I've had a disaster. I'm upgrading a Mac Pro 4,1. It's been flashed to 5,1, and the EFI has been updated to 144.0.0.0.0. The gpu is an RX570. It is happy to run Mojave. I've bought a dual cpu tray to upgrade from single. Before I updated the EFI to 144.0, I put the new (to me) dual tray in the machine and it booted. I then started to upgrade the chips to 5680's. I'm trying to upgrade without de-lidding the chips. I first updated the EFI to 144.0.0.0.0 from where it was and then while trying to guide the heatsink in place and get the fan connection I had to raise the heat sink after placing it on the new cpu. The result was that the chip adhered to the heat sink, but then dropped into the socket. Now, with the old chip reinstalled on the dual tray and everything on the dual tray back the way it was the computer will not boot, and the power light keeps flashing. Remember, since it last booted with the dual tray I updated the Boot ROM. I've put the original single cpu tray in the machine and it works perfectly. I'm tying this on it. So, is it a compatibility problem between the dual tray with the old chips and the updated EFI, or does it mean that there might be damage to the socket caused when the chip dropped into it. I've checked all the pins under a light with magnifying glass and none look bent. Help!!!!!
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MP 1,1-5,1 Mac Pro power light flashing and computer doesn't boot
- Thread starter jayhawk1947
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You shouldn't have done it…
Nope. X5680 is fully compatible with all MP5,1 firmware - all of them. CPU trays are agnostic in relation of the EFI release installed on the backplane - CPU trays don't have firmware (except the SMC one, but let's keep it out of the equation here).
Most probable.
Since you didn't de-lided, you also can test each Xeon with your single CPU tray just to eliminate any probability of Xeon damage.
Some socket damage is extremely difficult to identify, like when the point of the pin bends/break. You have to use different light sources/different view angles and a real microscope.
Thank you for your kind reply. Over the years I've read many of your comments and have been very impressed with both your knowledge and the extent to which you will go to try and help someone. I mean this, I'm not trying to be a sarcastic smart a**.
Initially I was running with a single 5690 that I had installed and I decided to upgrade just to see what difference it would make. I'm an old man trying to learn new skills.
In the end I decided to take one more look at the socket. Initially, I thought that one pin that seemed to be ever so slightly out of alinement was harmless. However, with shaking hands I used tweezers to move it .1 of a mm. I then installed the 5680's and fired it off to see what would happen. It worked, and I'm typing on it now. Both cpus and all the RAM are recognized. So, when you say that a pin can be virtually not recognizable as being out of alignment, you, as usual, are correct. Literally, the width of a pin head. I came here to tell everyone (anyone?) what had happened and found your reply.
I've learned something, and the information you've given me will be remember as I'm in the process of producing the ultimate Mac Pro 4,1 with a see through side panel and RGB lights! I'm painting it at the moment. Thanks for the info and help.
Initially I was running with a single 5690 that I had installed and I decided to upgrade just to see what difference it would make. I'm an old man trying to learn new skills.
In the end I decided to take one more look at the socket. Initially, I thought that one pin that seemed to be ever so slightly out of alinement was harmless. However, with shaking hands I used tweezers to move it .1 of a mm. I then installed the 5680's and fired it off to see what would happen. It worked, and I'm typing on it now. Both cpus and all the RAM are recognized. So, when you say that a pin can be virtually not recognizable as being out of alignment, you, as usual, are correct. Literally, the width of a pin head. I came here to tell everyone (anyone?) what had happened and found your reply.
I've learned something, and the information you've given me will be remember as I'm in the process of producing the ultimate Mac Pro 4,1 with a see through side panel and RGB lights! I'm painting it at the moment. Thanks for the info and help.
I have something similar. Tried to flash 2009 -> 2010 and I've done it once before years ago successfully. Was reading the notes on how to do it at Netkas and keeping the power button pressed for the longer beep and still keeping it pressed... wasn't paying enough attention but a load bar was on the screen and then it shut down in the middle. Not sure if I was pressing the power button well enough all the time so I might have cut off the power in middle of flashing. It's bricked with the led flashing and a black screen when trying to fire it up. Feeling like a dork here. 👍
Found out there are ways to rewrite EFI with some tools but didn't find anything proper for it yet. Should I just trash the backplane and keep the rest for parts? (I have two others, one flashed and one about to get flashed.. or trashed)
Found out there are ways to rewrite EFI with some tools but didn't find anything proper for it yet. Should I just trash the backplane and keep the rest for parts? (I have two others, one flashed and one about to get flashed.. or trashed)
If you have the tools and you are capable of desoldering/soldering a 8-pin SMD, it's cheap (just a new SPI and desoldering/soldering supplies) and relatively easy to repair, but if you don't already have the tools or can desolder/replace/program/solder back the SPI flash, it's cheaper to just install a used replacement backplane.
