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Pattern of MLB (Main Logic Board)

holyfield

By holyfield,
in Tutorials (The Genius Bar)

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mhaeuser
mhaeuser
Posted
Posted

Just a gut feeling.  

Doing my initial Clover install, creating the RecoveryHD, and then the main install, I then did something stupid, corrupted my install, then booted up and reinstall again, with a clover USB install drive.

The thing is, the second time, There was no RecoveryHD creation, as it was already there, and the nvram info was the same.

 

I didn't specify any RT data of SMBios data in any these installs.

 

Right now I'm working in virtualbox, and watching the creation of the nvram.

 

Are you aware of the fact that NVRAM is usually a hardware component - which is emulated for VMs and legacy installs - which is meant to PERMANENTLY store variables? So, if NVRAM variables are the same between installs, this isn't magic but the purpose of the the device.

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sulphurlad
sulphurlad
Posted
Posted

Hardware component on a real Mac, but software for our purposes.

Just reinstalled 10.10 on my real MacBook to eliminate so weird things.

SMBios is the software nvram right? I'm just starting to get into this I'm not sure.

 

Nevermind , found the source from RehabMan

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mhaeuser
mhaeuser
Posted
Posted

Hardware component on a real Mac, but software for our purposes.

Just reinstalled 10.10 on my real MacBook to eliminate so weird things.

SMBios is the software nvram right? I'm just starting to get into this I'm not sure.

 

Nevermind , found the source from RehabMan

 

So, to start from scratch:

 

1) No, NVRAM is NOT unique to Macs. Every single UEFI-compliant PC has NVRAM and furthermore I think I saw machines with BIOS and NVRAM, but I'm not sure about that. Not all of them work well "for our purposes", but by now most do with Clover booted via the UEFI firmware (without legacy emulation).

2) SMBIOS - permanent and usually unique with the exception of lazy vendors and OEMs :) - is the host to the DMI table which is used to identify the machine and gather information about it. I'm sure you generated a SMBIOS value set (e.g. "iMac13,2") for your setup.

3) VirtualBox emulates hardware NVRAM completely, so indeed it's permanent (because it's saved as a file on the disk of the host PC, it wouldn't be possible if it was within the VM.

 

So, SMBIOS is not related to NVRAM at all. I suggest you to google the terms for further information, I'm not firm with them in the greatest technical detail, but you clearly misunderstood something somewhere. ;)

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gekho21
gekho21
Posted
Posted

These are my knowing commands to get the important values:

MLB:

nvram 4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:MLB

ROM:

nvram 4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:ROM

 

Hello,

 

I'm trying to get MLB and ROM from an old Macbookpro (2006 not sure) (MacBookPro2,2) running 10.6.8 but I have this error:

Penelope:~ penelope$ nvram 4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:MLB
nvram: Error getting variable - '4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:MLB': (iokit/common) data was not found

Also trying iMessageDebug and this error:

illegal instruction

Any change to  get MLB and ROM from an old Mac ?

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pac-man
pac-man
Posted
Posted

Hello,

 

I'm trying to get MLB and ROM from an old Macbookpro (2006 not sure) (MacBookPro2,2) running 10.6.8 but I have this error:

Penelope:~ penelope$ nvram 4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:MLB
nvram: Error getting variable - '4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:MLB': (iokit/common) data was not found

Also trying iMessageDebug and this error:

illegal instruction

Any change to  get MLB and ROM from an old Mac ?

 

For MLB + ROM use UPPERCASE Letters:

 

MLB:

nvram 4D1EDE05-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B38C14:MLB

 

ROM:

nvram 4D1EDE05-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B38C14:ROM

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fusion71au
fusion71au
Posted
Posted

Hello,

 

I'm trying to get MLB and ROM from an old Macbookpro (2006 not sure) (MacBookPro2,2) running 10.6.8 but I have this error:

Penelope:~ penelope$ nvram 4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:MLB
nvram: Error getting variable - '4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:MLB': (iokit/common) data was not found

Also trying iMessageDebug and this error:

illegal instruction

Any change to  get MLB and ROM from an old Mac ?

On Snow Leopard, MLB & ROM are not stored in NVRAM so that method doesn't work.

 

You'll have to upgrade your Mac to at least Lion (then you can use the NVRAM command to extract MLB & ROM vars) or use Darwin dumper to obtain Main Board Serial Number and fw MAC address in Snow Leopard- see here.

