MP 1,1-5,1 Obsolete, Use OpenCore instead | What you need to do to make Catalina work with MacPro5,1

[crjackson2134]

Actually, that’s very interesting AND promising.

So it looks like it should be cut from one section, and pasted into the other.

 

[tsialex]

Actually, that’s very interesting AND promising.

I would think that if Apple will gonna support MP5,1 officially down the road, like what they did with Mojave, they would put that on the Release Notes.

Maybe Apple was gonna support MP5,1 with 10.15 and MDS vulnerabilities made them change plans. Maybe it was the backup plan for any delays with MP7,1.

BTW, Mojave DP1 have the Firmware folder that Catalina don't have:

 

[macsba]

I saw a post in another thread here at Mac Rumors that like the Mohave Beta period, the first few beta builds didn't support the Mac Pro 5,1. After the fourth beta, the Mac Pro 5,1 was finally supported. I think the same will happen for macOS 10.15 Catalina.

For my Mac Pro 5,1 (mid 2012), I have changed both the video card for a Metal compliant and the WiFi/Bluetooth module. I'll wait for the right beta to show up.

 

[crjackson2134]

I saw a post in another thread here at Mac Rumors that like the Mohave Beta period, the first few beta builds didn't support the Mac Pro 5,1. After the fourth beta, the Mac Pro 5,1 was finally supported. I think the same will happen for macOS 10.15 Catalina.

For my Mac Pro 5,1 (mid 2012), I have changed both the video card for a Metal compliant and the WiFi/Bluetooth module. I'll wait for the right beta to show up.

I really think you'll be waiting for a very long time. I'm in the same boat, and wish it were different but I'm afraid that would be a pipe dream. However, I do believe some resourceful users will solve the problem. So I'll wait for that instead.

 

[tsialex]

If you used a supported Mac to install and used -no_compat_check to bypass the distribution file, you can't clear the NVRAM. To overcome that, just add Mac-F221BEC8 to SupportedBoardIds and add MacPro5,1 to SupportedModelProperties.

You have to do it in two places:

First one, from the /System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist

/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist

The second one, from the same file in the Preboot volume. You have to mount the Preboot volume first, than go to

/Volume/Preboot/xxxx-xxxxx-xxxx-xxxx/System/Library/CoreServices/PlatformSupport.plist

Example:


SupportedBoardIds for MP5,1 is:

<string>Mac-F221BEC8</string>

SupportedModelProperties for MP5,1 is:

<string>MacPro5,1</string>

 

[Alaska_guy]

Pretty impressive that people are able to use a Mac 3,1 and getting this to work! That would be a BIG deal for a lot of people. I sold my 3,1 last year due to the inability to upgrade past Sierra... Kinda bummed now as that was a dual proc machine.

 

[tsialex]

Installing Catalina from a VMWare Fusion 11.1 Catalina VM to a real disk attached to the VM (using vmware-rawdiskCreator to create/attach the disk):

Works beautifully and people that don't have a supported Mac to install Catalina have a way to install it to a MP5,1 without the need to do it by hand.

It's a lot more practical and faster than installing it using an USB adaptor + a supported Mac.

As explained on the first post, you just need to add -no_compat_check to the boot-args to boot your MP5,1 from the Catalina disk installed by the Catalina VM.

 

[Norbert Mikołajczyk]

awesome finding!

 

[tsialex]

If people have interest, I can explain in detail what is needed. It's relatively easy to do it and someone that is familiar with using Fusion with raw drives will do it even without explaining.

 

[agejon]

@tsialex I did the same thing yesterday but i got stuck during the first reboot on apple logo (i.e. i could not get to your 2nd image)
I used a raw ssd disk mounted as 'sata'.

 

[tsialex]

@tsialex I did the same thing yesterday but i got stuck during the first reboot on apple logo (i.e. i could not get to your 2nd image)
I used a raw ssd disk mounted as 'sata'.

You have to boot to firmware and select the raw disk, remember that you have to use Windows 10 x64 profile for the initial install, the one with the bar, then revert to macOS 10.14 to boot to InstallAssistant.

 

[ses2008]

If people have interest, I can explain in detail what is needed. It's relatively easy to do it and someone that is familiar with using Fusion with raw drives will do it even without explaining.

Please do so in one Post. Would be extremly helpfull.
Thanks for your work.

 

[PeterHolbrook]

If people have interest, I can explain in detail what is needed. It's relatively easy to do it and someone that is familiar with using Fusion with raw drives will do it even without explaining.

Yes, that would be great. Perhaps you might be willing to perfect the following scenario. Say I were to clone my current Mojave disk and then attach that clone to a VMware Fusion Catalina virtual machine. Can I simply install Catalina on top of Mojave and then edit the relevant plists, or whatever, to remove all incompatibility traces related to a Mac Pro 5,1? If so, when I boot my physical Mac Pro 5,1 (naturally, it has a Metal-compatible AMD 7970 GPU and a "modern" Wi-Fi ac/Bluetooth 4) using such an updated clone drive, will everything work as it should (i.e., no need to fiddle with NVRAM parameters, sound, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, et cetera, working and so on)?

