MP 1,1-5,1 Two Mac 4,1s wont power on after firmware update started

[skearon]

I have two stock dual CPU Mac Pro 4,1s, both with original 2.26 quad core CPUs

Booted into recovery, terminal and checked csrstatus was disabled

Then rebooted and ran Firmware upgrade utility to bring it to 5,1 as I had intended fitting 6-core cpus

All seems to go fine, prompted me to shutdown, which I did, then went to power on and nothing, no power led comes on, or fans etc.

Went ahead and did same on second Mac 4,1 I had, pressing power button in worked, waited till led flashed, firmware updated, and on reboot now shows as 5,1. So thought what had happened on first machine was a glitch and would look at it later.

Then ran High Sierra installer on second machine which prompted to update firmware again, Mac shutdown and now same as first machine, power button doesnt do anything, no light, no sounds, press or holding in makes no difference.

I've upgraded many 4,1 to 5,1 firmware over the years but havent seen this before, but I think earlier machines were all single CPU, not dual.

Did you a search before posting this, but didnt see anything relevant.

Would be most grateful if someone can suggest a fix for me!

 

[tsialex]

This is what you can do to repair a brick:

MP5,1: BootROM thread | 144.0.0.0.0

- What to do if your Mac Pro bricked: If your early-2009 to mid-2012 is now bricked, you have three options: 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...

forums.macrumors.com

Btw, you can't use Firmware Restoration CDs with cross flashed Macs, won't work since you have a MP5,1 EFI with a MP4,1 Firmware Restoration EFI module.

 

[skearon]

This is what you can do to repair a brick:

MP5,1: BootROM thread | 144.0.0.0.0

- What to do if your Mac Pro bricked: If your early-2009 to mid-2012 is now bricked, you have three options: 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...

forums.macrumors.com

Btw, you can't use Firmware Restoration CDs with cross flashed Macs, won't work since you have a MP5,1 EFI with a MP4,1 Firmware Restoration EFI module.

Thank you, will have a look at it, Ive never had a firmware upgrade fail on me before, how common is it, and is it related to dual cpus?

 

[tsialex]

Thank you, will have a look at it, Ive never had a firmware upgrade fail on me before, how common is it,

Very common, the SPI flash memory that store the BootROM firmware is a consumable component, right now it's over or around 12 years old.

and is it related to dual cpus?

No.

 

[skearon]

So power LED not coming on at all is a symptom of SPI flash memory going bad?

Hadn't heard of the MattCard before, but looking at prices for dual cpu boards on ebay it is a cheaper option, is there much involved in programming them?

Are you aware of any places that will take a bricked board, replace the SPI on it, and flash it?

 

[tsialex]

So power LED not coming on at all is a symptom of SPI flash memory going bad?

There are lot's of different ways for the SPI flash to fail with different behaviors of the Mac Pro. It can power up or not, the power led can blink or not, depends where inside the BootROM the failure happened.

The best course of action is to follow the diagnostic steps of the Apple Technician Guide, pay attention to EFI_Done.

Hadn't heard of the MattCard before, but looking at prices for dual cpu boards on ebay it is a cheaper option, is there much involved in programming them?

What the dual CPU tray has anything to do with the BootROM? CPU trays only have SMC controller, it's the backplane that have the BootROM.

Are you aware of any places that will take a bricked board, replace the SPI on it, and flash it?

Nope.

 

[skearon]

Thanks again for your prompt responses, sorry I misread your post, I'll have a look for backplanes.

If I instead purchase the MattCard is there a tutorial anywhere for dummies ?

 

[tsialex]

Thanks again for your prompt responses, sorry I misread your post, I'll have a look for backplanes.

If I instead purchase the MattCard is there a tutorial anywhere for dummies ?

Anyone trying to revive a bricked Mac Pro will have a very step learning curve to follow, this is definitively a not for dummies job.

MATT cards are not a plug and play solution as cmizapper documentation let you think it is. The BootROM image that cmizapper sends is a clone of a mid-2010 Mac Pro with SSN GJ0340TXH2N, while it will let you boot right after installed, Apple will block the Mac Pro from accessing iCloud/Messages/FaceTime since it's a widely used clone. You need to flash the Mac Pro own firmware to the MATT card.

