PRAM Reset then try to reinstall Mac os
If you have a backup then try formatting the SSD in the Mac Pro and then reinstalling.
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MP 6,1 Latest Boot ROM and SMC version on Mac Pro Late 2013 (trashcan)
- Thread starter dtelena
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If you have a backup then try formatting the SSD in the Mac Pro and then reinstalling.
Apple with today's Monterey 12.7.3 (21H1015) just updated MacPro6,1 BootROM to System Firmware version 481.0.0.0.0:
Code:
Hardware Overview:
Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro6,1
Processor Name: 6-Core Intel Xeon E5
Processor Speed: 3,5 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 6
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 12 MB
Hyper-Threading Technology: Enabled
Memory: 64 GB
System Firmware Version: 481.0.0.0.0
OS Loader Version: 540.120.3~37
SMC Version (system): 2.20f18
Panel Illumination Version: 1.4a6
Until now, very good.
If you tested with another cable/display/clean install, it's most probably a GPU VRAM defect.
For anyone interested to know, I updated the experimental OS partition on my MP 6,1 to Sonoma 14.2.1 recently and OCLP 1.3.0. I was surprised to see that importing a JPG does not crash Pages anymore. Crash during sleep has not occurred since the update either which was a regular occurrence using Monterey.
That's a very interesting news. I think I'll have a new try of a system upgrade with OCLP then (I'm currently running macOS Monterey 12.7.3).
I still have my orig Apple branded SSD that I will do a fresh install of 12.7.3, get the SMC updated before upgrading my working Adata 2TB NVMe drive via Software Update.
I find that if I keep the SMC at or above that which comes with an update, I get to avoid issues with booting.
Yes, apple "fixed" this but have read too many horror stories from folks with NVMe drives suffering at the hands of Apple forcing M1/M2 upgrades on everyone.
I find that if I keep the SMC at or above that which comes with an update, I get to avoid issues with booting.
Yes, apple "fixed" this but have read too many horror stories from folks with NVMe drives suffering at the hands of Apple forcing M1/M2 upgrades on everyone.
You are mistaking the SMC as the BootROM upgrade, AFAIK, Apple only sent one SMC upgrade around 2015.
Some NVMe blades do not work for BootROM upgrades, but mostly do.
All good now. Tested the 12.7.3 installer from Apple today and nothing broke (ADATA XPG8200 2TB)
Adata is 3x vs newer 4x, but I know its 100% compatible and I got it for $99 right before the holidays.
Adata is 3x vs newer 4x, but I know its 100% compatible and I got it for $99 right before the holidays.
I really tried to figure this out on my own, but I wanted to get some insights from the resident experts. I will try to keep the story as short as possible. I Upgraded my (4) Mac Pro 5,1 Audio Studio Units to 6,1 2013 units since they are insanely cheap (Got all the units for less than $300 each w/ D500s and a mixture of 4 and 6 cores); all units arrived with Monterey.
I then purchased (4) SR1A5 3.0 CPUs for $15 each and upgraded the CPUs, I also purchased (4) 64GB Memory kits for $18 each, so they are almost all identical, Lastly, all units have short adapters and non-apple 2TB NVMes.
(2) units have Firmware 478.0.0.0 and (2) have 474.0.0.0 since they arrived with Monterey. Unfortunately, I have to run either Mojave or Catalina for my Audio work with (1) unit home and (3) at work. These restrictions have to do with some older audio hardware, some legacy audio plugins and some other boring details, so it's EITHER Mojave or Catalina for now...
Sorry, now for the questions:
I loaded (2) with Mojave and (2) Catalina, So I am running combinations 10.14 and 10.15 on 478.0.0.0 and combinations of 10.14 and 10.15 on 474.0.0.0.
Amazingly, all units are having nagging EFI Check issues every week, so I am wondering if it is related to the System Firmware, is so, is there a way I can downgrade all units to BootROM 137.0.0.0 (which I think is good for both Mojave and Catalina) ?
Is anyone else running older OS versions with the newer firmware ?
- Thanks in advance
I then purchased (4) SR1A5 3.0 CPUs for $15 each and upgraded the CPUs, I also purchased (4) 64GB Memory kits for $18 each, so they are almost all identical, Lastly, all units have short adapters and non-apple 2TB NVMes.
