MP 1,1-5,1 MacPro 5.1 (NOT flashed) Rom U8700 chip reprogramming HELP!!!

[Siski125]

Hi all!! Ok I have a "bricked" MacPro and I need to reflash my rom (chip U8700) and I never did this BUT would like to know How to do it. Yes I know that "tsialex" can help me but he's to busy and I respect him for this but is there someone else help me "guide" me into how to do this and what do I need PLEASE!! I am a newbie and I want to save my MacPro as it's my main computer that I have beside my MacBook pro that I can use for now. Ok For now I know that I need a new 1; Rom chip form Digi Key (MXIC MX25L3206E), 2; SPI flash programmer ch341a (Amazon), 3; A rom reader/writer ROMTool/flashrom. CHECK But for the rest I have no idea where or how to do this. I DID read tsialex post but just too scattered around and well just can't comprehend everything. I just want a clean post with links to files needed to put on the rom chip and how to do all of this (read/write) AND how to fix the iCloud/iMessage/FaceTime login problem after flashing. I just want to save my Mac I don't have the money to buy a new one so ANY HELP would be very WELCOMED!!!!

THANKS!!!!!!

 

[Macschrauber]

If Alex is too busy I send you a conversation.

 

[Siski125]

If Alex is too busy I send you a conversation.

Ok thanks!! BTW if it's tsialex that your talking about he's too busy and his explanation on how to do it in this post (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mp5-1-bootrom-thread-144-0-0-0-0.2132317/#post-26346453) it's just too long and scattered for me I just need 1-2-3-4-5 in just one post. Is there a YouTube vid to explaine this if even no one has time to help me? THANKS!!!

 

[Macschrauber]

This is a very special topic. There is no 1,2,3 guide. Check the conversation for the basic steps and use the search

Search results for query: Flashrom

forums.macrumors.com

 

[Siski125]

Ok red it a bit but what do I use flashrom or romtool??????? How can I unlock the sip when my mac pro is BRICKED I can't boot it. I wish there was a youtube video on how to do all of this, again too much things scattered around. I ordred the usb rom reader/writer and I can't get the rom chip from DigiKey not in stock. The thing that I don't understand is since my Mac Pro is bricked why copy a bricked rom chip and put it on another rom chip and bam you mac boots up, I just don't understand. If you guys do something like this PLEASE OH PLEASE do a YouTube video so that guys like me can "follow" step by step with links to software downloads etc..... I know you guys understand all of this but for a newbie like me is't just not clear. So what do I do now???

 

[Macschrauber]

You need to solder the chip off and read it with the programmer to hopefully extract the Hardware IDs what are stored in it.

With those IDs the firmware rebuilding is a little less time consuming.

You wont get a youtube video of knowledge and experience only a hand of people have.

Btw you completely ignore the instructions I gave in the conversation.

And no, I dont have time and equipment to record a movie.

 

[Siski125]

You need to solder the chip off and read it with the programmer to hopefully extract the Hardware IDs what are stored in it.

With those IDs the firmware rebuilding is a little less time consuming.

You wont get a youtube video of knowledge and experience only a hand of people have.

Btw you completely ignore the instructions I gave in the conversation.

And no, I dont have time and equipment to record a movie.

Hi there! No no no sorry if I said something about you making a YouTube video no no it's ANYBODY who would give the time to do this (If I can fully understand how to do this I might do it) because I'm not the only Mac pro user who's gonna have a bricked Mac sooner or later and this information would be very VITAL for them in the future. I bought a backplane but I don't know for how long it will last until it bricks me again so if I can understand all of this then I could make a few rom backups on chips and just remove and reinstall the new rom chip instead of buying a backplane every time. I used to hack Commodore 64's and Amigas like 25+ years ago and moded my Amiga 500 like crazy but I never did anything since I started to work on Macs so yeah I lost it all. I didn't ignore everything it's just the way that the post you sent me it's like a big puzzle to me so yeah I don't get the picture 100% I know for you you already see the picture but for me I don't that is why I'm asking for help and guidance. I just saw this post and wonder if I can just copy the rom onto a new chip as described? (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-pro-4-1-5-1-bricked-by-high-sierra-security-update.2270541/) One thing that I don't understand in this post is how do you know if your rom is bad, what do you see?

