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

[boody]

Thank you SO much @tsialex for all your hard work and diligence on this thread. It's giving me the courage to finally try to update my old beast.

I've read the original post repeatedly, and scoured as many of the comments pages as I could, but I want to make sure I have the right answers to 4 questions.

1. I have an EFI flashed radeon r9 280x, and I can't for the life of me find my old original gfx card. (I know it's somewhere, but I've moved three times since I replaced it, so it's hiding somewhere deep in the dungeons). Since the r9 is equivalent to a 7950, does that mean I can begin my attempt at this firmware+high sierra install+firmware+mojave install process using my 280x?

2.

MP51.0087.B00

10.13.5

General release

Missing microcodes and bricks the Mac Pro if you boot UEFI installed Windows 10

This line is scary as hell to me, because I currently dual boot Windows 10 installed from a windows dvd (does that mean it's UEFI installed? I can't quite understand what that means in this context) and OSX 10.8.5 running on separate drives, by holding alt at startup and choosing my boot disk. Can you confirm that upgrading *PAST* this firmware (to the recommended first step of MP51.0089.B00, and then on to the mojave firmware) will NOT brick my computer if I continue to dual boot with Windows 10? Does Mojave play nice with a Windows 10? I can't seem to find much solid information about this.

3. I think I got this part, but I want to make sure: I can *update* from 10.8.5 using the High Sierra installer without wiping my current disk (yes I'll be backing up my 10.8.5 system with a cloned drive of course, but still), and then *update* from High Sierra to Mojave without wiping the disk, right? The high sierra install will replace the HFS+ filesystem with an APFS while keeping the file system intact, so I don't need to do all this on a separate clean drive that's already formatted to work with APFS?

4. Since the mojave firmware will allow for previous OS's to boot still, I can definitely keep my old disk and continue to boot to it in 10.8.5 while having my new/cloned disk run mojave? There shouldn't be any change with the way I was running 10.8.5 on my old disk just because there's new firmware?

My apologies if this stuff was already answered in the comments, or if I misunderstood anything in the original post, but it was hard to wade through all 71 pages of comments. Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks again for all your work!

Mac Pro 5,1 Mid 2010
2 x 2.4 quad core xeon
22gb 1066mhz ram
AMD radeon r9 280x 3gb
OS X 10.8.5 / Windows 10 on separate drives

 

[tsialex]

Thank you SO much @tsialex for all your hard work and diligence on this thread. It's giving me the courage to finally try to update my old beast.

I've read the original post repeatedly, and scoured as many of the comments pages as I could, but I want to make sure I have the right answers to 4 questions.

1. I have an EFI flashed radeon r9 280x, and I can't for the life of me find my old original gfx card. (I know it's somewhere, but I've moved three times since I replaced it, so it's hiding somewhere deep in the dungeons). Since the r9 is equivalent to a 7950, does that mean I can begin my attempt at this firmware+high sierra install+firmware+mojave install process using my 280x?

2.

MP51.0087.B00

10.13.5

General release

Missing microcodes and bricks the Mac Pro if you boot UEFI installed Windows 10

This line is scary as hell to me, because I currently dual boot Windows 10 installed from a windows dvd (does that mean it's UEFI installed? I can't quite understand what that means in this context) and OSX 10.8.5 running on separate drives, by holding alt at startup and choosing my boot disk. Can you confirm that upgrading *PAST* this firmware (to the recommended first step of MP51.0089.B00, and then on to the mojave firmware) will NOT brick my computer if I continue to dual boot with Windows 10? Does Mojave play nice with a Windows 10? I can't seem to find much solid information about this.

3. I think I got this part, but I want to make sure: I can *update* from 10.8.5 using the High Sierra installer without wiping my current disk (yes I'll be backing up my 10.8.5 system with a cloned drive of course, but still), and then *update* from High Sierra to Mojave without wiping the disk, right? The high sierra install will replace the HFS+ filesystem with an APFS while keeping the file system intact, so I don't need to do all this on a separate clean drive that's already formatted to work with APFS?

