Hello, World! :D - Robert B's PC builds - oogle away freely :) - OLD Hardware Emporium

[Robert B]

An UNEXPECTED Event!

Yesterday I received two IDE HDDs. Nothing to write home about, right? This is also exactly what I was thinking. But wait, there is a catch to this, apparently innocuous event! He He...

When I heard the name of the first HDD I was about to receive, I was like this: Quantum (This sounds about right (raised eyebrow)), Trail......(WAIT, IT CANNOT BE!), .....BLAZER(ARE YOU FOR REAL?!)

When I saw the HDDs in the flesh, I found out that one was a Quantum Trailblazer 850MB my first HDD, and the other was a Seagate Medalist ST38420A - 8.6 GB. When I saw the Seagate I said WTH! happened here. Someone separated the metallic glued top and now it was glued to the specifications sticker. That certain someone also removed the platter protectiom sticker. Observe the pine tree and the read-write head reflection in the platter . I applied ORAFOL Film to temporary protect the platters and I also used a hair dryer to separate the metallic cover from the specifications sticker.

Soon I will test the HDDs. The Quantum looks MINT and if it works as good as it looks, it will take the place of the other Quantum Trailblazer from the 5x86 build, as the latter has seen several hundred thousands of miles of usage and I want to protect it . The Seagate might work, I dont know.

Quantum TRAILBLAZER 840AT - P/N TR84A011 Rev. 02-D - funny thing that when you want something, it comes when you least expect it, from someone you least expect it and sometimes in pairs. Now I have TWO Quantum Trailblazers...special event for sure



Seagate Medalist ST38420A - 8.6 GB - This is a case of an extremely curious individual or an uninformed one. If it wont work then we know why it looks like this.



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/33l81eb06/

Testing, TESTING, 1,2....t e s t i n g!

Today I ran some tests on:

* Quantum TRAILBLAZER TRB850A / 840AT 850MB P/N TR84A011 Rev. 02-D
* Seagate Medalist ST38420A 8.6GB

Quantum TRAILBLAZER TRB850A is working fine but not all was smooth sailing.

Initial testing revealed some problems with the Quantum. The read /write graphs in HDD Tune were kind of bad. The tests were made using an Abit Serillel adapter, AT PSU, ExpressCard - eSATA card, on my Acer Aspire 5315 laptop. The most important fact is that it has no reallocated sectors and the motor works well.



First, the HDD was put through several cycles of ERASE and VERIFY in HDD Tune, followed by another set of ERASE and VERIFY cycles in HDDScan 3.3 - on Windows 10. HDDScan has shown some sectors with delays. These delays were consistent and I was pretty sure that the years it stood in storage, a bad PSU, inadequate storage and other factors have made the HDD to not function properly.

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1h82ougng/



The files on the HDD were from 1999/2000 and they were ERADICATED!

I ran a HDD Regenerator test on Win 10 to see the real state of the HDD . Yep HDDScan was right. DELAYS DELAYS DELAYS. A full format didnt fix this.



Next I took the HDD and I put it in the rack from the PIII-550 build and I ran three passes of HDD Regenerator. I was pretty sure that this wil fix it.

I wasnt wrong. Look how nicely the read graph goes down and remember how it looked before. I also ran Atto, and Roadkil's Disk Speed tests on Win 98SE. THE HDD IS MINT!!!

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/jhtn31qo/



Seagate Medalist ST38420A - the situation wasnt pretty at all.

I hooked it to a PSU and when I saw that the motor was not working I knew it was kind of done for.

I removed the PCB and after I saw burn marks I knew for sure it was done. This was the motive that it looked strange with the removed metalic cover. The owner maybe didnt check the PCB or he tried to spin it by hand......etc etc etc.

I kept the PCB, the screws, the magnets and the rest went into the trash.

Case closed! I'm not keeping broken pieces of hardware and especially broken HDDs.

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/31mm5kr5m/



More later.

 

[Robert B]

3dfx Voodoo 1 - Diamond Monster 3D PCI 4MB & Creative Labs Graphics Blaster RIVA TNT - CT6710 - 16MB AGP - IN THE HOUSE!!!

Today I took my sweet time and I've returned these two beauties to their original glory!

Some battle scars remain, but a V1 is still a V1 even knee deep in the dead and a TNT is still a TNT under a foot of rubble.

You are well acquainted with the procedures that have been performed so I think there is no need for further details. (Full dismantling-Protection of the stamped ink markings-Cleaning-Washing with isopropyl alcohol 99%-Reassembly-Sit back and enjoy a job well done ).

Shiny TRINKETS!!!



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/j69nvyxw/

3dfx Voodoo 1 - Diamond Monster 3D PCI 4MB Rev. E

Arrival state



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/2w79wobe6/

Preparation



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1fnyy8l2o/

Results



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1i9timud2/

Photographs aplenty

Here I took no prisoners and took as many photos as I could.



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/3jgndh1q4/

Creative Labs Graphics Blaster RIVA TNT - CT6710 - 16MB AGP

Arrival state



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/nw8sc23o/

Preparation



Results



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1vldb3nou/

Photographs aplenty



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1nixi726y/

Next will be the turn of the Asus Geforce 3 Ti 200 - 64MB DDR AGP - V8200T2/64MB/(TVR) Rev. 1.00 and last but not least the AOpen Geforce 2 Ti 64MB DDR AGP - GF2TiVX V64. I keep this purple beauty for later. I'm sure the camera will love it!

