MP 1,1-5,1 Mojave update: Boot to black screen with 7950, after years without problem

[aw_]

Hey there!

I’ve updated my Mac Pro 5,1 2010 starting from 10.12.6 over 10.13.6 to 10.14.6 today. Boot menu works, booting to safe-mode works. But after about 3/4 of the loading bar the screen goes black. It sounds as if the boot process goes on correctly, I just can’t see anything. It did still work with 10.13 – it just booted fine and I started the Mojave update.

A few years ago I’ve upgraded to a Sapphire HD 7950 3G DDR5 – not the Mac Edition though. Until Mojave it worked fine from–I guess–10.10 on. I don’t even have the original card anymore, since the 7950 just worked. I flashed it back then.

What I’ve tried so far…
— PRAM and SMC reset
— Logging in blind: Without luck
— Adding a new user (found a thread in the Apple forums suggesting it) and setting it to default: No luck
— Using a different display (my default screen is a 30” Cinema)
— Booting to safe-mode: Works fine. Everything looks good.
— Booting to Windows 10 (separate disk): Works fine.

I’m a bit lost. I’m pretty sure that it is just a driver/firmware/Metal problem, since it just goes “black”, but the boot process seems to complete in the background as far as I can tell from the fan/disc sound.

Does someone have a hint where to look next? Update the firmware? Installing drivers? Any help greatly appreciated. Please find additional system info in the attachments.

– Alex

 

[tsialex]

Hey there!

I’ve updated my Mac Pro 5,1 2010 starting from 10.12.6 over 10.13.6 to 10.14.6 today. Boot menu works, booting to safe-mode works. But after about 3/4 of the loading bar the screen goes black. It sounds as if the boot process goes on correctly, I just can’t see anything. It did still work with 10.13 – it just booted fine and I started the Mojave update.

A few years ago I’ve upgraded to a Sapphire HD 7950 3G DDR5 – not the Mac Edition though. Until Mojave it worked fine from–I guess–10.10 on. I don’t even have the original card anymore, since the 7950 just worked. I flashed it back then.

What I’ve tried so far…
— PRAM and SMC reset
— Logging in blind: Without luck
— Adding a new user (found a thread in the Apple forums suggesting it) and setting it to default: No luck
— Using a different display (my default screen is a 30” Cinema)
— Booting to safe-mode: Works fine. Everything looks good.
— Booting to Windows 10 (separate disk): Works fine.

I’m a bit lost. I’m pretty sure that it is just a driver/firmware/Metal problem, since it just goes “black”, but the boot process seems to complete in the background as far as I can tell from the fan/disc sound.

Does someone have a hint where to look next? Update the firmware? Installing drivers? Any help greatly appreciated. Please find additional system info in the attachments.

– Alex

You already have the current BootROM, 144.0.0.0.0.

Safe mode don't have acceleration and masks GPU hardware problems, did you tested your Mac Pro with another GPU? There are lot's of people reporting HD 7950/7970 dying lately and all start with problems after the drivers are loaded progressing from there.

A clean install in another disk could be warranted to eliminate any software causes.

 

[aw_]

Did you tested your Mac Pro with another GPU?

Not yet, unfortunately I don’t have an alternative at hand.

A clean install in another disk could be warranted to eliminate any software causes.

Hm, yes, would make sense. If there is nothing else I can do I might try that. Although it would be great to know if someone fixed a similar situation?

There are lot's of people reporting HD 7950/7970 dying

Any clues what could be the reason? Mojave or the firmware?

 

[tsialex]

Any clues what could be the reason? Mojave or the firmware?

HD 7950/HD7970 and FirePro workstations GPUs based on the same Tahiti GPUs are dying naturally, in PCs, workstations, MP5,1 and MP6,1.

These GPUs were pushing the limits of the process used at the time and don't have longevity.

 

[aw_]

Well, yeah. But it still works fine booting to my Windows partition? And it worked just an hour before completing the Mojave update. So from my point of view this isn’t a obvious hardware problem.

 

[tsialex]

Well, yeah. But it still works fine booting to my Windows partition? And it worked just an hour before completing the Mojave update. So from my point of view this isn’t a obvious hardware problem.

As I suggested from the start, do a clean install with another disk to eliminate the possibility of any software problems.

 

[bsbeamer]

The D700 GPUs in MP6,1 have an extremely high failure rate and were part of the recall/service issued by Apple several years ago. I have not seen as many D500's fail. Believe it's exacerbated by thermal issues, but that is above my pay grade.

If you're one of the lucky few, you can still sometimes get these replaced at little to no cost by Apple service. Usually depends if the parts are readily available or not. If you have to pay, it would be worth looking at costs for refurbs.

