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John123 · Jan 5, 2004, 12:57 AM

Hi all,

I'd like to -- inexpensively -- put a USB PCI card into a REVISION A beige G3 (desktop 266 Mhz). I'd like to know if anyone here has had success doing so and, if so, with what card(s).

Some of you may or may not be aware: revision A motherboards are different from revision B and C motherboards and limit compatibility on RAM, hard drives...and PCI cards. So if you are going to post a success story, please go to your System Profiler first and confirm that you have a Revision A motherboard, which you can do by looking at the Boot ROM:

Rev A: $77D.40F2
Rev B: $77D.45F1
Rev C: $77D.45F2

Thanks for everyone's help!

Macola · Jan 5, 2004, 10:32 AM

I did this without problems in a Rev A beige 266 desktop, which I don't have anymore. However, I do have the card still...it was a Belkin 2-port model (not sure of the exact model number).

eyadams · Jan 5, 2004, 11:06 AM

I also put a Belkin 2 port card in my Rev. A Beige, and it worked fine under both OS 9 and OS X. I connected printers, hubs, scanners, serial to USB converter (for my Palm V PDA) and cameras and only experienced problems once. Specifically, when I installed a Beta version of the serial to USB converter, the computer couldn't boot. Disconnecting the converter and then disabling the drivers solved the problems.

John123 · Jan 5, 2004, 01:15 PM

Does this look like the card you guys used:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...92619?v=glance

This one is USB 1.1 only, it would appear.

------

Or was the USB 2.0 version, such as the following:

http://www.buy.com/retail/product_ju...mp;dcaid=15894

Thanks!

Lateralus · 02:32 PM

Originally posted by John123:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...92619?v=glance

Thanks!

If you're going to spend that much for just USB, I'd recommend you go with this for only a few dollars more and gain USB 2.0 as well as FireWire. And yes, it is Mac compatable. And yes, NewEgg kicks Amazons @ss.

John123 · Jan 5, 2004, 02:04 PM

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
If you're going to spend that much for just USB, I'd recommend you go with this for only a few dollars more and gain USB 2.0 as well as FireWire. And yes, it is Mac compatable. And yes, NewEgg kicks Amazons @ss.

I'd be fine with that actually...but does it work with the Rev A beige G3s? Therein lies the problem....I know of USB PCI cards that you can get for $13 shipped, but they have compatibility problems with those Macs.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Jan 5, 2004, 02:26 PM

I got a keyspan one years ago and it works in the rev A with no drivers in OS9 and OSX.

Macola · Jan 5, 2004, 02:42 PM

Originally posted by John123:
Does this look like the card you guys used:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...92619?v=glance

This one is USB 1.1 only, it would appear.

------

Or was the USB 2.0 version, such as the following:

http://www.buy.com/retail/product_ju...mp;dcaid=15894

Thanks!

It could be--I picked mine up at CompUSA about 3 years ago, so it was definitely USB 1.1 only.

firefly · Jan 5, 2004, 06:29 PM

I originally bought a Swann MacSurfer 2 port USB card for my Rev. A G3, which worked perfectly. It uses the OPTi Firelink chip and seems to be a pretty generic card.

Later on, after having changed the ROM chip to Rev. B for slave drive support, I switched the USB card for a very cheap four port model. This also worked fine. It didnt work with a friend's older mac (unlike the Swann), or with my beige using the Rev A ROM (caused a System Error on boot). This one uses a Lucent chip I think.

Perhaps if you find a card with the former chip (OPTi), maybe on ebay, you might be okay.

djohnson · Jan 5, 2004, 09:52 PM

I have one I am currently using

Yes I know I need to get a new computer but it works for me just fine. Of course compile times and Photoshop run slow... Maybe in a year I will have enough student loans paid off to get a new one? I dont remember what type I have, but I do have a USB card. I have upgraded to Rev C ROM, so I get slave support, and a lot more, but the basics are there. Hope this helps, also OS X installs fine.

John123 · Jan 6, 2004, 10:43 AM

How did you guys upgrade your ROMs, just out of curiosity? I've never heard of that....