As usual....MORE LATER!!!

 

[Robert B]

ASUS nVIDIA GeForce 3 Ti 200 V8200T2/DELUXE/64M/P - V8200T2/64MB/(TVR) Rev. 1.00

I liked this golden graphic card as soon as I laid my eyes on it I knew it had some problems, like the missing of the original fan, but given it is was a Geforce 3 Ti 200 I took the decision to buy it. I was assured by the seller that it is in good working condition.

After the work done to restore the Diamond VooDoo 1 and the Creative Riva TNT it was the turn of the Asus Geforce 3 Ti 200, while the purple AOpen Geforce 2 Ti will the last to receive a full SPA treatment.

Said and done!

At first the Asus was looking rather clean as the golden color was very good at masking the dirt and grime.

Besides non-original fan, the card has some minor scufs, the tip of some of the push-pins have signs of abrasion and one of the ICs on the PCB has a chipped corner. The good news is that the IC doesnt have the metal insides exposed so it survived. Also the tip of the push-pins stand higher than the rest of the ICs so they saved a bunch of other components. GOOD FOR THEM!!! The paper labels have signs of water damage and the bracket has a white deposit. A green marker was used by someone on some surfaces and labels....WTF!!! ok OK ok OOOOKKKKK!!!! I'm only three and a half years o l d!...

Arrival state



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1hph2pasm/

Repair

First on the agenda was the fan of the graphic card. Because the cooling system was looking close to the one of the AOpen Geforce 2 Ti, I made a comparison and I found out that the original fan was inverted and the motor was attached to the metal plate that it is fixed with screws. You will see later what I am talking about when I tear up the AOpen. The replacement fan on the Asus has a non standard size so I couldnt swap it with one from by box-o-parts and I had to reuse it. I checked if the original fan wires are long enough and I soldered them to the fan, directly. That meant that the RPM fan (blue) was useless and I put some electrical tape and tucked it under the fan. I also used double sided tape to fix the black and red wires so that the soldered connections werent under stress and in danger to separate. I found four identical screws to fix the metal plate and because the fan label didnt have ebough glue on it I improvised something quick.



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1vxtd9qq4/

After the fan, I cleaned the rust that was present on the VGA connector, the screw that fixes the metal bracket, the thread of the metal bracket and on the springs of the push-pins. I told you earlier that this card had contact with water.

I used an AUTO, liquid, rust remover. The springs and the screw went into a bottle cap and stayed in solution for 15-20 minutes until I saw some bubbles forming. The rust on the VGA connector was removed with a cotton stick dipped in solution and the rust on the thread of the bracket was removed with a bamboo stick dipped in solution. This rust remover solution really IS THE SOLUTION for my RUST problems . Did I mention I F.....G HATE RUST!?!?!?

The bracket was also cleaned with mild abrasive paste. The push-pins took a bath also

All the parts came out like NEW!



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/2xt0d837m/

After all this work I was already on a roll, and the cleaning of the heatsinks was piece of cake! Looking good!



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/lcibjp7o/

The isopropyl alcohol 99% bath went well and because I knew the card had some contact with water, I took the precaution to get the alcohol deep under the graphic chip and the memory chips. A BIG A$$ needle was used, the right tool for the job!



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/325nvtj5u/

After these stages I was rather sure the assembly will be painless. Little did I know...

When I first removed the video memory heatsinks I was amazed that no thermal paste or thermal pads were used.

After a close look I found out why thermal paste or thermal pads werent used on the video memory chips. The main heatsink is so low that if thermal pads were used then the heatsink wasnt making good contact with the GPU.GREAT! If they used paste the results could be messy so they left them dry. The heatsinks are just shiny trinkets that didnt make contact with all the memory chips.GG! Asus!!



So I had to do something about this "problem".

ARCTIC MX-4 FTW!!!

THERMAL PASTE TAKE 1 - TOO MUCH!!! Clean up the mess and try again.



Thermal paste TAKE 2 - STILL TOO MUCH!!! Thermal paste comes out from under the heatsinks, clean up the mess and try again.

&#*(!(&^#*(!^~~~~!!!!!



TAKE 3 - What if I try themal pads? NOT GOOD - TRY AGAIN!!!

^$&!^$^~!~~~(#(~&###

I had some SOFT ARCTIC blue thermal pads and I took one piece, put it under two sheets of plastic and used a flat tool to spread it. Afterwards I cut it to size and put it on the memory ICs. ^#!^(!#~~!!!! the push-pins are offset and pressure on the heatsinks isnt uniform so one side sits higher. Paper thin pads are still too thick ...good luck attaching the heatsink for the GPU!!!



Thermal paste TAKE 4 - pls pls pls pretty pls, may the HW GODS smile down upon me

JUST RIGHT!!!



When I put thermal paste on the GPU I also had problems, first it was too little, second time was too much and the third time was just right This was rather unusual too never happened to me before

I couldnt leave the memory ICs without paste. It was easier but where is the FUN in THAT!!!

REPORTING IN, SIR!!!!!! At ease PRIVAT AsSsuuuSsS!!!



FINAL RESULTS!!!- not bad I might say!

After all this work, that took 8-10 hours over two days, I asked myself, was worth it? You can find the answer yourselves, just look bellow.



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/orkut2xw/

More later.

 

[jaggerwild]

Love your attention to detail. You keeping all this harddware? You could probably open a E bay store n fetxh a pretty penny for this stuff.....

