SuperMac Thunder/24 Help?

[dv-]

So I’ve got this SuperMac Thunder/24 which seems to almost work properly. It installs, boots, throws a video signal, etc.

I downloaded the drivers from the Macintosh Garden and the Control Panel works with all the extra widgets and stuff.

The only issue is that if the cursor goes onto the screen driven by the card, it freezes. The mouse button works but it stops tracking mouse motion. If I boot with the card as the primary display the cursor never moves. (Just is stuck in its home position over the Apple menu.)

I’ve tried with acceleration and the extra pointer options/snap on and off, same result.

Is this a known problem with these cards? I’m using 7.6.1 on a Quadra.

Are there any good resources online for these cards? They seem popular (read: expensive) but I can’t find much outside of a few brief compatibility references on sites like LowendMac.

 

[MrFahrenheit]

Have you tried System 7.5 instead? Some of these older cards and drivers have issues above 7.5.3.

 

[Arbee]

The cursor not moving when it's on that screen generally means there's a problem with the vertical blank interrupt. I wouldn't expect the System version to matter there since that mechanism for NuBus was the same since the original Mac II, but it might be worth a try.

 

[dv-]

The cursor not moving when it's on that screen generally means there's a problem with the vertical blank interrupt. I wouldn't expect the System version to matter there since that mechanism for NuBus was the same since the original Mac II, but it might be worth a try.

Would a problem with that interrupt indicate an issue with the hardware or more likely to be a config problem like an incorrect refresh rate or VGA adapter setting?

 

[Arbee]

Likely a hardware problem, like a broken trace or something of that nature.

 

[joevt]

How many slots does your Quadra have? Did you try the card in all the slots?

 

[dv-]

How many slots does your Quadra have? Did you try the card in all the slots?

Three, and I tried in two of the three. In the third the card bumps into the reset switch and doesn’t set right. (It’s loooong.)

 

[dv-]

Likely a hardware problem, like a broken trace or something of that nature.

Thanks!

::grabs magnifying glass::

 

[Bolle]

I wouldn't expect the System version to matter there

I'd be with you here but I have seen the opposite... I think I have seen older Radius cards doing exactly this. Using System 7 would get the mouse pointer stuck once you reached the screen that was driven by the card while everything was fine in System 6.
A ROM upgrade fixed it if I remember right.
Even though it seems unlikely that this is the problem here with the Thunder being a pretty modern card but still worth a try to go with a fresh install of 7.5 or earlier just to rule out any software incompatibilities.

 

[Arbee]

Yeah, I'd definitely try the easy things (clean 7.1 install, different slots) before going wild with a magnifying glass or a ohmmeter.

 

[cheesestraws]

Yeah, the way that the vertical blank interrupt was actually wired up to the pointer was mucked about with considerably in the 6.x-7.6 period. Definitely suggest having a go with different system versions before concluding it's a hardware problem.

 

[joevt]

I suppose one could make an extension that calls the VBL handler 60 times a second.

 

[Arbee]

The built-in video on some PowerBooks installs the VBL handler as a timer task because the hardware didn't support it.

 

[eharmon]

Have you tried System 7.5 instead? Some of these older cards and drivers have issues above 7.5.3.

In case anyone else stumbles here: ROM 3.0 should be good on 7.5.2+.

 

[lobust]

In case anyone else stumbles here: ROM 3.0 should be good on 7.5.2+.

I have a Thunder/24 with older ROM 1.7.? (I'll have to look it up later) that works just fine in 7.6 and 8.1.

 

[dv-]

7.1 didn't change the behavior.

I found a couple damaged pins on one of the ICs and they were in contact. Tried to bend them back but they broke off so now it doesn't even sort of work. :-(

Ashes to ashes I guess. :-(

 

[zigzagjoe]

7.1 didn't change the behavior.

I found a couple damaged pins on one of the ICs and they were in contact. Tried to bend them back but they broke off so now it doesn't even sort of work. :-(

Ashes to ashes I guess. :-(

Bummer! Got a picture?

 

[lobust]

I have a Thunder/24 with older ROM 1.7.? (I'll have to look it up later) that works just fine in 7.6 and 8.1.

No longer relevant in light of OP's unfortunate developments ( )

But for the sake of accuracy, my card has ROM version 1.16.

 

[eharmon]

I have a Thunder/24 with older ROM 1.7.? (I'll have to look it up later) that works just fine in 7.6 and 8.1.

Ah good point. I think 3.0 adds support for PowerPC, just 1.7.2 is required for proper 7.5.2+ compatibility.

 

[lobust]

Ah good point. I think 3.0 adds support for PowerPC, just 1.7.2 is required for proper 7.5.2+ compatibility.

See my last reply - the card has rom 1.16. I've just been using it in 7.6 and the only issue I could see is that the options dialog of the Monitors control panel doesn't show any of the card options when using SuperVideo 3.1 control panel. However, older versions of the SuperVideo control panel seem to set the card options normally, so...