(2) units have Firmware 478.0.0.0 and (2) have 474.0.0.0 since they arrived with Monterey. Unfortunately, I have to run either Mojave or Catalina for my Audio work with (1) unit home and (3) at work. These restrictions have to do with some older audio hardware, some legacy audio plugins and some other boring details, so it's EITHER Mojave or Catalina for now...
Sorry, now for the questions:
I loaded (2) with Mojave and (2) Catalina, So I am running combinations 10.14 and 10.15 on 478.0.0.0 and combinations of 10.14 and 10.15 on 474.0.0.0.
Amazingly, all units are having nagging EFI Check issues every week, so I am wondering if it is related to the System Firmware, is so, is there a way I can downgrade all units to BootROM 137.0.0.0 (which I think is good for both Mojave and Catalina) ?
Is anyone else running older OS versions with the newer firmware ?
- Thanks in advance
I really think that you are following the wrong path.
First thing, Apple does not allow EFI firmware downgrades. Back in 2010ish was possible to do with a lot of work, but since ThunderStrike security failure back in the early 2010s, no more, Apple blocked any possibilities besides physically taking the logic board apart, removing the SPI flash and re-programming it with a past BootROM backup, since you can't download a previous version from Apple, only the current release. MacPro6,1 was never allowed to downgrade the BootROM.
Second thing, Apple EFICheck is downloaded from Apple SUS servers, the package is called EFICheck AllowListAll and is one for all macOS releases since High Sierra, the current version released back in January 9th is 145. So, a clean install will always download the most recent version.
Install Monterey, update all to 481.0.0.0.0 and then clean install Mojave/Catalina where you need.
Hey tsialex, thank you so much for your response... you have obviously been selfless and helped so many in the past.
Is the 481.0.0.0 rev more solid... does it fix any known issues ?
I will do exactly what you suggest today. Does this sound like an ok approach...
1) pick one unit, clone OS and apps via superduper to an external
2) Erase Internal NVMe (non-apple) drive
3) Clean Monterey install, do all updates in Monterey, verify 481.0.0.0. has been reached
4) Clone back from external to internal and have a working unit with Mojave & apps and 481.0.0.0
Lastly... If I get more of the EFI check issues, can I disable the EFI check all together ? or will keep being pushed from the SUS servers ?
No one can answer that, Apple never had a public changelog for Macs firmwares.
I can only say that works fine for me and no one is posting about issues.
Why clone? Seems that your issues are arising from this fact.
If the current Mojave install was working as expected, EFICheck AllowListAll 145 would be downloaded and applied correctly (High Sierra onward).
Since this is not working, the most probable is that EFICheck is failing to validate the current BootROMs - no signatures for it.
Get an AppleOEM blade and install Monterey to it. Use it to upgrade all Mac Pro firmwares. After you move to another Mac Pro, do a deep NVRAM reset and check all updates/reboot until you have 481.0.0.0.0.
I bet that your issues is related to the old Mojave install.
You will open the Pandora box doing that. Mac Pros after MacPro5,1 download and install firmwares automatically with Software Updates, if you disable that you will have lots of issues.
Apple will support MacPro6,1 until the last Apple Security Update of Monterey, so, you won't have to do this after September this year. Btw, Apple seems to be getting every bug corrected with MacPro6,1 lately, lot's of nagging issues solved in the past year.
Yes, if you have access to SUS, the firmware updates will be offered.
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OK, so I will clarify; so far all my Mac 6,1 builds were done from clean installs. I have about 4 hours invested into Logic Pro with all content and about 250+ 3rd party plugins on a scratch Mojave install, so I was hoping NOT to re-install all that and was hoping just to clone it to an external, do the FW update and clone it back.
I NEVER had an EFIcheck issues with any other macs, ever, so this really stumped me, when I am getting them with clean installs of BOTH Mojave and Catalina on my new Mac Pro 6,1 units. I did NOT get any issues when I first got the units with Monterey installed, but I immediately upgraded the CPUs and RAM and downgraded the OS versions.
Lastly, I do have the original Apple SSDs, but I was under the assumption that they were not needed to do Firmware updates at the current FM versions, if not I can install them before installing Monterey
I NEVER had an EFIcheck issues with any other macs, ever, so this really stumped me, when I am getting them with clean installs of BOTH Mojave and Catalina on my new Mac Pro 6,1 units. I did NOT get any issues when I first got the units with Monterey installed, but I immediately upgraded the CPUs and RAM and downgraded the OS versions.