So up to know I know how to desolder the chip I work in electronics so no bigie for me on this, now I know that I need to work in OSX 10.9 for the SIP not been locked and Romtool to work too right? I got flashrom too but in the post that I just said earlier they just use Romtool but how or were do I put flashrom IF I need it?

Thanks!!!

 

[Macschrauber]

The link of Alex provides all information you need.

I recommend the additional step to read the old chip. To give the proper people the dump file to extract the IDs like built date what you cant read out of the stickers. Plus to investigate (maybe) what had led to the brick.

 

[Siski125]

The link of Alex provides all information you need.

I recommend the additional step to read the old chip. To give the proper people the dump file to extract the IDs like built date what you cant read out of the stickers. Plus to investigate (maybe) what had led to the brick.

Ok on the subject of brick, where do I start to look when I get my Mac up and running? I wish I knew what happened while I was gone from home for 4 hours the computer was on and when I came back I was hearing the boot chime looping and had a black screen (my monitor was in sleep mode after 30mins). I restarted back but again looping and no screen BUT I unplugged the power for a few mins to do a good reset then turned it back on and I get a normal chime and I get a whitish screen with faint vertical lines and this is how far it will go. So what can cause a Mac to brick?? I never did any mods on it, it is as stock since I bought it. One thing that Alex told me that the rom chip can handle up to 100,000 read/write.

Btw I was thinking since I’m getting a backplane why can’t I just copy the good rom and put it on a new chip? Good idea or not?

Thanks!!☺️

 

[Macschrauber]

You need to read and learn more.

The firmware contains individual data of your backplane like serial number, sails order number, etc etc.

We are running in circles btw. You have all the information you need.

Flash the generic firmware file extracted from the full install for 10.14.6 on a new chip and solder it in. If the firmware or the chip was the culprit the machine runs again but has no identity.

The content of the old chip is important to extract your Backplane IDs.

This is why I constantly make people backup their firmwares, even why I made a tool for it.

Get someone (Alex or me) to build you the correct firmware with your IDs and flash it back on the soldered in chip with RomTool, Flashrom or with my dumper.

I will stop telling the same things in circles until you get yourself up and read what is written several times.

 

[zedex]

The firmware contains individual data of your backplane like serial number, sails order number, etc etc

Hi @Macschrauber - about 12 months ago I stumbled across a post on this forum that looked like a 'terminal' report (text output) containing (amongst other things): date of purchase, sales order number, serial number, store where hardware was purchased etc.. it sounds exactly like the firmware dump you describe above.

My question is - do you know the terminal command / instruction I need to use to generate this result/report?

[unfortunately I never bookmarked the page where i originally saw this information, hopefully it's common knowledge and someone can help me out!!]

 

[Macschrauber]

Hi @Macschrauber - about 12 months ago I stumbled across a post on this forum that looked like a 'terminal' report (text output) containing (amongst other things): date of purchase, sales order number, serial number, store where hardware was purchased etc.. it sounds exactly like the firmware dump you describe above.

My question is - do you know the terminal command / instruction I need to use to generate this result/report?

[unfortunately I never bookmarked the page where i originally saw this information, hopefully it's common knowledge and someone can help me out!!]

