MP 1,1-5,1 MacPro5,1: BootROM thread | 144.0.0.0.0

[tsialex]

Hi tsialex!

Q: Should I be proactive and get myself a MATT card before my SPI flash fails?

/Best regards Doc

If you can replace it yourself, it's not so difficult, do it next time you take your Mac Pro down for maintenance.

If you can't, then the MATT card is the solution. For people not in Europe that wants the MacPro5,1 going on working, my advice is to buy a MATT card and have it ready for the inevitable SPI flash failure - even the newest mid-2012 is already 10+ years old by now.

Since you are nearby from cmizapper in Europe, the downtime is not something to be as worried as someone in the Americas/Asia/Australia where a MATT card take a month or even more to arrive.

 

[trifero]

Couldn’t hurt. I just ordered one last night.

Recently, one of my Mac Pro 5,1 failed. Booted from a matt card, with @tsialex recostructed ROM, and I continued working in seconds. When I had time, some days later, I solder a new chip and recosntructed again the ROM. Flawless.

 

[expede]

Recently, one of my Mac Pro 5,1 failed. Booted from a matt card, with @tsialex recostructed ROM, and I continued working in seconds. When I had time, some days later, I solder a new chip and recosntructed again the ROM. Flawless.

Hello!
Where do you put the card? Where does it go? Would you be kind and show me? I’m not that good at soldering and reprogramming chips.

Best regards and Marry Christmas

/ Doc

 

[trifero]

Hello!
Where do you put the card? Where does it go? Would you be kind and show me? I’m not that good at soldering and reprogramming chips.

Best regards and Marry Christmas

/ Doc

In Little Frank port. Whre I wrote "HERE" in red.

 

[expede]

In Little Frank port. Whre I wrote "HERE" in red.

Hi trifero!

Thank you for the fast reply. I have some additional Q;

If I buy a MATT-card. Do I just plug it in and enter programming mode? Flash it with dosdude app or do you know the proper way ( tutorial) to sequence this?

Best regars again

/Doc

 

[trifero]

Hi trifero!

Thank you for the fast reply. I have some additional Q;

If I buy a MATT-card. Do I just plug it in and enter programming mode? Flash it with dosdude app or do you know the proper way ( tutorial) to sequence this?

Best regars again

/Doc

Just follow the instructions that @tsialex gave you, as if were the solded ROM

 

[mnlth0]

Hi @tsialex - wonderful work and effort! Loads of really top notch info here, thank you for your efforts and willingness to share the knowledge! I'm trying to be proactive with my crossflashed 4,1 to 5,1 Mac Pro as it still works fine. Can you please pm me your services for cleanup? Here's the screenshot of the free space withing first VSS store. Also, I am running Ventura, and was able to run the ROMTool to dump the rom.

My Mac Pro is 4.1 > 5.1 with dual CPU and 8 all slots populated.

Thank you!

 

[Demigod Mac]

What are classic signs of a bricked Mac Pro 5,1 (due to a corrupt BootROM) and at what point do you know you're in the clear during the boot process?

(mine is still OK and I plan to flash the reconstructed BootROM in the near future, just curious what to watch out for)

 

[tsialex]

What are classic signs of a bricked Mac Pro 5,1 (due to a corrupt BootROM) and at what point do you know you're in the clear during the boot process?

(mine is still OK and I plan to flash the reconstructed BootROM in the near future, just curious what to watch out for)

The name explains it already, it will not POST or boot. When it's bricked, you press the power button and nothing happens (when the SPI flash memory fails) or just the front white led turns on (when it's a corrupt SPI flash memory content that makes the PEI to crash). The EFI_DONE LED is usually off when you press the DIAG button.

A booting Mac Pro still can have a corrupt BootROM or a NVRAM in read-only mode, while it still boots, the Mac Pro have issues. This is more complex and can have various symptoms (long list) and the EFI_DONE LED is usually on, but can be off in some situations, like when the NVRAM is read-only.

A bricked Mac Pro always boot again when you install a replacement SPI. It's a hardware or logical failure exclusively related to the SPI flash memory/BootROM firmware.

 

[elfensky]

If you found that your NVRAM volume has any of the above issues and you need a professional BootROM reconstruction service, please send me a PM.

I think the forum requires some amount of posts before I can PM, so I have to do it this way - are you still offering reconstruction services, and how much is it?

Got a 5,1 mac pro from work recently (they were clearing out old hardware) and I want to use it as my primary machine, but the bootrom is showing 20k of free space left over and no 2nd VCC Store.

Currently have a booting High Sierra, updated to 144.0.0.0.0 with a macvidcards RX580.

My understanding is that if I try to install Sonoma with opencore on it in its current state, it will brick the machine, is that correct?

 

[tsialex]

I think the forum requires some amount of posts before I can PM, so I have to do it this way - are you still offering reconstruction services, and how much is it?

I'll send you a PM.

