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NuBus N00B issues with network and video cards

Von

Well-known member
Here is the Wednesday wack-a-mole update...

I tried with a different switch (Hawking tech wifi router with 4 ethernet ports) and the Asante card works fine even after power off restart. That is great news...Nic works.

So the reason I got the IIci was so that I could run the Daystar Turbo 601 and I couldn't resist giving that a try. I also added in an Adtron SCSI SSD:

2018-10-10_21_28_03.jpg

I installed the Daystar 601 software on 7.5.5 and when I tried to boot for the first time, both the Radius and Asante were installed and I just got a gray screen. After I pulled both NuBus cards and rebooted it worked and I was able to get it running accelerated and it was snappy. 

Screenshot 2018-10-10 21.56.57.png

I then added the now working Asante and rebooted in "601 Turbo Startup" mode and and got this error at boot:

Screenshot 2018-10-10 21.59.09.png

If I toggle back to 030 mode the Asante works fine. So if I run Turbo, Asante does not work. Turbo off, Asante works fine... this is the newest mole to wack.

In reading the 601 compatibility sheet, it calls out an Asante TokenRing card:  

Turob601.jpg

I don't know if this is my model as mine has 3 different network connections, ethernet, one that looks like the video port, and a round one (I think they may be AUI and BNC?). The fix appears to be software so I will quest for that unless someone knows the specific bits I may need for Turbo 601 compatibility.

I may also try 7.6.1 and see if it has newer versions of the networking bits that may help here.

Then I moved back to the Radius card...

I took a look at the ROM and is does not appear to have the window to reflash.  When I was running the tests I did check to see what the card was outputting and it was like this:

Does it sound like I have a card that just has a dead ROM?

When I look at the 601 compatibility sheet, it does list that my card does need a ROM update to work with the 601.  Is it possible to program a new ROM chip with the newer ROM bits?

THx for the input!!

 
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Bolle

Well-known member
Is it possible to program a new ROM chip with the newer ROM bits?
Yes, totally.

Problem here is finding the proper ROM image these days. Do you have an E(E)PROM burner yourself?

I have a few Radius ROM images that I could send you and maybe someone with the same card as you but with a PPC compatible ROM can chime in and read out their chip.

 

Von

Well-known member
Yes, totally.

Problem here is finding the proper ROM image these days. Do you have an E(E)PROM burner yourself?
Unfortunately I do not have a burner for such a task.  Good to here that it can be done.  I think the Radius goes on the shelf until I can find a replacement ROM for it.

 

Von

Well-known member
Hi All,

I had a bit of time last weekend to try some suggestions from the seller of these cards wrt the Radius and that was to try with an adapter that had the dip switches. The video upload issue postponed this post...

When I boot to with the Radius connected to my NEC multisync VGA adapter, the Radius logo appears however the system isn't functional (no cursor or menus).

2018-10-19_16_13_02.jpg

Notice the size of the Radius logo compared to my earlier post:

Does it sound like I have a card that just has a dead ROM?
It looks like 2 different resolutions, I'd guess 1024x768 and then 640x480 in the older image.  I don't have an explanation for this. In both cases the system does not work.

This is the dip switch VGA adapter I have that I have never been able to get to work with my 17" ENvision LCD:

2018-10-19 16.28.52.jpg

This is what the Radius looks like when I boot to a 24" Samsung LCD:

2018-10-19_21_48_25.jpg

I tried several of the dip switch settings but all the Samsung monitor saw was 640x480 and the IIci didn't see the Radius in the Monitors CP or SlotInfo..

2018-10-19 17.13.50.jpg

I swapped the monitors and got the same results:

2018-10-19_17_07_21.jpg

I searched for some Radius software and found RadiusWare 3.3 and 3.2.5 neither seemed to recognize the card or offer to install an extension on CP, even if I peaked in for custom install.

Does anyone have any other suggestions beside trying a different ROM?  FWIW, the IIci is my only NuBus Mac (for now) however my Asante Ethernet card functions from all 3 NuBus slots so these appear to be functioning as expected.

THx

 
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Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
It's not drivers, the card has all it needs stored in ROM. RadiusWare is a resolution setting "feature" not a requirement. It's looking very much like the DeclROM is the problem. If it doesn't "Declare" itself to the Slot Manager as residing in any given slot when polled, the card's just not there as far as the OS is concerned.

The splash screen at startup mean's the card's functioning well enough, time to find a ROM image.

 
Last edited by a moderator:

Von

Well-known member
It's not drivers, the card has all it needs stored in ROM. RadiusWare is a resolution setting "feature" not a requirement. It's looking very much like the DeclROM is the problem. If it doesn't "Declare" itself to the Slot Manager as residing in any given slot when polled, the card's just not there as far as the OS is concerned.

The splash screen at startup mean's the card's functioning well enough, time to find a ROM image.
Makes sense. Thank you.

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
No can do, it's a non-starter. This is not necessarily exactly right, but it's something along these lines:

Bad DeclROM = no declaration to Slot Manager = no memory block assigned = no OS notification to feed that Monitors Control Panel display data to the card's frame buffer within that memory block. The Display only exists to the card so it throws up the splash screen at whatever resolution the sense lines detect like a single slide show. But as far as anything on the computer side like the Monitors Control Panel or any Radius drivers you may actually manage to load, the card itself simply doesn't exist.

There is one possible exception that was reported by one member, but I don't recall which card it may have been for what platform.

 
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