MP 6,1 Mac Pro 6.1 Monterey - Crashes in Sleep

[adingley]

The issue doesnt lie with the OS. If you check your bootrom version; I'll bet its 132.x or lower

If you are running a non-Apple SSD in your mac pro; the bootrom is most likely version 127.x or lower as Apple removed the restrictions on 3rd party SSDs to update the bootrom with version 130.x

yep! I was one of those folks with a 6,1 MP that had a 3rd party nvme back when the firmware was 129.X… and I made it all the way to Big Sur with that older firmware.
I went out of my way to find an Apple Original SSD just so that I could make the leap to Monterey. ??‍♂️

Other users seem to suggest this “crash during sleep” happened pre Monterey for them (but maybe came and went through the different FW versions.) I seem to have bypassed ALL prior issues, but now that I have 429.X FW, I’m stuck in this cycle.

 

[steve123]

Where would I find the bootrom version in 12.1?

The line that says "System Firmware Version: 429.60.3.0.0". This is the version the Monterey installer puts in place.

 

[steve123]

Other users seem to suggest this “crash during sleep” happened pre Monterey for them (but maybe came and went through the different FW versions.) I seem to have bypassed ALL prior issues, but now that I have 429.X FW, I’m stuck in this cycle.

Yes, this is a regression. It has occurred in firmware releases with the other macOS releases for years now. I just can't figure out what is going on at Apple these days that this regression happens every time. Poor attention to quality control. I wish Apple would release a tool that allowed us to revert to a previous firmware while they gaze at their navel trying to figure out what to do. Craig should loose his job over this.

 

[MisterAndrew]

yep! I was one of those folks with a 6,1 MP that had a 3rd party nvme back when the firmware was 129.X… and I made it all the way to Big Sur with that older firmware.
I went out of my way to find an Apple Original SSD just so that I could make the leap to Monterey. ??‍♂️

Other users seem to suggest this “crash during sleep” happened pre Monterey for them (but maybe came and went through the different FW versions.) I seem to have bypassed ALL prior issues, but now that I have 429.X FW, I’m stuck in this cycle.

Yes, but people are mixing up issues and jumping to conclusions. The pre 12.1 sleep crashing is for 6,1s with D300 graphics. That began with Catalina. Sleep crashing with D500 & D700 models began with 12.1. It appears to be resolved with 12.2 beta, but I haven't used it enough to know for sure. I don't think it's a firmware issue. My D700 model has firmware 429.60.3.0.0.

 

[crystalidea]

Can you actually downgrade the firmware?

 

[Mr.Chefkoch]

Can you actually downgrade the firmware?

No, you can't. It just gives an error message.

 

[crystalidea]

I think it's worth trying to run it under older macOS (10.9)

 

[adingley]

It appears to be resolved with 12.2 beta, but I haven't used it enough to know for sure.

Well... Again, since it started with my 12.0 install, and has remained on the computer since I scrubbed 12.x off my machine and am now ONLY running a single instance of 11.6.2, I'm pretty sure a simple point-version update isn't gonna fix it (unless it comes with a firmware update)

Can you actually downgrade firmware?

As folks above have explained: no — you cannot downgrade (at present) Mac Pro firmware. If one could, I think many of us would have already done so and this thread would be A LOT shorter.

 

[crystalidea]

Noticed that "429.60.3.0.0" was released back in November 2020 (macOS 11.6.2 Big Sur update), why all the problems started only with Monterey now?

 

[adingley]

Noticed that "429.60.3.0.0" was released back in November 2020

ah! Thank you!! I've been trying to find the specific firmware release dates. Can you point/link to where that info is found?

 

[adingley]

why all the problems started only with Monterey now?

And, for me and perhaps for some others on this thread, I was on 11.4 until I jumped to Monterey on this Mac Pro 6,1. So I never would have run into 429.60.3.0.0 until my update to Monterey.

I am very curious to see if there's anyone who's specifically NEVER put Monterey on their Mac Pro 6,1 — but who did upgrade from 11.x (sub 11.6.2) to macOS 11.6.2 and ALSO suddenly found their machine afflicted.

Additionally, if I had a spare $900 - $1400 USD (and a little more time on my hands), I'd be very curious to go buy a used Mac Pro 6,1 that specifically is still running an OLDER macOS / FW (like a pre Mojave machine) — and get Apple Support on a call (for this issue) to have them do a "CollectData" session on the non-afflicted machine. Then upgrade it one FW/OS advancement, and let the machine run for days/weeks — and check-in with Apple Support for another "CollectData"... and then update another level of FW/OS, and meet with them after each hop / and once the machine (as I would predict) hits 429.60.3.0.0 — and starts to exhibit this behavior, THEN have AppleCare do another collect-data... and if THEN the machine (that days/weeks earlier wasn't exhibiting any hardware faults/failures) is suddenly reporting with the errors that point to a hardware failure in the MLB / PSU, we'd be able to have them finally see if/that it's a Firmware issue.

So if anyone is wealthy & bored & bothered by this Mac Pro 6,1 problem — Please venture to give this a try.

 

[ColourPhil]

Bit of a newbie here, but not on Macs.
My 6,1 has recently started crashing while asleep. AFTER upgrading to 11.6.1 then 11.6.2.
Perfect until recently.
Has 429.60.3.0.0, which came with one of the Big Sur minor upgrades.
Nothing new installed or plugged in for many months. Has an OWC 2TB SSD.
Is an 8-core with D700s, is about 2 ½ years old, so one of the newest ones!
Am waiting for 12.2 to be released and tested by braver folks than me!

