Ok, so I am looking into installing Windows 10 on my cMP but I have some reservations and concerns. I have tinkered around with my cMP in the past with both the Hardware and Software so I am not a total noob but I feel like I have to re-learn everything when I circle back to the Black Hole of cMP tinkering again. I going to list my current setup and specs and my goals with my concerns about the approach. I don't want to dive into this and get half-way though only to find out I can't do I wanted because of some nuance detail.
Specs and Setup:
4,1->5,1 cMP; 144.0.0.0.0 BootROM
OS Mojave 10.14.6
2x x5690's, 64GB 1333 DDR3
Radeon Rx Vega 56 8GB (Red Dragon) w/ PIXLAS Mod
Aqua Kyro M2 w/ 500GB 970 EVO NVMe (This is my primary OS and boot drive, computer recognizes as an external)
Bay 1: 500 GB SSD SATA (Currently has Windows 7 pro)
Bay 2: Empty
Bay 3: 1TB Storage Drive
Bay 4: 1TB Time Machine
Original GT120 on hand (IDK if its useful at all, but I still have it)
All the hardware upgrades and firmware tinkering I have done myself after exhausting reading here and other websites.
1st Goal:
Install Windows 10 (to play some PC based games) on the 500 SSD Sata drive and use BootCamp to seamlessly swap between macOS and Windows. I don't have the "Boot Screen" but as I have done in the past, I would like to think I can simply select the 'BOOTCAMP Windows' in the Startup Disk menu.
2nd Goal:
Stay on macOS Mojave unless I am convinced otherwise. (Using OpenCore I assume.)
I found a guide on installing Windows 10 on a 5,1 with out a boot screen here: https://crystalidea.com/blog/classic-mac-pro-and-windows
It makes sense and I think I can follow along enough to make it work but I have concerns regarding my macOS startup disk.
Ok, 1st concern:
Because my macOS Startup disk is on the NVMe SSD via PCIe Slot and recognized as "external" by the macOS system, will that interfere with restarting from Windows 10 back into macOS? (I know this may sound silly, but I have not used my Windows 7 SSD in years and I don't want mess anything up by booting into it and then not be able to get to macOS or something because I don't have my Bootscreen.)
2nd:
On the subject of Windows 10, would it make much more sense and be easier to boot into my current Windows 7 Pro OS on the SATA SSD and just upgrade directly to Windows 10 from there OR should I wipe the drive clean and follow the guide I noted above? The Windows 7 disk has nothing super important and I almost feel like starting from a clean drive would be better in general.
3rd:
OpenCore: Since I began diving the down the cMP rabbit hole once again, I have discovered this OpenCore mod/update/whatever. Based on what I am attempting to do, is the OpenCore rabbit hole something I should look into doing? Based on what I read with the Boot Screen picker, NVMe recognized as "internal" and the ability to upgrade to the newer macOS (Catalina, Big Sur etc.) looks very promising but I am hesitant to invest the time and hair pulling if its not going to be necessary. For instance, how important is upgrading my cMP to Catalina or Big Sur? Is the juice worth the squeeze and more importantly, will it interfere with my main goal of seamlessly swapping between macOS and Windows 10?
4th:
I noticed this comment in the OpenCore Martin's Package write up "Firmware protection (to run Windows in EFI mode without risking the cMP bootROM)" as feature to using OpenCore. Is something II should be concerned with if I don't use OpenCore.
Obviously I don't stay on top of all the latest and greatest cMP news, but I have done everything to my cMP myself based info sourced on this site and others. I feel I have the patience to do most things, but I also know my limits. I know some of these questions may seem elementary but I know how cMP's can be a bit fiddly and I love my Mac Pro too much to haphazardly start doing things without consulting experts first. Thanks.
Any and all advice is welcomed and appreciated.
Specs and Setup:
4,1->5,1 cMP; 144.0.0.0.0 BootROM
OS Mojave 10.14.6
2x x5690's, 64GB 1333 DDR3
Radeon Rx Vega 56 8GB (Red Dragon) w/ PIXLAS Mod
Aqua Kyro M2 w/ 500GB 970 EVO NVMe (This is my primary OS and boot drive, computer recognizes as an external)
Bay 1: 500 GB SSD SATA (Currently has Windows 7 pro)
Bay 2: Empty
Bay 3: 1TB Storage Drive
Bay 4: 1TB Time Machine
Original GT120 on hand (IDK if its useful at all, but I still have it)
All the hardware upgrades and firmware tinkering I have done myself after exhausting reading here and other websites.
1st Goal:
Install Windows 10 (to play some PC based games) on the 500 SSD Sata drive and use BootCamp to seamlessly swap between macOS and Windows. I don't have the "Boot Screen" but as I have done in the past, I would like to think I can simply select the 'BOOTCAMP Windows' in the Startup Disk menu.
2nd Goal:
Stay on macOS Mojave unless I am convinced otherwise. (Using OpenCore I assume.)
I found a guide on installing Windows 10 on a 5,1 with out a boot screen here: https://crystalidea.com/blog/classic-mac-pro-and-windows
It makes sense and I think I can follow along enough to make it work but I have concerns regarding my macOS startup disk.
Ok, 1st concern:
Because my macOS Startup disk is on the NVMe SSD via PCIe Slot and recognized as "external" by the macOS system, will that interfere with restarting from Windows 10 back into macOS? (I know this may sound silly, but I have not used my Windows 7 SSD in years and I don't want mess anything up by booting into it and then not be able to get to macOS or something because I don't have my Bootscreen.)
2nd:
On the subject of Windows 10, would it make much more sense and be easier to boot into my current Windows 7 Pro OS on the SATA SSD and just upgrade directly to Windows 10 from there OR should I wipe the drive clean and follow the guide I noted above? The Windows 7 disk has nothing super important and I almost feel like starting from a clean drive would be better in general.
3rd:
OpenCore: Since I began diving the down the cMP rabbit hole once again, I have discovered this OpenCore mod/update/whatever. Based on what I am attempting to do, is the OpenCore rabbit hole something I should look into doing? Based on what I read with the Boot Screen picker, NVMe recognized as "internal" and the ability to upgrade to the newer macOS (Catalina, Big Sur etc.) looks very promising but I am hesitant to invest the time and hair pulling if its not going to be necessary. For instance, how important is upgrading my cMP to Catalina or Big Sur? Is the juice worth the squeeze and more importantly, will it interfere with my main goal of seamlessly swapping between macOS and Windows 10?
4th:
I noticed this comment in the OpenCore Martin's Package write up "Firmware protection (to run Windows in EFI mode without risking the cMP bootROM)" as feature to using OpenCore. Is something II should be concerned with if I don't use OpenCore.
Obviously I don't stay on top of all the latest and greatest cMP news, but I have done everything to my cMP myself based info sourced on this site and others. I feel I have the patience to do most things, but I also know my limits. I know some of these questions may seem elementary but I know how cMP's can be a bit fiddly and I love my Mac Pro too much to haphazardly start doing things without consulting experts first. Thanks.
Any and all advice is welcomed and appreciated.