Buy a know working early-2009 replacement backplane or try to find someone to repair your bricked one.

 

[skearon]

Anyone trying to revive a bricked Mac Pro will have a very step learning curve to follow, this is definitively a not for dummies job.

MATT cards are not a plug and play solution as cmizapper documentation let you think it is. The BootROM image that cmizapper sends is a clone of a mid-2010 Mac Pro with SSN GJ0340TXH2N, while it will let you boot right after installed, Apple will block the Mac Pro from accessing iCloud/Messages/FaceTime since it's a widely used clone.

Buy a know working early-2009 replacement backplane or try to find someone to repair your bricked one.

Seems buying a backplane is my best option so. thanks again for your advice.

 

[jbarley]

So power LED not coming on at all is a symptom of SPI flash memory going bad?

Hadn't heard of the MattCard before, but looking at prices for dual cpu boards on ebay it is a cheaper option, is there much involved in programming them?

Like you I also had my MacPro 4,1/5,1 fail to boot shortly after it was flashed.
I ordered a Matt card and it was a simple plug and play, computer was up and running minutes after the Matt card arrived.
There was no flashing/programming required on my part.
My system uses icloud without any issues, as to imessage and facetime I can't comment, never used them.
Again, just plugged in the Matt card and it booted,would definitely purchase another if the need ever arises.

 

[tsialex]

Like you I also had my MacPro 4,1/5,1 fail to boot shortly after it was flashed.
I ordered a Matt card and it was a simple plug and play, computer was up and running minutes after the Matt card arrived.
There was no flashing/programming required on my part.
My system uses icloud without any issues, as to imessage and facetime I can't comment, never used them.
Again, just plugged in the Matt card and it booted,would definitely purchase another if the need ever arises.

View attachment 1806241 View attachment 1806235

Don't assume that something that works for your will work for everyone. Apple will block iCloud/iMessage/FaceTime from your Mac Pro the next time a clean up is done. It's a clone of GJ0340TXH2N, this is not difficult to understand the implications.

 

[jbarley]

I wasn't assuming anything, only expressing my personal experience.
My system has been running flawlessly using the Matt Card since I installed it in Nov 2020.
When or if Apple screws it up, then I'll deal with it.

 

[tsialex]

I wasn't assuming anything, only expressing my personal experience.
My system has been running flawlessly using the Matt Card since I installed it in Nov 2020.
When or if Apple screws it up, then I'll deal with it.

Look, even if you are not assuming anything, you are writing that works perfectly for you and this validate it for someone that have less knowledge/don't understand the implications.

Apple periodically validate iCloud/Messages/FaceTime logins and even real Macs with real/valid/correct SSNs sometimes are blocked because a technician forgets to include one of the hardwareIDs during a repair or something along the lines like don't adding a SON to GSK and then the user have to open a request to whitelist the Mac within Apple database.

Clones are even more scrutinized that hackintoshes.

 

[skearon]

Like you I also had my MacPro 4,1/5,1 fail to boot shortly after it was flashed.
I ordered a Matt card and it was a simple plug and play, computer was up and running minutes after the Matt card arrived.
There was no flashing/programming required on my part.
My system uses icloud without any issues, as to imessage and facetime I can't comment, never used them.
Again, just plugged in the Matt card and it booted,would definitely purchase another if the need ever arises.

View attachment 1806241 View attachment 1806235

Thank you, as a matter of interest was yours like mine, not powering on at all?

When you ordered it did you have to tell them it was a 4,1 flashed to 5,1, or when it arrived did it boot as 4,1 and you then used normal tools to being it to a 5,1?

 

[jbarley]

If I remember correctly mine powered on (white power indicator light on) but nothing else.
Just sat there doing nothing.
They only offer 1 unit for 3 different Classic Mac Pro models,(2009, 2010, 2012) so ordering is simple.
My unit had been running as a 5,1 flashed from a 4,1 for a short period before it failed,
so when the Matt card was installed it booted as a 5,1.

MattCard Mac desktop