MP 7,1 Mojave on a 2019 Mac Pro 7,1. Time to hack.

[mattspace]

Would a virtual machine be an option for this?

Getting Mojave running on a 7,1 sounds very complicated from reading the posts.

The virtual machine approach might be simpler.

The real issue for virtualising is you don't get graphics / 3D acceleration prior to Monterey as a guest, and as far as I've been able to determine, none of the options support multiple displays for the guest on a multi-display host.

The platonic ideal would be to be able to have your VM guest have the same number of displays as your host, and set it to be full screens in a mission control space.

 

[sfalatko]

One thing to try which I used to get Catalina working on my cMP5,1 is to edit the PlatformSupport.plist file in the reboot and recovery partitions to include the info for the 7,1 (boardID and Model number) so Mojave will think the 7,1 is supported. This eliminates the need for boot args.

 

[Minghold]

One thing to try which I used to get Catalina working on my cMP5,1 is to edit the PlatformSupport.plist file in the reboot and recovery partitions to include the info for the 7,1 (boardID and Model number) so Mojave will think the 7,1 is supported. This eliminates the need for boot args.

What are the file-paths for each of those? TIA.

 

[ProDFX]

I installed Mojave on MacBook Pro 2019 using OpenCore. Loads without a graphics adapter driver. On Mac Pro 7.1 with RX 580 it should be no problem.

 

[sfalatko]

What are the file-paths for each of those? TIA.

Unfortunately I can't recall exactly and I no longer have my cMP. Look in System/Library/Coreservices - that's where it is in Monterey.

Again - I don't recall how I installed Catalina - where I edited the file in the install USB. But once installed I would boot into Mojave and then mount the Catalina PreBoot partition and find the PlatformSupport.plist and add the MacPro5,1 model identifier and boarded (there are two sections in the file). I would do the same in the Recovery partition. With that done I would be able to boot into Catalina without "no_compat_check" and also into recovery.

With every OTA update I would potentially have to reedit the two files. If that was the case I would boot into Mojave and do the edits.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

 

[Minghold]

Unfortunately I can't recall exactly and I no longer have my cMP. Look in System/Library/Coreservices - that's where it is in Monterey.

Again - I don't recall how I installed Catalina - where I edited the file in the install USB. But once installed I would boot into Mojave and then mount the Catalina PreBoot partition and find the PlatformSupport.plist and add the MacPro5,1 model identifier and boarded (there are two sections in the file). I would do the same in the Recovery partition. With that done I would be able to boot into Catalina without "no_compat_check" and also into recovery.

With every OTA update I would potentially have to reedit the two files. If that was the case I would boot into Mojave and do the edits.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

What I hoping to do is find a way to clone a working Mojave onto 2019 16" MBPs and 2020 iMacs (the very last intel machines, with that 10-core i9 being a screamer). (But the best hack of all would be a means of disabling PlatformSupport checking entirely, permitting Mojave to at least attempt to launch on anything, Apple or not.)

 

[sfalatko]

I don't know if you can bypass the platform check but on a real Mac you could edit the PlatformSupport.plist in the preboot and recovery partitions, clone it, and it should work. You could try with an external disk and see if you can get it to boot and if that works clone it onto the internal disk.

The main catch is if the target computer has hardware that Mojave doesn't support. Catalina has complete hardware support for everything the cMP5,1 has so getting past the compatibility check everything worked perfectly. Getting to later versions of macOS takes OpenCore to deal with hardware issues. Getting to something Ventura or beyond you need to root patch because of missing AVX/AVX2 so you need OCLP.

 

[benmuetsch]

Mojave should basically work on a MP7.1 maybe besides networking and stuff. Would be really interested in this for scientifical reasons

I would tinker around with my 7.1 a bit but it's my work and production machine so too risky atm

 

[Minghold]

I don't know if you can bypass the platform check but on a real Mac you could edit the PlatformSupport.plist in the preboot and recovery partitions, clone it, and it should work. You could try with an external disk and see if you can get it to boot and if that works clone it onto the internal disk.

The main catch is if the target computer has hardware that Mojave doesn't support. Catalina has complete hardware support for everything the cMP5,1 has so getting past the compatibility check everything worked perfectly. Getting to later versions of macOS takes OpenCore to deal with hardware issues. Getting to something Ventura or beyond you need to root patch because of missing AVX/AVX2 so you need OCLP.

