Sonnet Presto

[olePigeon]

I copied my extension, you can download it here: http://www.wreckcenter.com/68k/
Presto.sit.hqx

Mine is version 3.1, but I don't know if it's any different from yours.

[thatsteve]

It's a Presto, not a Presto Plus.

I downloaded that extension and whilst I already have a v3.1 extension, the one you linked to is 6KB larger, so I was hoping that it'd be the one to make it all work. Alas, no.

Extension still loads with a red X through it.

I'm about ready to throw in the towel with this. I received the card as "working", it had previously been in a Color Classic, so I'm inclined to say it's a software issue. But I'm rapidly losing energy in trying to figure this out. When I place the System 7 Enabler in the system folder, the machine hangs at Happy Mac. When I remove that (contrary to what the Sonnet manual says, but as was stated further up this thread it works without) the machine will boot, but the extension never loads properly. So is it the right extension? Probably not. I have 2 different versions of v3.1 and 1 copy of v3.2.1 (which causes a fatal error on loading).

But if olePigeon is using that extension with his card, which is the same as mine, what gives?

[olePigeon]

I'm running 7.5 instead of 7.6, you could give that a try.

[thatsteve]

Tried that earlier, no difference.

[spiceyokooko]

There may always be the possibility that, that Presto card is simply not compatible with the LCIII+. It's certainly compatible with the LC and Classic, and probably LCII, but I've seen no information any where about that card working successfully in a LCIII+. There are a few facts here that point in that direction -

1/ The card 'supposedly' came from working in a Mac Classic, if that's true, then it does suggest the card was working.
2/ Sonnet brought out another, faster card, the Sonnet Plus, that is known to work successfully with the LCIII+, was this possibly because the previous one didn't?
3/ You cannot get it to work in your machine. The X through the extension is saying the driver isn't loaded, presumably because it cannot see the card.
4/ When the machine boots and the driver doesn't load, the machine hangs or crashes.

I would try one more thing. Install System 7.1, strip it of all but essential control panels and extensions, make sure virtual memory is switched off and 32 bit addressing is switched on (if you've got that option in the Memory control panel) reboot the machine and zap the PRAM. Make sure the RAM simm is out and you're using motherboard RAM and take out all the VRAM simms. If it still hangs or crashes or the driver doesn't load, you can only assume I think that it's simply not compatible with that machine.

[olePigeon]

I'm guessing you don't have a regular LC to test it on?

[thatsteve]

Nah, this is the only 68K Mac I have left, cleared out my collection a year or so ago, offloaded loads of machines. Kept the LCIII+ as it's long been my favourite.

I'm calling it quits with this card. I do suspect it's not compatible with this machine as I have no reason to disbelieve the guy who sold it me as working. Interestingly, and whilst this isn't definitive it is credible, on the lowendmac pages for the Color Classic 1 and 2 and the LC 1 and 2 the Sonnet Presto is listed as an accelerator upgrade. But it isn't on the LCiii or iii+, just the Presto Plus is. So, yeah, I'm leaning towards the incompatible.

Which is a shame, but I'm not that worried, the machine runs absolutely handsome with the 32MB of RAM I put in it. I'm happy with her. And now I've gone to the trouble already of getting an Asante EN/SC up and and running so as to free the PDS slot up but retain net connectivity, I think I'll get a iie emulator card in there, been mulling that option for a good while.

So, anyone fancy buying a Sonnet Presto!