MP 1,1-5,1 Dosdude1 post install does not enable metal on flashed GTX680 Mojave

[abcd-abcd]

I have a Mac Pro 5,1 (was originally a 2009 4,1) with a flashed NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2 GB graphics card running Mojave 10.14.6. It was previously running fine (with some help from DosDude1 - I've brought the SSD over from my old Mac Pro 3,1) but I had to erase & re-install Mojave on my SSD since moving to the Mac Pro 5,1 - and now my graphics card doesn't work properly! Help! It had been working (Metal) in this 5,1 but now since the re-install, it is no longer Metal compatible. This means that the Mac Pro 5,1 won't play any movies/video at all & is almost unusable.

I've tried doing DosDude1's Mac OS post install and selecting SIP Disabler & Legacy Video Card patches, but it doesn't fix it. I've also reset SMC & NVRAM. It would be great if you could help - I've run out of ideas! Thanks!

 

[tsialex]

I have a Mac Pro 5,1 (was originally a 2009 4,1) with a flashed NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2 GB graphics card running Mojave 10.14.6. It was previously running fine (with some help from DosDude1 - I've brought the SSD over from my old Mac Pro 3,1) but I had to erase & re-install Mojave on my SSD since moving to the Mac Pro 5,1 - and now my graphics card doesn't work properly! Help! It had been working (Metal) in this 5,1 but now since the re-install, it is no longer Metal compatible. This means that the Mac Pro 5,1 won't play any movies/video at all & is almost unusable.

I've tried doing DosDude1's Mac OS post install and selecting SIP Disabler & Legacy Video Card patches, but it doesn't fix it. I've also reset SMC & NVRAM. It would be great if you could help - I've run out of ideas! Thanks!

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Upgrade your Mac Pro firmware and run native. Sorry, but don’t make any sense to use hacked installs with a Mac Pro that can run it natively.

Take your time and read the stickie thread about Mojave BootROM upgrade.

 

[abcd-abcd]

Thanks tsialex - I'll read the Mojave BootROM upgrade stickie thread...

 

[abcd-abcd]

... but I don't have the GTX Mac Edition. I have a PNY XLR8 Enthusiast Edition GeForce GTX680 2048MB PCIe - so mine won't be natively supported will it?

 

[tsialex]

... but I don't have the GTX Mac Edition. I have a PNY XLR8 Enthusiast Edition GeForce GTX680 2048MB PCIe - so mine won't be natively supported will it?

It's flashed with Mac EFI? Do you have Boot Picker/boot screens? If you have, you can do the upgrade to MP51.0089.B00. If not, you need to borrow/buy one.

 

[abcd-abcd]

Thanks again tsialex for your advice: I'm trying to follow your superb instructions in "BootROM upgrade instructions thread" to the letter - I'm using my old HD5770 graphics card, I've removed all card/drives/leads that are irrelevant & am trying to install High Sierra Firmware update. However in the "macOS High Sierra firmware" dialogue, when I click Shut Down, NOTHING HAPPENS. Any ideas? (someone else suggested installing El Capitan and then going straight to High Sierra, but I cannot find a download for "macOS El Capitan.app" - all I can download is El Capitan.pkg - can I use this? If so, how?). I've spent 2 days on this...

 

[tsialex]

Thanks again tsialex for your advice: I'm trying to follow your superb instructions in "BootROM upgrade instructions thread" to the letter - I'm using my old HD5770 graphics card, I've removed all card/drives/leads that are irrelevant & am trying to install High Sierra Firmware update. However in the "macOS High Sierra firmware" dialogue, when I click Shut Down, NOTHING HAPPENS. Any ideas? (someone else suggested installing El Capitan and then going straight to High Sierra, but I cannot find a download for "macOS El Capitan.app" - all I can download is El Capitan.pkg - can I use this? If so, how?). I've spent 2 days on this...

Follow the instructions on the post, please read it again, this is answered there. See every note, there are several pitfalls. Start from a clean install of Sierra, not High Sierra, and don't use a createinstallmedia USB key of High Sierra or Mojave until you have updated your Mac Pro firmware.

