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Radius Thunder3D no-video output

Nathan_A

Well-known member
Since I have most of my stuff out for shuffling around and testing, I decided to have a go at trying to use my Thunder3D. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to work or at least it's not putting out any video.

I located the Radius Thunder3D installer and installed the software, which is just 3 extensions as near as I can tell. The normal RadiusWare PCI software doesn't appear applicable.

According to the Read Me that came with the Thunder3D it's normal for the first boot with it not to produce video because it apparently has to load some "fix" into NVRAM to work, and then subsequent boots are supposed to work fine.

Sadly, subsequent reboots fair no better.

The card shows up as two devices in one slot (which I suspect are the independent GLiNT Delta and GLiNT 500TX chips) in both TattleTech and the Apple System Profiler.

I'm not entirely sure what's applying the NVRAM "fix". If it's the card, then I'd expect that to happen regardless of what version of the OS I'm using. However, if it's being applied by the Radius extensions, then I could imagine them maybe not working with OS 9.1 and not performing that step, and thus not working.

I'll try to get a more era appropriate boot environment setup to see if that helps any, and perhaps there's something I can poke around with in OpenFirmware. I need to get setup to probe this machine's OpenFirmware via serial anyway to keep at trying to get my Voodoo5 working per @DarthNvader .
 

jeremywork

Well-known member
Which machine are you testing this in?

If it appears as two devices in one slot you might hit snags with some machines that have issues with multiple layers of PCI bridges.
 

Nathan_A

Well-known member
Which machine are you testing this in?

If it appears as two devices in one slot you might hit snags with some machines that have issues with multiple layers of PCI bridges.
I'm testing it in my PowerTower Pro. I tried it in both one of the first three and the second three slots, not difference from what I could tell.

The Read Me for the Thunder3D does specifically note that the card isn't compatible with Catalyst-based machines like my PowerCenter or PowerCenter Pro, so I don't have any other machines on hand to test with. Though they also call out that the 7200/120 works for some strange reason, despite it being Catalyst-based. It also explicitly notes that it won't work in a UMAX S900 in any slots on the other side of the DEC bridge chip that machine uses.

The PowerTower Pro is based off the 9500/9600 (non-Kansas) as far as I know, which seems like would have been the sweet spot for the card back in the day.
 

Johnnya101

Well-known member
Chances are it works, but not with that model. If it "sees" it in TattleTech, then it usually means its good.
 

Nathan_A

Well-known member
Chances are it works, but not with that model. If it "sees" it in TattleTech, then it usually means its good.
Yeah, I expect it works with my PowerTower Pro, but probably needs to get the NVRAM fix loaded in there, and given how every other one of those that I know of works (i.e. usually from some INIT or some installer script that gets it in place), I suspect it's not getting setup correctly in OS 9.1 which is waaaaaaay newer than anything the card was designed for or supported.

I'll try a few more tricks when I get some more time. If anyone knows anything I should be poking in OpenFirmware for further confirmation of anything, please let me know.
 
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