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[UnexpectedBomb]

Hi All,

Stumbling upon his forum post a few weeks ago, I was inspired by the progress of "x7x" in solving some of the Mini's OS 9 audio issues: https://tinkerdifferent.com/threads/mac-mini-g4-sound-on-os-9-2.5173/

Using his foundational work, I did some vibe coding of my own and developed a Control Strip Module that does the following:
- automatically enables audio on boot
- provides a mute/unmute function
- auto-detects when headphones are plugged/unplugged in the 3.5mm audio jack
- displays corresponding graphics to indicate mute/speaker/headphones

During development of that CSM, however, I was annoyed by the now-infamous "1-in-5 boot mouse cursor freeze" and decided to tackle that next. It was discovered that the freeze was due a VBL-interrupt issue; I have developed a small app that sits in Startup Items that, upon reaching the desktop, will UNFREEZE the cursor, effectively neutralizing the problem.

I would like your help in testing both of these solutions further, particularly the latter to ensure that my VBL-interrupt theory with the mouse-freeze is accurate. You can review technical notes and download both solutions here:

Audio CSM - https://github.com/UnexpectedBomb/G4-Mac-Mini-Audio
Mouse freeze fix - https://github.com/UnexpectedBomb/G4-Mac-Mini-VBL-Fix

BIG thanks to Elliot Nunn for sending me in the right direction on the VBL-interrupt. When testing this, please keep track of whether you are booting into a native or non-native resolution; if a native resolution causes this freeze even a single time, that would mean I need to re-evaluate my theory.

Additional OS 9 G4 Mini projects that are currently underway:
- A true audio driver that does everything the CSM does, plus enables variable audio levels (via the slider) and fixes keyboard volume controls (such as on the A1048 keyboard)
- Drivers to enable true USB 2.0 speeds both on the Mini directly and also from PCI cards on G3/G4 towers
- Drivers to enable eSATA compatibility when using PCI cards such as the LaCie 130823
- Drivers to enable the Mini's internal Bluetooth module as well as related USB Bluetooth dongles

All feedback is welcome so I can continue to improve these solutions. Thanks in advance.

-UB

[smilesdavis]

awsome awsome work thank you so very much

i happen to have come across the Lacie 130823 in one of my PMG4's and I put it in my Mac OS X box.
https://www.seagate.com/content/dam/seagate/migrated-assets/lacie-content/datasheet/pci_esata_sismo_de.pdf

© 2008, LaCie / Mac® OS X 10.2.8 +

did I miss someone getting eSATA to work on OS9?

[n8blz]

If the mouse freeze bug is fixed that would be huge. I’ll test it out tomorrow. Thanks!

[UnexpectedBomb]

did I miss someone getting eSATA to work on OS9?

That is the same exact LaCie card I have in my MDD currently. And no, I don't know of any solution that has gotten eSATA to work in OS 9, which is why I'm spearheading it now. End goals are reading/writing external SATA drives and hopefully even booting from one as well.

[IIO]

SeriTek/1VE2 is to my knowledge the only original eSATA solution with OS9 ROM Drivers - including boot support.

What i do not know is if its eSATA connectors are actually delivering a higher voltage compared to SATA (which is the only actualy difference between to two, right?)

[smilesdavis]

look into FirmTek SeriTek/1S2 also sold/rebadged as Sonnet Tempo SATA / TSATA

edit: IIO beat me to it

edit2: a eSATA port carries data only - the disk still needs power from an enclosure, except for the 2006 eSATAp or eSATApd (w/USB) who i have never come across but there is a sticker on my SATA museum box that i want one since last week actually - they are also no offical specification of the SATA-IO they are vendor proprietory to come across the limitations of eSATA