 

[Robert B]

Details, details, details, attention to details makes all the difference

I am in the "accumulation" stage and for now I keep all my stuff. All my pieces are sparkling and squeaky clean just as I like them. It's kind of scary how many parts I have gathered in a couple of years without even trying too hard. Some might be put for sale.

An ebay store? Who knows? I was thinking about it a few days ago. The only problem is that I will need a steady supplier of HW to really do something BIG. There are already people who have a direct connection with recycling centers and they "regulate" the market.

 

[Robert B]

AOpen Geforce 2 Ti VX 64MB DDR AGP - GF2TiVX-V64

After quite a ride we have arrived at the last card to be returned to its original glory!

Last but not least, I present to you, the AOpen Geforce 2 Ti 64MB DDR AGP - GF2TiVX-V64

This purple beauty made me want to OWN IT as soon as I saw it. Needless to say I paid the price and it was MINE!

Like the other three of her sisters, the Diamond V1, The Riva TNT and the GF3 Ti 200, this GF2 also came without its shine but I was sure under that dirt I can find the lost sparkle BLING BLING I'm such a PURPLE THING

Said and done!

Arrival state

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/hgz8c04u/



I quickly stripped the card and I had all the parts ready for inspection and cleaning.

Cleaning

Here it was business as usual - dust, dirt and contaminated grease/oil.

You can see the inverted fan design. When the card is installed in a tower case, the motor sits down on the metal plate and the fan rests on top of it. Kind of interesting I might say. The fan has the typical ball bearing and sleeve bearing design. Nothing fancy.

First I tried to remove the motor but it was held tight and instead I decided to remove just the fan. I heated the AOpen sticker well with a hair drier and with a fine screwdriver I gently removed the sticker. Luckily the sticker didnt lose its glue. I put it safely on a piece of cerated paper. Afterwards I removed the white plastic retaining washer and the fan was free. All of the pieces, except the ball bearing, received a good cleaning and an isopropyl alcohol 99% bath.

I took great care not to damage the fine copper wires of the fan motor. I used just sprays of isopropyl alcohol 99% and I shaked it genlty. The surrounding area was cleaned with cotton sticks, beeing VERY CAREFULL not to touch the copper wires. Otherwise BYE BYE MOTOR!!!



I cleaned the push-pins and I oiled everything that needed oil and then I assembled the cooling system.



I also cleaned the bracket.



The card received an isopropyl alcohol 99% wash and I removed a paper sticker which didnt belong on the card. In the end the GF2 came out very good. I knew it didnt lost its sparkle. Now it was shining in my face

Here I was a little puzzled. Eversince I removed the heatsink, I saw on the GPU, the GEFORCE 2 GTS marker and under it the Ti VX.I knew this card wasnt a full Ti but I wasnt expecting a glorified in your face GTS

I took this info from the VGA Museum site by looking at Geforce 2 cards. Here are the reference speeds:

Geforce 2 GTS - GPU clock 200 MHz - MEM clock 333 MHz http://www.vgamuseum.info/index.php/component/k2/item/246-nvidia-geforce2-gts
Geforce 2 Pro - GPU clock 200 MHz - MEM clock 400 MHz http://www.vgamuseum.info/index.php/cpu/item/247-nvidia-geforce2-pro
Geforce 2 Ti Vx - GPU clock 225 MHz - MEM clock 400 MHz http://www.vgamuseum.info/index.php/technologies/item/880-nvidia-geforce2-ti-vx
Geforce 2 Ti - GPU clock 250 MHz - MEM clock 400 MHz http://www.vgamuseum.info/index.php/cpu/item/249-nvidia-geforce2-ti
Geforce 2 Ultra - GPU clock 250 MHz - MEM clock 460 MHz http://www.vgamuseum.info/index.php/component/k2/item/248-nvidia-geforce2-ultra



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/ognsuaec/

Arctic MX-4 thermal paste was used on the GPU die.

Final results

Well the results....speak for themselves

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/3f8n5xlky/



After this I tested the GF2, GF3 and the TNT. All are in GOOD WORKING CONDITION!

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/l17bfx1s/



The MAGNIFICENT.....four





More later.

 

[Robert B]

The MYSTICAL / MYTHICAL ADVENTURE!

Thursday I received a package with three graphic cards. Two of these cards fit nicely into the MYSTICAL / MYTHICAL category (IMO). The third one will also be included into this category even if it is more common, just because it came to replace a "departed" friend. A few days ago I presented to you my deceased Leadtek 6600GT. I cleaned it well and I put it in a box among other of her sisters. Ever since I got it back from my cousin, years ago, I was thinking about her premature death from a crappy cooling fan. Not anymore. Together with the two mystical / mythical cards I received a functional Leadtek WinFast A600GT TDH just like the one I had. YAY!!! This card came as a bonus from the seller of the other two Sure enough the fan was not turning very well when I received it...... Design flaws DAMN IT!!! This story will be said later....

Lets meet the three guests, shall we?

1. Hercules 3D PROPHET II GTS PRO 64
2. PowerColor EvilKing IV VooDoo 4 / VooDoo4 4500 AGP 32 MB SDRAM - L shaped - 210-0908-01 / 210-0435-001
3. Leadtek WinFast A6600GT TDH

I wasnt planning to include in my collection a Hercules card, anytime soon. Not to speak, such a BEAUTY. The intense deep blue colour with vivid blue heatsinks is a joy to behold. Blue is one of my favourite colours by the way. I still remember the retail box art from the advertisments for Hercules cards posted in the national IT magazine CHIP. Wicked stuff! Good Old Days...I hate getting older even if I'M NOT OLD NOW!!!

