MP 1,1-5,1 Manually Configured OpenCore on the Mac Pro

[Fawzi]

Hi. Will we see an integrated compiled package for 5,1 MPs that would integrate all of the kext and config.list stuff for Monterey ?
My legendary laziness would be forever grateful (and also my unease in copying and pasting stuff that I barely understand)...

 

[tsialex]

Hi. Will we see an integrated compiled package for 5,1 MPs that would integrate all of the kext and config.list stuff for Monterey ?
My legendary laziness would be forever grateful (and also my unease in copying and pasting stuff that I barely understand)...

This already exists, it's called OCLP.

GitHub - dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher: Experience macOS just like before

Experience macOS just like before. Contribute to dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[PeterHolbrook]

Will we see an integrated compiled package for 5,1 MPs that would integrate all of the kext and config.list stuff for Monterey ?

Do you consider something is missing along those lines in post #1? What, exactly?

 

[SJerc]

Thank you for your answer. I have mostly the same ( I've got some extra kext lines for GPU acceleration ) but I don't get if you are installing Monterey starting again from Mojave or if it's just a Mojave installation. I'm in Monterey 12.0.1. I have modified LauncherOption and DirectGopRendering as you suggest ( had VMM disabled previously ) but the bluetooth keeps missing ( no activation is possible both in the System Preferences or the top bar icon ). Still looking for a solution. Thanks anyway. ;-)

I did a full Monterey 12.0.1 (only one available via gibMac) install via USB that was patched with OCLP to a wiped SSD. With the clean install, I just followed everything in post #1 w/OC 0.7.5 and then added what you had for Bluetooth, which made Bluetooth finally work. I think whenever you do a full install or upgrade to Monterey, you end up losing Bluetooth when you have the original Bluetooth card. At least that was my case, upgrading my original drive (original as in the OS that shipped with the Mac Pro in 2009 that I upgraded with each OS release) install from Big Sur to Monterey and then later trying the experiment to do a full install of Big Sur to a wiped drive then upgrading it to Monterey. Hope you figure it out.

 

[abaxworld]

I did a full Monterey 12.0.1 (only one available via gibMac) install via USB that was patched with OCLP to a wiped SSD. With the clean install, I just followed everything in post #1 w/OC 0.7.5 and then added what you had for Bluetooth, which made Bluetooth finally work. I think whenever you do a full install or upgrade to Monterey, you end up losing Bluetooth when you have the original Bluetooth card. At least that was my case, upgrading my original drive (original as in the OS that shipped with the Mac Pro in 2009 that I upgraded with each OS release) install from Big Sur to Monterey and then later trying the experiment to do a full install of Big Sur to a wiped drive then upgrading it to Monterey. Hope you figure it out.

You are right, you said Monterey and not Mojave, my mistake. Ok, I use Martin Lo's OC version that have been working fine for me for several years. Maybe it's time to move to OCLP to restore the bluetooth. Thanks again.

 

[PeterHolbrook]

Maybe it's time to move to OCLP to restore the bluetooth.

Maybe you ought to have paid attention from the very beginning (post #1) that the benefits provided by @cdf’s method are aimed at Mac Pros with updated, supported Bluetooth/Wi-Fi modules. Nobody can promise that an unmodified Big Sur/Monterey system will be able to make the original BT/Wi-Fi module work.

 

[abaxworld]

Maybe you ought to have paid attention from the very beginning (post #1) that the benefits provided by @cdf’s method are aimed at Mac Pros with updated, supported Bluetooth/Wi-Fi modules. Nobody can promise that an unmodified Big Sur/Monterey system will be able to make the original BT/Wi-Fi module work.

As I said I follow the Martin Lo's method with his own tutorials that have been working fine for me until now. I have read the post #1 but it's not the way I have been working until now. I will try to find a solution through any future OC update or moving to OCLP or just buy a coming iMac/Mac Mini/Mac Pro with Apple processor and let all this behind. It's becoming the same to use Windows in a clone and I had enough of that in the past. Thanks everyone for your support.

 

[decasta]

Please turn on verbose mode, and if possible, turn on OC debug mode as well. And see what's showed on the screen when it hangs.

Could you clarify with me how exactly to do that? I'm pretty inexperienced when it comes to OpenCore.

 

[imrazor]

I've successfully installed OpenCore on my MacPro5,1 and finally have a boot picker for my unflashed Vega 56. My eventual goal is to install Monterey and (hopefully) enjoy worry-free security updates in Monterey and beyond.

