MP 1,1-5,1 MacPro5,1: What you have to do to upgrade to Mojave (10.13/10.14 BootROM upgrades instructions thread)

[paulcons]

If you have a earlier than MP51.0089.B00 BootROM version, these are the steps to upgrade your BootROM to have Mojave support:

1. Disconnect any 4K or DP1.2 display. You can't update to MP51.0089.B00 with a 4K/DP1.2 screen connected to your Mac EFI GPU. It's a old bug that Apple corrected with MP6,1 and "forgot" to correct with the MP5,1. MP5,1 efiflasher don't support 4K screens or DP1.2, you can reconnect after you update your BootROM.
2. Disable FileVault2 if enabled, since FV2 is not supported anymore with a Mac Pro 5,1 running Mojave.
   
3. Install a Mac EFI64 GPU. Any original Apple card from 2008 to 2012 (HD 2600XT, 8800GT, Quadro FX 5600, GT120, HD 4870/5770/5870) or 3rd party Mac EFI cards like Sapphire HD 7950 Mac Edition, eVGA GTX 680 Mac Edition, NVIDIA Quadro 4000/K5000 or self-flashed/MVC flashed cards.
4. If you use a SATA III PCIe card, remove your drive from the card and install into the Mac Pro SATA II ports, a lot of people report trouble doing the firmware upgrade with SATA III PCIe cards.
5. If you ever downloaded any previous version of High Sierra, have it saved in any of Mac Pro external drives, you have to delete it/move to a offline disk and then restart your Mac. You need the current High Sierra 10.13.6 full installer from the Mac App Store, no previous version have the needed MP51.0089.B00 BootROM.
6. This is the Apple Support page where you can get the link for the 10.13.6 Mac App Store Installer (you need this even if you already are on 10.13.6). see the image below. Note, if you never used Mac App Store before, you need to validate your account first and download a free app before trying to get High Sierra

Fabulous effort here, I commend you. Indeed I have an "earlier" boot rom (MP51.007F.B03) so this section applies. In Step 2 you say "...or self-flashed/MVC flashed cards." Assume you mean like the GTX980 I bought, flashed from MacVidCards? So no need to swap back to my Radeon 5870 then... I DO have what I think is a SATIII PCI card (they called it a SATA6G card, SeriTek 6G2+2) as my boot drive... if I do NOT boot from it, do I still need to pull it from the machine (I have a partition in my collection of drives that has a very clean 10.12.6, the latest nVidia drivers and a few drive utilities I'd use as a boot volume)?

Curious about re-downloading HS... I have an installer that I literally downloaded a month ago... how could it NOT have the firmware update? No biggee following your instructions, just curious. Oh, am running 10.12 6, no need to actually install HS/Mojave, correct?

 

[tsialex]

Fabulous effort here, I commend you. Indeed I have an "earlier" boot rom (MP51.007F.B03) so this section applies. In Step 2 you say "...or self-flashed/MVC flashed cards." Assume you mean like the GTX980 I bought, flashed from MacVidCards? So no need to swap back to my Radeon 5870 then... I DO have what I think is a SATIII PCI card (they called it a SATA6G card, SeriTek 6G2+2) as my boot drive... if I do NOT boot from it, do I still need to pull it from the machine (I have a partition in my collection of drives that has a very clean 10.12.6, the latest nVidia drivers and a few drive utilities I'd use as a boot volume)?

Curious about re-downloading HS... I have an installer that I literally downloaded a month ago... how could it NOT have the firmware update? No biggee following your instructions, just curious. Oh, am running 10.12 6, no need to actually install HS/Mojave, correct?

Simplify your Mac Pro, you already have a complication as you have an unsupported GPU.

Old installers as not the current 10.13.6 from Apple, people downloaded 10.13 installer from High Sierra release date and want that to update firmware

 

[LDstudios]

Hi all! I have a bit of a weird one. Last night I installed a Sapphire RX580 into my old 5,1 Mac Pro and installed Mojave onto a spare 512gig SSD. I launched the Mojave installer from within the existing High Sierra OS. It went through what I think were the appropriate steps:

- Installer added a bunch of files to the Mojave SSD
- Installer restarted the computer.
- The resulting screen was just black for about 5 minutes (which I assumed was the firmware update)
- The computer restarted itself again. I tapped enter a few times but after about 10 minutes it ended up showing the welcome screen of a new Mojave OSX install.

Currently it all seems to work fine. I've installed a bunch of apps, and reinstalled some PCIe cards (though the Sapphire RX580 encroaches on the 3rd PCIe slot enough that I can't even fit a tiny USB3 PCIe card without it hitting the GPU's fan). But... system profiler still shows the Mac Pro to be running Boot ROM Version: 138.0.0.0.0.

Shouldn't it be 144.0.0.0 or something like that?

