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

[Tommi14]

I have a cross flashed 4,1.

How can I check the level of my NVRAM fragmentation and can I prevent this fragmentation from happening?

I'm running Mojave 10.14.6 with a Sapphire Pulse GPU. I also have BootROM 138.0.0.0.

Sent you a PM with instructions.

Btw, why you are still running 138.0.0.0.0?

I also have a 4,1->5,1 Mac Pro (12 core CPU, RX580, 144.0.0.0.0, Mojave). I have owned the computer from the start and it has been on a relatively light use only. I had not done any major upgrades either until a few months ago when I upgraded GPU, BootRom, CPUs and Mojave. I will do one more update adding NVMe SSD and then I am done.

Now I have similar concerns as Upgrader about how to check the level of NVRAM fragmentation and how to prevent it from happening.

Would you tsialex be so kind and send me instructions as well, please?

 

[tsialex]

I also have a 4,1->5,1 Mac Pro (12 core CPU, RX580, 144.0.0.0.0, Mojave). I have owned the computer from the start and it has been on a relatively light use only. I had not done any major upgrades either until a few months ago when I upgraded GPU, BootRom, CPUs and Mojave. I will do one more update adding NVMe SSD and then I am done.

Now I have similar concerns as Upgrader about how to check the level of NVRAM fragmentation and how to prevent it from happening.

Would you tsialex be so kind and send me instructions as well, please?

PM sent, please get everything as instructed and I'll check it ASAP.

 

[Tommi14]

PM sent, please get everything as instructed and I'll check it ASAP.

Ok, thanks! I will get back to you.

 

[glopez007]

PM sent, please get everything as instructed and I'll check it ASAP.

Hi tsialex,
I too would like to get instructions on how to check and clean up my NVRAM fragmentation. I am willing to reimburse you for the cost of all the troubles if you can help me clean up and re-write my bootrom firmware, which I suspect is heavily fragmented (I am the original owner since 2010). I have the latest firmware, owned my cMP5,1 mid2010 since it first came out for sale; I have the latest OpenCore 0.6.6 with Martin LO's suggested config.plist; and am using Dell UP2715K 5K monitor with 2 displayports directly hooked up to my AMD Radeon RX 580. Lately and after several SMC and PRAM resets after Opencore updates, I now don't see the Opencore boot picker in Mojave, Catalina and/or Big Sur. My 5K monitor remains black screen after the boot chime and only would show the Mac desktop after the boot up process is complete. By the way, I also have the Titan Ridge card properly installed in slot 4 and usually had to re-start my cMP5,1 to re-initiate my connected thunderbolt 3 devices in my Sonnet Echo III. Oh, I forgot to mentioned - I am also spoofing the Macpro7,1 boardID as suggested by Martin LO to enable DRM and hardware acceleration.
Hope you can help.
Thanks,
glopez007

 

[tsialex]

Hi tsialex,
I too would like to get instructions on how to check and clean up my NVRAM fragmentation. I am willing to reimburse you for the cost of all the troubles if you can help me clean up and re-write my bootrom firmware, which I suspect is heavily fragmented (I am the original owner since 2010). I have the latest firmware, owned my cMP5,1 mid2010 since it first came out for sale

Sure, I'll send to you too.

I have the latest OpenCore 0.6.6 with Martin LO's suggested config.plist; and am using Dell UP2715K 5K monitor with 2 displayports directly hooked up to my AMD Radeon RX 580. Lately and after several SMC and PRAM resets after Opencore updates, I now don't see the Opencore boot picker in Mojave, Catalina and/or Big Sur. My 5K monitor remains black screen after the boot chime and only would show the Mac desktop after the boot up process is complete.

Remember that this problem is not exactly related to the Mac Pro BootROM itself, but to the interaction of the GPU GOP firmware and OpenCore. Maybe you are using the secondary firmware of the GPU, or if your GPU doesn't have the firmware switch, you have a mining BIOS installed or a modified firmware that has the GOP module invalidated?

There are several possible causes, while the Mac Pro NVRAM could cause trouble here, it needs to be a real mess inside the VSS store to make this stop working - possible, but not exactly common. I'd check the GPU firmware first.

