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MP 1,1-5,1 Mac Pro 5,1 installing Sonoma via Open Core 2.2.0

tikku22

tikku22

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 6, 2016
25
1
Hi Folks... have been struggling to figure this out on my own for over a week, obviously not getting anywhere. Any help is appreciated!

I have a MP 5,1 with 32GB RAM and Sapphire RX580. I am using a wired keyboard and mouse. Until recently, I have been successfully using it for years with BigSur. I also have a MacBookPro11,1 which is a 2013 A1502 MacBook Pro 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5 with 16GB RAM running High Sierra 10.13.6

So, I've been trying (unsuccessfully) to upgrade my cMP to Sonoma by doing a fresh install into a blank SSD. I downloaded OCLP 2.2.0 and followed the process to create a USB boot disk. However, when doing the install, I made a mistake and installed it into my EFI folder on my cMP. Now the cMP won't boot up at all. In addition, I tried to hold down Option to get to the USB boot disk again, but that wouldn't come up either.

Next, thinking I didn't create the USB boot disk properly, I created a new one using my MBP11,1. I've made sure to select the Mac Pro 5,1 in the settings of Open Core. Created an Installer for Sonoma on to the USB. Held down Option during startup and I was able to get a menu to select one of three options: the blank SSD onto which I wanted to install Sonoma. InstallSonoma selection. And an EFI selection... not "EFI Boot". Clicking on EFI doesn't do anything except the same boot menu of the SSD, InstallSonoma, and EFI comes up each time. Clicking on InstallSonoma gets me to selecting the English language for Sonoma, but it's looking for a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and all i have is a wired keyboard and mouse instead.

- I've tried to create this USB boot disk mulitple times via my MBP but it won't create an EFI Boot, only EFI folder.
- Trying to boot up the cMP will make it just sit there until I power it down. Or, if I hold down Option while booting, it will go to the same three menus on the USB drive, but again no EFI Boot/OC folder and InstallSonoma doesn't get me anywhere.
- Tried to reset the PRAM/NVRAM via holding down Option+Command+P+R keys for at least two boot-up Bong chimes. But ater a fwe minutes, the cMP just goes into a loop of making the boot-up Bong sound, waiting a few minutes and making the same Bong sound again.
- Tried to boot into Recovery Mode via Command+R, but it won't go into it and just sits there.

I don't know what I am doing wrong... did I just kill the boot sector on my cMP completely such that I can't even boot from the USB anymore? I've thought that maybe I am doing something wrong with creating the USB boot drive because I all I keep seeing is the EFI folder and not EFI Boot; but I have gone through this so many times now and tried to follow the process specifically each time.

Any thoughts or suggestions? I've been doing this for over a week now and I'm just spent!
Thanks, in advanced.
 
Have you tried creating Mojave USB install media (the last supported macOS for cMP 5,1) and booting from it? Pull the HD sleds first.
 
I have not... it's already got Big Sur on it. I was looking to do a fresh install of Sonoma onto a blank SSD.
On OCLP it also looks like Monterey is the last offerred at this time... OCLP
Thank you.
 
Last edited:
If you are running Big Sur, you should already be on OCLP.
Install the latest version of OCLP on your current setup. Wipe the new SSD to make sure there is no OCLP installed on it. Multiple copies of OCLP can get very confusing.
Then run the Sonoma install from Big Sur onto the new disk. You could also do a Carbon Copy clone to the new disk and install Sonoma over that. I have had trouble with Migration Assistant completing under OCLP and newer versions of macOS.
TW, you might want to stay with 15.1. Later versions break Music.
 
Thank you... I think I've determined that the issue I'm running into is not with OCLP but with the cMP 5,1 itself.

I've taken out the USB with OCLP, etc on it. and am seeing pretty much the same issues:
- just pressing the power button and booting up makes the system hang. It doesn't boot up, the displays are not receiving a signal and everything stays blank. This happens regardless of booting up any one of the three drives I have... my primary SSD with Bug Sur, a backup using CCCloner, or a second backup using CCloner. This effectively means that I cannot boot up with my previously working Big Sur environment.
- holding down Option during booting will bring up a boot selector menu. This will happen as long as I have hooked up a blank SSD. It will also show a USB that I've created via the OCLP process, but it will only show the Install Sonoma or EFI (not EFI Boot) options. Unfortunately, both of these don't lead anywhere... clicking on EFI just refreshes the screen. Clicking on Install Sonoma gets me to the beginning of the install process but only up to where I have to choose English as the language and then it doesn't proceed any further.
- Tried to reset the PRAM/NVRAM via holding down Option+Command+P+R keys for at least four boot-up Bong chimes. But after a few minutes, the cMP just goes into a loop of making the boot-up Bong sound, waiting a few minutes and making the same Bong sound again.
- Tried to boot into Recovery Mode via Command+R, but it won't go into it and just sits there.

