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G3 not recognize screen

lhoffstadt

lhoffstadt

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2014
97
6
New Hampshire
Hi all, I have bought a PowerPC G3 B&W desktop as a second hand and I have attach an LCD screen via the VGA port but is not showing any image.
For what I was told, previous owner had it connected to a CRT monitor and I seems that I need to do the same to get an image and then change the resolution so I can hook a LCD monitor.

Is this correct or is there another workaround for this?
For the moment Im trying to get a CRT screen and try to make this work.

Thanks for any help.
 
Altemose

Altemose

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2013
9,189
487
Elkton, Maryland
lhoffstadt said:
Hi all, I have bought a PowerPC G3 B&W desktop as a second hand and I have attach an LCD screen via the VGA port but is not showing any image.
For what I was told, previous owner had it connected to a CRT monitor and I seems that I need to do the same to get an image and then change the resolution so I can hook a LCD monitor.

Is this correct or is there another workaround for this?
For the moment Im trying to get a CRT screen and try to make this work.

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

The Mac should automatically detect that a new display has been detected and adjust the settings to the appropriate resolution. Is this display confirmed working with other computers? Are you using any adapters in this mix?
 
Hrududu

Hrududu

macrumors 68020
Jul 25, 2008
2,299
627
Central US
I'd say verify the card is seated properly, and do a PRAM reset when you boot the machine connected to your LCD.
 
bunnspecial

bunnspecial

macrumors G3
May 3, 2014
8,317
6,373
Kentucky
I've used a variety of LCDs of various sizes and resolutions with my B&W and never had an issue getting any of them to work.

As mentioned, check the LCD with another computer, and be sure it actually works. Make sure the cable you're using is good, and that all connections are seated securely.

If you don't get anywhere with this, I'd suggest pulling the video card from the B&W, giving the contacts a good clean with denatured alcohol or some sort of electronics part cleaner, and then reseating.
 
lhoffstadt

lhoffstadt

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2014
97
6
New Hampshire
hi all, I have tried the LCD screen and is working correctly and I also get an CRT monitor and also is working.
it is like the OS is not booting, when I turn on the MAC it gives the typical sound but just stays there, not led on the keyboard on or mouse.
The first time I power it on and had this issue with the LCD screen I had to keep the power on button for a couple of seconds to power it off, but now when I want to power off the Mac I have to press the button only one time, is like the OS is not booting.

I will take out the video card and check if everything is connected correctly and do the PRAM reset,

thanks
 
Altemose

Altemose

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2013
9,189
487
Elkton, Maryland
lhoffstadt said:
hi all, I have tried the LCD screen and is working correctly and I also get an CRT monitor and also is working.
it is like the OS is not booting, when I turn on the MAC it gives the typical sound but just stays there, not led on the keyboard on or mouse.
The first time I power it on and had this issue with the LCD screen I had to keep the power on button for a couple of seconds to power it off, but now when I want to power off the Mac I have to press the button only one time, is like the OS is not booting.

I will take out the video card and check if everything is connected correctly and do the PRAM reset,

thanks
Click to expand...

I would double check that there is no dust near the slot. If there is, then I recommend that you blow compressed air in it.
 
lhoffstadt

lhoffstadt

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2014
97
6
New Hampshire
this is really strange, I was able to make the Mac to work, had it boot once, everything was working OK, then decided to reboot to see if the issue was solve and then didn't boot back again.
I haven't even move a cable.
I was thinking something loose inside (cable) or something, but during the reboot I have move a cable.
really strange, still trying to figure out was going on here.
 
Altemose

Altemose

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2013
9,189
487
Elkton, Maryland
lhoffstadt said:
this is really strange, I was able to make the Mac to work, had it boot once, everything was working OK, then decided to reboot to see if the issue was solve and then didn't boot back again.
I haven't even move a cable.
I was thinking something loose inside (cable) or something, but during the reboot I have move a cable.
really strange, still trying to figure out was going on here.
Click to expand...



What happens when you do a PMU and PRAM reset?
 
lhoffstadt

lhoffstadt

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2014
97
6
New Hampshire
right after I did that, nothing. I left the Mac for a while unplug of every cable.
Then connect all back again and just push the power button and start for the first time with me.

Then I decided to do a reset to see if everything was working OK and then no luck, same issue has before.
 
Altemose

Altemose

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2013
9,189
487
Elkton, Maryland
lhoffstadt said:
right after I did that, nothing. I left the Mac for a while unplug of every cable.

Then connect all back again and just push the power button and start for the first time with me.



Then I decided to do a reset to see if everything was working OK and then no luck, same issue has before.
Click to expand...


Does reseating the card work?
 
lhoffstadt

lhoffstadt

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2014
97
6
New Hampshire
I took DIMM 1 & 3, a leave inside DIMM 0 & 2 in and now it start working, so one of those DIMMs is faulty.
Took me a while narrowing the issue.
On this type of Mac, the RAM goes in pairs?
 
lhoffstadt

lhoffstadt

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2014
97
6
New Hampshire
I have found the faulty DIMM, now the G3 is working fine.

Sorry for my ignorance on the next question, but a PC DIMM should work in the G3?
My G3 has 4 DIMM 128MB 133MHZ and I have found a 256MB 133MHZ from a PC and I was wondering if I can used this DIMM or should I buy special DIMM for the G3?

Here I have attach a picture.

Up is the PC DIMM and bellow the former and faulty G3 DIMM

thanks again
 

Attachments

  • dimm.jpg
    dimm.jpg
    2.8 MB · Views: 60
Intell

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
There is no difference between memory types for Macs and non-Macs. Memory is memory. As long as the other stick is low density and fits in the slot, it will very likely work. The worst that will happen is your machine will beep/blink out an error code for faulty memory.
 
W

weckart

macrumors 603
Nov 7, 2004
5,835
3,514
Intell said:
There is no difference between memory types for Macs and non-Macs. Memory is memory. As long as the other stick is low density and fits in the slot, it will very likely work. The worst that will happen is your machine will beep/blink out an error code for faulty memory.
Click to expand...

Not so sure about your first statement although in theory it should be correct. I bought a couple of sticks of PC133 recently and happened upon this local seller on Amazon UK. I am familiar with the brand but the ad clearly stated that the sticks were not compatible with Apple computers. The same seller had other PC133 ram that was Mac compatible and obviously cost a little more.

Might be just a scam to upsell to the unwary but all the non-ECC PC133 desktop ram I have ever seen looked identical. The low/high density split seemed to be more of an issue for sodimms.
 
Intell

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
It's all an up sale. Just like buying a Mac external hard drive or internal hard drive. No different other than it come pre-formatted in HFS+.
 
W

weckart

macrumors 603
Nov 7, 2004
5,835
3,514
I thought as much, although some of the low ranking reviews would indicate a problem with chip density with only half the ram recognised on both PCs and Macs and some computers not registering the ram at all.

I know that my Wallstreet will deal with high density ram but only recognise half the registered total whereas the same sticks in my Pismos work without issue - but then again, they are laptops and those tend to be picky about ram.
 
lhoffstadt

lhoffstadt

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2014
97
6
New Hampshire
I have put the 256MB ram from the PC and works great.
Many thanks for the all the help and advice provided to me, I have learn a lot from this issue
 
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