MP 1,1-5,1 MacPro5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave (10.13/10.14 BootROM upgrades instructions thread)

[tsialex]

OK i will search in the 27 pages

There is not a solution that resolves all problems. Some people can't get into Firmware Programming Mode, some used hacked installs, some have problems with Metal detection, some have corrupted EFI partition, etc.

You have to find what your problem really is, I tried to put most info into the first post and to give pointers to people troubleshoot, but I can't give a solution that works for everyone. Read the thread, you will find something that will help you.

 

[lbuisson]

Hi after multiple try without HDD only usb mojave install key update was working well and now I'm still in HS but 140 boot rom

 

[chris.pielkenrood]

Your best bet is to simplify and use just one disk and GT120 to get MP51.0089.B00.

Pulled out all drives and installed the gt120. Made an usb installer of High Sierra. But i keep on being stuck at the point the installer is asking me to connect my magic mouse. It Will not succeed! Now i read about more people with Bluetooth issues on the usb High Sierra installer. Will try again later this week with usb attached keyboard and mouse.

 

[tsialex]

Pulled out all drives and installed the gt120. Made an usb installer of High Sierra. But i keep on being stuck at the point the installer is asking me to connect my magic mouse. It Will not succeed! Now i read about more people with Bluetooth issues on the usb High Sierra installer. Will try again later this week with usb attached keyboard and mouse.

Added a note about that on the first post.

 

[chris.pielkenrood]

Added a note about that on the first post.

Ok, the story continues. I have attached the wired mouse and keyboard. So i am using the High Sierra usb installer as mentioned. First I erase the hdd with Disk Utility and then move over to the install. It says 6 minutes to install at the begining but after 4 it quits the installation. Reboots and then gives the white screen without the Apple logo. Manual restarting and loading the USB installer get’s me back to the beginning.

When using the Mojave installer it mentioned that a metaal GPU has to be installed and filevault to be disabled. Please note that the GT120 is installed.

 

[davidzero]

I have a MacPro Early 2009, flashed to 5,1. Although I had already upgraded to HS, I downloaded and opened the full Mac App Store installer for High Sierra 10.13.6 to flash the boot rom from 0085 to 0089. I'm still using the GT120 card.

I went through the firmware update process successfully (pressed and hold start up button until flashing light and tone, followed by the grey screen with progress bar, cd-rom eject, and restart), however the boot rom is still shown as 0085.

When I attempt to re-install the firmware update using the full installer, it no longer prompts me with the firmware update screen, and instead prompts me to continue with the rest of the HS installation. I've tried re-downloading the HS full installer with the same results.

Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong?

 

[tsialex]

I have a MacPro Early 2009, flashed to 5,1. Although I had already upgraded to HS, I downloaded and opened the full Mac App Store installer for High Sierra 10.13.6 to flash the boot rom from 0085 to 0089. I'm still using the GT120 card.

I went through the firmware update process successfully (pressed and hold start up button until flashing light and tone, followed by the grey screen with progress bar, cd-rom eject, and restart), however the boot rom is still shown as 0085.

When I attempt to re-install the firmware update using the full installer, it no longer prompts me with the firmware update screen, and instead prompts me to continue with the rest of the HS installation. I've tried re-downloading the HS full installer with the same results.

Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong?

You probably downloaded the partial installer, the full installer is ~5,23GB, check this.
[doublepost=1546295598][/doublepost]

Ok, the story continues. I have attached the wired mouse and keyboard. So i am using the High Sierra usb installer as mentioned. First I erase the hdd with Disk Utility and then move over to the install. It says 6 minutes to install at the begining but after 4 it quits the installation. Reboots and then gives the white screen without the Apple logo. Manual restarting and loading the USB installer get’s me back to the beginning.

When using the Mojave installer it mentioned that a metaal GPU has to be installed and filevault to be disabled. Please note that the GT120 is installed.

You can’t install Mojave with a GT120 installed.

 

[davidzero]

You probably downloaded the partial installer, the full installer is ~5,23GB, check this.
[doublepost=1546295598][/doublepost]
You can’t install Mojave with a GT120 installed.

Yes - it was the full 5GB installer.

 

[tsialex]

Yes - it was the full 5GB installer.

Ok, try doing as the first post “when nothing works”.

 

[Macbookprodude]

Ok, try doing as the first post “when nothing works”.

While i have yet to get a metal card, is it worth it spend the money for a metal card(recommendations ?) and run Mojave on a 5,1 Mac Pro ?

 

[tsialex]

While i have yet to get a metal card, is it worth it spend the money for a metal card(recommendations ?) and run Mojave on a 5,1 Mac Pro ?

Yes, Mojave works nicely with MP5,1. Buy one of the recommended GPUs by Apple, don’t experiment with the might work list.

 

[watakoola]

Yes, Mojave works nicely with MP5,1. Buy one of the recommended GPUs by Apple, don’t experiment with the might work list.

What he said! The path of least resistance is to buy the card, throw it in, and then enjoy Mojave. Worked fine for me with the Radeon RX 580 8192 MB card.

 

[rgraetz]

.

