Mac Pro 2,1 and OS X Mavericks

[F.A.D.]

false alarm! I now get the same Kernel Panic again after rebooting (it just says "Fault CPU: 0x3" "instead of Fault CPU: 0x6"... :-(

I just wonder why Lion runs perfectly without any glitches....

The Kernel Panics I got with the 2 Dualcores (original CPU's) could be solved by several PRAM resets.

With the 8 cores I am also resetting all the time and every 10th restart may boot without a Kernel Panic, so there really is an issue with Mavericks on 2006 MacPros 1,1 (2,1) because Lion runs just fine with 8 cores.

Anyone else discovered problems with 8 cores on their Mac Pro's 1,1?

 

[JoSch]

Actually, if flashed, the card shows boot screens properly, because it runs a genuine Apple EFI firmware. The symptoms you have pointed to are from a non-flashed card.

Is there a way to verify which firmware is on the card? And if it's not the Apple one, can I flash my card with the Apple one?

----------

The Kernel Panics I got with the 2 Dualcores (original CPU's) could be solved by several PRAM resets.

With the 8 cores I am also resetting all the time and every 10th restart may boot without a Kernel Panic, so there really is an issue with Mavericks on 2006 MacPros 1,1 (2,1) because Lion runs just fine with 8 cores.

Anyone else discovered problems with 8 cores on their Mac Pro's 1,1?

I bought one of these 8 cores MacPro 1,1 on Ebay.
Mavericks with Tiamo's EFI works like a charm (well, one day of heavy load with FCPX rendering up till now).

 

[Chung123]

Wrong posting. Ignore please.

 

[mzb]

I'm interested in anyone's experiences with the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512 MB under Mavericks on a 1,1 or 2,1 Mac Pro.

I'm now happy to report that the 8800GT works just fine on my 1,1.

Hats off to Tiamo! Really makes me suspicious of why Apple dropped OS support for these fine old machines. Maybe they just didn't want to deal with unhappy customers with stock video cards.

BTW, after spending many hours trying unsuccessfully to make a USB installer key (using the manual method as well as SFOTT), I finally just hooked the hard disk up to a newer Mac, installed Mavericks officially, and did the two boot.efi replacements before putting the drive back into the 1,1. Even that simple-looking step had me stuck since Finder can't unlock the old boot.efi in Core Services and I'm clueless about any Terminal commands. Luckily I found a clear guide for doing it: see replies #12 and #13 here.

Hope this helps someone. Am going to continue trying to make the USB key.

 

[666sheep]

got me here

I bought the MacPro from my university about one year ago as it replaced the old ones with new ones. As I had still my broken MBP around I installed its card as the MacPro came without the Airport Extreme.

You need one of newer Airport cards then. Apple didn't bother to write drivers for cards originally installed in models unsupported by Mavericks. Your best choice would be any Broadcom 4321, 4322 based n-capable card. It does not have to be Apple one. I've recently installed PC BCM94321 based card in one MP I was upgrading and it works like a charm.

 

[rwillett]

The Kernel Panics I got with the 2 Dualcores (original CPU's) could be solved by several PRAM resets.

With the 8 cores I am also resetting all the time and every 10th restart may boot without a Kernel Panic, so there really is an issue with Mavericks on 2006 MacPros 1,1 (2,1) because Lion runs just fine with 8 cores.

Anyone else discovered problems with 8 cores on their Mac Pro's 1,1?

I have an unflashed MacPro 1,1 with eight cores, 16GB RAM and an Apple 5770. I have reset the PRAM numerous times as I was trying to get Mavericks to install. Since its installed, I haven't had any problems at all. I rarely reboot it as its a server for a number of things, but I haven;t had a single kernel panic since installation. I have updated a number of times as Apple has released stuff as well.

 

[mnlth0]

I have an unflashed MacPro 1,1 with eight cores, 16GB RAM and an Apple 5770. I have reset the PRAM numerous times as I was trying to get Mavericks to install. Since its installed, I haven't had any problems at all. I rarely reboot it as its a server for a number of things, but I haven;t had a single kernel panic since installation. I have updated a number of times as Apple has released stuff as well.

This reminded me of a really important advice. After installation reset PRAM and NVRAM. You reset PRAM by pulling power chord out for more than 10 seconds. It will fix a lot of potential issues.

 

[Sko]

You reset PRAM by pulling power chord out for more than 10 seconds.

That's not quite right. Pulling the power cord will reset the SMC (but you may want to do that, too).

To reset PRAM, hold command-option-P-R on system startup until you hear the startup chime a second time. Some folks swear it's best to hold those keys until you've heard the chime four (4) times in total, but I guess that's voodoo.

