3dfx Voodoo 1 with broken capacitor test with "mojo.exe" + how I made DIY pass-through cable \ VOGONS

3dfx Voodoo 1 with broken capacitor test with "mojo.exe" + how I made DIY pass-through cable

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First post, by analog_programmer

Posted on 2023-08-10, 17:59

analog_programmer Offline

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Hi, retro hardware fellas. This is what I got today from ebay as "Condition: For parts or not working - Not tested":

The damaged capacitor is marked in red rectangle. I think this damaged electrolytic capacitor is just a decoupling cap and it is not a serious damage. All other electronic components on the PCB seems to be OK after a visual inspection with magnifying glass.

I decided to use "mojo.exe" tool for quick test of the card under DOS and since I have no experience with this tool, I'm asking for help to determine if the output is OK or might be some potential problems.

Confirmed by sfryers's logs - OK

Here is the output after these commands
"set SST_INITDEBUG=1
set SST_DEBUGDAC=1
set SST_INITDEBUG_FILE=3dfxsst1.log
mojo.exe":

1sst1Init Routines: InitCode $Revision: 5 $
2sst1InitMapBoard(): BoardsInSystem = 1
3sst1InitMapBoard(): vAddr:0xe8000000 pAddr:0xe8000008 Dev:0x11 Board:0
4sst1InitRegisters(): Setting TREX-to-FBI FIFO THRESHOLD to 0x8...
5sst1InitRegisters(): Setting PRELIM FT-CLK delay to 0x8...
6sst1InitDacDetect(): Entered...
7sst1InitDacDetectICS(): Entered...
8dacWr(0x7,0xb)
9dacRd(0x5,0x79)
10dacRd(0x5,0x2e)
11dacWr(0x7,0x1)
12dacRd(0x5,0x55)
13dacRd(0x5,0x49)
14dacWr(0x7,0x7)
15dacRd(0x5,0x71)
16dacRd(0x5,0x29)
17sst1InitDacDetectICS(): Exiting...
18sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX0INIT0=0x5441
19sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX0INIT1=0xf420
20sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX1INIT0=0x5441
21sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX1INIT1=0xf420
22sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX2INIT0=0x5441
23sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX2INIT1=0xf420
24sst1InitSetGrxClk(): Entered...
25dacWr(0x7,0xe)
26dacRd(0x5,0x0)
27dacWr(0x4,0xa)
28dacWr(0x5,0x7b)
29dacWr(0x5,0x6c)
30dacWr(0x4,0xe)
31dacWr(0x5,0x0)
32sst1InitRegisters(): Setting up FAST DRAM Configuration
33sst1DeviceInfo: Board ID: Obsidian GE
34sst1DeviceInfo: FbiConfig:0x2, TmuConfig:0x11
35sst1DeviceInfo: FBI Revision:2, TMU Revison:1, Num TMUs:1
36sst1DeviceInfo: FBI Memory:2, TMU[0] Memory:2
37sst1DeviceInfo: Dac Type: ICS ICS5342
38sst1DeviceInfo: SliDetect:0
39sst1InitRegisters(): LFB Writes go through memory FIFO...
40sst1InitRegisters(): TEXTURE Writes go through memory FIFO...
41sst1InitRegisters(): exiting with status 1...
42sst1InitShutdown(): Shutting down SST-1 #0...
43sst1InitSetGrxClk(): Entered...
44dacWr(0x7,0xe)
45dacRd(0x5,0x0)
46dacWr(0x4,0xa)
47dacWr(0x5,0x41)
48dacWr(0x5,0x62)
49dacWr(0x4,0xe)
50dacWr(0x5,0x0)
51sst1InitSetGrxClk(): Resetting TMUs after clock change...
52sst1InitShutdown(): Returning with status 1...

Why the log ends with "Returning with status 1..."? Shouldn't it be "Returning with status 0..."? And also: "sst1InitRegisters(): exiting with status 1..."?

