Sonnet Presto

[thatsteve]

I followed that which you said above. Disabled unnecessary extensions. Then zapped PRAM. Then placed the extension and the enabler. This gave the same result as before, either nothing beyond a chime with the 32MB RAM still on the mo'board or freezing at Happy Mac with the RAM removed. I then trashed the enabler and rebooted (still no RAM). This actually allowed it to start loading extensions. The Presto extension had a red cross on it and when boot was complete an alert came up saying that there was an error in enabling the accelerator (or words to that effect).

I swapped the extension with the other Presto one I had, which led to the "bus error" when loading the extension (I'm guessing that this particular version is for the Presto Plus and it's trying to map the memory that is on that card, but is not on mine...)

The Presto extension was forced to load first.

 

[spiceyokooko]

Which enabler do you have in the System Folder? As I understand it the LC III + needs the 003 v 1.1 System enabler to work with System 7.x. You shouldn't be removing this from the System folder.

I'd leave out the RAM Simm for the moment and continue working with the 4Mb of onboard RAM.

I would agree with your guess on the bus error, as bus errors are normally memory addressing errors, but not exclusively.

Do you know with certainty which Sonnet Presto card you have?

 

[thatsteve]

Presto 7 Enabler v3.2.1, same version as the extension that causes the bus error. These are both what I received from Sonnet. So, looks like they may have mailed me software intended for the Presto Plus. Balls. As stated above, the system will not boot past happy Mac with this enabler in the system folder, so I think that's a strong suggestion it's the wrong one.

The card I have is stampe"Presto LC Sonnet Technologies copyright 1996" on the reverse of the board. The processor is XC68040RC25, so that's the 25Mhz version, right? From Googling it seems there were a couple of higher speeds, so maybe this is the earliest revision of the card.

Right, I need people to send me software. I found this post by olePigeon viewtopic.php?f=29&t=16397 . That's the same card as I have, dude can you send me the extension you have!

 

[thatsteve]

Ah, I misread what you said! Too early in the morning!

I have searched for a system enabler but the only one I can find is "CFM-68K Runtime Enabler". No sign of 003 v1.1. Is it an invisible file? It certainly isn't in my system folder... I had read somewhere recently that that enabler was needed for the LCIII+ but if I don't have it, the system is running fine anyway. It's 7.6.1 if that makes a difference.

 

[ClassicHasClass]

7.6.1 doesn't need that enabler.

 

[olePigeon]

Do you have a Presto, or a Presto Plus? And are you using the Presto or Presto Plus drivers?

 

[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!