Currently I have followed the instructions in the first post with a manual install in the hopes of upgrading to Monterey. Towards that goal, I have applied the VMM CPUID flag. I am currently being offered an upgrade to macOS 12 by System Preferences. From reading the 1st post it seems this is NOT a safe option. I have successfully downloaded a Monterey image/installer with the macadmin script. The question is how I should apply it. My concern is that a clean install from the non-boot drive to the boot drive will wipe OpenCore completely.

Should I a) boot from the OpenCore boot drive (currently running Mojave) and run it from there -OR- b) boot from my backup drive (also running Mojave) and install it to the OpenCore upgraded drive? I assume I also need to make sure I boot with OpenCore and not natively from the backup drive.

Aside from the VMM CPUID flag in the config.plist file, do I also need to apply the "-no-compat-check" boot arg to successfully install and boot Monterey?

And finally I have this BT adapter in my Mac Pro: usb id 05ac:8215. Since I'm not the original owner of this machine, I'm not sure if that's the original adapter or not. Will it continue to work after an upgrade? Or if it is original issue, will @DrFuzzy 's post #9504 restore BT after an upgrade?

 

[hwojtek]

And finally I have this BT adapter in my Mac Pro: usb id 05ac:8215.

This is the stock BT2.0 from MP5,1

 

[cdf]

Currently I have followed the instructions in the first post with a manual install in the hopes of upgrading to Monterey. Towards that goal, I have applied the VMM CPUID flag. I am currently being offered an upgrade to macOS 12 by System Preferences. From reading the 1st post it seems this is NOT a safe option.

Using the VMM flag is a perfectly safe option. Just make sure to disable the flag afterwards; it just needs to be enabled when installing or updating.

I have successfully downloaded a Monterey image/installer with the macadmin script. The question is how I should apply it. My concern is that a clean install from the non-boot drive to the boot drive will wipe OpenCore completely.

A clean install of macOS will not erase the EFI partition, but using Disk Utility to erase the entire disk before installing will. So either prepare your disk for macOS before installing OpenCore or erase just the target partition (or container) if needed (you can mount your ESP after erasing to confirm that OpenCore is still there).

Should I a) boot from the OpenCore boot drive (currently running Mojave) and run it from there -OR- b) boot from my backup drive (also running Mojave) and install it to the OpenCore upgraded drive?

In option a), if you choose your Mojave partition (the one on your boot drive), then that would be an update rather than a clean install. That should be fine, but if possible, I would opt for option b) after erasing the target partition (see above).

I assume I also need to make sure I boot with OpenCore and not natively from the backup drive.

Correct. This should just be a matter of selecting the right entry in the boot menu.

Aside from the VMM CPUID flag in the config.plist file, do I also need to apply the "-no-compat-check" boot arg to successfully install and boot Monterey?

No. That's just there for Mojave. You can clean that up after installing Monterey if you don't intend on booting Mojave through OpenCore.

Will it continue to work after an upgrade?

Unsupported Bluetooth cards are outside the scope of the guide, so I'll leave others respond to this one.

 

[mangombia]

Using the VMM flag is a perfectly safe option. Just make sure to disable the flag afterwards; it just needs to be enabled when installing or updating.


A clean install of macOS will not erase the EFI partition, but using Disk Utility to erase the entire disk before installing will. So either prepare your disk for macOS before installing OpenCore or erase just the target partition (or container) if needed (you can mount your ESP after erasing to confirm that OpenCore is still there).


In option a), if you choose your Mojave partition (the one on your boot drive), then that would be an update rather than a clean install. That should be fine, but if possible, I would opt for option b) after erasing the target partition (see above).


Correct. This should just be a matter of selecting the right entry in the boot menu.


No. That's just there for Mojave. You can clean that up after installing Monterey if you don't intend on booting Mojave through OpenCore.


Unsupported Bluetooth cards are outside the scope of the guide, so I'll leave others respond to this one.

So I've got my old legacy (i.e., pre-OC) Mojave install on one NVME, and Monterey (installed using SecureBootModel=Default, NVRAM update with Firmware Features, and the MacPro 7,1 BoardID) on another NVME. So my questions related to booting Mojave & Monterey with the least bit of config.plist tinkering:

1. Can I disable the NVRAM update and set SecureBootModel=Disabled in order to boot both Mojave & Monterey?
2. Is NVRAMUpdate w/Firmware Features & SecureBootModel=Default necessary to boot Monterey?
3. Do I need to do a complete reinstall of Monterey w/VMM Flagged, but NVRAM update w/Firmware Features disabled, and SecureBootModel=Disabled necessary to boot both it and Mojave natively?