4. Since the mojave firmware will allow for previous OS's to boot still, I can definitely keep my old disk and continue to boot to it in 10.8.5 while having my new/cloned disk run mojave? There shouldn't be any change with the way I was running 10.8.5 on my old disk just because there's new firmware?

My apologies if this stuff was already answered in the comments, or if I misunderstood anything in the original post, but it was hard to wade through all 71 pages of comments. Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks again for all your work!

Mac Pro 5,1 Mid 2010
2 x 2.4 quad core xeon
22gb 1066mhz ram
AMD radeon r9 280x 3gb
OS X 10.8.5 / Windows 10 on separate drives

1) Yes, but only if it's an EFI flashed GPU and have pre-boot configuration support working. A non-flashed PC GPU will not work for firmware flashing a High Sierra firmware. Apple High Sierra firmware upgrades require pre-boot configuration support/Mac EFI:

Install a Mac EFI64 GPU. Any original Apple card from 2008 to 2012 (HD 2600XT, 8800GT, Quadro FX 5600, GT120, HD 4870/5770/5870) or 3rd party Mac EFI cards like Sapphire HD 7950 Mac Edition, eVGA GTX 680 Mac Edition, NVIDIA Quadro 4000/K5000 or self-flashed/MVC flashed cards. Please note that if your flashed GPU is not macOS installer compatible, like NVIDIA GPUs from Maxwell and Pascal generations, you need to install one that is.​

2) Windows 10 CSM/BootCamp installs won't crash with MP51.0087.B00, but Windows 10 installed via an UEFI install is an instant crash that will cause a brick with MP51.0087.B00. Never boot Windows 10 UEFI with MP51.0087.B00. Follow the first post instructions and upgrade to MP51.0089.B00 and then 144.0.0.0.0.

3 and 4) I understand that you are a newbie and want reassurance, but both questions are answered with very clear notes on the first post of the thread and if you read the thread like you said you read, you saw it answered multiple times alread. No need to re-write it over and over here.

 

[boody]

Thank you for your answers. I can appreciate what you're saying about multiple posts, and I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but it's exactly because I'm a newbie that I suppose I don't quite understand the note about question (3). Number (4) I can presume things will be OK based on the previous notes/comments -- sorry about that.

"- Upgrade your firmware from High Sierra installed in an APFS drive:

A lot of people report that can't upgrade the BootROM from High Sierra installed with HFS+, so use a new/empty drive to install High Sierra from an APFS partition. Btw, Mojave requires APFS.

Keep it simple and use Apple defaults when upgrading Mac Pro firmware."

I think the above is the note you're referring to when you say (3) has been clearly answered, but I still don't quite understand: what I'm trying to ask (perhaps badly) is that if I install High Sierra, and I select the default option to upgrade to APFS, will this suffice, or is it still substantially better to use an empty drive to ensure a smooth install?

 

[tsialex]

Thank you for your answers. I can appreciate what you're saying about multiple posts, and I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but it's exactly because I'm a newbie that I suppose I don't quite understand the note about question (3). Number (4) I can presume things will be OK based on the previous notes/comments -- sorry about that.

"- Upgrade your firmware from High Sierra installed in an APFS drive:

A lot of people report that can't upgrade the BootROM from High Sierra installed with HFS+, so use a new/empty drive to install High Sierra from an APFS partition. Btw, Mojave requires APFS.

Keep it simple and use Apple defaults when upgrading Mac Pro firmware."

I think the above is the note you're referring to when you say (3) has been clearly answered, but I still don't quite understand: what I'm trying to ask (perhaps badly) is that if I install High Sierra, and I select the default option to upgrade to APFS, will this suffice, or is it still substantially better to use an empty drive to ensure a smooth install?

Your idea is flawed from the start and APFS or no APFS won't matter at all (only matters to people that forced HFS+ installs with Mojave or used RAID with High Sierra/Mojave) with your case since you can't upgrade Mountain Lion to High Sierra and you can't install High Sierra to a Mac Pro that don't yet has the BootROM MP51.0089.B00.

