Re: Pravetz-16ES from Bulgaria - I wanted it original, but it turned out better with upgrades

Posted on 2023-07-30, 18:48

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Not much Bulgarian parts left from the original assembly of this ancient "Pravetz 16" - the case, maybe the PSU and the floppy controller, which I think was made in factory in another town (not in Pravetz), but it's now a very nicely upgraded old 8088/86 machine. That sticker on the PSU says "110/ …

---

Re: Help with a TNT2 PRO 1 long beep, 2 short beeps... wont post

Posted on 2023-07-30, 18:35

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

I tried to dump the firmware from what I think is the same card that bifflog has posted about. This is the info from the back of the card: G4000Pro 32MB W/O NVidia: 180-P0009-0000-C03 PWA-G4000PRO/GRAPHIC CARD The sticker on the Flash ROM is obscured by the heatsink, but I think it says this: …

---

Re: Geforce FX 5200 upgrade?

Posted on 2023-07-27, 16:16

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Cheapest (for free) upgrade of NV34 FX 5200 card: flash FX 5200 BIOS with NV34B FX 5500 one. From another forum: "The FX5200 to FX5500 gives you an automatically done overclock and the Intellisample 1.0 activated, wich is doubtfully useful." I have now a Chaintech A-FX20-N (FX 5200, 128MB DDR 400, …

---

Re: Is the FX5600 a great option for Win98?

Posted on 2023-07-25, 18:28

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

I also asked about overclocking, so can it damage the card or shorten lifespan?? You can damage the card by overheating due to bad cooling with some serious overclock. Or if you add in equation some voltmod for even more overclock. As for the lifespan shortening... theoretically - yes, overclock …

---

Re: Is the FX5600 a great option for Win98?

Posted on 2023-07-25, 17:48

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Actually FX 5500 is later revision of FX 5200's GPU in all plastic package. And official frequencies for FX 5500 are 270MHz GPU/400MHz DDR vs 250/400 for FX 5200. So, there is more than just +20MHz for GPU in the end results. And there are enough successful upgrades of FX 5200 to FX 5500 just by …

---

Re: Is the FX5600 a great option for Win98?

Posted on 2023-07-25, 16:22

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

FX5200 Ultra > FX5500 > FX5200. So I doubt it had any new features unlocked. FX5500 was just a rebrand to fall in line with FX5700 and FX5900 series. Аs far as I understood from the information on the internet about the FX generation video cards, FX 5600 Ultra is with faster memory chips and …

---

Re: Is the FX5600 a great option for Win98?

Posted on 2023-07-25, 15:35

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

GeForce FX 5600 is FX 5200 with all GPU features enabled and usually better memory chips installed. FX5200 suffers greatly in performance, due to lack of those. It was a horrible card which never should have been released. FX5600 is noticeably better. The Serpent Rider , you just gave me some sick …

---

Re: Is the FX5600 a great option for Win98?

Posted on 2023-07-25, 13:17

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

A comment from some YT video about "how bad is FX 5200" which is one of most hated nV videocards: "May be a crap card, but it has some niche use now. FX cards are actually great for retro Windows 98 builds because of cost + performance + compatibility. 3dfx Voodoo cards are ideal but cost an arm and …

---

Re: Help with a TNT2 PRO 1 long beep, 2 short beeps... wont post

Posted on 2023-07-25, 11:17

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

I made the mistake of buying the same card. It appears to be an OEM card for Compaq. The stickers branding the card say "G4000 Pro" but it's not a TNT2 Pro, it's an M64. The driver and GPU-Z give the name "Model 64 / Model 64 Pro" like those are both valid names. Maybe this is a "TNT2 M64 Pro", if …

---

Re: Help with a TNT2 PRO 1 long beep, 2 short beeps... wont post

Posted on 2023-07-21, 04:05

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

bifflog wrote on 2023-07-20, 18:06: Does the lesser memory bus kneecap the performance? I would say what I am seeing thus far falls short of benchmarks... Yep. And the pictures confirm that your TNT2 Pro is chinese made clone with 64bit memory bus, similar to mine dead cheapo TNT2 "half Pro" card.