OCLP is for people trying to put new OSes on old Macs; we're trying to put a (better) "old" OS on intel hardware that is should be capable of running on, but for which deemed Catalina to be the base OS.

 

[Minghold]

I'm curious why you want to run Mojave on the 7,1. Is it for the 32bit app compatibility? If so, What I was wondering is might it be easier to bring the mountain to Mohamed so to speak and copy those libraries over into Catalina and get 32bit apps running under Catalina. But you may have different reasons, curious as to what they are?

Mojave is the last OS that'll run in HFS+ (AKA MacOS Extended-journaled drive partition), which is demonstrably faster than APFS, twenty billion times easier to make a bootable backup of, and for which dozens of third-party recovery and management utilities exist.

 

[rea987]

I installed Mojave on MacBook Pro 2019 using OpenCore. Loads without a graphics adapter driver. On Mac Pro 7.1 with RX 580 it should be no problem.

That's what I am wondering. How about swapping Mac Pro 7,1 GPU with a Mojave supported GPU, then installing OpenCore Mojave? Would T2 chip let that happen?

Graphics card compatibility for Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Compressor - Apple Support

Learn which built-in and aftermarket graphics cards work with Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Compressor on Mac.

support.apple.com

 

[Minghold]

Mojave is also the last version of the OS that can read HFS (without the "+") volumes. I.e., hook up a drive from your "classic" Mac of the 1990s to your Catalina or newer Mac, and it'll just go "Huh?".

 

[rea987]

Mojave should basically work on a MP7.1 maybe besides networking and stuff. Would be really interested in this for scientifical reasons

I would tinker around with my 7.1 a bit but it's my work and production machine so too risky atm

How about doing that in a separate SSD and a Mojave supported GPU while you are at it? ☺️

 

[ProDFX]

I think the earliest OS limitation for MacPro7.1 is Snow Leo 10.6.8 with PCIe USB2 and SATA controllers. Limit the number of cores in boot-args and specify arch=x86_64. And of course you need a compatible graphics card. On a hackintosh with identical hardware it was possible. You need to experiment with Opencore.

UPD: I did not test the XHCI (USB3) driver on real hardware to get rid of the USB2 card, since I do not have access to the hardware, but it works in a virtual machine.

 

[MacHeritage]

This is getting more promising.

If anyone can get the 7,1 to boot and run Mojave, it will be the ultimate replacement for 5,1!

Then I could run all my old Mac games and other older software that doesn't have 64-bit support and the latest macOS on a 7,1, which is much newer hardware overall. Best of both worlds! Lack of 10.14 support is the only real hurdle to the 7,1 being a replacement for the 5,1.

 

[Regulus67]

This is getting more promising.

If anyone can get the 7,1 to boot and run Mojave, it will be the ultimate replacement for 5,1!

Then I could run all my old Mac games and other older software that doesn't have 64-bit support and the latest macOS on a 7,1, which is much newer hardware overall. Best of both worlds! Lack of 10.14 support is the only real hurdle to the 7,1 being a replacement for the 5,1.

I installed Mojave on an iMac Pro. For older games, the Vega cards should be fine, right?
If it is difficult to install on the Mac Pro. The iMac Pro is a good option in my view. Unless you need the PCIe slots.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/imac-pro-will-not-start-after-rebuild.2449503/post-33804189

 

[macnavarra]

This is getting more promising.

If anyone can get the 7,1 to boot and run Mojave, it will be the ultimate replacement for 5,1!

Then I could run all my old Mac games and other older software that doesn't have 64-bit support and the latest macOS on a 7,1, which is much newer hardware overall. Best of both worlds! Lack of 10.14 support is the only real hurdle to the 7,1 being a replacement for the 5,1.

Add: https://www.ebay.de/itm/164777174745 should be fine for 32bit.

 

[reader50]

Add: https://www.ebay.de/itm/164777174745 should be fine for 32bit.

Link goes to a GT120, which blocks boot in Mojave because it is non-Metal.

Mojave has drivers for RX580, along with Vega including the Radeon VII. It lacks drivers for RX 5xxx and later.

I'm also interested in a 7,1 upgrade, but with the same 32-bit compatibility concerns. If someone hacked Mojave to run with graphics acceleration, I'd most likely buy one.

