Mac Pro 3.1 early .2008 red light on risers question

OK, I've got the results from Apple Hardware tests " No trouble found !" but for me this doesn't make sense.

Here is why:

There, in the GitHub site for mine Hardware Model " 42C88C8" ,MP 3.1 Early 2008 there are available 3 files.

I used each of them in 3 different tests.

1. 18-3273-A.dmg. ( Version: 3A130) I was able to run both : normal and extended tests and I got "No rouble found", but as sun as each test finished and result displayed the computer lost the video and the fans switched in High.
2. 22-3843-A.dmg.( Version: 3A142) I was able to boot from the usb stick made but none of the tests ( Normal and extended couldn't complete - as soon as the test start the computer crashed - lost video and high fan speed.
3. 022-4029-A.dmg ( Version: 3A146). Only the normal test could complete with a message "No rouble found". However when attempt to run the extended test the computer crashed at 55% approximately completion.

I think the results doesn't make sense for me as there is no repeatability of results of each test designed for the same hardware model: Nothing is found and reported but the computer keep crashing just after the result -just my knowledge isn't enough for interpretation of those results.

Any idea where to look the issue?

Here are some screenshots of (1) and (3).

Thanks Grant, everything happening is more likely due to "... card that supports Apple firmware"

I have done some progress but still going around the GPU. I borrowed a HD 5770 ( shipped with the Mac Pro 5.1)from a friend who owning 2012 Mac Pro.

The card works in MP3.1 BUT isn't listed by Apple and is not in the list of recommended cards for MP3.1.

This is why I am not surprised that the installation failed l again - at the end of the installation but failed .

otherwise, the screen was grey and uniform.

What I did was : I installed in a new ssd drive Al Captain from scratch using the computer of my friend MP5.1 having its Radeon HD5770. After that, I inserted the freshly installed OS 11.6 in mine MP3.1 using as well the same GPU- Radeon HD5770.

The MP3.1 loaded successfully OS ( with a small problem- few horizontal lines were passing for half of second but the problem was solved by the OS and it arrived at the login screen) but when I attempted to run some system tasks ( adjust network setting, checking for updates etc.) the MP3.1 entered in panic ( high speed fans and lost video signal) or the computer crashed. Therefore, I fully agree that I will need strictly to use a card listed by apple.( event I don't like the specs )

By the way. here are some screenshots and if you see some reason of the problem why MP3.1+HD5770 crashed please let me know - for me all seems to be all normal. Any ideas. Thanks

Thanks Grant for your support!

Now I think I am much closer to the source of my " unreported panic" in my MP3.1.

I run Apple Hardware Test and the result is "no trouble - PASS" so for me the problem was undetected as it continues crashing.

Next, the local Mac Pro community helped me in providing bootable ssd ( 64GB) with Apple Service Diagnostics s3123 already set with 2 partitions ASD OS and ASD EFI to boot from.

When I run ASD EFI ( all options selected from memory to Ethernet controller ) the result was PASS but the computer was still crashing the loading OS 10.11.6.

When Boot from ASD OS then all components of the test had PASS except one -> PROCESSOR.

Under Processor test , the first 3 options (Whetstone, Dhrystone and Linpack got passed) but the Encoder Test " Uses meg2 encoder optimized for Intel processor to encode a short.... " has failed ( independently if I run Processor: 0 only, 1 only or both.) . The video signal was lost and all fans go to high.

Also, the error is not reported as a crash, panic in the log.I can see the system log but don't know what info I should look for.

Also, frequently the MP31 crashed before loading completely ASD OS. In this situation, I reset SMC by disconnect the power for 29 sec and then when I boot fro ASD OS I am able to load completely and start the test I need to run.

Do you think changing E5462 with another maching pair may solve this?

The screenshot shows when the first CPU was tested for Encoder . Test lasted only about 6 s and the same pattern is repeated every time when CPU/encoder test was run.

Hi Grant,

thank you so much. I expected alike reason but wasn’t sure. In fact I found the problem with memory risers - one tray was faulty- not the memory . I replaced the bad one and everything when start is OK. When mac starts there a short blink from both risers and then no red lights anymore.

i believe that a bad gpu geforce 8800gt is preventing to install the OS. Here is what happened:

when power is pressed Mac Pro starts and happy sound is emitted, the display is waking up and Mac start loading the installer, The bar is filling up and little after half full all fans start at high speed and display is shut down . Obviously this a panic and I power off to stop this process.

