Unibeast 7 won't boot to install Sierra on GA-EX58-UD4P

[ian22]

I'm having problem trying to install Sierra on my GA-EX58-UD4P system and i7-975 Bloomfield processor. I'm starting with a new SSD, not an upgrade.

After I choose for the BIOS to boot from the USB it reads b1f:init for a while, then puts a 6 at the end, clears the screen and has an underscore at the top left, with nothing else. No other activity.

I followed the installation directions to a tee. I created the 32GB USB with legacy mode (this mobo has a BIOS, not UEFI) and nVidia injection.

I understand the X58 mobos were weird with El Capitan and Sierra. I've been reading these forums for hours looking for a solution. There's some weirdness about having to change the config.plist to identify the machine as a MacPro5,1 so that it won't run a check for ECC memory (which I don't have) but I don't know how to do that. Go back to the running Mac computer I downloaded Sierra with and run Clover Configurator to change it in the config.plist on the USB? Manually edit the config.plist with a text editor on the working Mac? I'm utterly confused.

TIA for any help anyone can provide.

Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4P
Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1333MHz 4GB x4 DIMMs
Intel Core i7-975 3.33GHz Bloomfield
GeForce GTS-250

 

[cmn699]

I'm having problem trying to install Sierra on my GA-EX58-UD4P system and i7-975 Bloomfield processor. I'm starting with a new SSD, not an upgrade.

After I choose for the BIOS to boot from the USB it reads b1f:init for a while, then puts a 6 at the end, clears the screen and has an underscore at the top left, with nothing else. No other activity.

I followed the installation directions to a tee. I created the 32GB USB with legacy mode (this mobo has a BIOS, not UEFI) and nVidia injection.

I understand the X58 mobos were weird with El Capitan and Sierra. I've been reading these forums for hours looking for a solution. There's some weirdness about having to change the config.plist to identify the machine as a MacPro5,1 so that it won't run a check for ECC memory (which I don't have) but I don't know how to do that. Go back to the running Mac computer I downloaded Sierra with and run Clover Configurator to change it in the config.plist on the USB? Manually edit the config.plist with a text editor on the working Mac? I'm utterly confused.

TIA for any help anyone can provide.

Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4P
Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1333MHz 4GB x4 DIMMs
Intel Core i7-975 3.33GHz Bloomfield
GeForce GTS-250

From your description it looks like the BIOS does not find the proper Clover boot file on the EFI partition of the USB to hand over control and to take the USB installer to Clover Boot Manager Screen. The reason for that can be either at the level of the Sierra USB installer creation in legacy mode or at the level of the BIOS Options you have made [either Enable or Disable boxes].

I would first start checking the BIOS Options to make sure your choices are correct and complete. If the answer is in the affirmative, go back to the drawing board and create the Sierra USB Installer from scratch and try again.

Since I have neither used nor researched on that x58 types of GA MoBos, I have no idea about its compatibility for successful Sierra installation.

 

[ian22]

Thanks for the response.

I did notice that the Unibeast Sierra installation guide don't instruct one to set 1 partition on the USB like the El Capitan guide did. Could skipping that step cause the problem, or did that requirement go away in the switch from Unibeast 6 to Unibeast 7?

Where were the BIOS options (enable or disable) boxes at? I don't remember seeing that during the USB creation routine and it's not mentioned in the installation guide.

Sorry to be so clueless, but the last time I installed OS X was with Lion and iBoot!

 

[cmn699]

Even if you have not created a partition on your 32GB USB FD [ Although no need for such a humongous Disk ! 8-16GB USB Flash Disk is enough for creating Installer. I have mostly 16 GB Lexar USB 2.00] but used the whole disk as a GUID and MacOS extended (Journaled) format, it is OK .
BIOS Options are on BIOS Setup screen.
Once you insert the Sierra Installer USB disk to a USB 2.0 port and boot the computer you should enter the BIOS Setup pressing Del key for your GA MoBo. You should then press F-7 to " Load Optimized Defaults" BIOS.

Then make sure your Year, Date and Time are OK to the current, to your Time Zone.

