MP 1,1-5,1 Mac Pro can no longer boot. Help.

[ZNDK]

Yes, no problem. A dual CPU tray can only work with one CPU if you install to CPU A.

Thank you. I have heard good info.
After this I will verify with CPU-A only on a dual-processor board.
My concern with the single processor board was the contact between the (once removed) heatspreader and the CPU die. I adjusted them by placing thin steel plates between them. This caused poor thermal conductivity, which I thought could have caused the CPU to overheat quickly.

 

[Macschrauber]

With using not properly delidded CPUs what matches the original size exactly the chance is very high you bent the CPU socket pins.

Use a good optical tool and check the socket. The best macro camera you have for example or grandpas reading glasses.

 

[ZNDK]

Ah, too bad. I did a single CPU verification with a dual processor board and the results were the same. At the same time I also verified it install a Mac Pro 2010, same results with the 2010.
Even the newly purchased X5675 seems to be broken this time. Was it defective or did the Mac destroy the CPU?
Will I get the same result if I get new CPU?

 

[ZNDK]

Well...things have been really strange. I have gotten 3 X5675s since then. I own two dual processor boards. The backplane I had has been replaced and I do not have any further replacement backplanes.

I installed X5675 (call it n1) which I got only for CPU-A on the first processor board. Then I checked the startup. Next I installed X5675 which is confirmed to work on CPU-A and moved n1 to CPU-B. Then the Mac turns on, but there is no boot sound and it does not boot. When I tried to boot again, the red LED on CPU-B came on....
Next, I did the same thing with the second processor board with the second X5675(n2) I got. Again, same result.... two CPUs died. Even if I put them back to CPU-A and try to start with a single CPU, it only energizes.
Now only one CPU remains. I have changed the backplane, changed the processor board, changed the power supply.
If the CPU are E5520s, I can use dual CPUs with no problem at all. What is this all about?

The previous post advised to check the socket pins. I have checked with a magnifying glass and to me there is nothing wrong with the pins.

 

[tsialex]

The replacement backplane was correctly cross-flashed to MP5,1 firmware? What is the CPU tray SSN?

 

[ZNDK]

The replacement backplane was correctly cross-flashed to MP5,1 firmware? What is the CPU tray SSN?

Was the firmware update done correctly? I am not sure about that. I did it on El Capitan and E5520. It is fine in itself, but I got the firmware tool from github. Would that make a difference? The display itself shows "Mac Pro5.1". I can boot on a single X5675(CPU-B is empty), so it must be at least 5.1. Sorry, by SSN do you mean 1.39f5 or 144.0.0.0?

 

[tsialex]

Was the firmware update done correctly? I am not sure about that. I did it on El Capitan and E5520. It is fine in itself, but I got the firmware tool from github. Would that make a difference? The display itself shows "Mac Pro5.1". I can boot on a single X5675(CPU-B is empty), so it must be at least 5.1.

If you can boot with one, it's already a MacPro5,1.

Sorry, by SSN do you mean 1.39f5 or 144.0.0.0?

Literally the CPU Tray SSN, >AboutThisMac>SystemReport>Hardware, not the firmware version.

 

[ZNDK]

If you can boot with one, it's already a MacPro5,1.



Literally the CPU Tray SSN, >AboutThisMac>SystemReport>Hardware, not the firmware version.

Is this it? 'YM0090FP4PC'

I noticed, comparing the two processor boards, that there was a board with a terminal between CPU-A and CPU-B. What are these terminals? This is a bit off topic.

 

[tsialex]

Is this it? 'YM0090FP4PC'

No, this is the System Serial Number.

I noticed, comparing the two processor boards, that there was a board with a terminal between CPU-A and CPU-B. What are these terminals? This is a bit off topic.

This is a conector, not a terminal. It's a service connector, called BIG_FRANK.

 

[ZNDK]

No, this is the System Serial Number.

• System Firmware Version:
• SMC Version (system):
• SMC Version (processor tray):
• Serial Number (system):
• Hardware UUID:
• Provisioning UDID:

What is SSN? There is no SSN entry in the hardware.
Is it also different from the character string shown in the barcode printed on the CPU tray?
It is a string beginning with "J593701" or "J5911005".

This is a conector, not a terminal. It's a service connector, called BIG_FRANK.

What is BIG_FLANK used for?

 

[tsialex]

• System Firmware Version:
• SMC Version (system):
• SMC Version (processor tray):
• Serial Number (system):
• Hardware UUID:
• Provisioning UDID:

This is becoming weird. Seems you are looking with other Mac than a MacPro5,1.

This is what SystemInformation>Hardware shows with a MacPro5,1:

What is SSN? There is no SSN entry in the hardware.
Is it also different from the character string shown in the barcode printed on the CPU tray?

SSN is System Serial Number = Serial Number (system):.

I want to know the Serial Number (processor tray):

 

[ZNDK]

This is becoming weird. Seems you are looking with other Mac than a MacPro5,1.

This is what SystemInformation>Hardware shows with a MacPro5,1:

View attachment 2130405



SSN is System Serial Number = Serial Number (system):.

I want to know the Serial Number (processor tray):

Maybe because I am Monterey?

 

[ZNDK]

Is it also different from the character string shown in the barcode printed on the CPU tray?
It is a string beginning with "J593701" or "J5911005".

 

[tsialex]

When you have problems with hardware, you really don't wan't to run unsupported macOS releases.

How you gonna know if your problem is hardware/firmware or software related with all the modifications needed for unsupported macOS releases to boot? Or if you change your CPU, the modifications for the unsupported release still work.

Please boot a fully supported macOS release and get the CPU tray/Processor Tray Serial Number.

Is it also different from the character string shown in the barcode printed on the CPU tray?

