MP 1,1-5,1 Did I brick 2012 macpro 5 1?

[danallen]

DIAGNOSTICS COMPLETED!

COMPUTER IS FIXED.

Before it was fixed:

Current assessment:

Today was a bad day.

Bricked behavior began as soon as this was installed.

The instructions said:

Pull out all your drives. install the nvme in the top pcie slot. hit the power button.

I did that, got nothing on restart. No chimes. No screen of any kind.

It was then... I said not a single word... but the idea began to cross my mind... today...might be...a...bad day

So, I removed the new drive, put my old drives back in...

Same result. No chime. Black screen.

Switched the graphics card. No chime. Black screen.

I read that improper open core installation can brick the 2012 macpro, by fouling the boot rom storage chip.

 

[Bigwaff]

Put your old disks back in the same SATA bays and reset your NVRAM (Hold down Option-Command-P-R) for two chimes. What version of macOS should boot on your old disk? What is your firmware or boot rom version?

 

[danallen]

Deleted by author

 

[danallen]

What version of macOS should boot on your old disk? What is your firmware or boot rom version?

Firmware 144.0.0.0

Catalina. With dosdude patch

Put your old disks back in the same SATA bays and reset your NVRAM (Hold down Option-Command-P-R) for two chimes.

Thank you for applying yourself to solving this problem. You don't have you do that. It is an immensely generous gesture on your part. I will do my best to return the favor to you and yp pass it on to someone else.

I am not 100% certain of all drives' prior positions. I am certain that bay 1 had the catalina system drive. The other three, I am unsure about.

I have tried pram reset 5 times since this unfortunate incident kicked off (starting computer with new drive installed in top pcie slot.) Since then, no start chimes.


************************
TIMELINE OF EVENTS, SINCE RECEIVING THE NEW DRIVE

1. Shut down all programs except the system information display.
2. Took photos of system info and then shut down the computer.
3. Removed all drives:

HDD:
1TB system drive (Catalina)
4TB (first4TB)
8TB (first8TB)
16TB (first16TB)

SSD in top PCIe slot:
500GB (ROCKETBOSS01)

4. Installed the new drive in the top PCIe slot (above the graphics card in the lowest PCIe slot).
5. Took photos of the graphics card and the newly installed drive.
6. Turned the computer on.
7. Immediately held down CMD + ALT + R with my left hand and 9 with my right hand for 5 minutes. No chime. Black screen.
7a. On February 26-27, I started the computer using the PRAM reset procedure, as described in item 7, three times. Each time, it took about 2-3 minutes for a startup chime to sound and about 10 minutes for four chimes to occur.

1st time: Installed RX 580 graphics card, replacing GTX 680.
2nd time: Installed R9 RX280 to test the fans.
3rd time: Reinstalled RX 580.

8. Shut down the computer.
9. Reinstalled all drives, removing the new drive.
10. Turned the computer on using the PRAM reset key holds. No chime. Black screen.
11. Shut down the computer.
12. Reinstalled R9 RX280.
13. Turned the computer on using the PRAM reset key holds. No chime. Black screen.
14. Shut down the computer.
15. Turned the computer on without using the PRAM reset key holds. No chime. Black screen.
16. Shut down the computer.
17. Replaced the monitor with an older model.
18. Turned the computer on without using the PRAM reset key holds. No chime. Black screen.
19. Connected the monitor to a different computer (Windows laptop). The monitor operated normally.
20. Reconnected the monitor to the Mac Pro 5,1.
22. Black screen, same as earlier.
23. Read your instructions sent at 6:18 PM Eastern time.
24. Wrote this timeline of events since receiving the new drive.

 

[Bigwaff]

Have you ever replaced the PRAM BR2032 coin battery on the motherboard?

 

[danallen]

Never have replaced that battery. I got the computer in 2014. I can replace thst battery now. I have ~10 new ones.

Question: how could computer continue to work when that battery has never been replaced?

Can replacing it now improve chances of recovery?

 

[danallen]

Have you ever replaced the PRAM BR2032 coin battery on the motherboard?

Never have replaced that battery. I got the computer in 2014. I can replace thst battery now. I have ~10 new ones.

Question: how could computer continue to work when that battery has never been replaced?

Can replacing it now improve chances of recovery?

 

[mikas]

7. Immediately held down CMD + ALT + R with my left hand and 9 with my right hand for 5 minutes. No chime. Black screen.

not sure if that was just a typo, but CMD+ALT+P+R (there is no number 9 in the sequence).

 

[reader50]

You can also reset your SMC, which can get confused after hardware changes. Causing all manner of weird symptoms.

Unplug power to your Mac Pro for at least 15 seconds. Plug back in, wait at least 5 seconds. Then try booting again.

 

[danallen]

not sure if that was just a typo, but CMD+ALT+P+R (there is no number 9 in the sequence).

I copy/pasted that error into 3-4 locations. Including this one. You are 100% absolutely kee-rect! The key-hold for pram reset is exactly what you posted: CMD+ALT+P+R. Thank you for the correction, protecting others to trying the wrong key hold.

 

[danallen]

You can also reset your SMC, which can get confused after hardware changes. Causing all manner of weird symptoms.

Unplug power to your Mac Pro for at least 15 seconds. Plug back in, wait at least 5 seconds. Then try booting again.

It happens I did the power unplug for at least 15 seconds. The problem was cleared without pinning down the cause or the solution

I am adding the SMC reset to the steps taken, which in this case which, for reasons unknown, except the mystery of God's gifts, reached a favorable result.

The main thing I want to say at this moment is, THANK YOU for taking time to read this case and contribute a step toward the solution, a step that would produce a fool of anyone who dared to blow off the SMC reset when facing a problem like this one. If you keep contributing this way, the moment will come many times, and may have come already, where lives and souls will be saved.

 

[danallen]

I am delighted and deeply grateful to report the brick has been removed. My 2012 MacPro 5,1 computer, named Boss, has returned not only to good health, but performs faster and better than ever before. Instead of Catalina laboring on a 1 TB hdd to give computing results after noisey grinds, Boss runs much faster, and quieter, delivering more intelligent results, thanks to his brand new 2 TB NMVe.

The best moment of hope orior to actual salvation came in a note from the vendor providing the new drive. He wrote:

"You computer is not a brick. I have been working on computers for 160 years, and I am here tot ell you, there is no Mac that open has bricked EVER!,"

More to follow.

Till then, I thank the Lord and everyone here, who all contributed to a a tremendous gift I never deserved, but for which I am immensely grateful, i cannot thank you enough, but I will try.


T.
Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

My computer is alive not dead. I am here to tell you, that computer injury was putting a hard-to-handle hurt on me. I am near crying now, in am so relieved. So, really, thank you. You did good today.

 

[danallen]

Have you ever replaced the PRAM BR2032 coin battery on the motherboard?

Upon further review, my coin batteries are not the hard core durable brand you mentioned. They are decent batteries. But not the most durable as are specific model you mentioned.

 

[danallen]

Have you ever replaced the PRAM BR2032 coin battery on the motherboard?

I've now replaced the coin battery. However, the new battery is not reinforced for withstanding heat the wa the Panasonic

My perception is those batteries usually not needed anymore. I forgot testing the one I took out, but t's age was more than 10 years. All the functions the battery supported with functioning without problem I cold see

 

[reader50]

You do not need the battery when your computer is plugged in. Battery power is only used when you're unplugged or otherwise lose power. This is how some batteries last a decade or more - the computer they're in has power for years at a time, with only occasional interruptions.