Did you run Software Updates and made all the updates? Did you run SilentKnight to be sure that you got the most recent XProtect and MRT?
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MP 1,1-5,1 MacPro5,1: BootROM thread | 144.0.0.0.0
- Thread starter tsialex
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Did you run Software Updates and made all the updates? Did you run SilentKnight to be sure that you got the most recent XProtect and MRT?
I checked for updates but didn't run SilentKnight (didn't know what it was...) I've booted back into my patched Catalina build as a have some work to do, but I ran SilentKnight to see what it does. The standout was that while I have SIP disabled, the text panel says:
❌ System Integrity Protection status: unknown (Custom Configuration).
Configuration:
Apple Internal: disabled
Kext Signing: disabled
Filesystem Protections: disabled
Debugging Restrictions: disabled
DTrace Restrictions: disabled
NVRAM Protections: disabled
BaseSystem Verification: disabled
This is an unsupported configuration, likely to break in the future and leave your machine in an unknown state.
Which probably isn't helping. I'll switch back to the Mojave install tomorrow and fix whatever issues SilentKnight throw up.
Thanks for the help so far, btw, it's appreciated.
With kext signing disabled DirectHW.kext should load.
What happens if DirectHW.kext is loaded directly?
try in Terminal:
What happens if DirectHW.kext is loaded directly?
try in Terminal:
Code:
sudo kextload "~/Library/Application Support/ROMTool/DirectHW.kext"
kextstat | grep DirectHWThis is the expected state for everything disabled, the SIP warning is normal for a Mac Pro running unsupported macOS releases and SIP disabled.
Several people in the past reported that one of the XProtect/MRT updates blocked DirectHW.kext and after updating everything, uninstalling ROMTool via AppCleaner and re-installing it, it started working again:
- Install SilentKnight and check if anything needs to be updated, do all the updates, reboot as needed,
- Uninstall ROMTool with AppCleaner, reboot,
- Install ROMTool again, should work.
Forget Catalina, don't waste your time trying to debug running a unsupported macOS release with an unknown state.
Use your clean install of Mojave to follow the steps of my previous post.
So that worked a treat. Thank you. Not sure which step did the trick but I have a successful dump. Using UEFITool I have free space of 30763, which I guess is low for a single CPU machine with 3 DIMMs but not in the red zone just yet. You finish your opening post on this thread with:
"The NVRAM is now the Achilles heel of our MacPro5,1 and I personally don't wait for the garbage collection to fail. Now I have a recurring appointment on my Calendar to flash the never booted BootROM image every 3 months. Since starting doing it, I never had a brick or any NVRAM problems - even with all my crazy tests that bricked so much times my backplanes in the past. Do the same."
How do I do this?
The never booted BootROM image is the cleaned, fully upgraded and improved BootROM image for your Mac Pro and is the final product of the BootROM reconstruction service, I'll send you a PM.
Firmware is 144.0.0.0.0 Not sure why the computer has the issue of black screen only when trying to perform a geekbench compute test or upscaling photos. Weirdest thing. It only happens when booted off of a NVMe card and not with SSD or HDD.
Just viewed CS Studio's YT video. He talks about getting my boot rom reconstructed and cleaned with your help - can you assist me in doing this, Please.
I've downloaded both the RomTool and the Macschraubers CMP RomDump tool as well.
I've reverted my OS to High Sierra - and trying to start a fresh.
My previous attempt to update the boot rom from 140.0.0.0 to 144.0.0.0 using the Mojave installer had failed, I had the flashing lights and sound but no update, so thought I'd back track and start again.
Please note, I'm not as programming proficient as other users on this forum.
Little history I'm running a 5,1 Mac Pro, that was working fine as an unsupported Mac running Monterey. I placed a new Open Core Legacy patcher in the Apps folder, with out running the installer on the drive. After that everything started going wrong. My Fusion Drive failed and I just can't get the computer behaving correctly.
I've downloaded both the RomTool and the Macschraubers CMP RomDump tool as well.
I've reverted my OS to High Sierra - and trying to start a fresh.
My previous attempt to update the boot rom from 140.0.0.0 to 144.0.0.0 using the Mojave installer had failed, I had the flashing lights and sound but no update, so thought I'd back track and start again.
Please note, I'm not as programming proficient as other users on this forum.
Little history I'm running a 5,1 Mac Pro, that was working fine as an unsupported Mac running Monterey. I placed a new Open Core Legacy patcher in the Apps folder, with out running the installer on the drive. After that everything started going wrong. My Fusion Drive failed and I just can't get the computer behaving correctly.
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I initially thought that you were the same person that just asked for help on the EnableGop thread with a cross-flashed early-2009 and answered to you based on that post, I've corrected my answer below.
I initially thought that you were the same person that just asked for help on the EnableGop thread with a cross-flashed early-2009 and answered to you based on that post, I've corrected my answer below.
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The first step is to do a deep NVRAM reset and a High Sierra clean install. Then check the BootROM image dump again and run the Mojave installer.
If the deep NVRAM reset can't get your BootROM image in a better shape and you can successfully update to 144.0.0.0.0, then a BootROM reconstruction service will be needed. I'll send you a PM about the BootROM reconstruction service.
Forget Fusion drives - seemed a very good idea at the time when we didn't knew about the failure rates. The SSD being used as cache only works for enterprise SSDs made with premium SLC NAND and when the SSD is periodically replaced as the wear levelling count increases.
Creating a Fusion drive with TLC/QLC consumer SSDs is an extremely bad idea and even Apple completely abandoned the tech years ago when the Macs that came from factory with Fusion drives started to fail the SLC SSDs used as write cache for the hard drive while still in the warranty period.
I have had problems lately with automatic reboots , crashes etc. I have isolated the issue to the UAD Arrow audio interface. But, in the process I noticed a change in the system firmware version. It reads 9144.0.9.2.0. Is this normal? Or, do I need to restore from my BootRom backup?
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9144.0.9.2.0 is just OpenCore masking the real version to avoid unwanted and incorrect firmware upgrades, so, normal, but this doesn't eliminate any problems with the BootROM image.
Since is an early-2009 Mac Pro, you must check the BootROM image for problems, it's very common to cross-flashed early-2009 to corrupt the NVRAM volume, causing all sort of issues.
Another thing to check is the RTC battery voltage.
I remember reading how to dump the BootROM to check it. Now to remember where I read it. I replaced the battery. Some issues do appear to be NVRam related so this is good counsel. I will check battery voltage tomorrow when I have energy to break down the system to access it. Again dánke!
First post of this thread have everything needed for you to start checking it.
Always replace the BR2032 battery for another identical one, if you replace with a CR2032, the heat from the GPU heatsink will cook the battery chemistry in months time.
Yep. You nailed it on both counts. I installed a CR2032 because that is what I had and what I installed a couple of years ago. So I will change that as soon as I can pick one up. And, the first article was what I remember when doing the research to go to OpenCore. Many thanks to you for your time and your interest.
Something is really wrong, let me take a look at this dump, I'll send a PM with instructions.
Yep, the most recent UEFITool that work correctly with MacPro5,1 BootROM images is UEFITool NE A63.
Release UEFITool NE/UEFIExtract/UEFIFind A63 · LongSoft/UEFITool
New features: it is now possible to paste GUIDs in raw EDK2 format into Search window as is without manual re-formatting, thanks to @mikebeaton support for HiDPI displays, thanks to @NikolajSchlej...
github.com
Edit: Added it to the first post of the thread.
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