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PEx ROM Project
Posted by: jimjamyahauk on 2021-08-16 01:30:16
@Trash80toHP_Mini BTW, if that worked, and only as time permits, be sure to test all four of the TriPEx ROMs. HAP might need one of them, it seems like. I'm still confused about exactly what he has, but it sounds like he has two systems and one ROM.

I think if James in UK and Hap get working ROMs for their systems and you have a working ROM for your system, then everyone we know of, with a PEx, has a working ROM.

Also, do you want to try the experiment of swapping the PLCC ROMs to the DigiBarn version and then trying the Digibarn ROM -- assuming there's any difference between them and what you already have? I can whip up a set, if needed/wanted.
@trag any possiblity you could whip up some TriPEX PLCC ROMs (I have the equipment but it's buried after a house move) so I could also test these with the ROM DIMMs and see any differences too? Ship to @mg.man so he could bring along with the rest?
Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2021-08-16 09:38:01
That would be very kind and an amazing contribution. Very happy for this to occur. Thank you so much...
Concur, thanks much, mgman.

DM you my address. @mg.man
@jimjamyahauk If you add @trag and myself to that conversation, we can work together to hurry thing along in order to meet the deadline.
Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2021-08-16 17:35:08
At lunch, one more DIMM tested good on the first go-round and two bombed the first time around. Restart after bomb kicks the CD Drawer open. Fourth I'm testing further, booting OK for the most part, but got a second bomb from DIMM 4 and now another on restart? Not good.

Out of time, but it looks like I may have two good DIMMs here. More later.

2-TriPEx-DIMMSs-bombed-jtPEx-00.JPG
Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2021-08-17 09:11:42
I think my problems with testing might be overheating or some other non-firmware problem. Not much time to elaborate. Reseated cards after I got a "KILL ME!" (untimed, but seemed more than 10sec.) on fiirst run with TriPex_1 DIMM this morning, it was bombing last night. Tried again resulting in full boot a couple of times then a bombed.

Last night I got six good boots from TriPEx_3 and then a bomb, 604/120 card's heat sink was very warm to the touch, but had to hold it fora few seconds until it became uncomfortable.

1 and 3 are fairly reliable, occasional bombs not with standing. Likely all four are good, but my board isn't secure enough, needs long planned metal floor/backplane and proper cooling before further testing.

@trag, while I have the unit disassembled for upgrades, that'd be the time to test my REVA with DigiPEx DIMM/PLCCs if you'd like to send some, might prove interesting.

@jimjamyahauk What Rev is your board and which chipsets are populated/unpopulated?
Posted by: trag on 2021-08-17 10:41:28
@trag, while I have the unit disassembled for upgrades, that'd be the time to test my REVA with DigiPEx DIMM/PLCCs if you'd like to send some, might prove interesting.

I found some 29F040s in the closet, so that has become much easier. I did not want to go in the attic again for Box 65.

I really need to rebuild the attic ladder before it spontaneously disassembles (finishes disassembling; it's already started) while I'm climbing it.

I'll program up the PLCCs using the code James provided the next time I have the chip programmer set up and send you a set.
Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2021-08-17 10:52:55
No real hurry, I have to get to my 9500 Logic Board for the rebuild, days if no a week or two. 🙄
Posted by: trag on 2021-08-17 11:58:21
@Trash80toHP_Mini Your problems do sound like overheating. If that 120MHz card is fairly old and has never had the heat sink compound replaced, it is certainly time to do so.

By this time the original stuff will have turned to chalk.
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2021-08-17 14:32:25
This is great to watch from the audience 🙂

I did not want to go in the attic again for Box 65.

this sounds incredibly ominous...
Posted by: trag on 2021-08-17 17:34:06
@trag any possiblity you could whip up some TriPEX PLCC ROMs (I have the equipment but it's buried after a house move) so I could also test these with the ROM DIMMs and see any differences too? Ship to @mg.man so he could bring along with the rest?

I somehow did not see this until now (~7PM Tuesday). I'll pull them together and post them to mg.man tomorrow. If they don't get there in time, it's not a disaster if they get lost somewhere. Did CaptainSerial post the code for the TriPEx PLCC chips? I'll need to go look for that.
Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2021-08-18 08:40:47
DIMMs AWAY! 😬
Posted by: trag on 2021-08-18 11:29:14
I somehow did not see this until now (~7PM Tuesday). I'll pull them together and post them to mg.man tomorrow. If they don't get there in time, it's not a disaster if they get lost somewhere. Did CaptainSerial post the code for the TriPEx PLCC chips? I'll need to go look for that.

@jimjamyahauk I thought I followed this up. There is not any PLCC PEx code available on-line other than what James posted for his and DigiBarn's chips. At least, not that I can find.

Captain Serial only posted an extract from his ROM DIMM.
Posted by: mg.man on 2021-08-24 10:54:51
Hi folks, DIMMs are here in the UK! 😀

@jimjamyahauk, I'll hunt down a box and do my best to get them on the way to you tomorrow.
Posted by: jimjamyahauk on 2021-08-24 10:55:27
Hi folks, DIMMs are here in the UK! 😀

@jimjamyahauk, I'll hunt down a box and do my best to get them on the way to you tomorrow.
Yay!!!!! Amazing! 🎉
Posted by: jimjamyahauk on 2021-08-24 10:57:33
So far this has been so much smoother than when Bruce from DigiBarn shipped over the ROMs https://www.applefritter.com/comment/57981#comment-57981
Posted by: trag on 2021-08-25 15:46:16
So far this has been so much smoother than when Bruce from DigiBarn shipped over the ROMs https://www.applefritter.com/comment/57981#comment-57981

Oh, my goodness, yes. It's kind of a miracle you were able to get that thing found. And if you hadn't, we wouldn't have the code for some of these.

At least if these get lost in the post, we can make more.
Posted by: jimjamyahauk on 2021-11-20 01:17:52
Hello! Haven't yet got round to testing out the ROMs.

However on a side note has anyone sold a PowerMac 9700 to a chap called Johnathan Goldman?
Posted by: trag on 2021-11-29 14:01:51
Hello! Haven't yet got round to testing out the ROMs.

However on a side note has anyone sold a PowerMac 9700 to a chap called Johnathan Goldman?

You might want to '@' the participants with 9700s. I don't know how many are still monitoring this thread.
Posted by: Coloruser on 2022-11-06 04:34:50
Has any progress been made to the PEX project?
Posted by: trag on 2023-03-10 12:41:38
Has any progress been made to the PEX project?

Well, everyone who had a PEx without a ROM module and requested a ROM module now has a ROM module. I'm not sure what other progress you might be asking about.
Posted by: joevt on 2023-03-10 19:51:22
Are there any good rom dumps for the 077d.39f1 revision of the PEx ROM? The ones I could find in this thread have a checksum mismatch. The earlier 077d.39b7 ROM has a valid checksum.
https://68kmla.org/bb/index.php?threads/the-great-gazelle-pci-hack-thread-part-2.38360/post-476117
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