Ahh yes found this late in the night https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...0.2132317/page-38?post=26423368#post-26423368
I think I can solder the SMD with a solder suctioner + solder wick and a pointy tip on the iron (although thinking a heat gun would do a better job there, but haven't got one and haven't got flux for desoldering either), and I've got a Raspberry running a 3D printer that could be used for the flashing but I have noob knowledge on anything Rasp. A friend installed it for me, maybe I could ask him for help with installing a flashing tool but first need to know which one and where to get it and where to get the ROM itself.
I stumbled upon this https://www.amibay.com/threads/unbricking-apple-mac-pro.53594/page-2
-> and I've got the MacProEFIUpdate.dmg downloaded for the cMP 2009
-> and had Unarchiver to unpack the MacProEFIUpdate.pkg to a directory
-> but when looking into the MacProEFIUpdate.pkg inside there with 'Show Package Contents' I only see file called "Payload". Unarchiver unpacks that Payload as just another "Payload-1." file but as a larger 5.1MB file. Hex Fiend shows there are directories and binary stuff etc mentioned in the resulting 5.1MB file so basically it looks to be a clump of files melted together. I'm probably missing something that is basic stuff for unix, but as a "dos dude" I have no idea how to "unpack" these files.
Is the old chip unusable? I need a new SPI chip to flash on?
12+ years old, will fail soon.
Yes.
Dump your old SPI and get it professionally upgraded/cleaned/reconstructed.
Is it possible to reconstruct it myself? Desoldered the SPI, dumped and at least the last few lines regarding the production date etc seem to be intact.
If you already have the intermediate files validated, cleaned and upgraded, sure.
The more info I find about this the deeper the rabbit hole goes 😬
I think I saw you mention somewhere to not upgrade a 4,1 to 5,1 by flashing the SPI manually with ie ch341a, and because I crapped the flashing of 4,1 -> 5,1 I now need to write the clean rom found inside the Mac Pro EFI update 1.4 that was meant for 2009 Mac Pros, if I’m not mistaking?
Then afterwards flash it with ROMtool when I have a reconstructed rom with serials etc?
And with the 1.4 EFI on SPI, can I use Blank Board Serializer to inject the serial?
Can you PM me what would it cost to reconstruct the rom if you have time for such a task? The original rom seems to have at least most of the vital info intact.
Why do it this convoluted way?
Just flash 144.0.0.0.0 MP51.fd, that you can extract from the 10.14.6 full installer from the Mac App Store, to the SPI flash memory. It's enough to boot again and it's the most recent generic firmware upgrade image.
Code:
/Install\ macOS\ Mojave/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/Firmware/MP51.fdCorrect.
Nope, doesn't work this way. BBS was made for Apple replacement boards, that have a full/complete BootROM image flashed minus just the SSN. When you run BBS, the software asks you to add the Mac Pro case SSN, just the SSN.
MP51.fd is a firmware upgrade image, not a complete BootROM image and doesn't have the NVRAM volume, hardware descriptor, SSN, HWC, SON, MLB SSN, and BD.
A Mac Pro flashed with MP51.fd boots, but can't login to Messages/FaceTime/iCloud and any software that requires serialization/authentication to work also fails. Another major thing missing is the hardware descriptor and the hardware sensors have no calibration/fine tuning - this is a big problem with dual CPU trays.
Sure, PM sent.
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Ahh now I understand it better, thanks for opening this up more.
I got the new SPI flashed and resoldered (couldn't do a proper job with a heatgun despite all the kapton and foil covering around, so went and soldered with a small tip .. was a hassle and almost broke the copper line on the board when re-positioning the chip). It started up by itself when I plugged the power cord (weird, was the PSU relay stuck from previous boot?) and runs well. I'll check the PM and get back to you, thanks for all this