This output seems OK

And here is the output after these commands
"set SST_INITDEBUG=1
set SST_DEBUGDAC=1
set SST_INITDEBUG_FILE=CON
mojo.exe > debug.log":

1DPMI: In DpmiHookFxMemmap, addr=e8000000, size=01000000
2DPMI: Loading fxmemmap.vxd
3DPMI: GetDeviceAPI, devid = 0027
4DPMI: GetDeviceAPI: Devid=0027, FuncPtr0000:00000000
5DPMI: GetDeviceID returns NULL!!!
6DPMI: Couldn't get VXDLDR entry point
7Info for Voodoo board # 0:
8=====================================================
9Virtual Base Address:                       0xe8000000
10Physical Base Address:                      0xe8000008
11PCI Device Number:                          0x11
12Vendor ID:                                  0x121a
13Device ID:                                  0x1
14FBI Revision:                               2
15FBI Memory:                                 2 MB
16FBI PowerOn Sense:                          0x2
17TMU PowerOn Sense:                          0x11
18FBI DAC Output Color Format:                24BPP
19Scan-Line Interleaved?                      No
20TMU Revision:                               1
21Number TMUs:                                1
22TMU 0 RAM:                                  2 MB
23DpmiUnmapMemory
24DPMI: DpmiUnhookFxmemmap OK

The following lines bother me here:
"DPMI: GetDeviceID returns NULL!!!
DPMI: Couldn't get VXDLDR entry point"

I'm asking for an opinions if this card has some more potential hardware issues, based on these log-files from "mojo.exe". I'm sorry, but right now I can't install Win 98 and test it with some Glide game.

EDIT: As usual, I ask myself and answer myself, finding sources with some information.

On BuB's YT channel in one of the recent 3dfx Voodoo repair videos there is part with shown mojo-output like one of mine with "DPMI: GetDeviceID returns NULL!!! DPMI: Couldn't get VXDLDR entry point". It seems to be some initialization of the "mojo.exe" utility that is related to Windows 9x, not the videocard. So that's clear to me now that at least this is no problem.

Edit: updated topic title.

Last edited by analog_programmer on 2023-08-14, 03:46. Edited 4 times in total.

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Reply 1 of 4, by sfryers

Posted on 2023-08-11, 07:55

sfryers Offline

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Here are the mojo.exe outputs from my Diamond Monster 3D, under Windows 98 DOS mode on a P3 440BX board.

It doesn't return the same "DPMI: GetDeviceID returns NULL!!! DPMI: Couldn't get VXDLDR entry point" warning message, but as you've stated, that might not necessarily indicate there's an issue with your card.

1sst1Init Routines: InitCode $Revision: 8 $
2sst1InitMapBoard(): BoardsInSystem = 1
3sst1InitMapBoard(): vAddr:0xe8000000 pAddr:0xe8000008 Dev:0xc Board:0
4sst1InitRegisters(): Setting TREX-to-FBI FIFO THRESHOLD to 0x8...
5sst1InitRegisters(): Setting PRELIM FT-CLK delay to 0x8...
6sst1InitDacDetect(): Entered...
7sst1InitDacDetectICS(): Entered...
8dacWr(0x7,0xb)
9dacRd(0x5,0x79)
10dacRd(0x5,0x2e)
11dacWr(0x7,0x1)
12dacRd(0x5,0x55)
13dacRd(0x5,0x49)
14dacWr(0x7,0x7)
15dacRd(0x5,0x71)
16dacRd(0x5,0x29)
17sst1InitDacDetectICS(): Exiting...
18sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX0INIT0=0x5441
19sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX0INIT1=0xf420
20sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX1INIT0=0x5441
21sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX1INIT1=0xf420
22sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX2INIT0=0x5441
23sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX2INIT1=0xf420
24sst1InitSetGrxClk(): Entered...
25dacWr(0x7,0xe)
26dacRd(0x5,0x0)
27dacWr(0x4,0xa)
28dacWr(0x5,0x7b)
29dacWr(0x5,0x6c)
30dacWr(0x4,0xe)
31dacWr(0x5,0x0)
32sst1InitRegisters(): Setting up FAST DRAM Configuration
33sst1DeviceInfo: Board ID: Obsidian GE
34sst1DeviceInfo: FbiConfig:0x2, TmuConfig:0x11
35sst1DeviceInfo: FBI Revision:2, TMU Revison:1, Num TMUs:1
36sst1DeviceInfo: FBI Memory:2, TMU[0] Memory:2
37sst1DeviceInfo: Dac Type: ICS ICS5342
38sst1DeviceInfo: SliDetect:0
39sst1InitRegisters(): LFB Writes go through memory FIFO...
40sst1InitRegisters(): TEXTURE Writes go through memory FIFO...
41sst1InitRegisters(): exiting with status 1...
42sst1InitShutdown(): Shutting down SST-1 #0...
43sst1InitSetGrxClk(): Entered...
44dacWr(0x7,0xe)
45dacRd(0x5,0x0)
46dacWr(0x4,0xa)
47dacWr(0x5,0x41)
48dacWr(0x5,0x62)
49dacWr(0x4,0xe)
50dacWr(0x5,0x0)
51sst1InitShutdown(): Returning with status 1...

