[bgordon]

Hi, all.

I recently bought an iMaxpowr card (G3, 466) for my Rev. A iMac, and it's the single buggiest piece of hardware I have ever purchased -- it runs for about 15-20 minutes before my machine freezes on me. Naturally, I can't return it, because I wanted to save money and I didn't get it from a place that offers a warranty. I know, I'm an brainless idiot.

Soooo . . . here's what I've done to try to make it work. Can anyone who's had similar problems offer anything other tips?

1. I completely erased and reinitialized my HD (orig 4 GB)
2. I performed a clean reinstall of OS 9, then upgraded to 9.0.4
3. I added more RAM for 320 MB total
4. I tweaked the cache ratio (and this gets scary, I'm dabbling where I don't belong at this point) to 5:2; this seems to have made it worse.

(BTW, I also have a Game Wizard Voodoo II card installed.)

I'm at wit's end, and I'm desperately trying to make this thing work.
I had it working Friday night with the Game Wizard card (Rune) before it froze; I know about the whole "use the original 3dfx drivers" thing, so I don't think that's the issue. Unreal freezes after loading but before starting; Quake III freezes after loading but before starting; freakin' Internet Explorer 5 freezes after 20 minutes, so it's not just a Game Wizard card conflict. . . any ideas?

- BG

p.s. If your advice works I'll send you a case of beer.

[CubeWannaB]

I bet it is one of two things:

- Overheating. The iMac wasn't meant to cool a 466mhz processor which very likely makes more heat. This is easy to test by cooling the thing down. I had a PS that was overheating. I proved it by openning the case and pointing a big fan at it and all my problems went away. (the problems were weird - corrupt memory, wrong CPU speed, missing devices). To solve it I shuffled around my PCI cards to improve airflow.

In an iMac you can't exactly open the case and put a fan beside it. I'd try putting it in the coolest room you have - hopefully a basement - or right beside a air conditioner, and then putting a fan on top to pull air OUT. This will cause the iMac to pull in cool air from the bottom which should help the air get to the hot part inside it.

- Corrupt memory. Did you try running it with just one memory card in it? If that one card still has the problems, try another by itself. If its just one memory card that causes the problem then your problem is found.

Anyways, good luck.

Nathan

[bgordon]

Thanks, Nathan. It's sitting next to an A/C unit right now, and GaugePro shows the CPU running at 118 deg. F. max (same as the original 233), but maybe I'll try putting an extra fan on it, too. I'm also encourage by the memory suggestion -- I DID get new RAM, after all, and now that you mention it, it HAS seemed buggier since I put the new 256 MB module in there. . . I'll do some swapping in and out tonight and let you know how it goes. Thanks again!

Hey bgordon, how's the little trooper going?
My system is almost exactly the same as yours (not as much RAM) and I didn't have a single moment's trouble with it. Really bummed to hear of your woes. Hope it was the memory module. My temps were really low on that maxpower thing and I've overclocked the Gamewizard to get the most out of it too. Post later to let us know how you went.
iDon.

[bgordon]

Nathan is my hero!

I took the brand-new 256 MB RAM module out of the top slot of the Imaxpowr CPU and put in the old 128 RAM chip I'd been using since 1999 and all of a sudden, it's running like a champ at 466 MHz! I couldn't be happier. (Lesson learned: Only make ONE major computer modification at a time, to simplify the troubleshooting process.)

BUT, this raises some RAM issues I need to resolve:

1. Is the new 256 module I got from MemoryX faulty?

or. . .

2. Is new RAM incompatible with old RAM? When the machine was crashing on me, I had the brand-new PC 100 2-2-2 256 in the top slot, and an older (circa '99) 64 MB chip in the underside slot, which I'm assuming is PC 66, since it's older and the system profiler makes no indication the memory is PC 100 like it does on my graphite iBook. Might the problems I was having been caused by incompatibility between RAM types? Tonight, I'm going to reinstall the 256, pull OUT the 64 for a PC 100-only setup and see if it runs okay. I'm hoping this is the case: I'd love not having to return the 256, and just getting a new PC100 64 or bigger (LP) module for the lower slot.