By the way, I also have the Titan Ridge card properly installed in slot 4 and usually had to re-start my cMP5,1 to re-initiate my connected thunderbolt 3 devices in my Sonnet Echo III.

This unfortunately you can't change right now. Unless someone develops a solution for the TitanRidge firmware itself to have better compatibility with MP5,1, you will have to accept the reboot process as the price you pay to have TB3 support with a Mac platform designed back in 2008.

 

[glopez007]

Sure, I'll send to you too.


Remember that this problem is not exactly related to the Mac Pro BootROM itself, but to the interaction of the GPU GOP firmware and OpenCore. Maybe you are using the secondary firmware of the GPU, or if your GPU doesn't have the firmware switch, you have a mining BIOS installed or a modified firmware that has the GOP module invalidated?

There are several possible causes here, while the Mac Pro NVRAM could cause trouble here, it needs to be a real mess inside the VSS store to make this stop working - possible, but not exactly common. Check the GPU firmware.


This unfortunately you can't change, unless someone develops a solution for the TitanRidge firmware itself to have better compatibility with MP5,1.

I bought my AMD Sapphire Radeon RX 580 brand new from B&H, so I would presume it has the stock vBIOS. Also, my 5K monitor used to show the Opencore boot picker before using all the previous Opencore releases (as recent as my last Opencore 6.5.0) so I might have to rule out that the GOP module does not work with Opencore - I really don't know - maybe the repeated SMC and PRAM resets caused my cMP5,1 to not display the Opencore v.6.6.0 boot picker anymore.
Thanks again.
glopez007

 

[yahyah]

What an awesome and professional place - thanks for having me!

I just wanted to post that with your help I fixed the upgrade problem on my MP 5.1 - upgrading from HS to Mojave, using a EVGA GTX670 gc. Mojave is migrating from my HS install as I'm typing this message (with both SSDs in the same machine at the moment). Thanks a ton for all your advices ?? Wishing you a happy weekend and best health!

 

[tsialex]

Sure, I'll send to you too.


Remember that this problem is not exactly related to the Mac Pro BootROM itself, but to the interaction of the GPU GOP firmware and OpenCore. Maybe you are using the secondary firmware of the GPU, or if your GPU doesn't have the firmware switch, you have a mining BIOS installed or a modified firmware that has the GOP module invalidated?

There are several possible causes, while the Mac Pro NVRAM could cause trouble here, it needs to be a real mess inside the VSS store to make this stop working - possible, but not exactly common. I'd check the GPU firmware first.


This unfortunately you can't change right now. Unless someone develops a solution for the TitanRidge firmware itself to have better compatibility with MP5,1, you will have to accept the reboot process as the price you pay to have TB3 support with a Mac platform designed back in 2008.

While I initially thought that the NVRAM fragmentation/corruption was not the probable cause for the OpenCore GOP renderer not working, after the clean-up @glopez007 reported the boot picker working at the first boot post flashing the cleaned up BootROM image.

So, one more thing to check when OpenCore GOP renderer is not working. @cdf @h9826790

Btw, 16 MemoryConfig/4 bluetoothActiveControllerInfo inside the 1st VSS store.

 

[Max Black]

Been running Mojave Upgrade from El Capitan and great so far Thanks to you guys, just little things I noticed that maybe folks can suggest how to fix.

• I noticed every time that I wake up the Computer or restart whatever option that I had chosen for Sound Output keeps reverting back to Headphone out. I don’t do much restarts but waking up from sleep mode is quite regular and I have to change it back to whatever I had, either Display port etc. Is there a fix for this ?
• Also I have installed the OSx on Nvme Samsung 970 Pro (Yes Trim Support), the other SSD drives that are in the Bay drives they all show No Trim Support, but if I boot from one of those SSD’s Samsung SSD 960 Pro, that also does have Mojave installed, it does show Yes for Trim Support, I got this done by doing the command in the Terminal while I was bootem from 860 Pro SSD, so after I rebooted from the Nvme I check the other SSD drives that just showed Trim Support it says No again.
• Anyway to fix that ?
• Photos attached.
• Mac Pro 5.1 Mid 2012, 3.33Ghz 6 Core, 16GB, Radeon WX 7100 8gb, 2 Samsung SSDs, and 2 HDD in the Bay area. Apple Cinema Display, mini port. Thank You

 

[tsialex]

Been running Mojave Upgrade from El Capitan and great so far Thanks to you guys, just little things I noticed that maybe folks can suggest how to fix.