if I could I would replace the card but 8800 GT is not available here ( I am in Ne Zealand). Do you know what GPU card I can use to replace the existing 8800 GT or there is no other except 8800 GT? Also I will need to install the OS 10.11 so I guess it must be a Efi GPU capable to show the installation process in Mac Pro 3.1 Early 2008 . Just like 8800 GT. Do you have a suggestion? I read that GTX 680 can do the trick but not yet sure. I tested many GeForce GPU’s but not success with ; GTX 680 /660/1050 and more. I tested also Radeon 5770 if not wrong. I would really appreciate any ideas. Sorry for mistakes if any.Thanks

Hi John, yes I did it multiple times ( from the logic board and from keyboard)and Mac OS installation started fine but when the loading bar filled 50 to 70% the computer switches to high speed fan or just freezes. I changed installation media ( memory stick, DVD Mac OS and even ssd ) but the pattern of the problem stays the same. I also tried several os - lion, snow leopard and al captain ) but the pattern is always the same. As the screen is filled with vertical strips I am pretty sure that the problem is the GPU. Unfortunately, still cannot find a good EFI graphic card so I can compare. I tried many different GeForce and Radeon cards but none can provide a boot screen I in order to finish the installation. As far as I know my Mac Pro 3.1 was shipped with GeForce 8800GT but with Mac bios. I can get pc one locally but again I can’t use it for install. I learned that GeForce GTX 680 can be flashed but still can’t find the one to try.. Any ideas will be appreciated .

Plamen

Hello Grant, thanks a lot of your time and help.

In fact I've been a bit busy so this is why I didn't reply so, returned to the problem just now.

I guess that the situation got worst as the Mac Pro rarely can arrive to the logon screen of 10.11.6 whithout a crash.

Then, as quick as I could be ( if Mac Pro a1186 has arrived to the logon screen) I attempted to access by share screen or via SSH ( which access hopefully I was able to set up previously).

However, as soon as I access MP31 ( Mac Pro 3.1) from my MacBook Pro remotely the MP31 gets Kernel panic.

On the other hand, I really don't think that the problem was HD 5770 or any GPU card inserted there because I got the same crash result if I use a card from the apple list (tried 2 of them) recommended for MP31.

Also, As I couldn't get the files from the ~/Library/Logs/DignosticReports remotely, I removed the hard drive and went to the logs folder from my MacBook and copied all files .

All files as a zip archive from my dropbox are here:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/3e5ffpnn6zbwqtc3u9eop/DiagnosticReports.zip?rlkey=ectgbv4862sl70yp6d1a3yx4i&st=6vhc043m&dl=0

Also, I noticed that there are only .awd and .diag files and not sure whether those files are you have mentioned. Also, .awd files contains not readable characters and I guess this has something to do with some binary files.

Also, I took a video (.mov) of the state of diagnostic LED's since the start until crashes while pressing the diagnostic button on the logic board.

Here is the link from my dropbox where the video is stored. The crash occurred when PWRG and GPU got off.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/802xkg1l4bgar63nmlw96/IMG_0904.MOV?rlkey=vgq32em8pcbupat9053tvv8ej&st=ak7swdv4&dl=0.

So, most likely the logic board is an issue and it seems to be a well known issue with this machine.

Attempted to get S3123 Apple Service Diagnostic from https://www.loremipsum.info/2019/03/apple-service-diagnostics-mac-test-pro/ but all files there seems to be corrupted.

Any idea where we I can get this utility from ?

I am really curious what the report will say if I run it.

Plamen

Grant, thanks for the reply.

Yes, I don't have any file there starting with "panic".

So, The Question = If this is not a kernel panic ( no evidence ) and the board is OK then what is that?

I did a lot of hardware behaviour testing, here what I did:

For the following tests I used my installed/ configured 10.11.6 hard drive, mine GPU's and my memory ( including both risers). Only my hardware was fitted into another MP3.1 not having history of my one.

So the tests lasted few hours and the tests machine did not experience any crash.

So I presume , It is not the a memory, GPU ( tested GT 8800, HD 5770 and GeForce GTX 660 Ti ( run well on other MP3.1 when web driver is installed) - May be a part of the motherboard failed but I don't have a knowledge what it could be. Can I reload the firmware ?

By the way I also took the PSU of the other MP31, fitted in mine and unfortunately it crashed again. I also replaced both CPU ( 2.8GHz) I have. No difference, keep crashing but the first run after the swap in fact the MP31 took about 10 min after login. It seems to be that the machine was trying to learn and then after the first run no difference with original pairs of CPU's.

Actually, I did one more few things- tried to install windows 7 from DVD. Surprisingly, the os was almost installed without any crash but couldn't finish the setting configuration due to unknown reason - the message was ".... window cannot continue to setup your..... Press OK to restart ".

And finally I swap the both fans - also no difference- keep crashing.

The only kind of crash I have - video was cut and after about 50 to 70 sec fans started in high speed.

This is why I am willing to get the S3123 Apple Service Diagnostic test but I still do not from where.

Plamen