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Apple PowerMac G3 TealBLue & White Doesn't recognize PCI slot

S

scottyb70

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 27, 2014
16
0
Hi,

I believe my Mac Pro G3 is not recognizing my GPIB 488.2 card. I don't think the card is bad because I put it in my Windows XP machine and it recognized it does anyone have an idea of what the problem would be.

I am using the Mac with a Dell this is the controller for a film Drum Scanner. I know this might be a little ancient but I am having a hard time getting it to work. I am running Mac OS 9.2 in apple classic.

Here is a post that talks more about my situation. I have been at this for 3 days.

http://www.largeformatphotography.i...ying-to-get-my-ColorGetter3-Drumscanner-Going

I have two Eagle Drives and tried to install the 488.2 GPIB on both of them. When I try to install the drivers from the manufacturer of the card they still can't recognize where the card is.

I launched the Apple System Profiler and it doesn't even show the GPIB card present. Even though the card worked on my old Windows XP system. Could it be a faulty card. I did order another and it is on its way. Same serial number and date of manufacturer.

I can post pics if needed.
 
Do you have the GPIB drivers installed in OS 9?

This should be correct download (I think) http://www.ni.com/download/cds/view/p/lang/en/id/417/

When you say Classic, that's a special mode when you are booted to OS X, and running OS 9 in a Classic environment - similar to a virtual machine.
So, are you booted to OS X, and running OS 9 in Classic mode?
Or, are you actually booted in OS 9?
Some hardware, such as PCI cards, may not be accessible from OS 9 apps if you are not actually booted to OS 9. Some cards may work OK, but others just won't - so it will be helpful to know how you are booted on your G3.
 
Last edited:
Hi,

When I turn on the machine it shows Mac OS X loading. I then click on the number 9 in the upper right hand corner and either start classic or when I click on the ColorRight Software or any other program that relates to my scanner it boots into classic mode.
 
Hi,

Just to give you an update. I did install the driver you recommended to me. On the Hardware Verificaton panel it states no GPIB installed. This happend when I click on the NI-488.2 software icon labeled IBDIAG PCI.

I even went into the System Profiler and no GPIB was shown or PCI slot shown. The only thing that registered was in the PCI/AGP panel was the ATY Rage 128 Display.

I did a hard reboot before checking this.
 
Here is another thing I came across. When I check out my options for Start UP Disk. I was able to choose

  1. Mac OSX 10.3.9 on Eagle
  2. Mac OS 9.2.1 on Eagle
  3. Mac OS 8.6 on Eagle
  4. Mac OS 8.6 on Eagle 1
  5. Mac OS 9.2.1 on Eagle 1

Just to make it clear on start up Mac OSX loads up. When I go into classic it is Mac OS 9.2.1 on Eagle
 
Choose the Eagle 9.2.1 as your startup disk.
Restart your Mac.
And, your Mac should boot to OS 9
Try out the card, then.

I'm guessing that you have more than one hard drive.

Do you have any other cards intalled (other than the GPIB), and the ATI video card?

I think it is important that, while you are actually booted to OS 9 - that you install the GPIB software AGAIN. Installing that while booted to OS X may just make it available to OS X, and the Classic mode might not see the driver (and the card) correctly, or at all. You will probably have to restart after the install.
Restart even if the installer doesn't require it. Make sure that the restart is booting to OS 9 (not OS X). If you see the grey Apple icon at boot (and not the Apple smiley face), then you know that's OSX, which won't be correct.
 
Yes I have two Hard Drives one labeled eagle and the other eagle 1.

Does it matter if I have the startup disk 9.2.1 on Eagle or Eagle 1?

No other cards installed. Just the ATI

----------

I restarted on Eagle 1 I got a system error

Unimplemented trap

To temporarily turn off extensions, restart and hold down shift key.

Having a hard time getting into operating system. The error as I stated above keeps occurring.

----------

Just to let you know I got back into the regular system startup by pressing the Opt-alt-p-r buttons.

Will give it a go in eagle.
 
Hey Delta Mac,

It worked on the Eagle disk.

I went to system profiler and in the Devices and Volume tab I have the following.
 

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That's good news!
If you didn't try yet, be sure to reinstall that GPIB driver software while you are booted to your present OS 9 system.

Does the software that is actually supposed to use that card work, too?

Just an old Mac lesson to learn here. The hardware doesn't necessarily cooperate with the software. Particularly, OS X systems don't always know what to do with OS 9 hardware, when it needs full hardware access. Better to boot to the native system for that hardware. Sometimes it all works together - and other times. you have to know how to "diddle" with the alternate OS.
SOMETIMES, when you reinstall from OS 9, then restart into OS X, then try Classic - that the hardware still knows what to do, because the driver is installed where it is needed for Classic, and not just OS X. Don't expect that to happen. You may just need to remember that you have to boot to OS 9 if you want to use the scanner, etc.
 
Cool thanks alot for the help. Right now I am not connected to the scanner because it is at my business location. I have the apple connected to a Dell 333 s/l controller unit. The dell boots up with the ColorGetter Software on a 3.5" disk inside the floppy drive.
Right now when I try to run my ColorGetter 5.2 software I get the message" Can't find Cologetter Software." which I was getting before. But right now, I don't have the apple connected to the scanner this is why I am still getting it. I hope so.
I am going to go try it tomorrow and keep you posted.

