Mac Pro (Late 2013) Randomly Restarting - unicorn

Same Mac, same for me, it appeared after the upgrade to Big Sur.

Looks like it's related to USB / Thunderbolt 2 devices. The less they are, the less it reboots. With just an USB Apple keyboard and 2 USB SSD hard drives (all of them directly connected to the USB ports of the Mac - no hub), mine almost doesn't reboot. Still some MCA errors here and there, especially during the night.

If I need to connect another USB or Thunderbolt device, I make sure to disconnect it before putting the Mac to sleep.

Still some MCA errors here and there, especially during the night.

Anyway, this is clearly an Apple problem. If not, why since the upgrade ? And they certainly won't do anything for it since these Macs are at the end of their life :(

Addendum to my previous (kind of) fix :

If an USB device other than the ones already in use since the last reboot (i.e. for me the keyboard and the SSDs) has been connected meanwhile (and even if plugged directly to the Mac), I must remove it and reboot the Mac so that there are no more random restart while sleeping nor crash at wake up. A bit constraining, but it works for me.

So I think this is clearly a system issue with USB on this Mac, something different in USB management since Big Sur. But as I said I doubt whether Apple will fix it since they have strictly no interest to do it (the trashcan will be soon no more supported by new systems).

Just an information from here: After I am still working with Big Sur, today I installed the "Mac OS security update 11.6.6" from the system preferences. There is no need to install Monterey in order to get the service-update (including troubleshooting FW 430.120.6.0.0) on the Mac Pro`s Firmware - this Big Sur - update also includes the new firmware.

My System at least runs, sleeps AND wakes flawlessly today - with standard energy-saving-options. So I am confident.

Thanks a lot chrishees ! Worked for me as well (until now at least).

This security update has updated the firmware to 430.120.6.0.0 (429. … previously) on my Mac Pro 6,1. Now I have no more self/auto reboots and other sleep/wake problems, even with some USB / Thunderbolt 2 devices connected (not reconnected all of them yet). Phew ! I hope it will last…

And I hope too it will be the same for all other users of the MacPro 6,1 affected by this really boring bug. I didn't expect Apple to deal with this problem since it seemed to affect only computers at the end of their life, like the trashcan. This helps me to restore my confidence in Apple, which has been a bit affected. And this even if they did it for other reasons and it's just a collateral benefit !

It is a firmware issue related to the usb.

It is almost solved (with the update on the firmware that is coming to the next version).

There is already two new firmwares on previous beta versions of Monterey.

Follow this thread for more info: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-pro-6-1-monterey-crashes-in-sleep.2319556/page-23

Hello AnnieI

i can only confirm the answer from stelios_pupet. All proposed solutions and beyond have already been dealt with.

I'm having the exact same issue with my Mac Pro 2013/6.1 after upgrading from Big Sur to Monterey 12.2.

Already completely reinstalled the Mac, nothing helped either.

Installed a new hard drive, didn't help either.

I've already swapped out the entire RAM, didn't help either.

I also unplugged everything except for a monitor, keyboard and mouse. I even ended up replacing the monitor. Nothing helped.

When I read all the user reports here, it is clear to me that it cannot be due to a hardware problem but to a software problem. For most, the error occurs after installing Monterey.

When will Apple finally get active? Support leaves more and more to be desired from Apple. You can't compare the support like it was 20 years ago!

Thank you

If you are out if ideas, there is one more thing to try, that is NOT on the path to a direct solution. That is, replace the PRAM backup battery. 3 Volt CR2013 is a pretty good substitute.

The reason this can change the symptoms (I hesitate to say provides any solution to anything) is that the 31-step procedure requires you to remove and re-install the ribbon cable connectors that connect the graphics cards on this model to the mainboard. Some users found that simply refreshing those connections brought some relief, especially from WindowServer issues.

I am sorry, I made a typo in the battery number posted above.

The recommended battery should read: CR2032, replacing the hard-to-obtain BR2032 shipped in the unit as new.

The BR2032 has a slightly wider temperature range, and may have a slightly longer life. Both are nominal 3 Volts, non-recharging long-life Lithium coin cells.

Hello all,

same here. Crashes under Mojave & Big Sur.

Working on 11.6.5 (20G527)

Firmware 429.60.3.0.0 / BootROM 2.20f18

6 core / 64GB / 1TB SSUBX / D500

As many of you, I tried everything that has been discussed here, lost about one working week over the years in summa...

From my view it is likely an usb and / or powermanagement issue.

I additionally confirm there`s no way to stop it by changing the used USB-Hub. I use my third hub now, good aluminum build quality, stable psu, with always three Samsung SSDs & CamLink 4K. Thought it would be the cheapo hub from AMZ, but unfortunately wasn`t.

The sleep-wake-problems more likely occur when I plug in any device in the upper right thunderbolt port, view from behind. In my case the 24"-cinema display or the WD backup-harddisk via Apple`s TB to FW adaptor. If I use upper-right port, the problems occur five times a week, if not, maybe one or two times.

Already took apert the whole machine and renewed the CMOS Battery, cleaned everything, switched back to an original Apple SSD (after few weeks of fast NVME Drive on adaptor...)

Tonight I left it up running with all checkboxes unchecked in "Energy" and everything worked up fine this morning. Nowadays a poor solution.

Apple, if this is a software issue please please do a little research and let us mp6,1 users sing praises on it`s stability again. And please don`t leave us alone if it might be a hardware issue...

Chris

I have not have an intended restart since updating to 12.2.2 on Feb 10 I used to have a few MCA restarts before that.

Good day to you Brad Milton, 

We understand that you’re encountering an issue with your Mac restarting unexpectedly while it is asleep. 

The steps we recommend for unexpected restarts are in the following article. If your Mac restarted because of a problem. 

Prior to reinstalling macOS, you can also test the issue in a new user to see if it persists. Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac

Thank you. 

Hello Anniel

There is another discussion about this error as Brad mentioned above… You can read his post again and refer to the link he provided for more details. All of the things that you are (and will probably) suggesting as you can see in the other thread have already been tried. The only thing that helps for now is to uncheck all of the energy saver options in settings (and in my situation after 12.2 update seems to work, but when I checked again with the default settings i had the same crash).

A lot of us are having the same issue since a while now.

Thank you & have a nice day

[…] That is, replace the PRAM backup battery. 3 Volt CR2013 is a pretty good substitute. […]

On a MacPro 6,1 this is a CMOS battery and to access it you need to totally disassemble the trash can. Thank you, Apple !

I haven’t had a restart since 26/1 when i checked with the default settings after i updated to 12.2.

But this morning it happened again..

One thing that i have also noticed is that most of the times it is happening when i have something connected to charge like my iphone for example. Today i had my keyboard connected in order to charge it and when i pressed a key to wake from sleep it restarted with the MCA error.

Maybe that has something to do with this?