Then, under "BIOS features" menu, and "Peripherals" menu , you need to select items to ENABLE or DISABLE to make your Bootable disk [In this case Sierra USB Installer] to boot safely to the Clover Boot Manager Screen where it gets Boot Flags from "Options" menu Boot Args:- to make the onward journey safely to the Installation Screen to prepare the hard disk for the Sierra System installation. One Mandatory boot flag to be used during installation is "-v " to get a verbose screen output to help troubleshoot in case of a boot problem. The BIOS options are according to the MoBO and Tonymac gives examples. of various MoBOs regarding BIOS options to choose.
Hope this is clear to you.

 

[Going Bald]

To install on EX58/X58A boards:
Create UniBeast USB installer Legacy Mode. This creates an installer that will boot from a Legacy BIOS with a SysDef or iMac 14,2. Double check the Sierra kexts folder and make sure it contains NullCPUPM kext as well as FakeSMC and your NIC kext.
If you have a DSDT for your build put a copy in the ACPI/Patched folder.

Boot the USB and install, run MultiBeast and select Quick Start/Legacy Mode and your audio and NIC kexts along with any other chipsets you have, like eSATA or Marvell SATA ports. Build and install. Mount the EFI partition if MultiBeast does not leave it mounted and add your DSDT to ACPI/Patched if you have one.

EX58/X58A are closer to MacPro 4,1 or 5,1 than to 14,2 so it is better to use one of these. Unfortunately 4,1 did not make the cutoff, so you need to use 5,1.

 

[ian22]

Even if you have not created a partition on your 32GB USB FD [ Although no need for such a humongous Disk ! 8-16GB USB Flash Disk is enough for creating Installer. I have mostly 16 GB Lexar USB 2.00] but used the whole disk as a GUID and MacOS extended (Journaled) format, it is OK .
BIOS Options are on BIOS Setup screen.
Once you insert the Sierra Installer USB disk to a USB 2.0 port and boot the computer you should enter the BIOS Setup pressing Del key for your GA MoBo. You should then press F-7 to " Load Optimized Defaults" BIOS.

Then make sure your Year, Date and Time are OK to the current, to your Time Zone.

Then, under "BIOS features" menu, and "Peripherals" menu , you need to select items to ENABLE or DISABLE to make your Bootable disk [In this case Sierra USB Installer] to boot safely to the Clover Boot Manager Screen where it gets Boot Flags from "Options" menu Boot Args:- to make the onward journey safely to the Installation Screen to prepare the hard disk for the Sierra System installation. One Mandatory boot flag to be used during installation is "-v " to get a verbose screen output to help troubleshoot in case of a boot problem. The BIOS options are according to the MoBO and Tonymac gives examples. of various MoBOs regarding BIOS options to choose.
Hope this is clear to you.

Ah, thanks. Yes, I set all the BIOS settings per the recommendations for an AWARD BIOS already. On my BIOS there doesn't seem to be an option to enable or disable my bootable disk and it fails before loading the Clover Boot Manager screen . I do hit F12 upon boot up to be able to select to boot from the USB, if that's what you mean. I also tried changing the disk boot order in the standard BIOS settings screen to boot off the USB, but it has the same problem.

 

[ian22]

To install on EX58/X58A boards:
Create UniBeast USB installer Legacy Mode. This creates an installer that will boot from a Legacy BIOS with a SysDef or iMac 14,2. Double check the Sierra kexts folder and make sure it contains NullCPUPM kext as well as FakeSMC and your NIC kext.
If you have a DSDT for your build put a copy in the ACPI/Patched folder.

Boot the USB and install, run MultiBeast and select Quick Start/Legacy Mode and your audio and NIC kexts along with any other chipsets you have, like eSATA or Marvell SATA ports. Build and install. Mount the EFI partition if MultiBeast does not leave it mounted and add your DSDT to ACPI/Patched if you have one.

EX58/X58A are closer to MacPro 4,1 or 5,1 than to 14,2 so it is better to use one of these. Unfortunately 4,1 did not make the cutoff, so you need to use 5,1.

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll have to go back to my dad's house, where the working Mac is, to be able to do all this. I'll update after I do.