Smurf votes no on G4 ZIF

[ka jowct]

Stubborn Smurf. Yes, I did "unlock" the B&W firmware's block on G4s.

I tried installing the Daystar G4 ZIF pulled from my old SSE carrier card. The Daystar instructions for installing a G4 ZIF indicate that all you need to do is set the jumpers on the processor, while leaviing the jumper block on the logic board alone. So that was what I did, but it was a complete flop. With the ZIF set at 400 or 450, the grey screen and progress wheel did at least appear until what I think was a kernel panic occurred: an ugly black box with a couple rows of what may have been bracket? characters in it appeared at those settings twice, but the startup process didn't even get that far most of the time. So I have reinstalled the G3/400, Now I'm going to have to run DiskWarrior to fix up the boot drive.

I'm relieved that the Smurf is still alive, but I'm disappointed that the Daystar ZIF is not going to work out. It was the Freebie Smurf's only shot at a G4 upgrade.

Another discovery: the combo DVD/CDRW drive from my MDD does not totally work in the Smurf. It'll burn CDs, but it is not bootable. So I put in a DVD-ROM drive pulled from either a B&W or a G4-AGP, and now it'll boot from the optical drive. a reminder of how fussy the blue and whites can be about optical drives.

[enrico7300]

is that a revision one mobo? still trying to figure out whether to ditch mine or not...especially since OWC sells them for $60 now.

[Racer X]

which combo drive is it?

And as for the ZIF, did you try and pull the AC to it, pull the PRAM battery, hit the power button (drains the capacitors), and let the machine sit overnight? Just put it back together and try again.

[ka jowct]

Rev 2 logic board, otherwise I wouldn't even bother.

And as for the ZIF, did you try and pull the AC to it, pull the PRAM battery, hit the power button (drains the capacitors), and let the machine sit overnight? Just put it back together and try again.

I did try pulling the battery and power cord for about 15 minutes. Since I only embarked on this ZIF swap about three hours ago, there hasn't been time to let anything sit overnight. But I don't know if I want to fool with it any more. I already reinstalled the ZIF in the carrier, not that it would be such a big deal to pull it again, I suppose.

I upgraded a Rev 1 Smurf about 2 years ago, the most important upgrade in terms of making a useful machine out of it being a rev 2 logic board. I put a nice OWC Mercury G4/600 into it. It was absolutely painless, and worked straight off without any mucking about, aside from the necessary firmware modification to remove the G4 barrier.

[Racer X]

I have found that a complete unpowered lobotomy can frequently help.

Now, you did get confirmation from the G4 firmware update that the update took, right?
I had an endless amount of trouble trying to update my B&W at work because the OS was modified enough that the firmware updater didn't recognize the OS as being patchable. I booted of off an OS disk, and ran the firmware updater from the hard drive, but with the OS running from the Apple OS CD.

[spacescape]

[quote enrico7300]is that a revision one mobo? still trying to figure out whether to ditch mine or not...especially since OWC sells them for $60 now.
Where is the OWC $60.00 G4 Upgrade for B&W G3's? I have a Revision 2 @ 450 that I upped to 500 MHz. For $60.00 I might feel like upgrading it. But only if they will take it back if it doesn't work.

Bill

[ka jowct]

Now, you did get confirmation from the G4 firmware update that the update took, right?

Yeah, it said that the block was removed. Think I should run it again anyway?

[ka jowct]

Where is the OWC $60.00 G4 Upgrade for B&W G3's? I have a Revision 2 @ 450 that I upped to 500 MHz. For $60.00 I might feel like upgrading it.


A cheap G4 for B&Ws would be great.

The OWC Mercury ones are apparently history, which is too bad. The one I bought 2 years ago works great. I don't need or want to run this old machine at 1GHz: the RAM maxes at at 1GB, and it has the infamous unbootable Firewire, so why bother? But a nice G4 450 or 500 that didn't muck up the bus speed would be nice.

I don't want a Sonnet, because they tend to be pricey and they set the 100MHx bus to 66MHz.