The first post has full instructions for your exact case and the instructions clearly show that you need to start from scratch with Sierra to an empty disk. Download Sierra installer from the Mac App Store, make a createinstallmedia USB installer, remove all other disks from your Mac Pro besides the empty one that you will do the Sierra install, boot from it, then you download and upgrade to High Sierra doing the firmware upgrade as asked by the High Sierra installer:

1. Download Sierra (10.12.6) - don't use 10.13/10.14 to this, both require firmware updates to install. Download from the Mac App Store, don't use hacked installs, torrents, etc.
2. Use createinstallmedia to create a USB key installer.
3. Shutdown your Mac Pro and remove all PCIe cards except your Mac EFI GPU.
4. Clear your Mac Pro SMC and NVRAM - clear NVRAM 3 times sequentially.
5. Remove all disks except the one that you will do a clean install of 10.11.6/10.12.6.
6. Power on your Mac Pro and do a clean install of 10.11.6/10.12.6.
7. After 10.11.6/10.12.6 is installed, download 10.13.6 full Mac App Store installer and open it, the High Sierra installer will ask you to perform a firmware update, shutdown your Mac Pro and do it. Download from the Mac App Store, don't use hacked installs, torrents, etc.
8. After your Mac Pro restarts, close the installer and go to SystemInformation and check if your BootROM is MP51.0089.B00 now. If not, you did something wrong.
9. Use createinstallmedia to create a USB key installer of High Sierra, power off your Mac Pro.
10. Power on your Mac Pro, boot from the createinstallmedia USB-key and do a clean install of 10.13.6 - always do clean installs.
11. After 10.13.6 is installed, shutdown your Mac Pro and replace your original GPU with a Metal supported one.
12. Power on your Mac Pro and download 10.14.6 full Mac App Store installer. Download from the Mac App Store, don't use hacked installs, torrents, etc. Open it, the Mojave installer will ask you to perform a firmware update, shutdown your Mac Pro and do it.
13. After your Mac Pro restarts, check if your BootROM is 144.0.0.0.0, if it is, you can create a USB-key and do a clean install of Mojave now. If you have a NVIDIA GTX 680, then you have to do a clean install from your 10.13.6 disk into another disk, since USB installer has a bug that don't identify GT640/740, GTX 680/780/Quadro K5000 as a METAL supported GPU.

​

Good luck.

 

[boody]

full instructions for your exact case

OK, thanks for taking the time to answer. I suppose I didn't read the words "If nothing above works for you, try this:" as an indication that I'd need to install el cap/sierra first, since the original post doesn't mention that at all, and I have yet to try the process, so I haven't gotten to the "nothing works for you" stage. But I appreciate you answering all the same, and I'll go ahead and follow the instructions that follow that line to install sierra on a blank drive first, then go back and do the main process described.

 

[tsialex]

OK, thanks for taking the time to answer. I suppose I didn't read the words "If nothing above works for you, try this:" as an indication that I'd need to install el cap/sierra first, since the original post doesn't mention that at all, and I have yet to try the process, so I haven't gotten to the "nothing works for you" stage. But I appreciate you answering all the same, and I'll go ahead and follow the instructions that follow that line to install sierra on a blank drive first, then go back and do the main process described.

Both If you have an earlier than MP51.0089.B00 BootROM version, these are the steps to upgrade your BootROM to have Mojave support: and If nothing above works for you, or you use a macOS version earlier than El Capitan, try this: applies to you, since you are a Mountain Lion user and you have a pre-High Sierra BootROM release.

I've added the or you use a macOS version earlier than El Capitan to make this even clearer on the first post.

 

[Abso_1]

Thank you @tsialex for your work ! It helped me a lot !

But I have to say, I’m a bit lost and kind of hopeless after all my attempts … Maybe because I’m not completely fluent in English.