Now since I changed the boot sequence I have to run this old version all the time or should I start the startup in OSX when I install the driver you told me about right now? I think I might be ok. Here is the setup. The auto configuration box states slot one, but I have the GPIB card in the middle pci slot which I believe is slot 3. I don't know if this makes a difference or not.

As a matter of fact since the NI-488 config file is running I don't think I need to install any other driver?
Here is a pic.
 

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scottyb70 said:
...
Now since I changed the boot sequence I have to run this old version all the time or should I start the startup in OSX when I install the driver you told me about right now? I think I might be ok. Here is the setup. The auto configuration box states slot one, but I have the GPIB card in the middle pci slot which I believe is slot 3. I don't know if this makes a difference or not.

As a matter of fact since the NI-488 config file is running I don't think I need to install any other driver?
...
Click to expand...

Cool! You MAY not need other software installed, I don't know...
All you can do now is try it.
I am pretty sure that if you install software again, it should be installed while you are booted to the system that you should use with the card, which will be OS 9, not OS X.
Can you run the B&W G3 as a dedicated system just for the scanner - or are you going to use that for other tasks, too?
 
It is a dedicated computer to the scanner only, not even internet hookup. My only concern is if it fails. My buddy told me I should get a back up computer. I was looking at a G5 , but in a very old post a drum scanner guy said that the G3 is the only computer that will work with the scanner. I don't see why I couldn't use a G4, G5 etc. Then trying to find a Dell 333 is a trick and I think I could just use an old 386 pc for that.

I will have to see, no one maintains this type of scanner anymore so I am going to have to be my own tech on it. It's a shame because if you are into still shooting film, Drum scanning is the ultimate.

These drum scanners are hard to come by. I have a dongle for the software and it allows me to run the ColorRight software. I still hope it works. The dongle is very hard to find. They say you have to put the dongle between the Mac and keyboard via the ADB port. The guy that I bought the scanner from told me I can just keep it in the ADB port and run a usb keyboard if need. I don't need to connect it to the keyboard. Anyways I bought a Macintosh II keyboard with mouse to be safe.

I really appreciate the help.
 
If the software requires an ADB dongle then the B&W is the last Powermac that has the requisite port. Those were dropped with the G4 Powermacs. Fortunately, B&Ws aren't exactly rare or expensive so a back up system should not cost much if you really need to rely on this scanner hardware.
 
Fortunately for you, GPIB cards(aka HPIB or IEEE-488) are cheap and plentiful. I'd advise stocking up on them also, although admittedly I've never seen one go bad.

I've pulled a lot of IEEE-488 cards out of computers at school that were headed to surplus.

Although this is a very old standard, from what I've seen it's on its way out in applications where it's been a mainstay(like scientific instruments). A lot of the applications that once used IEEE-488 have switched over to ethernet or USB.
 
Just to let you know, I was able to run the scanner when I did a start up boot into OS 9.2. I tried booting into OX 10.3.9 again and it still didn't work. I like OS X better, but I don't think it is going to work.

I noticed my video is pretty bad in 9.2 is there any other way I could get drivers. I am sure it is because the vid card can't handle the high resolution files. I do not have a original disk.
 
scottyb70 said:
I noticed my video is pretty bad in 9.2 is there any other way I could get drivers.
Click to expand...

Do you know which video card you have? The B&W G3s originally came with OS 8.5.1, so 9.2 should already include all necessary drivers for the Apple-shipped video card (which I think was a Rage 128).

If you have an upgraded card then we'll need to know what it is :)
 
It is the original ATI 128. Here is what is happening when I view the image in OS 9.2 Delta Mac helped me out on the drivers for the GPIB card but they didn't work. I just thought he might have know of something else. He told me that it will probably have to run in 9.2. I like the way OSX is laid out better, but if I have to stay with 9.2 to run the scanner I will be happy with that, at least my scanner is running now.

Here is a pic for the ATI card and a sample of what the image looks like while being scanned. I transferred the image to my computer that has PhotoShop on it and preview at 100% the scans are clean. This is why I am assuming it's the Apple.
 

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The Rage 128 is not exactly a great performing video card. It was okay for its time, but is definitely showing its age.

It would be nice if you could move up to G4 with an AGP slot, as there are a lot of cards available for that range of systems.

I'd suggest looking for a Mac-edition PCI Radeon 9200. This won't come cheaply, but it's one of the best performing video cards you can get for your computer without flashing a Windows card. Just be sure that you are in fact getting the Mac edition, or be prepared to learn how to flash it with the Mac ROM.
 
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Although I have no experience with the program you're using, I do have some experience with using ADB software keys on other pieces of software.

In my experience, the USB to ADB adapters DO NOT work with software keys. They state that they really are only for a keyboard and mouse. I've also not had a whole lot of luck using them with other ADB peripherals like tablets.

Since G5s can't boot to OS 9, and you only have so far been able to get the program to work in Classic mode, I'd avoid a G5. If you are able to get a G4 to work, you will also want to avoid the Mirrored Drive Door G4 models with a Firewire 800 port, as these also can not boot into OS 9.
 
I would avoid G4s and G5s because ADB port. Your best bet is the B&W. If you want to pep it up, it can be upgraded to take a G4 cpu. There is no way to add an ADB port by PCI card.

As far as I know, iMates and similar are there only to attach basic I/O peripherals, aka mouse and keyboard. Put an iMate on your ADB dongle and the Mac will only see it as a USB dongle, which is not what your software is looking for.
 
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