1DPMI: In DpmiHookFxMemmap, addr=e8000000, size=01000000
2DPMI: Loading fxmemmap.vxd
3DPMI: mapping e8000000 size 01000000
4VoodooMEssage:  pSST: 0x0 data0: 0x0 data1: 0xe8000001 fn: 0x1000000
5DPMI: VoodooMessage: NULL ptr
6Finally: 00000000
7Info for Voodoo board # 0:
8=====================================================
9Virtual Base Address:                       0xe8000000
10Physical Base Address:                      0xe8000008
11PCI Device Number:                          0xc
12Vendor ID:                                  0x121a
13Device ID:                                  0x1
14FBI Revision:                               2
15FBI Memory:                                 2 MB
16FBI PowerOn Sense:                          0x2
17TMU PowerOn Sense:                          0x11
18FBI DAC Output Color Format:                24BPP
19Scan-Line Interleaved?                      No
20TMU Revision:                               1
21Number TMUs:                                1
22TMU 0 RAM:                                  2 MB
23DpmiUnmapMemory
24DpmiUnmapMemory

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Reply 2 of 4, by analog_programmer

Posted on 2023-08-11, 08:12

analog_programmer Offline

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Rank: Oldbie
Posts: 589
Joined: 2023-06-22, 16:38
Location: Earth, south of "heaven"

sfryers wrote on 2023-08-11, 07:55:

Here are the mojo.exe outputs from my Diamond Monster 3D, under Windows 98 DOS mode on a P3 440BX board. […]
Show full quote

Here are the mojo.exe outputs from my Diamond Monster 3D, under Windows 98 DOS mode on a P3 440BX board.

1sst1Init Routines: InitCode $Revision: 8 $
2sst1InitMapBoard(): BoardsInSystem = 1
3sst1InitMapBoard(): vAddr:0xe8000000 pAddr:0xe8000008 Dev:0xc Board:0
4sst1InitRegisters(): Setting TREX-to-FBI FIFO THRESHOLD to 0x8...
5sst1InitRegisters(): Setting PRELIM FT-CLK delay to 0x8...
6sst1InitDacDetect(): Entered...
7sst1InitDacDetectICS(): Entered...
8dacWr(0x7,0xb)
9dacRd(0x5,0x79)
10dacRd(0x5,0x2e)
11dacWr(0x7,0x1)
12dacRd(0x5,0x55)
13dacRd(0x5,0x49)
14dacWr(0x7,0x7)
15dacRd(0x5,0x71)
16dacRd(0x5,0x29)
17sst1InitDacDetectICS(): Exiting...
18sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX0INIT0=0x5441
19sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX0INIT1=0xf420
20sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX1INIT0=0x5441
21sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX1INIT1=0xf420
22sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX2INIT0=0x5441
23sst1InitRegisters(): Storing TREX2INIT1=0xf420
24sst1InitSetGrxClk(): Entered...
25dacWr(0x7,0xe)
26dacRd(0x5,0x0)
27dacWr(0x4,0xa)
28dacWr(0x5,0x7b)
29dacWr(0x5,0x6c)
30dacWr(0x4,0xe)
31dacWr(0x5,0x0)
32sst1InitRegisters(): Setting up FAST DRAM Configuration
33sst1DeviceInfo: Board ID: Obsidian GE
34sst1DeviceInfo: FbiConfig:0x2, TmuConfig:0x11
35sst1DeviceInfo: FBI Revision:2, TMU Revison:1, Num TMUs:1
36sst1DeviceInfo: FBI Memory:2, TMU[0] Memory:2
37sst1DeviceInfo: Dac Type: ICS ICS5342
38sst1DeviceInfo: SliDetect:0
39sst1InitRegisters(): LFB Writes go through memory FIFO...
40sst1InitRegisters(): TEXTURE Writes go through memory FIFO...
41sst1InitRegisters(): exiting with status 1...
42sst1InitShutdown(): Shutting down SST-1 #0...
43sst1InitSetGrxClk(): Entered...
44dacWr(0x7,0xe)
45dacRd(0x5,0x0)
46dacWr(0x4,0xa)
47dacWr(0x5,0x41)
48dacWr(0x5,0x62)
49dacWr(0x4,0xe)
50dacWr(0x5,0x0)
51sst1InitShutdown(): Returning with status 1...

