MP 1,1-5,1 MacPro5,1: BootROM thread | 144.0.0.0.0

[tsialex]

@tsialex
Just finished going through this awesomely long thread, Would like to thank you for your time and patience....

Have a Mid 2012 MP5,1 with a Radeon 8Gb RX VEGA 56 running Catalina using Dosdude's patch, the latest native MacOs is High Sierrra 10.13.6 but the Boot ROM wasnt updated it still is MP51.0087.B00.

I would like to update to 144.0.0.0.0 so
can I do it thru the macOSUpd.RecoveryHDUpdate.pkg described on #1,569 or should i try to reinstall High Sierra, mojave, path?
If macOSUpd.RecoveryHDUpdate.pkg is a go, can i do it from the High Sierra MacOS or do i need to upgrade to Mojave? and do i still need to disconnect/take out all drives, 4k monitors, pcie cards?

Thank you

There is a stickie thread exclusively for this topic. Please read the first post.

MP5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave (BootROM upgrade instructions thread)

Please fully read this first post, you will probably find that you have one or more problems described into the various notes below. Mojave will only install if you have upgraded your BootROM to the current release and your Mac Pro have a Metal capable GPU*. If you are trying to install Mojave...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[14dcutaneo]

Hi @tsialex. I'm here with the same issue I'm sure you're used to hearing by this point. I have been using Opencore on my 4,1->5,1 Mac Pro. When I've had issues, I NVRAM reset, and Windows will boot up without Opencore protection. Today, after solving some other problems, I noticed no matter what, the Mac would always boot right to Windows, bypassing Opencore. Google took me to another MacRumors thread, a guy with the same issue. In there, you instructed that he needed to 3x NVRAM reset with just a Mojave disk and a Windows disk, and that if it still booted to Windows, the bootrom was corrupted. Well, guess what my Mac Pro is now doing. I'm feeling hopeful after seeing all the help you gave others. I've seen you referred to a couple times as the 'BootROM Guru,' so any of your thoughts or help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!

I’m in a very similar situation. A NVRAM reset disabled OpenCore and my Mac Pro booted to Windows. Although, I can still boot to macOS. I have an old backup of my BootROM. I’m not positive its a clean dump, it was done many months ago. Should I just go ahead and restore it to be safe? Or is there an easy way to see if there are a bunch of secureboot certificates now.

 

[tsialex]

I’m in a very similar situation. A NVRAM reset disabled OpenCore and my Mac Pro booted to Windows. Although, I can still boot to macOS. I have an old backup of my BootROM. I’m not positive its a clean dump, it was done many months ago.

No "clean dump" exists for 9/10/12 years old Macs, besides a full BootROM reconstruction. The moment the Mac Pro was started for the first time, the NVRAM volume was not clean anymore/never will be again.

Should I just go ahead and restore it to be safe?

Nope.

Or is there an easy way to see if there are a bunch of secureboot certificates now.

You can do a basic binwalk, the default install from homebrew is already capable of showing SecureBoot X509 certificates/DBs/PKs.

People care too much/freak out about SecureBoot and just ignore all other problems like cross-flashed hybrids, NVIDIA binary blobs, variable multiplication, defective garbage collection, header corruption and the most basic one, plain age/usage. SecureBoot is only really an issue if you also have other problems.

 

[XB982]

First, my apologies if this is not the correct topic but I would like to share my experience with the System Firmware Version numbers that changed recently on my MacPro 5.1 (mid 2012):

Configuration:

2x 3.33 Ghz 6-core intel xeon
48 GB 1333 Mhz DDR3
Radeon RX 580 8 GB Sapphire Nitro+ on PCI slot 1
Samsung MZHPV512HDGL-000L1 512 GB Nvme blade on PCI slot 4
USB 3.0 interface on PCI slot 3
Big Sur 11.2.3 on the Samsung Nvme blade on PCI slot 4
Windows 10 pro on Crucial MX500 SSD drive on drive bay 2

OpenCore package 0.6.9 using the post #1314 from “Activate AMD hardware acceleration”
nvram 4D1FDA02-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B30102pencore-version
4D1FDA02-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B30102pencore-version REL-069-2021-05-03

Everything was working just fine until last week.
I could power my cMP and choose to work either on BigSur or Win10Pro with the OpenCore boot picker.
But I noticed at that stage, the selection of OS became sluggish, slow to react to either the mouse or the keyboard. But it did not bother me much.

One night, while I was on Win10Pro (just because Unreal Engine Nanite feature doesn’t work on MacOS yet), Win10Pro did an automatic update.