 

[abcd-abcd]

Hi @tsialex I truly believe that I have followed your instructions: I've clean installed Sierra 10.12.6 onto a 1TB HDD. There's nothing else on board apart from the HD5770 graphics card. I go to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208969 click on 'Get macOS High Sierra' and it takes me to the App Store. I click 'Get macOS High Sierra' on the App store and the Install Firmware dialogue comes up. I click Shut Down in the dialogue box. I type in my password when requested and then NOTHING HAPPENS... any ideas? Thanks very much.
Mac Pro 4,1>5,1 Dual 6 Core 3.06Ghz (X5675) 24GB 1333Hz EEC RAM - Boot ROM mp51.0084.B00

 

[tsialex]

Hi @tsialex I truly believe that I have followed your instructions: I've clean installed Sierra 10.12.6 onto a 1TB HDD. There's nothing else on board apart from the HD5770 graphics card. I go to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208969 click on 'Get macOS High Sierra' and it takes me to the App Store. I click 'Get macOS High Sierra' on the App store and the Install Firmware dialogue comes up. I click Shut Down in the dialogue box. I type in my password when requested and then NOTHING HAPPENS... any ideas? Thanks very much.
Mac Pro 4,1>5,1 Dual 6 Core 3.06Ghz (X5675) 24GB 1333Hz EEC RAM - Boot ROM mp51.0084.B00

This is very weird, High Sierra is a ~5GB download, why you click to download and you get the firmware update window?

Do you have the High Sierra installer stored on an internal/external drive? Shutdown, disconnect all internal and external drives besides the Sierra HDD, get High Sierra from the link again.

The only reasonable explanation for what you are reporting is that you already have High Sierra somewhere on your Mac Pro and probably is one old installer with the expired certificates that were replaced back in October last year.

 

[abcd-abcd]

Sorry tsialex that wasn't very well worded. I meant: "I run macOS High Sierra Installer and when the install firmware dialogue comes up, I click Shut Down, enter my password and NOTHING HAPPENS..." (the installer is in my applications folder)

 

[tsialex]

Sorry tsialex that wasn't very well worded. I meant: "I run macOS High Sierra Installer and when the install firmware dialogue comes up, I click Shut Down, enter my password and NOTHING HAPPENS..." (the installer is in my applications folder)

Do you are starting from a totally clean/native install of Sierra? Disk installed on SATA native port?

If so the only other thing that can be blocking the shutdown/firmware upgrade is a corrupt BootROM from adding incorrectly the NVMe EFI module.

 

[abcd-abcd]

Yes, it's a totally clean installation of Sierra on a 1TB HDD on the first SATA drive caddy. There are no files whatsoever on the system.

 

[tsialex]

Yes, it's a totally clean installation of Sierra on a 1TB HDD on the first SATA drive caddy. There are no files whatsoever on the system.

It's possible that your Mac Pro have a non-standard BootROM (from adding incorrectly the NVMe/APFS/both EFI modules) or a corrupt one.

Probably won't help if it's what I'm thinking, but try a 4-times sequential NVRAM clear process - only let go CMD-Option-P-R pressed keys at the fifth chime.

If you are doing everything right and the 4-times sequentially clear NVRAM process won't help, maybe only a SPI image reconstruction will work for your Mac Pro.

 

[abcd-abcd]

Thanks tsialex. This may or may not be relevant - when I start the Mac arbitrarily with the power button held in, the light does flash after 20 secs & the firmware sound beep happens, but the Boot ROM stays the same.

 

[tsialex]

Thanks tsialex. This may or may not be relevant - when I start the Mac arbitrarily with the power button held in, the light does flash after 20 secs & the firmware sound beep happens, but the Boot ROM stays the same.

Power LED flashing + beep is the Firmware Programming Mode. Your power button is working fine? If you press it briefly and you enter Firmware Programming Mode, something is wrong with the BootROM or the PowerButton itself.

 

[abcd-abcd]

Thanks tsialex. The power button is functioning perfectly - the light flashes & the sound beeps only when the power button has been held in for 20 seconds.

 

[tsialex]

Thanks tsialex. The power button is functioning perfectly - the light flashes & the sound beeps only when the power button has been held in for 20 seconds.

Did you tried the 4-time NVRAM reset?

 

[abcd-abcd]

Thanks @tsialex. Yes I did do the 4-time NVRAM reset. I've read an article that suggests disabling SIP and running an Apple Hardware Test, so I'm going to do those & then try again to update the firmware using High Sierra Installer.

 

[abcd-abcd]

THE SOLUTION: SKIP MAC OS SIERRA: RE-INSTALL EL CAPITAN, RUN HIGH SIERRA INSTALLER (FROM SYSTEM DRIVE) AND FIRMWARE SUCCESSFULLY UPDATES.

After almost a week of lost productivity, I am now running Mojave natively on my Mac Pro 2009 4.1>5.1 with Boot ROM 144.0.0.0.0 with my GTX680 running Metal properly. Phew.

Thanks to tsialex for your help and your Boot ROM guide - and others for your advice. I was just about to send the Mac Pro back to the dealer and this was my last roll of the dice!