Letters from 6400 users that upgraded to Newer's G3
Letters from 6400 users that upgraded to Newer's G3
8/20/1999 Newers L2 G3's may be incompatible with the Geo modem: This doesn't supprise me. I just got this letter from Nicholas who cannot get a reliable connection to the internet with the G3 enabled :( Here is his letter. Thanks.
[Dear Tom
I've spent a useful few minutes browsing through several pages of
the 6400 Zone.
On one page concerned with the GeoPort modems one item appeared (4/17/1999) concerning 5400s and potential conflicts with the MAXpowr G3-L2 upgrade cards. I have just installed a 300/200 card and have had endless problems with my GeoPort modem ever since. About 1% of attempts in resetting the preferences for Apple Phone succeed and the modem works but the rest of the time the modem isn't recognized. The Apple Telecom software is apparently installed properly, the GeoPort modem is seated properly and the cables are fine. Has anyone else had the same problem ? Is there a way out without removing the processor upgrade and slowing down again?
Yours
Nicholas]
[Dear Tom
Many thanks for your response.
Your reference to the 5400 was on your GeoPort modem pages, although I've been unable to check exactly where as I couldn't get into your site this morning.
I have since had a somewhat strange reply from Newer Technology. It reads as follows:
'Since libmoto is not need [sic!] in your system folder I would temporarily disable it to see if libmoto is the cause. You can disable the MaxPowr extension and that should turn the G3 upgrade off if you need to test it without the card.'
This is rather interesting; the minimal Readme that comes from Newer with the card suggests LibmotoSh should be installed for Os before 8.1 and as I have 8.0 I duly loaded it. Disabling its extension still didn't free up the GeoPort modem. Conclusion: Libmoto is unlikely to be the conflicting software.
Turning of the MaxPowr extension had interesting results. On restart my machine predictably ran at snails pace as it was lacking the L2 backside cache. The modem - worked perfectly, even if downloads were a little slow. Turning on the MaxPowr extension again cause major problems with the modem which remained unchanged when turning on LibmotoSh. When turning off my machine however there were some major problems with the catalogue b tree which had to be fixed with a combination of Disk First Aid and Norton Utilities. These 'b tree' problems have turned out to be common and occured following initial installation of the card and after subsequent problems with trying to get the modem to work. Conclusion: that the MaxPowr extension (and possibly the G3-L2 card) causes a serious conflict with the GeoPort modem; the catalogue b tree problems may be caused as a result of this conflict.
I'm going to pass on this information to Newer and see what their response is. I'll keep you informed.
Yours
Nicholas]
[Dear Tom
The comment from the technical department of Newer Technology is rather interesting. They seem prepared to have the part returned and replaced judging by the latest e-mail I've had:
>Date sent: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 10:29:40 -0500
>From: "LIVETECH "
<LIVETECH.NEWERTECH.NEWERDOM@newertech.com>
>To: <n.hind@rbgkew.org.uk>
>It sounds to me like the backside cache on the G3 card is
>defective.
>If you could please provide me with the information below I will
>issue you an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number
>with instructions on how to send it to us.
>Name:
>Shipping Address:
>Phone Number:
>Serial Number on the Newer product:
>Regards,
>Shane Blanchett
>Technical Support
The interesting point is that they haven't really answered some of my initial questions over extension conflicts etc. ,or whether other modems are known to work.
I still feel it might be worth highlighting the problem as it may be a with just a few cards .......?
Yours
Nicholas]
I hope it was just a defective card. I guess we'll find out in a little while. Click here to read more on Newers L2 G3's.
More Newer G3 user letters: This comes from Claudio who just purchesed one and is having a little issue with Apples speech recognition software.
[Tom :
Hi ; is been a while since I wrote you ; I was to sell my Performa 6400/200 some time ago but I had a change of heart and decided to keep it as a backup computer for the house , I always liked it ...now ; I was using the Vimage 240 mhz/160 card ( I was perhaps one of the very first ones to buy it) and I was pleased what the improvement that it brought into the performance of my machine.Now almost and year later I decided to purchase the Newer's 300/200 1 MB L2 cache since the prize has gone down so much and to experiment with it too ....Here are some of my problems first .... The "voice recognition feature is quirky at times ... u have to actually re-start "speakable items" or push "the set key ..Esc." in between voice commands. With the Vimage card this was not a problem ... This only happens when I use the Internet ... meaning that the modem( Apple/Global Village Internal 56 k V90 upgrade) is working on the background. TechTool Version 2.5 crashes when rebuilding the desktop only... all other utilities of the program work fine. And also the sound of any playtrough Internet related subject; lets say Quicktime streaming or any sound is somehow not completely clear at times Now ; the good news is that is a fast and reliable product ; it has brought my processor speed using MacBench 5 to = 1020 ;FPU = 1270 (using LibMotto) and Disk= 1458( I changed the original disk with a Fireball Ultra ATA at 7200 rpm ( it was worth the 189 dollars ).I still think that due to the limit on the bus speed of the 6400 ; I am not getting the desire " feel " of a new generation Mac ..lets say the iMac ...but for an aging machine like this one ..this card is bringing another 6 or so months lease until the G4's are out ... If you know more about the "sound" and voice recognition issues on the Newer's card I would appreciate the input ... Thank you and I enjoy your site a lot ...
