Resolved Mac Pro 4,1 Backplane PCIe Booster Power Issues

[tsialex]

SHOULD be possible to boot the Mac Pro from a clean install of OS X keep it off the internet and flash your old Mac Pros BootROM to the new board once this is done then you can continue to use the machine as normal

however keep in mind im not exactly sure where the MAC addresses for the ethernet ports are stored in Mac Pro. and that this method won't work on newer machines due to those macs having intel mangment engine firmware which needs to be cleaned or moved over from the old ROM before hand

But then your old LBS from the original BootROM flashed on the used board will conflict with the Mac Addresses. You have to change the SSN on the used board, but keep the LBS, no?

 

[LightBulbFun]

But then your old LBS from the original BootROM flashed on the used board will conflict with the Mac Addresses. You have to change the SSN on the used board, but keep the LBS, no?

it depends where the MAC addresses for the ethernet ports are stored is it in BootROM or somewhere else? if its in BootROM then your MAC addresses will carry over if its not in BootROM then yeah there could be issues.

 

[tsialex]

it depends where the MAC addresses for the ethernet ports are stored is it in BootROM or somewhere else?

I have to replace a MP3,1 board to one bought used, B memory tray slot are dead on the original one. I'll dump the original ROM and check if the BootROM has the MacAddress flashing on the "new" one, but if I'm not wrong, since PC socket370 days, the ethernet controller has the MacAddress.

Remember PCChips boards and the MacAddress on the BIOS that go to 00:00:00:00:00:00 when you updated the BIOS?

 

[crjackson2134]

however keep in mind im not exactly sure where the MAC addresses for the ethernet ports are stored in Mac Pro. and that this method wont work on newer machines due to those macs having intel mangment engine firmware which needs to be cleaned or moved over from the old ROM before hand

I didn’t realize one could still buy a new blank board.

I’d likely buy used. The part about not working on newer machines doesn’t affect my 5,1 situation I take it?

What would I be looking at if this procedure (clean install, no internet, flash) didn’t work?

 

[Synchro3]

I didn’t realize one could still buy a new blank board.

I bought a board here: http://www.macpartsonline.com It had the oldest known 4,1 firmware, so I guess it was new.

Yes, it's expensive, but I want my Mac Pro to last a long time (Thanks to Apple not offering a new Tower Mac since years...).