How do you get MacPro2,1 firmware on a 2006 Octad?

[gugucom]

I have upgraded my 2,66 GHz Woodcrest MP with a pair of 3,0 GHz X5365 Clovertown Xeons. So to my best knowledge it is now a genuine MacPro2,1 model unless I'm missing something.

Although they did not make known hardware changes beyond the CPUs Apple issued new firmware for the MP2,1 and I suspect that there are a couple of compatibility improvements that may benefit my machine. At minimum I could get the correct name and the new model number into the profiler.

I found a 2,1 firmware in the firmware CD #14 but I don't know how to load that onto the system EEPROM. The procedure says that you hold the power button depressed until the system gave nine beeps with different speed. My system is ok and it does not do this. Perhaps there is an integrity check in the EFI which runs the firmware upgrade routine only if the EFI is corrupted.


I suspect that there are alternative methods to load an EFI file into the system EEPROM. So if someone here knows another method, please share your information.

 

[MacVidCards]

Didn't a guy just post a rather cryptic thing that he tried this (he was trying EFI64 onto EFI32) and borked his logic board?

By all means, I hope you figure it out, could lead to EFI64 answer.

Just be careful.

 

[bozz2006]

i think that guy tried to turn his 2006 mac pro into one like a 2008 model. he tried to turn his EFI 32 machine into an EFI 64 machine. gugucom wants something a little different. he doesn't need to mess with the EFI, he just wants his system to receive the firmware update that the 5365 mac pros got.

 

[Macinposh]

Jeebus..

Guys like you make the mac living sound sexy and dangerous!
Props for pushing the limits!

 

[gugucom]

I would love to have a full 64-bit EFI and OD booting from SATA on top but realistically I will never get that. I'm not a programmer and hacker. I can only apply stuff other people have developed.

 

[goMac]

I have upgraded my 2,66 GHz Woodcrest MP with a pair of 3,0 GHz X5365 Clovertown Xeons. So to my best knowledge it is now a genuine MacPro2,1 model unless I'm missing something.

The logic board is different on a MacPro2,1. I know at least there were some changes to the PCI Express slot configuration.

 

[gugucom]

The logic board is different on a MacPro2,1. I know at least there were some changes to the PCI Express slot configuration.

Interesting. What did they do? Did they update it to 2.0?

If they did I would not be too concerned as the standards are compatible. The MP2,1 firmware would probably be just capable of running the higher specced hardware as well.

 

[goMac]

Interesting. What did they do? Did they update it to 2.0?

If they did I would not be too concerned as the standards are compatible. The MP2,1 firmware would probably be just capable of running the higher specced hardware as well.

The 1,1 slots were software reconfigurable and could only support one x16 slot.

The 2,1 slots were hardwired as two x16 slots and two x4 slots.

I would assume there is a considerable difference in the chipset managing the PCI Express slots, in addition to the 08 Mac Pros having additional PCI Express lanes available.

 

[J the Ninja]

The 1,1 slots were software reconfigurable and could only support one x16 slot.

The 2,1 slots were hardwired as two x16 slots and two x4 slots.

I would assume there is a considerable difference in the chipset managing the PCI Express slots, in addition to the 08 Mac Pros having additional PCI Express lanes available.

Early 2008/Penryn Mac Pro are 3,1. 2,1 are the original 8-cores, with the dual Clovertowns. 1,1 refers to the dual dual-core machines.

 

[gugucom]

Early 2008/Penryn Mac Pro are 3,1. 2,1 are the original 8-cores, with the dual Clovertowns. 1,1 refers to the dual dual-core machines.

We knew that already. The unknown is what was changed from 1,1 to 2,1 beside the CPUs which obviously did not need different firmware.

 

[goMac]

Early 2008/Penryn Mac Pro are 3,1. 2,1 are the original 8-cores, with the dual Clovertowns. 1,1 refers to the dual dual-core machines.

D'oh.

Really? The changed the number for the 8 core models?

Well than, I take it back, no logic board changes.

That wasn't even a full refresh.... : shakes head :

 

[gugucom]

D'oh.

Really? The changed the number for the 8 core models?

Well than, I take it back, no logic board changes.

That wasn't even a full refresh.... : shakes head :

OK, now I see clearer. You thought MacPro2,1 referred to the 2008. Then J the Ninja was right to point out the different model assignments. My bad.

The only hardware difference which I know off is the lower power of my production chips. Apple apparently used prototypes with higher voltages initially.