'09 Mac Pro (5,1 firmware) wont boot with 2 x X5680

[steenamaroo]

I don't think I know anyone with an original GPU, unfortunately.
I tried to get hold of one back when updated to 10.13, for the (APFS?) firmware update, but ended up having to just carry out the OS update on a MBP to get around it.

I'm not sure I know what you mean about reconstructing the BootROM. Would it be OK to PM you?

 

[skizzo]

Well here @flowrider says:
"As long as the two processors are the same model of Intel processor and are production units, not samples, all should be well"
Also they should be the same stepping according to Intel
So how do we find whether it is a production unit and not a sample which is known to be a problem?

yes, exactly. that is my understanding too. a "sample" is referring to an engineering sample. something that was likely a prototype if you will. sent out to people for testing and feed back. I have read before those ones are marked with "ES" in their CPU name, in a program such as CPU-Z for example. From other photos online the IHS has noticeably different text on it, main one raising the red flag being "INTEL CONFIDENTIAL"

 

[steenamaroo]

I see.
I've no reason to believe any of the chips is an ES, then.

I've found a few screen shots of people with Dual X5690 and my current boot rom so I'm not holding out much hope for bootrom update however, as tsialex said in PM, it's a good thing to do regardless.
Very grateful for his help with that.

I'll report back once done, either way.

 

[steenamaroo]

Reporting back.
As expected the firmware update had no effect on booting with dual x5680s, but I'm grateful that it's done anyway.

I think I might contact the seller of the third (lidded) x5680 and enquire if he can confirm that his CPUs will boot as pairs; He had over 10 for sale.
If he can, unlikely as that may be, I might have to buy a fourth and call the first two, which I delidded, a write-off.

Either that or I find someone who is willing to test my cpus is a known-to-work 4/5,1.

 

[steenamaroo]

I wrote to chip-3 uk seller today and explained my situation.
As I haven't modded his chip in any way I'm hopeful he can either confirm that his chips are tested as pairs and sell me an another,
or maybe not be able to confirm and offer a refund.

Does anyone have any direct experience of defective chips? Can I presume that, if a chip had such a defect, it wouldn't dual boot in a regular dell/hp server, for example? The issue's hardly specific to MPs is it?

Thanks.

 

[tsialex]

Does anyone have any direct experience of defective chips? Can I presume that, if a chip had such a defect, it wouldn't dual boot in a regular dell/hp server, for example? The issue's hardly specific to MPs is it?

Thanks.

When a dual Xeon chip has link problem, it won’t work with any dual processor hardware.

One thing that is strange is that you now have 3 chips that don’t work into a 2009 dual tray, maybe it’s better to try to find another tray to test them. Seems improbable to get 3 defective processors, or you did damage 2 during the delid process or your tray is damaged.

 

[steenamaroo]

When a dual Xeon chip has link problem, it won’t work with any dual processor hardware.

Good to know!

One thing that is strange is that you now have 3 chips with problem.

I said that myself before but then realised it's not technically correct.
If the first two were defective (bad batch?) the third, from a different source, could be totally fine; Just can't prove it without a 4th, or confirmation from this chap I messaged.

The seller said he has a mac-specific tech who can answer my questions.
That won't be until next week, though, so I'll let you all know when I know.

Edit:

or your tray is damaged.

The tray looks perfect and still boots my x5650 pair just fine.

 

[steenamaroo]

Update on this: Hopefully the last one.

I couldn't really get a straight answer out of the seller so I just bit the bullet and bought a 4th CPU.
It arrived and the pair of lidded CPUs worked flawlessly.
I then delidded with vice method and the pair still worked flawlessly.


I didn't physically damage that first pair (heat delid) but I have since spoken to someone who has been through exactly the same situation; Only difference was his non-working chips were 5650 rather than 5680.

He delidded his using heat, too, so maybe this kind of failure is more likely when using heat method? I can't say for sure.
I can say, though, if I ever de-lid again I'll be using a vice. Unbelievable how clean and easy that was.

Thanks to all for the help.

 

[tsialex]

Update on this: Hopefully the last one.

I couldn't really get a straight answer out of the seller so I just bit the bullet and bought a 4th CPU.
It arrived and the pair of lidded CPUs worked flawlessly.
I then delidded with vice method and the pair still worked flawlessly.


I didn't physically damage that first pair (heat delid) but I have since spoken to someone who has been through exactly the same situation; Only difference was his non-working chips were 5650 rather than 5680.

He delidded his using heat, too, so maybe this kind of failure is more likely when using heat method? I can't say for sure.
I can say, though, if I ever de-lid again I'll be using a vice. Unbelievable how clean and easy that was.

Thanks to all for the help.

Seems the best way is to pre-heat the lid with hot air gun before using the vice method, my best results so far was doing heating+vice, tip from @Macschrauber.