DIP Switch settings for a NewerTech MaxPowr G4 CPU (for beige G3/G3 BW/Yikes G4)

[XodiumRetro]

Originally this topic was about how I couldn't get my G4 upgrade card working in a B/W G3. Initially, I thought something weird was going on with the board revision and such, but discovered (thanks, dosdude1) that the switches on the card weren't set right, and the card was trying to run at...600MHz. Yeah, that's...a tall ask to say the least. Because I had pulled the card out of a beige G3, the bus speed is different and that caused everything to go sideways.

Also, unfortunately, my Google-fu wasn't finding the config settings for the dip switches on the card. As he does, dosdude1 delivered, and here they are for everyone to enjoy.

I can confirm firsthand that these work (on the NewerTech MaxPowr G4 card for the beige G3/G3 blue and white)

 

[GiGaBiTe]

In order for a G4 upgrade to work on any G3 machine, beige or B&W, you need to do a firmware update so the machine recognizes a G4 CPU. Without it, the G4 isn't going to work at all. As to where to get it, I don't remember. I upgraded my B&W G3 15+ years ago with a Sonnet G4 733 and I remember it being a big ordeal. I think you had to drop to the OFW console and enter some commands for the update to complete properly.

There's also a bug in the Motorola chipset on the B&W G3 that prevents G4 CPUs from running at 100 MHz FSB speed, you have to run the G4 at 66 MHz FSB, which precludes the reason for you moving it over, unless you need the faster IDE and 64 bit PCI.

Back when I was installing the upgrade, I had tried 100x7 rather than Sonnet's 66x11 and the machine wasn't stable. It didn't get past booting most of the time.

Yeah, it sucks being hobbled to a 66 MHz bus. I also have a genuine G4 733 machine with a 133 MHz bus and it is a LOT faster than the Sonnet hotrodded G3.

 

[XodiumRetro]

In order for a G4 upgrade to work on any G3 machine, beige or B&W, you need to do a firmware update so the machine recognizes a G4 CPU. Without it, the G4 isn't going to work at all. As to where to get it, I don't remember. I upgraded my B&W G3 15+ years ago with a Sonnet G4 733 and I remember it being a big ordeal. I think you had to drop to the OFW console and enter some commands for the update to complete properly.

There's also a bug in the Motorola chipset on the B&W G3 that prevents G4 CPUs from running at 100 MHz FSB speed, you have to run the G4 at 66 MHz FSB, which precludes the reason for you moving it over, unless you need the faster IDE and 64 bit PCI.

Back when I was installing the upgrade, I had tried 100x7 rather than Sonnet's 66x11 and the machine wasn't stable. It didn't get past booting most of the time.

Yeah, it sucks being hobbled to a 66 MHz bus. I also have a genuine G4 733 machine with a 133 MHz bus and it is a LOT faster than the Sonnet hotrodded G3.

First, I had completely forgotten I had posted this, my oh my. I got wrapped up in some projects that went sideways and meant to update this.

So what actually had happened was I forgot to account for the bus speed difference between the beige G3 and the B/W G3. So...the problem was that with that considered, the G4 was trying to run at *600 MHz.* Yeah, not gonna fly very far, if at all.

Thankfully, (courtesy dosdude1) I was able to find the jumper settings for that card (it's a NewerTech CPU with dip switches on the card itself) and setting it to run 400MHz with a 100MHz FSB got it working just fine. It was just my dumbassery that caused it all to not work. And a lack of documentation. Which I need to upload here. Now that I have a second to breathe I'll get around to it.