I guess you are thinking of this binwalk thing like

DECIMAL       HEXADECIMAL     DESCRIPTION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0             0x0             UEFI PI Firmware Volume, volume size: 524288, header size: 1, revision: 0, EFI Firmware File System, GUID: 7A9354D9-0468-444A-CE81-0BF617D890DF
24972         0x618C          CRC32 polynomial table, little endian
35787         0x8BCB          mcrypt 2.2 encrypted data, algorithm: blowfish-448, mode: CBC, keymode: 8bit
243908        0x3B8C4         "EFI Release 144.0.0.0.0  (MP51.88Z.F000.B00.1904121248)"
524288        0x80000         UEFI PI Firmware Volume, volume size: 524288, header size: 1, revision: 0, EFI Firmware File System, GUID: 7A9354D9-0468-444A-CE81-0BF617D890DF
549260        0x8618C         CRC32 polynomial table, little endian
560075        0x88BCB         mcrypt 2.2 encrypted data, algorithm: blowfish-448, mode: CBC, keymode: 8bit
768196        0xBB8C4         "EFI Release 144.0.0.0.0  (MP51.88Z.F000.B00.1904121248)"
1048576       0x100000        UEFI PI Firmware Volume, volume size: 16384, header size: 1, revision: 0, EFI Firmware File System, GUID: 7A9354D9-0468-444A-CE81-0BF617D890DF
1064960       0x104000        UEFI PI Firmware Volume, volume size: 49152, header size: 1, revision: 0, GUID: 153D2197-29BD-44DC-59AC-887F70E41A6B
1065216       0x104100        Intel x86 or x64 microcode, sig 0x000106a5, pf_mask 0x03, 2018-05-11, rev 0x001d, size 12288
1077504       0x107100        Intel x86 or x64 microcode, sig 0x000206c0, pf_mask 0x13, 2009-08-20, rev 0x-ffea, size 8192
1085696       0x109100        Intel x86 or x64 microcode, sig 0x000206c2, pf_mask 0x03, 2018-05-08, rev 0x001f, size 11264
1114112       0x110000        UEFI PI Firmware Volume, volume size: 16384, header size: 1, revision: 0, EFI Firmware File System, GUID: 7A9354D9-0468-444A-CE81-0BF617D890DF
1130496       0x114000        UEFI PI Firmware Volume, volume size: 49152, header size: 1, revision: 0, GUID: 153D2197-29BD-44DC-59AC-887F70E41A6B
1130752       0x114100        Intel x86 or x64 microcode, sig 0x000106a5, pf_mask 0x03, 2018-05-11, rev 0x001d, size 12288
1143040       0x117100        Intel x86 or x64 microcode, sig 0x000206c0, pf_mask 0x13, 2009-08-20, rev 0x-ffea, size 8192
1151232       0x119100        Intel x86 or x64 microcode, sig 0x000206c2, pf_mask 0x03, 2018-05-08, rev 0x001f, size 11264
1179648       0x120000        UEFI PI Firmware Volume, volume size: 196608, header size: 1, revision: 0, Variable Storage, GUID: FFF12B8D-7696-4C8B-85A9-2747075B4F50
1179664       0x120010        "VSS Store Header"
1179710       0x12003E        "Begin of 1st VSS Stream MP5,1 (empty / rebuilt)"
1245255       0x130047        "Begin of 2nd VSS Stream (empty)"
1343488       0x148000        0x28000/0x148000! "Fsys 01040000 00000809"
1343500       0x14800C        "override Base 20"
1343511       0x148017        "Begin of Base blob"
1345187       0x1486A3        "Base 20"
1345197       0x1486AD        "ssn", 11 bytes, CKxxxEUG
1345215       0x1486BF        "EUG - Mac Pro (Mid 2010)"
1345223       0x1486C7        "son", 12 bytes, 000xxx8
1345536       0x148800        0x28800/0x148800! "Gaid 01040000 00001804"
1345548       0x14880C        "Gaid tsth 08"
1351676       0x149FFC        "Gaid checksum 5B 3A E4 D6 (01040000 00001804 ..10..)"
1376256       0x150000        UEFI PI Firmware Volume, volume size: 2686976, header size: 1, revision: 0, EFI Firmware File System, GUID: 7A9354D9-0468-444A-CE81-0BF617D890DF
1416828       0x159E7C        "EFI Release 144.0.0.0.0  (MP51.88Z.F000.B00.1904121248)"
4063232       0x3E0000        UEFI PI Firmware Volume, volume size: 65536, header size: 1, revision: 0, GUID: E3B980A9-5FE3-48E5-929B-2798385A9027
4128768       0x3F0000        UEFI PI Firmware Volume, volume size: 65536, header size: 0, revision: 0, Apple Boot Volume, GUID: 04ADEEAD-61FF-4D31-BAB6-64F8BF901F5A
4128920       0x3F0098        "Bootblock from 144.0.0.0.0 - rebuilt Firmware"
4194032       0x3FFEF0        "LBSN_BD sector" Build Date YYMMDDYYMMDD : 11xxx04 LBSN: Jxxx9A
4194284       0x3FFFEC        "LBSN from Mac Pro 5.1"

for privacy the data is shortened with xxx

the data in " (in my filters) are self made filters what are not public. I (and I guess Alex) is not sharing them because posting them would be a security nightmare.

