Welcome, Guest. Please Login 3dfx Archive
 
  HomeHelpSearchLogin  
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Voodoo2 and 133MHz FSB problem? (Read 292 times)
procerus
Full Member
***
Offline


Voodoo2 Monomaniac

Posts: 189
Voodoo2 and 133MHz FSB problem?
26.09.02 at 21:11:58
 
For a while I've been hearing from people who claim that their Voodoo2s stop working when they upgrade their systems.  Now, from Quantum3D, comes confirmation that certain motherboards do have problems running Voodoo2s with a 133MHz FSB.

http://www.quantum3d.com/support/consumer/index.html#drivers

The relevant part is-
"Also be aware that Voodoo2 and Voodoo Banshee (Raven) based cards will likely not work with many newer motherboards due to a hardware incompatibility issue in the original 3Dfx chipset with a 133MHz front side bus (FSB). 133MHz front side bus is common among many modern day mainboards. Thus, if you are having problems installing or operating your Voodoo2 (Obsidian2) or Voodoo Banshee (Raven) based video card, please first verify that the motherboard for your computer system does not use a 133MHz FSB (try setting your system up to operate at 100MHz FSB if possible) and then verify you have installed the appropriate driver for the video card.  Or consider getting a new graphics card such as from nVidia."

That last part is particularly hard to take Angry.  I've had a GeForce2 GTS installed in this system for over two years now and I still run more games on my Voodoo2s than I do on the GeForce.  Partly this is my weird taste in games but some of it is classic games (Carmageddon DOS glide) that won't run otherwise.

Anyway the problem certainly only applies to some motherboards.  For example one gamer has reported that his Quantum3D Obsidian2 X-24 not only works perfectly on his Epox EP-4G4A+ (with P4 2.7 GHz CPU) with a 150MHz FSB on Windows ME but that it also works with the PCI overclocked to 37MHz! Cheesy

So I propose to start compiling a list of motherboards that do work.  I'm doing this for selfish reasons.  I need to upgrade at some point...
Back to top
 

98lite with
629K
of free conventional memory in full DOS mode using QEMM 9.0 (or 628K with UMBPCI.SYS providing real mode for FastVid) with SmartDrive, CD-ROM, CuteMouse, sound support and UniRefresh all loaded high.
 
IP Logged
 
Paul Psomiadis
Guest


Re: Voodoo2 and 133MHz FSB problem?
Reply #1 - 29.10.02 at 14:35:23
 
Ya' my Creative Voodoo 2 SLI setup works fine in my Soltek SL-DRV5 mainboard with my Athlon XP 1600+ (soon to be Athlon XP 2400+!!!) Grin

This CPU runs at 266MHz FSB, so I don't see the problem people have with the FSB issue! ???

Course' it goes without saying that you need the following: -

1. Hacked Athlon compatible drivers.
2. Tweaked REG settings (took a while but I figured it out!). Grin
3. Some HONKIN big heatsinks on the TMU chips on each Voodoo 2. (I custom built these, mail me for a piccie!) Grin
4. A HONKIN big fan mounted above the cards for cooling off the hot chips. (gotta love Zalman!) Wink

Nuthin' to it when you know how!

You know it makes sense when you can run UT in GLiDE mode! (STILL prefer UT in comparison to UT2K3!) Grin

POD also ROX in GLiDE! Cheesy

Ya' I'm rambling on now... Tongue

Peace, out! 8)
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
FalconFly
YaBB Administrator
*****
Offline


3dfx Archivist

Posts: 2445
5335N 00745E
Gender: male
Re: Voodoo2 and 133MHz FSB problem?
Reply #2 - 01.11.02 at 17:31:08
 
@Procerus :

Seeing the acknowledgement of Quantum brought one thing back to my mind :

I remember that most Voodoo3 Cards I had used to run quite cool.

But upgrading the Motherboards and CPU's, I found those sometimes all of a sudden were running extremely Hot after upgrading.

Just recently (while testing a Banshee on my A7V-333),  I found that the Card equipped with a passive cooler, which seemed standard and not missing anything, was critically overheating already 2 minutes after Power-On.

And this, while initially booting only into true MS-DOS, like all my machines do.

I remember I had to mount a 486 CPU Fan onto it in order to have it run in the first place.

My Voodoo3's (-3000 and -3500) I very well know were running extremely hot (too hot to touch actually) in my other 133MHz FSB Systems.

Might this be also caused by such a Hardware incompatibility ?
Since I have no other explanation for it, it seems reasonable  Roll Eyes
Back to top
 
WWW  
IP Logged
 
procerus
Full Member
***
Offline


Voodoo2 Monomaniac

Posts: 189
Re: Voodoo2 and 133MHz FSB problem?
Reply #3 - 06.11.02 at 12:24:43
 
Interesting theory!

In fact there have been instances where underclocking a Voodoo2 in a modern system has allowed it to work even though the owner claimed the card was adequately (normally?) cooled.

Perhaps extra cooling on faster fsb clocks might sometimes remedy the problem!
Back to top
« Last Edit: 06.11.02 at 12:27:29 by procerus »  

98lite with
629K
of free conventional memory in full DOS mode using QEMM 9.0 (or 628K with UMBPCI.SYS providing real mode for FastVid) with SmartDrive, CD-ROM, CuteMouse, sound support and UniRefresh all loaded high.
 
IP Logged
 
FalconFly
YaBB Administrator
*****
Offline


3dfx Archivist

Posts: 2445
5335N 00745E
Gender: male
Re: Voodoo2 and 133MHz FSB problem?
Reply #4 - 06.11.02 at 20:11:24
 
Hm, I believe so...

Getting the temperatures back I used to have in older Socket7-Systems for example, really requires massive cooling on 133MHz FSB systems.

I remember losing quite a few Fans to my Voodoo3's, as their Bearings could not stand the extreme Thermal conditions for more than a few weeks, sometimes only few days at best (all systems running 24/7) (!)

That was actually one of the reasons I don't have my V3-3500 running right now (only one V3-3000 remaining in active duty).

I got a fairly cheap Voodoo4 instead, which seems to run completely normal, whereas the Voodoo3 3500 was literally able to cook water or eggs (I'm not kidding !).

I used the very same Card several years ago on a MSI-6167 (Slot A) with an Athlon 500, and it never got remotely as hot as it was running now Roll Eyes

The very same experience I had with a Voodoo3-2000, after moving it onto a new Motherboard. I was shocked to see this otherwise "cool Card" running lightning hot on the new Motherboard, although it was only 100MHz FSB...

I never found a cure for those issues, and until your findings this remained a mystery unexplained to me, and many others...
Back to top
« Last Edit: 06.11.02 at 20:15:14 by FalconFly »  
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print