 

[cdf]

1. Can I disable the NVRAM update and set SecureBootModel=Disabled in order to boot both Mojave & Monterey?

Yes, but for Mojave you'll also need the -no_compat_check boot-arg if you're using MacPro7,1 hybridization (as described in the guide).

2. Is NVRAMUpdate w/Firmware Features & SecureBootModel=Default necessary to boot Monterey?

No, but it's recommended for seamless updates.

3. Do I need to do a complete reinstall of Monterey w/VMM Flagged, but NVRAM update w/Firmware Features disabled, and SecureBootModel=Disabled necessary to boot both it and Mojave natively?

No.

 

[imrazor]

@cdf Thanks for your answers and the work on the wiki. I can report success...

However I have lost two functions (well three, but I only care about two.) Namely Bluetooth, which was expected. But I also lost hardware encoding support. I had difficulties installing Lilu and Whatevergreen in the manner described, so I had to back both out of the EFI partition and remove the um, 'enabler' in config.plist. Otherwise I just booted to a black screen.

After that incident I had to revert to my old configuration, which was to put Lilu and Whatevergreen in /Library/Extensions. I also noticed that in the nvram boot-args -no_compat_check has been added and the arguments previously used to enable HWAccel have been removed. Can I simply add those arguments back, or is OpenCore blocking modifications to nvram?

EDIT: I've also noticed that I get an odd result when I try to verify the OpenCore version:

$ nvram 4D1FDA02-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B30102:opencore-version
4D1FDA02-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B30102:opencore-version    UNK-000-0000-00-00

 

[cdf]

However I have lost two functions (well three, but I only care about two.) Namely Bluetooth, which was expected. But I also lost hardware encoding support. I had difficulties installing Lilu and Whatevergreen in the manner described, so I had to back both out of the EFI partition and remove the um, 'enabler' in config.plist. Otherwise I just booted to a black screen.

While it's preferable to add the WEG settings as device properties (as described in the guide), you can also add them as boot arguments:

<key>boot-args</key>
<string>-no_compat_check -wegtree unfairgva=1</string>

If you still get a black screen, you may need agdpmod. In that case:

<key>boot-args</key>
<string>-no_compat_check -wegtree unfairgva=1 agdpmod=pikera</string>

Please let me know how this goes, so that I can amend the guide.

 

[mattyukmatty]

Hi, I have an issue with open core I can't get past the firmware part, I tried turning ON the VMM flag.

 

[sfalatko]

@cdf - I am having trouble creating a RescueCD following the guide in post #1. I am at step 5 and when I enter the command it fails and I get the following error - ".....could not access /Volumes/OC-CD/EFI/OC/config.plist - Invalid argument".

I have my OC-CD folder with my working EFI folder inside in my home directory and am at a loss at what I am missing. I appreciate any pointers.

Regards

 

[cdf]

@cdf - I am having trouble creating a RescueCD following the guide in post #1. I am at step 5 and when I enter the command it fails and I get the following error - ".....could not access /Volumes/OC-CD/EFI/OC/config.plist - Invalid argument".

I have my OC-CD folder with my working EFI folder inside in my home directory and am at a loss at what I am missing. I appreciate any pointers.

Regards

I was able to reproduce the error. This happens if you try to edit your config directly in OC-CD/EFI/OC, instead of editing it in your home folder and copying it back. I've clarified the instructions.

 

[sfalatko]

I was able to reproduce the error. This happens if you try to edit your config directly in OC-CD/EFI/OC, instead of editing it in your home folder and copying it back. I've clarified the instructions.

Thanks. That is exactly what I did - copied EFI into the OC-CD folder and then edited the config.plist there. When I followed the instructions EXACTLY (copied the file to my home folder, edited it, and copied it back (replacing the original)) it worked.

 

[imrazor]

While it's preferable to add the WEG settings as device properties (as described in the guide), you can also add them as boot arguments:

<key>boot-args</key>
<string>-no_compat_check -wegtree unfairgva=1</string>

If you still get a black screen, you may need agdpmod. In that case:

<key>boot-args</key>
<string>-no_compat_check -wegtree unfairgva=1 agdpmod=pikera</string>

Please let me know how this goes, so that I can amend the guide.

