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Brian Deuel

Q: Wallstreet 233mhz to 300mhz... boots up, but no video

I picked up a 300mhz card for my Wallstreet. I even saw it running, in person, on another Wallstreet just fine (it was reported at 350mhz under OS 8, but I know that there were some issues with Wallstreets and OS 8 and 9 with regards to processor speed). But when I install it in my Wallstreet, I can hear the drive spin up and boot into OS 9, but I get no video whatsoever. While it's up and running, I can tap keys and hear the default beep, but I just can't see anything. I tried to zap the PRAM, swap memory modules, boot up with the hard drive removed, etc. to no avail. I reinstalled my 233mhz card and it boots just fine.

Has anyone had this experience, and does anyone have any suggestions about what I may have missed?

Thanks- Brian

Wallstreet II G3, Gigabit Ethernet w/1.8ghz Sonnet Upgrade, 10.3.9 on Wallstreet w/XPostFacto, 10.5.11 on GE 1.8ghz

Posted on Dec 11, 2007 1:21 PM

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Q: Wallstreet 233mhz to 300mhz... boots up, but no video

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  • by Brian Deuel,

    Brian Deuel Brian Deuel Dec 11, 2007 1:38 PM in response to Brian Deuel
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    Dec 11, 2007 1:38 PM in response to Brian Deuel
    Replying to my own question...

    I figured out the problem. I turned the card over and sure enough, the cache chip is an 87mhz. Won't work in a Wallstreet II. eBay, here I come...
  • by Brian Deuel,

    Brian Deuel Brian Deuel Dec 11, 2007 2:23 PM in response to Brian Deuel
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    Dec 11, 2007 2:23 PM in response to Brian Deuel
    A couple of typos and brainfarts here... the BUS chip was 83mhz, not the cache chip was 87. My bad...
  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Dec 11, 2007 5:17 PM in response to Brian Deuel
    Level 9 (61,185 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 11, 2007 5:17 PM in response to Brian Deuel
    Check the 1998 lines in the table early on in this article for which processor goes with which series. There is a 233 in each series -- one with cache and one without. I think the 250 and 292 were running with an 83 MHz Bus.

    24604- PowerBook G3 Computers: How to Identify Different Models
  • by jpl,

    jpl jpl Dec 11, 2007 8:26 PM in response to Brian Deuel
    Level 7 (28,285 points)
    Dec 11, 2007 8:26 PM in response to Brian Deuel
    Brian,

    From what I have read, you can use any speed CPU on the first generation logic board (Wallstreet/Rev1); these are the 233/0K, 233/512k, 250, 266, 292, and 300MHz. This is possible because the Rev1 logic boards could run both at 66MHz + 83MHz since the 233MHz/0K CPU ran at 66MHz while the 250 & 292MHz CPUs ran at 83MHz.

    The Rev2 logic boards came with the 233/512K, 266, and 300MHz CPUs plus it had only a 66MHz system bus.

    Here is the problem: The microprocessor controls the system bus which controls the GPU (graphics processor unit). If you are trying to run a microprocessor that runs at 83MHz on a logic board that only supports 66MHz, the GPU does not function and you get no video output.

    Perform an Apple System Profiler on your graphics card in 9.x; if you have a Rev1 logic board, you should have the ATI RageLt; my Rev2 has the ATI RageLtPro.

    I can only assume from the above that you in fact have a Rev2 logic board (66MHz) and you are trying to run a 250 or 292MHz CPU (83MHz).
  • by Brian Deuel,

    Brian Deuel Brian Deuel Dec 11, 2007 9:22 PM in response to jpl
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    Dec 11, 2007 9:22 PM in response to jpl
    That's exactly what's happening here. I've got a pile of Wallstreets with Rev 2 boards in them. When I bought the processor, it was listed a "350mhz Wallstreet processor", and it was reported as such in the System Profiler under 9.2 on the Wallstreet that it was tested in. I even saw it with my own eyes on the seller's Wallstreet. Little did I know at the time that it was being tested on a Rev 1 Wallstreet.

    After my tests at home failed, I turned both the "350" processor over, and a vanilla 233 from my Wallstreet, and observed that each has a chip with similar numbers. The 233 has "XPC106ARX66CG" etched on it, and the "350" has "XPC106ARX83DG" etched on it. I'm concluding that the last four digits, particularly the number, is the bus speed. Therefore, what I was sold was a 292mhz from a Rev. 1 Wallstreet, and 9.x was reporting it incorrectly.

    Guess I'll look for a Rev. 1 board and stuff it in one of my other Wallstreets. I'd really like to see how Tiger runs on it

    Thanks for the help.