Ever since I laid my eyes on the VooDoo 4 / VooDoo4 4500 card I wanted to HAVE IT!. Small, fragile, delicate, it was speaking to me. It was in stark contrast with my view of 3dfx cards. FULL PCB "monsters" I See this card as a curiosity, a last tremor from 3dfx a few months before it was sold to nVIDIA. From another perspective I see this card as a half of VooDoo 5 5500. Loosely speaking two of the VSA-100 chips from the V4 4500 linked in SLI make a VooDoo 5 5500.

Even if I never owned a 3dfx back in the day, when they were at their prime, lately I started to really like them. I made a quick headcount and I have a total of nine 3dfx cards: 1xV1-PCI, 2xBanshee-PCI, 3xV2-PCI, 2xV3-AGP, 1xV4 4500 AGP. Who knows, maybe I'll find a VooDoo 5 without beeing forced to sell my kidney . A RUSH might be just around the corner too

But lets return to the task at hand.

Because the Hercules requires more attention to detail and I just cleaned a Leadtek 6600GT, I started first with the VooDoo 4 / VooDoo4.

PowerColor EvilKing IV VooDoo 4 / VooDoo4 4500 - L shaped - 210-0908-01 / 210-0435-001

Arrival state

The card came with the fan shroud broken in two places. The 5V ball bearing fan wasnt turning very well. The bracket had a gold deposit and it lost its shine. Nothing unusual. I dont want to mention the specific smell of old dirty electronics. Anyone who opened up a box full with such relics knows the smell well

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1jn796vy2/



Cleaning

First I cleaned the bracket with mild abrasive paste and a cloth. Next came the screws which first took a bath in a rust remover solution. Another day at the office.

The VGA connector was also cleaned with mild abrasive paste and rust was removed with the same rust remover solution. It came out as NEW.

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/2ewk4b60s/



The fan required more work but again nothing too difficult. Careful cleaning using cotton sticks and isopropyl alcohol 99% was the order for the day.

The fan shroud was glued back with superglue.

When I took apart the fan I saw that it was missing the back sticker. Also I saw that the fan might have lost a rubber plug to keep inside the oil for the sleeve bearing. I took a big O-ring, a blade and I cut a fine slice. Afterwards I trimmed the slice and I was left with an almost perfect plug.

I put the ball bearing in a oil bath fully aware that the oil might not get into the bearing. It was just a precaution as it was already spinning nicely. I might open such a bearing in the near future to grease it. I saw on the net that it is possible.

I used a thicker oil to grease the fan.

A piece of electrical tape held everything in place.

I tested the assembled fan and it runs well even if it is past its prime.

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/2ncdi9mwq/



The cleaning of the PCB doesnt pose a problem to me. The fact the the backside doesnt have any IC's was a big plus as it meant less work.

After the first wash with isopropyl alcohol 99% when the card seemed clean, I took a cotton disk and scrubbed the surface. I was amazed that dirt was still present. In the end, four wash cycles were required until the PCB was squeaky clean. The tiny holes in the PCB are traps for dirt and grime.

On the frontside of the card I had to use many cotton sticks and soft and harder burshes. Even so I had to insist on the IC's and memory chips. The plastic part of the VGA connector was covered in a brownish deposit.

The heatsink had a black deposit and I used a tooth brush to clean it.

Even if the card looked kind of clean in the first pictures, dont be fooled by appearances. It was dirty.

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/kiztsj5i/



Final results

4 hours well spent. Flawless VICTORY!!!

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/15ummylti/



NEXT will be the Hercules and Leadtek cards.



More later!

 

[Robert B]

Hercules 3D PROPHET II GTS PRO 64 - nVIDIA Geforce 2 /Geforce2 GTS

This awesome beauty really is something to BEHOLD. The combination of the deep blue PCB, the vivid blue of the heatsinks coupled with the black fan and the chromed bracket make the card to stand out from the crowd.

Even the name of the card is kind of special: HERCULES 3D PROPHET II GTS PRO 64.

I wasnt successful on my first attempt to buy this card from the previous owner but in the end I bought it together with the PowerColor EvilKing IV VooDoo4 / VooDoo 4 4500 when the seller agreed to adjust the price for me. Good times!

Arrival state

When I received the card, it looked kind of clean but I knew that after all these years, it couldnt be so. You'll see the pictures in the cleaning section and I'm sure you'll agree with me.

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/17fiqp0za/



Restoration & Cleaning

I cleaned well the bracket. As usual it came out shining. The screws also took a bath in a rust remover solution to remove some discoloration.



When I removed the four black screws that hold the fan I saw the tell tale marks of water contact. The thread was rusted on at least two screws. I put the screws in a rust remover solution but that made the black paint to be also removed, so I took the decision to paint them gloss black. I was very pleased with the results.To paint the heads I threaded the screws in a piece of cardboard and to paint the threads I fixed them on a piece of paper tape placed upside down. When I assembled the fan and the heatsink I took the precaution to use a microfiber cloth to not damage the painted screws. Attention to detail is everything!




