MP 1,1-5,1 no way to get Mojave firmware update w/o buying a metal gpu on my 5,1?

[mnkvolcno]

Greetings everyone,

I've been doing a fair amount of research, and I just want to check with the smart folks on this forum that I am correct saying that I definitely have to buy a new GPU in order to do the Mojave firmware updates.

Kind of irritating because I use my mp for music production and have no need for a new graphics card. I just want the nvme support, and whatever else is included.

Any sneaky workarounds?

 

[tommy chen]

----------

with the metal GPU it is the easy way

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

 

[goMac]

Just keep in mind that all applications on Mojave will try to render through Metal. You can skip a Metal GPU but all your windows on your Mac will start to perform badly. Mojave really is not designed to be run without a Metal GPU. Responsiveness on your Mac overall will take a big hit. There is no OpenGL backup mode in Mojave.

I'd just buy a Radeon 580 and be done with it.

 

[MacUser2525]

Just keep in mind that all applications on Mojave will try to render through Metal. You can skip a Metal GPU but all your windows on your Mac will start to perform badly. Mojave really is not designed to be run without a Metal GPU. Responsiveness on your Mac overall will take a big hit. There is no OpenGL backup mode in Mojave.

I'd just buy a Radeon 580 and be done with it.

Or if cheap SOB like me go with the rx560 as I do not need the extra I will never use performance. Plus they are not needing a cable(s) for the extra power either, saving even more.

 

[DPUser]

Or if cheap SOB like me go with the rx560 as I do not need the extra I will never use performance. Plus they are not needing a cable(s) for the extra power either, saving even more.

I have two 5,1s (recording studio computer and a spare) running Mojave, both with Gigabyte RX460s. Bought the first 460 years ago (back when Sierra was king) for $80, and the second one used for $60 a few months ago. Like MacUser 2525, I have found these GPUs provide plenty of horsepower for audio work. I'm running two monitors (one of them 4k) in my studio, and found the RX460s perform better under Mojave than they did under Sierra.

Looks like RX560s are running under $80 on eBay now. And like MacUser noted, no power cables required (for some models, some may require a single 6-pin.) Nice and quiet, too.

 

[mnkvolcno]

yes, you can read the flashROM, then copy your nvram data
into the clean from the mojave installer and flash it.

MP5,1: SPI flash image reconstruction with intermediate files

Note: I'm starting to move/separate some of the content from the BootROM thread to facilitate search. I'm still editing this article. EFI Release vs BIOS Version vs BootBlock Version Reference Table: EFI Release:BIOS Version:BootBlock Version...

forums.macrumors.com

but you should know what you're doing !

with the metal GPU it is the easy way

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

Wow, thanks. I've been looking at the link you sent, and I think I could pull it off.. maybe. But I don't have any idea about getting the "intermediate files". Eh hell. Maybe I'll just buy an rx 560 or something.

 

[mnkvolcno]

I have two 5,1s (recording studio computer and a spare) running Mojave, both with Gigabyte RX460s. Bought the first 460 years ago (back when Sierra was king) for $80, and the second one used for $60 a few months ago. Like MacUser 2525, I have found these GPUs provide plenty of horsepower for audio work. I'm running two monitors (one of them 4k) in my studio, and found the RX460s perform better under Mojave than they did under Sierra.

Nice.. so just to be clear, the rx460 is detected as a metal supported gpu?

 

[tsialex]

yes, you can read the flashROM, then copy your nvram data
into the clean from the mojave installer and flash it.

MP5,1: SPI flash image reconstruction with intermediate files

Note: I'm starting to move/separate some of the content from the BootROM thread to facilitate search. I'm still editing this article. EFI Release vs BIOS Version vs BootBlock Version Reference Table: EFI Release:BIOS Version:BootBlock Version...

forums.macrumors.com

but you should know what you're doing !

with the metal GPU it is the easy way

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

It's not just that and you know it, please don't drop instructions that are out of reach of common users. You know that the workaround is too complicated for 99.5% of users.

 

[PROFESS0R]

He answered the question nicely. Additionally, the link may be useful for those of us who are “uncommon” users. It might be unwise for you to assume that you understand the past, current, or future user base here.

Joe

It's not just that and you know it, please don't drop instructions that are out of reach of common users. You know that the workaround is too complicated for 99.5% of users.

 

[tsialex]

He answered the question nicely. Additionally, the link may be useful for those of us who are “uncommon” users. It might be unwise for you to assume that you understand the past, current, or future user base here.

Joe

Sure, my point of view about this must be skewed, since I was the author of every post he linked and the person who developed it…

 

[DPUser]

Nice.. so just to be clear, the rx460 is detected as a metal supported gpu?

Yes.

 

[tommy chen]

Wow, thanks. I've been looking at the link you sent, and I think I could pull it off.. maybe. But I don't have any idea about getting the "intermediate files". Eh hell. Maybe I'll just buy an rx 560 or something.

actually i posted that to scare you off,
and as alex wrote, this is not for someone
who knows and lacks experience
(and the instructive money is high).

excuse for that

take the easy way out!

 

[mnkvolcno]

actually i posted that to scare you off,
and as alex wrote, this is not for someone
who knows and lacks experience
(and the instructive money is high).

excuse for that

take the easy way out!

haha indeed. I reckon I will. I actually would probably be better off just putting my money toward a new PC build, because I don't even boot OSX on this thing, but I just can't help but wanting to make this machine as powerful as possible. It's just so cool.

 

[mnkvolcno]

Went ahead and got an rx 570 off of ebay for 75 bucks. Thanks for all the advice everyone.