MP 1,1-5,1 Should I upgrade past Mojave?

[imrazor]

Currently I'm running a Classic Cheesegrater (single Xeon X5680, 48GB RAM, Vega 56 GPU pulling add'l power from a SATA port) with the last officially supported version of MacOS, Mojave. This suits me in at least one way, as I have a number of 32-bit games that I'd like to be able to run.

My main concern is Apple dropping security updates for Mojave. I haven't noticed any in a while, though Apple does sometimes slip them in unnoticed. Has Apple officially dropped security updates for Mojave? Is there an official EOL date set for the OS?

Mojave is also getting long in the tooth, and it occurs to me that I may be missing out on some performance benefits available in newer versions of Metal. I've already run into one game, Baldur's Gate 3, which refuses to run on Mojave, but it's an outlier. If I want to play other games I have options in Crossover, Parallels and Boot Camp.

I am missing out on some other advanced functionality like some Continuity features, Spatial Audio, seamless AirDrop, etc. But these are not things I use often, though they are admittedly very convenient.

From perusing the forums it seems OpenCore supports the cMP5,1 up to 11.2. Is this correct? There used to be a dosdude1 patch for Catalina; are there similar patches for 11.2/11.3/11.4, or is OpenCore the only option?

 

[tsialex]

Currently I'm running a Classic Cheesegrater (single Xeon X5680, 48GB RAM, Vega 56 GPU pulling add'l power from a SATA port) with the last officially supported version of MacOS, Mojave. This suits me in at least one way, as I have a number of 32-bit games that I'd like to be able to run.

My main concern is Apple dropping security updates for Mojave. I haven't noticed any in a while, though Apple does sometimes slip them in unnoticed. Has Apple officially dropped security updates for Mojave?

No, still supported until the Monterey release around late September/October timeframe. Apple will release, at least, one more Security Update for Mojave.

Is there an official EOL date set for the OS?

Apple software support is always the current macOS release and security updates for the past two.

Mojave is also getting long in the tooth, and it occurs to me that I may be missing out on some performance benefits available in newer versions of Metal. I've already run into one game, Baldur's Gate 3, which refuses to run on Mojave, but it's an outlier. If I want to play other games I have options in Crossover, Parallels and Boot Camp.

I am missing out on some other advanced functionality like some Continuity features, Spatial Audio, seamless AirDrop, etc. But these are not things I use often, though they are admittedly very convenient.

Continuity/AirDrop support needs AirPort Extreme upgrade, BCM94360CD is the most common model used and needs a format adapter to be compatible with MacPro5,1 AirPort Extreme slot.

From perusing the forums it seems OpenCore supports the cMP5,1 up to 11.2. Is this correct?

11.2.3 is the most recent release that runs without any problems with a MacPro5,1.

There used to be a dosdude1 patch for Catalina; are there similar patches for 11.2/11.3/11.4, or is OpenCore the only option?

The today's equivalent of a dosdude1 patches today is OCLP, a project derivated from OpenCore.

GitHub - dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher: Experience macOS just like before

Experience macOS just like before. Contribute to dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[pmiles]

If you go past Mojave you can kiss your 32-bit games goodbye. If you go past Mojave, you *might* get some benefits from Metal2 drivers *if* your graphics card *is* supported by Apple, but along with it you get all the crap that the later OSes bring with it. Neither Catalina nor Big Sur have gotten stellar reviews and most are looking to Monterey to get away from them.

All the advanced stuff you are looking for require a newer machine not just a newer OS. Sure you can get it to run them, but really, why would you want to?

 

[imrazor]

you *might* get some benefits from Metal2 drivers *if* your graphics card *is* supported by Apple

I believe the Vega 56 is a supported card. What I'm not sure about is if there is a significant improvement, or just a small uplift. I do have H.264 hardware encoding enabled on Mac Pro, but have moved most of my (admittedly amateur) video editing to my M1 Macbook Air anyway.

 

[eicca]

If my cheesegrater would natively run newer versions of macOS I might voluntarily upgrade, but due to the hackery required to make them run, I'm just fine staying with Mojave until I decide to get a new machine. Mojave is totally rock solid. I love it.

 

[Yebubbleman]

Currently I'm running a Classic Cheesegrater (single Xeon X5680, 48GB RAM, Vega 56 GPU pulling add'l power from a SATA port) with the last officially supported version of MacOS, Mojave. This suits me in at least one way, as I have a number of 32-bit games that I'd like to be able to run.

I would honestly stay at Mojave on that machine and get a replacement system to run newer (Maybe get a spec'ed out M1 Mac mini to tide you over until the inevitable Apple Silicon Mac Pro is released) and just keep your current system on Mojave where it'll be a killer system for those 32-bit games and apps you still have.