Each CPU tray have it's own Serial Number.

MacPro4,1 and MacPro5,1 CPU trays usually start with 11-digits SN like this J5xxxxxxxxx, but there are also factory refurbished CPU trays that have a 17-digits SN like this C07xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

It is a string beginning with "J593701" or "J5911005".

J5911 SN is for a tray made in the eleventh week of 2009, this make the tray pre Rev.A. The pre Rev.A trays do not work with Westmere Xeons. The week number must be after at least 26.

 

[ZNDK]

J5911 SN is for a tray made in the eleventh week of 2009, this make the tray pre Rev.A. The pre Rev.A trays do not work with Westmere Xeons. The week number must be after at least 26.

I looked at the system profiler in the El Capitan environment and the string printed on the CPU tray board and the string shown in the processor tray item were the same.

I am currently using a CPU tray with serial number starting with J593701. My third CPU seems to have patience. I have installed it and it hasn't broken yet. I still can't boot (not even a boot sound) when in dual configuration.

I disconnected all devices connected to Mac and tried booting with only SSD and GTX680(Mac EFI) for booting, but could not boot. I also tried to boot with a GT120, but could not boot. So am I correct in assuming that I do not have insufficient power capacity for Mac?

 

[Puretexan2]

I know if I had changed a bunch of things on my Mac Pro and ,then it wouldn't post. I might get the idea
I had done something wrong.Buying a bunch of Gpu trays and changing things is an expensive way to have
one of these. I would pull my Hard drives out and throw it in the first body of water I came to. Buy another because
they are dirt cheap. Bought a 2012 fairly loaded for $200. Still felt like i might have over paid. Now they are everywhere around my area. Four 5,1's for $400.

 

[ZNDK]

Is the Mac Pro 2009-2010 Firmware Tool distributed on GitHub the same as that previously distributed on the netkas forum?
Is there any way to get the same tool that was previously handed out on the netkas forum?

I would like to finally try replacing the backplane. If that doesn't work, I will give up on my long-time cMP.

 

[tsialex]

Cross-flashing should not be done today, the MP4,1 NVRAM volume and MP5,1 NVRAM are very different, I've explained this in detail in the past, and a cross-flashed Mac Pro will brick over time.

For some people that live where Mac Pros are cheap as potato chips, this is not a problem and you can get another replacement backplane or even a whole Mac Pro until the supply dwindles, but for most people outside the USA, backplanes are expensive and the only reliable way to upgrade an early-2009 Mac Pro to MacPro5,1 is via BootROM reconstruction service.

So, forget about cross-flashing and spend your money wisely. Don't forget that the time you will waste replacing the backplane itself also have a cost and do it right and just once.

 

[macguru9999]

Might be easier to just buy s 5,1 these days and transfer your drives to that.

 

[tsialex]

Might be easier to just buy s 5,1 these days and transfer your drives to that.

Like I've wrote in my previous post, this is valid only for people that live where Mac Pros are dirty cheap, like some parts of the USA.

The price for cheapest known working barebones mid-2010 Mac Pro in my country right now is ~US$430, so, for the majority of the people living outside the USA, it's still considerably cheaper to repair a defective early-2009 Mac Pro than to buy a newer replacement.

Obviously, you and me could always ponder that we will have lot's of replacement parts and we will use the mid-2010 as a test bed to diagnose all the early-2009 components and buy exactly what is really defective for the early-2009, but for other people this is not a really attractive proposition.

 

[ZNDK]

I would start with the results, my Mac Pro 2009 boots up with dual X5670 and can be used normally.
But it's a very strange situation.
My Mac can boot dual with X5670, but only single (CPU A only) with X5675. Dual CPU configuration with X5675 is not available. The two X5675s can boot the Mac if used with a single CPU, so I assume the CPU itself is not broken.
I thought the only difference between X5670 and X5675 was the difference in clock frequency, is there any other difference?

If I plug this processor tray into another Mac Pro, this behavior reproduces on that Mac, so is the cause the processor board? However, I have verified this with three processor trays, all with the same behavior.
When the Mac is unable to boot, there is no boot sound, and the white LED on the front does not blink (stays on constantly) when booting without a memory module.

I have already decided to use X5670 and am very curious as to why X5675 is not available.

 

[tsialex]

I would start with the results, my Mac Pro 2009 boots up with dual X5670 and can be used normally.
But it's a very strange situation.
My Mac can boot dual with X5670, but only single (CPU A only) with X5675. Dual CPU configuration with X5675 is not available. The two X5675s can boot the Mac if used with a single CPU, so I assume the CPU itself is not broken.

Could be the second QPI link broken, several Chinese sellers sell defective X56xx Xeons that only work as a single CPU. If one Xeon have a defective QPI link, the dual CPU tray will not boot.

I thought the only difference between X5670 and X5675 was the difference in clock frequency, is there any other difference?

Exact same base frequency, greater multiplier and greater power draw.

If I plug this processor tray into another Mac Pro, this behavior reproduces on that Mac, so is the cause the processor board?

Assuming that the X5675 pair is perfect, could not be, the most probably based on what you wrote is that the X5675 with the greater multiplier and greater power draw is triggering a problem with the CPU tray. Could be a defective capacitor, a MOSFET dying, etc.

One thing, you could have more than one problem and not just with the CPU tray. Your PSU or backplane could be marginal, for example only working up to some power draw.

However, I have verified this with three processor trays, all with the same behavior.
When the Mac is unable to boot, there is no boot sound, and the white LED on the front does not blink (stays on constantly) when booting without a memory module.

I have already decided to use X5670 and am very curious as to why X5675 is not available.

Someone probably could test these X5675 and eliminate both as a possible cause.