Mystery bootrom: MP41.0081.B08?

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Level 2

408 points

Mystery bootrom: MP41.0081.B08?

Hello,

I have a Mac Pro 09 model with the firmware MP41.0081.B08 - After calling Apple tech support they confirmed that this is the WRONG firmware for my 09 model.. They also said that the B08 is a 2010 firmware, possible proto-type bootrom for the 2010 (09 w/westmere) mac pros.

If this is the case, would I then be able to run 1333 mhz memory and also use the 6-core w3680?

Apple said that the real firmware and bootrom for my machine should have been: EFI Firmware 1.4 or MP41.0081.B07

Can someone shed some light as to what B08 is??? Who else has this firmware on their 09's?

2009 Westmere 6-core, WAS W3580 3.33 :), Mac OS X (10.6.4), 6GB DDR3 Memory, dual superdrive

Posted on Sep 4, 2010 5:33 PM

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Answer 1

The hatter

Level 9

60,980 points

Sep 4, 2010 5:47 PM in response to romko23

There are X5680s and maybe some X5690s in Geekbench. Just search for "MacPro4,1" and see what you turn up.

I was looking to post Geekbench results in a thread I created for Mid-2010 to look at early benchmarks and was curious that I saw a large number of what I assumed were either custom(-er) upgrades with Westmeres or something else.

Geekbench shows Apple EFI BIOS number, OS X Build. And some of those systems have "0" or unknown for number of processors (zero?) as well as cores and threads seemed.... off.

But then there has been one or two users that had logicboard replacements and ended up with PCIe controller issue with SATA cards, due to having a later EFI ROM.

B07 running dual X5680
http://browse.geekbench.ca/geekbench2/view/270413

But with this:

Processor Frequency 206 MHz

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Answer 2

romko23 Author

Level 2

408 points

Sep 4, 2010 10:36 PM in response to The hatter

Ok, so what is the B08? According to an Apple tech, he told me that my mac pro has the wrong firmware and confirmed that I possibly do have the westmere firmware in my system.

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Answer 3

DPArt

Level 3

604 points

Sep 4, 2010 11:11 PM in response to romko23

My Dual Quad 2.26 has same firmware.

Would be great if you are right....but I wouldn't bet on it.

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Answer 4

romko23 Author

Level 2

408 points

Sep 6, 2010 2:03 PM in response to DPArt

CONFIRMED: 1333 mhz memory works.. I just got a 1333 mhz dimm and it works.
this must have been a proto-type firmware for the 2010 mac pro(2009 w/westmere)

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Answer 5

The hatter

Level 9

60,980 points

Sep 6, 2010 2:51 PM in response to romko23

Of course that RAM works, just a matter of what saith a good OS X type Everest Ultimate and what timings etc it uses.

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Answer 6

romko23 Author

Level 2

408 points

Sep 6, 2010 3:31 PM in response to The hatter

No no.. you don't understand.. the mac pros with B07 and lower did NOT support 1333 even with the w3580. Because of my B08 firmware, I can now use 1333 mhz memory.. it even shows up in system profiler..

ECC: Enabled

DIMM 1:

Size: 2 GB
Type: DDR3 ECC
Speed: 1333 MHz
Status: OK
Manufacturer: 0x80AD
Part Number: 0x484D54313235553742465238432D47372020
Serial Number: 0x20306196

DIMM 2:

Size: 2 GB
Type: DDR3 ECC
Speed: 1333 MHz
Status: OK
Manufacturer: 0x80AD
Part Number: 0x484D54313235553742465238432D47372020
Serial Number: 0x204061D4

DIMM 3:

Size: 2 GB
Type: DDR3 ECC
Speed: 1333 MHz
Status: OK
Manufacturer: 0x80AD
Part Number: 0x484D54313235553742465238432D47372020
Serial Number: 0x20A06177

DIMM 4:

Size: Empty
Type: Empty
Speed: Empty
Status: Empty
Manufacturer: Empty
Part Number: Empty
Serial Number: Empty

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