 

[macnavarra]

Link goes to a GT120, which blocks boot in Mojave because it is non-Metal.

Mojave has drivers for RX580, along with Vega including the Radeon VII. It lacks drivers for RX 5xxx and later.

I'm also interested in a 7,1 upgrade, but with the same 32-bit compatibility concerns. If someone hacked Mojave to run with graphics acceleration, I'd most likely buy one.

This dosen’t blocks the boot: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/PCIEACCELM/

 

[MacHeritage]

Add: https://www.ebay.de/itm/164777174745 should be fine for 32bit.

How would that help over my AMD 580X? It is a terrible card in comparison and performance is better on the ATI 5870 it shipped with, that blew it out of the water. That card was the largest complaint for the Mac Pro 2009.

AMD 580X rules for gaming and video/graphics work on the Mac Pro 2010/2012 with 10.13 or 10.14. But that is still the 2010 Mac Pro and not the 2019. Upgrading the Mac hardware to something newer and faster is what I was looking at.

 

[MacHeritage]

I installed Mojave on an iMac Pro. For older games, the Vega cards should be fine, right?
If it is difficult to install on the Mac Pro. The iMac Pro is a good option in my view. Unless you need the PCIe slots.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/imac-pro-will-not-start-after-rebuild.2449503/post-33804189

Yes, that is the only real supported option it seems but is not fun to upgrade or install internals etc. Found out the iMac Pro can also run High Sierra 10.13 which is even better for software support. But it is an iMac and tough to hook it up to a TV on the spot or do things with it that the Mac Pro is made for. It limits its use and value.

That is why I am excited to hear that there might be some sort of chance of Mojave working on the 7,1. I could run Snow Leopard in a VM, run 32-bit software natively and run the current macOS on one machine. Along with adding internal storage, SSDs, video inputs, graphics cards etc. A true replacement for the Mac Pro 2010 that I already have.

 

[Regulus67]

Yes, that is the only real supported option it seems but is not fun to upgrade or install internals etc....

No, it is a bit difficult to take the machine apart. So I understand you reluctance.

In my experience, both the iMac Pro and the Mac Pro are tricky if you replace the internal SSDs.
Bringing the machines into DFU mode is pretty straight forward. But successfully connecting to Apple's server, and download macOS has been sketchy.
The BridgeOS has to be downloaded and installed in DFU mode. And there seems to be an issue with the mac that will be able to do it. It will not work unless it is using one of the last macOS'es as far as I can tell.

If you haven't already watched this video. You will see he also found the process troublesome.
He has other videos that are well worth watching as well 👍

I hope you will find a solution that you will be happy with

 

[MacHeritage]

No, it is a bit difficult to take the machine apart. So I understand you reluctance.

In my experience, both the iMac Pro and the Mac Pro are tricky if you replace the internal SSDs.

True and I am aware of this fact. That just makes the Mac Pro look even better.

For the iMac it would be vital but with the Mac Pro, it wouldn't be the main SSD for everything, thanks to PCI and therefore the internal SSDs should last a long time since they wouldn't be hammered like the iMac Pro would. Plus you can get 8TB instead of just the 4TB on the iMac Pro as the max. Therefore, longer life right there.

 

[rea987]

How would that help over my AMD 580X? It is a terrible card in comparison and performance is better on the ATI 5870 it shipped with, that blew it out of the water. That card was the largest complaint for the Mac Pro 2009.

AMD 580X rules for gaming and video/graphics work on the Mac Pro 2010/2012 with 10.13 or 10.14. But that is still the 2010 Mac Pro and not the 2019. Upgrading the Mac hardware to something newer and faster is what I was looking at.

How about one of these?

Graphics card compatibility for Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Compressor - Apple Support

Learn which built-in and aftermarket graphics cards work with Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Compressor on Mac.

support.apple.com

 

[MacHeritage]

How about one of these?

Graphics card compatibility for Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Compressor - Apple Support

Learn which built-in and aftermarket graphics cards work with Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Compressor on Mac.

support.apple.com

Yes, those can work too if one is looking at upgrading just the performance of their single graphics card only but that isn't a 9 year newer Mac Pro with much faster and more CPU cores, software support, multiple graphics cards and selection running at full speed and power, tons more ports natively supported out of the box, a pile of PCI 3.0 slots and on and on I could go.