 

[H2SO4]

Really makes me suspicious of why Apple dropped OS support for these fine old machines. Maybe they just didn't want to deal with unhappy customers with stock video cards.

Na, that's not it.
When Apple don't support something they at best say, "I'm sorry that isn't supported we can't help" or at worst just refuse to answer/acknowledge the issue.

Not much 'dealing with' there.

This is how their consumer oriented business model works and the reason they'll never really succeed in enterprise. Windows will out unless there is a massive shft in the way large IT departments manage themselves, and with more and more business going the way of locking down data capable hardware they aren't going to want to find that their hardware or software is no longer supported a few short years after buying it.

 

[F.A.D.]

The Kernel Panics I got with the 2 Dualcores (original CPU's) could be solved by several PRAM resets.

With the 8 cores I am also resetting all the time and every 10th restart may boot without a Kernel Panic, so there really is an issue with Mavericks on 2006 MacPros 1,1 (2,1) because Lion runs just fine with 8 cores.

Anyone else discovered problems with 8 cores on their Mac Pro's 1,1?

O.K. now we have found the component causing the Kernel Panic: It was the MOTU PCIe 424 Audio Interface card that I use for my 24 I/O Audio Interface. This Problem also occurs up to the Mac Pro 5,1.

I just found a thread in the Apple Forum and it can be fixed by a new driver for the card, it is also in the website of the manufacturer that the card will not work or cause Kernel Panics without the new driver.

This was really surprising for me, because the card prevents you from installing Mavericks even on an empty Harddrive. So you have to install it without the card install the new driver and install the card.

So the 8 cores run smoothly now!

It's still "funny" because it will work in any slot but the upper one, the upper one still produces a kernel Panic, seems they still have to work on that driver.

Thanks again for all the responses!

David

 

[bkawashima]

After read 19 pages… Still have a question …

I have installed in to my mac pro 1.1 2x2,66 Ghz Dual core Intel Xeon this graphic card:

Link to the product: Sapphire HD6570 - 2 GB GDDR3


Do you think that works also for me ? Install Mavericks?

Thanks for your time

 

[fhenry]

just finish and upgrade with a 9500 gt 1 go ram, everything perfect with a impressive improvement of speed !

 

[Roland L]

After read 19 pages… Still have a question …

I have installed in to my mac pro 1.1 2x2,66 Ghz Dual core Intel Xeon this graphic card:

Link to the product: Sapphire HD6570 - 2 GB GDDR3


Do you think that works also for me ? Install Mavericks?

For a bootscreen you need the 7950.

 

[bkawashima]

For a bootscreen you need the 7950.

then … doesn't works?

 

[mnlth0]

That's not quite right. Pulling the power cord will reset the SMC (but you may want to do that, too).

To reset PRAM, hold command-option-P-R on system startup until you hear the startup chime a second time. Some folks swear it's best to hold those keys until you've heard the chime four (4) times in total, but I guess that's voodoo.

You're right. Sorry, I'm a bit dyslexic sometimes

 

[Goftrey]

then … doesn't works?

I'm running Mavericks on my 1,1 2.66 GHz & have tested the ATI Radeon HD5770 (XFX/Non-flashed), HD6570 (your card, it too is Sapphire), nVidia GeForce 8800GTS 320MB (XFX/Non-flashed) & the original 7300 GT believe it or not.

Every card worked out of the box. No issues whatsoever. Even the 7300GT which blew my mind a little. It runs Mavericks better than Lion!

 

[eyseman]

For a bootscreen you need the 7950.

That is not true. I have a 7750 1GB DDR5 card installed and Mavericks runs like absolutely fine.

 

[Roland L]

That is not true. I have a 7750 1GB DDR5 card installed and Mavericks runs like absolutely fine.

If you have a bootscreen then presumably the card was re-flashed?

 

[hwojtek]

Is there a way to verify which firmware is on the card? And if it's not the Apple one, can I flash my card with the Apple one?

I am not a pro regarding flashing (done it only twice), but I believe a flashed/genuine card will report the full name (i.e. AMD 4870 or 7950) in System Profiler while a non-flashed will give a "4800 series" instead. And yes, in most cases you can flash it, the "reference design" cards should work without problems as well as most of the Sapphire cards do. I personally have a flashed Powercolor card which happens to be a reference design and it reports back as a "AMD 4870", has a boot screen, both DVI ports work, OpenCL etc. Surprisingly, it also clocks about 30 fps in Dirt!2 with all the graphics settings maxed @1920x1200.

