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

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
alienkidmj12 said:
what is the best card to get without any modifications to psu etc.
Click to expand...
Extremely complex question, answer depends on a lot of things.

Please look at the first post of the thread below and ask any questions there:

forums.macrumors.com

GPU Compatibility List for cMP

Content: 1. Summary 2. Information on common GPUs that can be used in cMP 3. GPU power consumption 4. Color compatibility 5. Flashing nuances 6. What to choose? 7. Useful links. 1. Summary 1.1. There are 50+ GPU types that are compatible with cMP (classic MacPro = Mac Pro 1.1-5.1/...
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com
 
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it says "Btw, you can upgrade your firmware to 144.0.0.0.0 without installing Mojave, just close the installer after the firmware upgrade is done. Remember that you can't do that by USB, read the Upgrade firmware from USB note."
 
alienkidmj12 said:
it says "Btw, you can upgrade your firmware to 144.0.0.0.0 without installing Mojave, just close the installer after the firmware upgrade is done. Remember that you can't do that by USB, read the Upgrade firmware from USB note."
Click to expand...
Yes, but the fact that you really don't need to fully install Mojave to upgrade the BootROM that don't eliminate any of the requirements for the firmware upgrade process.

alienkidmj12 said:
ok so the upgrade process requires metal. that is pathetic :(
Click to expand...
METAL GPUs are available since 2012ish. I don't think that the requirement is unreasonable, since we all got a lease in life with Mojave.
 
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******* said:
Really, sometimes I don´t understand people...
Click to expand...
This shouldn't even warrant a discussion three years later, Mojave requirements are from September 2018.

NVIDIA GT710 or GT730 are examples of very inexpensive and easily found GPUs that can run Mojave, or upgrade to the Mojave BootROM, with reasonably performance for 2D tasks and up to HD resolution.

High Sierra is obsolete since 2020, while Mojave got a Security Update back in July and a Safari update two days ago to solve a security flaw.

About the security content of Security Update 2021-005 Mojave - Apple Support

This document describes the security content of Security Update 2021-005 Mojave.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

About the security content of Safari 14.1.2 - Apple Support

This document describes the security content of Safari 14.1.2.
support.apple.com support.apple.com
 
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tsialex said:
Sorry for the off-topic.

I recently bought a dead pristine MD770BZ/A (the single CPU mid-2012), missing just the RAM/GPU, from a media company liquidating old/defective gear. It was extremely cheap (~US$ 85 with shipping) and I bought it most for the immaculate case, but I had a tiny gleam of hope that it was a dead SPI flash memory.

I was right, the original MX25L3206E had a dead NAND cell right on the main VSS store and got it booting again the moment I installed the MATT card. Since then I replaced the SPI flash memory for a brand new MXIC MX25L3206E and started to look for a decent CPU to replace the beyond horrible factory Xeon W3565 (3.2GHz quad-core Nehalem 4.8 GT/s) and four 16GB DIMMs.

I've been tracking X5690 prices for a long long time - never personally had one since I'm a X5680 cost conscious guy - and from a month or so the AliExpress prices dropped to historic lows. Seems the obsolescence finally dropped the X5690 prices to reasonably levels. :p

Just bought one X5690 for US$ 34,11 with shipping.

View attachment 1825335


Now I need to find 16GB DIMMs with a decent price.
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Slightly off-topic/brick revival process:

Look what arrived earlier this week:

IMG_0332.JPG


The CPU tray from the pristine mid-2012 brick, that I bought as a case/dead from a media company, already completely cleaned (wasn't filthy from the get go, but when I refurb something I like to start with everything completely cleaned) and ready for the thermal paste application. The CPU tray now seems brand new, I'm very pleased with that.

IMG_0335.JPG


Applied GD460 thermal paste, since this is a more solid formulation than the usual thermal paste I prefer to use a little more and partially spread it myself:

IMG_0336.JPG


Re-installed the original push pins for the northbridge heatsink until the correct size screws and lock nuts arrive. Borrowed 4 x Micron 8GB RDIMMs from my early-2009 dual CPU tray - still looking for reasonably priced 2Rx4 16GB DIMMs.

Now I'm gonna test the hell out of the newly arrived X5690 and the previously dead backplane that I replaced the SPI flash memory with a brand new MXIC MX25L3206E.

IMG_0337.JPG


Btw, I took several photos of the SPI replacement process - I already posted from start to finish here back in September 2018 - but maybe I can do a one post resume will all the steps later.
 
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mid-2012_working.png


Bricked backplane back to life, no CPU tray red lights with the X5690, seems to be working just fine.

