TPU's Nostalgic Hardware Club

[MaxiPro800]

Could anyone help me figure out the GDDR3 specifications on my Quadro FX 4500? The modules are HYB18H512321BF-14 and I'm wondering what frequency/latency are they rated? Can't seem to figure it out from the PDF.

Read somewhere some FX 4500 are 7800 GTX 512MB (with better GDDR3 VRAM), instead of just more of slower RAM.

Could be 700MHz. That's the same type of RAM chips used in Xbox360's Falcon and Zephyr revisions.

 

[3x0]

Could be 700MHz. That's the same type of RAM chips used in Xbox360's Falcon and Zephyr revisions.

Thanks for the info. VRAM seems to go up to 680MHz from 525MHz, maybe more but Afterburner doesn't allow it by default. Core seems to be stable at 510MHz, seems like a good overclocker.

 

[MaxiPro800]

Long time since I last edited a BIOS image. Think it was FIC's P4M-RS350 that I last modified.

This time, it's my ABIT AB9 Pro's turn. I was planning to flash the BIOS anyways since Core 2 Duos seem to refuse to work with the actual BIOS that's installed there.
So, I logically went and downloaded BIOS 27 Beta, from Soggi's website.

However, a quick CBROM inspection showed a bland BIOS logo, the same I would encounter with the actual BIOS, and the same that shows on the much more advanced AB9 QuadGT:

(straight rip from BIOS image, converted to PNG.)

Since the BIOS settings is fully purple, I knew exactly where to look.

( the original file was 4054 x 3039, this is the resized final file before BMP conversion).

Converted it to BMP, integrated into the latest BIOS binary. I'll be flashing it later since it's 4AM here, and hope I can drop a Core 2 Duo E8500, or at least a E6850 if the E8xxx aren't supported.

And for those who are curious, that's Ina from HololiveEN. Since ABIT chose a purple color for its BIOS menu (and it wouldn't be their first endeavor of that kind - look at the Fatal1ty BIOSes with their bright RED BIOS color, e.g FP-IN9 SLi) I figured it would be fitting.

Fun fact: The biggest irony lies between the BIOS menu and the board itself - the whole board bears that classic ASUS orange/copper colour with a slight pint of MSI's RAM slot colour choice, while the BIOS is completely purple

 

[lexluthermiester]

hope I can drop a Core 2 Duo E8500, or at least a E6850 if the E8xxx aren't supported.

Go for the E6X00 series first.

 

[MaxiPro800]

Go for the E6X00 series first.

That was good advice, since a E8500 resulted in the boot process stopping at uGuru code 8.7. Once I installed a E6850 it POST'd right up.

 

[lexluthermiester]

That was good advice, since a E8500 resulted in the boot process stopping at uGuru code 8.7. Once I installed a E6850 it POST'd right up.

I'm surprised it POSTed at all. I'm guessing it was running much slower than it was supposed to? It's a voltage/FSB this. The E6XX0 CPU's ran on the right voltage and FSB, the E8XX0 required different(lower) voltage and generally higher FSB.

 

[Greenslade]

Do any of you buy untested Motherboards on eBay or anywhere else?why i am asking is this video by Linus.He got them all going.

 

[Laurijan]

Long time since I last edited a BIOS image. Think it was FIC's P4M-RS350 that I last modified.

This time, it's my ABIT AB9 Pro's turn. I was planning to flash the BIOS anyways since Core 2 Duos seem to refuse to work with the actual BIOS that's installed there.
So, I logically went and downloaded BIOS 27 Beta, from Soggi's website.

However, a quick CBROM inspection showed a bland BIOS logo, the same I would encounter with the actual BIOS, and the same that shows on the much more advanced AB9 QuadGT:
View attachment 365876
(straight rip from BIOS image, converted to PNG.)

Since the BIOS settings is fully purple, I knew exactly where to look.

View attachment 365877
( the original file was 4054 x 3039, this is the resized final file before BMP conversion).

Converted it to BMP, integrated into the latest BIOS binary. I'll be flashing it later since it's 4AM here, and hope I can drop a Core 2 Duo E8500, or at least a E6850 if the E8xxx aren't supported.

And for those who are curious, that's Ina from HololiveEN. Since ABIT chose a purple color for its BIOS menu (and it wouldn't be their first endeavor of that kind - look at the Fatal1ty BIOSes with their bright RED BIOS color, e.g FP-IN9 SLi) I figured it would be fitting.