And since then, here are the issues I am facing:

1. After a shut down and restart, no more OpenCore boot picker. The computer will start in Win10Pro and that only.

2. After Win10Pro will boot, it will crash randomly and give a blue screen with the following message : “Kernel_security_check_failure”.

It will reboot automatically, still no OC boot picker and sometimes I can work for hours before the same screen appears again.

No new plugins installed, no new software installed just Win10Pro did automatic updates.

I updated to the latest Win10Pro security and other updates but still the same after reboot.

3. If I remove the Nvme blade PCI card with BigSur installed on it, the cMP boots in Win10Pro and never crashes again. So far…

4. Command+Option+P+R is not working.

Just one chime and the computer will not show OC boot picker and load Win10Pro.

It doesn’t matter if I remove the Win10Pro drive of its bay or if I reset the SMC.

I use an Apple mechanical keyboard plugged on one off the USB port behind the cMP, keyboard I use to type this text

5. When I remove the Win10Pro SSD drive off its bay, the cMP opens OC with these 3 choices :

- BigSur_NVME (normal)

- Recovery 11.2.3 (dmg) (normal)

- EFISECTOR (first time I see this).

5. When I checked the System Firmware Version in BigSur’s system report, it shows a new number : 9144.0.6.9. It used to be 144.0.0.0 if I remember correctly.

I had a power cut as well before all this while I was using BigSur but it rebooted correctly after.

I am helpless right now.

I use Macs since the Apple II. But this is beyond any problem I ever encountered.

I own a MacBookPro 15inch late 2013 running MacOS 10.13.6 and a MacMini late 2012 running MacOS 10.14.6 and they never had a single kernel panic since I bought them ! Of course, they are not tweaked as my venerable cMP

I will really appreciate if someone could guide me to solve these issues.

Thank you all for sharing all your knowledge on that forum !

 

[tsialex]

First, my apologies if this is not the correct topic but I would like to share my experience with the System Firmware Version numbers that changed recently on my MacPro 5.1 (mid 2012):

Configuration:

2x 3.33 Ghz 6-core intel xeon
48 GB 1333 Mhz DDR3
Radeon RX 580 8 GB Sapphire Nitro+ on PCI slot 1
Samsung MZHPV512HDGL-000L1 512 GB Nvme blade on PCI slot 4
USB 3.0 interface on PCI slot 3
Big Sur 11.2.3 on the Samsung Nvme blade on PCI slot 4
Windows 10 pro on Crucial MX500 SSD drive on drive bay 2

OpenCore package 0.6.9 using the post #1314 from “Activate AMD hardware acceleration”
nvram 4D1FDA02-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B30102pencore-version
4D1FDA02-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B30102pencore-version REL-069-2021-05-03

Everything was working just fine until last week.
I could power my cMP and choose to work either on BigSur or Win10Pro with the OpenCore boot picker.
But I noticed at that stage, the selection of OS became sluggish, slow to react to either the mouse or the keyboard. But it did not bother me much.

One night, while I was on Win10Pro (just because Unreal Engine Nanite feature doesn’t work on MacOS yet), Win10Pro did an automatic update.

And since then, here are the issues I am facing:

1. After a shut down and restart, no more OpenCore boot picker. The computer will start in Win10Pro and that only.

2. After Win10Pro will boot, it will crash randomly and give a blue screen with the following message : “Kernel_security_check_failure”.

It will reboot automatically, still no OC boot picker and sometimes I can work for hours before the same screen appears again.

No new plugins installed, no new software installed just Win10Pro did automatic updates.

I updated to the latest Win10Pro security and other updates but still the same after reboot.

3. If I remove the Nvme blade PCI card with BigSur installed on it, the cMP boots in Win10Pro and never crashes again. So far…

4. Command+Option+P+R is not working.

Just one chime and the computer will not show OC boot picker and load Win10Pro.

It doesn’t matter if I remove the Win10Pro drive of its bay or if I reset the SMC.

I use an Apple mechanical keyboard plugged on one off the USB port behind the cMP, keyboard I use to type this text

5. When I remove the Win10Pro SSD drive off its bay, the cMP opens OC with these 3 choices :

- BigSur_NVME (normal)

- Recovery 11.2.3 (dmg) (normal)

- EFISECTOR (first time I see this).

5. When I checked the System Firmware Version in BigSur’s system report, it shows a new number : 9144.0.6.9. It used to be 144.0.0.0 if I remember correctly.

I had a power cut as well before all this while I was using BigSur but it rebooted correctly after.

I am helpless right now.

I use Macs since the Apple II. But this is beyond any problem I ever encountered.

