to

PlatformSupport.plist

supported model of MacPro5,1 and supported board-id=Mac-F221BEC8
I don't think though the

com.apple.Boot.plist

survives NVRAM reset.

 

[tommy chen]

I use OC on USB sticks
unplug > normal boot without OC

 

[mangombia]

I use OC on USB sticks
unplug > normal boot without OC

I do the same on my Media Server, and have considered migrating that over to my Workstation (though then the USB would mar my clean desktop).

Question #1: setting the "-no_compat_check" boot-arg in Recovery would stick irrespective of OC running or not? [I believe this answer is Yes]

Question #2: Do you need to set the boot disk in MacOS before pulling the OC USB, or will it boot to the first available bootable drive?

Question #3: The OC EFI needs to be blessed again when you want to boot back from the USB? [I believe this answer is Yes as well]