Mac Pro 2010, boot options disabled

Open the side door while it is running. Look for red LEDs next to the memory modules.

Also consider that the graphics card could have failed, and that your computer could be booting normally, but displaying nothing.

The code that supports Alt/Option Boot is in the computer's ROM. No drives are required for it to draw a gray screen. HOWEVER...

If you have a Firmware password in place, attempting to use ANY alternate device as the boot device should yield a lock screen like this one, when booting to an alternate version of MacOS:

Lock icon

If your Mac is using a firmware password, the lock icon appears when you try to start up from another disk or volume, such as an external drive or macOS Recovery. Enter the firmware password to continue.

My impression what that this would happen when attempting to boot from the alternate device, not when choosing it, but i do not use this feature, so I cannot speak from experience.

Hi Grant,

Thought I'd just jump in here for a moment. As you are well aware, I have a bit of experience in this area now, much of it with your help. The only thing I would add is that the picture in the link shows only one half of the Northbridge chip, due the fact that it's a dual CPU try. If he has a single CPU he will need to remove the heatsink in order to access the Northbridge chip. There is a particular order in which one should loosen the screws for the heatsink, which I didn't know when I first removed it. I later downloaded the technical field manual and saw this information. I had included the link for the manual, but decided to check it before posting this. The link didn't work, but if he clicks the link in this next sentence from the article he can get the manual. "FYI: An older post in that thread includes a link to a 2009 Mac Pro service manual. (Historically whenever I posted links to them they seem to vanish.)" The section he will need starts at page 161. Hope this helps.

Gary

Well this is embarrassing. The link I included for the manual does not work, but buy clicking the link in the next sentence (from the article) he can get the manual. "FYI: An older post in that thread includes a link to a 2009 Mac Pro service manual.

(Historically whenever I posted links to them they seem to vanish.)"

Following the above link and then the one in that post will get the manual. And as mentioned above, the page he needs is 161.

Gary

I don't get it either...however, are you using a bluetooth or wired USB keyboard ? If the first one, they can be very tricky, especially on reboot. You might want to borrow a known working good keyboard that is wired USB and try it with that. usually you have to press the command and R keys to boot up from the Recovery Partition, Command Option and R to try Internet recovery, holding down the option key on reboot to show all bootable hard drives. There are other key combos, but that's good enough for now., You might also want to try resetting the SMC/PMU and zapping the pram, which are easy enough to do. You can find out how by going to Apple's support page for Mac Pro's or use your favorite search engine . Type in "Mac pro 2010 reset SMC/PMU and zap Pram" without the quotes and press the return key on your keyboard. Let us know how it went

John B

Try resetting the NVRAM/PRAM

https://thenextweb.com/lifehacks/2017/06/14/how-when-why-to-reset-the-pram-smc-on-your-mac/

Are you using a wired keyboard (KB)?

Even though you said the KB works fine have you tried with another KB?

Another possibility is a "wiggly" northbridge chip. See this article. If it is sloppy, the pins may have sheared off. If fairly tight, there is no problem.

DO NOT use any tools to dis-assemble anything to do this test! it is a really simple gross check for an unlikely (but serious) problem.

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/archives/jul14/071114.html

.

If things are working in regular mode, what happens when you select Safe Mode (hold shift at startup) ??

Do you get the five-minute disk repair cycle as it starts up, and the Safe Mode indicator on the screen?

In that case I would have to rule out the possibility of a loose Nothbridge Chip. The only way it could be loose is if one of the plastic retaining pins has broken, in which case you would have absolutely nothing happening. No chime, no boot, nothing. I've been there very recently and tried every approach advised. Finally removed the CPU tray and found a small spring rolling around. Removed the heatsink and was able to see that the Northbridge chip had lost one plastic retainer and was being pulled over to the opposite side by the good retainer. Therefore, all of the "NO's mentioned above are what I have experienced. I'm now trying to find a very small bolt and nut combo to fix the Northbridge chip and replace the plastic thing.

Unfortunately I have no further advice to pass along, but I do hope you'll be able to rectify you problem soon. Also, I apologize for the repeat of the above reply concerning the service manual. I had edited the first reply but it didn't seem to take, so I issued the second reply. But perhaps two is better than one in this case ;^)

Gary

Then perhaps your keyboard is defective, or is not receiving power from the USB port it is using.

This can also be caused by having the keyboard plugged into a port on a display or other Hub instead of directly-connected to a port on the chassis. (But you said that was not the case.)

I'm sure Grant would have some idea why the different reactions between the back and front USB ports. He did mention this of course: "There are separate power budgets for the devices on the front USBs and the devices on the rear USBs." I was not aware of that, so now I've learned something as well. Given that information, it almost sounds like a "Power Supply" issue, but I'm probably wrong with that assumption. One thing I would ask though. Have you experienced any incidents in which the fans seem to be running at a higher RPM than usual. If so you might want to check the "Macs Fan Control" app here - hthttps://www.crystalidea.com/macs-fan-control. I've never made any fan speed adjustments with the app, but it's great for assessing all of the temp readings on your MacPro, or any Mac or Windows computer. Usually the fans will kick in with higher RPM automatically if necessary as I understand it. But with this app you can customize the fans RPM as well. Just a thought.

Gary

Doi you have another wired KB to try?

Even a PC KC will work.