MP 1,1-5,1 MacPro 5,1 requires frequent SMC reset

[Knoxvilletim]

My MacPro 5,1 appears to require frequent SMC reset to function properly. If I do not unplug and replug the MP before starting my daily work, I often notice that it become sluggish, programs load and run slowly and often hang requiring force quit. These problems don't appear if I reset the SMC prior to starting my day. I've seen discussions regarding NVRAM garbage collection and limited life. I don't know if this has anything to do with my issue. This problem seemed to start manifesting in the last 3 months. Here are my MP's details:


Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro5,1
Processor Name: 6-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 3.46 GHz
Number of Processors: 2
Total Number of Cores: 12
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache (per Processor): 12 MB
Hyper-Threading Technology: Enabled
Memory: 64 GB
Boot ROM Version: 144.0.0.0.0
SMC Version (system): 1.39f5
SMC Version (processor tray): 1.39f5

System Version: macOS 10.14.6 (18G8022)
Kernel Version: Darwin 18.7.0
Boot Volume: Music Server SSD
Boot Mode: Normal
Computer Name: Server

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[tsialex]

My MacPro 5,1 appears to require frequent SMC reset to function properly. If I do not unplug and replug the MP before starting my daily work, I often notice that it become sluggish, programs load and run slowly and often hang requiring force quit. These problems don't appear if I reset the SMC prior to starting my day. I've seen discussions regarding NVRAM garbage collection and limited life. I don't know if this has anything to do with my issue. This problem seemed to start manifesting in the last 3 months. Here are my MP's details:


Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro5,1
Processor Name: 6-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 3.46 GHz
Number of Processors: 2
Total Number of Cores: 12
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache (per Processor): 12 MB
Hyper-Threading Technology: Enabled
Memory: 64 GB
Boot ROM Version: 144.0.0.0.0
SMC Version (system): 1.39f5
SMC Version (processor tray): 1.39f5

System Version: macOS 10.14.6 (18G8022)
Kernel Version: Darwin 18.7.0
Boot Volume: Music Server SSD
Boot Mode: Normal
Computer Name: Server

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

The whole SMC is completely independent of the MacPro firmware. It's a separate processor, a microcontroller with internal RAM/ROM, that manages the sensors/power/temperature/etc, so NVRAM and SMC problems are unrelated.

You can run mid-2010 AHT/ASD (an early-2009 cross-flashed to MP5,1 have to run mid-2010 AHT/ASD) and check for any SMC related issues. Besides running AHT or ASD there is no other way to diagnose the SMC that is accessible outside an Apple refurbishment center (not even them nowadays since the last MacPro5,1 was declared obsolete back in 2018). You can learn how to download and install AHT following the instructions of the article below:

GitHub - upekkha/AppleHardwareTest: Apple Hardware Test Download Links

Apple Hardware Test Download Links. Contribute to upekkha/AppleHardwareTest development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

You can easily check if you have problems with the NVRAM main storage area (1st VSS store), see the link below:

OpenCore on the Mac Pro

Thank you @tsialex as always! Your knowledge overwhelms me! I have fixed my problem just reflashing BootROM using the reconstructed one that you made it for me. Now everything is ok again

forums.macrumors.com

 

[Knoxvilletim]

Thanks @tsialex for your quick response!

I ran both the EFI and OS ASD. The EFI ASD shows no errors. The OS ASD shows only video errors on Open GL tests but I assume that is because I am using a metal graphics card. So that's good news. I will try to replicate the issue in my original post and re-run the diagnostics once I can replicate the issue. I didn't see any tests specific for SMC however.

In regard to testing the NVRAM, I downloaded and ran UEFITool NE 0.58 but the window that came up had no data or information inside. Can I assume this is because I am not using OpenCore? If so, I wonder if there are any other tools to inspect my NVRAM status.

Thanks again for pointing me to these tools. It really is a great support.

-Tim

 

[tsialex]

Thanks @tsialex for your quick response!

I ran both the EFI and OS ASD. The EFI ASD shows no errors. The OS ASD shows only video errors on Open GL tests but I assume that is because I am using a metal graphics card. So that's good news. I will try to replicate the issue in my original post and re-run the diagnostics once I can replicate the issue. I didn't see any tests specific for SMC however.

In regard to testing the NVRAM, I downloaded and ran UEFITool NE 0.58 but the window that came up had no data or information inside. Can I assume this is because I am not using OpenCore? If so, I wonder if there are any other tools to inspect my NVRAM status.

Thanks again for pointing me to these tools. It really is a great support.

-Tim

You have to dump your BootROM image first. I'll send you a PM with instructions.

 

[dono42]

Bumping this because of late I have the same problem. Need to unplug the 5.1 for consistent booting. The system can boot day to day for maybe a week then will not boot until the SMC is reset. Ran the AHT extended, no errors except for the graphics card (expected). Currently running 11.7.2 w/ OLCP 0.4.11. I dumped the ROM and it look like plenty of free space, after a five chime pram reset. attached. Suggestions, recommendations appreciated. Thanks.

