Mac Pro really not booting - IS THERE A FIX?!

Question

JPG2016 Author

Level 1

0 points

Mac Pro really not booting - IS THERE A FIX?!

I have a Mac Pro (Early 2008) running Mavericks that refuses to boot and I seriously need some assistance. It froze a couple of times with a 8bit-style colour palette, shortly before a text warning in a grey box, and needed forced restart. Today it will not boot. It hangs on the grey screen with Apple logo, the spinning wheel spins for around 20 seconds and freezes and goes no further no matter what I have done.
I have tried the following:

• Safe mode: the progress bar goes half way and hangs.

• Resetting PRAM - no change in behaviour

• Booting from a recovery drive – I can see the drives as options but again it hangs on trying to boot to them.

• Booting from a CD - as above, or holding C on boot, again hangs

• Cmd-Opt-R with a wired connection does nothing

• Terminal disk verification (/sbin/fsck -fy) says everything is ok, 'reboot' continues the issue
• Tried removing and rearranging RAM.

Via Firewire Target Disk Mode (connected to a MacBook) I have copied off the important files, I have also used Carbon Copy Cloner to make a clone and a HD recovery partition. I again cannot boot the Mac Pro from these (t's just a static pin wheel).

A few other things - one boot-up brought up a large black and white checkerboard (see images below) and in general there are often green lines down the screen (not when it's grey though!)

Importantly, Using Target Disk Mode I have booted the Mac Pro hard drive onto the MacBook, which appears to be running ok (so I'm assuming the Mac Pro HDD is ok?) - I've repaired and verified the Mac Pro HDD through Disk Utilities.

I also copied the Error Report when booting the Mac Pro HDD with the MacBook (see this log below)...

So, what are the next steps to get the Mac Pro booting and working again on it's own? Can I diagnose anything via Target Disk Mode on the MacBook? PLEASE HELP!

Thanks!

---- ERROR LOG ------

Anonymous UUID: 5882DF34-239D-E9F7-A107-C166A3F45878

Tue Feb 16 15:50:51 2016

panic(cpu 3 caller 0x28d4b9): "pmap_flush_tlbs() timeout: " "cpu(s) failing to respond to interrupts, pmap=0x84b6e0 cpus_to_respond=0x40"@/SourceCache/xnu/xnu-1504.3.12/osfmk/i386/pmap.c:3548

Backtrace (CPU 3), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)

0x88d63a78 : 0x21b449 (0x5ce420 0x88d63aac 0x2238a5 0x0)

0x88d63ac8 : 0x28d4b9 (0x58c4e8 0x84b6e0 0x40 0x0)

0x88d63b38 : 0x292985 (0x84b6e0 0x88d63c24 0x88d63b68 0x51dac3)

0x88d63c68 : 0x2936d6 (0x84b6e0 0x790d6000 0x0 0xfebc86b0)

0x88d63cd8 : 0x270bef (0x84b6e0 0x790d6000 0x0 0x790d7000)

0x88d63d28 : 0x253eff (0x1200f8dc 0x790d6000 0x0 0x790d7000)

0x88d63d88 : 0x254c00 (0x49ffe70 0x0 0x7fe9e4f8 0x11ddeb88)

0x88d63df8 : 0x257cd6 (0x49ffe70 0x1142d074 0x27000 0x1)

0x88d63f38 : 0x2a839c (0x11ddeb88 0x27000 0x1 0x5)

0x88d63fc8 : 0x29e80a (0x11de3ca4 0x0 0x10 0x11de4c64)

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: mDNSResponder

Mac OS version:

10D575

Kernel version:

Darwin Kernel Version 10.3.0: Fri Feb 26 11:58:09 PST 2010; root:xnu-1504.3.12~1/RELEASE_I386

System model name: MacPro3,1 (Mac-F42C88C8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 85973407493

unloaded kexts:

(none)

loaded kexts:

com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.3d0 - last loaded 84043891732