Fun fact: The biggest irony lies between the BIOS menu and the board itself - the whole board bears that classic ASUS orange/copper colour with a slight pint of MSI's RAM slot colour choice, while the BIOS is completely purple

I would love Bios postscreens to make a return. So boring to only have manufacturer logo.

 

[MaxiPro800]

I'm surprised it POSTed at all. I'm guessing it was running much slower than it was supposed to? It's a voltage/FSB this. The E6XX0 CPU's ran on the right voltage and FSB, the E8XX0 required different(lower) voltage and generally higher FSB.

It did POST after I flashed the latest BIOS. Neither would POST with the old BIOS that the board came with.
I assume E8xxx weren't supported despite the beta BIOS 27 I used (which is really the latest one can find for AB9 Pro) claiming 45nm support. Ah well, I have a IP35 ProXE for such cases anyways.

I would love Bios postscreens to make a return. So boring to only have manufacturer logo.

I usually craft those myself for older Award/AMI BIOS that have bland boot screens. Last one I did prior to the AB9 was a FIC P4M-RS350, that was originally a Medion OEM (that one funny Disney themed PC they did.) board.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Do any of you buy untested Motherboards on eBay or anywhere else?why i am asking is this video by Linus.He got them all going.

It can be ok if one is very capable at fixing them. I've done it but it's not for everyone.

It did POST after I flashed the latest BIOS. Neither would POST with the old BIOS that the board came with.
I assume E8xxx weren't supported despite the beta BIOS 27 I used (which is really the latest one can find for AB9 Pro) claiming 45nm support.

With that board, you might be able to get a Q6600 to post and OC a little. That's a bit of a maybe.

Ah well, I have a IP35 ProXE for such cases anyways.

Ah yes, there's that!

And now for something completely different!

While normally not a Mac fan of any vintage, I LOVE a good mod and enjoy restoration videos. This one knocks it out of the park in both regards. Very cool indeed!

 

[MaxiPro800]

Another CRT pickup. For those curious, it's a rebrand of AOC's F1770. Same chassis was used by eMachines as well.
Also got a free ESS1869F alongside.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Another CRT pickup. For those curious, it's a rebrand of AOC's F1770. Same chassis was used by eMachines as well.
Also got a free ESS1869F alongside.

Nice! Screen looks good and bright! Not a bad sound card either.

 

[Greenslade]

It can be ok if one is very capable at fixing them. I've done it but it's not for everyone.


With that board, you might be able to get a Q6600 to post and OC a little. That's a bit of a maybe.

Ah yes, there's that!

And now for something completely different!

While normally not a Mac fan of any vintage, I LOVE a good mod and enjoy restoration videos. This one knocks it out of the park in both regards. Very cool indeed!

Its not for me either Lex.I nave three boards with bent pins it is dauting task ro fix them for me.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Its not for me either Lex.I nave three boards with bent pins it is dauting task ro fix them for me.

Fixing bent pins is doable. I've done it, but it can be hit & miss. If you're going to take a shot at it, make sure not to over-spend and expect for whatever you buy to be unfixable. If you actually get something working, bonus round! Also, be very patient with what you're working on. Sometimes electronics work can be very stressful, even for someone as experienced as me. If you're feeling the grind or stress. Set the tools down, go take a walk or a break, get some fresh air, a drink or a bite to eat and then when you feel better, more calm and ready to hit it, jump back in. Sometimes it's best to just get a good night's sleep. Always be willing to set the work aside for a bit of time. Trust me on these points, you'll thank yourself later.

 

[AUTOEXEC.BAT]

yesterdays pickup:

CPU: Intel 486DX-33MHz
Mainboard: (QDI) V4P895P3/SMT V4.0
RAM: 4x1MB 30pin SIMM
Videocard: Diamond Speedstar Pro VLB
HDD: Western Digital Caviar 21000
OS: Microsoft Windows 3.11

 

[lexluthermiester]

yesterdays pickup:

CPU: Intel 486DX-33MHz
Mainboard: (QDI) V4P895P3/SMT V4.0
RAM: 4x1MB 30pin SIMM
Videocard: Diamond Speedstar Pro VLB
HDD: Western Digital Caviar 21000
OS: Microsoft Windows 3.11


View attachment 366072

That is a nice find! Desktop cases were getting uncommon back then, they're bloody rare now.