So the good news is the cMP is bootable. However, Lilu and Whatevergreen categorically refused to load from the EFI partition. So I had to add them to /Library/Extensions, and they are now shown as loaded in the System Report.

But this has done me no good as far as enabling hardware acceleration. And my Mac Pro still identifies itself as a Mac Pro (2010). Should it not be reflecting a more recent model, such as an iMac Pro or MacPro6,1?

 

[sfalatko]

Thanks. That is exactly what I did - copied EFI into the OC-CD folder and then edited the config.plist there. When I followed the instructions EXACTLY (copied the file to my home folder, edited it, and copied it back (replacing the original)) it worked.

@cdf - one step closer but....

I successfully burned the CD but when I insert it I get an error - "The disk you attached was not readable by this computer" and I can't boot with it.

Any thoughts?

 

[cdf]

So the good news is the cMP is bootable. However, Lilu and Whatevergreen categorically refused to load from the EFI partition. So I had to add them to /Library/Extensions, and they are now shown as loaded in the System Report.

This is strange. OpenCore should be able to load them.

But this has done me no good as far as enabling hardware acceleration. And my Mac Pro still identifies itself as a Mac Pro (2010). Should it not be reflecting a more recent model, such as an iMac Pro or MacPro6,1?

For enabling hardware acceleration, the device tree must be renamed (PXS1 to GFX0). This is done with either the -wegtree boot-arg or the rebuild-device-tree device property. You can check the rename in ioreg. As for the model: with hybridization, there are actually no outward changes to how it is identified.

 

[cdf]

I successfully burned the CD but when I insert it I get an error - "The disk you attached was not readable by this computer" and I can't boot with it.

Perhaps a bad burn (or bad disk). Note that the burn process can take a few minutes, and is only over when you see "Burn completed successfully".

 

[prefuse07]

@cdf So I'm stumped....

I followed your guide on page 1 to the "T", but the Windows installer USB will not show up on the OpenCore boot selector.... I've tried playing around with my config.plist, to see if that may change anything, but still no luck.

I started from top to bottom, and did everything that you mentioned in post 1. Any tips?

Offtopic -- I had Windows working perfectly via Bootcamp 6.1 and was on High Sierra for a real long time, but was getting a little bored/tired of the same old thing, and then when I started reading about OC, I got excited!

Anyway, one thing led to another, and after getting Big Sur working on my machine (very flawlessly) and all tests going accordingly (not to mention the posts in this thread and other forums), I decided to try to see if I could just convert my Windows SSD from MBR to GPT, and if the OC bootloader would pick it up..... Unfortunately, ended up screwing up my Windows SSD, so had to reformat, and I lost it all.... but it's ok, trying now with this method.


SO where I currently stand right now is this:

I've got Big Sur running on my machine successfully with OC, and I have my Windows SSD Formatted to ExFAT (GUID partition), with a Windows 10 USB Stick plugged in and ready (following your rsync -r ....) instructions.

When I boot to OC Bootloader, I do NOT see Windows. I also tried holding ALT right after chime/before OC bootloader, but still no Windows stick.

Any help is very much appreciated!

 

[MacRumors3590]

@cdf So I'm stumped....

I followed your guide on page 1 to the "T", but the Windows installer USB will not show up on the OpenCore boot selector.... I've tried playing around with my config.plist, to see if that may change anything, but still no luck.

I started from top to bottom, and did everything that you mentioned in post 1. Any tips?

Offtopic -- I had Windows working perfectly via Bootcamp 6.1 and was on High Sierra for a real long time, but was getting a little bored/tired of the same old thing, and then when I started reading about OC, I got excited!

Anyway, one thing led to another, and after getting Big Sur working on my machine (very flawlessly) and all tests going accordingly (not to mention the posts in this thread and other forums), I decided to try to see if I could just convert my Windows SSD from MBR to GPT, and if the OC bootloader would pick it up..... Unfortunately, ended up screwing up my Windows SSD, so had to reformat, and I lost it all.... but it's ok, trying now with this method.


SO where I currently stand right now is this:

I've got Big Sur running on my machine successfully with OC, and I have my Windows SSD Formatted to ExFAT (GUID partition), with a Windows 10 USB Stick plugged in and ready (following your rsync -r ....) instructions.

When I boot to OC Bootloader, I do NOT see Windows. I also tried holding ALT right after chime/before OC bootloader, but still no Windows stick.

Any help is very much appreciated!

plug the USB into the mac USB 2.0 port