MP 1,1-5,1 My Mac Pro 5.1 (2009): plans, observations & questions

[ToniCH]

Well, my X5690 processor upgrade was not successful. Best I could get was a boot loop but after countless tries not one successful boot or even startup chime.

I reinstalled the lidded X5660 2.8GHz processors and they work fine.

Well, at least I did manage to repaste and fit new spring pins to the Northbridge and also repasted the processors. Used Arctic MX-6. Also changed the BR2032 -battery while I was in there and trying to figure out the problem.

 

[tsialex]

Well, my X5690 processor upgrade was not successful. Best I could get was a boot loop but after countless tries not one successful boot or even startup chime.

I reinstalled the lidded X5660 2.8GHz processors and they work fine.

Well, at least I did manage to repaste fit new spring pins to the Northbridge and also repasted the processors.

Your CPU tray week of manufacture is 29 and is one of the Mac Pros made by the Cork factory, the slowest to implement any changes. I bet that this CPU tray is still the original revision and will only work up to X5675s.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-pro-cpu-compatibility-list.1954766/post-30733388

 

[ToniCH]

Your CPU tray week of manufacture is 29 and is one of the Mac Pros made by the Cork factory, the slowest to implement any changes. I bet that this CPU tray is still the original revision and will only work up to X5675s.

Yes, that is probably it. I did read that before but was keeping my fingers crossed and hoping it would work. It didn't.

Positive side: I now have installed a cMP processor maybe 10+ times. This morning this figure was 0. So, I gained some experience.

Don't know if replacing x5660 with x5675 is worth it. Maybe I'll aim to max out my 2010 cMP then. But, until I find a dual tray for it I am going to lug on with the 2009 & x5660's.

 

[MrScratchHook]

So, I installed the Lycom DT-130 and 2x Samsung 970 EVO Plus 2TB's. Works nicely. I made a RAID 0 out of them but I am not seeing any speed benefit over non RAID. The transfer speeds are pretty much the same as without RAIDing. At least in short Black Magic benchmark -runs. Maybe I am hitting a wall with the cards ability or maybe the PCIe-bus?

So, I might go without the RAID -config, unless there is a valid argument on behalf the RAID? Well, in any case a decent improvement by changing the card (+1000MB/s).

Very tight fit with the RX580. I put a cardboard spacer between the cards so the Lycom doesn't sag and touch the RX580 fan in any situation. I'll update the cardboard to something more appropriate later on.

BTW. I noticed that the EVO drive temps are 41°C for the one with Icy Box -sink and 50° for the one with smaller more simple sink. The difference between the 2 drives is quite steady 9-11° when stressed too.

The pics show each drive benchmarked individually and then in RAID 0 -configuration.

Hey so i just discovered your post, you seem to have things in order for the most part, but i just wanted to comment on the "tight space" between rx 580 and the lycom. That is because you have the nitro+ verson, the saffire pulse version gives you a touch more space between slots. i realized this because you have one 8 pin wire connected to the 580 which is the nitro version, and the pulse version has one 6 pin and one 8 pin connectors. i once had the 570 nitro+ so i know a lil sumthin about that😆

 

[tsialex]

i realized this because you have one 8 pin wire connected to the 580 which is the nitro version, and the pulse version has one 6 pin and one 8 pin connectors. i once had the 570 nitro+ so i know a lil sumthin about that😆

Sapphire Pulse RX 580 have just one 8-pin power connector. Sapphire Nitro cards (there are several models and special editions) have more than one.

 

[MrScratchHook]

Sapphire Pulse RX 580 have just one 8-pin power connector. Sapphire Nitro cards (there are several models and special editions) have more than one.

i have 2 saffire pulse rx 580 8gb and they both 6 plus 8 pin, 2 separate wires, thats the only reason i stated this..i also had the 570 nitro and it was one 8 pin connector. i know you know your stuff so i wont debate it, i can only speak on what i have, and his looks like the nitro and the fact that there is no space between pci slots is also a tell tale sign to me. ill check when i get home though..i may be confused and have it backwards🤷‍♂️

 

[tsialex]

i have 2 saffire pulse rx 580 8gb and they both 6 plus 8 pin, 2 separate wires, thats the only reason i stated this..i also had the 570 nitro and it was one 8 pin connector. i know you know your stuff so i wont debate it, i can only speak on what i have, and his looks like the nitro and the fact that there is no space between pci slots is also a tell tale sign to me. ill check when i get home though..i may be confused and have it backwards🤷‍♂️

You are mixing up the two, de several Nitro/Nitro+/NitroSE versions are the factory overclocked ones and require more than just one 8-pin power connector.

Sapphire Pulse RX 580 have just one 8-pin power connector.

 

[MrScratchHook]

You are mixing up the two, de several Nitro/Nitro+/NitroSE versions are the factory overclocked ones and require more than just one 8-pin power connector.

Sapphire Pulse RX 580 have just one 8-pin power connector.

you are correct, i just checked, one 8 pin, my apologies for the error. thanks for the clarification.

 

[ToniCH]

Yes, mine is the Sapphire RX 580 Pulse. But its the version without ROM -switch. I don't know if its the exact card Apple recommends or prior or later version.

The Lycom card has a heat sink which is attached with spring pins like the North Bridge. So, the pins protrude couple of mm's on the card backside. I think they are the things that touch the RX580 fan blade if the card leans too close.

BTW. i ran into a weird thing in MacOS (10.14): very easy to make a RAID out of 2 drives but really difficult to undo the RAID. The Disk utility just refuses delete the RAID-config and format them as separate drives. When I deleted the RAID APFS -volume it then could not format it at all. It tried but never finished.

I had to take the NVMe:s out of the Lycom-card and install them one at a time to a external NVMe to USB -case and using another computer reformat them. Even that was not easy, Disk utility still sees them as RAID drives but one drive missing and refuses to format the drive present. I needed to enter the Partition tool and repartition the drives to MacOS Extended and then reformat them back to APFS to be successful. Well, in the end I succeeded and now have 2 separate 2T NVMe-drives.

 

[ToniCH]

I didn't get the boot picker with my RX580 even with the EnableGop -injected bootrom. So, I assumed my GPU has some weird non stock bios. I tried to return it to original form and bricked my RX580 couple of months ago in an unfortunate bios-disaster.

Recently, for couple of times, I almost bought a new RX580 but then I thought that maybe I could flash a totally new Bios-chip with the original Bios -version, solder it to the GPU and get it back to life. Ordered some chips for this. But then I saw somebody in YT flashing GPU bios chips in situ and I decided to try it too with my ch134A-mini programmer. Had to try 4 software versions on the programmer and do some research on how to do it but finally found a working combo and now have a working RX580 again, with the boot picker!

Today I installed OCLP + Monterey to my WD NVMe -drive, got it to boot and it seems to work fine. 👍 Only thing I am wondering is that why the RX580 is much faster with Mojave than Monterey? And is there something I can do to fix the issue?

Only thing I am wondering is that why the RX580 is much faster with Mojave than Monterey? And is there something I can do to fix the issue?

EDIT: found an solution to that last question of mine: I needed first to "revert" OCLP root patches (option in OCLP control panel) and do the root patching again. This way OCLP actually checks what is in your computer, detects the RX580 and writes the correct patches. And after that the card started working properly also in Monterey. 👍