The other problem with the tray swap idea is that single CPU trays are not in demand where a complete machine would be…
Yes… and no. Not in as much of the demand, but still in SOME demand.
If I already had a functional 5,1 EXCEPT for a tray, I’d rather have ANY tray than NO tray. And if the choice was between a very cheap single-CPU tray and a very expensive dual-CPU tray, based on money and the additional non-monetary factors, I would go with the single-CPU tray, because it would get me a hexacore 5,1. Which be an improvement over a not functional 5,1. But that’s me. And it assumes a legitimate daily use case for the 5,1. If my 3,1 wasn’t very likely dead, I’d still be using it.* But since it’s probably the logic board and the 2015 MBP is still kicking, the value proposition absolutely isn’t there.
For @cosmichobo, it clearly won’t be a 1:1 monetary swap. But it will reduce the cost overall. Like I said, it all comes down to how you value the non-monetary considerations. For myself, if everything else works well, and the machine has a legitimately important use case, I’d really rather just reduce the complexity and not bother with full machine swaps.
*In this scenario, we are assuming that someone didn’t just give me the 4,1/5,1, of course, which they did, and hence this thread.
Something to take in to consideration is power consumption.
Mac Pro
Mac Mini M2
That’s true, but I’m also a proponent that we should be using these materials to scale up renewable energy rather than putting out to pasture computers that still work, claim a reduced power consumption, when the real goal is to drive consumerism and planned obsolescence. I don’t view Apple as particularly good at hiding their greenwashing. Again, YKMMV.
WiFi/BT Fenvi T919 Card came. BT Worked immediately once properly powered, but WiFi is still not working. I suspect I’ll need to pull the old card out. I have read some folks have trouble with the two cards interfering.
I was hoping to be able to use the CalDigit card, but either the pin-out isn’t correct, or it just doesn’t work (honestly, the CalDigit card was being temperamental with its actual ports) with added ports. But some people reported this might happen, and so the solution was…
…this nonsense. Running the cable out the back and plugging it into the external USB 2.0 port. Not pretty, but it gets the job done.
Because after a reboot, BT popped up and my mouse and keyboard were available.
So now to hope that pulling out the other card allows wifi to work…
Edit: …there is, in fact, no other WiFi card installed. Going down the rabbit hole shows it should be just detected in Ventura, but Sonoma requires some other hackery nonsense, perhaps. Honestly, half willing to go down to Ventura if that’s what it takes. We’ll see what I can come up with. BT alone was honestly worth the purchase of the card, so…
Edit 2: Once my work day ends, I’ll try to reset the NVRAM and see if that works. All the other stuff I can find only seems to apply to Hackintoshes, and so, in theory, the hackery nonsense should not be necessary for running on real hardware. The wifi card is being physically detected “Composite Device” but not working:
Edit 3: Winner, winner, chicken dinner. For the search: If you have a Fenvi T919 and need to get it working on Sonoma in a Mac Pro 4,1/5,1, unplug your old BT card (right side behind the CPU tray, same if you have a WiFi card, mine did not actually have one but on the left). Put the card in according to the directions. Reset NVRAM. Patch root (Legacy Wifi will show up), and then also rebuild and install the EFI. Upon reboot, everything ought to be working.
EDIT 4: Huzzah! Successful connection to my fiber optical through PPPoE, shared connection over the WiFi, the Mac Pro is now a NAS/Wireless Router/Work Machine running the latest macOS. Honestly just incredible.
For the immediate future, thanks to the current interest rates, unless the 2012 Mac Mini, or either of my 2 x 23" ACD’s dies, I will probably just make do for a bit longer… But what I do know is that there’s nothing in Apple’s recent line up that appeals to me, so getting a 5,1 MP up to speed has a lot more appeal.
Mine is fully working for what I need it to do and working very well. Now, supposedly I do have airdrop, continuity, handoff with the T919, but I don’t use those things, so I haven’t tested it. But others report they should work.
OCLP does not work with 14.4, and 14.3 is sketch. Don’t go beyond 14.2.1 until the next OCLP version drops.
BTW, I tried putting the 3,1 back together and turning it on. Everything seems to be running fine, but no chime, no boot screen. Ah well, it was worth a try I suppose.
EDIT: Hmm… My Mac Pro 4,1/5,1’s power light isn’t on. It boots as normal, continues to work. Could it have burnt out? Is that a thing?
EDIT 2: This is normal. It just means I have to unplug the power cable from the computer and plug it back in and reboot if I want it back. Meh. Don’t want to mess with my uptime because it is now a NAS and Router. Will do it the next time I must reboot.