mac pro pci e ssd boot disk problem

[keithleemac]

I recently got a mac pro 5,1 2010 with dual 2.4ghz processors. I originally installed a asus gtx 750ti with nvidia web drivers and cuda drivers. I had problems getting anything to display (besides screen share) so I switched back to the original 5770. I also installed a kingston predator hyperx pci ssd into port 4. I did a clean install, set the drive to boot disk and erased the original. I left the drive unencrypted to make logins easier. The computer works great except I have to do a nvram reset everytime I turn it on. If not it boots up like normal then goes to a screen with a circle with a line through it. I uninstalled the nvidia drivers, mainually removed the cuda drivers and did a clean os x reinstall. I still get a funky looking login window.


I cant figure out how to boot the computer without doing a nvram reset.

anyone have any ideas?

Tomorrow I will be installing two x5975s (with lids), 16gb of 1333mhz ecc ram from owc and a flashed 7970 from ebay. The video card comes from a seller with 99% positive feedback, so I have my fingers crossed. I also installed a couple sata 2 velociraptors.

 

[keithleemac]

sorry for my grammer I have shizoid disorder

 

[A Hobo]

This sounds more like an issue with the SSD than with the graphics as you say you have switched back to the ATI 5770 and the issue persists.

try to wipe the drive completely then do an install with just the 5770 installed with the SDD in place, and see if the issue is present on boot.

(I read that you say you did a clean install, but unless you did a full wipe/partition it may not have done a full clean install, speaking from experience.)

 

[keithleemac]

any help would be appreciated

This sounds more like an issue with the SSD than with the graphics as you say you have switched back to the ATI 5770 and the issue persists.

try to wipe the drive completely then do an install with just the 5770 installed with the SDD in place, and see if the issue is present on boot.

(I read that you say you did a clean install, but unless you did a full wipe/partition it may not have done a full clean install, speaking from experience.)

I think your right, I may I done an internet recovery reinstall patch

Should I wait until I install all of the new components?

 

[A Hobo]

any help would be appreciated


I think your right, I may I done an internet recovery reinstall patch

Should I wait until I install all of the new components?

Id do it now, the addition of more new components might hamper your ability to narrow down the source of the issue.

1. Back up all data you need.
2. Create a restore disk using an 8GB thumb drive, Diskmaker and the latest yosemite download from the app store.
3. Boot to the usb drive holding option when booting the machine, Open Disk utility from the menu
4. Repartition the drive to use the GPT Partition scheme, and a HFS format on that partition.
5. Proceed to install the OS.

When complete, check to see if you are having the same issues when booting with the ATI 5770, if they are the same, perform the same process above but substitute the SSD with another Hard drive or other drive you can use for a test installation. (to rule out SSD cause)

If the issue vanishes, then wait to receive your parts and install them, enjoying your mac pro and all if can offer.

if the issue remains when you have tried the above steps, i would then investigate the Graphics card, but it seems unlikely that both your geforce card and your radeon card were both Janky.


Regards

 

[keithleemac]

Id do it now, the addition of more new components might hamper your ability to narrow down the source of the issue.

1. Back up all data you need.
2. Create a restore disk using an 8GB thumb drive, Diskmaker and the latest yosemite download from the app store.
3. Boot to the usb drive holding option when booting the machine, Open Disk utility from the menu
4. Repartition the drive to use the GPT Partition scheme, and a HFS format on that partition.
5. Proceed to install the OS.

When complete, check to see if you are having the same issues when booting with the ATI 5770, if they are the same, perform the same process above but substitute the SSD with another Hard drive or other drive you can use for a test installation. (to rule out SSD cause)

If the issue vanishes, then wait to receive your parts and install them, enjoying your mac pro and all if can offer.

if the issue remains when you have tried the above steps, i would then investigate the Graphics card, but it seems unlikely that both your geforce card and your radeon card were both Janky.


Regards

Thanks

 

[A Hobo]

Thanks

You are most welcome, And Welcome to the Macrumors forums.

 

[pastrychef]

Try going to System Preferences/Startup Disk and making sure that your boot drive is highlighted.

