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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Robert17 on December 14, 2004, 09:44:56 PM
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Hey all, just set up my Prom with Voodoo3 but when you choose a screenmode it just goes to a black screen :-?
Help!
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Dumb question, do you have a SVGA monitor hooked to the Voodoo 3?
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Yes, where are the instructions? :-P :lol:
It definately toggles the monitor on, just gives no picture, the monitor definately works though
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Robert17 wrote:
Yes, where are the instructions? :-P :lol:
Should be an instruction sheet in the box.
Explore the CD, there's a text file with quick & dirty instructions for the updated software installation.
_edit-
Also did you attach the Promethues in P96Mode?
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I've done that but I still get a black screen... maybe I'm setting up the P96 prefs incorrectly... I select Prometheus and it displays all the modes, so I save, reboot...
Robert
when I click test the monitor changes refresh rate, but no picture.
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Do you have the power cable hooked up to the Prometheus? Try running PRMSCAN. Make sure you can see the boards plugged into the Prommy. Sounds like you have a borked P96 install. Check EXPANSION drawer, make sure there is NO Prometheus.library on there.
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the power is connected, prmscan says voodoo and network, there's no prometheus.library in expansion either :-?
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All good so far. When you installed P96, did you select a frquency you know your SVGA monitor can handle? If the miggy aint crashing when attempting to test a screemode, you are close. Try testing other resolutions and color depths.
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nah no luck, I'm gonna try again another day
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okay well here's what I've got... all the modes available are attached to Prometheus in the Picasso settings, but nothing is displayed on the screen, I have re-installed the software as describes in the readme...
Robert
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Hmm
For sh-ts and giggles do you have a PC to test the Voodoo on? It should work at this point...
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The machine crashes when you Select to Test the mode in the picasso settings...
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And it wasn't crashing before right? Odd...
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Nope, not sure what's going on :-(
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Do you have the ability to start from a fresh OS3.9?
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no, I'm using OS3.1 at the moment, could that be why?
Robert
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Cool - it's like delayed Real Time Chat!!!
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No, OS3.1 should work unless there are some hacks or such going on.
Do you have the ability to try from a fresh OS3.1 installation?
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yeah now trying it, although it's 00:30 here now, and I have college... err today!
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Ok when you do.. go slowly one step at a time..
Install Prometheus software (old revision 1.5)
reboot
Check board status in early boot menu, use PRMSCAN.
Install P96 fresh. Select safe frequency.
Reboot
Attach board in P96Mode
Reboot
Test diferent resolutions in P96Mode.
Report back.
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I followed your steps and I still get a black display when I try to change into a VGA screenmode :-(
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I suspect either a bad Voodoo card or frequencies outside your VGA monitor's range(unlikely). Have you tried multiple screenmodes? Do you have a PC to test the Voodoo?
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Well, at the moment we're managing to get a screenmode to come up, for some reason it displays the screen when you press a key on the keyboard... but the machine seems locked, no mouse movement etc but still resets by keystroke
Robert
Edit: Does The Voodoo3 Card need to be put first on the PCI board, i.e before the ethernet adaptor? I just got it to display a screen, like the workbench but with no icons and the mouse cursor won't move, when you select the Edit function
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Robert17 wrote:
Well, at the moment we're managing to get a screenmode to come up, for some reason it displays the screen when you press a key on the keyboard... but the machine seems locked, no mouse movement etc but still resets by keystroke
Wait a second, where are you testing Voodoo modes??? In 'Screenmode' or 'P96Prefs'??? It sounds like you are testing Screenmode. When you test in P96Prefs you don't get a WB screen, you get a test picture with color bars.
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I'm using P96Prefs, however I'm trying to test in 640x480 at the moment, and I get a Black screen with just the cursor, and the cursor will not move.
Robert
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Robert17 wrote:
I'm using P96Prefs, however I'm trying to test in 640x480 at the moment, and I get a Black screen with just the cursor, and the cursor will not move.
Robert
Ok.. It's not crashing though, good sign. Go ahead and install PromUpdate. Reboot and try testing another screenmode.
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After installing Promupdate, trying the same screenmode as before (640x480 256colour) just gives a blank screen, no cursor like before.