I own a MacBookPro 15inch late 2013 running MacOS 10.13.6 and a MacMini late 2012 running MacOS 10.14.6 and they never had a single kernel panic since I bought them ! Of course, they are not tweaked as my venerable cMP

I will really appreciate if someone could guide me to solve these issues.

Thank you all for sharing all your knowledge on that forum !

See your PMs, follow the instructions to the letter and I'll check your dump.

 

[cdf]

9144.0.6.9. It used to be 144.0.0.0 if I remember correctly.

Note that this change is expected. The OpenCore setup that you are using changes the firmware version to include the OC version (0.6.9 in this case).

 

[XB982]

Note that this change is expected. The OpenCore setup that you are using changes the firmware version to include the OC version (0.6.9 in this case).

Thank you for the clarification !
So even the '9' before 144.0.6.9 is part of the firmware version number change ?
Thanks,

 

[trifero]

First, my apologies if this is not the correct topic but I would like to share my experience with the System Firmware Version numbers that changed recently on my MacPro 5.1 (mid 2012):

Configuration:

2x 3.33 Ghz 6-core intel xeon
48 GB 1333 Mhz DDR3
Radeon RX 580 8 GB Sapphire Nitro+ on PCI slot 1
Samsung MZHPV512HDGL-000L1 512 GB Nvme blade on PCI slot 4
USB 3.0 interface on PCI slot 3
Big Sur 11.2.3 on the Samsung Nvme blade on PCI slot 4
Windows 10 pro on Crucial MX500 SSD drive on drive bay 2

OpenCore package 0.6.9 using the post #1314 from “Activate AMD hardware acceleration”
nvram 4D1FDA02-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B30102pencore-version
4D1FDA02-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B30102pencore-version REL-069-2021-05-03

Everything was working just fine until last week.
I could power my cMP and choose to work either on BigSur or Win10Pro with the OpenCore boot picker.
But I noticed at that stage, the selection of OS became sluggish, slow to react to either the mouse or the keyboard. But it did not bother me much.

One night, while I was on Win10Pro (just because Unreal Engine Nanite feature doesn’t work on MacOS yet), Win10Pro did an automatic update.

And since then, here are the issues I am facing:

1. After a shut down and restart, no more OpenCore boot picker. The computer will start in Win10Pro and that only.

2. After Win10Pro will boot, it will crash randomly and give a blue screen with the following message : “Kernel_security_check_failure”.

It will reboot automatically, still no OC boot picker and sometimes I can work for hours before the same screen appears again.

No new plugins installed, no new software installed just Win10Pro did automatic updates.

I updated to the latest Win10Pro security and other updates but still the same after reboot.

3. If I remove the Nvme blade PCI card with BigSur installed on it, the cMP boots in Win10Pro and never crashes again. So far…

4. Command+Option+P+R is not working.

Just one chime and the computer will not show OC boot picker and load Win10Pro.

It doesn’t matter if I remove the Win10Pro drive of its bay or if I reset the SMC.

I use an Apple mechanical keyboard plugged on one off the USB port behind the cMP, keyboard I use to type this text

5. When I remove the Win10Pro SSD drive off its bay, the cMP opens OC with these 3 choices :

- BigSur_NVME (normal)

- Recovery 11.2.3 (dmg) (normal)

- EFISECTOR (first time I see this).

5. When I checked the System Firmware Version in BigSur’s system report, it shows a new number : 9144.0.6.9. It used to be 144.0.0.0 if I remember correctly.

I had a power cut as well before all this while I was using BigSur but it rebooted correctly after.

I am helpless right now.

I use Macs since the Apple II. But this is beyond any problem I ever encountered.

I own a MacBookPro 15inch late 2013 running MacOS 10.13.6 and a MacMini late 2012 running MacOS 10.14.6 and they never had a single kernel panic since I bought them ! Of course, they are not tweaked as my venerable cMP

I will really appreciate if someone could guide me to solve these issues.

Thank you all for sharing all your knowledge on that forum !

So many problems with Windows 10 and OC...

 

[cdf]

Thank you for the clarification !
So even the '9' before 144.0.6.9 is part of the firmware version number change ?
Thanks,

Yes. If you're curious, you can take a look at the config.plist file to see this setting for yourself.

 

[XB982]

Yes. If you're curious, you can take a look at the config.plist file to see this setting for yourself.

Thank you ! I am curious now that I have this problem. I want to understand what is causing this. Particularly when everything was just fine before I can see we have a similar cMP. Which OC version do you use ? Did you modify the config.plist, apart from maybe change the size resolution at boot to get the Apple logo bigger ?