Sorry if it’s redundant .. but at this stage I need to explain my case :


I have :
- a MP 2009 4.1 flashed to MP 5.1
- 6-Core Intel Xeon, 3,33 GHz
- BootROM version : MP51.007F.B03
- juste one card : GT120
- and I disabled SIP
- 1 SSD Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB in 2 partitions (one with Mavericks, one for High Sierra)

What I did for my last attempt :
- create a usb key installer of Sierra with createinstallmedia
- shutdown my mac pro
- clear your Mac Pro SMC (Shut down my mac / unplug the power cord / wait 15 seconds, then plug the power cord back in / wait 5 seconds, then press the power button to turn on the mac)
- clear NVRAM 3 times in a row (option+command+P+R hold until the second startup sound, which came quit a long time after the first one)
- power on the mac and do a clean install of Sierra from my usb key
- update Sierra to get 10.12.6
- create a usb key installer of High Sierra with createinstallmedia
- power on the mac and try to do a clean install of High Sierra :

I get a message asking me to click on “shut down” to update the bootrom and when I click the mac never shutdown. I get the multicolour wheel and that’s it.

Same thing if I try to do it from the installer in my application folder from Sierra …


I tried something else by booting on my High Sierra key installer, erasing my Sierra partition with a clean APFS one and trying a install but same thing ...

 

[tsialex]

I get a message asking me to click on “shut down” to update the bootrom and when I click the mac never shutdown. I get the multicolour wheel and that’s it.

Hi! I always answer questions all the questions here, but please try to do not make questions that are on the first post, this is answered in the notes:

- Upgrade firmware from USB note:​

Firmware upgrade from USB is not possible unless you have the exact original factory config and if your Mac Pro is mid-2010 or mid-2012. Again, you can’t upgrade Mac Pro firmware from createinstallmedia USB-key.

Don’t waste your time trying, the USB installer asks to upgrade your BootROM, warns that it will do a shutdown for you to enter firmware upgrade mode, but never powers off your Mac Pro. Unfortunately, there are reported cases that shutting down manually bricked the BootROM.

Do it from High Sierra opening the Mojave Mac App Store full installer when you already have MP51.0089.B00 or if your Mac Pro have an earlier BootROM then MP51.0089.B00, from Sierra to High Sierra - see the set-by-step below.​

Btw, you shouldn't clean install High Sierra but UPGRADE Sierra to High Sierra since your Mac Pro have an earlier than the required High Sierra firmware - other thing on the first post:

​

If nothing above works for you, or you use a macOS version earlier than El Capitan, have a BootROM version earlier than MP51.0089.B00, try this:​

​

​

1. • Download Sierra (10.12.6) - don't use 10.13/10.14 to this, both require firmware updates to install. Download from the Mac App Store, don't use hacked installs, torrents, etc.
   • Use createinstallmedia to create the Sierra USB key installer.
   • Shutdown your Mac Pro and remove all PCIe cards except your Mac EFI GPU.
   • Clear your Mac Pro SMC and NVRAM - clear NVRAM 3 times sequentially.
   • Remove all disks except the one that you will do a clean install of 10.11.6/10.12.6.
   • Power on your Mac Pro and do a clean install of 10.12.6.
   • After 10.12.6 is installed, download 10.13.6 full Mac App Store installer and open it, the High Sierra installer will ask you to perform a firmware update, shutdown your Mac Pro and do it. Download from the Mac App Store, don't use hacked installs, torrents, etc.
   • After your Mac Pro restarts, close the installer and go to SystemInformation and check if your BootROM is MP51.0089.B00 now. If not, you did something wrong.
   • Use createinstallmedia to create a USB key installer of High Sierra, power off your Mac Pro.
   • Power on your Mac Pro, boot from the createinstallmedia USB-key and do a clean install of 10.13.6 - always do clean installs.
   • After 10.13.6 is installed, shutdown your Mac Pro and replace your original GPU with a Metal supported one.
   • Power on your Mac Pro and download 10.14.6 full Mac App Store installer. Download from the Mac App Store, don't use hacked installs, torrents, etc. Open it, the Mojave installer will ask you to perform a firmware update, shutdown your Mac Pro and do it.
   • After your Mac Pro restarts, check if your BootROM is 144.0.0.0.0, if it is, you can create a USB-key and do a clean install of Mojave now. If you have a NVIDIA GTX 680, then you have to do a clean install from your 10.13.6 disk into another disk, since USB installer has a bug that don't identify GT640/740, GTX 680/780/Quadro K5000 as a METAL supported GPU.

