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quadra605

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 20, 2019
69
6
Los Angeles
EDIT: This was originally a question I posted, I'm re-editing it now to be more of an answer. I found a lot of conflicting (& some merely outdated) info regarding this process. It was giving me no end of problems. I have a cMP4,1>5,1 running Mojave 10.14.6 with an unflashed RX 560 GPU, Martin Lo's OpenCore 0.7.3 & firmware upgraded to 144.0.0.0.

SHORT ANSWER: I got it done by putting my SSD in a drive caddy, attaching it to a Windows laptop, and installing Windows on the drive using an app called Rufus. I was then able to put that drive in my Mac Pro 5,1 & complete the Win10 install using Brigadier. Have no fear--even without a PC, you CAN get this done.

SOME PITFALLS & SOLUTIONS:
I don't have all the answers, but if you're attempting to install Windows on a Mac Pro 5,1, you are likely going to run into one or more of the problems listed below. Those of you who know what you're doing won't need this, but if you're a "mere mortal" like myself, read on....

1. Traditionally, a Windows install on Mac can be done with Bootcamp. The bad news: Bootcamp does NOT run on a Mac Pro 5,1 running Mojave. The good news: rest easy, there ARE work-arounds (we'll get to them in a few more steps).

2. If you're running OpenCore in the above configuration, you can't do a "Legacy" or "Legacy/BIOS" install of Windows, OpenCore won't recognize it. You have to do a UEFI/EFI install of Windows.

3. When you format your disk/partition for Windows, it must be ExFAT with a GUID partition map, NOT Master Boot Record.

4. If you are planning to do a DVD install using the Windows 10 ISO file downloaded from the Microsoft site, you will find the current version is too big to burn on to a single layer DVD-R, you must use a double-layer. (See additional note at the bottom of this thread regarding install via DVD*)

5. Installing Windows 10 from a USB installer is NOT recommended for this config. It apparently causes some corruption, the details of which I'm not clear on.

6. I used the current Windows 10 ISO file and followed the steps outlined here to install it on my SSD using Rufus: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-on-cmacpro-opencore-with-bootpicker.2236503/
IMPORTANT: If you don't have access to a Windows PC, my understanding is you can accomplish this same procedure by running Windows in Parallels Virtual software or other Virtual Machine software on your Mac.

7. The above thread includes this link on how to use Brigadier which MOSTLY works but has SOME outdated info (addressed in step 8 below):
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...en.2114788/page-9?post=26689280#post-26689280

8. The outdated info referenced above is that BootCamp5 no longer works in this config and Step 5 in the following link is the better way to address this: https://crystalidea.com/blog/classic-mac-pro-and-windows. (Essentially, you'll be installing the Bluetooth & RealTek audio drivers from the BootCamp 5 folder MANUALLY.

9. Once everything is installed, if you find your Windows 10 installation has no AUDIO, check out the steps here:
In my case, it was just set to output to the wrong source. Yeah, I know: n00b.

NEED DRIVERS? If, after installing Win10 you are still missing some Apple/Mac 5,1 drivers, you may be able to find what you need here: https://www.driverscape.com/manufacturers/apple/laptops-desktops/macpro5,1/703

*NOTE: I also tried installing Win10 from an OEM Disk I bought. When booting from this disk, I got a black screen with a flashing cursor in the upper left corner--it stayed that way for several loooong MINUTES, but then the install screen would eventually come up. In the end, this method did not work for me, there was some error message I got referring to the formatting of my SSD--which is why I used the Rufus app. I only bring it up to alert you that IF you are installing via DVD, it could take a VERY LONG time to go from the black screen to the Windows install screen.

I hope this can help someone else out there & alleviate SOME of the headaches this install causes. Believe it or not, once I had the right info, it was pretty straight forward. Granted, if it hadn't been for the Rufus app & my Windows laptop, I'm not sure if I'd have gotten it done--the disk formatting was just one problem after another. As you can tell, I'm not super tech-saavy, so feel free to comment below to add any extra advice or explanations. I can always edit/amend this article for as long as it allows me to.
 
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