Got a 5,1 mac pro from work recently (they were clearing out old hardware) and I want to use it as my primary machine, but the bootrom is showing 20k of free space left over and no 2nd VCC Store.

This is bad, you already got the 2nd VSS store header corrupt.

Currently have a booting High Sierra, updated to 144.0.0.0.0 with a macvidcards RX580.

My understanding is that if I try to install Sonoma with opencore on it in its current state, it will brick the machine, is that correct?

Several people are having the NVRAM read-only, when you can't use the BootPicker or reset the NVRAM.

 

[8bits16bits]

@tsialex Hello I need reconstruction service BootROM, I can't send you a private message

Currently have a booting High Sierra, updated to 144.0.0.0.0

I'm sorry for my bad English, I speak from Google Translate

Thank you

 

[Orpcam51]

I'm a new Mac Pro user and have only recently discovered the issue with the bootroms on these machines.

My 5,1 is a Mid-2012 3.2ghz quad core Xeon that came with 6GB of RAM and a HD5770 GPU. It came with a very old version of MacOS and the first bootrom released for the 5,1 (MP51.0007F.B03). I have since upgraded the GPU, the RAM and also the GPU, and I used High Sierra to flash ithe bootrom to MP51.0089.B00, which it is currently on.

I bought an RX580 recently, so I am ready to upgrade to Mojave - this is also when I first heard about corrupted bootroms.

I know I should do a dump of my bootrom, but I am wondering if I should do it now or wait until I have installed Mojave first (and flashed to 144.0.0.0.0).

Also, is it a good idea to do an NVRAM reset before I do the upgrade to Mojave/dump the bootrom?

Thanks

 

[tsialex]

I'm a new Mac Pro user and have only recently discovered the issue with the bootroms on these machines.

My 5,1 is a Mid-2012 3.2ghz quad core Xeon that came with 6GB of RAM and a HD5770 GPU. It came with a very old version of MacOS and the first bootrom released for the 5,1 (MP51.0007F.B03). I have since upgraded the GPU, the RAM and also the GPU, and I used High Sierra to flash ithe bootrom to MP51.0089.B00, which it is currently on.

I bought an RX580 recently, so I am ready to upgrade to Mojave - this is also when I first heard about corrupted bootroms.

I know I should do a dump of my bootrom, but I am wondering if I should do it now or wait until I have installed Mojave first (and flashed to 144.0.0.0.0).

Also, is it a good idea to do an NVRAM reset before I do the upgrade to Mojave/dump the bootrom?

Thanks

Do it right now. If something happens while upgrading, will be much more complicated. You should do before and after reseting, so you can now if garbage collections still works.

 

[Orpcam51]

Do it right now. If something happens while upgrading, will be much more complicated. You should do before and after reseting, so you can now if garbage collections still works.

Thanks for the reply.

I just did a rom dump using the default SP1 flash chip setting (I can't see the model number and will probably have to remove the CPU tray cage - not sure how this will affect the validity of the dump), and the reading in Free Space Full Size is 245576.

Also, I Don't appear to have the second VSS store.

It looks like I need my bootrom rebuilt. Can you PM me with details, please.

I can't seem to PM you.

Thanks

 

[tsialex]

Thanks for the reply.

I just did a rom dump using the default SP1 flash chip setting (I can't see the model number and will probably have to remove the CPU tray cage - not sure how this will affect the validity of the dump), and the reading in Free Space Full Size is 245576.

This value is not even possible, maybe you made a typo?

The primary and secondary VSS stores have a usable space of 65448 (64KB - header) each.

Also, I Don't appear to have the second VSS store.

This is the real problem, if you can't get it back with a NVRAM reset, you need a reconstruction urgently. Do not try to upgrade the EFI firmware with a corrupt NVRAM volume, you most probably will brick the Mac Pro.

It looks like I need my bootrom rebuilt. Can you PM me with details, please.

I can't seem to PM you.

Thanks

I've sent you a PM, low post cont newbies do not have PM privileges.

 

[Orpcam51]

This value is not even possible, maybe you made a typo?

The primary and secondary VSS stores have a usable space of 65448 (64KB - header) each.



This is the real problem, if you can't get it back with a NVRAM reset, you need a reconstruction urgently. Do not try to upgrade the EFI firmware with a corrupt NVRAM volume, you most probably will brick the Mac Pro.



I've sent you a PM, low post cont newbies do not have PM privileges.

Thanks for your reply and your PM.

I've managed to get sight of the flash chip and it seems to be a MX25L3205D.

About the free space available, I'll need to check and will get back to you (I've already shut down the computer for the night). It's likely to be a typo but the number did start with a 2.

I'll do the dump again in the morning and will also do the NVRAM reset and see if it improves anything. If not, I'll send you all the required info so that you can do a rebuild.

Thanks again.

 

[Orpcam51]

This value is not even possible, maybe you made a typo?

The primary and secondary VSS stores have a usable space of 65448 (64KB - header) each.



This is the real problem, if you can't get it back with a NVRAM reset, you need a reconstruction urgently. Do not try to upgrade the EFI firmware with a corrupt NVRAM volume, you most probably will brick the Mac Pro.



I've sent you a PM, low post cont newbies do not have PM privileges.

I followed your advice and did a deep NVRAM reset (5 chimes and 4 consecutive resets).



On inspecting the newly dumped rom, I now have a Full Size Free Space of 41987 (prior to the deep NVRAM reset it was 24576), and the second VSS store has appeared!



The reset seems to have fixed the BootROM, and garbage collection seems to be working. Do you still recommend I get my BootROM rebuilt?



In terms of keeping the BootROM healthy, do I just periodically reflash my BootROM with the good dump?



Is it still OK to use this dump once I have upgraded to Mojave and/or add or upgrade new hardware?



Thanks again for your help Alex.



PS. I used Macschrauber’s Rom Dump tool as well, and everything came back “OK” with VSS1 and VSS2 rated “Healthy”.

 

[tsialex]

I followed your advice and did a deep NVRAM reset (5 chimes and 4 consecutive resets).



On inspecting the newly dumped rom, I now have a Full Size Free Space of 41987 (prior to the deep NVRAM reset it was 24576), and the second VSS store has appeared!



The reset seems to have fixed the BootROM, and garbage collection seems to be working.

Glad that you got the garbage collection working and the 2nd VSS store again, most people is not as lucky as you.

Do you still recommend I get my BootROM rebuilt?

You solved two issues, still have the ancient BootBlock that causes issues with PCIe switched cards, the hardware dscriptor that have several bugs except on mid-2012 and 2012 made mid-2010s.

If you intention is to upgrade your Mac Pro and run it as a production machine, my advice is to solve everything in one go.

In terms of keeping the BootROM healthy, do I just periodically reflash my BootROM with the good dump?

Yes.

Is it still OK to use this dump once I have upgraded to Mojave and/or add or upgrade new hardware?

Like I wrote, depends.

If you gonna run a dual CPU tray, 96GB+ of RAM and upgrade to PCIe switched cards, you really need a zero issues BootROM.

 

[Orpcam51]

Glad that you got the garbage collection working and the 2nd VSS store again, most people is not as lucky as you.



You solved two issues, still have the ancient BootBlock that causes issues with PCIe switched cards, the hardware dscriptor that have several bugs except on mid-2012 and 2012 made mid-2010s.

If you intention is to upgrade your Mac Pro and run it as a production machine, my advice is to solve everything in one go.



Yes.



Like I wrote, depends.

If you gonna run a dual CPU tray, 96GB+ of RAM and upgrade to PCIe switched cards, you really need a zero issues BootROM.

Thanks Alex,

I was thinking the same.

I’d like to upgrade to a dual cpu tray in the future and other parts and don’t want to be dealing with any bootROM issues.

I think I read somewhere that you also include the GOP hack for graphics cards that don’t show the boot screen. If you do, I’ll send you all my files tonight for the rebuild.

 

[tsialex]

I think I read somewhere that you also include the GOP hack for graphics cards that don’t show the boot screen. If you do, I’ll send you all my files tonight for the rebuild.

Yes, I'll send a standard reconstructed BootROM image and an additional one with EnableGop EFI module already injected.

 

[Mariner19]

tsialex; I'm ready to be another returning customer for my late 2011 cmp 5,1. I've just completed all the required information needed for you to look over and rebuild if required. Just need your permission to PM your way.
Thank you

 

[tsialex]

tsialex; I'm ready to be another returning customer for my late 2011 cmp 5,1. I've just completed all the required information needed for you to look over and rebuild if required. Just need your permission to PM your way.
Thank you

I've opened a new PM thread, please upload there.

 

[Chew_Bags]

Hi everybody,

Managed to get hold of two cMP's that were on the side of the road for rubbish collection. Quite the score as I managed to get the 4,1 flashed and am very happy with how I've configured it using advice from Mac Sound Solutions and Greg Gant (even though I can't yet get the 5600XT to boot into Sonoma, it just hangs).

However the second one, a 5,1, has the issue where it wont power on or post and the symptoms look like whats mentioned in this thread. I'll see if I can digest the info on this forum and get it working.

I purchased a new backplane for the 5,1 but received a 4,1

Been trying to get this up and running using the CPU tray from my other 4,1 but the bootrom is an absolute mess. How do I go about removing the Microsoft certificates and the VSS2 nonsense? I've sent an email to MacShrauber with my BIN file attached but was wondering if there is some utility or SOP I can use to have a crack at it myself?
This issue was discovered while I was looking to inject EnableGOP_1.4.ffs

Thanks in advance.

 

[Chew_Bags]

Also been trying to reset NVRAM using the keyboard method at Power On but it wont work and more often than not only takes me to recovery. This is odd as I use the same keyboard on my other 4,1 to do this without issue.

This other 4,1 seems to act on its own set of rules.