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| Anyone got a spare Beige G3 ROM? |
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-07-12 02:18:07
Anyone want to take a chance on calling these?? I'd be looking at the chip numbers starting "341" but I can't quite read some of them and am feeling too lazy to look them all up again 🤣 |
Posted by: mg.man on 2023-07-12 03:51:44 Top two are Rev.A, bottom two Rev.C. I've not looked closely at the chip numbers, what's more obvious are the (c) dates... Top two (c)1997, bottom (c)1998. |
Posted by: mg.man on 2023-07-12 03:54:32 Also interesting... under the "SHARP" silkscreen... Top two : 98061, 98085. Bottom two : 98391, 98397. |
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-07-12 04:13:56
Also interesting... under the "SHARP" silkscreen... Top two : 98061, 98085. Bottom two : 98391, 98397. I wouldn't rely on anything on the PCBs themselves - they're just different versions of the same thing functionally, so you could put different ROMs on different PCBs. |
Posted by: mg.man on 2023-07-12 07:02:45 Clearly... but it's interesting that the 'values' on the "A" ROMs are smaller than those on the "C" ROMs. Could 98371 be 1998, Week 37, day 1? |
Posted by: croissantking on 2023-07-14 03:28:15 Here’s my Rev A ROM.
I threw it away after I got the Rev C ROM, thinking that I’d never need it. Then I learned that it won’t play nice with an SATA card - so I regret that obviously.

What are we trying to ascertain here? Lol |
Posted by: croissantking on 2023-10-18 05:48:44 So I just picked up a Rev. A ROM for my Beige G3 (later motherboard with Rage Pro PCI chip), but it won't boot. I get a chime, but then the screen stays black.
I'm thinking the Rage Pro doesn't like the Video BIOS on the older ROM.
Unless the ROM module is faulty.
Anyone tried this combination? |
Posted by: joevt on 2023-10-18 13:35:46
So I just picked up a Rev. A ROM for my Beige G3 (later motherboard with Rage Pro PCI chip), but it won't boot. I get a chime, but then the screen stays black.
I'm thinking the Rage Pro doesn't like the Video BIOS on the older ROM.
Unless the ROM module is faulty.
Anyone tried this combination? Are you able to get into Open Firmware with a serial port?
For the ATY,mach64_3DUPro, The older ROM has version 1.49 while the newer ROMs have 1.53.
All three version have version 1.49 for the ATY,mach64_3DU. |
Posted by: croissantking on 2023-10-18 13:39:36
Are you able to get into Open Firmware with a serial port?
How would I do this? |
Posted by: joevt on 2023-10-18 18:10:24
How would I do this? Hold-Command-Option-O-F during startup. I think by default Open Firmware uses keyboard and screen on Beige G3? If the screen doesn't work then maybe you can type:
" ttya" io to use the serial port. But you need to connect the serial port of the G3 to the serial port of another computer to use it.
You can read more about Open Firmware at https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/navigation/#section=Platforms&topic=macOS
Search for "Open Firmware".
If you can type commands in Open Firmware, then we can maybe examine things. |
Posted by: croissantking on 2023-10-19 06:12:49
to use the serial port. But you need to connect the serial port of the G3 to the serial port of another computer to use it. I tried the developer link and Googling for how to do this, but came up short.
Would I use a telnet application on the client computer? |
Posted by: joevt on 2023-10-19 19:48:51
I tried the developer link and Googling for how to do this, but came up short.
Would I use a telnet application on the client computer? https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/navigation/ didn't work? Click on macOS and search for Open Firmware.
Open Firmware two machine access for the Beige G3 is limited to serial port. This includes Open Firmware 1.0.5 (PM 7500) to Open Firmware 3.1.1 (B&W G3 1.1f4 BootROM built on 04/09/99 at 13:57:32).
Telnet isn't usable until later versions of Open Firmware (For example the iMac Apple PowerMac2,1 4.1.9f1 BootROM built on 09/14/01). |
Posted by: Arbee on 2023-10-19 19:54:12 Beige G3 can do OF on the screen and keyboard. I have it running to that extent in MAME. Once the boot chime starts playing press and hold Command-Option-O-F and let go when the OF prompt appears.
Some machines are shy about going into OF depending what keyboard you have - the Mac mini G4 we got a real chip dump from wouldn't go in with an Apple USB keyboard but did with a PC USB keyboard for some reason. |
Posted by: croissantking on 2023-10-20 01:53:41
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/navigation/ didn't work? Click on macOS and search for Open Firmware.
Open Firmware two machine access for the Beige G3 is limited to serial port. This includes Open Firmware 1.0.5 (PM 7500) to Open Firmware 3.1.1 (B&W G3 1.1f4 BootROM built on 04/09/99 at 13:57:32).
Telnet isn't usable until later versions of Open Firmware (For example the iMac Apple PowerMac2,1 4.1.9f1 BootROM built on 09/14/01). How do I set up the second machine so that it displays the beige G3’s output? |
Posted by: croissantking on 2023-10-20 02:04:04
How do I set up the second machine so that it displays the beige G3’s output? Ah, found it.
“The Open Firmware user interface, hereafter called the interface, as implemented on Macintoshes to date, comes up in two-machine mode. You can connect the two machines together using the serial ports and cable. Start with the modem ports for simplicity. Open Firmware defaults to the modem port. Use a communication application such as Zterm, MacTerminal, or Microphone as the host.”
TN1061: Describes the Open Firmware User Interface, Forth and the Open Firmware language used in Apple products.
developer.apple.com
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Posted by: Phipli on 2023-10-20 02:10:07 @croissantking what specifically are you planning to do in openfirmware?
Just scrolling back and I see your question was
Anyone tried this combination? I can't draw the connection with what is now being done? |
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-10-20 02:19:05 Also, I believe I have used a Rev A ROM with a Rage II Pro based logic board board and it worked. I swapped it back to regain the better IDE. But ... I can't guarantee, because it was a while back.
Not sure but you might have some other issue. |
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-10-20 02:22:16 @croissantking have you tried installing a non-ATi PCI video card like an ixMicro TwinTurbo or something? See if video comes up like that? |
Posted by: croissantking on 2023-10-20 02:24:06
@croissantking have you tried installing a non-ATi PCI video card like an ixMicro TwinTurbo or something? See if video comes up like that? Interesting idea but only have a Rage 128 and Radeon 7000 to test with. |
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-10-20 02:32:35
Interesting idea but only have a Rage 128 and Radeon 7000 to test with. Have you tried the Radeon 7000?
Do you really not have any other PCI cards? A VillageTronic? Radius? |
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