Lastly, I do have the original Apple SSDs, but I was under the assumption that they were not needed to do Firmware updates at the current FM versions, if not I can install them before installing Monterey
My advice still stands, most probably something is wrong with SoftwareUpdates of your Mojave install or you wouldn't have any issues - the only other possibility is that the BootROM was tampered before you got the Mac Pros.
I did a clean install of High Sierra/Mojave/Catalina some days ago with a late-2012 MBP that had a logic board replacement that came with the original BootROM from 2012 and each one of the installs got EFICheck AllowListAll 145 correctly, no issues.
Again, thank you for your input...
If I put the original SSD mac in a 6,1 and Install Mojave from scratch, will it leave the firmware at 474.0.0.0 or will it put it back to what is listed for Mojave.... maybe that is the issue all my scratch installs (of Mojave and Catalina) were done with 3rd party SSDs, and they left the firmware at the higher Monterey level...
Original SSD installed and I am now doing a scratch Mojave install, I will report back...
*** Update: So, as suspected, with the original SSD and a scratch install of Mojave from boot off USB (with ethernet connected). the Firmware is unchanged at 474.0.0.0; so this is the same behavior as having a 3rd party SSD installed during Mojave install, so as you stated (even for Apple) once you go up in firmware revisions, "these is no downgrade"
So my last test is to load Monterey and do updates and attempt to get to 481.0.0.0 and then pray if I re-load Mojave that EFI check errors will no longer plague me
If I put the original SSD mac in a 6,1 and Install Mojave from scratch, will it leave the firmware at 474.0.0.0 or will it put it back to what is listed for Mojave.... maybe that is the issue all my scratch installs (of Mojave and Catalina) were done with 3rd party SSDs, and they left the firmware at the higher Monterey level...
Original SSD installed and I am now doing a scratch Mojave install, I will report back...
*** Update: So, as suspected, with the original SSD and a scratch install of Mojave from boot off USB (with ethernet connected). the Firmware is unchanged at 474.0.0.0; so this is the same behavior as having a 3rd party SSD installed during Mojave install, so as you stated (even for Apple) once you go up in firmware revisions, "these is no downgrade"
So my last test is to load Monterey and do updates and attempt to get to 481.0.0.0 and then pray if I re-load Mojave that EFI check errors will no longer plague me
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OK, so as tsialex mentioned, a scratch install of Monterey, with original SSD, should yield (after updates), a Firmware revision of 481.0.0.0.0... and yes, that is the case, confirmed.
I am now at 481.0.0.0 and I have re-installed a 3rd party 2TB NVMe with 10.14.6 and Logic Pro X 10.4.8, I will see if I get any more EFI check errors with the newest firmware and Mojave. Thanks to tsialex again for explaining a few issues that were unclear
I am now at 481.0.0.0 and I have re-installed a 3rd party 2TB NVMe with 10.14.6 and Logic Pro X 10.4.8, I will see if I get any more EFI check errors with the newest firmware and Mojave. Thanks to tsialex again for explaining a few issues that were unclear
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Back to the same old crap, guess I am going to have to live with EFI Checks failing one a week.
At this point, I am convinced that running any OS version lower that (Monterey) on a trashcan, with any 474+ Firmware versions will complain (EFI check) about it. My 5,1 systems from SN thru Mojave never gave a bad EFI check no matter the combination of BootROM / OS X version
At this point, I am convinced that running any OS version lower that (Monterey) on a trashcan, with any 474+ Firmware versions will complain (EFI check) about it. My 5,1 systems from SN thru Mojave never gave a bad EFI check no matter the combination of BootROM / OS X version
Does not happen here.
My 5,1 systems from SN thru Mojave never gave a bad EFI check no matter the combination of BootROM / OS X version
There is no EFICheck with MacPros earlier than late-2013.
Hi guys, I got a complete different issue. I am just trying out. With all NVME disks I get max 400 mb write 1000 mb read. I tried adapter from sintech but also all kind of NVME on the market also in the list - Evo, evo plus, crucial p3 plus, 990 pro WD black sn850px. Nothing changed. Think it might be some missing updates in between to Monterey !?