 

[keithleemac]

Try going to System Preferences/Startup Disk and making sure that your boot drive is highlighted.

its the only drive there, but the image is funny. It doesn't look like a standard hd icon. I'm going to do the procedure lucas laid out when I get home from work.

 

[pastrychef]

That's how the icon looks when you are not using the built-in SATA connectors.

 

[keithleemac]

You are most welcome, And Welcome to the Macrumors forums.

Thanks again. Booted without a hitch

 

[A Hobo]

 

[AlexMaximus]

I recently got a mac pro 5,1 2010 with dual 2.4ghz processors. I originally installed a asus gtx 750ti with nvidia web drivers and cuda drivers. I had problems getting anything to display (besides screen share) so I switched back to the original 5770. I also installed a kingston predator hyperx pci ssd into port 4. I did a clean install, set the drive to boot disk and erased the original. I left the drive unencrypted to make logins easier. The computer works great except I have to do a nvram reset everytime I turn it on. If not it boots up like normal then goes to a screen with a circle with a line through it. I uninstalled the nvidia drivers, mainually removed the cuda drivers and did a clean os x reinstall. I still get a funky looking login window.


I cant figure out how to boot the computer without doing a nvram reset.

anyone have any ideas?

Tomorrow I will be installing two x5975s (with lids), 16gb of 1333mhz ecc ram from owc and a flashed 7970 from ebay. The video card comes from a seller with 99% positive feedback, so I have my fingers crossed. I also installed a couple sata 2 velociraptors.

Two Velociraptors? Could you tell me how those HDDs perform for you? I would love to buy a bunch, but I heard they are noisy drives. What is your experience on that end? Are those drives significant more noisy than a standard HDD? I would love to put those in my MP as well.

 

[pastrychef]

You will get better performance from SSDs. The Velociraptors ran extremely hot and noisy.

 

[keithleemac]

Two Velociraptors? Could you tell me how those HDDs perform for you? I would love to buy a bunch, but I heard they are noisy drives. What is your experience on that end? Are those drives significant more noisy than a standard HDD? I would love to put those in my MP as well.

They perform wonderfully. They are not noisy at all and are my go to for downloads and saved applications. I got two off eBay, both 300gb ( 30 bucks each) it turns out they are different generations. They ran fast enough, so I did not risk using them in raid 0. One is sata 2 other 3. I have a lot of fans and white noise generators in my apartment, so I can't hear my computer besides boot.

Anyways, I made the usb install for yosemite and tried to repartition the ssd to guid instead of a logical group. It wouldn't allow this so I followed some terminal commands, erased the physical volume group and voila, the ssd is guid, the partition logical. Should both be guid? I still can't get it to boot without a nvram reset. I think its the 7970? Im not only not getting the boot screen anymore, (did with 7970) before terminal, but It loads to the same screen with the circle and no go cross. Thats if I get it to boot. Do you think the power draw is too great?

I was told to install the windows support drivers from bootcamp to remedy this, or do you think its still the ssd? Terminal says its a guid partition, but disk utility states they are both still logical

 

[keithleemac]

sorry for the multiple picture uploads, Everything worked flawlessly before I turned on apple native trim via terminal

 

[keithleemac]

Does this look correct?

 

[keithleemac]

I'm worried I was too eager too play with terminal to fix the problem without thinking ahead

 

[IowaLynn]

The last WD 10K VRs could dekiver 180MB/sec, came in 250-500-1000GB size units.

Use to me my go to from first 36GB Raptor I bought in May 2003 until 2010 (before that Cheetahs and Atlas 10k/15k scsi and mere 65-90MB/sec but what was "cutting edge" at the time), when I moved on to SSD (SATA II, then III, then "blade") where blade unit was 400-700MB/sec for smallest 128GB XP941, nearly zero seeks/latency and the 512GB models $500 ($350 now) 1300-1500MB/sec. To my 2006 with native support SATA III and beyond has been a game changer in performance. I didn't "mind" the 10 Raptor but sure prefer the no-moving-parts silence.