Claudio]
9/2/1999 More letters:
[I picked up one of those Newertech G3-L2 cards from Computers4sure. It threw me for a loop at first, since the box was printed as though it were a type A card, but an add-on sticker indicated the card worked in a 6400 - must be the new "combined" card. Physical Installation was a snap (Card is 300 Mhz 1 Mb/200 MHz cache; machine is Performa 6400/200 88 Mb RAM, ATI Xclaim VR (4 Mb, Pro), external SupraExpress 56K modem, Macally port expander, Syquest Ezflyer and Microtek Scanner). Getting the card running turned out to be something different. I had intermittent freezes primarily at the very end of the startup process, either when the last extensions loaded are initializing (or whatever they do) or the apps in the startup folder are starting up. I also had System error 10's in Finder, Timbuktu and one or two other apps. At first I had to restart with extensions off to get started up, but later some restarts would work ok. It appeared to be an extension conflict of some sort - at least it went away with extensions off, but then the G3 was off also. I tried moving the MaxPowr extension earlier to load ahead of Conflict Catcher, but that didn't cure the problem. Taking a suggestion from Newer, I turned of RAMdoubler (v8.0.1) (and a few other extensions) and tried again, this time with success. RAMdoubler (or VM, for that matter - I tried both) seems to be the culprit - the machine starts regularly without it. Unfortunately, I've only got 88 Mb RAM installed so things get a little cramped if I don't have VM or RAMdoubler on. So I enabled RAMdoubler in Conflict Catcher, but then turned it off during startup so I could reset the control panel. I had been running it with only file mapping turned on, so I increased the setting to 196 Mb (double) RAM. Now the machine starts up (at least most of the time) and seems to run pretty stably - I'll know better when I've run this way for a few days. I have no explanation for why it freezes consistently when RAMdoubler is on, but set to the minimum, and starts up ok if RAMdoubler is set to higher values.
One potentially troublesome issue is the CPU temperature. Metronome consistently gives 79-83 C. I've e-mailed Newer to see if Metronome works and if this temperature is within the expected range.
Speed is definitely improved, especially in some applications - Timbuktu and Netscape both are much snappier. Retrospect backups seen much faster. Scan speed is not noticeably improved, but Graphic Converter seems much faster. Scrolling through menus is so fast it is a problem moving around files!
The Newer G3-L2 seems quite stable with RAMdoubler set to double the physical RAM - no more startup freezes. Newer says:
We have seem some problems with Virtual memory and Ram Doubler so it is not uncommon for this to happen.
[Tom:
I got my Newer 300/1M G3 upgrade for my 6400 this weekend. I installed
it with no problems and all seems to be working fine. My system is much
faster (although I'm waiting to fully assess things until I install my
new faster IDE hard drive) and I've so far experienced no conflicts
(have an ATI RagePro graphics card by the way, OS 8.1, 104 MB RAM). The
only thing is that according to the Powerjolt utility, my G3 is running
at about 69 degrees Centigrade. I would assume this means that the
Newer processors aren't using copper. I'd be interested in knowing if
this is too hot (the card does have a fairly substantial heat sink), and
whether I should try installing an additional fan as you did.
John]
Those temps are fine. Remember Vimages 240Mhz G3 ran about 80-90 degrees so 69 is fine. Well within the spec limit. I wonder though if they are using non copper G3's?
11/19/1999 Newer 300/1M L2 G3 user letter: Craig wrote to let us all know how well his Newer G3 is running. Thanks Craig.
[Tom -
Thank you for providing us 6400 users with such a thoughtful, well-done site. Each week I look forward to your updated information.
Feel free to add my comments to your Users Letters section on the subject of G3 upgrades:
I’ve enjoyed great speed and stability with my Newer Technology 300/200/1024 which I’ve had nearly 2 months. I bought it only because I’ve recently begun to create 3D images and landscapes using Bryce 4, and needed lots more umph than my 180 could give me. Well, some time back I did a rather complicated BryceScape. Trust me, I’ll never do another Hourglass again. At least not one with a tree growing inside one end and a fire raging in the other! (Hold the comments.) It was a weekend project that I started at 9 PM on a “school night.”
Anyway, I finished setting it up at 1 am, and pressed the “GO” button. I woke up at 3:30 and it had just finished. The spec sheet told me it took exactly 149 minutes. Two and a half freakin’ hours.
Knowing I was getting the G3, I purposely saved the BryceScape structure and texture settings, and re-rendered the image after I installed the Newer Technology 300.
Can you believe this? 32 minutes. Thirty-two! Now, most of my complicated images take 10 minutes or less.
Works for me!
Craig]
12/10/1999 Newer G3 with OS 9 user having nothing but fun!: Bryan writes that his 6400 is running smooth with a Newer G3 and OS 9. Thanks Bryan. Its nice to hear good news sometimes too :)
[Just thought you might find this interesting. I have a 6400/180 that I affectionately call FrankenMac. I have upgraded nearly everything in this box, and it keeps right on trucking. I have a Newer Technology L2 G3 300/200/1mb upgrade (fantastic card), 136mb ram, an 8gb hd, the original CD-ROM drive and a Yamaha 4416 CD-RW, ATI Rage Pro VR card, Asante 10/100 card, TV tuner, and video in. Currently I'm running OS 9 and I have to admit, it runs like a dream. No problems at all. Hooked to it are a Zip drive, Microtek scanner, Epson Stylus 850, US Robotics 56k modem, plaintalk microphone, stereo speakers, and two monitors, one for work, the other for TV. The lights dim when I hit the switches on my surge strips! (not really)
I originally bought this computer from Sears. It was the last one in stock, the demo model. It had no keyboard, but it did have a mouse and a majority of the software. I paid $400 for it. This March, I will have had it for two years. I have thoroughly enjoyed this computer.
I greatly appreciate your website and the information you provide. Keep up the good work!
Bryan]
2/10/2001 OS 9.1 and Newers L2 G3: I received this letter from Vic who says hie Newer G3 runs fine with OS 9.1. Thanks Vic.