MP 1,1-5,1 Unable to install Sonoma using OCLP on cMP 5,1 running Monterey

[servowriter]

Hi All

I would be grateful for some help on how I can resolve an issue that I find quite perplexing.

I have been running Monterey 12.6.7 via Martin Lo OC config on my cMP 5,1, 3.46 Ghz dual core for around 18 months. Added updated WiFi/Bluetooth card. For my Metal GPU, I have a Radeon RX580. As far as I know, it’s not an ex-mining card. System is very solid. No issues.

However, since even Office apps like Team are starting to drop Monterey and because the 5,1 is such a rock for my everyday compute needs, I'd like to update Mac OS to Sonoma.

Here's my issue.

With Martin's package (currently I'm using OC 0.9.3), I get a Boot Picker and drive selection icons without having to hold Option key.

For my upgrade, I used OCLP 2.3.2 in the Monterey drive to create a bootable Sonoma installer. Built and installed OC onto the USB EFI. Prepped a clean SSD in SATA Bay 1. Removed the Monterey drive (and all data volumes) to force the machine to load the new USB EFI with OC.

Problems.

I cannot get an OC boot picker when booting from the prepped installer USB so I never get to choose the OC EFI prior to installing Sonoma. If I leave the boot process to itself when booting from the install USB, I just get default Mac OS Sonoma installer dialog which I know will fail. If I hold down Option key, I just get a black screen which never resolves.

I tried installing Mojave to the clean SSD (success). Then created a Sonoma USB installer from Mojave using OCLP and tried to test install to a blank HDD. Didn’t work. Still no OC boot picker. Holding down Option = black screen.

Since the new SSD has no data, I tried using OCLP to install OC directly to the Mojave EFI and do away with the USB installer. Same issue. No OC boot picker and I get Mac not supported on this platform - Reason: Mac-27AD2F918AE68F61

If I put the Monterey disk back in, it boots as usual.

So, I know I can install OS’s like Mojave to this SSD and they work - so SSD drive seems okay?

I know I can boot into an unsupported OS like Monterey and see an OC boot picker using Martin Lo’s package - so GPU seems okay?

After a weekend of this, I admit defeat for now. With so many success stories of people installing Sonoma, I hope it's something straightforward. Does anyone have any insight into what could be happening and how to resolve?

Thanks!

 

[tsialex]

If you chainboot OC and then OCLP you are asking for trouble.

The real solution is to make the Apple native BootPicker to work with your GPUand boot OCLP installer directly. If is something that you can do, EnableGop injection to the Mac Pro BootROM will make native pre-boot configuration to work if the RX 580 still have the factory installed GPU firmware.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/enablegop-pre-opencore-gop-support-for-efi-era-imacs-and-mac-pros.2378942/unread

If you can't do EnableGop yourself, my BootROM reconstruction service will provide a BootROM image completely clean/repaired/fully upgraded and with EnableGop injected.

 

[reader50]

... If I hold down Option key, I just get a black screen which never resolves.

Your RX580 is a PC version. To get the native bootpicker, you either need a video card with Mac firmware, or you need the EnableGOP tsialex mentions.

By any chance, do you still have the original Mac video card your system came with? Downgrading cards would give you back the firmware boot picker, allowing you to select the OCLP EFI from cold boot. You could sort out your Sonoma install, then put back your RX580. note - you'd have to re-run your OCLP root patches afterwards, to accommodate the changed video card.

After your system is stable on Sonoma, you could worry about firmware improvements. Which would make later upgrades easier.

 

[tsialex]

After your system is stable on Sonoma, you could worry about firmware improvements.

This is completely backwards.

Are you sure that you are suggesting that the OP have to suffer all the issues that he is having by doing the mumbojumbo of replacing GPUs and all the time spent trying to make it work first and then later solve the issue of not having pre-boot-configuration support once and for all?!?!?

 

[servowriter]

If you chainboot OC and then OCLP you are asking for trouble.

The real solution is to make the Apple native BootPicker to work with your GPUand boot OCLP installer directly. If is something that you can do, EnableGop injection to the Mac Pro BootROM will make native pre-boot configuration to work if the RX 580 still have the factory installed GPU firmware.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/enablegop-pre-opencore-gop-support-for-efi-era-imacs-and-mac-pros.2378942/unread

If you can't do EnableGop yourself, my BootROM reconstruction service will provide a BootROM image completely clean/repaired/fully upgraded and with EnableGop injected.

If you chainboot OC and then OCLP you are asking for trouble.

The real solution is to make the Apple native BootPicker to work with your GPUand boot OCLP installer directly. If is something that you can do, EnableGop injection to the Mac Pro BootROM will make native pre-boot configuration to work if the RX 580 still have the factory installed GPU firmware.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/enablegop-pre-opencore-gop-support-for-efi-era-imacs-and-mac-pros.2378942/unread

If you can't do EnableGop yourself, my BootROM reconstruction service will provide a BootROM image completely clean/repaired/fully upgraded and with EnableGop injected.

I have lost a lot of time so not averse to paid help. Just not quite sure what you mean by chain boot as I was resetting NVRAM
to try and avoid cross complications. I don’t want to spend another weekend/week/month bodging around. How does your service work?

 

[tsialex]

Since the new SSD has no data, I tried using OCLP to install OC directly to the Mojave EFI and do away with the USB installer. Same issue. No OC boot picker and I get Mac not supported on this platform - Reason: Mac-27AD2F918AE68F61

2019 Mac Pro does not support Mojave, you'll never boot anything earlier than 10.15.2.

I have lost a lot of time so not averse to paid help. Just not quite sure what you mean by chain boot as I was resetting NVRAM
to try and avoid cross complications.

From what you wrote in the first post, seems that OC is loading OCLP. Resetting the NVRAM is not enough, you need to remove all disks that have an ESP from the Mac Pro - triple check that, OC/OCLP have a nasty habit of loading itself when you do not want it to.

I don’t want to spend another weekend/week/month bodging around. How does your service work?

You'll send the BootROM dump, System Information report, pictures of ESN and MLB labels - I'll validate the BootROM image, diagnose it, send the PayPal invoice to your email, clean-up/repair and then reconstruct the BootROM image fully updated. After that you just flash it to your Mac Pro.

I'll send the instructions by PM.

 

[reader50]

This is completely backwards.

Are you sure that you are suggesting that the OP have to suffer all the issues that he is having by doing the mumbojumbo of replacing GPUs and all the time spent trying to make it work first and then later solve the issue of not having pre-boot-configuration support once and for all?!?!?

I'm making prudent suggestions based on the OP's needs. Business-related software is no longer compatible - sounds like the MacPro may be needed for work and income. And may have become a problem for weeks or longer.

Editing firmware always carries a risk of bricking a system. Get anything wrong, and if you don't have a firmware dump saved, you no longer have a working computer. Even after paying to recover your machine, you no longer have access to any Apple services (unless you have that saved dump).

So yes, use a spare GPU that's likely already on hand, get the system working reliably on Sonoma, and get his/her income working again. Then as time allows, try firmware fixes to make future upgrades more convenient.

Please assume good faith. Or as engineers say, don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Give him/her a working answer now, and they can try for the perfect answer later, on their own schedule. I think I'm offering good advice.