Whew. Hope this makes sense. Sorry for the detailed RAM-blings. Any iMaxpowr users out there want to share what kinds/types of RAM they're using? iDon, thanks for your input; what RAM configuration do you have?


Thanks again to all,

- BG

[PeteL999]

wheres the free beer?

[bgordon]

Heheheheh -- already working on beer details with Nathan! (see what helping me gets you?)

Hey bgordon,
My RAM is 128 sodimm under and 64 sodimm over. I only know its sodimm 'cos I remember buying it from OWC. Its not ID'd in the system profiler (OS X). Hope this helps. I hope for your sake that you can get that memory working. Whatever happens, its an absolute hummer of a card and should give you years of trouble free processing. Good luck.
iDon.

Hey bgordon,
My RAM is 128 sodimm under and 64 sodimm over. I only know its sodimm 'cos I remember buying it from OWC. Its not ID'd in the system profiler (OS X). Hope this helps. I hope for your sake that you can get that memory working. Whatever happens, its an absolute hummer of a card and should give you years of trouble free processing. Good luck.
iDon.

Umm, sorry 'bout the double post. If you're a moderator and want to remove one of them, be my guest. I tried to edit but realised too late that I'm not registered. Will correct that as soon as I'm finished here.

<font color = blue> Double post fixed. Please register, we're happy to have you here as a member!

your mod, Vmarks</font>

[ 11-29-2001: Message edited by: vmarks ]

[e0feldgg]

I'm having the same problem right now -- and it initially started with using a 256 MB chip. Now I've tried two different sets of 128MB chips from OWC and my mac has become even more erratic. Have you finally gotten your iMac to work? If so, what brand/supplier of RAM did you go with?

I'd appreciate any help, as I just can't afford to buy a new iMac right now.


[email protected]

[vmarks]

Bgordon and PaulThompson,

Each you, post ALL the information you have on your RAM.
Every number on the chip, every number on the sticker.

You need PC100 4k refresh 32Mx64 256mb RAM. I've seen others using 8k refresh, and it doesn't work reliably. If you post the numbers here, I can tell you exactly what you have installed.

Bgordon, I also have a 256mb module that works perfectly in the lower slot. you want it, you can buy it off me. I have a few extra of these.

Bgordon, If I figure out the memory issue, I want that beer.

Victor Marks
[email protected]

[ 11-29-2001: Message edited by: vmarks ]

[xyber233]

Bgordon, If I figure out the memory issue, I want that beer.

Hehe, is he still hanging around the forums?

[vmarks]

Originally posted by xyber233:
<STRONG>

Hehe, is he still hanging around the forums?</STRONG>

Not sure, but beer is <font color = blue> beer! </font>

[andymcdeee]

hmmm... I just found this thread (a bit late on things I am) and I have a Rev A iMac that just got a 256 RAM card put in it and it also started doing some wierd things. Got it from Memory X too.

Freezes on startup just after all the extensions/control panels have been loaded. Thought it might have been a corrupt system.

Oh, and I want some of that beer too please..... ..please.......

[vmarks]

Originally posted by andymcdeee:
<STRONG>hmmm... I just found this thread (a bit late on things I am) and I have a Rev A iMac that just got a 256 RAM card put in it and it also started doing some wierd things. Got it from Memory X too.

Freezes on startup just after all the extensions/control panels have been loaded. Thought it might have been a corrupt system.

Oh, and I want some of that beer too please..... ..please....... </STRONG>

Andy,

post all the numbers on your RAM module.

Victor Marks

[andymcdeee]

Will do tomorrow when I get near it.

Cheers

[andymcdeee]

After much effort it was discovered that it was infact the video upgrade causing all the issues. Computer is running sweet now.

Also got the part from memory x. Here's the number:

APL4V 4MB VRam Dimm
014-005495

Bit of a worry though.

[vmarks]

Originally posted by andymcdeee:
<STRONG>After much effort it was discovered that it was infact the video upgrade causing all the issues. Computer is running sweet now.

Also got the part from memory x. Here's the number:

APL4V 4MB VRam Dimm
014-005495

Bit of a worry though.</STRONG>

Glad you got it fixed- It's not often I hear about VRAM causing problems.