Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Tonchi

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 3, 2022
6
0
Ukraine
Friends, I have a Mac Pro 5.1 system Now I have Catalina installed, I installed it through the Catalina patcher
I understand that other systems can not be installed just as easily. Tell me, does it make sense to switch to new systems?

What is the most stable system for our Mac Pro 5.1 ?

My system
Mac Pro 5.1
CPU 2x 5690
GPU RX 560 4 gb (have a home card hd 5770)
RAM 48 gb 1333 Mhz
 
Dosdude Catalina was and is the best for me, I keep a copy of mojave just in case but have not needed it. I tried big sur but had a few minor issues, and there were no compelling reasons to use it so i went back to catalina
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tonchi
Dosdude Catalina was and is the best for me, I keep a copy of mojave just in case but have not needed it. I tried big sur but had a few minor issues, and there were no compelling reasons to use it so i went back to catalina

I agree with you for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, Catalina is about to be dropped from support and—unless something changes—it will not receive security updates after this month. Running Catalina on a general-purpose Mac that's used for web browsing will become more risky as time goes on and anyone doing so might be vulnerable to new security problems, depending on how they use their system. The OP might be better off going with a newer macOS with OpenCore, even though this comes with some pitfalls of its own.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tonchi
Thank you for your answers!
Tell me what pitfalls will be in macOS 11 Big Sur and macOS 12 Monterey ?

If still have to upgrade the system, which one is easier to install? which one will have the least problems. I mean hardware? To maximize without crutches ...

P.S. Sorry for bad english. I am doing my best. I myself am from Ukraine.
 
Thank you for your answers!
Tell me what pitfalls will be in macOS 11 Big Sur and macOS 12 Monterey ?

If still have to upgrade the system, which one is easier to install? which one will have the least problems. I mean hardware? To maximize without crutches ...

P.S. Sorry for bad english. I am doing my best. I myself am from Ukraine.

You will most likely need to change/update your WiFi/BT card, but I would just check the first page of the Open Core thread, as this has been discussed MILLIONS of times in that thread. Hell, if you just did a search in it for "upgrading to Big Sur" or "Installing Big Sur" you will find your answer (the OC thread is found stickied at the top of the Mac Pro forum).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tonchi
Thank you for your answers!
Tell me what pitfalls will be in macOS 11 Big Sur and macOS 12 Monterey ?

If still have to upgrade the system, which one is easier to install? which one will have the least problems. I mean hardware? To maximize without crutches ...

P.S. Sorry for bad english. I am doing my best. I myself am from Ukraine.
Your English is fine. Better than a lot of people who speak it as their first language.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tonchi
Big Sur 11.2.3 was pretty decent, but I have Monterey 12.1 on my other 5,1 and that seems to run well enough.

I only use that machine for Zwift.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tonchi
Catalina days are numbered, Apple will make it obsolete the day Ventura is released, with no more security updates forward.

If you have a fully upgraded MacPro5,1 (you need to upgrade your AirPort Express to a BCM94360 model) you can run current Big Sur releases without any issues and security updates support for one more year, while current Monterey (12.5.1) is crashing/Kernel Panicking for some users. If you are one of the unlucky few with 12.5.1 crashes, you can have data loss.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Tonchi
Very happy with 11.6.8 Big Sur here. Monterey just seems a step too far for the old girl. By the time Adobe stop supporting it I will likely have either some AS or a used 7,1 on my desk.
 
Can you please tell me if this board is suitable for upgrading to Big Sur and Monterey?
1662580557193.png
1662580596564.png
 
I bought a new video card RX 5600 XT and the boot screen of the system disappeared.
Now there is no way to switch between Windows and Mac OS X
Can this be fixed somehow? native HD 5770 card available
 
I bought a new video card RX 5600 XT and the boot screen of the system disappeared.
Now there is no way to switch between Windows and Mac OS X
Can this be fixed somehow? native HD 5770 card available

That's normal. You can use OpenCore to get a boot screen back.

The other solution is to try and find places that will flash them, or sell your one and get a flashed version:

 
  • Like
Reactions: Tonchi
That's normal. You can use OpenCore to get a boot screen back.

The other solution is to try and find places that will flash them, or sell your one and get a flashed version:
And you can somehow flash your card to work BOOT SCREEN ?
RX 5600 XT and RX 5700
 
And you can somehow flash your card to work BOOT SCREEN ?
RX 5600 XT and RX 5700
With those cards, you don't need to flash them, all you need is OpenCore and at least Catalina 10.15.1. be aware that you will need a Pixlas mod for the 5700XT.

I used to run a 5700XT in my cMP before Syncretic released the patch for the 6800XT.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tonchi
With those cards, you don't need to flash them, all you need is OpenCore and at least Catalina 10.15.1. be aware that you will need a Pixlas mod for the 5700XT.

I used to run a 5700XT in my cMP before Syncretic released the patch for the 6800XT.
in this case, the bootscreen will work and it will be possible to choose which system to load? Windows 10/nvme and Mac OS x Catalina/ssd ?

Do i need Pixlas mod for 5700 or 5600 xt graphics card?
After all, their consumption is 150-190 watts
 
Last edited:
in this case, the bootscreen will work and it will be possible to choose which system to load? Windows 10/nvme and Mac OS x Catalina/ssd ?
Yes, that is correct, upon boot, when the OpenCore bootloader loads, you will be allowed to select which drive/OS to boot from.

Look in the OpenCore thread (stickied at the top of the Mac Pro forum) for more info.

If you are uncomfortable with configuring a config file yourself, you can use Martin's package -- but again, read page 1 of the Open Core forum, that guide has everything you need in it, and you can search/ask questions within that thread. MANY questions, including some you've asked have been answered in there.

Do i need Pixlas mod for 5700 or 5600 xt graphics card?
After all, their consumption is 150-190 watts

I think you may be fine without Pixlas for the 5600XT or 5700, but I know that the 5700XT does spike, which is why it's good to go Pixlas -- also you don't want to burn out that (very old) board.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tonchi
Gosh, do yourself a favor and get an Apple TV to run Zwift, and help saving the planet ;)

I have the Apple TV 4K, and Zwift on that is awful. The amount of problems I had with the ATV version and the awful low-detail graphics was enough.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.