Yeah, the install media USB it created didn't work. At all. And now I can't get the Niresh install to complete again, either. Def some DRM fuckerization going on here. Some "magic code" written to this HDD that survives even wiping the partition table, or maybe fuckerizing the firmware in the optical drive like Sony and MS did for a while back in the day...
mnem
grr.
Nothing like that, it's just that officially supported booting from USB came rather late to the Apple world. I can't remember off hand exactly which of the various versions of the MacPro has which EFI quirks. I can say that the MacPro1,1 (because that's what I have two of) has the following quirks:
1) Won't boot from USB
2) Has a 32 bit EFI but will boot 64 bit operating systems if you have all the right things in place. For OS X they are built in, for other OSs you need a shim bootloader to deal with the 32 -> 64 bit transition.
3) They are inordinately fussy about the DVD media they boot from for double density DVDs (some times even single density). They will boot faultlessly from pressed disks, but booting from burned recordables is a wildly hit and miss affair. Net booting, if you've the wherewithal, is the way to avoid this pain, but that also has to be set up just so to be successful.
Got to go and fight with the infected zombie hoard at the supermarket...
You're right; looks like it really was something just going to shit with it creating the bootable USB. It sure felt just like that DRM crap tho, and this was the right era for it.
Installing from a spare HDD as the install media was what worked.
Successful strategy for the "
Fix a fuxxored MacPro 3.1 with only a Windoze PC" bootstrapping conundrum as follows:
Dependencies: 2 HDDs you can nuke, 1 PC with SATA Dual-Layer DVD burner, 1 blank dual-layer DVD, a willingness to partially dismantle the PC and the MacPro
Google
Mac OS X Mavericks iso; the one at isoriver is the Niresh build which you can burn to a DL-DVD on a PC:
https://isoriver.com/mac-os-x-mavericks-10-9-iso-dmg-image/Burn/verify the above .iso to the DL-DVD in your PC. Leave the disc inside. Turn PC off.
Remove the DL DVD Drive from your PC.
On the MacPro, open up the side cover and get used to it being this way for a while.
Undo the 2 screws holding the SATA connector for HDD Bay 4 in place. If you are careful, you should be able to work loose approx 100mm of cable. In mine, I had to undo the connector for HDD Bay 3 as well to get the cable loose from behind it.
Flip the connector upside-down and plug it into the back of your DL-DVD drive with the Niresh Mavericks install DVD inside. Prop the drive up with cribbing as needed to keep it out of the fan for the GPU.
Install the HDD you want to install your final OS to in one of the available slots, then boot while holding ALT/OPTION Key to select boot device; Select boot from NIRESH EFI Boot badge. Do usual install stuffs with this install of Mavericks; it will guide you. Default admin account to log into is root/niresh.
Once the Niresh Mavericks install completes and reboots the MacPro, login with the above credentials (it may take a while after you login to update some permissions) then shut down the MacPro completely and install the HDD you don't mind nuking for install media.
Reboot the MacPro, then open Finder, Utilities, Hard Disk Utility. Highlight the drive you want to use for your install media, then select ERASE; name the drive something short & easy to remember, like NUKE. You can use a volume on an existing HDD, but the drive has to have GUID (Apple) partition structure already. Not best likely if you already are at the PC vs Mac bootstrapping conundrum. If you're not sure, just nuke the whole drive; the utility will make it the way it needs to be just using the defaults with Mac OS Extended.
Now, open Safari and search "Create install drive Mac OS X". Look for the support.apple.com page which shows how to use any hard drive, not a USB as the media:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372 (Your page will be language & location-specific, but it appears
HT201372 is the same on all versions.
The instructions will suggest an external HDD; we need to install it internally. As I have 4 drives in caddies, one of which has questionable integrity, I'll just use a couple of the ones that I've already scavenged for music & movies. I have also installed LINUX Mint to a laptop drive just plugged into one of the SATA ports, so that's also an option.
Click on the link in your page for the appropriate OS; supposedly El Capitan is the latest that supports the MacPro 3.1. While it downloads, read the instructions on how to create your bootable install HDD. I just copied the code from the El Capitan line:
sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app and changed
MyVolume to
NUKE and let it run.
The stuff aboot asking for passwords doesn't happen; you're already root. When the createinstallmedia applet is done, shut the Mac down, then boot again while holding ALT/OPTION Key to select boot device with your El Capitan install on it. Follow the El Capitan install instructions, then when it's done and you're successfully logged in, shut it down and remove the NUKE/install media Hard drive. Or install Linux MINT on it; it has excellent support for the MacPro 3.1.
mnem
I'm sure I missed a dozen important bits here; but I've done my best. As always take anything I say with a grain of salt big enough to pickle a dragon. YMMV, DQMOT, IANAL, DILLLIGAF...?