MP 1,1-5,1 Early 2009 Mac Pro suddenly has no video & various weird behaviors

[GMerritt1952]

I probably know less than anyone on this forum and only recently started fooling with Macs...and I'm 71, etc. I hope I provide all the relevant info regarding my problem to make suggestions possible. About 4 years ago I bought an early 2009 Mac Pro to tinker. I got it, had a stroke, and it sat in a corner for 4 years. I presumed it would be worthless to surf the net but found the OCLP and tested every OS after El Capitan up to Sonoma beta - and thing works great (updated the firmware, added and flashed a video card, bumped the RAM to 32 gig, etc.). Recently I found another one on Ebay although it's processor was a 2.67 versus the 3.x (?) that is in the first one I bought. And this one is driving me crazy.

This is the description from Ebay: Apple Mac Pro A1289 2009 - Xeon W3520 @ 2.67GHz

I performed the identical upgrades as described above (add a GTX 680 graphics card, if the model matters). It ran fine for about two weeks, then became sluggish, would not respond (once - right before all of this) when I hit "restart", and finally stopped producing video output. I had these units connected to an Acer S271HL monitor using the HDMI port/cable.

Here are the symptoms and what I have tried with this second Mac Pro:

1. It stopped sending a video signal using the GTX 680 and the HDMI port. I had upgraded the firmware from 4,1 to 5,1 if this matters - but it had run fine for weeks with this upgrade.
2. I reinstalled the stock GT120 card which used to work with what I think is called a VGA adapter "thing". That doesn't work anymore either.
3. Of course I have tried resetting the PRAM/NVRAM holding the Option, Command, P, and R keys - like 20 times.
4. When it comes on and you simply touch power button the computer turns off instantly. There is normally a delay as the computer goes through some sort of check - you hold the button in for a few seconds and it turns off. Not anymore - turns of instantly.
5. I removed single sticks of RAM, multiple sticks of RAM, and replaced all of the RAM from other machine (which I know is all good) and no difference.
6. I replaced the CMOS battery
7. Since a computer is, really a few components (Logic board, CPU tray, RAM, and power supply) I found a cheap logic board on Ebay and today I installed the new logic board. For 35 bucks with tax and shipping it seemed like a reasonable gamble.
8. Since I had the thing apart I dropped an Intel SLBYL Xeon X5675 3.06GHZ 6-Core in the thing - I had bought this for my working Mac Pro and hadn't gotten around to installing it, so, I put it in this one. I think this is really neither here nor there....maybe I'm wrong.
9. I turned it on with this "new" used logic board and there was video - once time! There was no chime. This was using the stock GT120 card. The display was a large lock and a space to enter a password. I did some research and read that this was a firmware lock. I removed one stick of RAM, per instructions on the web, and reset the PRAM.
10. Upon reboot I am back to square one. Now there is a chime but, again, no video signal. Also, if I turn it on and just leave it alone after about 40 seconds it just turns off.
11. I didn't know if they would be compatible (both early 2009's) so I finally put the CPU tray from the working machine in the problem machine - it behaved in the way I just described. A chime, no video signal, turns itself off after about 40 seconds. Also, I noticed that the button to eject the DVD drive does not work, now - which it did when I first got the thing. I checked the connection and it is connected.
12. So, with a "new" used Logic board and using the CPU tray from a working machine I still cannot get a video signal and it exhibits these various odd behaviors - shuts off instantly when the power button is touched, now turns itself after 40 seconds, the DVD drive doesn't eject, etc. Maybe the DVD doesn't eject until the OS is powering up but that's not my recollection.
13. Most of my computing experience, including very rudimentary hardware repairs, have been on PCs. On a PC when a power supply goes bad you don't see things like no video - is any of this consistent with a bad power supply on a Mac Pro? I am running out of things to replace.

So I have replaced everything but the DVD drive (and the CPU tray although I tried another, working one which I would think should be compatible). When I bought this new Logic board the guy included the rear USB panel and I did not install it....thinking it was unlikely to be the problem:

I'm not sure if I need a repair or an exorcism. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tsialex]

Are you sure that the replacement backplane is already cross-flashed to MP51 firmware? A backplane that is still with a MP41 firmware will not boot with a Westmere Xeon, only with a Nehalem.

Double check it, install a Nehalem and try again.

 

[GMerritt1952]

Are you sure that the replacement backplane is already cross-flashed to MP51 firmware? A backplane that is still with a MP41 firmware will not boot with a Westmere Xeon, only with a Nehalem.

Double check it, install a Nehalem and try again.

Yesterday I put the original processor back on the board. I considered that could be a problem, so, I just put the original back on the board. No change. And, one time when I went to turn it off it did not turn off instantly....in fact, it took a long time to turn off. And before it turned off there was a revving sound like the fan was ramping up like crazy. And, as I said, the DVD drive doesn't open....totally weird. I double-checked the SATA connection and the thing is plugged in. Just a ton of very weird symptoms.

 

[Macsonic]

@GMerritt1952
Sorry to hear about your 2009 Mac Pro problem. Reviewing your first post, that you purchased a second Mac Pro and another logic board. I'm hoping the sellers didn't sell you a machine or component that are on the verge of breaking down. The symptom above happened to me at one time, with my classic Mac Pro, while booting, after the chime, had no video, I was getting a black screen. I don't have an optical drive installed that time but I checked my optical mouse if the red light was on and steady, then opened the panel to check the cpu tray had a red light. "Thinking out of the box", I tried a different displayport cable and found out the first displayport cable was defective. This solved the issue.

About the DVD drive not ejecting, couldn't comment if the drive is working. Sometimes the optical bay door gets stuck due to not being used/opened for many years. The door I'm referring to is the cover that slides down so the DVD drive tray opens out.

Maybe get a different SSD or hard drive with El Capitan installed and test it out for troubleshooting. Try a different port in your videocard aside from HDMI. Or another montior. Just a routine troubleshooting and I'm just being on the side of caution in making suggestions. Hope the issue gets fixed.

 

[GMerritt1952]

"Thinking out of the box", I tried a different displayport cable and found out the first displayport cable was defective. This solved the issue.

Yeah, I know it's not the cable. It works with my PC. But thanks.

 

[tsialex]

Did you tested the Mac Pro with all SATA devices including the DVDs disconnected? SATA devices defective can make the Mac Pro to not complete POST.

 

[h9826790]

Since you have two cMP, on the working one, you can install OSX / macOS (must be a natively supported OS, e.g. Yosemite) onto a spare hard drive, then install that known good bootable hard drive into the new cMP.

With the GT120 in the new cMP, perform a 4x NVRAM reset, then hold Option key to boot.

This screen should show you the OSX / macOS option. If not, at least the screen should be in light grey colour, but not black.

Please report back if you can do that, and what's the result.

 

[Macsonic]

Yeah, I know it's not the cable. It works with my PC. But thanks.

Wasn't insinuating that the problem could be in your monitor cable nor the fix I did on my end is the final solution to your issue. Instead, was suggesting to explore other areas where the problem might be. With hardware troubleshooting, sometimes there are other variables. Thanks