 

[vddobrev]

I am the thread starter. My MP 6,1 has D700, and I never had issues with it since I got it in February 2018. One of the Big Sur Security updates fried my CPU riser card (stuck in reboot loops forever), and I had to service it and replace it. Then, I upgraded to Monterey and that is when the sleep issues started. Never had sleep issues before that. I am on the latest firmware. Does not matter what I have plugged in (currently only monitor) like USB disks and what not, the sleep crash is always happening for me. So I just shut it down... something I am not used to do. And it is a big disappointment with Apple.

On another note, I have an M1 Mac mini - it sleeps fine, but it's power light does not turn off. My previous Mac mini 2014 used to have it's power light pulsate when in sleep mode. Ahh, cost cutting and bugs in recent Apple hardware and software is annoying... to say the least.

 

[crystalidea]

ah! Thank you!! I've been trying to find the specific firmware release dates. Can you point/link to where that info is found?

Here

 

[Trunkz]

We have a user on this thread whos bootrom is 132.x I believe; is running Mojave and no sleep issues. Few pages ago Its a bootrom issue; not Big Sur or Monterey. If you are a MP 6,1 owner running a bootrom with 129.x and you have a 3rd party NVMe; feel free to upgrade to Monterey to confirm the above. (your bootrom wont be upgraded to the version Monterey ships with if you have a 3rd party SSD and running bootrom 129.x or lower as the functionality to update bootroms on 3rd party SSDs was introduced in 130.x )

 

[adingley]

If you are a MP 6,1 owner running a bootrom with 129.x and you have a 3rd party NVMe; feel free to upgrade to Monterey to confirm the above. (your bootrom wont be upgraded to the version Monterey ships with if you have a 3rd party SSD

Small (but important) note here; if you have bootrom/firmware 129.X on a MP6,1 and a third party nvme boot drive, you cannot update to Monterey (at least you couldn’t in versions 12.0 / 12.1) you’ll get a “compatible internal storage required” error upon install.

 

[MisterAndrew]

No problems for me so far with 12.2 and latest firmware.

 

[Trunkz]

No problems for me so far with 12.2 and latest firmware.

12.2 RC was released today; I cannot upgrade my MP 6,1 to 12.2 until search in outlook is resolved. Latest Outlook client has now fixed this issue (Office for Mac version 16.57 for those interested). I'm going to find the 12.2 RC and update and see

 

[Trunkz]

12.2 RC has sleep issues for me; there is also no bootrom update

 

[AdamA9]

Found this thread after Apple fobbed me and my 2018 MBP 15,2 off with crashing issues. Monterey 21.1 and now out of warranty, nothing they'll do to help. Version 1715.60.5.0.0 (iBridge: 19.16.10647.0.0,0) // 540.60.2~89

I assume, like the rest of you, I'm screwed until Apple releases a fix for this? Are there any temporary work arounds? I"m losing work now because my mac is rebooting all the time, going to the toilet, making a cup of tea... It's a joke.

 

[loby]

Found this thread after Apple fobbed me and my 2018 MBP 15,2 off with crashing issues. Monterey 21.1 and now out of warranty, nothing they'll do to help. Version 1715.60.5.0.0 (iBridge: 19.16.10647.0.0,0) // 540.60.2~89

I assume, like the rest of you, I'm screwed until Apple releases a fix for this? Are there any temporary work arounds? I"m losing work now because my mac is rebooting all the time, going to the toilet, making a cup of tea... It's a joke.

Check out the other responses on this threat for possible work around for now.

Basically turn off all of the power settings and don’t allow system to sleep.

Some have reported macOS Monterrey 12.2 “might” give some relief to the situation. We can only know exactly when the official public release comes out. Hopefully soon.

 

[Trunkz]

12.2 does not fix the situation; I am running it right now on my MP 6,1. There is no bootrom version change either.

The workaround is to disable sleep by enabling the 'Prevent your Mac from automatically sleeping when display is off' option in Energy Saver.

My case is now with the engineering team

 

[AdamA9]

Check out the other responses on this threat for possible work around for now.

Basically turn off all of the power settings and don’t allow system to sleep.

Some have reported macOS Monterrey 12.2 “might” give some relief to the situation. We can only know exactly when the official public release comes out. Hopefully soon.

12.2 does not fix the situation; I am running it right now on my MP 6,1. There is no bootrom version change either.

The workaround is to disable sleep by enabling the 'Prevent your Mac from automatically sleeping when display is off' option in Energy Saver.

My case is now with the engineering team

Thanks, both. I'll prevent my mac from sleeping when the display is off. My settings look like this. Is this the best option? I'm always plugged into a Core X housing a Vega 64 for my two monitors.

I'm guessing I shouldn't enable power nap?

 

[Trunkz]

Disable the 2nd and 3rd option (wake for network & enable power nap) and leave the first enabled and thats it However for MBP there was a better way of managing sleep; take a look at the Late 2014 SSD thread - i believe if you set the following:

sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0 standby 0 autopoweroff 0

Try that prior to disabling sleep altogether like we have for the Mac Pro's.

 

[arw]

Small feedback from my side: No sleep issues whatsoever on my 2 Mac Pros still on Big Sur 11.5.1:
MacPro6,1 D300 12-core, stock SSD; Firmware 428.140.7.0.0
MacPro6,1 D500 12-core, stock SSD; Firmware 428.140.7.0.0
Original RTC battery.

If I upgrade to Monterey, I will try do so via the USB creatinstallmedia so the Firmware won't get updated.