Resolved MP 4,1->5,1 memory configuration

[jbarley]

Expecting delivery of a MacPro4,1 tomorrow,
Plan to try and follow the usual upgrade path, 5,1 flash, High Sierra flash and finally Mojave flash.
Really curious as to the best memory configuration 3 sticks or 4, and the reasoning behind it.
Any help or explanations would be appreciated.

Edit:
My forum searching finally turned up something relevant, seems 3 sticks are recommended over 4, something to do with 3 memory channels. I could still use a little more clarification if anyone feels like adding any, but for now I think I'll mark my thread as "resolved"

 

[tsialex]

Expecting delivery of a MacPro4,1 tomorrow,
Plan to try and follow the usual upgrade path, 5,1 flash, High Sierra flash and finally Mojave flash.
Really curious as to the best memory configuration 3 sticks or 4, and the reasoning behind it.
Any help or explanations would be appreciated.

Edit:
My forum searching finally turned up something relevant, seems 3 sticks are recommended over 4, something to do with 3 memory channels. I could still use a little more clarification if anyone feels like adding any, but for now I think I'll mark my thread as "resolved"

If it is still a MP4,1, don't use the netkas way to upgrade, it overwrites the BootBlock, do a reconstruction.

 

[jbarley]

If it is still a MP4,1, don't use the netkas way to upgrade, it overwrites the BootBlock, do a reconstruction.

Thanks for the reply. I'm curious as to what you mean by "reconstruction".
My plan was to follow the instructions from iFixit
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Upgrade+the+Firmware+of+a+2009+Mac+Pro+41/98985

Followed by instructions in your post as seen here...
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mp5-1-what-you-have-to-do-to-upgrade-to-mojave.2142418/

 

[tsialex]

Thanks for the reply. I'm curious as to what you mean by "reconstruction".
My plan was to follow the instructions from iFixit
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Upgrade+the+Firmware+of+a+2009+Mac+Pro+41/98985

Followed by instructions in your post as seen here...
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mp5-1-what-you-have-to-do-to-upgrade-to-mojave.2142418/

Don't do it, this method don't preserve some hardwareIDs and make MP4,1>5,1 incapable of running Firmware Recuperation CD. Probably make MP4,1>5,1 more susceptible of SPI corruption too.

With a reconstruction, you do the BootROM dump with ROMTool/flashrom and send it to me. I'll validate the hardwareIDs, then extract and insert into the current BootROM via UEFITool after correcting the LBSN_BD sector jump point. It's a more complex version of this MP5,1: BootROM reconstruction with intermediate files.

 

[edgerider]

Don't do it, this method don't preserve some hardwareIDs and make MP4,1>5,1 incapable of running Firmware Recuperation CD. Probably make MP4,1>5,1 more susceptible of SPI corruption too.


With a reconstruction, you do the BootROM dump with ROMTool/flashrom and send it to me. I'll validate the hardwareIDs, then extract and insert into the current BootROM via UEFITool after correcting the LBSN_BD sector jump point. It's a more complex version of this MP5,1: BootROM reconstruction with intermediate files.

hi there, and I imagine that this couldn’t be done automatically by rewriting netkas flasher?

also once flashed with netkas, 4.1 to 5.1, no way to find back the lost data?

 

[tsialex]

hi there, and I imagine that this couldn’t be done automatically by rewriting netkas flasher?

It's not a flasher, it's basically just a clever way to make Apple efi2flasher accept a file with different checksum. So, no.

also once flashed with netkas, 4.1 to 5.1, no way to find back the lost data?

Once overwritten, you can't get back the data saved by the OEM manufacturer, not even Apple can get it back.

 

[edgerider]

thank you for your answer!

cant you and @doddude team up to make it as a software?

you are kind enough to reconstruct peoples rom but that is a insane amount of work! thank you for doing it!

last question:

if prior to use netkas flasher i dump the original ROM and do a backup, is it possible to use it to do a reconstructed rom in case it is needed after flashing.

I built several machine for friends, and they send me friends, who send me friends.... and i dont want to **** their machine up.

I make no money on that, I do it to stick a middle finger to apple in the hope that the more people they see doing that, the more they will do right...

but I dont want to / cant ask you to reconstruct rom every week ....

 

[tsialex]

thank you for your answer!

cant you and @doddude team up to make it as a software?

you are kind enough to reconstruct peoples rom but that is a insane amount of work! thank you for doing it!

A quick and dirty solution is possible, sure. Anyone who wants to automate that, just have to read my documentation and do it.

last question:

if prior to use netkas flasher i dump the original ROM and do a backup, is it possible to use it to do a reconstructed rom in case it is needed after flashing.

If you do a dump before doing the netkas method, yes.

 

[edgerider]

A quick and dirty solution is possible, sure. Anyone who wants to automate that, just have to read my documentation and do it.



If you do a dump before doing the netkas method, yes.

thank you!

yes so backing up original rom is the thing to do.

I am almost sure that as soon as the 2019 mac pro will be available, firmware **** locking back all sort of things such as falshed 4.1 to 5.1 or nvme or even nvidia card if detected...is going to happen...

I wouldn’t be surprised if apple let all this happens on cMp just to prevent as much switching to PC or Hackintosh after the 2013 nMP fisaco... and to document how this particular target respond to hardware modification...

 

[timd123]

If it is still a MP4,1, don't use the netkas way to upgrade, it overwrites the BootBlock, do a reconstruction.

Don't do it, this method don't preserve some hardwareIDs and make MP4,1>5,1 incapable of running Firmware Recuperation CD. Probably make MP4,1>5,1 more susceptible of SPI corruption too.

With a reconstruction, you do the BootROM dump with ROMTool/flashrom and send it to me. I'll validate the hardwareIDs, then extract and insert into the current BootROM via UEFITool after correcting the LBSN_BD sector jump point. It's a more complex version of this MP5,1: BootROM reconstruction with intermediate files.

Tsialex or anyone, Im just about to do the same upgrade from an early 2009 4,1 .B08. I'm worried now, should I be doing a reconstruction? I don't need to reach Mohave just High Sierra. Am I missing something?

My Threads for full info-
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/4-1-memory-config-query.2172065/#post-27387773
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/help-on-4-1-to-5-1-upgrade.2182523/

 

[crjackson2134]

Im just about to do the same upgrade from an early 2009 4,1 .B08. I'm worried now, should I be doing a reconstruction?

This has been answered many times already, and also in this very thread. Yes, you should do a reconstruction. Read below... Regarding the netkas script.

Don't do it, this method don't preserve some hardwareIDs and make MP4,1>5,1 incapable of running Firmware Recuperation CD. Probably make MP4,1>5,1 more susceptible of SPI corruption too.

With a reconstruction, you do the BootROM dump with ROMTool/flashrom and send it to me. I'll validate the hardwareIDs, then extract and insert into the current BootROM via UEFITool after correcting the LBSN_BD sector jump point. It's a more complex version of this MP5,1: BootROM reconstruction with intermediate files.

 

[timd123]

This has been answered many times already, and also in this very thread. Yes, you should do a reconstruction. Read below... Regarding the netkas script.

By reading this thread is how I came to question whether I needed a reconstruction or Netkas, I've seen & read many instances of people sucessfully upgrading with Nektas with no reference to B07 or B08 and wanted to confirm exactly what's what. But Thanks!