MP 1,1-5,1 MacPro3,1 doesn’t see SATA HDD

[MEXat]

Servus !

I recently got a cheap MacPro3,1 which doest see its SATA HDD.
It boots from USB or until the folder with a ?

Using a Knoppix Live ISO from a USB HDD with VENTOY, I didn’t see any HDD in GPartEd.

I asume that a faulty Windows installation is the source of this problem.
Any ideas how to diagnose and correct the source of this problem ?

MfG, MEX

PS: I got this for scrap value from the DRZ in Vienna, Vogtgasse 29 … they currently also have fully functional MacPro G5 and MacPro4,1 in their shop 🙂

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[reader50]

It's probably a dead HD. Pull the HD and test in an enclosure, or with a USB adapter. And/or pull the HD and replace with another one. To see if the newer HD is visible to the system.

What size and brand is the possum HD? 8TB and larger HDs from some manufacturers are not seen by a cMP unless you take special measures.

 

[MEXat]

It's probably a dead HD. Pull the HD and test in an enclosure, or with a USB adapter. And/or pull the HD and replace with another one. To see if the newer HD is visible to the system.

What size and brand is the possum HD? 8TB and larger HDs from some manufacturers are not seen by a cMP unless you take special measures.

It had the original 320GB HDD from Apple with which it was delivered. This HDD worked last year with Mavericks. After Xmas this MacPro3,1 didn’t see the 320GB HDD anymore … probably a victim of a failed attempt to install Windows on it. The 320GB HDD is DEAD and another 500GB HDD with Mavericks from a MacPro5,1 also only displays the folder with a ?
Is it possible that the 12V from the powersupply fails or that Windows has damaged the EFI ?
How can I diagnose and solve this problem ?
Are there any tools to boot from USB which can diagnose the mainboard and repair the EFI ?
If the SATA controller on the mainboard is damaged, where can I find info how to diagnose and repair it ?

 

[reader50]

Try unplugging the optical drive. Any SATA drive that's failed can prevent booting.

Now try each HD one at a time. Note that a macOS install on another Mac model won't always boot your machine.

Ideally, plug in a drive with nothing important on it. Use a USB installer, wipe the fresh drive, and install macOS. See if the process completes, and you can boot up OK. If so, your Mac is fine. And you can check your suspect drive again, while booted from the fresh one. Along with plugging the optical drive back in, then see if your 3,1 still boots.

 

[MEXat]

Try unplugging the optical drive. Any SATA drive that's failed can prevent booting.

Many thanks for this tip !

I don’t have time to test this now, maybe in a few weeks.
Beside the HDD, the optical drive is the only other drive in this MacPro3,1.
I still don’t know WHAT destroyed the original HDD, but that the optical drive got damaged too has a high propabilty :-(

If I can’t solve the SATA problem, I intend to use a NVMe with a PCIe adapter for my MacPro3,1 … which will confront me with some other problems like how to boot Windows or MacOS from it ;-P