• I noticed every time that I wake up the Computer or restart whatever option that I had chosen for Sound Output keeps reverting back to Headphone out. I don’t do much restarts but waking up from sleep mode is quite regular and I have to change it back to whatever I had, either Display port etc. Is there a fix for this ?
• Also I have installed the OSx on Nvme Samsung 970 Pro (Yes Trim Support), the other SSD drives that are in the Bay drives they all show No Trim Support, but if I boot from one of those SSD’s Samsung SSD 960 Pro, that also does have Mojave installed, it does show Yes for Trim Support, I got this done by doing the command in the Terminal while I was bootem from 860 Pro SSD, so after I rebooted from the Nvme I check the other SSD drives that just showed Trim Support it says No again.
• Anyway to fix that ?
• Photos attached.
• Mac Pro 5.1 Mid 2012, 3.33Ghz 6 Core, 16GB, Radeon WX 7100 8gb, 2 Samsung SSDs, and 2 HDD in the Bay area. Apple Cinema Display, mini port. Thank You

Never had this problem with audio outputs, nor remember anyone ever reporting it - weird.

TRIM is a macOS setting, not a Mac Pro firmware setting. You have to enable it via trimforce for each macOS disk you boot.

If you are having problems with it, please open a new thread/use the search for one more appropriate, since this topic is out of scope here.

 

[speedometer8]

Successfully updated my Mac Pro 4,1 > 5,1 to the newest boot rom 144.0.0.0.0. Have two SSD's connected via PCIe, one with Mavericks 10.9.5, and one with High Sierra 10.13.6. There is one other SSD and one other SATA drive connected via PCIe that are not bootable, and are just used for storage. Also have a Pro Tools HD Native Card in slot 3, and a USB 3 card in slot 4.

Have an MSI RX 580 4GB in slot 1, GT 120 in slot 2. With both video cards connected, the Mavericks and High Sierra both boot using the GT 120 using the Mini DP port. If I pull the GT 120, High Sierra boots with the RX 580 using HDMI. No boot screen but there's a loading screen with a bunch of bios info loading.
I created a dosdude bootable USB with 10.14.6 and did a clean install on the High Sierra SSD, with only the RX 580 conected. When I boot with the GT 120, I can still get my Mavericks SSD to boot, but Mojave won't boot even with the GT120 pulled. I have only tried HDMI on the RX 580, and have ordered a DP to HDMI adapter to see if possibly it's just the HDMI outs on the RX 580 that aren't working with Mojave. I've left it to try and boot for a while and nothing happens.

I didn't pull the other drives, or the other two cards in slot 3 and 4, when I did the Mojave install.

Do I need to be doing this on an old SATA drive instead or something?

I reformatted and went back to the Mavericks, High Sierra setup, and am going to take another crack at the High Sierra > Mojave update.

I have read a ton of this forums' pages and haven't really been able to find what I'm looking for. Sorry if I'm reasking any of the same questions. Happy to clarify anything. Appreciate all of the knowledge.

 

[tsialex]

Successfully updated my Mac Pro 4,1 > 5,1 to the newest boot rom 144.0.0.0.0. Have two SSD's connected via PCIe, one with Mavericks 10.9.5, and one with High Sierra 10.13.6. There is one other SSD and SATA drive connected via PCIe that are not bootable, and are just used for storage.

Have an MSI RX 580 4GB in slot 1, GT 120 in slot 2. With both video cards connected, the Mavericks and High Sierra both boot using the GT 120 using the Mini DP port. If I pull the GT 120, High Sierra boots with the RX 580 using HDMI. No boot screen but there's a loading screen with a bunch of bios info loading.
I created a dosdude bootable USB with 10.14.6 and did a clean install on the High Sierra SSD, with only the RX 580 conected. When I boot with the GT 120, I can still get my Mavericks SSD to boot, but Mojave won't boot even with the GT120 pulled. I have only tried HDMI on the RX 580, and have ordered a DP to HDMI adapter to see if possibly it's just the HDMI outs on the RX 580 that aren't working with Mojave. I've left it to try and boot for a while and nothing happens.