My main concern is Apple dropping security updates for Mojave. I haven't noticed any in a while, though Apple does sometimes slip them in unnoticed. Has Apple officially dropped security updates for Mojave? Is there an official EOL date set for the OS?

As others have said, Apple supports versions of macOS for three years after they are initially released. In the first year (where that OS is the most recent), that macOS release gets major updates. Once that OS release gets replaced by a newer major macOS release (usually after one year of being available), it gets two more years of security patches. macOS Mojave released in Fall of 2018, and it is nearing Fall of 2021; so we're getting close to the end of support date for Mojave. Put another way, Apple will support a version of macOS until it is more than two versions behind the current release. So, when macOS Monterey comes out, that's when Apple will drop support for macOS Mojave.

Mojave is also getting long in the tooth, and it occurs to me that I may be missing out on some performance benefits available in newer versions of Metal. I've already run into one game, Baldur's Gate 3, which refuses to run on Mojave, but it's an outlier. If I want to play other games I have options in Crossover, Parallels and Boot Camp.

If having a Mac running a currently supported system is important to you, I'd get an M1 Mac mini to run alongside your Mac Pro. Though, if gaming is really all that matters here, I'd probably give thought to buying a dedicated PC to run all of these games. A cMP will only get drivers support for Windows 8.1 at best (and Windows 8.1 only has support for another year and a half).

I am missing out on some other advanced functionality like some Continuity features, Spatial Audio, seamless AirDrop, etc. But these are not things I use often, though they are admittedly very convenient.

From perusing the forums it seems OpenCore supports the cMP5,1 up to 11.2. Is this correct? There used to be a dosdude1 patch for Catalina; are there similar patches for 11.2/11.3/11.4, or is OpenCore the only option?

I'm not saying that OpenCore won't meet your immediate needs. Only that it sounds like you'd be using it to, at best, delay the inevitable purchasing of newer hardware (which, may end up being the more practical route to take anyways).

 

[imrazor]

@Yebubbleman I do have a gaming rig, but it's been drafted into service as a dedicated VR desktop. I have actually been using Windows 10 on the Mac Pro for AAA gaming (the Vega had been doing a nice job of playing Horizon Zero Dawn and Cyberpunk '77 for example.) However, my windows install just got fried by a botched driver update, so I need to fix that up. I do have a bootable backup, but it's still going to take some time to restore. (I had to follow a rather arcane HOWTO to get Win10 up and running with a tool called brigadier that can download bootcamp drivers direct from Apple.)

The mac Mini isn't a bad idea, it's just that the fairly anemic GPU isn't all that appealing. And with no eGPU option on the horizon, it's doubtful it would play new games well. I've gotten a couple of AAA games (Mass Effect Legendary Edition for example) to run on my M1 MBA, but only at low settings & so-so frame rates. I've heard rumors of a "Mac mini Pro" being in the pipeline, which would be much more interesting to me.

OTOH the shortage of I/O on the MBA has been rather painful. A TB3 dock isn't cheap either, approaching half the price of an entry level Mac mini. So maybe that is a viable option. I'll have to consider this more.

 

[Macsonic]

I’m still staying in Mojave and also using High Sierra with my work computer. I didn’t see any features from Catalina or Big Sur that I would need urgently at work so far. Even if security updates are up to date, we would still need to be proactive to monitor incoming emails and visiting websites with malware or phishing traps. My current client, required that we install an anti-malware software as part of his conditions in our contracts. Their company IT manager regularly reminds us that email is the common way scammers send out malwares, ransomwares or phishing sites.

What is phishing? Examples, types, and techniques

Phishing is a type of cyberattack that uses disguised email to trick the recipient into giving up information, downloading malware, or taking some other desired action.

www.csoonline.com

 

[Yebubbleman]

@Yebubbleman I do have a gaming rig, but it's been drafted into service as a dedicated VR desktop. I have actually been using Windows 10 on the Mac Pro for AAA gaming (the Vega had been doing a nice job of playing Horizon Zero Dawn and Cyberpunk '77 for example.) However, my windows install just got fried by a botched driver update, so I need to fix that up. I do have a bootable backup, but it's still going to take some time to restore. (I had to follow a rather arcane HOWTO to get Win10 up and running with a tool called brigadier that can download bootcamp drivers direct from Apple.)

I guess I'm unsure as to why a machine drafted as a dedicated VR machine can't also be used as a gaming PC. Unless storage space is an issue, that would seem to be better all around than a 2010-era workstation Mac that, even under the best of upgrades, has to be showing its age right about now. I don't believe there are native Windows 10 drivers for that Mac Pro. Though, there at least ought to be for the video card that you'd need to install to make that same Mac Pro be able to run macOS Mojave.

The mac Mini isn't a bad idea, it's just that the fairly anemic GPU isn't all that appealing.