ADATA XPG SPECTRIX S40G.png


I've also got a 512GB ADATA XPG SPECTRIX S40G at the insane AliExpress promo last month. It's booting and sleeping perfectly and without any problems so far. I'll add it to the confirmed working PCIe blades list in a week or so, seems no one tested one with a Mac Pro yet. It's not the perfect M.2 blade for a Mac Pro with all the RGB lightning and the pseudo heatsink, but it was very cheap for a premium Chinese SLC cache blade.
 
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tsialex said:
View attachment 1834950

Bricked backplane back to life, no CPU tray red lights with the X5690, seems to be working just fine.

View attachment 1834957

I've also got a 512GB ADATA XPG SPECTRIX S40G at the insane AliExpress promo last month. It's booting and sleeping perfectly and without any problems so far. I'll add it to the confirmed working PCIe blades list in a week or so, seems no one tested one with a Mac Pro yet. It's not the perfect M.2 blade for a Mac Pro with all the RGB lightning and the pseudo heatsink, but it was very cheap for a premium Chinese SLC cache blade.
Click to expand...
SO nice.
 
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NoLemon said:
Hello, I think my 5.1 died.
its won't post.
The Bootrom was 144.0.0.0.0.
Its a 2010 with a W3680.
I never had the W killer Rom in there.

I removed pretty much everything except for WIFI and Bluethoth cards to find the problem.
I read the repair Manual, but I didn't get it 100%.

The red OV TEMP LED CPU-A CPU-B flash once when power is connected and when it is disconnected shorter.
If I press the DIAG button before I try to start it up, the 5V STBY is steady Yellow.

If I start it up, the fans spin up to normal, and the red LED on the Processor tray is flashing once red
but other wise it stays dark in there.
If I press the DIAG button I get the PSU LED green, the 5V STBY Yellow and the SYS PG LED is green.
but everything bellow is off.

I have installed WIN10, Boot Camp, to trigger the Titan Ridge Thunderbolt Card.
that worked very well so far.
Im pretty sure it is installed in Legacy mode, unless I completely misunderstood how to, which I doubt.
I unplugged the power, moved the machine 3 feet and plugged in, dead.
before that I had a little trouble to get bootcamp to boot in to OSX, it kept booting in to the recovery partition of OSX. Then after about 3 attempts it did boot into OSX again, but I think the next time I try to boot it was dead. Im not 100% sure though if it was once or twice.
I changed the CR battery also.

Is that a dead EFI ?

I could get a other one for more or less decent.
Since I have invested in CPU Graphics Ram and THB, I would like to stay in 10.13 or 10.14 for now.
Otherwise it will be a long upgrade tail since there is some old software I want to keep using.

Im a bit afraid it will happen again.
As far as I understood, there is no real evidence, what exactly causes the EFI to become corrupt.
there was strong Suspicion that Win10 Installed in EFI mode causes it.
I could be wrong about that, since the knowledge is probably much more advanced by now.

I hope it is not the wrong thread, if it is, please point me there, thanks a lot.

NoLemon
Click to expand...
Hi I recently have a very similar issue, my trusted 4,1 flashed 5,1 Lockup and then I have to power cycle to get it reboot. UPon power on, the machine simply refuse to post or chime. I tried various cleaning and reinstalling of other known working cpus or reduce the dimm to just one, no luck, never chime again! Does that sounds like a bricked backplane? No access to other Mac pro to confirm if the cpu tray is indeed working. If cpu tray is confirmed working most likely it is a bricked backplane.
 
zoltm said:
Hi I recently have a very similar issue, my trusted 4,1 flashed 5,1 Lockup and then I have to power cycle to get it reboot. UPon power on, the machine simply refuse to post or chime. I tried various cleaning and reinstalling of other known working cpus or reduce the dimm to just one, no luck, never chime again! Does that sounds like a bricked backplane? No access to other Mac pro to confirm if the cpu tray is indeed working. If cpu tray is confirmed working most likely it is a bricked backplane.
Click to expand...
EFI_DONE LED status?
 
zoltm said:
Doesnt lit.
Click to expand...
Unless you have a dead CPU tray, the most probable cause for a Mac Pro to have EFI_DONE off once you press the DIAG button, is a failed SPI flash memory that contains the BootROM image.

Think that the SPI flash memory is a consumable part, usually the NAND cells for the NVRAM region fail first, since it's a heavily used region and the SPI flash is around 11 to 12 years old by now.

If it's the SPI flash, you can replace it or use a SPI flash memory replacement like a MATT card. Read my posts around September 2018, the replacement procedure was explained in excruciating detail and no need to write it again.
 
tsialex said:
Unless you have a dead CPU tray, the most probable cause for a Mac Pro to have EFI_DONE off once you press the DIAG button, is a failed SPI flash memory that contains the BootROM image.

Think that the SPI flash memory is a consumable part, usually the NAND cells for the NVRAM region fail first, since it's a heavily used region and the SPI flash is around 11 to 12 years old by now.