The cleaning of the fan wasnt very difficult. By luck, the glue of the black sticker remained on the backside of the fan so I was able to reuse the sticker. The fan has a ball bearing and a sleeve bearing combo. When I received the card, the fan wasnt turning freely. After I did my magic it spins effortlessly. I also protected the little label when I washed the fan with isopropyl alcohol 99%. I also changed the tired full plastic push-pins with a new pair from a DeepCool V50 cooler. I used Arctic MX-4 on the graphic chip.



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1948r2iik/

The cleaning of the PCB took some work and several cleaning cycles but I was rewarded with a glass like surface. This made all the time spent well worth it. The graphic chip had some kind of thermal pad. At first I didnt want to remove the heatsink as it wasnt moving at all. Later I took the decision to remove it no matter what. I was determined to avoid any damage so I put the card upside down and with a syringe full of isopropyl alcohol I soaked the underside of the heatsink. I left it for about 15 minutes. Afterwards I took a small hair dryer and I heated up the heatsink for 20-30 seconds checking from 10 seconds to 10 seconds the temperature of the metal. A gentle twist and the heatsink was free. The cleanup of the thermal compound took some elbow grease and isopropyl alcohol 99%.


gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/ep3ek664/



Final results

He He He - business as usual... I have a reputation to uphold

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/q4pltqv0/



More later.

 

[Robert B]

Leadtek WinFast A6600GT TDH

This card came as a bonus with the purchase of the 3dfx V4 and Hercules Geforce 2 GTS. Revision F1 is the working one and revision H1 is my dead card from 2005.

Having already cleaned the H1, the F1 didnt pose any difficulty. This functional replacement came just in time. Now I can put to rest one of my many demons...

Arrival state

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/26atagjlo/



Cleaning

Business as usual, again. This time I bought a CD marker to restore two stamped ink markings. I was too excited and my hand wasnt so steady as it should've been. Next time I'll use a small piece from a credit card to help me trace the lines . The sticker from the back of the fan has lost some of its glue when I took it off but in the end I placed it back for the sake of "originality" It wont come off as it sits in the small round depression in the heatsink.

The fan wasnt turning as freely as it should've had to. See the DIRT BOMB like dust around the heatsink This card has a few miles under its belt

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/17yi3k112/



Final results

Squeaky clean!

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/jyuc3h2u/



I hope you have enjoyed the last episode of my HW adventures.

Here they are, the last three beautiful cards to enter my collection.

Next I'll test the V4 and the GF 2 GTS.

More later.

 

[Robert B]

My fellow comrades and old HW enthusiasts, I have very SAD news to give to you. The V4 is DEAD and the BLUE WONDER Hercules has given me some troubles too. Thankfully in the case of the GTS it was a curious case of VooDoo spells....

Here's the latest episode in my HW ADVENTURE!!! The things I've seen until now and the things I've seen over the horizon are out of this world I wish I had more money to indulge myself. So many temptations...I cant even begin to tell you about them...Abit BX6, BH6, Epox KX133, Pentium PRO's....sheeshh I need more minerals, ahem $$$$,.....so many missed opportunities....I should be gratefull for what I have gathered until now but I cant change human nature....the questin IS when will it be ENOUGH!?...a very good question indeed...

Let's get on with the SHOW!!!

The UNKNOWN CONDITION and THE BIG DISAPPOINTMENT. (This sounds about right...how's that for a TITLE?)

***********************************************************************************************************************************************

The UNKNOWN CONDITION

A few days after I have cleaned the 6600GT, the GTS and the V4 I was feeling pretty fine, the sky was blue, the birds were singing, the weather was superb, you get the idea...I wanted to test the cards and I wasnt forseeing any troubles ahead. The cleaning process went without a hitch.

Said and done. I quickly took out the Good Ol' PIII 550 build and I inserted the mighty HERCULES 3D Prophet GF2 in the AGP slot FTW!!!

Power ON! All the beeps are OK but I quickly realize that the fan wasnt working as it should. DAMN!!! It spinned for several seconds then it stoped. Sheeeshhh I dont want to stick an aftermarket fan on the pristine blue heatsink I WANT THE ORIGINAL!!!

VooDOO SPELL ON THE FAN - JINX jinx JINX IT BABY!!! Sure enough the spell had effect and I WANT to know WHO CAST IT!!!

When the fan was mounted on the heatsink it only spinned for about 5 seconds then it would stop and it wouldnt spin even if I tried to move it by hand. Each restart would have the exact result! %#@&^%%#$^@%^&#!!!

I removed the fan while I was talking to myself and at the same time I was very careful not to scratch the freshly painted black screws. I took it apart again but I saw nothing wrong with it. Just my rotten luck!

I took a pointed bamboo stick and I tried to gently move an IC on the PCB of the fan.I was very carefull not to touch or damage the fine copper wires of the winding. I assembled the fan back and I did another test. Now the fan would run for 10 seconds and then it would stop.

VooDoo people MAGIC people....Prodigy...all right...

Maybe the IC was damaged or a solder joint went bad?

I proceeded to remove the motor from the plastic frame of the fan. VERY RISKY BUSINESS! One wrong move and the fan was toast.

First I tried to move the motor by hand. NO DICE! Then I took a bamboo stick and I started from one side then from the other side to try and separate the motor. Small steps and very careful moves. I could break or damage the copper winding in a matter of nanoseconds.

After a few tense moments the motor was free. NO SIGNS of damage. Just some white deposits from the leftover flux. I'll clean this mess later.



