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Newbie Here. Got a Mac Pro 5,1.
- Thread starter Guitarmas
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this thread will probably be of interest to you. You can actually go all the way to Monterey on these beasts, provided you have a Metal capable graphics card installed 
Mojave is probably the best OS version for a 5,1 Mac Pro. Requires a metal capable GPU. Disk drive performance takes a hit under APFS if you still have mechanical hard drives. High Sierra is the best version for mechanical hard drives because you are not forced to use APFS.
Technically you can run later OS versions (with tinkering) but it comes with its own downsides.
What are you using the machine for? Running dual boot with Windows? Legacy software (32-bit)?
Technically you can run later OS versions (with tinkering) but it comes with its own downsides.
What are you using the machine for? Running dual boot with Windows? Legacy software (32-bit)?
Thanks for the reply.
I guess what I want is just something to tinker around with.
I've been seeing hard drives on ebay with Big Sur and Monterey installed.
I need to find a decent metal compatible video card that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
I also would like it to show the apple logo when I boot it up.
What kind of downsides are there?
I guess what I want is just something to tinker around with.
I've been seeing hard drives on ebay with Big Sur and Monterey installed.
I need to find a decent metal compatible video card that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
I also would like it to show the apple logo when I boot it up.
What kind of downsides are there?
A low-end NVIDIA Kepler card, such as a NVS 510 or Quadro K600 is cheap on e.g. eBay and will fit the bill. It's Metal-compatible and will work out of the box — up to Big Sur using the drivers built right into macOS. They won't show anything before the macOS login screen loads though.
Alternatively, an AMD Polaris-based card (Radeon RX 460/560 or better; stay away from cards with lower numbers) is also natively supported and will work in Monterey.
Then you need either an already-"flashed" card or one that can be "flashed" to show a boot screen on a Mac.
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Easily one of the best Intel Macs ever made, especially for those who like to tinker with their systems.
Thanks for the reply!
I have a 5770. I like it's performance in Unigine Heaven.
Is there a video card that is comparable to a 5770 that is metal compatible?
I saw this:
Nvidia GTX 280
It's my favorite Mac, even over my Studio Ultra.I really like mine.
Why in the world would you trust a pre-installed OS off eBay.
You have no idea what they have done with it.
You really do not need the Apple logo showing at boot.
Just keep your 5770 in case you need an 'efi' card for any troubleshooting.
The GTX 680 you linked to is Metal-compatible, significantly faster than a 5770 and has been flashed to have a boot screen in a Mac Pro. It's supported up to macOS Big Sur but no longer in Monterey. But... let's be honest: it's a ten-year-old card, albeit a high-end one, and $190 is a chunk of money for a ten-year-old card.
But if you can make do without a boot screen (you can temporarily put the old 5770 back in for troubleshooting), you don't need to pay a premium for a flashed card. A GTX 660 Ti (stay away from non-Ti GTX 660s, their GK106 GPU is problematic with macOS' drivers) is much cheaper than a 680 and, being a solid 2012 mid-range card, still quite a bit faster than a 5770. I got my GTX 660 Ti for 50 bucks last year.
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I think it's just a quick fix for what I'm looking for.
They seemed okay.
After your reply, I'm second guessing that idea.
I'm nervous about doing it myself.
I'm afraid that I'll accidentally skip a step and brick my system.
I think I'm jumping into this too quickly.
There's just so much information out there.
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for your reply.
$190 is a lot of money.
I just don't know what direction to go.
I'd like a video card with a decent GPU but I'd like it to have the Apple boot screen but also works with Monterey or Big Sur.
Am I putting my hopes up too high?
$190 is a lot of money.
I just don't know what direction to go.
I'd like a video card with a decent GPU but I'd like it to have the Apple boot screen but also works with Monterey or Big Sur.
Am I putting my hopes up too high?
Maybe it is, but you won't learn as much as when doing it yourself. That's just my opinion but... when running unsupported macOS installations, having an idea of what's going on and how to fix possible problems is important.
I hear ya. Take your time wading through the information that is out there, settle for an approach and follow it through.
If you want the GPU to work with Monterey, NVIDIA ones are out.
That leaves AMD Polaris (Radeon RX 460/560 or higher) and newer AMD cards. If you don't want to pay a premium for a flashed card but absolutely want/need a boot screen, you'll have to either flash a card yourself (I think RX 580s can be flashed) or look into other solutions to give you a boot screen (OpenCore).
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Thanks for your reply.A tad expensive but if it's what you're looking for...
It is kinda expensive.
Do you think it's something I should stay away from?
Do you think it will cause any issues with Big Sur?
I would start with getting to Mojave first, rather than trying to jump all the way to BS.
forums.macrumors.com
MP5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave (BootROM upgrade instructions thread)
Please fully read this first post, you will probably find that you have one or more problems described into the various notes below. Mojave will only install if you have upgraded your BootROM to the current release and your Mac Pro have a Metal capable GPU*. If you are trying to install Mojave...
forums.macrumors.com
Its PCI ID (
10de:114c) reveals it uses a GK106 core which is known to have a serious memory leak issue on macOS (see https://dortania.github.io/GPU-Buyers-Guide/modern-gpus/nvidia-gpu.html):So yes, I'd stay away from it.https://dortania.github.io/GPU-Buyers-Guide/modern-gpus/nvidia-gpu.html said:
Sorry I didn't notice this earlier and didn't warn you in my previous post.
I have two Nvidia GeForce GT 640s. They are flashed cards, but they have boot screens (meaning you will see the Mac booting).
Got them about a year and a half ago.
The vendor is still there and selling them: https://www.ebay.com/itm/253853976595
MODS!!! THIS IS NOT MY AUCTION, I AM NOT SELLING THESE AND AM NOT INVOLVED IN THE AUCTION IN ANY WAY
PS, the GT 640 will support three displays.
Got them about a year and a half ago.
The vendor is still there and selling them: https://www.ebay.com/itm/253853976595
MODS!!! THIS IS NOT MY AUCTION, I AM NOT SELLING THESE AND AM NOT INVOLVED IN THE AUCTION IN ANY WAY
PS, the GT 640 will support three displays.
I made a conscious choice to get metal compatible cards with boot screens. No see Apple logo, no see verbose boot - no troubleshooting on boot.
Reinstall the old card? Now I'm disconnecting six displays in an awkward location just to troubleshoot. No thanks.
I was nervous too. Technically my 5,1 is a 4,1. But I followed each step carefully and took my time doing it. The big hurdle for me was applying the firmware patch that made my 4,1 a 5,1. After that it was all Apple guiding me, which is fairly foolproof.I'm nervous about doing it myself.
I'm afraid that I'll accidentally skip a step and brick my system.
I think I'm jumping into this too quickly.
There's just so much information out there.
Thanks for the help.