 

[XB982]

So many problems with Windows 10 and OC...

Indeed ! I wish I did not have to install it but some Unreal Engine 5 features don't work on MacOS yet.

 

[cdf]

Thank you ! I am curious now that I have this problem. I want to understand what is causing this. Particularly when everything was just fine before I can see we have a similar cMP. Which OC version do you use ? Did you modify the config.plist, apart from maybe change the size resolution at boot to get the Apple logo bigger ?

I use the latest version of OC with a custom configuration.

This is getting off topic for this thread, but I'll point you to the original resource for using OpenCore on the Mac Pro:

OpenCore on the Mac Pro

This guide explains how to use the excellent OpenCore boot loader to install, run, and update the latest version of macOS on the MacPro5,1, resulting in a clean, unaltered operating system just like on a supported Mac.

forums.macrumors.com

 

[XB982]

I use the latest version of OC with a custom configuration.

This is getting off topic for this thread, but I'll point you to the original resource for using OpenCore on the Mac Pro:

OpenCore on the Mac Pro

This guide explains how to use the excellent OpenCore boot loader to install, run, and update the latest version of macOS on the MacPro5,1, resulting in a clean, unaltered operating system just like on a supported Mac.

forums.macrumors.com

Thank you. I will check what OC and config.plist is used in this forum. Maybe I will find a config.plist that works for me.

 

[Alan Young]

Hello,
I don't mean to hijack the thread but I have a problem related to this whole thread.
4,1 flashed to 5,1 firmware sequence : 138.0, 140, 144.0. Open core on usb. Win 10 on ssd and Monterey on 2 blade pci raid. Everything was working correctly until...... I did something (not sure what ) and decided to reset NVRAM. Got 2 "dings", let the keys go, and nothing. When powered up, the fans run normally, there is a red led next to the single 3.33 tray that flashes normally, but nothing else. I'm afraid the NVRAM is toast. I guess I will have to buy a 4,1 backplane, replace the 3.33 6 core with the original 2.66 Nehelem and start over. My question is would it be a good idea to do a rom dump so if this happens again I can just replace the 25C3205D after programming it?
I can't seem to find a thorough procedure for dumping the rom. I have checked but it is quite confusing. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Alan

 

[tsialex]

Hello,
I don't mean to hijack the thread but I have a problem related to this whole thread.
4,1 flashed to 5,1 firmware sequence : 138.0, 140, 144.0. Open core on usb. Win 10 on ssd and Monterey on 2 blade pci raid. Everything was working correctly until...... I did something (not sure what ) and decided to reset NVRAM. Got 2 "dings", let the keys go, and nothing. When powered up, the fans run normally, there is a red led next to the single 3.33 tray that flashes normally, but nothing else. I'm afraid the NVRAM is toast. I guess I will have to buy a 4,1 backplane, replace the 3.33 6 core with the original 2.66 Nehelem and start over. My question is would it be a good idea to do a rom dump so if this happens again

Yes.

I can just replace the 25C3205D after programming it?

Yes, see the first post links. Remember that this will only get you booting again, no iCloud/Messages/FaceTime working, for that you will need a BootROM reconstruction.

I can't seem to find a thorough procedure for dumping the rom. I have checked but it is quite confusing. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Alan

For a newbie, to do a BootROM dump can be seen as confusing or difficult, but it's not. Once you have the requirements ready, it's just a two/three clicks operation.

• If you are running anything newer than Mavericks, you will need to disable SIP. You can boot your Recovery partition or you can boot a createinstallmedia USB installer (≥10.11) to disable SIP.
  
  Boot your Recovery partition or boot a createinstallmedia USB installer, open Terminal and then disable SIP with the command:
  

  csrutil disable

  Note: Yosemite SIP is not compatible with ROMTool/flashrom. Don’t use Yosemite at all.
  
• Do a BootROM dump using ROMTool, zip password is "rom". You need SIP disabled and no AV or any anti-malware running. ROMTool is usually a false-positive to any AV/anti-malware because it uses flashrom and DirectHWAccess.kext. If you have any AV/Malware detection tool installed, do a clean install on another disk, it will be easier and less time consuming than disabling/removing kexts/etc.
  
  
  If ROMTool asks you to confirm what is the model of your SPI flash, it's the 8-pin SOIC flash memory next to the PCIe AUX-B power connector, label U8700 - see the photos below. The model of the SPI flash memory is usually related to the model year:
  

  • with early-2009 almost all backplanes have SST25VF032B,
  • with mid-2010 usually is MXIC MX25L3205D, sometimes can be MXIC MX25L3206E, very rarely is SST25VF032B,
  • with mid-2012 usually is MXIC MX25L3206E, sometimes can be MXIC MX25L3205D.
  • If ROMTool don’t ask you the SPI model at all, Apple used a SST25VF032B.