com.apple.driver.AppleTyMCEDriver 1.0.1d8

com.apple.driver.InternalModemSupport 2.6.2

com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.4

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelYonahProfile 14

com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.3.2

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPenrynProfile 17

com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0

com.apple.GeForce 6.1.0

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelNehalemProfile 11

com.apple.driver.AudioIPCDriver 1.1.2

com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 1.8.4fc3

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelMeromProfile 19

com.apple.driver.AppleMCEDriver 1.1.9

com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 4.1.1d0

com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.4.11

com.apple.driver.DiskImages.SparseDiskImage 283

com.apple.driver.DiskImages.ReadWriteDiskImage 283

com.apple.driver.DiskImages.UDIFDiskImage 283

com.apple.driver.DiskImages.RAMBackingStore 283

com.apple.driver.DiskImages.HTTPBackingStore 283

com.apple.driver.DiskImages.FileBackingStore 283

com.apple.driver.CSRHIDTransitionDriver 2.3.1f4

com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 2.6.2

com.apple.BootCache 31

com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1

com.apple.driver.AppleIntel8254XEthernet 2.1.1b7

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 3.9.6

com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 4.5.7

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 1.6.1

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 3.9.6

com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 2.1.1

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPIIXATA 2.5.1

com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 1.3.0

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI 3.9.6

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 1.3.2

com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 1.3.1

com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.5

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 1.5

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 1.3.2

com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.4

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 104.3.0

com.apple.security.sandbox 0

com.apple.security.quarantine 0

com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 2.1.11

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 104.3.0

com.apple.driver.AppleHDAPlatformDriver 1.8.4fc3

com.apple.driver.AppleProfileReadCounterAction 17

com.apple.driver.AppleProfileTimestampAction 10

com.apple.driver.AppleProfileThreadInfoAction 14

com.apple.driver.AppleProfileRegisterStateAction 10

com.apple.driver.AppleProfileKEventAction 10

com.apple.driver.AppleProfileCallstackAction 20

com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 74.0

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 2.3.1f4

com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.3

com.apple.driver.AppleHDAHardwareConfigDriver 1.8.4fc3

com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 1.8.4fc3

com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.7.6fc2

com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.3

com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal 6.1.0

com.apple.NVDAResman 6.1.0

com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.1

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.0.3

com.apple.iokit.AppleProfileFamily 41

com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 1.8.4fc3

com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.1

com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 1.8.4fc3

com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.0.1d2

com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 4.1.1d0

com.apple.driver.DiskImages.KernelBacked 283

com.apple.driver.CSRUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.3.1f4

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.3.1f4

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 2.3.1f4

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHIDKeyboard 1.2.0a3

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 3.9.6

com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 1.2.0a3

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 3.9.6

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 3.9.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 2.6.2

com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.6

com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.6

com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.6

com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 402.1

com.apple.iokit.IOATAPIProtocolTransport 2.5.1

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 2.6.2

com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver 2.0

com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 1.9

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 3.9.6

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.2.6

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.0.3

com.apple.iokit.IOATAFamily 2.5.1

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 3.9.6

com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 1.3.0

com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 1.6.2

com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1

com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 6

com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1

com.apple.driver.DiskImages 283

com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 1.6

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 1.3.2

com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.6

com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.3.0

Unable to gather system configuration information.Model: MacBookPro5,2, BootROM MBP52.008E.B05, 2 processors, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.66 GHz, 4 GB, SMC 1.42f4

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, PCI, 256 MB

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, PCIe, 512 MB

Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz, 0x80CE, 0x4D34373142353637334548312D4346382020

Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz, 0x80CE, 0x4D34373142353637334548312D4346382020

AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x8D), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.100.22)

Bluetooth: Version 4.2.6f1 14216, 3 services, 23 devices, 1 incoming serial ports

Serial ATA Device: FUJITSU MHZ2320BH FFS G1, 320.07 GB

Serial ATA Device: MATSHITADVD-R UJ-868

USB Device: Built-in iSight

USB Device: Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse

USB Device: BRCM2046 Hub

USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller

USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

USB Device: IR Receiver

FireWire Device: unknown_device, Unknown

FireWire Device: fw_target_disk_mode, AAPL, Up to 800 Mb/sec

Thunderbolt Bus:

Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), Will not boot

Posted on Feb 16, 2016 10:06 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Feb 16, 2016 12:02 PM in response to Drew Reece

An important distinction between Disk First Aid (all forms) and trying to actually load something:

Disk First Aid does not read ANY data blocks outside the Directory Area on the drive. The entire rest of the drive could be completely blown away, and Disk First Aid could still say it is great.

By "Disk First Aid" I mean any of:

Disk Utility (Repair Disk)

Disk Utility > First Aid

Safe Mode Startup (with initial progress Bar before login)

Normal Boot up that draws an unexpected progress Bar early on

fsck /fy

Reply

Answer 2

JPG2016 Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 16, 2016 12:02 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hmmm...

Much like I tried booting the Mac Pro HDD on the MacBook laptop (which worked)... I also tried it in reverse - which resulted in the Mac Pro hanging again in the same place (Apple and spinning wheel)... This could be a result of incompatible OS's and hardware settings I guess - but it seems to indicate that the Mac Pro HDD is still reasonably intact enough to boot from, but some kind of hardware issue is stopping it from booting from that drive itself.

Reply

Answer 3

Feb 16, 2016 12:06 PM in response to JPG2016

hanging again in the same place (Apple and spinning wheel)...