 

[chris.pielkenrood]

I just do not understand

I erased my HDD and started with a clean El Capitan installation. Just went fine. Now I have upgraded to High Sierra and my firmware is still the same. MP51.0085.B00. Cant figure out why my firmware is not upgrading.

 

[crjackson2134]

How did you upgrade?

You have to use the full installer package. If you are simply using the MAS update feature, or using an installer with out the full firmware payload it won’t update the firmware.

 

[bsbeamer]

You also need to be using an EFI GPU to get from .0085 > MP51.0089.B00
Remove all non-EFI GPU's from machine.
Use only one EFI GPU for firmware update to .0089

 

[chris.pielkenrood]

How did you upgrade?

You have to use the full installer package. If you are simply using the MAS update feature, or using an installer with out the full firmware payload it won’t update the firmware.

I used the full installer downloaded through the app from dosdude1. Also i only have my macos hdd in my mp and ejected all other hdd’s. I also have installed my GT120 GPU.

When I downloaded the full installer I updated my system by opening the installer. Did I had to make a bootable USB installer?

 

[crjackson2134]

I used the full installer downloaded through the app from dosdude1

I have no idea if that installer can be used for a firmware update.

Why didn’t you use the Apple link to download the full installer?

 

[bsbeamer]

Download full installer from Apple App Store.

Believe this is still the link for 10.13.6:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-high-sierra/id1246284741?ls=1&mt=12

 

[flowrider]

I used the full installer downloaded through the app from dosdude1. Also i only have my macos hdd in my mp and ejected all other hdd’s. I also have installed my GT120 GPU.

When I downloaded the full installer I updated my system by opening the installer. Did I had to make a bootable USB installer?

To get the 140.0.0.0.0 Boot ROM you need to download the Full 10.14.2 installer, available here:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-mojave/id1398502828?mt=12

I do not believe you can update the Boot ROM with the GT120 installed.

Lou

 

[chris.pielkenrood]

Download full installer from Apple App Store.

Believe this is still the link for 10.13.6:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-high-sierra/id1246284741?ls=1&mt=12

OK I will do this and do a clean install. Thanks for the help, I Will let you know.

 

[bsbeamer]

OK I will do this and do a clean install. Thanks for the help, I Will let you know.

No need to clean install.
Download the full installer with EFI GPU installed.
Open the full installer.
You will be prompted for firmware update.
Update MP51.0085.B00 > MP51.0089.B00.

After you're on MP51.0089.B00 you can update to 138.0.0.0.0 or 140.0.0.0.0 with the Mojave full installer, if you desire. (This does not require updating OS to Mojave and works fine with High Sierra, but need to download Mojave full installer for firmware.)

The 138 and 140 updates do not require EFI GPU to be installed, but believe they do require a Metal GPU (not the GT120).

 

[chris.pielkenrood]

No need to clean install.
Download the full installer with EFI GPU installed.
Open the full installer.
You will be prompted for firmware update.
Update MP51.0085.B00 > MP51.0089.B00.

After you're on MP51.0089.B00 you can update to 138.0.0.0.0 or 140.0.0.0.0 with the Mojave full installer, if you desire. (This does not require updating OS to Mojave and works fine with High Sierra, but need to download Mojave full installer for firmware.)

The 138 and 140 updates do not require EFI GPU to be installed, but believe they do require a Metal GPU (not the GT120).

Ok, I downloaded the full installer. I know this is the full-installer because after clicking, it requested me to shutdown so the new firmware can be installed. I pressed the shut down button in the menu. Waited for the Mac to be fully shutdown and pressed the power button untill it flashes. Then a feelw moments after this the long Chime comes on, I see the grey bootscreen (without logo and status bar) this remains for 1 or 2 minutes. Then the Apple appaers with the status bar and it just boots regularly. I check the FW and it remains at MP51.0085.B00. Nothing changed. I tried multiple times, and all with the same result. So i am already on HS, only have 1 ssd drive connected, no USB devices exept Mouse and Keyboard and have the gt120 GPU installed.

I will now try to do fresh install of El Capitan and then download full installer to try again. See if this works.

 

[bsbeamer]

This is with 10.13.6 installer and authentic, Apple-issued GT120 installed?

Follow the on-screen prompt. You should not be shutting down yourself through menu. Initialize shutdown through update firmware popup/menu. Hold and continue to hold the power button until it blinks and after the long beep/chime stops. Some people release this too early and others need to attempt numerous times. Seems to happen more with 4,1>5,1 machines. Also more with machines that have bootcamp and/or windows installed.

 

[pojavi]

Hi all. I am waiting some components I bought to upgrade my MP 4,1 flashed to 5,1, and I wanted to use a samsung evo 970 nvme 250 GB to speed up mojave. Right now I have high sierra installed, but I am planning to upgrade de gpu to have metal compatibilty and install mojave.

Is it true that once I have mojave, firmware 140.0.0.0.0 supports nvme using an adapter pcie and boot natively?.

Besides, the adapters I found are pcie x4 or pcie x16. So I don´t know which one to buy:
https://www.amazon.es/dp/B00MYCQP38...olid=267ATVTJ9VL6L&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
https://www.amazon.es/Adwits-Express-Adapter-disipador-Ajusta/dp/B07GWNB1CX

Thanks in advance.