 

[MaxiPro800]

Nice! Screen looks good and bright! Not a bad sound card either.

Thanks. It has some sort of worrying flickering if I set the refresh rate anywhere between 75 and 85Hz...

I quite dread having to open it up, knowing where it came from. I already had to evict two spiders out of it, and god knows how many are in it.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Thanks. It has some sort of worrying flickering if I set the refresh rate anywhere between 75 and 85Hz...

What res?

I quite dread having to open it up, knowing where it came from. I already had to evict two spiders out of it, and god knows how many are in it.

You might need to just to clean it out.

 

[MaxiPro800]

What res?

1024x768. Any higher and there's even worse flickering. The only refresh rate I could get it to not flicker is 60Hz.

As for cleaning, I suppose so, although most Google searches on the specific model I have claim of cold joints, though their issues were different.

 

[lexluthermiester]

1024x768. Any higher and there's even worse flickering. The only refresh rate I could get it to not flicker is 60Hz.

That's likely normal. 75hz was for 800x600 and 85hz was for 640x480 and lower, generally. So 1024x768 at 60hz seems about right. I think you're fine.

 

[MaxiPro800]

That's likely normal. 75hz was for 800x600 and 85hz was for 640x480 and lower, generally. So 1024x768 at 60hz seems about right. I think you're fine.

Not normal when it does it without a cable connected as well. Even the "Cable Disconnected" screen does the same flickering.

EDIT: Fixed it. The radiator and a few pins near the flyback had cold joints. Redid them and it's now running 1024x768 @ 85Hz quite like a champ.

 

[jak_2456]

I would love Bios postscreens to make a return. So boring to only have manufacturer logo.

You can change most AMI BIOSes to not display any boot logo which will make them fall back to the AMI post screen. Even my Steam Deck has that option.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Not normal when it does it without a cable connected as well. Even the "Cable Disconnected" screen does the same flickering.

Ah. True, not normal.

EDIT: Fixed it. The radiator and a few pins near the flyback had cold joints. Redid them and it's now running 1024x768 @ 85Hz quite like a champ.

Very nice! Well done!

 

[MaxiPro800]

On today's Sunday "hit-list":

- craft yet another wallpaper for one of my 3dfx enabled machines, specs below
- swap the initial Aureal Vortex II for a SB Audigy 1394.
- install some more games in there since it's pretty empty, aside from the drivers for the Irongate chipset, V3 and Banshee drivers, and Aureal Vortex 2 drivers (which were straight out a nightmare to deal with. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to get a Aureal Vortex II running in there but the drivers are absolutely stubborn. It's the only reason I had to swap it for the Audigy.)

First things first. Did the wallpaper - a mix between a 3dfx wallpaper I had found and another Hololive themed wallpaper, this time of Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame. I'm quite happy with the result, although I might do some more editing.

(I do know 3dfx' logo was supposed to be orange, not red - it wouldn't have made sense here though.)

Second - a issue I have to fix with the OS install (98SE w/ KernelEX 4.52, and a few more goodies. If I plan to do any themed build, you best be sure I push the ante up to 11!) is either the registry or SYSTEM.INI making a call to a non-existent VXD file - CMMON.VXD.
It likely boils down to the registry since checking SYSTEM.INI yields no trace of that VXD, and appears to be left over after uninstalling the Vortex drivers.

Third - got to order some Banshees. I already talked to a scrapper that regularily stocks up 3dfx cards for himself, and secured a Magic Twinpower, as well as another 3D Blaster Banshee which I pray to all gods that I hope to get it working, unlike the last one which I can't for the life of me get to flash - it gets recognized with some strange VID/PID values by other Award-based mainboards while this MSI does see it and allocates an IRQ, but no amount of attempts to flash it work. I'm not sure if flashing the 29EE010 externally might help, but if any of you have ever had to externally flash a Banshee and it worked, I do appreciate a little bit of help! The 3d Blaster I have may very well be working and it's only the BIOS that is awfully corrupted, to the point it cannot properly ID itself enough for the Creative branded flasher to work. (and no, 3dfx' own flasher doesn't see it either, despite the board listing it during POST.)

Fourth - games. Gotta stock 'em up lol

EDIT: Flashing the 29EE010 didn't help. Oh well.

 

[AUTOEXEC.BAT]

I have an 3DFX Diamond Monster 3D 4MB card
What system is most suitable for this card? Pentium 1, or 2?