See this for the recall/repair:

Apple Launches Repair Program for Late 2013 Mac Pro Video Issues

Apple today launched a new Repair Extension Program that addresses video issues on some late 2013 Mac Pro models, according to an internal notice...

www.macrumors.com

As for this recent crop of issues, SOME report changing the output port helps to resolve. If you have not done so yet for troubleshooting, try using PCIe slot #2 without any other PCIe cards. Also reseat your power cable(s). One user had an issue with a failed power cable that was causing their booting issues.

 

[tommy chen]

was the highsierra installation also on APFS ?

 

[aw_]

was the highsierra installation also on APFS ?

Hm, good question. I didn’t select/deselect APFS, just the drive where Mojave should be installed.

 

[solaris8x86]

Hey there!

I’ve updated my Mac Pro 5,1 2010 starting from 10.12.6 over 10.13.6 to 10.14.6 today. Boot menu works, booting to safe-mode works. But after about 3/4 of the loading bar the screen goes black. It sounds as if the boot process goes on correctly, I just can’t see anything. It did still work with 10.13 – it just booted fine and I started the Mojave update.

A few years ago I’ve upgraded to a Sapphire HD 7950 3G DDR5 – not the Mac Edition though. Until Mojave it worked fine from–I guess–10.10 on. I don’t even have the original card anymore, since the 7950 just worked. I flashed it back then.

What I’ve tried so far…
— PRAM and SMC reset
— Logging in blind: Without luck
— Adding a new user (found a thread in the Apple forums suggesting it) and setting it to default: No luck
— Using a different display (my default screen is a 30” Cinema)
— Booting to safe-mode: Works fine. Everything looks good.
— Booting to Windows 10 (separate disk): Works fine.

I’m a bit lost. I’m pretty sure that it is just a driver/firmware/Metal problem, since it just goes “black”, but the boot process seems to complete in the background as far as I can tell from the fan/disc sound.

Does someone have a hint where to look next? Update the firmware? Installing drivers? Any help greatly appreciated. Please find additional system info in the attachments.

– Alex

Is there a little switch button on your card for switching between BIOSes. Have you give it a try?

 

[MIKX]

Yes, shut down. . change the switch to Position 1 and see if you get a screen when you start up again.

AW

Assuming that you haven't EFI flashed BOTH BIOSs you won't get an EFI bootscreen so don't hold down the OPTION key when you start up.When I EFI flashed my HIS 7950 & Sapphire Dual-X 7970 I used BIOS Switch position #2. ( I think that BIOS position #1 is the factory default. )

If it boots up and shows a login screen you have a chance.

I would then ( in my case ) Boot into Win 7 and SAVE the BIOS #1 rom.

Shut down & boot back into Mac OS

SAVE a copy of the newly dumped ROM as " 7950 BIOS 1 ROM.

Seeing that you are familiar with EFI flashing you will know what to do next.

 

[aw_]

Thanks for all the replies. IndioX got me thinking: What if this isn’t a sole graphic problem after all.

1. I’ve installed mojave on an external drive (as suggested by tsialex) and was able to boot just fine.
=> My conclusion: Not a hardware nor a sole graphic card problem.

2. I went on using disk utility and single user mode to repair the btree error I saw there (screenshot attached). I also tried booting to repair utility and reinstalling Mojave…

3. Elsewhere a guide fixing login problems suggested removing the .AppleSetupDone file…

So I ran the following in single user mode

/sbin/mount -uw /
rm var/db/.AppleSetupDone

And now… after booting the voice assistant started after a few seconds (due to my inaction the system triggered the assistant for blind people)… I could choose a keyboard layout etc. but the screen was still pitch black. I didn’t create a new user account for now, since I wanted to check back with you guys. What could that mean?

After removing AppleSetupDone the setup is THERE I just can’t see it. Although everything else from boot menu over recovery mode or safe mode works just fine. What could I try next?

 

[aw_]

Oh my f**king god. I fixed it. Sort of.

This must be one of the craziest bugs I've seen so far. You'd expect it from Microsoft, but this quality is new on macOS.

So… by pure serendipity the macOS setup pointed me to VoiceOver – then reinstalled Mojave once again. Booted to safe-mode, added a new user, set this user to auto-login. Then I rebooted and logged out of the this new user using VoiceOver.

As soon as I log out of the dummy user. Boooom.
The screen comes up, like crazy software magic…

The thing is: The problem itself isn't fixed. If I boot to the login screen is black. I have to auto-login to my dummy user and then logout via VoiceOver… then the login screen comes up.

Has someone else heard of this before or seen something similar?

 

[MIKX]

AW

if you want quick, knowledgeable support from the community I strongly suggest that you go to your Macrumors profile and set up your cMP system profile also known as ''Signature'.

My 'Sig' is at the end of this post. Include your bootrom version.

You will almost certainly get a lot more answers as then we won't have to always guess how your mac Pro is set up.