I checked the solder joints of the IC but all was OK. I checked the copper winding and again all was OK. I saw that one solder joint of the fine copper wires of the winding was not up to spec so I took my small soldering iron and I had redone the three solder joints of the copper wires just for a test.



I assembled the fan and I made a test again using an AT PSU. STILL THE SAME SYMPTOMS. !!!!!!#@#$^@*&=^$@!!!!!

At this point I inserted the card back in the PC and I took a reading of the voltage put out by the fan header. YEP 12V ... just what I was expecting!



As I was left without options I put the entire motor in an isopropyl alcohol 99% bath.



After 15 minutes I dried the motor and assembled the fan without the plastic frame and I did a quick test. I put the fan on the metal case of the PSU - the metal center of the motor on which the copper winding is wraped up was touching the metal. BEHOLD THE FAN WORKED!!!YAY!!!



Feeling good I went to put back the entire fan. I gently set the motor on the plastic frame of the fan and I powered it. AGAIN THE FAN WORKED for 5 seconds then it stoped. &$@*(^@$^*(%!!!!!!!

I took out the motor from the plastic frame and I placed it onto the metal case of the PSU. The fan worked. GOD DAMN IT!!! )&$*@#($&@!!!!!!$$$####



THIS IS CURIOUS AF! AF! AF!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took a sheet of paper and while the fan was working I it put under the motor. Sure enough after 5 seconds the fan stopped...TSK TSK TSK...a HARD to remove VooDoo spell...DISPEL wont cut it here...



Damn SON I'M DISAPPOINT!



During all the above tests I tried to gently move the fine copper wires of the winding thinking that I changed their position during cleaning but to no avail. I used a very fine needle and it was a very tense experience. I was 100% sure I DIDNT MOVED them during cleaning as I was VERY CAREFUL but I still did it as I was left without options.

I even took a metal coin and I did a test to see if the fan was working. YEP it worked all right. GO FIGURE....



If I placed the motor on the sticker of the PSU it worked if I put a sheet of paper under it it wouldnt work....



Hmmm is there anything to be said???

I've redone the solder joints of the IC but I saw no changes. I took out an old fan and I thought to use the IC on it on the Hercules fan. By mistake the PCB of the old fan broke and bye bye replacement IC...GG!!!

I took the decision to properly redo the solder joints of the copper wires and I checked again the puzzling fan.



I had a small 40mm Scythe Mini Kaze fan and I thought to replace the motor of the Hercules fan with the Scythe one. I did the swap as all the specs were the same but after a test revealed that the copper winding on the Scythe fan was to weak and the Hercules fan spinned very slow I really was LEFT WITHOUT OPTIONS!

By now I was fed up with the F..KED Hercules fan and I thought to use a DeepCool V50 cooler instead and throw the "ORIGINALITY" the WINDOW!

One more try said my inner demon. One more try....I took the old damaged fan and I inspected the bits. I saw two tiny metal bars which hold the beginning of the fine copper wires of the winding.



I paused for a moment and I said to myself. If the fan only works when the metal cylinder of the winding is placed on a metal surface maybe one of the wires isnt making proper contact with the tiny metal poles. The fan works for 5 seconds then is stops. You can feel it is magnetically locked.

Then it hit me. If I try to rotate the winding while I hold the PCB maybe something will be changed. I took the motor and I gently moved clockwise the winding holding it by the metal top while at the same time holding the PCB fixed. I felt a tiny move and I stopped. If I tried to move it more the fine coper wires could break.



I assembled the motor and propeller. I did a test and all was OK.

I solved the problem?

I placed the motor onto the plastic frame and I did a test. THE FAN WORKED!!!!



UNBELIEVABLE! PROBLEM SOLVED!

Backtracking all this experience I remembered that I tried to remove the motor form the frame the first time I clened the fan but I am 100% sure it never moved at all. If it moved then, the only parts that ever moved were the entire metal cylinder of the motor. My solution to move the winding+metal cylinder while holding the PCB is an entirely different thing. I dont think I was to blame here. The card was tested by the seller before it left. Something happened during shipping as we'll that the V4 also arrived with problems...

What an adventure! The ordeal took many hours spanned across several days but I was relentless and I was sure I could solve the problem!

When I put back the fan I saw that the thicker oil I used wasnt up to spec so I used a thinner grease and a small amount of oil. I took this measure as I saw that a new Fractal fan had the same grease inside.



I put the card in the PC and I was feeling OK that the card was complete. Sadly the ball bearing it is not so young anymore. The fans spins well and in the future I'll open up the ball bearing to grease it or I'll repalce the motor from a proper fan. Regardless, I can rest now that the card is as it should.



As a conclusion I think that the gorgeous Hercules card is kind of kinky and wanted to me to enter were I wasnt supposed to. If she wants me to look into her headers or IC's I might not come back to tell the story...

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1e2nvvauu/

With the V4 the situation was hopeless...

More later.

 

[Robert B]

THE BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

When I first tested the Hercules 3D PROPHET II GTS PRO 64 on the PIII-550 build, I also tested the PowerColor EvilKing IV VooDoo 4 / VooDoo4 4500 - L shaped - 210-0908-01 / 210-0435-001 on the same configuration. Even from the start the V4 would not give signal and the PC Speaker would return the dreaded code BAD VGA...bad vga...BAD VGA...At first I thought it was just a bad case of incompatibility and I wasnt worried.While the Hercules was in the system I changed the AGP setting in BIOS from 2x to 1x and I tried the V4 again. To my disbelief nothing changed. THIS IS NOT GOOD I said to myself.

