Resolved 4,1 -> 5,1 Firmware update problem (at Startup)

[avattz]

I wanted to do the 4,1 to 5,1 firmware update with the Mac Pro 2009-2010 Firmware Tool, but it seems that the Mac Pro does not want to update when I restart. The instructions says to hold the power button while starting up and let it go when the power LED blinks or when there is a long beep. I let go of the power button when it starts blinking but it just boots normally. I tried letting go after it stops blinking but before the long beep but that also just boots normally.

Also there is a long beep but maybe 3 seconds after the blinking stops, I'm not sure if I should hold the power button until it beeps and then let go or let it go after both blinking and the beep stops.

 

[DeltaMac]

Yes, follow the instructions.
If you need those presented in a different way:
Run the firmware update. Choose the Update. Go ahead and click the message that comes up to shut down your Mac.
MacPro is now off.
Press and hold the power button. You will see the power LED begin to flash. Continue to hold the power button.
When you hear the long tone begin, immediately release the power button. The Firmware Update will then begin to install, with a progress bar that may take several minutes (nearly 5, IIRC), so wait patiently. Your MacPro will (should) reboot at the end from your new firmware...

 

[h9826790]

I wanted to do the 4,1 to 5,1 firmware update with the Mac Pro 2009-2010 Firmware Tool, but it seems that the Mac Pro does not want to update when I restart. The instructions says to hold the power button while starting up and let it go when the power LED blinks or when there is a long beep. I let go of the power button when it starts blinking but it just boots normally. I tried letting go after it stops blinking but before the long beep but that also just boots normally.

Also there is a long beep but maybe 3 seconds after the blinking stops, I'm not sure if I should hold the power button until it beeps and then let go or let it go after both blinking and the beep stops.

What's your current firmware version now?

Which GPU do you have?

 

[avattz]

I let go of the power button when I heard the beep, it still boots normally.

My Boot ROM version is MP41.0081.B07 and I get a Geforce GT 120.

I'm running the latest version of El Capitan if that matters.

 

[h9826790]

I let go of the power button when I heard the beep, it still boots normally.

My Boot ROM version is MP41.0081.B07 and I get a Geforce GT 120.

I'm running the latest version of El Capitan if that matters.

Yes, that matters, you have to go into recovery partition, disable SIP, otherwise this tool cannot function properly.

 

[avattz]

I disabled SIP and proceeded with the same steps, I held the power button down until I heard the beep and the Mac showed a bar similar to the startup bar but bigger and closer to the bottom as well as having a color thats more grey than black. I waited for the bar to fill up and it opened up the DVD drive, then near the end of the bar (around 90%) the computer restarted by itself. I booted up normally and the Mac is still a 2009.

EDIT:
After a closer look, the firmware did update to MP51.007F.B03, I just thought it would also say Mac Pro (2010).

I wonder how this affects a macOS install, does it go by 5,1 or by Mac Pro (2009)?

 

[pigsyn]

Could you post the output of the following commands in Terminal ?

system_profiler SPHardwareDataType|egrep "Model|Boot"

nvram boot-args

csrutil status

 

[h9826790]

I disabled SIP and proceeded with the same steps, I held the power button down until I heard the beep and the Mac showed a bar similar to the startup bar but bigger and closer to the bottom as well as having a color thats more grey than black. I waited for the bar to fill up and it opened up the DVD drive, then near the end of the bar (around 90%) the computer restarted by itself. I booted up normally and the Mac is still a 2009.

EDIT:
After a closer look, the firmware did update to MP51.007F.B03, I just thought it would also say Mac Pro (2010).

I wonder how this affects a macOS install, does it go by 5,1 or by Mac Pro (2009)?

That 2009 is cosmetic, you can write down whatever you want.

As long as the firmware is 5,1. Sierra will install without any issue. (At least it's true up to this moment).

 

[avattz]

Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro5,1
Boot ROM Version: MP51.007F.B03

Data for nvram was "not found" and I re-enabled SIP after upgrade.

 

[chrfr]

After a closer look, the firmware did update to MP51.007F.B03, I just thought it would also say Mac Pro (2010).

I wonder how this affects a macOS install, does it go by 5,1 or by Mac Pro (2009)?

A flashed 2009 Mac Pro will still show as a 2009. The OS X installer does not refer to the 2009 whatsoever, purely going on the 5,1 and the board ID which is identical in the 4,1 and 5,1 models.

 

[avattz]

That 2009 is cosmetic, you can write down whatever you want.
View attachment 640345
As long as the firmware is 5,1. Sierra will install without any issue. (At least it's true up to this moment).

Awesome, hopefully it'll last me a few years. I plan on getting dual X5680s or X5690s, NVMe, and a GTX 1060 or RX 480 (when they are supported), and hell why not 128GB of RAM haha!

What scares me though is power draw, I currently have a quad core 2.66GHz and it pulls 170 Watts for just the case, I don't want to think about dual 6 cores at 3.46GHz...

 

[pigsyn]

Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro5,1
Boot ROM Version: MP51.007F.B03

 

[h9826790]

Awesome, hopefully it'll last me a few years. I plan on getting dual X5680s or X5690s, NVMe, and a GTX 1060 or RX 480 (when they are supported), and hell why not 128GB of RAM haha!

What scares me though is power draw, I currently have a quad core 2.66GHz and it pulls 170 Watts for just the case, I don't want to think about dual 6 cores at 3.46GHz...

I assume you know that you can't boot from NVMe, but still want to give you this friendly reminder. Just in case...

Don't worry about power draw, the PSU is rated 980W, I don't think your dual X5690 can draw more than my dual HD7950.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...or-approaching-silence.1982499/#post-23120938

 

[avattz]

I'm not worried about PSU rating, I'm just used to the 40W idle Haswells.

 

[h9826790]

I'm not worried about PSU rating, I'm just used to the 40W idle Haswells.

I see, so you are actually worry about $$$, but not damaging the cMP

 

[avattz]

My goal is to make this Mac the cheapest I can get it to be while being maxed out.
I got the idea from this video:

It's just a fun challenge for me, my previous challenge was how low of a x86 gaming PC idle I could get (I get about 70 Watts with graphics card), and before that was how to squeeze 4 AMD 7970's into a standard ATX case. (7 slot PCIe).

Also I thought it was NVMe that I was thinking about, but it was actually M.2/NGFF.

 

[pigsyn]

You should check out for cheap non-Ecc DDR3 then. Or Kingston ECC valueram.

 

[avattz]

You should check out for cheap non-Ecc DDR3 then. Or Kingston ECC valueram.

I thought that ECC server RAM was naturally cheaper than the non-ECC version because there is so much ECC server ram and no one wants it, that seems to be the case at least on eBay (~$60 = 16GB non-ECC or 32GB ECC).

 

[pigsyn]

I thought that ECC server RAM was naturally cheaper than the non-ECC version because there is so much ECC server ram and no one wants it, that seems to be the case at least on eBay (~60GB = 16GB non-ECC or 32GB ECC).

The prices have dropped significantly, DDR4 is in every computer now.
It wasn't the case last year when I upgraded my Mac Pro.