1DPMI: In DpmiHookFxMemmap, addr=e8000000, size=01000000
2DPMI: Loading fxmemmap.vxd
3DPMI: mapping e8000000 size 01000000
4VoodooMEssage:  pSST: 0x0 data0: 0x0 data1: 0xe8000001 fn: 0x1000000
5DPMI: VoodooMessage: NULL ptr
6Finally: 00000000
7Info for Voodoo board # 0:
8=====================================================
9Virtual Base Address:                       0xe8000000
10Physical Base Address:                      0xe8000008
11PCI Device Number:                          0xc
12Vendor ID:                                  0x121a
13Device ID:                                  0x1
14FBI Revision:                               2
15FBI Memory:                                 2 MB
16FBI PowerOn Sense:                          0x2
17TMU PowerOn Sense:                          0x11
18FBI DAC Output Color Format:                24BPP
19Scan-Line Interleaved?                      No
20TMU Revision:                               1
21Number TMUs:                                1
22TMU 0 RAM:                                  2 MB
23DpmiUnmapMemory
24DpmiUnmapMemory

Thank you very much for sharing me your logs! I've just compared them line by line with my logs and besides different addresses they are identical.

So, seems that TMU and FBI on my Voodoo 1 are OK, I now hope that RAM chips will also be OK.

P.S. Currently I'm in process of making a DIY pass-through VGA cable. And there is so much different wiring diagrams and schematics on the internet due to different VGA revisions through the years, but later I may share my DIY cable which I make according to pinouts for 15-pin VESA DDC2/E-DDC VGA connectors.

Reply 3 of 4, by analog_programmer

Posted on 2023-08-13, 06:43

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Posts: 589
Joined: 2023-06-22, 16:38
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Here it is - sharing results from my attempt to make DIY pass-through cable for Voodo 1/2 card. I used about 0.5 m "Category 5" network cable (this build needs five twisted pairs wires, so two pieces of about 20-25 cm of Cat 5 cable), a couple of telephone wires, aluminium foil shielding from the very same Cat 5 network cable, two pieces of adhesive copper foil, some thermal shrinking tubes and two 15 pin VGA connectors (male & female) + plastic housings for them (the only things that I've bought).

Here is the wiring diagram by which I made the VGA pass-through cable (excuse my paint-ish drawing):

And the final stages of manufacturing process. It was it was quite a tedious job to solder 30 wire ends to VGA connectors and insulate them individually, so there are no pictures from the beginning of my work.

All wiring done. Cable formed by two pieces of yellow thermal shrink tube (I've no better color tube with suitable diameter at hand):

It is important to "ground" the shielding in one point only (in my case I used male VGA connector) otherwise the shielding becomes more of a wire and parasitic currents may flow through it between the two videocards:

The final result:

I tested my DIY cable as an extension to a standard factory made 2 m VGA cable and it doesn't introduce any additional noise or artifacts into the picture on the monitor. The only cons are that the cable is a little "stiff" due to wires I've used and the yellow color of the insulation tube.

Right now I'm repairing the torn pads for the electrolytic capacitor on the Voodoo's PCB - waiting for the glue between the torn pads and the PCB to cure and later I'll solder the capacitor on its original place. Later I will test the card with some Glide API demos under DOS...

Update: The capacitor was resoldered on its original place. Tested the cable in pass-through mode with Voodoo card + two different PCI cards (nVidia Radeon 7000 and S3 Virge/GX) and still there is no signs of artifacts or noise in picture. It works pretty good for such a cheap DIY cable. Also the stiffness "con" turns "pro": the cable almost keeps its shape as I bent it 😀

I'm too lazy now to make 3D rendering tests, so... tomorrow will be "the day of the truth".

Reply 4 of 4, by analog_programmer

Posted on 2023-08-14, 11:26

analog_programmer Offline

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Posts: 589
Joined: 2023-06-22, 16:38
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The "small repair job" wasn't so easy as two of the pads for the almost torn off capacitor were completely separated from the PCB. I first glued them back to PCB (some kind of thermal glue used), then gently soldered to corresponding traces:

The capacitor soldered back on the pads and I've used some UV-curing solder mask to make stand more rigid. Not the cleanest result, but this was the best I could do: