System Definition/Profile Issue

[ryantcu10]

Hey Y'all.

I'm having an issue. Recently, I tried upgrading to Mojavi from a working Sierra install and it didn't work out...but that's not the problem. Okay, I decided to erase my SSD drive and do a clean install of El Capitan (it was oddly the only thumb drive that worked). Everything is working great...however, I would like to update back to Sierra or possibly High Sierra, but my system definition is showing Mac Pro (Early 2008) and not my selected definition of iMac 14.2.

I have mounted my EFI...used clover configurator...used MultiBeast...tried editing my com.apple.SystemProfiler.plist using TextWrangler...Not sure what else to do.

The Mac Pro profile was from my first build with this system, years ago. But after the move to clover, and newer OSX versions, I shifted to the iMac definition. So after erasing my drive, it seems to be referencing an old EFI or SystemProfile.plist. I can't seem to figure this one out, nor am I finding much online like this. And oddly, looking at my SystemProfiler.plist...it has both the Mac Pro AND the iMac listed as definitions. I tried editing this .plist following instructions online, but no success.

Trust me, normally I just search the forums and find the answers I need...but I am at a loss. Does anyone know how I can remove the old system definition so I can update my operating system?

 

[UtterDisbelief]

Hi there.

Well, check what you have in the SMBIOS section of your config.plist This is often different to that in SystemProfiler.plist. Not sure why, but this is the case for me too.

Yes, you might have erased your SSD but the EFI partition will be left there unless you specifically change the partitioning schema or remove it manually.

As you probably know the MacPro3,1 system definition was deprecated and is not supported for Sierra and newer macOS's, so I'm wondering if that is what you have in the config.plist ?

I'd suggest mounting the EFI and checking the folder fates - do they coincide with the time and date you "erase" and re-installed or are they earlier?

 

[ryantcu10]

Yes, everything coincides and iMac 14,2 is listed in the config.plist.

Maybe I need to clear an old EFI partition? How would I go about this? And how can I be sure I'm erasing the right thing??

I just find it weird that everything is correct, except the systemprofiler.plist...and I cannot seem to edit it.

 

[UtterDisbelief]

Well the config.plist looks fine

The easiest way to "clear" the EFI partition is to use EFI Mounter v3 to mount it, and then copy the two entries there - the EFI folder and the nvram.plist file - to somewhere safe. Once you have done that you can delete the EFI/EFI folder. Once you have done this empty Trash to clear it completely.

When you reboot you will need your UniBeast stick to boot into the macOS. When there you can install Clover again and use MultiBeast to set everything up. etc etc.

 

[ryantcu10]

nvram.plist...hmmm...I can't seem to located that file in my Boot EFI partition

 

[UtterDisbelief]

nvram.plist...hmmm...I can't seem to located that file in my Boot EFI partition

That's okay. Maybe you don't need it. Some motherboards offer NVRAM natively. For example my Z370M does not so I have to emulate it. This can be installed using either Clover or MultiBeast as they both feature the option. NVRAM is used by iMessage and Graphics cards etc. to store certain variables.