Robert
It's behaving really oddly indeed, perhaps the Voodoo3 card is faulty?
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Robert17 wrote:
After installing Promupdate, trying the same screenmode as
It's behaving really oddly indeed, perhaps the Voodoo3 card is faulty?
Exactly what I am suspecting after all you've tested. Do you have a PC to test the Voodoo on? Or another Voodoo 3/4 to throw in for testing?
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Funnily enough I have loads of other Voodoo cards lol but none comapitble with the prommy, all Voodoo2 and one Voodoo4 AGP, so everything but what I need! I'll test it in my PC as soon as I can, it does seem as if the amiga crashed whilst changing modes though, I've only actually got any display at all a few times, so maybe it was fluke.
Robert
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I just put the Voodoo3 in a Compaq PC and it showed the post screen and startup fine so that proves the card works...
Robert
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Oh wow, remove the prommy and reseat everything. It SHOULD work. I don't see why else it wouldn't.
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Robert, please tell us your hardware specs down to the very last detail.
Do you have?
Amiga 3000(T) or 4000(T)?
Your Buster chip revision is 7, 9, or 11?
If Amiga 3000, Dmac and Ramsey chip revisions?
Kickstart ROM revision?
Monitor brand name and model number?
CPU card model?
Memory used?
Fast memory on motherboard?
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yeah, I'll try it, just seems real weird :s perhaps it's been a logn time since the zorro slot I'm using has had something connected in.
Robert
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This may seem silly, but are you switching to the output on the Voodoo card after you select a Prometheus screen mode? You'll need either two monitors or a vga switchbox.
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Okay, an update for you, I'm using a Commodore monitor for the AGA and an SVGA one for the voodoo, by the way.
Anyway in the settings I have
Prometheus (1) - Village 38 (ID $5002)
Prometheus (1) - Village 38 (ID $5102)
I've tested the modes on both of these, however when I click test, the native display freezes with the busy pointer, the vga monitor flicks, but doesn't chaange screenmode and remains blank.
Robert
Edit: Earlier on today I inserted and re-insterted the prometheus several times, as well as the voodoo to the pci slot.
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Amiga 4000 - Micronik zorro busboard
Buster 11
Kickstart 3.1
Cyberstorm PPC 233/060
128mb on that
4mb on motherboard.
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Robert17 wrote:
Amiga 4000 - Micronik zorro busboard
This could be it. Check if any other members on this board successfully use Prometheus with this busboard, or any other non-standard one.
4mb on motherboard.
I'd remove any motherboard ram but the 2MB chip ram.
You could also try and install the network card, and see if it works. This would indicate at least that your busboard works fine with Prometheus.
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I think it works, as the Picture on the Matay website of the prommy installed look exactly like My Micronik tower...
Robert
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Okay, I just tried the Ethernet card, using Miami, and the machine crashes in the same way when it tried to acess the network card, as it does when trying to test screenmodes on the voodoo... Has anyone used a Prometheus with a Micronik A4000 (7 Zorro slot) busboard?
Robert
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Right, just tried the prommy with the Original A4000 daughterboard, and it behaves in exactly the same way as it did with the Micronik daughterboard, however on all occaisions PromInfo detected both the cards... Maybe it's a fauly prometheus ?
Robert
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Robert17 wrote:
Right, just tried the prommy with the Original A4000 daughterboard, and it behaves in exactly the same way as it did with the Micronik daughterboard, however on all occaisions PromInfo detected both the cards... Maybe it's a fauly prometheus ?
Boy, that's strange. You might try using the original Prometheus drivers that came on the original Prometheus CD with the card. I use a Prometheus in an A4000/16MB with GVP TrexxII060/128MB, Buster 11, and Rev. B daughterboard no problem with a Voodoo 3000 (though that chip gets hot!). I do recall that when I tried to install the Prometheus updates (I forget the version #s), it didn't work any more. So I switched back to the original cd drivers (which work fine with Picasso96 and Warp3Dv4.2). I also remember reading in Amiga Format years ago either the Micronik or Elbox ZIII board requires some kind of trace cut on the daugherboard to make all the slots work right. Since your problem also exists with the original 4000 daughtercard that's probably not the issue. Hope this helps.