MP 1,1-5,1 Mojave + Opencore Apple services stopped working

[zgagato]

Hi Guys,

I have been reading MacRumors for over 15 years and love it.
Now i need your help.

I have a single cpu MP 5.1. Real 5.1 not flashed 4.1. Running Mojave. Saphire rx580 gfx non flashed, stock.
Since a year have been using Opencore 0.5.9 by Martin lo to see the boot devices.
It worked fabulously.
I also have a Wifi/bt card from imac 2013 from osXwifi.com.

Couple days ago i noticed that i stopped receiving messages/text in messages. Cant log in it.
I get activation error. Facetime doesn’t work too. Icloud still works. Im afraid to log out.
Continuity stopped working too.
I didn’t change anything with Opencore. I think ots the suspect because my ccc backup act exactly the same way.
Wifi and bt work but i use ethernet to connect to the net.
Should i do a pram reset?
Will i have problems with selecting my boot ssd again?
i use a sonnet tempo sata 3 pci card with system ssd and evo 2nd drive for backup.
Do u have any ideas?
i have a 2nd flashed gforce 630 for troubleshooting just in case.
Should I upgrade the Opencore? which version if i have mojave?

thanks for sugggestions.

 

[Macschrauber]

Drop in your gt630, start with alt key to see the native boot picker and boot Mojave.

If Apple Services come back its a problem with your open core setup.

It could also be a problem with your boot rom (Mac firmware).

Make a backup, just in case.

My Dumper also makes some basic checks.

Dropbox - File Deleted - Simplify your life

www.dropbox.com

 

[zgagato]

Thanks for the tool

here is the result
Analysis:



Firmware 144.0.0.0 (latest)

18 Memory Configs (ok)

0 xml (ok)

4 Kernel Panic Dumps

2 iCloud Tokkens (ok)

0 Microsoft Certificates (ok)

2 BluetoothActiveControllerInfos (ok)

2 BluetoothInternalControllerInfos (ok)

0 current-network (ok)

11 AAPL Path Properties (ok)

Length of 2nd VSS Store is wrong (FF FF FF FF)

18560 Bytes free space of 65472



whats vss store and how to fix it?
is it the reason?

 

[Macschrauber]

Ive sent you a conversation.

 

[Macschrauber]

whats vss store and how to fix it?
is it the reason?

the maestro himself is the best one to explain:

MP5,1: BootROM thread | 144.0.0.0.0

Maybe I'm not explaining this right, but I think that are some misunderstanding here and I probably need to elaborate this topic a little more. What's important to know is if the garbage collection is working or not. The 1st VSS store is the main one, the 2nd is the secondary. The main VSS...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[Macschrauber]

Update: after flashing a cleaned firmware Apple Services came back.

 

[zgagato]

Even services like continuity and hands off came back. Messages and facetime too.

 

[D.8]

Dear All,
after using Macschrauber´s CMP Rom Dump, I got the same message

Length of 2nd VSS Store is wrong (FF FF FF FF)

Is there an article at macrumors how to fix it, that I can't find by searching the site?
Thanks for help

 

[tsialex]

Dear All,
after using Macschrauber´s CMP Rom Dump, I got the same message

Length of 2nd VSS Store is wrong (FF FF FF FF)

Is there an article at macrumors how to fix it, that I can't find by searching the site?
Thanks for help

The only thing that you can try to do yourself is to do a deep NVRAM reset, install a wired keyboard that works for NVRAM resets and do at least 4 NVRAM resets sequentially (press/keep pressed continuously CMD-Option-P-R until you hear the chime for the 5th time).

If still don't works after that, you will need a BootROM reconstruction service.

 

[zgagato]

Dear All,
after using Macschrauber´s CMP Rom Dump, I got the same message

Length of 2nd VSS Store is wrong (FF FF FF FF)

Is there an article at macrumors how to fix it, that I can't find by searching the site?
Thanks for help

Hi

Macschrauber would need to regenerate a new firmware for your mboard and you wold have to flash it. You can ask him.
You can do a pram reset but it will come back after some time.

