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Mac Pro 4,1 won't chime after upgrading firmware to 5,1.

Seshpenguin

Seshpenguin

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 19, 2017
17
2
Canada
I'm like kinda freaking out...
I just got my Mac Pro early 2009 (4,1) in the mail, and after messing around with it a bit I decided to run the tool to upgrade it's firmware to a 5,1.

The tool ran fine (I just had to download the firmware myself and mount it), then I rebooted and the apple logo appeared with the update bar. Interestingly, the cd drive opened.

Anyway, it did it's thing and it shutdown. Now, when I turn it on, I hear the drives spin up and whatever, but the screen stays blank and no chime.

It's a dual quad core xeon machine, 24gb ram, and a GTX 470.

Any help would be appreciated!
 
The optical drive opening is normal. Have you tried it with an OEM video card? That may be the problem.
 
Intell said:
Possibly. I believe the cheapest OEM card is the Nvidia 120 GT.
Click to expand...
hmm, I'll look into that. I wonder if apple would be of any help (maybe reset the firmware back to the original or something, doubt it though)

Do I need to do anything special after I get the GPU?
 
The OP mentioned that the firmware tool ran fine, including progress bar.

Without an EFI-graphics card the tool would not even start.

So I guess something other is screwed up. No chime means the Mac Pro does not POST.
 
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Synchro3 said:
The OP mentioned that the firmware tool ran fine, including progress bar.

Without an EFI-graphics card the tool would not even start.

So I guess something other is screwed up.
Click to expand...

Oh... Well that makes things more interesting (I double checked the ebay listing and the gpu is efi flashed).
Any advice? :(
 
Synchro3 said:
Try uninstalling what you can, RAM, HardDisks, graphics card, USB-Sticks etc. Let only one RAM stick installed.

When the Mac Pro chimes again, install part for part, until the Mac Pro does not chime again.

No chime means the Mac Pro does not POST: https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000607.htm
Click to expand...
I kinda doubt it would be any of that though, since this happned right after the firmware upgrade. I'll try anyway!
 
Synchro3 said:
If you have bad luck you installed a wrong firmware, and your motherboard is screwed up.

If there is no chime I doubt that even this would help: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201692

Sorry.
Click to expand...
Oh well. I looked at the restore cd, but at the part where it says hold the power button it doesn't "3 quick blinks, 3 slow blinks, 3 quick blinks", just blinks fast then stops and the drive door doesnt open.
 
Seshpenguin said:
I kinda doubt it would be any of that though, since this happned right after the firmware upgrade. I'll try anyway!
Click to expand...

You better try that. Even thought the issue pop up after firmware upgrade. There still a chance that the new firmware doesn't work well with some of the self upgraded hardware (especially PCIe card). Even though it's a flashed card, the very 1st thing I try will be remove the graphic card indeed.
 
Status update:
I tried pulling out all PCI card, that did nothing.
I also tried using the Apple Firmware restoration DVD, and in the instructions, it said that the light will blink 3 times slow, fast, slow, and the drive door will open (when holding down the power button), but on the mac it just blinks fast and then does nothing. I tried to manually open the drive door and insert the disk, but it still did nothing.

I'm kinda scared since if it realy is dead, thats a lot of money for a paperweight :eek: (and a sad christmas lol)
 
Remove everything (including hard disks etc), except one RAM stick (change the stick each time). Try again SMC-Reset.

Leave the Mac Pro for a few hours without power, remove the power cable.
 
Synchro3 said:
Remove everything (including hard disks etc), except one RAM stick (change the stick each time). Try again SMC-Reset.

Leave the Mac Pro for a few hours without power, remove the power cable.
Click to expand...
Tried that, I also let the Mac overnight aswell
 
TBH, that sounds really bad. It's the very first case I heard the firmware upgrade / hack possible kill a 4,1.

If you already try remove all PCIe card and HDD (including Superdrive), multiple SMC / PRAM reset (including RTC reset), and the screen not even light up. That really sounds like your cMP is dead at this moment (not sure if recoverable).

If coincidentally some hardware failed (e.g. CPU tray) right after the firmware upgrade. The screen usually will still light up (pure write screen, but no Apple logo, and no chime).

Also, in any case, the firmware restoration CD should work. I didn't really do it, but I did try the procedure few years ago for my own learning purpose.

From your description, the issue happen right after you apply the firmware hack, and when you try the firmware restoration procedure, the LED just blink fast but not the SOS pattern. To me, it sounds like your Mac is now stuck at the firmware "updating" stage. Therefore, the if you press and hold power button to boot, the Mac detected there is an "ready to apply" firmware, which gives you fast blinking LED signal (if no firmware to apply, it should show you the SOS LED signal), but since nothing really ready to apply, so stuck that there, no screen, no chime, nothing.
 
h9826790 said:
TBH, that sounds really bad. It's the very first case I heard the firmware upgrade / hack possible kill a 4,1.

If you already try remove all PCIe card and HDD (including Superdrive), multiple SMC / PRAM reset (including RTC reset), and the screen not even light up. That really sounds like your cMP is dead at this moment (not sure if recoverable).

If coincidentally some hardware failed (e.g. CPU tray) right after the firmware upgrade. The screen usually will still light up (pure write screen, but no Apple logo, and no chime).

Also, in any case, the firmware restoration CD should work. I didn't really do it, but I did try the procedure few years ago for my own learning purpose.

From your description, the issue happen right after you apply the firmware hack, and when you try the firmware restoration procedure, the LED just blink fast but not the SOS pattern. To me, it sounds like your Mac is now stuck at the firmware "updating" stage. Therefore, the if you press and hold power button to boot, the Mac detected there is an "ready to apply" firmware, which gives you fast blinking LED signal (if no firmware to apply, it should show you the SOS LED signal), but since nothing really ready to apply, so stuck that there, no screen, no chime, nothing.
Click to expand...
I tried the Firmware CD, but it just does fast blinking when I hold down the power button, whether there is a cd or not... Where would the mac be trying to update the firmware from?
 
Stupid question - where the firmware lies physically in the mac pro 4.1?
thanx
 
Can you reflash original firmware and test ?
[doublepost=1514334235][/doublepost]Perhaps create a Usb firmware flasher tool or maybe use one that already exists and put the original firmware back ?

Lastly maybe take to a Apple Store if it's just firmware they may fix for free
 
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