I didn't pull the other drives when I did the Mojave install.

Do I need to be doing this on an old SATA drive instead or something?

I reformatted and went back to the Mavericks, High Sierra setup, and am going to take another crack at the High Sierra > Mojave update.

I have read a ton of this forums' pages and haven't really been able to find what I'm looking for. Sorry if I'm reasking any of the same questions. Happy to clarify anything. Appreciate all of the knowledge.

I've written this several times in the past…

Remove the GT120, is not supported anymore with Mojave and your Mac will behave crazily if is installed at the same time as a RX 580. Support for AMD + NVIDIA GPUs installed simultaneously ends at High Sierra.

Never use patched installs with supported Macs. Download Mojave from Mac App Store, use createinstallmedia to make an USB installer, remove all disks from your Mac Pro, install a brand new or fully erased disk, power on your Mac Pro. With no bootable SATA/PCIe disk, your Mac Pro will boot from the createinstallmedia USB installer and your will have a working display after ~3 minutes. After the display is working, install Mojave.

 

[speedometer8]

I've written this several times in the past…

Download Mojave from Apple, use createinstallmedia to make an USB installer, remove all disks from your Mac Pro, install a brand new or fully erased disk, power on your Mac Pro. With no bootable SATA/PCIe disk, your Mac Pro will boot from the createinstallmedia USB installer and your will have a working display after ~3 minutes. After the display is working, install Mojave.

Thanks Tsialex.

I downloaded the full 10.14.6 installer via dosdude. Should I look for a different installer? I can't get it via the app store where I am. So don't use the dosdude bootable drive creator? I thought I saw that it would work as well as the createinstallmedia route.

So I should remove all disks other than one clean formatted SSD. Reset the PRAM 4 times. Then boot from the USB installer I created and install to that one drive. And then all should work? I can install the GT 120 back in slot 2 and then do the boot up and pull the cable from the 120 which will allow Mojave to boot with the 580?

 

[tsialex]

Thanks Tsialex.

I downloaded the full 10.14.6 installer via dosdude. Should I look for a different installer? I can't get it via the app store where I am. So don't use the dosdude bootable drive creator? I thought I saw that it would work as well as the createinstallmedia route.

dosdude1 patched installs are not compatible with supported Macs and makes METAL GPUs to not work correctly. You can use installinstallmacos.py to download Mojave directly from Apple - use the search.

So I should remove all disks other than one clean formatted SSD. Reset the PRAM 4 times. Then boot from the USB installer I created and install to that one drive. And then all should work? I can install the GT 120 back in slot 2 and then do the boot up and pull the cable from the 120 which will allow Mojave to boot with the 580?

If you want to use Mojave you have to remove the GT120 card. Again, it's not a supported config anymore and macOS will behave crazily.

If you need to boot a macOS release earlier than 10.12.6 (first macOS release that works with RX 580) and Mojave, you will have to replace both cards to one that is supported by both macOS releases, like NVIDIA GTX 680 or AMD HD 7950/HD 7970/R9 280/R9 280x.

 

[speedometer8]

Can I use the full 10.14.6 installer I downloaded via the dosdude patcher? Or I need to find a different installer. If so, any idea where I can find another legit copy?

createinstallmedia using:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

The rest of the steps I described there though should yield me a system that works properly? I'm going to give it another shot and I'll report back.

 

[tsialex]

Can I use the full 10.14.6 installer I downloaded via the dosdude patcher?

If it's a unmodified installer. Do a checksum check, see the shasums at:

GitHub - notpeter/apple-installer-checksums: Checksums of Mac OSX installer DMGs

Checksums of Mac OSX installer DMGs. Contribute to notpeter/apple-installer-checksums development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

Or I need to find a different installer. If so, any idea where I can find another legit copy?

Please read again my previous post, I've even wrote the name of the app to do it…

createinstallmedia using:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

This is the support article:

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

You can use a USB flash drive or other secondary volume as a startup disk from which to install the Mac operating system.

support.apple.com

The rest of the steps I described there though should yield me a system that works properly? I'm going to give it another shot and I'll report back.