 

[D.8]

The only thing that you can try to do yourself is to do a deep NVRAM reset, install a wired keyboard that works for NVRAM resets and do at least 4 NVRAM resets sequentially (press/keep pressed continuously CMD-Option-P-R until you hear the chime for the 5th time).

If still don't works after that, you will need a BootROM reconstruction service.

... after the triple NVRAM reset, it seems to work normal.
Thanks a lot for quick support.

 

[cd587]

Hi, I'm reopening this old thread as I'm experiencing a similar issue.

I'm running Mojave on a Mac Pro 5,1 without Opencore, it was previously patched with EnableGOP.
In preparation of installing Windows 10 via Legacy Mode using a DVD, I wanted to generate a backup of my current Rom.

I then received the report attached which shows "Length of 2nd VSS Store is wrong". I haven't noticed any issues with the system whatsoever though.

Following the instruction I tried resetting the NVRAM but I don't have a wired keyboard, only the Apple Wireless Keyboard. Therefore I tried running the reset via terminal but it only gave me an error "not permitted".

Any advice? Do you know what might cause this issue in the first place? And will I only be able doing the NVRAM reset with a wired keyboard?

Thanks a lot for your help!!

 

[tsialex]

.

 

[cd587]

.

 

[tsialex]

Hi, I'm reopening this old thread as I'm experiencing a similar issue.

I'm running Mojave on a Mac Pro 5,1 without Opencore, it was previously patched with EnableGOP.

The second screenshot shows that you are booted from OCLP 0.6.8.

In preparation of installing Windows 10 via Legacy Mode using a DVD, I wanted to generate a backup of my current Rom.

I then received the report attached which shows "Length of 2nd VSS Store is wrong". I haven't noticed any issues with the system whatsoever though.

This means that the NVRAM volume is corrupt already.

Following the instruction I tried resetting the NVRAM but I don't have a wired keyboard, only the Apple Wireless Keyboard. Therefore I tried running the reset via terminal but it only gave me an error "not permitted".

The boot-args argument -p -r is not documented anywhere reliable like the XNU sources or Apple Developer and in my tests do not work. I even booted and tried from Recovery to be sure, my test variable is always present after a reboot.

Is there a list of available boot-args for darwin / OS X

In OS X you can set boot parameters with nvram boot-args=[options] Where the options I know about -v (verbose) -x (safe mode) and arch=x86_64 (boot into 64 bit kernel on 64 bit capable machines)....

superuser.com

Maybe it was an ancient way to reset the NVRAM before the nvram -c was implemented, but for sure does not work currently, if ever.

Any advice?

Install a wired KB that works for NVRAM resets, not all KB do work, then do a deep NVRAM reset as instructed in my earlier post in this thread.

If the deep NVRAM reset do not work, you gonna need the BootROM reconstruction service to repair and upgrade non-EFI components of the BootROM, like the Fsys store to 0x0d release, the hardware descriptor from Base_20 to Base_21 and the BootBlock from AAPLEFI1.88Z.0005.I00.1010071430 to AAPLEFI1.88Z.0005.I00.1904121247.

Do you know what might cause this issue in the first place?

MacPro5,1 NVRAM is not resilient enough for 14+ years of usage. Remember that it was designed back in 2008 when the NVRAM usage was eventual and iCloud services filling the NVRAM wasn't even an idea on a blackboard.

And will I only be able doing the NVRAM reset with a wired keyboard?

Some wireless KBs like Apple Magic one work for ONE NVRAM reset only. For a multiple sequential NVRAM reset, the so called deep NVRAM reset, you really need a wired KB.

Some wired MS and Logitech KBs also do not work for NVRAM reset or work just for the first one, like the very common MS Wired 600 one.

 

[cd587]

I think I got it to work again. It seems that the Apple Wireless Keyboard can indeed be used to reset the NVRAM.
I did this 3 times and when I wanted to run RomDump again it told me that SIP is enabled. So something worked.

I then went into recovery mode, terminal, disable SIP and restarted again into firmware mode.

Next I went and did another dump of the rom and the "Length of 2nd VSS Store is wrong" is not showing up anymore

Did it work? I'm really relieved now

 

[cd587]

The second screenshot shows that you are booted from OCLP 0.6.8.