Nobody should change those IDs, there are checksums and this will lead into a brick, a firmware that refuses to start the Mac.


My Dumper has some basic analyses of the nvram content plus a Tool to analyze an already made rom dump. But none of those Board IDs are shown. But of course they are in the dump.

Dropbox - File Deleted - Simplify your life

www.dropbox.com

 

[tsialex]

Hi all!! Ok I have a "bricked" MacPro and I need to reflash my rom (chip U8700) and I never did this BUT would like to know How to do it. Yes I know that "tsialex" can help me but he's to busy and I respect him for this but is there someone else help me "guide" me into how to do this and what do I need PLEASE!! I am a newbie and I want to save my MacPro as it's my main computer that I have beside my MacBook pro that I can use for now. Ok For now I know that I need a new 1; Rom chip form Digi Key (MXIC MX25L3206E), 2; SPI flash programmer ch341a (Amazon), 3; A rom reader/writer ROMTool/flashrom. CHECK But for the rest I have no idea where or how to do this. I DID read tsialex post but just too scattered around and well just can't comprehend everything. I just want a clean post with links to files needed to put on the rom chip and how to do all of this (read/write) AND how to fix the iCloud/iMessage/FaceTime login problem after flashing. I just want to save my Mac I don't have the money to buy a new one so ANY HELP would be very WELCOMED!!!!

THANKS!!!!!!

Seems the problem is not the information being over a few posts, but your wrong assumptions and missing knowledge.

 

[tsialex]

Ok red it a bit but what do I use flashrom or romtool??????? How can I unlock the sip when my mac pro is BRICKED I can't boot it. I wish there was a youtube video on how to do all of this, again too much things scattered around. I ordred the usb rom reader/writer and I can't get the rom chip from DigiKey not in stock. The thing that I don't understand is since my Mac Pro is bricked why copy a bricked rom chip and put it on another rom chip and bam you mac boots up, I just don't understand. If you guys do something like this PLEASE OH PLEASE do a YouTube video so that guys like me can "follow" step by step with links to software downloads etc..... I know you guys understand all of this but for a newbie like me is't just not clear. So what do I do now???

So, you want a video explaining how to desolder, dump, flash the MP51.fd to the SPI flash with an external SPI flash programmer, solder it back to the backplane, assemble the Mac Pro, test the backplane, reconstruct the original BootROM from the dump and labels and finally flash it?

This is an extreme complex and multidisciplinary job - Mac Pro BootROM is not just a firmware. I already told you multiple times on the other thread that a Mac Pro is not a C64, II or 90's PC that you have one firmware image that you can use with all units manufactured. There are much more inside the BootROM than that.

How many people outside Apple firmware engineers can reconstruct a Mac Pro BootROM correctly from scratch? This demands years of knowledge/RI - here on MacRumors we have about two and the second one was taught how to do it by me.

Anyway, if I learned how to do it without having access of any specific information outside the Intel own TIANO specification, you easily and surely can do it now with all the documentation I provided over the last few years on the MacPro5,1 BootROM thread.

 

[Valdaquendë]

I ran across this thread while looking for detailed information on using a programmer to flash the SPI. I understand the OP's desire to have a simple, easy-to-follow answer but tsialex and Macschrauber are right; this is a complex task requiring multiple skills and the help of experts.

I've spent a lot of time at the 5,1 BootROM thread and I expect to spend a lot more. The knowledge and shared experience there (and elsewhere in these forums) has been nothing short of awesome and has helped (and is helping) me to become a better technician and computer-user in so many ways.

I just wanted to publicly tip my hat to tsialex, Macschrauber and the hundreds of others in these forums who have taken the time and effort to share what they know, making knowledge available to us that would be virtually impossible to find any other way ... and making us all better users/techs for it. Thank you.