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pac-man
pac-man
Posted
Posted

GUID's are not case sensitive. Only the string part (ROM/MLB) is case sensitive and thus this works:

 

nvram 4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:MLB

nvram 4d1ede05-38c7-4a6a-9cc6-4bcca8b38c14:ROM

 

Sorry, my mistake. I don't own a genuine device running previous version than osx mountain lion - only one hackintosh running Lion 10.7.5 with Chimera and NVRAM Module which is case sensitive asking these values.

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Alien::X
Alien::X
Posted
Posted

Week Number From Serial ....

 

A1 - A9 = 1 - 9

B1 - B9 = 27 - 35
C0 = NULL 
C1 - C9 = 1 - 9
D1 - D9 = 27 - 35
E1 - E9 = NUL
F1 - F9 = 1-9
G1 - G9 = 27 - 35
H1 - H9 = 1 - 9
J1 - J9 = 27 - 35
K1 - K9 = 1 - 9
L1 - L9 = 27 - 35
M1 - M9 = 1 - 9
N1 - N9 = 27 -35
 
 
P1 - P9 = NULL
Q1 - Q9 = NULL
R1 - R9 = NULL
S1 - S9 = NULL
T1 - T9 = NULL
V1 - V9 = NULL
W1 - W9 = NULL
X1 - X9 = NULL
Y1 - Y9 = NULL
Z1 - Z9 = NULL
 
AA - AZ = NULL
----------------------------------------
CA
CB
CC =10
CD = 11
CE
CF = 12
CG = 13
CH = 14
CI
CJ = 15
CK =16
CL =17
CM =18
CN =19
CO
CP =20
CQ =21
CR =22
CS
CT =23
CU
CV =24
CW =25
CX =26
CY =27
CZ
 
DA
DB
DC=36
DD=37
DE
DF=38
DG=39
DH=40
DI
DJ=41
DK=42
DL=43
DM=44
DN=45
DO
DP=46
DQ =47
DR =48
DS
DT=49
DU
DV=50
DW=51
DX=52
DY=53
DZ
 
F Series 10 - 27
G Series 36 - 53
H Series 10 - 27
I Series 
J Series 36 - 53
K Series 10 - 27
L Series 36 - 53
M Series 10 - 27
N Series 36 - 53
 
O Series = NULL
P Series  = NULL
Q Series  = NULL
R Series  = NULL
S Series  = NULL
T Series  = NULL
U Series  = NULL
V Series  = NULL
W Series  = NULL
X Series  = NULL
Y Series  = NULL
Z Series  = NULL
-------------------------------------
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gekho21
gekho21
Posted
Posted

On Snow Leopard, MLB & ROM are not stored in NVRAM so that method doesn't work.

 

You'll have to upgrade your Mac to at least Lion (then you can use the NVRAM command to extract MLB & ROM vars) or use Darwin dumper to obtain Main Board Serial Number and fw MAC address in Snow Leopard- see here.

 

Thanks !!

 

I was able to get the fw MAC address (seems correct).

 

But the Main Board Serial Number = 1  (???)

 

 

I've also post in the SL thread.

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pac-man
pac-man
Posted
Posted

If any one have real Mac then please check it and post is it right or not.... I also found this in my iMac...

PPP Y WW ### FF EEEE XX

 

Still FF and XX not Decoded...

 

Please post your reviews..... 

 

Verified another three Genuine Macs:

 

1. MacBookPro 11,1: No match with any Part of any MAC-Address

2. MacBookPro 11,2: No match with any Part of any MAC-Address

3. MacBookAir 6,1: No match with any Part of any MAC-Address

 

corrected:

3. MacBookAir 6,1: Last 4 Signs of ROM matches Thunderbolt MAC Address Parts.

 

Note: Interesting Part is that the ROM value does not contain any Part of any MAC-Address - it is complete different!

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pac-man
pac-man
Posted
Posted

Thanks !!

 

I was able to get the fw MAC address (seems correct).

 

But the Main Board Serial Number = 1  (???)

 

 

I've also post in the SL thread.

 

Just a suggestion, can you please try following:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/153582-smbios-dumper-and-matching-dmidecode/?p=1083691

 

You should then see a section called "Base Board Information" and in this section you will find an entry called "Serial Number" which is your MLB (Main Board Serial Number).