Hm, that's weird. Tbh I have just bought this Mac Pro used from someone and he said he only did the EnableGOP mod in order to get a bootscreen with any GPU. Does this mod also induce OpenCore automatically?

And how would I even manage OpenCore? There's nothing installed on the system.

Sorry if these are really noob questions! 😬

 

[tsialex]

Hm, that's weird. Tbh I have just bought this Mac Pro used from someone and he said he only did the EnableGOP mod in order to get a bootscreen with any GPU. Does this mod also induce OpenCore automatically?

And how would I even manage OpenCore? There's nothing installed on the system.

Sorry if these are really noob questions! 😬

Yes, EnableGop is injected, but everything on this BootROM is ancient, it's a very early made mid-2010. See my previous post.

It already corrupted once, will happen again in the future, you really need a BootROM reconstruction service.

 

[cd587]

Oh man.
Thanks though for your help.
Is this a general issue with these old Mac Pros or was something done wrong on my system and it's now failing?

How would I go about doing such a reconstruction? Is it something that I can do myself (guess not) or what would that require?

Will this current issue brick my system eventually or just something that needs to be taken care of to make sure Apple Services will keep running?

 

[Dayo]

I tried running the reset via terminal but it only gave me an error "not permitted".

Run the reset via Terminal with: sudo nvram ResetNVRam=1 && sudo reboot

 

[tsialex]

Oh man.
Thanks though for your help.
Is this a general issue with these old Mac Pros

Yes, let's say that the MacPro BootROM design is from a earlier era and it's not resilient enough for today's usage of the NVRAM. With today's hindsight, the MacPro4,1/5,1 is flawed by design.

or was something done wrong on my system and it's now failing?

Again, your Mac Pro is a very early made mid-2010 that have several factory installed non-EFI BootROM components that are not updated ever again. The BootROM reconstruction service solves that and make it in parity of a late made mid-2012.

Please re-read the first post of today, I've explained there already.

How would I go about doing such a reconstruction? Is it something that I can do myself (guess not) or what would that require?

I'll send you a PM about the BootROM reconstruction service cost, the required files and the turnaround time.

Will this current issue brick my system eventually or just something that needs to be taken care of to make sure Apple Services will keep running?

Mojave + iCloud works relatively fine, but if you start to use OC/OCLP and unsupported macOS releases after Mojave, you will have the same corruption down the road much earlier than with Mojave.

After Catalina Apple implemented Signed System Volume, just the staging of the NVRAM entries required for a software update can corrupt again the NVRAM (the SSV payload is around 25KB). That's why you see so much Software Update bricked my Mac Pro posts here.

Your BootROM have issues and you will need to address it.

 

[cd587]

Thanks man!

Btw, I went and used the instruction you posted in the BootRom thread and analyzed the ROM I just extracted. These are the results (see image attached).

While the values are lower than what you recommend (free space of 35652 instead of 45000 to 40000), does this look severe and in need of a reconstruction?

The second VSS store is also visible.

 

[tsialex]

Thanks man!

Btw, I went and used the instruction you posted in the BootRom thread and analyzed the ROM I just extracted. These are the results (see image attached).

While the values are lower than what you recommend (free space of 35652 instead of 45000 to 40000), does this look severe and in need of a reconstruction?

The second VSS store is also visible.

Checking the VSS store available space and the secondary VSS store being present are the most basic checks, you got it to a working state with the deep NVRAM reset.

Now you need to avoid this happening again in the near future, like I've written here already, your issues are the BootBlock/hardware descriptor/Fsys store version that are ancient (the SSN show that the build date is 2010 week 34, so the backplane was made around or right after the mid-2010 release) and will cause issues later, these are factory installed and never updated with Apple EFI firmware updates.

 

[cd587]

Ok, thanks! Will look into that and respond to your pm. 👍

 

[Macschrauber]

OCLP in the Dumper is showing the reading of those variables.

Not that the OS is booting via OpenCore. This is in the romdump_timestamp.log.

btw: this Dumper version is quite outdated, we are on v23-1-2024 now. Link and changelog is in the signature.