 

[tsialex]

Hi all! I have a bit of a weird one. Last night I installed a Sapphire RX580 into my old 5,1 Mac Pro and installed Mojave onto a spare 512gig SSD. I launched the Mojave installer from within the existing High Sierra OS. It went through what I think were the appropriate steps:

- Installer added a bunch of files to the Mojave SSD
- Installer restarted the computer.
- The resulting screen was just black for about 5 minutes (which I assumed was the firmware update)
- The computer restarted itself again. I tapped enter a few times but after about 10 minutes it ended up showing the welcome screen of a new Mojave OSX install.

Currently it all seems to work fine. I've installed a bunch of apps, and reinstalled some PCIe cards (though the Sapphire RX580 encroaches on the 3rd PCIe slot enough that I can't even fit a tiny USB3 PCIe card without it hitting the GPU's fan). But... system profiler still shows the Mac Pro to be running Boot ROM Version: 138.0.0.0.0.

Shouldn't it be 144.0.0.0 or something like that?

You probably didn't put it into Firmware Programming Mode correctly. Read the last page of this thread if you need tips getting into Firmware Programming Mode: Help! macpro5,1 won't go into firmware update mode.

 

[frilli]

Good evening,
sorry for my bad English.
I have a MC 5.1 (Boot 144) with Shapphire Radeon RX580, to install Mojave I have necessarily to do an update from High Sierra ...... it's possible to do a clean installation, since I don't have the boot screen ??
Thank you

 

[LDstudios]

You probably didn't put it into Firmware Programming Mode correctly. Read the last page of this thread if you need tips getting into Firmware Programming Mode: Help! macpro5,1 won't go into firmware update mode.

Quite possibly, though after the firmware update prompt from the Mojave installer I followed the instructions pretty closely (system shutdown, restart holding power button, flickering LED, heard the tone play, etc). I am using a non-EFI RX580, so the screens came 'on' but were only ever black during the process. Is that to be expected? Should I just keep repeating the process to see if something sticks? Or is it possible to swap out the RX580 with the original HD5770 after the Mojave installer shuts the computer down?

 

[tsialex]

Good evening,
sorry for my bad English.
I have a MC 5.1 (Boot 144) with Shapphire Radeon RX580, to install Mojave I have necessarily to do an update from High Sierra ...... it's possible to do a clean installation, since I don't have the boot screen ??
Thank you

Yes, it is. All cards that have driver support with Mojave work for Recovery and Installer, after the driver is loaded.

 

[tsialex]

Quite possibly, though after the firmware update prompt from the Mojave installer I followed the instructions pretty closely (system shutdown, restart holding power button, flickering LED, heard the tone play, etc). I am using a non-EFI RX580, so the screens came 'on' but were only ever black during the process. Is that to be expected?

Yes, nothing on the screen whatsoever during firmware upgrade.

Should I just keep repeating the process to see if something sticks?

Read the thread that I linked for tips.

Or is it possible to swap out the RX580 with the original HD5770 after the Mojave installer shuts the computer down?

No.

 

[frilli]

Yes, it is. All cards that have driver support with Mojave work for Recovery and Installer, after the driver is loaded.

... but it's impossible to get to the recovery and above all to the installation without seeing anything, right?

 

[tsialex]

... but it's impossible to get to the recovery and above all to the installation without seeing anything, right?

Like I said, all native supported GPUs work after the driver are loaded. If Mojave support your GPU, as soon as the driver loads, the screen works.

 

[macha-one]

Hello expert upgraders....About to upgrade my 5.1 12 core with ssd and a faster gpu.
I now have an amd 280 r9 installed.
For me it is essential that i can also run my bootcamp partition. I switch from mac os sierra to windows 8.1 a lot.
I understand that the amd rx580 does not support bootcamp.
What gpu would be a good upgrade option for me?
Any advice much appreciated. Thanks

 

[tsialex]

Hello expert upgraders....About to upgrade my 5.1 12 core with ssd and a faster gpu.
I now have an amd 280 r9 installed.
For me it is essential that i can also run my bootcamp partition. I switch from mac os sierra to windows 8.1 a lot.
I understand that the amd rx580 does not support bootcamp.
What gpu would be a good upgrade option for me?
Any advice much appreciated. Thanks

It’s Mojave that not support BootCamp Assistant with MP5,1 and you have to work around it. RX 580 works perfectly, but without BootPicker/BootSelector.

 

[MapleGreen]

Like I said, all native supported GPUs work after the driver are loaded. If Mojave support your GPU, as soon as the driver loads, the screen works.

Hi I have a question about updating firmware
I've just removed CD-Drive from my Mac pro 5.1, as we know it opens and closes during firmware update.
is it necessary to have CD-Drive?
has anyone tested firmware updating procedure without CD-RW?!