 

[Abso_1]

Hello,

Thank you for your response and I am really sorry to ask questions from the original post. It was not my purpose. I read it 10 times before that to be sure to not be this kind of guy. My mistake and I will re re read it again.

But if I may, if you refer to :

Upgrade firmware from USB note:

Firmware upgrade from USB is not possible unless you have the exact original factory config and if your Mac Pro is mid-2010 or mid-2012. Again, you can’t upgrade Mac Pro firmware from createinstallmedia USB-key.Don’t waste your time trying, the USB installer asks to upgrade your BootROM, warns that it will do a shutdown for you to enter firmware upgrade mode, but never powers off your Mac Pro. Unfortunately, there are reported cases that shutting down manually bricked the BootROM.Do it from High Sierra opening the Mojave Mac App Store full installer.

I first tried to install High Sierra from Sierra and the installer in my Application Folder.
I get the same message asking me to shut down my computer then a new window asking my password for a installer and same thing : the mac won't shut down.


Tank you, a lot.

 

[tsialex]

Hello,

Thank you for your response and I am really sorry to ask questions from the original post. It was not my purpose. I read it 10 times before that to be sure to not be this kind of guy. My mistake and I will re re read it again.

But if I may, if you refer to :



I first tried to install High Sierra from Sierra and the installer in my Application Folder.
I get the same message asking me to shut down my computer then a new window asking my password for a installer and same thing : the mac won't shut down.


Tank you, a lot.

Download the current installers, not installers that you downloaded years ago and have older firmwares or expired certificates. You need 10.12.6 and 10.13.6 current installers from the Mac App Store.

Start from a totaly clean install of Sierra on an empty drive, remove all other disks from your Mac Pro before starting the install, keep your Mac Pro configuration really simple. Follow the step by step instructions.

 

[skullmonkey714]

I'm about to take the plunge and upgrade to Mohave on my 5,1 Mid 2010. If successful, does anybody know if its possible to roll back to High Sierra if the original stock video card is put back in and I boot install High Sierra?

 

[tsialex]

I'm about to take the plunge and upgrade to Mohave on my 5,1 Mid 2010. If successful, does anybody know if its possible to roll back to High Sierra if the original stock video card is put back in and I boot install High Sierra?

Yes, like it's on the first post notes, you can go back to 10.6.4 if you have a supported GPU:

- 144.0.0.0.0 and previous macOS releases note:

Yes, BootROM 144.0.0.0.0 can boot even 10.6.4 (10F2521), the first ever macOS release that supports a MP5,1, but you are limited to GPU driver support since you can't boot a macOS version that don't have drivers for your GPU. For example, with AMD RX 4xx/5xx GPUs, you are limited to 10.12.6/10.13/10.14.

It's the distribution file inside the macOS installer that defines what Macs are supported. Earlier releases than 10.6.4 (10F2521) don't have MP5,1 support and are not bootable with a MP5,1. Several people on MacRumors checked 10.6.8 and it runs without any problems with 144.0.0.0.0.

Other limitation is NVMe support if you have a NVMe drive, NVMe only works since High Sierra (Sierra for 4KB/sector drives), read the first post of the PCIe SSDs - NVMe & AHCI thread to know more. SATA support is not affected by NVMe support requirements.

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.

