A way to make Xserve install windows and support some CPU

[zhengrankela]

Guys, I'm making an assumption about Xserve installing Windows

As we all know, the boot of Xserve is not complete, which also leads to its inability to install windows. So can I write the EFI file of MacPro into Xserve? According to the example of upgrading MacPro4,1 to 5,1, I think it is feasible to quote the following information

To explain how this was accomplished, let me first describe how the firmware update process works on a Mac. The firmware updater package, after checking that the Mac can use the update, places an EFI boot file named EFIUpdaterApp2.efi, which is very similar in structure to the standard boot file that starts a Mac on the system volume, in the /System/Library/Core Services/Firmware Updates folder, along with the actual firmware image. This boot file is then blessed in a special way, and the next time the Mac is booted from shutdown, with the power button held down for a few seconds, this special EFI program is run.

So how do we get the program to load the other firmware? It turns out that it is surprisingly easy. Inside the EfiUpdaterApp2.efi program are a list of firmware version strings from different releases of the 2010 Mac Pro, along with the CRC32 checksum of the firmware image file. If one of the firmware version strings is modified to what the 2009 Mac Pro model is, and the CRC32 checksum is changed to match the 2010 Mac Pro firmware image, and the firmware image filename is changed to the 2009 Mac Pro firmware image filename, then all is well.

As explained in the above data, the updated EFI file contains a string with CRC32 encryption (which is true in the 4, 1, and 5, 1 tutorials). Here is the EFI file of Xserve. You can see that the value of the firmware supported by Xserve is calibrated in this EFI file

The following are the firmware values calibrated by MacPro1,1

It can be seen that we only need to replace the check value of the Xserve firmware with that of MacPro to achieve the purpose of Xserve writing MacProEFI firmware to complete the boot (maybe it can achieve the overclocking of the 333 bus of Xserve1 to 400, but I just want to write the MacProBIOS of the 333 bus now)
But it is this point that I can't reach my level. I can't modify the check value in the EFI file (maybe it is a replacement error. I need your help)
Leave your email and I will send you the firmware and EFI of Xserve MacPro that I extracted, hoping to play a certain role in helping people who also own Xserve ：）
P. S I put the extracted BIOS file in FD format into UEFITOOL to open it and found that appleefi is indeed UEFI boot and even has CSM option!

Since UEFITOOL can be used to open it, it means that we can freely add the items we need (in the case of replacing the new CRC32 value). For example, we can make Xserve1 support X5400 series CPU without brushing the firmware of MacPro2,1. We can also make MacPro5,1 support special customized CPU (X5687 X5698) These CPUs are unrecognizable on normal MacPro, but we can add microcode to enable MacPro to support them. What we need to note is that Xserve actually has SMC BIOS and BMC chips at the same time. What we need to modify is that the BIOS is not related to SMC, while the SMC of Xserve is theoretically compatible with MacPro (I checked the firmware of 4,1 upgrading 5,1 supporting 5600 series CPUs and found that the software natively supports Xserve)
By the way, if you have modified the firmware and are afraid of writing errors on your machine, you can send the firmware to me to test on your behalf

 

[stcm]

I actually overwrite the XS3,1 with the MP5,1 firmware and use it with dual X5690.
Flashing directly with RomTool and flashing with the "Xserve 2009 to Mac Pro 144 Firmware Tool" didn't change the SMC as you said.

Personally I'm not into Windows, but it would be an interesting project if we could add the X5687 / X5698 microcode.