PCI FX5200 Success

[bunnspecial]

I'm happy to report that I was finally able to successfully flash my PCI 5200...with my impending X-serve arrival I needed at least a decent performing PCI video card, so I think this will serve in that role nicely(at least for me to get the computer set up for how I intend to use it).

I ended up locating an older version of NVFlash-version 4.5.something I think-and it worked perfectly.

 

[MatthewLTL]

I'm happy to report that I was finally able to successfully flash my PCI 5200...with my impending X-serve arrival I needed at least a decent performing PCI video card, so I think this will serve in that role nicely(at least for me to get the computer set up for how I intend to use it).

I ended up locating an older version of NVFlash-version 4.5.something I think-and it worked perfectly.

mind providing me with a guide? With the pending of a new motherboard for my MDD and the chance of getting a new computer to replace to 2004 era HP Pavillion a824n system i have, Ill have the PCI nVIDIA GeForce FX5500 from it I will flash for Mac so i can use it so i can flash the bricked Radeon 9550 I have.

 

[bunnspecial]

I followed the directions word-for-word in the Flash Wiki and used ROM downloaded from there.

The only caveat was that I had to hunt down NVFlash 4.5.something as the commands given there are different for newer versions.

 

[MatthewLTL]

I followed the directions word-for-word in the Flash Wiki and used ROM downloaded from there.

The only caveat was that I had to hunt down NVFlash 4.5.something as the commands given there are different for newer versions.

can you link to the website?

Does CoreImage work on PCI cards, or the 5200?

 

[eyoungren]

Yeah, links please! Maybe if you could put your copy of the app on Dropbox?

I've got a 5200 that's been sitting around for a long time waiting to be flashed. If I could to it, I could swap it out with my Radeon 7000.

 

[mikiotty]

Does the DVI port work with digital video?
I have an AGP FX5500 256MB and I used the ROM for the 256MB version, but the DVI port only outputs analog video (it works via DVI to VGA adapter, but image quality is crap). How can I make my AGP card to output digital video through the DVI port?

 

[MatthewLTL]

Does the DVI port work with digital video?
I have an AGP FX5500 256MB and I used the ROM for the 256MB version, but the DVI port only outputs analog video (it works via DVI to VGA adapter, but image quality is crap). How can I make my AGP card to output digital video through the DVI port?

That's what my OEM GeForce 4MX does, Does not output digital video anymore only works DVI to VGA adaptor.

 

[bunnspecial]

Does CoreImage work on PCI cards, or the 5200?

A lot of questions can be answered by taking the time to read everything in a post...

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Yeah, links please! Maybe if you could put your copy of the app on Dropbox?

I've got a 5200 that's been sitting around for a long time waiting to be flashed. If I could to it, I could swap it out with my Radeon 7000.

http://themacelite.wikidot.com/nvidia-general-flashing

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Does the DVI port work with digital video?
I have an AGP FX5500 256MB and I used the ROM for the 256MB version, but the DVI port only outputs analog video (it works via DVI to VGA adapter, but image quality is crap). How can I make my AGP card to output digital video through the DVI port?

That I can't answer, as my card is dual VGA out.

 

[MatthewLTL]

Yeah, links please! Maybe if you could put your copy of the app on Dropbox?

I've got a 5200 that's been sitting around for a long time waiting to be flashed. If I could to it, I could swap it out with my Radeon 7000.

When/If you successfully flash your 5200 could I have your 7000? It would be a nice thing to have for either a future PCI only mac or just as a backup card.

 

[mikiotty]

That's what my OEM GeForce 4MX does, Does not output digital video anymore only works DVI to VGA adaptor.

Mine didn't output digital since I flashed it. I may try with another ROM... maybe the middle one on the MacElite wiki...

 

[MatthewLTL]

A lot of questions can be answered by taking the time to read everything in a post...

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http://themacelite.wikidot.com/nvidia-general-flashing

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That I can't answer, as my card is dual VGA out.

Mine is single VGA out and S-Video out, Has the pots for a DVI port but never had one sadly.

Edit: I see the image says it supports CoreImage but I didn't think that works on PCI vards due to the limit of the PCI bus.

 

[mikiotty]

That I can't answer, as my card is dual VGA out.

Ok, thank you!
I'd happily use the FX5500 if it did work with DVI. My Radeon 9800 just runs too hot for my MDD and it's too loud (mainly because I had to add a PCI slot fan to cool down the case a bit).

 

[MatthewLTL]

Ok, thank you!
I'd happily use the FX5500 if it did work with DVI. My Radeon 9800 just runs too hot for my MDD and it's too loud (mainly because I had to add a PCI slot fan to cool down the case a bit).

assuming your 9800 has no fan just add a small 50mm 10mm thick fan to the heatsink.

I have a 9550 i want to use but that site has no 9550 ROM does anyone know what ROM would work?

 

[bunnspecial]

Edit: I see the image says it supports CoreImage but I didn't think that works on PCI vards due to the limit of the PCI bus.

Core image works to the extent that the 5200 is capable-i.e. it gives ripples when adding a widget to the dashboard, but won't give the translucent menu bar in Leopard(the AGP FX5200 as well as the built-in 5200 in the iMac G4 and 12" Powerbook have these same capabilities/limitations)

 

[mikiotty]

assuming your 9800 has no fan just add a small 50mm 10mm thick fan to the heatsink.

I have a 9550 i want to use but that site has no 9550 ROM does anyone know what ROM would work?

My 9800 has a fan, it's the Hercules 3D Prophet version, and that fan is loud. I already replaced the thermal compound with Arctic Cooling MX-4 and it stopped artifacting (it was completely dry, luckily I didn't fry the chip).
9800 Pros run hot, that's it. And it's too hot for my MDD.