This display is just so that you will not be overwhelmed by the scrolling progress of Boot up. The "real" boot up progress is shown in Vebose Mode, and the last thing on the screen is often why it would not continue.

sudo nvram boot-args="-v"

Reply

Answer 4

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,684 points

Feb 16, 2016 12:11 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I wasn't suggesting disk first aid at all, I was suggesting removing all the disks & see if the Mac can boot from the installer disk – this will help to see if the graphics card can operate or if the 'thumping disk' is part of the problem (did you play the video Grant?).

JPG2016, see the best site on the internet 🙂…

http://datacent.com/hard_drive_sounds.php (the sounds require Flash to play - use Chrome if you don't have Flash installed).

The second Maxtor sound is similar but a different speed.

Take it out of the equation.

Reply

Answer 5

Feb 16, 2016 12:16 PM in response to Drew Reece

thanks Drew Reece.

I was not trying to advocate using Disk First Aid.

I was trying to explain why "But it passed Disk First Aid, how could it be Bad?"

Reply

Answer 6

JPG2016 Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 16, 2016 12:21 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks Grant.
In my response for Drew above (picture 1) I have an image of where verbose stopped working... I'm not an IT guy by any means (I'm a graphic designer who has to know some things about computers to get by) - are you recommending I use your terminal code there for something in particular?

Thanks in advance.

Drew, that thumping disk was an odd noise (almost sounded like a chip tune, chirping at the same time... BUT its also a recent development (after a began a delicate dismantling of the inners but realised it wasn't going to happen at 8pm at work!)... Hopefully I've not done anything untoward! It's all reassembled perfectly (I didn't get very far).

I removed the second HDD (which is empty) and place the primary drive with boot on it to bay 1 and it seems to have stopped...

Still none the wiser here.

AHT is written on disk 1 (edit), but again D will not force it to boot.

Reply

Answer 7

JPG2016 Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 16, 2016 12:27 PM in response to JPG2016

OK! After fsck twice in Single User mode, and only having 2 GB of ram in the machine I have booted to AHT and am running an extended check (unfortunately it won't be checking the remaining RAM!)

Is there anything specific you recommend I do other than photographing it's results? I've been at this all day - it's exhausting!

Thanks in advance!

Reply

Answer 8

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,684 points

Feb 16, 2016 12:32 PM in response to JPG2016

Try holding C at startup to see if it will boot to the installer (have the CD/DVD in the Mac).

Both of the verbose boots list changes to the startup disk in fsck. I think you need to rule out the startup disk.

My bad Grant, that noise makes me think the disk is holding up the OS, hardware is beyond what first aid can fix 🙂

Noises can suddenly come & go, especially if you are removing & reseating items in an attempt to fix issues. Do you have any external bootable backups of this Mac? It is a quick way to see if it works from another disk.

If AHT works you know the graphic card is not totally useless. Let us know if anything appears.

Reply

Answer 9

JPG2016 Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 16, 2016 12:39 PM in response to Drew Reece

Running AHT at the mo, will let you know the result (the screen still have green pixelation all over it).

Booting from the disc didn't work previously, but may now, seeing as AHT did... But what do you suggest I do if I can boot from it ('boot to the installer'...?) If it's a graphics issue, a reformat won't do it much good, right? But you're looking to eliminate the HDD?

I didn't make a .dmg from the HDD... I made a Carbon Copy Clone and a recovery HD (see image)

Reply

Answer 10

JPG2016 Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 18, 2016 10:21 AM in response to Drew Reece

No trouble found - unbelievable. I've read that graphics card is known for failing, but you can't believe everything you read...

Any further thoughts to add chaps?...

Reply

Answer 11

lllaass

Level 10

210,519 points

Feb 16, 2016 1:15 PM in response to JPG2016

AHT does a very poor job of testing graphics cards since AHT really does not know what happens to the video signal once the signal enters the graphics card. From the mages I suspect a graphics car. You can try baking.

http://lifehacker.com/5823227/save-dying-video-cards-with-a-quick-bake-in-the-ov en

..

Reply

Answer 12

Feb 16, 2016 1:20 PM in response to JPG2016

are you recommending I use your terminal code there for something in particular?

Yes.

1) Set it into permanent Verbose mode using that command line. [a PRAM reset removes it if it annoys you.]

2) Boot from the "Full Retail" 10.6 DVD -OR- the Mac Pro "ships in the box" DVD.

watch where that incorruptible software stops.

Reply

Answer 13

JPG2016 Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 16, 2016 1:24 PM in response to lllaass

Ha, I might have to! I don't suppose anyone know's of a good site to buy replacement graphics cards for this age machine with an easy spec-finder of sorts?

Reply

Answer 14

JPG2016 Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 16, 2016 1:37 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

This is what happens Grant... there was maybe 2-3 more lines that speed past and the screen went Apple blue, then bright red.... then finally black and remained that way. There is a mouse pointer which then turned to the coloured pinwheel/beach ball.

Any thoughts?

Your help is VERY MUCH appreciated!