​

 

[skullmonkey714]

Yes, like it's on the first post notes, you can go back to 10.6.4 if you have a supported GPU:

​

- 144.0.0.0.0 and previous macOS releases note:​

​

Yes, BootROM 144.0.0.0.0 can boot even 10.6.4 (10F2521), the first ever macOS release that supports a MP5,1, but you are limited to GPU driver support since you can't boot a macOS version that don't have drivers for your GPU. For example, with AMD RX 4xx/5xx GPUs, you are limited to 10.12.6/10.13/10.14.​

​

It's the distribution file inside the macOS installer that defines what Macs are supported. Earlier releases than 10.6.4 (10F2521) don't have MP5,1 support and are not bootable with a MP5,1. Several people on MacRumors checked 10.6.8 and it runs without any problems with 144.0.0.0.0.​

​

Other limitation is NVMe support if you have a NVMe drive, NVMe only works since High Sierra (Sierra for 4KB/sector drives), read the first post of the PCIe SSDs - NVMe & AHCI thread to know more. SATA support is not affected by NVMe support requirements.​

​

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.​

​

​

Thank you for your reply bud. It's a loaner 2010 MacPro, so when I eventually give it back, I want to revert back to High Sierra. Just wanted to make sure there wasn't any issues rolling back.

 

[Abso_1]

Start from a totaly clean install of Sierra on an empty drive, remove all other disks from your Mac Pro before starting the install, keep your Mac Pro configuration really simple. Follow the step by step instructions.

Thank you @tsialex !
I was certain to have the last High Sierra installer ... but no ...

Thank you for your time!

 

[jrumball]

I have a cMP 5.1 with MP51.0089.B00 and running 10.13.6 with a Nvidia GTX 970, I have the original Radeon HD 5770 too. Is it possible to update to too 144.0.0.0.0 without having to purchase another GPU ?

Thanks

 

[tsialex]

I have a cMP 5.1 with MP51.0089.B00 and running 10.13.6 with a Nvidia GTX 970, I have the original Radeon HD 5770 too. Is it possible to update to too 144.0.0.0.0 without having to purchase another GPU ?

Thanks

Your question is answered on the first post, no need to write it again here.

 

[jrumball]

Your question is answered on the first post, no need to write it again here.

That's not really helpful is it, and quite a childish attitude ! You are the original author most probably know the answer.. You could have helped me and others by clarifying the situation. I have read your original post searched this post and am still unsure of the answer which is why I asked !

The GTX 970 I believe is a metal compatible GPU, but unsupported by Mojave as far as I understand.....

 

[tsialex]

That's not really helpful is it, and quite a childish attitude ! You are the original author most probably know the answer you could have helped me, I have read your original post searched this post and am still unsure of the answer which is why I asked !

The GTX 970 I believe is a metal compatible GPU, but unsupported by Mojave as far as I understand.....

This is the answer for your question, no?

- 144.0.0.0.0, High Sierra and Mojave METAL unsupported NVIDIA GPUs:

If you want to upgrade to BootROM 144.0.0.0.0 to use it with High Sierra and have a Maxwell or Pascal NVIDIA GPU, if your GPU is working correctly with High Sierra NVIDIA WEB drivers, you can use the Mojave installer to upgrade the BootROM.

Lot's of people have been using GTX 980/1080 with 10.13.6 and upgrading to current BootROMs without any problems.

What's need to be clarified? If you have suggestions to improve it, please do.

 

[jrumball]

This is the answer for your question, no?


What's need to be clarified? If you have suggestions to improve it, please do.

Thanks I now understand that my GTX 970 is a Maxwell GPU .

A line some where around the original GPU requirements would be helpful

Maybe: “An Nvidia GPU that supports Metal and is working with the Nvidia web driver in 10.13.6 can be used to upgrade the boot rom”

 

[tsialex]

Thanks I now understand that my GTX 970 is a Maxwell GPU .

A line some where around the original GPU requirements would be helpful

Maybe: “An Nvidia GPU that supports Metal and is working with the Nvidia web driver in 10.13.6 can be used to upgrade the boot rom”

Your suggestion won't be correct, since some of the high end NVIDIA Fermi cards shows METAL support with SystemInformation/GraphicsDisplays/METAL on Sierra but can't be used to upgrade the BootROM - only Maxwell and Pascal will work and that's why it's worded that way.

