6100 dead G4 upgrade card.

[dust bunny]

And then I found this page...

A PowerMac Surprise! · Pizza Box Computer

blog.pizzabox.computer

I don't get the "MAXpowr G3 newertechnology" extension piece when I boot up.
I guess the speed bump, is just because 7.1.2 is much less demanding than 9.2.2?
Which means the G3 card is still not functioning, and I still don't know if it's a software, hardware issue, or both.
I know what I'm doing this weekend.

 

[chikorita157]

I have an 8100 with the same Newer Tech PDS version G3 accelerator, but the 8100 (and the 7100) uses a big board with a breakout ribbon for the video card.

I'm using Mac OS 7.6.1 and it does work, not sure it will work under 7.6, especially 7.1 as my system is a 8100/100av, and can't boot into 7.1.

I provided some photos of how mine looks like, although it's an 8100, but it's in the same family with the 1.0.2 version of the driver. What does the guages say?

Also, as mentioned, the SCSI speeds on the 8100/7100/6100 is only 5MB/S, so it can't take advantage of a SATA SSD at all. You are better off using a BlueSCSI or simular SCSI drive emulator as it still runs fast with a bunch of advantages as having multiple drive images and using CD images without a virtual cd image mounting program.

 

[dust bunny]

If I can find/make time this weekend, I'll try and install 7.6.1, 7.1.2 being too early makes sense I guess.

Err, guages?


If I was buying the drive hardware today, I would absolutely buy the BlueSCSI or similar, not the Acard aec7732 (SATA to SCSI), adaptor and SSD.
But, when I bought the Acard aec7732, it came up at a very good price, not the regular price. It was an absolute bargain!
The 68 to 50 pin adaptor was market price.
The Samsung 256GB SSD was used, but a very good price when I bought it (prices have gone down a lot since then).
So I paid less for the Acard, 68 to 50 pin adaptor and SSD, than a new SCSI drive emulator costs - I would still buy the emulator today if I didn’t already have what I have. I'm sure I'll probably buy the emulator at some point, but finances don't allow it at the moment.

 

[chikorita157]

Gauges should be installed along with the cache and memory checking app with the MaxPowr G3 drivers. It’s a useful tool to check if the Mac is using the G3 processor and what speed it is running at.

Also, did you remove the cache card if there is one installed. You need to remove it as the G3 accelerator has its own cache.

 

[trag]

Funnily enough, I've been doing some research, I can't find any evicence of a G4 version of this card either.
I mean, I can see it wouldn't be a dificult to fit a pin compatible G4 chip, but I can't find anywhere that says they did.
I found a booklet from Newer Technology, it shows what looks exactly the same as mine, but there's no mention of G4 cards.
Concievably they could have reused the same booklet, but it seems unlikely, and I would expect a slip of paper about a G4 version. There is no such slip, and no obvious sign that there ever was such a piece of paper.
So, it looks like either, this is an undocument G4 varient, some kind of 1 off conversion, or my memory is wrong.

My memory being wrong certainly looks like the most likely option.
I'll look at pulling the heatsink off tomorrow.

NewerTech shipped a G4 Nubus upgrade for a very brief time. Too bad that the archives don't go back further at Mike's xlr8yourmac.com website. There was probably an announcement of the card on Mike's front page way back when.

 

[trag]

I saw a recommendation that you repaste the CPU/heat sink and another post telling you that you don't need to.

You definitely should. Even before the year 2000, I saw 7100s failing because the heat sink grease had turned to chalk.

If not done already, you should also do the same for the G3 upgrade. The first G3 upgrade I got from NewerTech, the cache would not enable or maybe the machine crashed when extensions tried to enable it. It turned out that the assemblers had dribbled heat sink grease on cache chips.

I didn't read the later portions of the thread as carefully, but your early symptoms sound like overheating. When booted cold, your more likely to get some time before freeze or crash.

And by repaste, I mean thoroughly clean off the old stuff and then replace it.

 

[dust bunny]

NewerTech shipped a G4 Nubus upgrade for a very brief time. Too bad that the archives don't go back further at Mike's xlr8yourmac.com website. There was probably an announcement of the card on Mike's front page way back when.

Indeed they did, but I think I they were only for 7100 and 8100 (and 9150?) - I could be wrong (I hope I'm wrong on this).

When I took the heat sink off the MAXpowr MXP6100, it had a thermal pad, not grease. It was intact so I decided to leave it, at leave it for the time being.
I've tried the card in my parts 6100/66, it didn't work in that either. Plus I've reinstalled the drivers, so I suspect the card may possibly be a dead duck.

I remember horror stories back in the day, about 601 chips being extremely fragile, and getting damaged when people tried removing heatsinks (or using the heatsink as a handle to lift it by). So I've been sensible (cowardly) and not been brave enough to try and remove touch the heat sink - and I'm usually well up for some DIY work.

 

[dust bunny]

Gauges should be installed along with the cache and memory checking app with the MaxPowr G3 drivers. It’s a useful tool to check if the Mac is using the G3 processor and what speed it is running at.

Also, did you remove the cache card if there is one installed. You need to remove it as the G3 accelerator has its own cache.

I'll have a look for the guages.
There isn't a Cache stick in it, 6100/60 didn't ship with a stick, and I've only pluged in my 256kb stick to check it works. It's currently in the same box as my Acard aec7732.

 

[dust bunny]

Possible a dumb question...
I can run a (Philips) VGA flat panel screen from the 6100/60, is it possible to run a 20" HD Cinema desplay?