 

[MatthewLTL]

My 9800 has a fan, it's the Hercules 3D Prophet version, and that fan is loud. I already replaced the thermal compound with Arctic Cooling MX-4 and it stopped artifacting (it was completely dry, luckily I didn't fry the chip).
9800 Pros run hot, that's it. And it's too hot for my MDD.

Well what i have done with my 9550s and the FX5500 in the past is place a computer case fan right on the backside of the card it worked pretty good but could be tricky with the "BTX" layout of the MDD and my prevent using a PCI card in the neighboring slot.

 

[mikiotty]

Well what i have done with my 9550s and the FX5500 in the past is place a computer case fan right on the backside of the card it worked pretty good but could be tricky with the "BTX" layout of the MDD and my prevent using a PCI card in the neighboring slot.

I just don't want all that heat in my MDD case. There is an heatsink on the back of the chip, but it isn't enough.
This card works well in my QS and I don't really need it in my MDD, it's there just to output DVI on my main Mac. The FX5200 will be just as good as the 9800 for my daily use.

 

[MacVidCards]

Time to let an old secret out of the bag

When we first handed out some of the 5200/5500 roms we kept one little secret back.

To enable DVI you needed to reroute display outputs.

IIRC correctly, you needed to find "3f3e" and "3736" in the rom and then switch them.

Your mileage may vary, etc.

5200 & 6200 PCI cards could be flashed but results weren't often ideal.

 

[mikiotty]

When we first handed out some of the 5200/5500 roms we kept one little secret back.

To enable DVI you needed to reroute display outputs.

IIRC correctly, you needed to find "3f3e" and "3736" in the rom and then switch them.

Your mileage may vary, etc.

5200 & 6200 PCI cards could be flashed but results weren't often ideal.

...wow! I'm gonna try it tomorrow and I'll let you know! thank you

 

[bunnspecial]

5200 & 6200 PCI cards could be flashed but results weren't often ideal.

I know Intell on here has said-in not so many words-that the PCI version of the 6200 is too much for a typical Mac PCI bus.

I'm still waiting to flash my AGP 6200. I downloaded the 6200 Cube ROM that someone made. I was getting NVFLash 5.x to recognize the 6200, but wasn't able to get it to flash. I've since learned that-apparently-the commands for 5.x are different than 4.x(which the guide I was following was written for) and that was probably the source of my problems. The 4.x version I was using couldn't "see" the 6200(I had both the 5200 and 6200 installed in the computer at the same time), but I'm hopeful that I'll be able to get it to work.

In any case, the 5200 is probably at least temporarily going to end up in a G5 Xserve, which supposedly has two independent PCI-X buses so that hopefully it will at least be able to deal with it well enough long enough for me to get the Xserve set up(my eventual plan is to run the Xserve headless-I just need a decent video card to get it set up). After that, it's probably going to go in a B&W G3, which of course has the "dedicated" 66mhz PCI graphics bus.

 

[harrymatic]

When we first handed out some of the 5200/5500 roms we kept one little secret back.

To enable DVI you needed to reroute display outputs.

IIRC correctly, you needed to find "3f3e" and "3736" in the rom and then switch them.

Your mileage may vary, etc.

5200 & 6200 PCI cards could be flashed but results weren't often ideal.

That's funny - I was just reading the thread on the Strangedogs forum earlier today about the secret DVI mod. I was given an AGP FX5200 this week in a big box of parts (including a sizeable quantity of 512MB PC133 memory) so I might have a go at flashing it.

It's really nice to have one of the card flashing experts around here - I thought that you had all left the scene years ago.

 

[bunnspecial]

It's really nice to have one of the card flashing experts around here - I thought that you had all left the scene years ago.

I agree-having MacVidCards looking in on our little corner of the world and offering his input is an invaluable gift-especially since he was one of the ones who blazed the trail for what we're all tinkering around with now.

 

[MacVidCards]

That's funny - I was just reading the thread on the Strangedogs forum earlier today about the secret DVI mod. I was given an AGP FX5200 this week in a big box of parts (including a sizeable quantity of 512MB PC133 memory) so I might have a go at flashing it.

It's really nice to have one of the card flashing experts around here - I thought that you had all left the scene years ago.

OK, the weird thing is I don't recall exactly if the mod was to find "3736" and replace it with "3637" or if it was "3f3e" and "3736" got switched. Whoever is going to try this be warned. If you brick the card you can send it to me and I'll put a new eeprom on it but I no longer have anything with an AGP slot.

So many fun little secrets that have disappeared.

There were some very special GeForce 3 boards from PNY that fit in a Cube. Amazing thing was if you looked long enough you could find them in a 128 Meg version. One of the COD games at the time allowed greater graphics detail on these then the 64 Meg versions.

The really awesome thing that has vanished was the Quadro card that could be flashed into a 6800GT or 6800 Ultra. What made it special was the Dual-Link chip. So, it could run a 30" display. There were also some 6600GT cards that could also run a 30". Not many 30" options for G4s but sadly I don't think anyone flashes either of those anymore.

The X800 FireGl card has the same chip I seem to recall.

 

[mikiotty]

When we first handed out some of the 5200/5500 roms we kept one little secret back.

To enable DVI you needed to reroute display outputs.

IIRC correctly, you needed to find "3f3e" and "3736" in the rom and then switch them.

Your mileage may vary, etc.

5200 & 6200 PCI cards could be flashed but results weren't often ideal.

IT WORKED! You have to invert 3f3e and 3736 DVI outputs digital video, VGA port works but I can't have dual displays. Any way to fix that?

 

[MatthewLTL]

i wemt tp that site and its for PC flashing. How do i flash in a Mac?