 

[tsialex]

Yes, that would be great. Perhaps you might be willing to perfect the following scenario. Say I were to clone my current Mojave disk and then attach that clone to a VMware Fusion Catalina virtual machine. Can I simply install Catalina on top of Mojave and then edit the relevant plists, or whatever, to remove all incompatibility traces related to a Mac Pro 5,1? If so, when I boot my physical Mac Pro 5,1 (naturally, it has a Metal-compatible AMD 7970 GPU and a "modern" Wi-Fi ac/Bluetooth 4) using such an updated clone drive, will everything work as it should (i.e., no need to fiddle with NVRAM parameters, sound, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, et cetera, working and so on)?

It will probably work but you are making a easy, but complex install, even more complex. Stick to the way I did, see what you need to do then try your way.

Using -no_compat_check eliminate the need to edit the two PlatformSupport.plists and the only thing not working with a standard mid-2010/mid-2012 Mac Pro that have a METAL GPU is the Wi-Fi. Everything else is working.

 

[PeterHolbrook]

the only thing not working with a standard mid-2010/mid-2012 Mac Pro that have a METAL GPU is the Wi-Fi. Everything else is working.

What is the most realistic prospect of making Wi-Fi work? Would a newer Wi-Fi/Bluetooth card solve that issue?

 

[tsialex]

What is the most realistic prospect of making Wi-Fi work? Would a newer Wi-Fi/Bluetooth card solve that issue?

Won't work with BCM94322MC unless you add Mojave drivers.

I personally dislike to patch my main install, I really like to keep it as standard and supported as possible to easy future minor updates. I'm gonna install a newer AirPortExtreme, I already have a BCM94360CD. If you don't have one, buy a newer one like BCM943602CD.

I bet that some Catalina features will need newer BT version than 4.0.

 

[agejon]

@tsialex did you use this command to create the raw disk?
'/Applications/VMware\ Fusion.app/Contents/Library/vmware-rawdiskCreator create /dev/yourdisk fullDevice /path/to/vmwarevm/custom-name-of-disk ide'

 

[tsialex]

@tsialex did you use this command to create the raw disk?
'/Applications/VMware\ Fusion.app/Contents/Library/vmware-rawdiskCreator create /dev/yourdisk fullDevice /path/to/vmwarevm/custom-name-of-disk ide'

Yes read here Creating a raw disk VMDK and adding it to the Virtual machine in Fusion (2097401), I did exactly what the support article shows.

You need to edit your VMX, IDE causes problems with Catalina and you have to change to SATAx, see what I highlighted on my previous answer to you. Use SATA0:1 for your rawdisk and SATA0:2 for your DVD.

 

[PeterHolbrook]

I'm gonna install a newer AirPortExtreme, I already have a BCM94360CD. If you don't have one, buy a newer one like BCM943602CD.

I bet that some Catalina features will need newer BT version than 4.0.

I have a Broadcom Bcm94360cd - 802.11 A/B/G/N/AC + Bluetooth 4.0. Are you saying the Wi-Fi part of this card won't work in Catalina on my Mac Pro 5,1, but a newer one might work?

 

[tsialex]

I have a Broadcom Bcm94360cd - 802.11 A/B/G/N/AC + Bluetooth 4.0. Are you saying the Wi-Fi part of this card won't work in Catalina on my Mac Pro 5,1, but a newer one might work?

BCM94322MC, the original one from mid-2010/mid-2012 is the one that don't work with Catalina - this info is on the first post, re-read it.

BCM94360CD and BCM943602CD works.

 

[agejon]

Yes read here Creating a raw disk VMDK and adding it to the Virtual machine in Fusion (2097401), I did exactly what the support article shows.

You need to edit your VMX, IDE causes problems with Catalina and you have to change to SATAx, see what I highlighted on my previous answer to you. Use SATA0:1 for your rawdisk and SATA0:2 for your DVD.

I used SATA0:1 as you did... but i get stuck when i reboot with 'mac os 10.14' or does not find a boot disk when changing back to 'Windows 10 x64'

I am trying Clonezilla ... and i will report back...

 

[tsialex]

I used SATA0:1 as you did... but i get stuck when i reboot with 'mac os 10.14' or does not find a boot disk when changing back to 'Windows 10 x64'

I am trying Clonezilla ... and i will report back...

After the first install phase (the black screen with the bar) ends and gets stuck after the reboot, you have to shutdown the VM, go to Settings/General and change back the profile to macOS 10.14 and KB/Mouse to Mac.

With the profiles changed back to Mac settings, you start the VM using Power On To Firmware, select your real SATA drive and then boot from it.



Done.

 

[agejon]

After the first install phase (the black screen with the bar) ends and gets stuck after the reboot, you have to shutdown the VM, go to Settings/General and change back the profile to macOS 10.14 and KB/Mouse to Mac.

With the profiles changed back to Mac settings, you start the VM using Power On To Firmware, select your real SATA drive and then boot from it.

View attachment 841483

Done.

I did that without success!!

BUT.. the clonezilla method WORKS PERFECTLY... writing this from mac pro 5.1 running catalina!!!!!

 

[tsialex]

I did that without success!!

BUT.. the clonezilla method WORKS PERFECTLY... writing this from mac pro 5.1 running catalina!!!!!

Link?

 

[stupots]

BCM94322MC, the original one from mid-2010/mid-2012 is the one that don't work with Catalina - this info is on the first post, re-read it.

BCM94360CD and BCM943602CD works.

The BCM943602CD gets a vote from me!

I put it in my 5,1 Macs as standard now and all the handoff/airdrop/continuity features work with that one and it supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and BT 4.2