John123 · Jan 9, 2004, 02:24 PM

OK -- so am I reading this right that just about any USB 1.1 *ONLY* card will work in a Rev A beige G3?

olePigeon · Jan 9, 2004, 04:05 PM

Originally posted by John123:
Hi all,

I'd like to -- inexpensively -- put a USB PCI card into a REVISION A beige G3 (desktop 266 Mhz). I'd like to know if anyone here has had success doing so and, if so, with what card(s).

I used a 4 Port MacAlly "PC" USB 1.1 card (it was the same price as their 2 Port "Mac" USB card) and it works great. I have a Rev A 233Mhz G3.

Originally posted by John123:
How did you guys upgrade your ROMs, just out of curiosity? I've never heard of that....

You can find newer ROMs on eBay.

John123 · Feb 10, 2004, 10:23 AM

Anyone else have experiences putting a USB card in a Rev A Beige G3?

Specifically, has anyone had any luck getting a USB 2.0 card to work in these machines?

SSharon · Feb 10, 2004, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by John123:
Anyone else have experiences putting a USB card in a Rev A Beige G3?

Specifically, has anyone had any luck getting a USB 2.0 card to work in these machines?

From my understanding you need to have OS X to use USB 2 so it'll just be 1.1 speeds while in OS 9.

My question is how do you install OS X on a beige G3 when I thought OS X requires built in USB ports to install.

Anyway, I have a Rev. A (I think) 266 at home and just bought a USB PCI card from newegg (of course), and instructed my dad on where to get the USB 1.4.1 drivers which I believe are requuired to recognize the ports. I'll let you know if that works (its only running 9.0.4 so those drivers aren't on there already). If I'm doing something wrong please correct me so I can get the card working, thanks in advance.

John123 · Feb 10, 2004, 07:39 PM

Originally posted by SSharon:
From my understanding you need to have OS X to use USB 2 so it'll just be 1.1 speeds while in OS 9.

My question is how do you install OS X on a beige G3 when I thought OS X requires built in USB ports to install.

Anyway, I have a Rev. A (I think) 266 at home and just bought a USB PCI card from newegg (of course), and instructed my dad on where to get the USB 1.4.1 drivers which I believe are requuired to recognize the ports. I'll let you know if that works (its only running 9.0.4 so those drivers aren't on there already). If I'm doing something wrong please correct me so I can get the card working, thanks in advance.

OS X doesn't require built-in USB -- only later versions of it. I believe Panther is the first version that explicitly requires that (i.e., alienates beige G3 users, although I've heard XPostFacto will work). Jaguar will NOT install on a Beige G3 Rev. A but (I think) will install on later revisions...someone can correct me if this is wrong.

Sounds like you are doing it right. What card did you get? The best valued card I've seen that is USB 1.1 is StarTech's 2 porter...it goes for $19 at buy.com with free shipping -- BUT I have seen it advertised for $13 sometimes too.

And I've read lots of reports of people trying to get USB 2.0 cards to work on Beige G3 Rev As and having no luck getting them to work at all -- even in USB 1.1 mode under OS 9 (which is what I want to do with my beige G3).

djohnson · Feb 10, 2004, 08:15 PM

OS X 10.2 installs fine on my Beige G3 rev a. I did replace the rom with a rev c one though... You will need a different video card if you are going to use OS X. I have an ati128 and it is barely able to do the video.

USB cards will work fine in most cases. Get one that is compliant with usb 1.1 only. I dont think 2.0 will work at all. Hope this helps!

John123 · Feb 10, 2004, 09:09 PM

Originally posted by djohnson:
USB cards will work fine in most cases. Get one that is compliant with usb 1.1 only. I dont think 2.0 will work at all. Hope this helps!

That was/is my question -- will a 2.0 card work at all or not...

Oddly, USB 1.1 cards are more expensive than USB 2.0 cards, which is why I was hoping I could use a 2.0 card...

mac freak · Feb 10, 2004, 09:14 PM

I installed some generic USB pci card in my Rev. A beige desktop a few years back... never had any issues with it.

John123 · Feb 10, 2004, 10:52 PM

Originally posted by mac freak:
I installed some generic USB pci card in my Rev. A beige desktop a few years back... never had any issues with it.

but if it was a few years ago, that was USB 1.1, not USB 2.0....