If it's the SPI flash, you can replace it or use a SPI flash memory replacement like a MATT card. Read my posts around September 2018, the replacement procedure was explained in excruciating detail and no need to write it again.
Click to expand...
Thx for the advice as always, getting the spi flash replaced seems to be a long short for me in Hong Kong. I doubt we have that sort of expert vintage Mac repairer. I have indeed thought about getting another 4,1 and move all my other components over. I found one single cpu A1289 4,1 at roughly under 200 usd$. However given the not so demanding workflows, casual internet browsing, heavy YouTube, some handbrake transcoding, some lightroom processing, couple with this long thread of SPI flash failure really get me rethink the act of whether to get another vintage computer at this time. The 4,1 has been a great ride since my last 2009 mac mini die on me on 2016. THis trusted 4,1 has served me almost 5 full great years till this point. If I can, I would not mind using it for more years to come. However the M1 MAc mini seems to be quite a tempting offer given my workflows. Base on YouTube I watched, it seems to have edge over a 64G Mac Pro 2009. I am really in a crossroad now. May I ask, if I do go down the route of acquiring another 2009 4,1, is there any preventive measures that I can do to ensure a fair longevity of the unit?
 
zoltm said:
May I ask, if I do go down the route of acquiring another 2009 4,1, is there any preventive measures that I can do to ensure a fair longevity of the unit?
Click to expand...
Yes, you can start repairing the issues from the early-2009 to mid-2010 cross-flashing process and replacing the BR2032 RTC battery.

Maybe you can get a Mac Pro with less hours and the SPI flash runs longer, anyway, if you gonna have two Mac Pros, a MATT card (€65 + shipping from cmizapper) is a very worthy tool once you flashed your own Mac Pro BootROM image.

An early-2009 Mac Pro with the BootROM reconstructed and upgraded AirPort Extreme runs Big Sur 11.6 perfectly - all issues with recent Big Sur releases were finally solved by @Syncretic patch this weekend.
 
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tsialex said:
Yes, you can start repairing the issues from the early-2009 to mid-2010 cross-flashing process and replacing the BR2032 RTC battery.

Maybe you can get a Mac Pro with less hours and the SPI flash runs longer, anyway, if you gonna have two Mac Pros, a MATT card (€65 + shipping from cmizapper) is a very worthy tool once you flashed your own Mac Pro BootROM image.

An early-2009 Mac Pro with the BootROM reconstructed and upgraded AirPort Extreme runs Big Sur 11.6 perfectly - all issues with recent Big Sur releases were finally solved by @Syncretic patch this weekend.
Click to expand...
You mean this? Is it good for Monterey?

github.com

GitHub - reenigneorcim/SurPlus: A patch to mitigate the Big Sur/Monterey race condition

A patch to mitigate the Big Sur/Monterey race condition - reenigneorcim/SurPlus
github.com github.com
 
Ok... so if I wanted to go about dumping my BootROM to get it looked at to see if I need to start worrying about having it reconstructed I would need to do it from a Mac OS install not running OpenCore, and probably a Mac OS install that was actually supported on my Mac Pro (4,1>5,1) (which I assume means either Mojave or High Sierra)?
 
Avalon74 said:
Ok... so if I wanted to go about dumping my BootROM to get it looked at to see if I need to start worrying about having it reconstructed I would need to do it from a Mac OS install not running OpenCore, and probably a Mac OS install that was actually supported on my Mac Pro (4,1>5,1) (which I assume means either Mojave or High Sierra)?
Click to expand...
Correct, 10.9, 10.11~10.14 - 10.10 is not compatible. Also you need SIP disabled and no AV/AntiMalware installed.
 
Hello, running an early 2009 Mac Pro with BootROM 144.0.0.0.0 and have some concerns over system stability, etc. I've dumped the ROM and would really appreciate any light that can be shed or action I need to take, thanks.
 

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jayfunk said:
Hello, running an early 2009 Mac Pro with BootROM 144.0.0.0.0 and have some concerns over system stability, etc. I've dumped the ROM and would really appreciate any light that can be shed or action I need to take, thanks.
Click to expand...
Look, this image is useless and means nothing without the context. Context here as how you did the dump, the free space available in the VSS stores and the type of invalid entries.

Anyway, all cross-flashed early-2009 Mac Pros need a BootROM reconstruction, since the cross-flashing process results on a BootROM image made of MP4,1 and MP5,1 components and extremely prone to corruption. Also, the BootROM don't need to corrupt to brick a Mac Pro, it's very common to have SPI flash memory failure just from overuse of the NVRAM region of the SPI, since the MP4,1 NVRAM store lots of now invalid entries that only matter for MP4,1 firmwares.

I'll send you a PM on how to correctly dump the BootROM image and how to get all the necessary files/data.
 
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