Any thoughts? This one is beyond my expertise.
- I'm not familiar with the boot process enough here. It seems like some part of the boot process on the cMP, before getting to the hard drives or the USB, has been damaged. It does bring up a boot selector, so something is working, even though I'm not able to actually use the boot selector.
- Worst case, is there a way I could just get the cMP working again, even if it's a previous MacOS version. I downloaded High Sierra onto my MBP but couldn't get that to come up via the USB in order to install on the cMP either... same issues as above. I do have a blank SSD, but again, I don't have a boot selector on the cMP that I can actually use. I am happy to utilize my MBP, but I am unsure how to proceed.

Thank you for your input.
Paras.
 
Not sure how you will be able to troubleshoot unless you boot Mojave and use a Mojave supported GPU. You gots to get back to basics and get a booting system.
 
Thank you.

So, I've tried to boot Mojave, but it says that my firmware is out of date. So, I have been able to install High Sierra on the cMP 5,1 off of USB and it into macOS 10.13.6... (Yay!). And I've installed updates available for it. But the BootROM firmware is still on 138.0.0.0.0. I think it needs to be on 144.0.0.0.0 (??) in order to be able to install Mojave? I've tried several times to install Mojave in order to trigger the firmware update but no luck. I've also tried to reinstall High Sierra to trigger the firmware update; again, no luck.

Not sure how to proceed.

Thank you.
Paras.
 
Read the first post of this wiki thread.

MacPro5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave (10.13/10.14 BootROM upgrades instructions thread)

Please fully read this first post, you will probably find that you have one or more problems described into the various notes below. Mojave will only install if you have upgraded your BootROM to the current release and your Mac Pro have a Metal capable GPU*. If you are trying to install Mojave...
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com

Can't update firmware from USB. Must run installer from internal storage. Various complications related to GPU and APFS. Assess your system and compare notes with info in thread.
 
It sounds like you got past the boot problems. I was going to suggest an SMC reset, which solves a lot of weird issues. For a 5,1 unplug power cord for at least 10 seconds. Plug back in, wait at least 5 seconds before pressing the power button.

Many of your problems with OCLP install attempts are related to late versions of macOS removing the USB 1.x drivers. That's why your Mac Pro kept asking for bluetooth keyboards and mice - it could not see your wired peripherals until after the install process completed. Chicken and egg problem. Solve it by placing a USB 2 or USB 3 hub between your Mac Pro and your peripherals. OCLP should reinstall much easier, and you might get past some OS install issues too.

High Sierra is a good OS for troubleshooting, as it doesn't have the Metal graphics card requirement. However, you do need to install Mojave at least once to get your firmware updated. The sticky Bigwaff linked should do the trick. If you didn't have a Metal graphics card, you could use the DosDude patcher tool to install Mojave. That will get you through the firmware update, after which OCLP will work better for later installs.
 
Last edited:
reader50 said:
If you didn't have a Metal graphics card, you could use the DosDude patcher tool to install Mojave. That will get you through the firmware update, after which OCLP will work better for later installs.
Click to expand...

This is incorrect info, dosdude1 Mojave installer bypass firmware updates, which you should NEVER ever do it with a Mac Pro.

Btw, OP wrote that he has a RX 580…
 
I noticed the RX580 info, and edited my wording to accommodate.

Also, Mojave can be fussy to install for those (like me) who started from a 4,1. If memory serves, I used the DosDude tool to install an early version of Mojave. Once Mojave was installed, I could then run a normal updater, getting the later firmware. It's been quite awhile, so my memory might be off.
 
Thank you. @Bigwaff, I did see that post by @tsialex, but I don't have another graphics card. I really just want to get past this firmware issue, so I'm really not interested to purchase one to do so and then never need to use it again.
Also, does your post mean that I should download the Mojave installer on to the same harddrive and update the High Sierra that way? Is that the way to update the firmware in order to enable to install?

I believe my front-side and back-side internal USB hubs on the cMP 5,1 are USB 2.0. And I do have an aftermarket USB 3.0 hub installed in a PCI port. @reader50, per your post, shouldn't this have alleviated the issues regarding the missing USB 1.0 drivers?

I'm confused about using DosDude1's Mojave installer. The FAQs show that people have had significant mounting and other issues with it. @tsialex, why is bypassing the firmware update an issue on the cMP? As @reader50 suggested, what if i just used it to install an early version of Mojave, and then update it in order to trigger a firmware update? does this make sense?

Thank you.
 
tikku22 said:
...
I believe my front-side and back-side internal USB hubs on the cMP 5,1 are USB 2.0. And I do have an aftermarket USB 3.0 hub installed in a PCI port. @reader50, per your post, shouldn't this have alleviated the issues regarding the missing USB 1.0 drivers?
...
Click to expand...
The problem is later macOS versions no longer know how to speak to USB 1.x devices until after OCLP has patched everything up. By using an external USB 2/3 hub, your Mac Pro will speak to the hub as a 2/3 device. And the hub translates attached devices to USB 2/3 protocols. Thus avoiding the problem.