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Liquid Ice
Liquid Ice
Posted
Posted

Verified another three Genuine Macs:

 

1. MacBookPro 11,1: No match with any Part of any MAC-Address

2. MacBookPro 11,2: No match with any Part of any MAC-Address

3. MacBookAir 6,1: No match with any Part of any MAC-Address

 

Note: Interesting Part is that the ROM value does not contain any Part of any MAC-Address - it is complete different!

 

MacBookAir 6,1 should be the thunderbolt mac address, if I remember correctly.

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gekho21
gekho21
Posted
Posted

I am using ROM & MLB from a Macbook Pro 2,2 which can only install as far as Lion. I logged in to iMessages with no issues. 

 

 

How did you get the MLB from this MBP 2,2 ?

 

 

I'm trying DarwinDumper, but it give me a wrong value:

0000: 02 10 02 00 01 02 03 04 05 09 06 03 00 01 00 00 0010: 
Base Board Information
        Manufacturer: Apple Computer, Inc.
        Product Name: Mac-F42187C8
        Version: PVT
        Serial Number: 1
        Asset Tag: Base Board Asset Tag
        Features:
                Board is a hosting board
                Board is replaceable
        Location In Chassis: Part Component
        Chassis Handle: 0x0003
        Type: Unknown
        Contained Object Handles: 0

extract from the DMI Tables (DMI Type 2).

 

 

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pac-man
pac-man
Posted
Posted

MacBookAir 6,1 should be the thunderbolt mac address, if I remember correctly.

 

You are right!The last 4 Signs matches some parts of a Thunderbolt MAC-Address.

 

I have verified this on 2 additional genuine MacBookAir (6,1 and 6,2)

 

In every case the last 4 Signs matches like this:

 

MacBookAir ROM: XXXXXXXXABBC

Thunderbolt MAC: xx:xx:xA:BB:Cx:xx

 

But for MacBookPro (11,1 and 11,2) i can't find any match!

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pac-man
pac-man
Posted
Posted

 

Same result as DarwinDumper: 

Serial Number: 1

 

Don't know how you now can get the MLB without removing the screws from your MBP.

Maybe you could try to start a Live Linux CD and there run dmidecode to extract DMI table data but I think you will get also "1" as Serial Number...

 

If no one other can help with that the best would be to have a look on your logic board with your eyes by removing the screws…

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gekho21
gekho21
Posted
Posted

If no one other can help with that the best would be to have a look on your logic board with your eyes by removing the screws…

 

I will do that. (already do for changing HD).

 

Any idea where to find MLB on the logic board ?

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gekho21
gekho21
Posted
Posted

@gekho21,

 

See iFixit MBP2,2 teardown:  note the MLB is printed on the board near the RAM slots (see the photo on Step7).

 

Did you try booting your Mac with a Mavericks or Yosemite installer in single user mode and running the NVRAM command like I suggested in post#171?

 

This is the solution: now I have MLB and ROM value  :thumbsup_anim:

Thanks fusion71au !!

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Pike R. Alpha
Pike R. Alpha
Posted
Posted

Using the command in post #171 got me a garbled up ROM VALUE

4D1EDE05-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B38C14:ROM (%0a\%b1%b1(

 

Came with round brackets and all. (Changed some values in case this means something)

 

Does anyone know how I can interpret this output?

Your example is: 28:0a:5c:b1:b1:28

 

The trick is quite simple. If it starts with a % them it represents a hex value which you should use. Anything else should first be converted from ASCII (use hex value).

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gpatpandp
gpatpandp
Posted
Posted

A while ago as it came upon me so cheaply, I upgraded my MacBook Pro from a 2007 2.2 GHz to a 2008 2.4 GHz by swapping out one motherboard for the other and making a slight modification to the heat sink that came with the 2.4 GHz board allowing it to align properly on each mounting stud within the MBP chassis.   Anyway, in remembering I still had the old 2.2 GHz logic board laying around, I reinstalled it in my MBP and got both the ROM & MLB values off of it to use in my hack.   Since entering each with Clover Configurator and appropriately saving the config.plist and despite my Apple ID being checked and enabled, I am getting both the circled red exclamation point/all contacts in red and unregistered and each message sent is 'Not Delivered".

 

As each ROM/MLB value was/is unique to the specific board installed, aren't I essentially cloning a real mac and why is this not working ?

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