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2009 black screen on upgrade

C

Cpoor

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 12, 2012
15
0
As always the enemy of good is better...
I am trying to upgrade a 2009 mac pro DP with X5690 processors. This unit was previously and successfully upgraded to x5580.
The video card is a flashed GeForce GTX 680 which has always posted the OS X boot screen.
There are washers on the posts. I have the thermal strip added.
On boot I get the chime, and mac OS boot screen, but halfway through I get a black screen.
There are no unhappy warning leds
I have reset pram, pmc, and put in a stripped down basic drive w/OS X 10.11.
Any further thoughts?
Thanks
 
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Questions:

1.) You write that you were previously running X5580 processors. There are no such things. Do you mean X5680 or some other X55-- processors? If the latter, have you upgraded the firmware?
2.) Do you see the black boot screen or does it fail before then? If you do see the black boot screen, then boot in verbose mode (hold cmd-V https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201573) and watch to see exactly where the boot fails.
 
The screen still goes black halfway through the boot progress bar- can't enter recovery mode.
 
Thanks, will check it.
The previous processors are X5570.
I thought that the firmware was upgraded, but didn't confirm it.
I also attempted a re-install of the X5570s and also got the black screen.
 
I encountered a similar issue while performing my own 4,1->5,1 upgrade, and in my case I reseated the CPU tray and reset PRAM through about 5 startup chimes and that did the trick. No more problems after that. I would suggest checking the area where the CPU tray sits, blow out the connectors in the case and the tray real good with some compressed air, and even when you think the tray is in there good and tight, press it a little harder without going too crazy. Then reset PRAM a bunch and see if it starts up.

If you do get the machine to start up again with the 5570s, I'd take the upgrades one item at a time - i.e., confirm that the firmware has been upgraded, start it up a few times, use it for awhile, then go on and do the CPUs. Use it for awhile, then install the 1333 RAM if you have any of that too. That way you are better able to narrow down the likely culprit if something goes wrong.

One other thought occurs - sounds like you are upgrading a dual-CPU model and using washers with lidded CPUs to compensate for the de-lidded CPU requirement. You may need to experiment with the heatsink tightness some more in case that is the culprit. Upgrading a 4,1 with dual CPUs is tricky business and can easily damage the logic board and/or CPU if done incorrectly.
 
flehman said:
I encountered a similar issue while performing my own 4,1->5,1 upgrade, and in my case I reseated the CPU tray and reset PRAM through about 5 startup chimes and that did the trick. No more problems after that. I would suggest checking the area where the CPU tray sits, blow out the connectors in the case and the tray real good with some compressed air, and even when you think the tray is in there good and tight, press it a little harder without going too crazy. Then reset PRAM a bunch and see if it starts up.

If you do get the machine to start up again with the 5570s, I'd take the upgrades one item at a time - i.e., confirm that the firmware has been upgraded, start it up a few times, use it for awhile, then go on and do the CPUs. Use it for awhile, then install the 1333 RAM if you have any of that too. That way you are better able to narrow down the likely culprit if something goes wrong.

One other thought occurs - sounds like you are upgrading a dual-CPU model and using washers with lidded CPUs to compensate for the de-lidded CPU requirement. You may need to experiment with the heatsink tightness some more in case that is the culprit. Upgrading a 4,1 with dual CPUs is tricky business and can easily damage the logic board and/or CPU if done incorrectly.
Click to expand...
 
Great success!
Thanks to all who helped me out!
I think that I was being thwarted by a loose DVI connection-some of the retaining posts had backed out.
Once that was done, the verbose mode worked, and the single cpu booted.
As I thought that I remembered, the system had been firmware flashed to 5.1.
I then installed the 2nd cpu, without washers, and the system booted and both processors and sets of ram were recognized.
To all a Merry Christmas, or holiday of your celebration, and a Happy New Year.
 
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