Please Help - Proxmox 6.1 Install on MacPro 1,1 - Black Screen of Death

[wiredbrother]

Hello, fellow Proxmoxians,

For the last six months, I have played around with installing Proxmox on 3 MacPro (1,1), which all have been flashed to (2,1).
Each of them has the following specs:

• 2 x Intel Xeon X5365 - Quad-Core @ 3.0 GHz
• 64 GB of DDR2 ECC-FB Ram
• 128 Boot SSD
• Nvidia GT 7300 (original card for Mac Pro 1,1)
• With other bits and bobs

These servers have been a labor of love. They will not boot installs from USBs, so everything is installed from CDs.

I initially attempted installing from the PVE-ISO, but when booting, I was greeted with the grub menu, and then after RamDisk, we get a black screen. This is common with these older graphics cards, so I figured using "nomodeset" would work out. It didn't. I was never able to get out of the black screen of death even after waiting the odd 30-45 minutes to see if it randomly loaded (which btw was a real thing: https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/proxmox-debian-blank-screen-on-install.55970/post-260059)

From here, I had one option, install proxmox on top of Debian. Now, this actually worked, and I used this for a few months. When using this method, the following things didn't work correctly: Fans, Updates on the GUI, and tons of other stuff. I ended up fixing these problems with the following programs:

• https://github.com/extremeshok/xshok-proxmox
• https://packages.debian.org/sid/utils/macfanctld

I still never preferred how bloated this method of install is. So now I ask: Is it possible to install Proxmox from the PVE-ISO installer on a MacPro 1,1, which thinks it's a 2,1 from a CD? Two parts will probably stop this from happening: the GT 7300 & the 32Bit Boot EFI.
Keep in mind that there is no accessible BIOS or UEFI to change settings.

I gave the background information for anyone else out there that wants to use these old machines for something useful.

If anyone can shed some light on how to get the official install ISO working on this, I would be very greatful!
Thank you for any help you all may be able to provide.
-wiredbrother

Please do not suggest the following threads:
https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/black-screen-at-install-of-pve.47169/
https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/proxmox-5-3-install-fails-stays-at-black-screen.50007/
https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/black-screen-just-after-installation.48607/
https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/h...lled-onto-3-mac-minis-for-a-deployment.21585/
https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/proxmox-debian-blank-screen-on-install.55970/

 

[wiredbrother]

I don't know if I can do this... but bump

 

[oraps1999]

I'm also interested in reusing the MacPro late 2013 model to install Proxmox from the official install ISO. I couldn't find much info on the web that others have successfully done it before.

If anyone has more info, please share them. Thanks.

 

[wiredbrother]

I'm also interested in reusing the MacPro late 2013 model to install Proxmox from the official install ISO. I couldn't find much info on the web that others have successfully done it before.

If anyone has more info, please share them. Thanks.

There is only one way to find out xD Have you launched the PVE-ISO on it yet?

 

[BobhWasatch]

I'm not clear on why you think installing over Debian is somehow "bloated". If you do a minimal Debian you end up in the same place. If it works don't fix it.

 

[wiredbrother]

I'm not clear on why you think installing over Debian is somehow "bloated". If you do a minimal Debian you end up in the same place. If it works don't fix it.

It's called a bloated install process. The problem is how much time it takes. That's why I want to ”fix” what should already be a working installer.

 

[BobhWasatch]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[wiredbrother]

I would still love to know if this is possible on the 2006 flashed Mac Pros. Currently having problems with installing Debian on them so fixing the install iso would vastly help.

 

[Akshunhiro]

I would still love to know if this is possible on the 2006 flashed Mac Pros. Currently having problems with installing Debian on them so fixing the install iso would vastly help.

What are you having problems with? There is a method to convert the ISO to support 32-bit EFI. I recently installed W10 1909 on my 2006 1,1 (flashed to 2,1) Mac Pro.

Check out this link and this link.

 

[slimzzz]

I've also been playing around with an original MP1,1 for the past year, all original parts intact, I'm so excited that I'm not alone and finally found someone as crazy as me that's still using these mean machines!!! hahaha

Only started testing proxmox this morning, and i was actually surprised that their installer iso supports 32bit-efi, but after the install the booter that gets installed is a x64 one, so I'm planning on taking out the ssd and mounting the EFI partition on another machine and somehow reinstall grub in x32efi, which i have done before with arch on the same machine and it worked.

I'm planning on resuming work later on today, or maybe tomorrow early morning, so if anyone has any input or thoughts please let me know

Edit: forgot to mention, you guys know that you can boot installers directly from an extra internal hdd? I've achieved booting different OS installers by using tools like YUMI-UEFI or rufus to create a bootable "usb" drive, but instead its on an hdd, and you put it back into your mp and boot normally.

2nd Edit:

I think i have found the best solution for anyone with a 32bit-efi machine, i will not go through everything i have done, but i will basically share with you the tools and methods i have used that were finally successful.

I have managed to install proxmox to my macpro1,1 this morning using the normal up-to-date iso, using rufus to create a booter HDD/SSD not USB, after the installation is done on MP there will be a small problem, unfortunately the 32bit-efi boot files don't get copied over to the hidden EFI partition during installation, and proxmox doesn't read the full booting method your computer started with (which is weird considering they have full support in the iso booter but not in the installed one....!)

Anyway, i was about to start playing around with the EFI partition, until i fell on a gem.... everybody, meet Super Grub, it is basically a modified grub that boots anything!!!, literally, and from anything, i mean i tested it using a USB on my MP1,1 to boot proxmox from my internal SSD...

this is where i have reached so far, i will go now play around with proxmox and see how good it plays with the machine and update you later

 

[slimzzz]

I gave up on the build, i think one of my processors is either dying, or over heating, plus i got my electricity bill for early summer, doesn't look good!! lol

I've decided to move my proxmox build to an mbp from 2011, the one with the faulty gfx chip solder... again only for testing and playing around with proxmox, nothing serious, although this is my learning environment.

 

[SamirD]

Don't give up! Processors are cheap, and you do have to make sure you're using the fbdimms with heatspreaders or it will overheat. You can manually set fans to run faster by pulling out the pwm pin from the fan header.

Power bill can get heavy if you're running it 24x7 during the summer since it will force your ac to work harder. But during the winter, these will augment the heating bill so they cost less during that season.