 

[Alan Young]

I have to say, as a follower of this thread I am most impressed by not only the quick, but thorough reply. As a newbie, I thank you very much.
New 5,1 backplane arriving tomorrow along with a 5,1 tray.
Thanks again!
Alan Young

 

[tsialex]

One more example of a failed secondary VSS store, this mid-2010 BootROM image was sent by @flygbuss for a clean-up:

Garbage collection here stopped working long ago.

 

[zzzippp]

I am looking at converting my Windows 10 install from legacy BIOS to UEFI (yes, I know it's not recommended, and am aware of the downsides). I fortunately have a reconstructed BootROM for my mid-2010 MacPro 5,1 with many thanks to @tsialex. I am using the rEFIndPlus boot manager, which has an NVRAM protection feature that is supposed to prevent Windows from adding SecureBoot X509 certificates/DBs/PKs to a Mac's NVRAM.

But if for some unlikely reason Window's SecureBoot X509 certificates/DBs/PKs did get added, could I flash my reconstructed BootROM to clear out those entries and start over?

 

[tsialex]

I am looking at converting my Windows 10 install from legacy BIOS to UEFI (yes, I know it's not recommended, and am aware of the downsides). I fortunately have a reconstructed BootROM for my mid-2010 MacPro 5,1 with many thanks to @tsialex. I am using the rEFIndPlus boot manager, which has an NVRAM protection feature that is supposed to prevent Windows from adding SecureBoot X509 certificates/DBs/PKs to a Mac's NVRAM.

But if for some unlikely reason Window's SecureBoot X509 certificates/DBs/PKs did get added, could I flash my reconstructed BootROM to clear out those entries and start over?

Yes.

 

[Dewdman42]

I am using the rEFIndPlus boot manager, which has an NVRAM protection feature that is supposed to prevent Windows from adding SecureBoot X509 certificates/DBs/PKs to a Mac's NVRAM.

Which version of RefindPlus added that feature? Sounds like a worthy upgrade for me..

 

[tsialex]

Which version of RefindPlus added that feature? Sounds like a worthy upgrade for me..

ProtectSecureBoot is from OpenCore 0.5.6.

 

[Dewdman42]

I know ProtectSecureBoot is in OC. The previous poster said that its also available in RefindPlus. Is that not accurate? The advantage of using RefindPlus would be to avoid accidentally booting into Windows without OC.

 

[tsialex]

I know ProtectSecureBoot is in OC. The previous poster said that its also available in RefindPlus. Is that not accurate? The advantage of using RefindPlus would be to avoid accidentally booting into Windows without OC.

You can use RefindPlus, it's using OC protection, but it's even more secure to add OC to the ESP of your Windows disk.

 

[tsialex]

Several people sent PMs about Messages logins problems recently, seems Apple is doing one of the periodical Message clean-ups/improving the security checks.

The most common source of Messages issues that are BootROM related:

• clones - hello GJ0340TXH2N from MATT cards.
• missing hardwareIDs inside the BootROM, this happens even from factory.
• botched serialization process when backplanes were replaced in the past.
• users tampering with serials - yes people do this type of thing, like changing the SSN of early-2009 or mid-2010 to a mid-2012.

Btw, missing hardwareIDs can be solved with careful reconstruction, you can get all the hardware IDs except BuildDate from the labels on case/backplane. Like I wrote in the past, BD can be guessed to a very near date that works, the real one can only be extracted from the dump or from Apple's GSK.

 

[trifero]

Several people sent PMs about Messages logins problems recently, seems Apple is doing one of the periodical Message clean-ups/improving the security checks.

The most common source of Messages issues that are BootROM related:

• clones - hello GJ0340TXH2N from MATT cards.
• missing hardwareIDs inside the BootROM, this happens even from factory.
• botched serialization process when backplanes were replaced in the past.
• users tampering with serials - yes people do this type of thing, like changing the SSN of early-2009 or mid-2010 to a mid-2012.

Btw, missing hardwareIDs can be solved with careful reconstruction, you can get all the hardware IDs except BuildDate from the labels on case/backplane. Like I wrote in the past, BD can be guessed to a very near date that works, the real one can only be extracted from the dump or from Apple's GSK.

Laterally, one of those problems was solved when you made a ROM reconstruction for my Mac Pro 4,1->5,1. Can´t be grateful enough.