Successfully patched 2008 Mac Pro (my baby), but am unable to merge Post Install Root Patch

Patched 2008 Mac Pro with Sonoma 14.3.1

Attempting to apply root patching (Graphics: NVidia Kepler, Misc: Legacy USB 1.1)

Error: Failed to merge KDK with Root Volume

Source of error is line 225 in resources/sys/patch/sys_patch.py

if not (Path(self.mount_location) / Path("System/Library/Extensions/System.kext/PlugIns/Libkern.kext/Libkern")).exists():

logging.info("- Failed to merge KDK with Root Volume")

raise Exception("Failed to merge KDK with Root Volume")

Without being able to apply the patch I am stuck with 800/600 resolution and WindowServer running at high CPU.

I have removed any ancillary KEXT from Library/Extensions to see if that would help but it did not.

Any ideas?