MP 1,1-5,1 Startup Problem on 2012 5,1

[microbitsuk]

Hi i am new to this forum can anyone help with a 5,1 that won't start,
when you press the start button the system will start but no video no chime, not sure if firmware problem?
if you hold the button in you get the normal flashing light that you would get if you where going to reflash the firmware still no chime.
I have tried different trays different graphics cards the same results tried resetting the PRAM no joy
if you press the diagnostic button you get green light on the top and a flashing light on the bottom two any thoughts.
Maybe have to get a new logic board?

 

[tsialex]

EFI_DONE status, on or off?

 

[cajunfc]

Hi I too am new to this forum and as well are having a startup issue with 2012 5,1. I had recently re-installed High Sierra and was doing a normal update from the App Store which required a restart. After the restart a screen option came up that gave me four options 1- To re-install the operating system, 2- Backup from a Time Machine, 3- Get Help On line 4- Disk Utility. I tried to restart again but with same results, so I choose the option to re-install the operating system, but after about 10-15 minutes it comes right back to the same screen. I've also tried putting in another hard drive with High Sierra and the same result, it always goes back to the same 4 options, bad motherboard??

 

[tsialex]

Hi I too am new to this forum and as well are having a startup issue with 2012 5,1. I had recently re-installed High Sierra and was doing a normal update from the App Store which required a restart. After the restart a screen option came up that gave me four options 1- To re-install the operating system, 2- Backup from a Time Machine, 3- Get Help On line 4- Disk Utility. I tried to restart again but with same results, so I choose the option to re-install the operating system, but after about 10-15 minutes it comes right back to the same screen. I've also tried putting in another hard drive with High Sierra and the same result, it always goes back to the same 4 options, bad motherboard??

Upload a picture of the screen to be sure, but seems you booted Recovery, no?

Maybe it's something easy/simple, like if you formatted your disk incorrectly from the start and the updates are not completing correctly.

 

[microbitsuk]

Sorry took so long out of the office for a week here is a video of system, the efi light comes on then the light under neath flashes hope this helps

 

[tsialex]

Sorry took so long out of the office for a week here is a video of system, the efi light comes on then the light under neath flashes hope this helps
View attachment 1965150

EFI_DONE is off, should be fully lit when/while you press the DIAG button.

Did you tested another PSU or tested another backplane with this case/PSU? If so, you have a brick.

 

[microbitsuk]

i will try a psu to see if that works can the firmware chip be changed?

 

[tsialex]

i will try a psu to see if that works can the firmware chip be changed?

- What to do if during the upgrade process your Mac Pro bricked:

If during the upgrade process you bricked the BootROM, you have three options:

1. Buy a replacement backplane on eBay and replace the backplane yourself, cheapest option if you can't solder SMD. Remember that you need a 2009 backplane if you have an early-2009 Mac Pro. If you have a mid-2010 or mid-2012 you can use either 2010 or 2012 backplanes. Don't mix early-2009 backplanes with mid-2010/mid-2012 CPU trays, or vice-versa - either scenario is a SMC firmware version mismatch and all your fans will run at maximum RPM, full time and without any software control.
2. Buy a Mac Pro MATT card and use it as a replacement SPI flash, this is not recommended since all MATT cards are clones and won't work for iCloud/iMessage/FaceTime. A replacement backplane is usually cheaper.
3. Desolder, reprogram and solder back the SPI flash, chip U8700 on the backplane. It's not possible to read or write to the SPI flash memory while it's soldered on the MP5,1 backplane. A cheap SPI flash programmer like ch341a will work for read/write the BootROM after the SPI flash memory is desoldered from the backplane. Start reading here, read all my posts on the subject from there. I strongly recommend that you replace your original SPI flash memory with a brand new one, don't solder it back to the backplane, it will fail soon since SPI flash memories have limited lifetime (manufacture rated for just 100.000 erase/write cycles) when used as NVRAM for a Mac Pro. Again, most hard bricks are caused by the failure of the SPI flash, it's a US$ 2 component easily available, MXIC MX25L3206E, just replace it! Btw, yes, you can use a MXIC MX25L3206E as a modern replacement for the two older models SST25VF032B and MXIC MX25L3205D used on early-2009 and mid-2010 respectively, Apple did it for mid-2012 Mac Pros.
   
   Mojave has the generic MP51.fd firmware image inside the full installer, it's enough for boot your Mac Pro again but not for iCloud/iMessage/FaceTime login.
   
   

   Install\ macOS\ Mojave/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/Firmware/MP51.fd

The whole SPI flash replacement procedure is:

• desolder the U8700 flash memory from the backplane PCB,
• use an external SPI flash programmer and it's own app (or flashrom, if it's on the supported list of programmers) to dump the contents of the SPI flash memory removed from the MacPro backplane,
• program MP51.fd to the replacement SPI flash memory (Macronix MX25L3205A/MX25L3205D/MX25L3206E, SST 25VF032B),
• verify if the flashing process was done correctly,
• solder back the SPI flash memory,
• while the backplane is outside the case, take a picture of the MLB label near the AirPort Extreme connector, also take a picture of the ESN label, the one on the case near the GPU outputs,
• reinstall the backplane in the Mac Pro case,
• test if the Mac Pro is now capable of POST and it's booting macOS with the replacement flash memory,
• if the Mac Pro is now booting macOS, ask a firmware engineer to do a BootROM reconstruction service based on the corrupt dump, the case ESN and the backplane MLB labels to get your Mac Pro fully working again.

 

[microbitsuk]

thanks will try this