This is the current text:

- 144.0.0.0.0, High Sierra and NVIDIA Maxwell or Pascal GPUs that support METAL but not Mojave:

If you have a NVIDIA GPU from the Maxwell or Pascal families and want to upgrade your Mac Pro BootROM to 144.0.0.0.0 and use it with High Sierra, you can do it. If your GPU is correctly working with High Sierra NVIDIA WEB drivers, just open the Mojave installer and it will ask you to do to the firmware upgrade the same way as with the still supported Kepler NVIDIA and the AMD METAL GPUs. Lot's of people have been using GTX 970/980/1070/1080 with 10.13.6 and upgrading to current BootROMs without any problems.​

Remember that Maxwell and Pascal NVIDIA GPUs are not supported with macOS anymore after High Sierra and won't work with Mojave.​

 

[jrumball]

Your suggestion won't be correct, since some of the high end NVIDIA Fermi cards shows METAL support with SystemInformation/GraphicsDisplays/METAL on Sierra but can't be used to upgrade the BootROM - only Maxwell and Pascal will work and that's why it's worded that way.

This is the current text:

- 144.0.0.0.0, High Sierra and NVIDIA Maxwell or Pascal GPUs that support METAL but not Mojave:

If you have a NVIDIA GPU from the Maxwell or Pascal families and want to upgrade your Mac Pro BootROM to 144.0.0.0.0 and use it with High Sierra, you can do it. If your GPU is correctly working with High Sierra NVIDIA WEB drivers, just open the Mojave installer and it will ask you to do to the firmware upgrade the same way as with the still supported Kepler NVIDIA and the AMD METAL GPUs. Lot's of people have been using GTX 970/980/1070/1080 with 10.13.6 and upgrading to current BootROMs without any problems.​

Remember that Maxwell and Pascal NVIDIA GPUs are not supported with macOS anymore after High Sierra and won't work with Mojave.​

I think the point i was trying to make is that, that info is buried further down the post and a line at the top would cover most peoples situations and include it in the compatible GPUs, for those who just want to get the latter boot rom for NVMe and PCI Express 2.0 under Windows and other improvements etc. ?

 

[tsialex]

I think the point i was trying to make is that, that info is buried further down the post and a line at the top would cover most peoples situations and include it in the compatible GPUs, for those who just want to get the latter boot rom for NVMe and PCI Express 2.0 under Windows and other improvements etc. ?

I strongly disagree with your affirmation that the information is buried, from reading the first note right at the beginning of the first post you already know that's applicable to you:

*METAL capable GPU as in any METAL supported GPU that works with High Sierra:​

​

For upgrading from MP51.0089.B00 to 144.0.0.0.0, METAL support is the requirement, not pre-boot configuration support like from earlier BootROM versions to MP51.0089.B00.​

​

Your GPU can even be a NVIDIA GPU that has METAL support and don't work with Mojave, like Maxwell (like GTX 980) or Pascal (like GTX 1080). Newer AMD GPUs that won't work with High Sierra, like VII (only works with 10.14.5+) and RX 5500/5600/5700 (NAVI GPUs only work with 10.15.1+) won't work for upgrading the Mac Pro BootROM. ​

​

A GPU that High Sierra System Information recognises it as METAL: Supported is the key here.​

​

Your unsupported but working configuration for Mojave firmware upgrades is mentioned two times on the first post, one in detail and I did my best to word it newbie proof even adding GPU model examples.

Look, it's a extremely complex topic with diverse and convoluted requirements and it's right on the first line of the first post that you have to read it fully, just glancing at it won't cut.

 

[840quadra]

Just wanted to post in as user (not Moderator) a huge thanks to the community and key contributors for keeping the cMP data and tricks live and relevant. I am really happy to be rocking a 4,1 that has has the following upgrades done to it, thanks to this awesome forum!