 

[PeterHolbrook]

For a bootscreen you need the 7950.

Wrong. I have an ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB, supplied by Apple, on my Mac Pro 1,1 (flashed as 2,1) and I have a perfect boot screen using Tiamo's boot.efi in Mavericks.

 

[bkawashima]

Wrong. I have an ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB, supplied by Apple, on my Mac Pro 1,1 (flashed as 2,1) and I have a perfect boot screen using Tiamo's boot.efi in Mavericks.

Flashed? I don't do anything to graphic card… buy it in amazon and install it

Sapphire HD6570 - 2 GB GDDR3

Thanks for your answers, when I have enough time I'll upgrade with Tiamo boot.

It's necessary flashed Mac Pro 1,1 as 2.1 ? I don't have any idea :roll eyes:

Question .. We could upgrade via Apple? or we could have problems in other 10.9.x ?? for change EFI ?

Sorry about all this questions

 

[Roland L]

Wrong. I have an ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB, supplied by Apple, on my Mac Pro 1,1 (flashed as 2,1) and I have a perfect boot screen using Tiamo's boot.efi in Mavericks.

Yes, fair point - however I assumed he wanted something of a newer vintage given the card he mentioned.

@bkawashima:

It sounds like you don't want to fiddle. This being the case then your options are very limited. The Sapphire Mac Edition 7950 will work perfectly in a 1,1 running Mavericks (see reports elsewhere), but it won't boot into 10.7 if you ever find the 10.9 route closed as its 32 bit drivers are broken. Alternatively find a 5770 (still available new!) but accept that it's extremely expensive for an old card. Otherwise hunt around eBay for old options such as the 8800GT, 1900XT, or even Quadro FX 4500 - these are even more comically expensive (relatively for their age) than the £180 asked for a 5770. Newer officially supported Mac cards like the 5870 and GTX 680 will not show bootscreens in a 1,1 or 2,1 without work.

If you're prepared to lose bootscreens then the choice is far larger.

Alternatively flashing the video card opens other options, but understand precisely which connectors work on whatever card you buy as sometimes there can be limitations.

Separately to the graphics card question there is no point in flashing your Mac's firmware from a 1,1 to a 2,1 unless you have upgraded your processors to something later like an octo-core.

 

[666sheep]

And if it's not the Apple one, can I flash my card with the Apple one?

If System Profiler identifies it as 5770, it's already flashed with Apple firmware. If your card has 2 DVI + HDMI + DP it's flashed PC one.
You can't have the bootscreen otherwise than via VGA adapter on such card.

After read 19 pages… Still have a question …

I have installed in to my mac pro 1.1 2x2,66 Ghz Dual core Intel Xeon this graphic card:

Link to the product: Sapphire HD6570 - 2 GB GDDR3


Do you think that works also for me ? Install Mavericks?

Thanks for your time

It works since 10.6.8, just without bootscreen. It will work that same in Mavericks.

 

[PeterHolbrook]

Flashed? I don't do anything to graphic card…

You misinterpreted my words. My graphics card ISN'T flashed. It was provided by Apple. I only said my Mac Pro 1,1 (the computer itself) is flashed as a 2,1.

 

[bkawashima]

You misinterpreted my words. My graphics card ISN'T flashed. It was provided by Apple. I only said my Mac Pro 1,1 (the computer itself) is flashed as a 2,1.

uops! thanks for clarify me

----------

Yes, fair point - however I assumed he wanted something of a newer vintage given the card he mentioned.

@bkawashima:

It sounds like you don't want to fiddle. This being the case then your options are very limited. The Sapphire Mac Edition 7950 will work perfectly in a 1,1 running Mavericks (see reports elsewhere), but it won't boot into 10.7 if you ever find the 10.9 route closed as its 32 bit drivers are broken. Alternatively find a 5770 (still available new!) but accept that it's extremely expensive for an old card. Otherwise hunt around eBay for old options such as the 8800GT, 1900XT, or even Quadro FX 4500 - these are even more comically expensive (relatively for their age) than the £180 asked for a 5770. Newer officially supported Mac cards like the 5870 and GTX 680 will not show bootscreens in a 1,1 or 2,1 without work.

If you're prepared to lose bootscreens then the choice is far larger.

Alternatively flashing the video card opens other options, but understand precisely which connectors work on whatever card you buy as sometimes there can be limitations.

Separately to the graphics card question there is no point in flashing your Mac's firmware from a 1,1 to a 2,1 unless you have upgraded your processors to something later like an octo-core.

Roland thanks for your explanation, now I don't have any doubt