Later versions of OCLP have gotten better at patching around this, but things still work much more smoothly with an external 2/3 hub.

Once everything is installed and patched up, you can remove the external 2/3 hub and go back to direct attachment. Just keep the hub around for future installs or troubleshooting.
 
tikku22 said:
@tsialex, why is bypassing the firmware update an issue on the cMP?
Click to expand...

Read the changelog of firmware updates to know how much things changed with the ELEVEN Mac Pro firmware upgrades overtime:


With 138.0.0.0.0 your Mac Pro doesn't have the current APFS support (read current as MacPro5,1 APFS support) or can boot from NVMe drives, just to say two things.

tikku22 said:
As @reader50 suggested, what if i just used it to install an early version of Mojave, and then update it in order to trigger a firmware update? does this make sense?

Thank you.
Click to expand...

Since you already have 138.0.0.0.0 and doesn't need an AppleOEM GPU for the High Sierra firmware upgrades, the most secure and easy way to do the upgrade is to install Sierra or High Sierra from scratch to a spare disk, then download and run current 10.14.6 Mojave installer from the High Sierra install to upgrade the firmware to 144.0.0.0.0 - read the notes.

Earlier Mojave versions have earlier firmwares. You can just open current Mojave installer to upgrade from 138.0.0.0.0 to 144.0.0.0.0.
 
OK, I think understand... the early part of the Mojave Installation upgrades the Firmware to 144.0.0.0.0 And so any future OS after Mojave, would still need this early part of this install. I suppose this is the part that has the APFS, NVMe drive and other supports. This is because Apple doesn't support any future firmware upgrades fpr the cMP 5,1.

In this case I tried to install the entire Mojave instead of just the first part. To do so, i created a spare SSD with High Sierra on it. I downloaded the Mojave Installer onto it and ran the installer.

On the screen where i have to choose the drive on which to install, it gives an error that i need a firmware update in order to install it. The High Sierra SSD has a APFS volume type. The installer is asking to install onto a MacOS Extended (Journaled) type instead.

So I tried to create a partition on the drive via Disk Utility (in order to create an Extended (Journaled) partition. But Disk Utility will only allow me to create a 2.61GB partition. I tried this anyway, and it gave me an error that i couldn't install it.

I also tried to boot into my Bug Sur SSD (It is coming up now in the Boot Selector) and install Mojave onto the High Sierra SSD from there, but said I had to boot into the drive in order to install. Incidentally, the BootROM is identified as 138.0.0.0.0 from within both the Big Sur SSD and the High Sierra SSD, as well.

Do I now have to erase the spare SSD and install High Sierra with MacOS Extended (Journaled) now? I thought Mojave and above need APFS?

BTW, on my A1502 MacBookPro11,1 I upgraded High Sierra to Catalina just by downloading and clicking the installer. and I didn't install to Mojave first. Catalina seems to be working fine on it. However, similarly, the firmware was not updated and still says that it's 162.0.0.0.0

what do i do now? it amazes me how difficult i am finding it just to update the firmware. I have no idea if maybe I am doing something wrong or why this is not working.


Thank you.
 
High Sierra needs to be installed with APFS for firmware upgrades to work.

High Sierra APFS is different/incompatible from any newer macOS release, you'll need to format the spare disk from High Sierra macOS installer Disk Utility, nuke the whole disk and re-create it.

Read the whole first post of the thread below, MacPro5,1 have a looooooooooong list of pre-requisites for firmware upgrades to work, just one thing wrong and the firmware update will not proceed - like a display connected via DP 1.2/1.4, for a example of things frequent overlooked.

Also is known that some PCIe cards can block firmware upgrades, remove everything but the GPU - use a SATA disk.

MacPro5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave (10.13/10.14 BootROM upgrades instructions thread)

Please fully read this first post, you will probably find that you have one or more problems described into the various notes below. Mojave will only install if you have upgraded your BootROM to the current release and your Mac Pro have a Metal capable GPU*. If you are trying to install Mojave...
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com

tikku22 said:
BTW, on my A1502 MacBookPro11,1 I upgraded High Sierra to Catalina just by downloading and clicking the installer. and I didn't install to Mojave first. Catalina seems to be working fine on it. However, similarly, the firmware was not updated and still says that it's 162.0.0.0.0
Click to expand...

MBP firmware upgrades since around 2010ish have absolutely nothing to do with the way MacPro5,1 does it, it is done automatically by macOS Software Updates.
 
tikku22 said:
I also tried to boot into my Big Sur SSD (It is coming up now in the Boot Selector) and install Mojave onto the High Sierra SSD from there, but said I had to boot into the drive in order to install.
Click to expand...
Apple has rigged their official installers so they refuse to install earlier OS versions than whatever you're booted into. You can install Mojave while booted into a Mojave install, or while booted from an earlier version. If you're booted into Catalina or Big Sur, the Mojave installer will refuse to run.

I know - it's a pain in the butt. They only want you to move forward with OS versions. So start from a High Sierra install, like tsialex recommends.
 
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