The L shaped V4 is known to be an AGP 2x 3.3V card despite the double notches on the AGP connector. The Luckystar 6VABX2 from the PIII build is an AGP 2x 3.3V motherboard. The UNISEM US1150 CM spec sheet indicated that it is a 3.3V component. I wasnt planing to use or test the V4 in an AGP 4x slot as I was afraid I might damage something.

When I received the V4 together with the Hercules and the Leadtek cards, the PowerColor came with the fan shroud damaged. I knew that the seller made a test before sending it, so I knew that the fan didnt leave like that. The card was working when it was shipped so something must have happened during transport. The three cards were wraped in bubble wrap but the box with which they came was very thin. Also when I went to take the package from the courier, the small fragile box was on the floor of a van with other few big packages around. A very stupid thing if you ask me. A small shoe box should've been transported in the drivers cabin at least, not moving arround on a metal floor surrounded by other big packages which for sure moved all over the place.I'm sure the courier drivers are the most gentle on the planet...white van drivers.....I'm so pissed I cant even say anything more.

I saw the condition of the V4 before it was sent to me so I knew I had some work to do. You can see the cleaning process a few posts before.

I'm 100% sure it wasnt damaged during the cleaning process. There's no way such a thing could've happened.

Too bad I didnt follow the seller advice and test the card as soon as I received it not after I cleaned it. I, for one, dont power up dirty cards with signs of liquid contamination or hard to spin fans...too bad for me.

Now I'm pissed that my V4 is KAPUT!!!

I still dont know what could've happened during transport...as the box, albeit thin, didnt came with signs of damage. Maybe it was compressed by a larger box or something....

TESTING testing t-E-s-T-i-N-g teeesssstinnnnggg......the V4....

Yep the V4 is DEAD alright...I cant even be angry right now. This situation is like those in which you cant do a thing. THAT's IT!!! TAKE IT LIKE A MAN! BACK TO THE PIT!!!

Let's see what made draw such a conclusion.

I tested the V4 on SIX motherboards and on five of them the POST beep code was the same: 1 long beep and 3 short beeps - Video card not detected (reseat video card) or bad video card - this code was also mentioned in the manual of the motherboards. On one motherboard I didnt receive any beep code as I think it was pissed I gave it such a crappy card I tried to wiggle the card in the AGP slot but nothing changed. The AGP slot of the PC CHIPS slot A motherboard is so tight that a bad connection of the card with the slot was excluded from the start.

When I tested the V4 on the PIII 550 build, in one instance, I didnt receive a beep code and I could hear the PC starting to load Win98 but soon it restarted. Unlike the Hercules fan the V4 fan ran smoothly.

V4 + Lucky Star 6VABX2 + PIII 550MHz - AGP 2x, AGP1x - NO DICE!

V4 + Gigabyte 6BXC + PII 500MHz - AGP 2x - NO DICE!



V4 + EPOX EP-58MVP3C-M + K6-2 400MHz - AGP 2x - NO DICE!



V4 + Asus K7M + Athlon 700MHz - AGP 2x- NO DICE!



V4 + PC CHIPS M800LMR + Athlon 700MHz - AGP 2x - NO DICE!




V4 + ECS K7VTA3 KT333 + Athlon XP1900+ - Universal AGP - NO DICE!



Conclusion: The V4 is gone. It's hard for me to think it might be a case of a mysterious incompatibility. The V4 was tested on the K6-2 build where a V3 3000 is running well. In every instance where the V4 wasnt working, the Hercules card worked flawlessly. I had motherboards with AMI and AWARD BIOS chips. I tried many RAM sticks and CLEAR CMOS and everything I could think of. NO DICE!!! The next thing would be holy water or something.

A few days after this blow, my mind was still searching for an answer. Then it came to me the ideea to submerge the card in isopropyl alcohol 99%. Somebody asked if it was a practical measure so I wanted to try it.

I was hoping that maybe a fine piece of solder or other contaminant got caught somewhere and the card went in a safe mode or something. Most of the cards I have come from recycling centers.

SUBMERGE! DIVE! DIVE!!!

I took a small plastic container with a lid. I had a black plastic case from an auto medical kit which fit the bill.

I put the stripped card in the container then I poured 300ml of isopropyl alcohol 99% until it was almost all covered.

I left the card in alcohol for 30 minutes, while from 10 to 10 minutes I checked to see what was happening.

During the 30 minutes in which the card stood in alcohol nothing unusual happened. After 30 minutes I took out the card and all I could see in the alcohol was a small piece form the silver sticker on the back and some fine impurities. The card was already clean so there wasnt anything else to be seen.

After the operation I tried to salvage as much alcohol as I could but I used a too fine cloth sieve and about 30-40 ml of alcohol went on the floor...The alcohol was pretty clean as the card was already very clean. I'll reuse the alcohol for other preliminary washes.

I dried the V4 and I put it back together.

I held my breath and I did another test. NOTHING CHANGED. The same beeps and black screen. Not even a trace of artifacts or anything else.

The thermal glue from the heatsink wasnt damaged by the isopropyl alcohol 99%. It was like a ROCK!

After this experience I suggest that if you want to try this, use a transparent container - so that you can see what's going on inside and to reduce evaporation of the alcohol the container must have a tight lid.

Now all my demons were put to rest...

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/3589h1hno/



Enough with this sob story.