 

[tsialex]

Bumping this because of late I have the same problem. Need to unplug the 5.1 for consistent booting. The system can boot day to day for maybe a week then will not boot until the SMC is reset. Ran the AHT extended, no errors except for the graphics card (expected). Currently running 11.7.2 w/ OLCP 0.4.11. I dumped the ROM and it look like plenty of free space, after a five chime pram reset. attached. Suggestions, recommendations appreciated. Thanks.

Did you checked the RTC battery voltage?

 

[dono42]

Did you checked the RTC battery voltage?

I replaced the BR2032 a couple years ago and the unit has ben plugged into a UPS since. Do you think I should check it? Thanks for help!

 

[tsialex]

I replaced the BR2032 a couple years ago and the unit has ben plugged into a UPS since. Do you think I should check it? Thanks for help!

Yes.

 

[dono42]

Will do. Thanks!

 

[dono42]

It is 3.17 vdc, surprised to see it that low? I have one at 3.42 that I can use until I get a new one. I thought as long that there was AC there was no load on the battery? heat?

 

[tsialex]

Mac Pro is not a 90's PCs/Mac, where the BIOS/firmware stored configuration data with a SRAM that needed to be battery backed. All Intel Macs since 2008 exclusively have NVRAM.

The RTC battery feeds the Mac Pro RTC and the little RTCRAM, where some time related data like timesinceboot are counted/stored, full time. Anyway, since the voltage is over 3.00V, it's not really the source of your problem.

You should run ASD instead of AHT. If nothing is detected by ASD, then you can backup your BootROM image and try flashing 144.0.0.0.0 MP51.fd to see if the problem disappears. Some mid-2010s/mid-2012s have a problem with the BootBlock where sometimes you power on to a black screen, Apple solved it with the 144.0.0.0.0 BootBlock, but you can only install it via a BootROM reconstruction service, a catch-22.

If after flashing the MP51.fd, this issue is solved, you'll need a BootROM reconstruction service.

 

[dono42]

Thanks for the information, will update on my progress.

 

[tsialex]

Thanks for the information, will update on my progress.

I was searching to see if the RocketU 1344D was a PCIe switched card to confirm if it's possible to be the BootBlock related issue and found your several posts about the problems since you installed it.

Remove the card and see if the problem disappears, since it's a PCIe switched card and probably can trigger the black screen BootBlock problem.

 

[dono42]

Thanks for the recommendation, will test. Current test removed RocketU 1344D will wait a week.

 

[h9826790]

SMC usually won't affect performance like that. Unless some hardware cannot shutdown properly. And start to causing trouble on the next boot. So, when you perform SMC reset, you completely de-energize the cMP, which makes that piece of hardware "reset", and able to function again on the next boot.

I think you better tell us more about your hardware setup. So that if anyone has similar issue, can compare their setup and see if able to find any common 3rd party hardware which may cause this issue.

Besides, if you have time, you may also try another OS, or just a clean installed OS, and see if that's also affected.

 

[dono42]

My hardware setup is 2 x x5680 @ 3.33 GHz, 48 GB (8GB x 6) 1333 MHz, slot 1 Saphire Radeon RX 580 (flashed MVC) powered via 2 x 6 pin backplane connections, slot 3 HighPoint RocketU 1344D (quad usb-c 3.2 10Gb/s), slot 4 Sonnet Tempo SSD Pro Plus w/ 2 x Samsung 860 EVO 1TB SSD, 2 x 1TB HDD in bay 1 & 2, also replaced the wifi/BT with BCM94360CD.

Current plan is to remove Highpoint card, run without it for a week. If problem does not occur try different usb-c card, reoccurs will tear down to one drive and install the ATI 5770 GPU and run ASD. Then follow the flash recommendations from @tsialex

 

[dono42]

Update: over a week of flawless boots without the RocketU 1344D looks like I am back to the initial problems I had with the RocketU 1344D. May look into a Sonnet USB-C card?

 

[tsialex]

Update: over a week of flawless boots without the RocketU 1344D looks like I am back to the initial problems I had with the RocketU 1344D. May look into a Sonnet USB-C card?

Like I wrote, this issue is directly related to the PCIe switch of the RocketU 1344D and the BootBlock version that was flashed by the factory inside the Mac Pro BootROM when it was manufactured.

Any other card that you install that also have a PCIe switch will fail the exact same way, most high performance USB controllers from Sonnet/HighPoint/NewerTech/etc have a PCIe switch.

You can solve (or at least minimize it to the point that is not a hassle anymore) upgrading the BootBlock of the Mac Pro BootROM via a BootROM reconstruction.

You can confirm the issue backing up your current BootROM image and flashing the generic firmware upgrade image MP51.fd from 10.14.6. After confirming that the Rocket 1344D now works as expected, you can get a BootROM reconstruction service.

 

[dono42]

Thanks, will proceed as you recommend, may take a little time.

 

[dono42]

Closing out my part of this thread. Reconstructed BootROM from @tsialex addressed my issue with the USB-C card.