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Redneck1089

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 18, 2004
1,211
467
I just tried updating my Mac Pro 5,1 to El Capitan. I am using an non-EFI GTX 980 Ti. I've installed several VNC apps to make sure I can control the computer virtually once the installation is done.

This has normally worked in the past.

When the installation begun the computer said it would restart. Instead, it hung. I ended up doing a hard shut down and then booted it up again. Now the fans periodically go on and off and it restarts itself on occasion.

Is there anything I can do?

I am thinking about going to the store tomorrow and buying a hard drive enclosure, taking the SSD out of the Mac Pro, and using my nMP...attempt booting from my 5,1 SDD on that computer.

Does anyone think that would work?
 
Did you disable the Nvidia drivers (sudo nvram boot-args="nv_disable=1") before rebooting? This is absolutely necessary when upgrading the OS with a Maxwell card.

I'm assuming that you don't have access to another GPU, or you would have tried switching them out.

You can try removing your 980 and booting GPU-less, then screen sharing in. (The built-in Apple screen sharing is likely to be the only option that works in a situation like this, where you need access before seeing the desktop.) Then update the Nvidia web drivers, shut down (don't reboot), and reinstall the card. Then it should boot.

If that doesn't work, then your idea probably will. You'll need to finish the OS update, then update the Nvidia web drivers, then shut down. Then put the SSD back in your 5,1 and boot normally.
 
Did you disable the Nvidia drivers (sudo nvram boot-args="nv_disable=1") before rebooting? This is absolutely necessary when upgrading the OS with a Maxwell card.

I'm assuming that you don't have access to another GPU, or you would have tried switching them out.

You can try removing your 980 and booting GPU-less, then screen sharing in. (The built-in Apple screen sharing is likely to be the only option that works in a situation like this, where you need access before seeing the desktop.) Then update the Nvidia web drivers, shut down (don't reboot), and reinstall the card. Then it should boot.

If that doesn't work, then your idea probably will. You'll need to finish the OS update, then update the Nvidia web drivers, then shut down. Then put the SSD back in your 5,1 and boot normally.


Hi Scott,

Thanks for the reply.

No, I never did disable the Nvidia drivers. I didn't realize I had to (I haven't been using this computer in some time and I admit, I just jumped into the update process without looking anything up).

I have tried removing the GTX 980. I get a boot chime, but obviously no screen. I have three VNC programs running - Screens, iTeleport, and LogMeIn. None of them seem to be working.

I will have to try using an external SSD enclosure tomorrow to see if I can boot into OS X.

I don't unfortunately have another GPU to put in the computer right now. :(
 
There should be an EFI video card bios available, which would require a Windows machine to perform the flash update.
With that function enabled, the GTX 980 should then work on the MacPro. One of the posters on this forum has a website and business that allows shipment to them of one's non-EFI "made for Windows" video card, and they then perform the flash update to an OSX-friendly EFI firmware, and return shipment.
http://www.macvidcards.com/faqinstallation.html
Many newer video cards designed for Windows already include a factory installed EFI firmware.
A free Windows software utility "GPU-Z" can show whether or not EFI functionality is present.
 
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