---

Re: Help with a TNT2 PRO 1 long beep, 2 short beeps... wont post

Posted on 2023-07-20, 05:54

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Display is working now, after installing drivers I find that despite being advertised as a TNT2 Pro it shows as a TNT2 M64 according to nVidia settings panel (classic eBay!). Probably your videocard is a chinese clone of TNT2 Pro based card with cut in half memory bus (64bit width instead of 128bit …

---

Re: I need help to repair an old NV RIVA TNT2 Pro/32M card

Posted on 2023-07-14, 03:45

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

You should be able to read these chips if you disable chip recognition (i.e. force the chip type). Choosing any kind of 64KB chip (27C512 or similar) should work. IIRC both UNIFLASH and flashrom allow forcing the chip type. There is logical sense in this approach, I have to try it. But if the data …

---

Re: I need help to repair an old NV RIVA TNT2 Pro/32M card

Posted on 2023-07-13, 14:21

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Do you have an EPROM programmer? No, I don't have an actual EPROM programmer. Already tried, but I can't read this OTP ROM chip with software like NVFLASH, UNIFLASH or FLASHROM (DOS version) - they just do not recognize Amic A276308-70 chip. Recently I've purchased some 128kb 5V EEPROM chip to …

---

Re: Need Help With Missing Components On GeForce 2 Pro

Posted on 2023-07-10, 03:00

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

shamino wrote on 2023-07-10, 00:04: These capacitors are so small that it's not easy to accurately measure them. For measurements of very small SMD components I use these Filename testtweezers.jpg File size 17.22 KiB Views 409 views File comment test twizzers and a piece of scotch tape to hold …

---

Re: Need Help With Missing Components On GeForce 2 Pro

Posted on 2023-07-06, 04:34

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

You're right, without circuit diagram there's no easy way to find info for this obsolete missing SMD component "C3 05 T" on the internet. My best guess is it's SOT23 formfactor (you can check this by element's physical dimensions) and there are some possibilities to be double diode, VRM or MOSFET/ …

---

Re: Need Help With Missing Components On GeForce 2 Pro

Posted on 2023-07-05, 18:45

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

This bent thing near D200 "C3 05 T" is the same SMD transistor as D200 and it's there, just slightly desoldered. Try to resolder it on its proper position. If it does not work - change it. Just search and find suitable SMD replacment for C3 05 T.

---

Re: I need help to repair an old NV RIVA TNT2 Pro/32M card

Posted on 2023-07-05, 18:36

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

There is an update with the situation around this cursed TNT2 Pro. Still I do not know if it is for good or worse :D Now officially this card has all symptoms of dead BIOS: the screen is completely dark, but system boots normally and no complains about videocard errors during POST (I always use POST …

---

Re: I need help to repair an old NV RIVA TNT2 Pro/32M card

Posted on 2023-07-02, 10:22

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Is the 150K still 150 when connected to the motherboard? Only way to know is to desolder both. I guess that the 8.8 will read 10K, but the 150 is 150K, reading is correct. https://kiloohm.info/smd3-resistor/154 The measured values of 12.2k instead of 150k for R77 and 8.8k instead of 10k for R78 ( …

---

Re: Did I just broke it ???? GeForce 2 GTS

Posted on 2023-07-02, 06:46

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Yes, you've successfully destroyed the chip beyond all repairs. Just wondering, for what reason and how did you manage to split this GPU into two halves? Why the hell it was necessary to remove its heatsink? Right now I'm trying to repair a defective TNT2 card and its heatsink is messing with my …

---

Re: I need help to repair an old NV RIVA TNT2 Pro/32M card

Posted on 2023-07-02, 06:34

by

by analog_programmer

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Following Mr. Croc's advise I checked some SMD elements near the GPU. It is very tricky job using multimeter, magnifying glass and cheapo chinese USB "microscope". Unfortunately I have no schematic diagrams for this videocard. 1.jpg 4.jpg 5.jpg Checked for shorted caps - none found so far. Also no …

---