 

[tsialex]

Hi I have a question about updating firmware
I've just removed CD-Drive from my Mac pro 5.1, as we know it opens and closes during firmware update.
is it necessary to have CD-Drive?
has anyone tested firmware updating procedure without CD-RW?!

No need at all.

I don't have a DVD drive in my main Mac since at least 2016.

 

[tommy chen]

Hi I have a question about updating firmware
I've just removed CD-Drive from my Mac pro 5.1, as we know it opens and closes during firmware update.
is it necessary to have CD-Drive?
has anyone tested firmware updating procedure without CD-RW?!

look at this:

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...de-instructions.2142418/page-47#post-27503681

 

[aslawrence2019]

@tsialex

I have a 2009 4.1 that I purchased second hand flashed to 5.1 in 2013 from powerresale.com. It has 1333Mhz DDR3 EEC Ram fitted. I believe the processors were upgraded.

Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro5,1
Processor Name: 6-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 3.33 GHz
Number of Processors: 2
Total Number of Cores: 12
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache (per Processor): 12 MB
Memory: 32 GB
Processor Interconnect Speed: 6.4 GT/s
Boot ROM Version: MP51.0085.B00
SMC Version (system): 1.39f5
SMC Version (processor tray): 1.39f5
Serial Number (system): Not Available? (don't why this is not available)
Serial Number (processor tray): J5908054xxxx
Hardware UUID: 1257856F-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-392C1E326DA0 (I inserted the x)

I followed your instructions to the letter.
Clean installed Sierra 10.12.6 on a fresh HD fitted in Bay1.
Removed all other drives.
Removed all extra graphics cards so only the GT120 remained.
Disconnected second Apple Cinema Display.
Downloaded full version of High Sierra 10.13.6 and installed on usb using createinstallmedia in terminal.
Reset SMC.
Reset NVRAM 3 times.
Successfully applied csrutil command whilst booted from Sierra installer USB.
Restarted into new drive running 10.12.6.
Opened installer for High Sierra 10.13.6.
Installer required firmware update to be installed. Used installer shutdown button (which generated helper app).
Restarted, held power button resulting with both flashing lights and chime.

Screen remains black.
No visible firmware bar ever appears.
After 5 minutes machine restarts but Boot ROM is still MP51.0085.B00

Three attempts at firmware update made no change. Also tried with monitor disconnected from graphics card.
Still stuck in MP51.0085.B00

I investigated trying the EFI update patch, but it said I was already 5.1. I could downgrade to 4.1, but as I have the 6 core processors I would brick the machine.

Do you have any suggestions. I have ready through the entire thread and have not located what I am doing wrong.

Best regards
Anthony

 

[tsialex]

@tsialex

I have a 2009 4.1 that I purchased second hand flashed to 5.1 in 2013 from powerresale.com. It has 1333Mhz DDR3 EEC Ram fitted. I believe the processors were upgraded.

Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro5,1
Processor Name: 6-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 3.33 GHz
Number of Processors: 2
Total Number of Cores: 12
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache (per Processor): 12 MB
Memory: 32 GB
Processor Interconnect Speed: 6.4 GT/s
Boot ROM Version: MP51.0085.B00
SMC Version (system): 1.39f5
SMC Version (processor tray): 1.39f5
Serial Number (system): Not Available? (don't why this is not available)
Serial Number (processor tray): J5908054xxxx
Hardware UUID: 1257856F-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-392C1E326DA0 (I inserted the x)

I followed your instructions to the letter.
Clean installed Sierra 10.12.6 on a fresh HD fitted in Bay1.
Removed all other drives.
Removed all extra graphics cards so only the GT120 remained.
Disconnected second Apple Cinema Display.
Downloaded full version of High Sierra 10.13.6 and installed on usb using createinstallmedia in terminal.
Reset SMC.
Reset NVRAM 3 times.
Successfully applied csrutil command whilst booted from Sierra installer USB.
Restarted into new drive running 10.12.6.
Opened installer for High Sierra 10.13.6.
Installer required firmware update to be installed. Used installer shutdown button (which generated helper app).
Restarted, held power button resulting with both flashing lights and chime.

Screen remains black.
No visible firmware bar ever appears.
After 5 minutes machine restarts but Boot ROM is still MP51.0085.B00

Three attempts at firmware update made no change. Also tried with monitor disconnected from graphics card.
Still stuck in MP51.0085.B00

I investigated trying the EFI update patch, but it said I was already 5.1. I could downgrade to 4.1, but as I have the 6 core processors I would brick the machine.

Do you have any suggestions. I have ready through the entire thread and have not located what I am doing wrong.

Best regards
Anthony

Stop trying, a missing SSN is a sign that you have a problem and probably need a BootROM reconstruction. I'll send a PM.

 

[ajengen]

Hi there, I was following this thread for guidance with my 2012 5,1 Mac Pro stuck on Sierra for almost a week and wanted to chime in and add my experience upgrading my GPU.

I was stuck at the screen asking "To complete the update, click "Shut Down" and wait for your Mac Pro to power off" and after dozens of attempts I couldn't proceed. What finally worked for me was to:
1. Boot from a High Sierra USB installer
2. Use my ATI 5770 and also my new metal GPU, a AMD WX 7100 graphics card installed
3. The magic was to click "Shut Down" and walk away... I came back after an hour and the Mac was asleep. I woke it up to the same screen, clicked "Shut Down" again and next I chose "Shut Down" from the Apple menu. Holding the power key until the light flashed took me to the firmware update screen. After I did a clean install of High Sierra the AMD WX 7100 was recognized and displaying video.

Thanks for the help and good luck to others. Cheers

 

[LightBulbFun]

its a bug with the install that the shutdown button does not work in the USB installer

after you click the shut down button in the installer application, go to the menu bar and manually shut down then it will shut down and you can proceed to do the rest of the update

 

[donluca]

Just to make sure 100%...

I'll be upgrading a 4,1>5,1 of a friend of mine to 144 bootrom.

I don't want to touch his disks/installation, so I've installed Mac OS High Sierra on an external USB hard drive.

My plan is to get his Mac, boot off from this USB hard drive and do the updates. The hard drive already has both latest High Sierra and Mojave installers downloaded.

Can I do the updates from this USB hard drive?

Just to make it clear: it's not a createinstallationmedia unpacked on an external hard drive. I have a complete High Sierra 10.13.6 installation on this USB hard drive.

EDIT: being a SATA drive I can also put it inside, but I'd rather not mingle inside someone else's Mac Pro.

 

[tsialex]

Just to make sure 100%...

I'll be upgrading a 4,1>5,1 of a friend of mine to 144 bootrom.

I don't want to touch his disks/installation, so I've installed Mac OS High Sierra on an external USB hard drive.

My plan is to get his Mac, boot off from this USB hard drive and do the updates. The hard drive already has both latest High Sierra and Mojave installers downloaded.

Can I do the updates from this USB hard drive?

Just to make it clear: it's not a createinstallationmedia unpacked on an external hard drive. I have a complete High Sierra 10.13.6 installation on this USB hard drive.

EDIT: being a SATA drive I can also put it inside, but I'd rather not mingle inside someone else's Mac Pro.

Only the full installers update Mac Pro 5,1 firmware. You can boot the macOS from the USB drive and use the full installers, but you have to run it, it’s not like all other Macs that software updates update the firmware.

 

[TheTrueReach]

Hi there, I was following this thread for guidance with my 2012 5,1 Mac Pro stuck on Sierra for almost a week and wanted to chime in and add my experience upgrading my GPU.

I was stuck at the screen asking "To complete the update, click "Shut Down" and wait for your Mac Pro to power off" and after dozens of attempts I couldn't proceed. What finally worked for me was to:
1. Boot from a High Sierra USB installer
2. Use my ATI 5770 and also my new metal GPU, a AMD WX 7100 graphics card installed
3. The magic was to click "Shut Down" and walk away... I came back after an hour and the Mac was asleep. I woke it up to the same screen, clicked "Shut Down" again and next I chose "Shut Down" from the Apple menu. Holding the power key until the light flashed took me to the firmware update screen. After I did a clean install of High Sierra the AMD WX 7100 was recognized and displaying video.

Thanks for the help and good luck to others. Cheers

I just tried this today and after I clicked shut down the computer came back asking to do the exact same thing.

I still have my upgraded video card in the Mid 2010 Mac Pro when I attempted this.

Thoughts?

 

[MapleGreen]

No need at all.

I don't have a DVD drive in my main Mac since at least 2016.

thanks ,I want to update to Mojave 10.14.6 when it releases. I'm currently at Boot Rom version 138, and macOS Sierra 10.12.6 on PCIe SSD that shows as external drive.
can I update directly from PCIe SSD or I need to install High Sierra on SATA drive first?

 

[tsialex]

can I update directly from PCIe SSD or I need to install High Sierra on SATA drive first?

Always worked for me, but a lot of people have/had problems, that's the motive of the first post note about it.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Excellent write up. I found a good deal on a 4,1 that I flashed to 5,1 and then followed your steps to the letter. I'm now running Mojave with an MSI RX 580 Armor 8GB. Works perfectly!

Also, I don't know if this has been covered before, but I noticed I now get the full PCIe 2.0 link speed. In the olden days, we got saddled with PCIe 1.0 speeds on non-Apple cards. Amazing how after 10 years we can still squeeze out more power from these old beasts.