If you followed all the notes described on the first post of this thread and remove the GT120, yes.

 

[speedometer8]

Having a hard time finding the Mojave installer via installinstallmacos.py, so I'll try and find an installer elsewhere.

Thanks.

 

[tsialex]

Having a hard time finding the Mojave installer via installinstallmacos.py, so I'll try and find an installer elsewhere.

Thanks.

What Country you are? I thought that only Cuba/Iran/North Korea/Syria/Sudan were blocked.

GitHub - munki/macadmin-scripts: Scripts of possible interest to macOS admins

Scripts of possible interest to macOS admins. Contribute to munki/macadmin-scripts development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[speedometer8]

Sorry, haven't done this before so I'm not exactly sure how to get the installer via that link with terminal.

 

[tsialex]

Sorry, haven't done this before so I'm not exactly sure how to get the installer via that link with terminal.

This is the command line you have to use if macadmin-scripts-main folder is on your Downloads folder:

sudo python Downloads/macadmin-scripts-main/installinstallmacos.py

Please learn to use the search, there are posts that describe the usage of this script, no need to ask again. Btw, there are instructions on the GitHub page too.

 

[dom512]

Alex- you have the patience bordering on sainthood. As an avid user of these machines I read your posts to try to learn more but you are so well steeped in it that it you just know this stuff. Your posts have helped me numerous times. I used to be in IT but now just tinker with my machines because I think it is great fun so your posts are very helpful even if sometimes the search functions fail me.. You seem to live this info but for those of us who only dig in when something's wrong or want to upgrade it is a little tougher!

Thanks again for what you do.

 

[permanentmacdabbler]

PM sent, please get everything as instructed and I'll check it ASAP.

Can I get a PM with info about hiring too please. Long time lurker / reader, first time poster with typical 'may have left it too long before backing up the rom...' questions.

 

[tsialex]

Can I get a PM with info about hiring too please. Long time lurker / reader, first time poster with typical 'may have left it too long before backing up the rom...' questions.

PM sent.

 

[niconc]

Hello tsialex,

I'm in the process of converting a 4.1 -> 5.1 cMP, early 2009, 8-core. Up until now everything is going perfect:
- ROM BIOS 144.0.0.0 is in it's place,
- A Metal capable GPU (GTX 780 3Gb),
- A pair of 3,46 Ghz Xeons
- A pair of OWC 16Gb 1333Mhz memory modules (occupying slots 1 & 2)
and also Mojave.

The next step is to install an SSD NVMe along with a card and try to jump into Big Sur. But before this I might have an issue. After memory installation which happened 20 days ago, I'm having some boot issues every other day:
- power light is on, NO chime, NO monitor, and stays there forever.
I'm pressing power again, shut it down, and on again and it's working. I'm having a feeling that something is going on but I don't know what!

Do you think that I should worry about it? Every information is valuable.

Thanx man.

 

[tsialex]

Hello tsialex,

I'm in the process of converting a 4.1 -> 5.1 cMP, early 2009, 8-core. Up until now everything is going perfect:
- ROM BIOS 144.0.0.0 is in it's place,
- A Metal capable GPU (GTX 780 3Gb),
- A pair of 3,46 Ghz Xeons
- A pair of OWC 16Gb 1333Mhz memory modules (occupying slots 1 & 2)
and also Mojave.

The next step is to install an SSD NVMe along with a card and try to jump into Big Sur. But before this I might have an issue. After memory installation which happened 20 days ago, I'm having some boot issues every other day:
- power light is on, NO chime, NO monitor, and stays there forever.
I'm pressing power again, shut it down, and on again and it's working. I'm having a feeling that something is going on but I don't know what!

Do you think that I should worry about it? Every information is valuable.

Thanx man.

View attachment 1735729
View attachment 1735730

A lot of things can go wrong, it's a 12 years old Mac. Could be the PSU, the SPI flash, NVRAM full. a capacitor failing somewhere, the CPU tray, etc.

I'd start running AHT and checking the diagnostic buttons when the problem happens.