Mac OS 9 Lives

Classic Mac OS Hardware => General Hardware Discussions => Topic started by: mopar300m on January 21, 2022, 10:29:26 AM

Title: Yikes! board in a B&W G3
Post by: mopar300m on January 21, 2022, 10:29:26 AM
The Ultra-ATA port on my Rev. 2 B&W motherboard is bad.  I found that out when I tried to add an OWC legacy SSD.  I'm having a lot of trouble finding a Rev. 2 board and from what I've read the Rev. 1 boards are a stability nightmare with even a single device on the Ultra-ATA.  Can I drop a Yikes! board into my G3 without changing anything?  I have a Daystar G4 CPU upgrade installed.
Title: Re: Yikes! board in a B&W G3
Post by: Ninester on January 21, 2022, 11:45:45 AM
FdB should chime in and help you.
 
You mentioned the Rev. 1 board. I dumped that after Apple would not help or even sell me the Rev. 2 board. Numerous calls only resulted in "we only support the original drive configuration while in warranty" Sorry, every time I read about the Rev.1 board I know why I moved on to an Amiga ;) This may be of some help  https://lowendmac.com/1999/why-the-g4-uproar/
Title: Yikes???
Post by: FBz on January 22, 2022, 12:18:26 AM
Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.

Have you re-checked and tested the Ultra-ATA port with a conventional HD?
Might just be an SSD set-up problem OR the B&W having a bit o’ fun with you.

Check it with an previously working conventional spinner HD alone, first.
Maybe after reviewing this:
http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,6127.msg46280.html#msg46280 

Interesting link provided by Ninester in his post above.
(Also the primary reason I left Macs way-back-then too.)

Did your Daystar G4 CPU require any firmware upgrades or
installation of other “enablers”?  Which specific Daystar CPU?

You said it yourself that the Rev.2 mobos are hard to find and from what I’ve seen, the Yikes mobo replacement might fit and yield you G4 processor ability in the effort - BUT as far as any performance boost goes - might not actually be worth it - all things considered. You already have the Daystar upgrade. (AND you’d lose the B&W's ADB port.) So hopefully, your ATA is fine and no Yikes mobo will be necessary.

Best of luck.
Title: Re: Yikes! board in a B&W G3
Post by: mopar300m on January 22, 2022, 06:49:04 PM
I tried the 80 gig PATA drive from the G4 with the same issue.  Also tried a 30 gig drive I had lying around, same thing.  I tried the data cable from the G4 and a long one from a PC on all the drives with the same result.  All these drives worked fine on the secondary ATA port.  I tried it all again before I wrote this post.

The CPU upgrade is a 600 MHz/1 MB XLR8 Machspeed G4.  There is an extension available for OS 9 but I don't know if it's required.  I remember doing the patch long ago on the G3 board.  I don't remember if the patch was needed for a yikes motherboard.

As for the ADB port, used it with a Belkin ADB to PS/2 adapter to a KVM when I got the computer and moved to USB later.  I'd rather have the port but it's not something I use these days. 
Title: B&W / Yikes…
Post by: FBz on January 22, 2022, 09:32:37 PM
Damn. Very sorry to hear that.

I’ve several working, spare Rev.1 boards here and I am eventually going to test one with an SSD just to see if that might possibly improve stability & performance with the Rev.1 board. (Fat chance, ehh?)

In the meantime, if you’d like one of the Rev.1 boards to test with in a similar fashion - DM me your address and cover only the postage in the exchange. I’ll include an original B&W CPU if you don’t have one. That way you might test function(s) in general AND with your Daystar… before you either opt for another Rev.2 board OR a Yikes replacement. (I won’t need the Rev.1 board back / yours to keep.)

You might also closely check all of the solder points on the questionable ATA connector on the mobo. As much as I plug and unplug such cables here, it’s a wonder that I have not yet damaged any similar connectors. Might be a simple matter of re-flowing solder or re-soldering the connectors' pin(s) on the mobo.

But if you can’t see any loose solder points (or other evidential, small component failures nearby) you might test continuity of all those pins with the solder points on back of the mobo to determine if one (or more) might not be making solid connection (using a multi-meter). Hopefully this might lead to solving the problem. This is a close-up (top & bottom) of a Rev.1 mobo. (Should be similar - if not identical.)

(http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=6186.0;attach=9548;image)

As for your Daystar Upgrade - Google was useless.
Bing did the trick however, providing the following…

Overview:
https://www.daystartechnology.com/Apple_Mac_Products/XLR8_Macintosh_Products/Mac_CPU_G4_Upgrade_ZIF_PS.html

Downloads / Updates / Issues / Etc.:
https://daystartechnology.com/videoupdates/index.html

Support:
https://www.daystartechnology.com/Daystar_Technology_Mac_Support/Mac_Product_Support/Mac_CPU_Upgrade_ZIF_G3_G4.html

User / Installation PDF:
https://www.daystartechnology.com/pdf/ML-MAChSpeedZIF_3.pdf

*I’d miss the ADB port as I prefer the older, bigger, Apple Extended ADB keyboards.
Title: Re: Yikes! board in a B&W G3
Post by: mopar300m on January 30, 2022, 10:28:30 AM
I can confirm that a G4 Yikes! board will drop right in a B&W G3 with no issues.  I was worried that the power button board might not be compatible but everything works.  The firewire "pod" plugs right in.  My Daystar CPU upgrade fired right up without flashing.  Of course there will be a hole where the ADB port used to be.

I'll do some benchmarks comparing the Yikes! and Yosemite boards once I straighten out some video card driver issues.  I expect there will be no performance difference.  I'm also going to see if the Yikes! board will run with a G3 CPU.
Title: Re: Yikes! board in a B&W G3
Post by: DieHard on January 30, 2022, 10:40:57 AM
I'm also going to see if the Yikes! board will run with a G3 CPU.

It should, although, I am guessing it will be overclocked depending on your G3's speed

Of course we know the opposite works, and makes a really cool Beige G4:

[youtube]OynauOONAJA[/youtube]