My Mad B&W G3 Setup!

[Phipli]

.... I'll give you 1 guess on whether I knew that trick ;-)


By changing the PLL?

Oh gosh! It's just a jumper block!

(S = Jumper present or "Set", " " = no jumper)

            Multiple     | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
            - -----------+---+---+---+---+
            3x   300 MHz |   | S | S | S |
            - -----------+---+---+---+---+
            3.5x 350 MHz |   |   |   | S |
            - -----------+---+---+---+---+
            4x   400 MHz |   | S |   | S |
            - -----------+---+---+---+---+
            4.5x 450 MHz | S |   |   |   |
            - -----------+---+---+---+---+
            5x   500 MHz |   | S |   |   |
            - -----------+---+---+---+---+

So, upgrading from 350MHz to 400MHz involves adding a jumper at jumper 3. I'm not massively into upgrading the performance of vintage Macs, mostly because I want the experience of the period. But I'm happy to do period-correct, options. Hence, my PB1400cs/117 upgraded to PB1400c/166. So I'd certainly be up for upgrading a 350MHz B&W G3 to 400MHz!

But I wouldn't upgrade a PB1400 to a G3, or a 250MHz PPC603e. I wouldn't upgrade the B&W G3 to 1GHz or swap for a G4 if that was possible.

I wonder if I can just pull out the metal prongs from a jumper I have and insert them into the block?

They're 2mm jumpers. I might have some around if I have a rummage. I know I bought a bag of them at one point.

 

[Snial]

They're 2mm jumpers. I might have some around if I have a rummage. I know I bought a bag of them at one point.

Interesting, I also might have some on some junk electronics (likely some bust 3.5" HDs).

 

[Snial]

They're 2mm jumpers. I might have some around if I have a rummage. I know I bought a bag of them at one point.

Hi @Phipli ! I found a 4GB Seagate SCSI HD with quite a few 2mm jumpers and an ST M28F101 -150 which is a 12V Flash with the same pinout and speed!

I think it might be OK to cannibalise it as there's a distinct rattle when I twist it back and forth. It's probably dead.




-cheers from Julz

 

[Phipli]

Hi @Phipli ! I found a 4GB Seagate SCSI HD with quite a few 2mm jumpers and an ST M28F101 -150 which is a 12V Flash with the same pinout and speed!

I think it might be OK to cannibalise it as there's a distinct rattle when I twist it back and forth. It's probably dead.

View attachment 99220


-cheers from Julz

There are more jumpers here by the look of it :



I recommend using a 512k ROM as I've never had much luck with the modified ROM. If you want it to work first time.

 

[Snial]

There are more jumpers here by the look of it :

View attachment 99221

I think you're right! I saw they might be when I posted the photo.

I recommend using a 512k ROM as I've never had much luck with the modified ROM. If you want it to work first time.

Oh, OK. But how would a 512kB ROM work? This is the ST MF101.


I can see a spare pin (pin 30) for A17, but not one for A18, unless VPP is reappropriated and it's 5V only. Hmmm, close guess by me. This is the AMD 29F040:


It's the same except Pin 1 is A18 and Pin 30 is A17 and it's 5V only. Does the PCI board try to use Pin 1 as an address pin then?

Amazing levels of ignorance on my part, despite having programmed these things (I have a few SST 256kB Flash chips, but they're DIPs).

-cheers from Julz

 

[Phipli]

I think you're right! I saw they might be when I posted the photo.

Oh, OK. But how would a 512kB ROM work? This is the ST MF101.

View attachment 99228
I can see a spare pin (pin 30) for A17, but not one for A18, unless VPP is reappropriated and it's 5V only. Hmmm, close guess by me. This is the AMD 29F040:
View attachment 99229

It's the same except Pin 1 is A18 and Pin 30 is A17 and it's 5V only. Does the PCI board try to use Pin 1 as an address pin then?

Amazing levels of ignorance on my part, despite having programmed these things (I have a few SST 256kB Flash chips, but they're DIPs).

-cheers from Julz

They're designed to work with both. The pinouts are compatible - you never actually use the programming voltage in circuit so it is just wired for A18 in case you fit a 4Mbit chip.

 

[Snial]

There are more jumpers here by the look of it :

I needed them! Upgrading from 350MHz to 400MHz needs 6 jumpers. The HD only provided 5, but I could use the end one from the original jumper block (which now pokes out beyond the jumper pins). Now my B&W G3 appears to run at 400MHz!

Apple System Profiler now says:

Sensibly I have VM turned on to slow it down again ;-) !

But it worked!!! I haven't done much of a test, I just wanted to see if it would boot. I'll continue to use it in this mode, but if it fails I can always remove the existing jumpers and re-attach the original jumper block!

I've voided my warranty :-( !

 

[Phipli]

I needed them! Upgrading from 350MHz to 400MHz needs 6 jumpers. The HD only provided 5, but I could use the end one from the original jumper block (which now pokes out beyond the jumper pins). Now my B&W G3 appears to run at 400MHz!

Apple System Profiler now says:
View attachment 99237
Sensibly I have VM turned on to slow it down again ;-) !

But it worked!!! I haven't done much of a test, I just wanted to see if it would boot. I'll continue to use it in this mode, but if it fails I can always remove the existing jumpers and re-attach the original jumper block!

I've voided my warranty :-( !

Nice work

Oooh, fancy, you have the DVD decoder daughter card on your Rage 128. They're usually missing for some reason. Not sure if they were optional, or just people remove them to use somewhere else.

 

[Phipli]

I needed them! Upgrading from 350MHz to 400MHz needs 6 jumpers. The HD only provided 5, but I could use the end one from the original jumper block (which now pokes out beyond the jumper pins). Now my B&W G3 appears to run at 400MHz!

Apple System Profiler now says:
View attachment 99237
Sensibly I have VM turned on to slow it down again ;-) !

But it worked!!! I haven't done much of a test, I just wanted to see if it would boot. I'll continue to use it in this mode, but if it fails I can always remove the existing jumpers and re-attach the original jumper block!

I've voided my warranty :-( !

What size memory sticks do you have installed? It says if you click the expand thing next to "Built-in memory" in System Profiler.

64+64+32, or 128+32?