• 5,1 flash
• 12 core CPU upgrade
• AMD GPU Upgrade with support for boot screen
• upgrade to NVMe boot drive
• Multiple firmware upgrades
• support for 4K video hardware acceleration
• Continued use of a solid piece of hardware that looks okay next to my Quadra 840av

I think I easily have another 2 years of solid core use with this machine, and it has been an awesome iTunes, VLC, File, NAS for me for over 4 years now. Only running Mojave for now, but hope to take the plunge and upgrade one of the drives to start some testing. NVMe for video editing has been a game changer with this machine!

Cheers and happy computing folks!

 

[xxcfdrr]

72 pages! Wow, so much information about these old rigs. I have read the first page over and over and can not determine if it is safe for me to install Mojave on this machine. It is my main computer. I have time machine and can restore if things go south but I am worried about the reboot and firmware update the Mojave installer wants to do. I was a strictly PC guy until Windows 10 came out and then I switched to the Mac Pro 4,1 that I found for cheap on offer up. So with that said, I'm probably not the best at fixing firmware related blow ups on a mac. I think I had a problem with boot camp working properly, I had Windows 10 installed (for games) on a HD, which I think is not even in the machine anymore.

• I updated the firmware to make the 4,1 the 5,1 and have been running 10.13.6 since.
• I upgraded to the x2 6 core processors a while back.
• Firmware is currently 138.0.0.0.0.
• Video is NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 TI (says metal supported). I think this card is the 'apple flashed' one, as I believe it gives me the grey boot screen (ROM Revision: MacVidCards).
• HD controller is the OWC Mercury Accelsior S+ with a Toshiba SSD 1TB as the main system drive.

That last part is my concern regarding installing Mojave. The main system drive is on the OWC PCIe card with the Toshiba SSD. I think boot camp never worked right because this was considered an external drive. There was a work around for booting into Win10 and it involved holding a key down on boot to select which drive to boot from. Other than that, this mac has always performed great, very stable, fast and everything seems to work, even the fancy mac features like integrating with my iphone.

I downloaded the Mojave installer from the app store yesterday and clicked on it. It now wants to shut down, restart holding the button down for firmware upgrade and it's a bit scary. Let me know if you think this is a dangerous one, I certainly do not want to brick my mac that has been such a trooper all these years. Thank you!

 

[tsialex]

72 pages! Wow, so much information about these old rigs. I have read the first page over and over and can not determine if it is safe for me to install Mojave on this machine. It is my main computer. I have time machine and can restore if things go south but I am worried about the reboot and firmware update the Mojave installer wants to do. I was a strictly PC guy until Windows 10 came out and then I switched to the Mac Pro 4,1 that I found for cheap on offer up. So with that said, I'm probably not the best at fixing firmware related blow ups on a mac. I think I had a problem with boot camp working properly, I had Windows 10 installed (for games) on a HD, which I think is not even in the machine anymore.

• I updated the firmware to make the 4,1 the 5,1 and have been running 10.13.6 since.
• I upgraded to the x2 6 core processors a while back.
• Firmware is currently 138.0.0.0.0.
• Video is NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 TI (says metal supported). I think this card is the 'apple flashed' one, as I believe it gives me the grey boot screen (ROM Revision: MacVidCards).
• HD controller is the OWC Mercury Accelsior S+ with a Toshiba SSD 1TB as the main system drive.

That last part is my concern regarding installing Mojave. The main system drive is on the OWC PCIe card with the Toshiba SSD. I think boot camp never worked right because this was considered an external drive. There was a work around for booting into Win10 and it involved holding a key down on boot to select which drive to boot from. Other than that, this mac has always performed great, very stable, fast and everything seems to work, even the fancy mac features like integrating with my iphone.

I downloaded the Mojave installer from the app store yesterday and clicked on it. It now wants to shut down, restart holding the button down for firmware upgrade and it's a bit scary. Let me know if you think this is a dangerous one, I certainly do not want to brick my mac that has been such a trooper all these years. Thank you!

While you can update the firmware with a flashed GPU, you can’t use Mojave with a NVIDIA Maxwell GPU, support for a GTX 980 ends with 10.13.6.