The M1's GPU is on par with 2 year old discrete desktop GPUs. I wouldn't call it anemic, certainly not when you consider that the Intel UHD 630 in the 2018 Mac mini ACTUALLY is anemic. But, given that we're talking about running only the 64-bit Intel games that survived Catalina's culling, the M1's GPU is probably plenty sufficient for the vast majority of games.

I proposed the Mac mini as an idea for running Big Sur (as it would be way more sensible than hacking a Mac that you'd rather keep on an OS that can still run 32-bit apps anyway). If you have your Mojave Mac Pro, and a gaming rig (albeit one that you are primarily using for VR), an M1 Mac mini would get you running current macOS and support for doing so farther into the future than the 2018 Mac mini likely could.

And with no eGPU option on the horizon, it's doubtful it would play new games well. I've gotten a couple of AAA games (Mass Effect Legendary Edition for example) to run on my M1 MBA, but only at low settings & so-so frame rates. I've heard rumors of a "Mac mini Pro" being in the pipeline, which would be much more interesting to me.

Honestly, that's probably a byproduct of (a) Rosetta 2 and/or the fact that the game you're trying to play isn't Apple Silicon native (b) the likelihood of that game not being optimized for Metal. Metal optimized games ought to perform reasonably well in Rosetta 2.

OTOH the shortage of I/O on the MBA has been rather painful. A TB3 dock isn't cheap either, approaching half the price of an entry level Mac mini. So maybe that is a viable option. I'll have to consider this more.

Whichever. Certainly if you want gaming on a Mac (especially with Boot Camp support), you're best off considering a 16" MacBook Pro or a 27" iMac while both still have Intel inside. The Mac mini was suggested not realizing that you had an M1 Air already. Just more that I wouldn't bother upgrading a 2010/2012 Mac Pro past Mojave at this point. It's doable, but not really worth the effort given that there are much smoother ways of running Big Sur and beyond.

 

[flyproductions]

I didn’t even go to Mojave, but instead happily stay at High Sierra with my 5,1. Tried Mojave but got back quite quickly.

I could not see any real advantages, but some real ones for HS: Free choice of GPU with full driver support (i love my GTX 1080!). Full 32-bit-support without all this annoying "warnings" all the time. Also i was experiencing some very nasty finder bugs with Mojave, in particular with directorys containing lots of files with custom icons, which was the initial reason for me to step back.

Imho HS is the optimum OS for the 5,1 just like the latest Tiger was for G4s.

 

[Yebubbleman]

I didn’t even go to Mojave, but instead happily stay at High Sierra with my 5,1. Tried Mojave but got back quite quickly.

I could not see any real advantages, but some real ones for HS: Free choice of GPU with full driver support (i love my GTX 1080!). Full 32-bit-support without all this annoying "warnings" all the time. Also i was experiencing some very nasty finder bugs with Mojave, in particular with directorys containing lots of files with custom icons, which was the initial reason for me to step back.

Imho HS is the optimum OS for the 5,1 just like the latest Tiger was for G4s.

Mojave matured quickly. Also, those 32-bit support warnings go away after the first time you open a 32-bit application. Honestly, I had the worst issues with High Sierra ever. Plus the blank root password "bug" that existed from beta releases of 10.13.0 all the way through 10.13.1 left a really nasty taste in my mouth. High Sierra was the only version I expressly recommended all friends and family to outright skip. That said, a 5,1 is not an optimal machine to put much into these days, unless one has old and expensive software that they need not upgrade. It's 2021 and it's an 11 year old machine.

 

[imrazor]

@Yebubbleman What do you know, I actually got Mass Effect Legendary Edition running pretty well on the M1 Air. Had to use the Crossover 21 beta though.

The VR rig had to be moved to a different room for roomscale gameplay. It's not impossible to use it for normal games, merely inconvenient. I'm working on making it more comfortable for 2D gameplay as well as VR.

 

[Boomish69]

I didn’t even go to Mojave, but instead happily stay at High Sierra with my 5,1. Tried Mojave but got back quite quickly.

I could not see any real advantages, but some real ones for HS: Free choice of GPU with full driver support (i love my GTX 1080!). Full 32-bit-support without all this annoying "warnings" all the time. Also i was experiencing some very nasty finder bugs with Mojave, in particular with directorys containing lots of files with custom icons, which was the initial reason for me to step back.

Imho HS is the optimum OS for the 5,1 just like the latest Tiger was for G4s.

I wish I had done the same, but I run Logic Pro and at the time Mojave was the OS they recommended, took some time finding a graphics card to replace the stock but it’s up & running, I see no advantage for music making To jump through the hoops running opencore to get to a higher OS & if anything I think High Sierra was more reliable! Certainly for Logic Pro which is so bug ridden now it’s a joke, stuff that hasn’t been fixed in years to new bugs & its no better on Big Sur.