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cMP early 2009, 4.1>5.1, not booting properly after CPU upgrade

bream2

bream2

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2017
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cMP early 2009, 4.1>5.1, not booting properly after CPU upgrade

(I have checked/installed everything mentioned in several forums/threads, refitted the new CPU etc., checked hardware, board connectors re-installed Yosemite, ran AHT and many other things suggested - to no avail. stays the same behaviour)

  • OLD CPU: W3520/ SLBEW
  • NEW CPU: W3860/ SLBV2

:apple: Here goes:
Power, fans, lights etc. all fine while booting, just no chime & Mac idles...
It comes down to this, after several boot attempts (sometimes after PRAM/SMC reset) I do get the boot-chime and the cMP boots perfectly with the W3680 installed. When this CPU is running it runs well, temps are fine and I can work with the higher performance for hours without fault. cMP passes all tests, no faults reported.

Troubles start when I put the cMP into standby. The cMP dosen't "wake" back-up out of standby, but just idles & I have to restart with a cold boot, which will not work every time as explained above. The same happens after shutting down the Mac. Its as if the CPU/or cMP loses power in standby & forgets its settings.

When I refit the old CPU W3520, the cMP immediately boots without problems!

Already installed a second CPU W3860, same problem there. Maybe it’s the CPU build? - could it be that I got 2 faulty CPU's, or are the CPU sSpec important like with the 3.1 Macs? I have: W3860/ SLBV2, should I be looking for a W3860 with different sSpec?

All help is welcome!

Merry Xmas everyone!
 
Last edited:
^ sorry forgot that:

12GB/1066 non registered ECC RAM (3x4GB set / same manufacturer)
Also stripped that down to 1x4GB for testing, same result - no boot with W3860, boots fine with W3520.
 
The intel pages aren't 100% clear to me, but I get the impression that SLBV2 is the only production sSpec for a W3680. I'd guess that either you managed to get a pair of bad CPU's, or the CPU board itself is marginal in some way.

PS A new thread is appropriate, I think. The compatibility list thread should be for exactly that.
 
ActionableMango said:
What firmware version are you running?
Click to expand...

Modell-Ident: MacPro5,1
Boot-ROM-Version: MP51.007F.B03
SMC-Version (System): 1.39f5
SMC-Version (Prozessormodul): 1.39f5

did the firmware update a year ago & everything checks out.
Or is there a newer version out?

many thanks!

*thanks for making a new thread out of these posts!*
 
bream2 said:
Or is there a newer version out?
Click to expand...

There is, but I don't think it will help.

Honestly this is one of the easier CPU upgrades and your issues don't make any sense to me. Two different 3680's having the same problem implies it wasn't a bad new CPU. There aren't other sSpecs for the 3680, so that's not it. Your old CPU works which implies your other hardware and software are fine.

I'm at a loss other than to wildly speculate that you have some hardware that is marginally defective and the problem only shows up with the faster CPU for some reason. Anyway, I am grasping at straws, but here are some things to try:
  • Are the CPUs engineering samples?
  • Are you 100% sure your second CPU attempt wasn't the same CPU? For example, the seller simply sending you the same CPU back that you returned?
  • When you reinstalled Yosemite, did you do a complete, clean, fresh install, or did you do a repair-type install where all of your apps, login, data, etc. are still there? If the latter, I'd try a truly clean install.
  • Try going down to a single memory stick and see if the problem still occurs. If it does, try a different stick.
 
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thanks ActionableMango & Murnau

  • the CPUs are retail, I also checked to make sure the exchange CPU was different than what I sent back.
  • I've been through the memory stick business, to no avail. (tested with just one good stick installed)
  • Tried booting from a fresh install of El Cap. on a separate HD - same problem.
Somehow I cant beat the feeling it’s a power issue. What I don't get, when the cMP with new CPU was running smoothly for a day, it then wouldn’t come back-up out of sleep-mode. Instead just idled with nothing happening - screen black etc.
As if it had "forgotten" all settings, like when power goes. The SMC batterie still has 3,1V

I'm working off the Old CPU for the time being, but this has become somewhat of a challenge.
I really want to find out what is going on :) Soo looking forward to work off the faster CPU with the new GTX960!!!

... had a glitch with the apple keyboard the other day, anyone know how to truly test it?
(I did have it disconnected during CPU testing though - just in case)

:apple: thanks all!

[doublepost=1513978116][/doublepost]You said there is a newer firmware update out. Where can I get it? Apple DL pages??? Might be worth a try.
just checked Apple - I do have the newest firmware installed:
Mac Pro (Mid 2010) MacPro5,1 MP51.007F.B03 (EFI 1.5)
I'm good.
 
Last edited:
bream2 said:
You said there is a newer firmware update out. Where can I get it? Apple DL pages??? Might be worth a try.
just checked Apple - I do have the newest firmware installed:
Mac Pro (Mid 2010) MacPro5,1 MP51.007F.B03 (EFI 1.5)
I'm good.
Click to expand...

There is a newer 5,1 firmware. It is bundled with High Sierra and not available as a separate download from their firmware website. I think there is a way to extract just the firmware updater from the High Sierra installer so you can do just the firmware update, but I don't personally know anything about that.

And I really don't think it will fix your problem, but since nothing makes sense anyway I guess it could. ;)
 
it's not something simple like you did not correctly set the CPU?
using a second boot disc is a valid test as well
 
When you run the AHT but with the old processor, does it say something odd in the report?
Or you did not run it?
If you dont have it I can send it to you ready to expand on a USB key...
 
I would try another Gpu with less power.
Are you sure that with the old CPU things are really Ok after that sleeping problem after the w3680 installation?
I mean did you test it 2-3 days ?
No issues at all?
 
What is the newest firmware version for cMP early 2009? (4.1 flashed to 5.1)
I'm asking because I would like to check if this could be the problem with the power-on self test (POST/boot) problems.

Currently installed firmware version is (Boot-ROM-Version) MP51.007F.B03
Is there a newer version available, if so where do I get it, Apple only lists MacProEFIUpdate version 1.5 which is MP51.007F.B03.

THANX!
 
bream2 said:
What is the newest firmware version for cMP early 2009? (4.1 flashed to 5.1)
I'm asking because I would like to check if this could be the problem with the power-on self test (POST/boot) problems.

Currently installed firmware version is (Boot-ROM-Version) MP51.007F.B03
Is there a newer version available, if so where do I get it, Apple only lists MacProEFIUpdate version 1.5 which is MP51.007F.B03.

THANX!
Click to expand...

The Latest firmware is MP51.0084.B00
Screen Shot 2018-01-05 at 03.42.06 copy.jpg

This firmware can be obtain from the High Sierra installer.
 
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THANX h9826790
I'll look into that.
Do you know of a thread that has already extracted that EFI?
Also thinking about that... would it be wise to upgrade, even though I'm not planning on installing High Sierra.
 
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