When the Athlon XP platform was used to test the V4 I also tested the Leadtek 6600GT and it worked nicely.

Leadtek 6600GT worked THANK GOD!



Hercules GF2 3D Prophet II GTS PRO 64 also worked well.



While I used the Athlon XP 1900+ / ECS K7VTA3 KT 333 platform I hit a snag and if I didnt pay attention I could've chipped the Athlon XP die. It would've been a first for me.

Usually I use a TItan CU5TB when I work with the above mentioned platform, but in this instance I used a beefier and quieter Spire FalconRock II. When I tried to mount the Spire cooler I noticed that I had to use a lot more force to clamp it down. Before hooking the clamp I stopped to see what was wrong. Talk about muscle memory If you check the pictures you can see the small gap / clearance between the small step in the bottom of the heatsink and the corresponding space in the socket 462. The first time I tried to clamp the Spire cooler I didnt use my hand to hold the cooler in place so when I applied force on the other side of the clamp, the base shifted back and it was over the ridge of the socket.The heatsink was resting on the socket itself on one side and on the corners of the CPU die on the other side. If I would've continued, for sure I would've chipped the die. I'm sure it happened a lot in back in the day.



After this story of an UNKNOWN CONDITION and a BIG DISAPPOINTMENT I moved on and I bought something to keep me busy

...



More later.

 

[xBruce88x]

Awesome thread man, love these old parts. I had an AMD p75 until I moved to the other side of the USA, from east coast to the rockies. I was able to get Win98 se running with that cpu, 96mb total ram, and some opti brand vga card. I was able to play Starcraft Broodwar and CnC red alert with that system. I've got a dell p3 933mhz system in a box in my car, planning to get a couple VoodooII cards for sli at some point

 

[Robert B]

I STILL HAVE HOPE!!!

On the vogons site a member suggested I try a PCI graphic card to see if the V4 is recognized by the PC.

Indeed the V4 was recognized by Windows and for sure will be recognizedin DOS.

Now the BIG PROBLEM is to find a suitable video BIOS IMAGE to flash. Easier said than done as this L shaped card is hard to find.

PowerColor EvilKing IV VooDoo 4 / VooDoo4 4500 - L shaped - 210-0908-01 / 210-0435-001

My model DOESNT HAVE a TV header.

The seller had two so I hope he can track the other buyer and ask for a video BIOS image.

I just started to read and on http://www.3dfxzone.it I found some tools and how to do it.

If someone has some advice it will be greatly appreciated.

I'm starting to think this mess isn't transport related...I still dont think this situation is caused by the cleaning process. If it is my mistake I'll recognize my guilt but right now the cause is still unknown to me...as the card never worked from the start in my system.



Here's the BOOT screen and the information that was presented to me before it was shipped.

]

PCI.EXE in DOS.

 

[Vayra86]

This is epic stuff. Keep it going

 

[Robert B]

I'm thinking about flashing the 1.15 regular V4 4500 BIOS if I wont find another solution

 

[Bones]

Could be baking it may bring it back to life..... If the V4 is truly dead you've nothing to lose by trying.

 

[Vayra86]

When you have enough cards up and going there is just one thing left to do: organize a true old skool UT'99 LAN party

 

[Robert B]

I'm not going to bake it If it will be necessary 5-10 years from now I'll take it to a specialized repair center. I'm pretty sure the chip is OK.

I'll flash the stock BIOS V1.15 as it had the same version.This fact is evident from the screens sent by the seller. Because the V4 was launched prior to the 3dfx demise I think is safe to say that they didnt have time to make different BIOSes for the same product. Even if it is a PowerColor V4 there is a good chance it had the stock firmware.

I'll use the tools from here:

http://3dfxbios.stantoworld.co.uk/

I'll make a copy of the damaged BIOS .rom and then I'll try my luck but first I'll wait a few more days and then FTW!!!

I have to post a story of three PIII's and a QUAD DAMAGE DEVICE who spits CD's on command like there is no tomorrow pew pew pew......metaphorically speaking

More later.

 

[Robert B]

V4 v4 V4 why do you V4 me so much???

The news arent good. There simply wasnt a way for the V4 saga to end so soon....

First I booted with the PCI VGA and I tried to install the drivers for the V4. As expected there was nothing new to report. The naming in Device Manager changed from Standard PCI Graphics Adapter (VGA) to 3dfx VooDoo Series.



Next I took the 3dfx flash V2.17 program and the regular VGA BIOS 1.15 from this site https://3dfxbios.cl-rahden.de/index.php?title=Voodoo4

I followed the flashing procedure but I received ane error message saying that the EPROM chip is not supported by the flash program...DAMN.

1. I put in a folder on the HDD, C:\V4\ , the 3dfx flash 2.17 kit composed from the following files flash.exe, dos4gw.exe and readme.txt
2. In the same folder I also put the stock VGA BIOS V1.15 from the site above which I renamed to V115.rom
3. I booted into DOS and from the folder I launched flash.exe v115.rom
4. I selected from the list the V4 card: 1
5. The flash procedure couldn't continue because the EPROM chip wasnt supported....Error: Unknown flash EEPROM manufacturer. (Man. ID: FFh, Dev. ID: FFh)



The README.TXT from the 3dfx flash, versions V2.13, V2.14 si V2.17 clearly states: "The following flash parts are supported: AMD 29010, ATMEL 29010, ATMEL 49F010, SST 29EE010, SST 39SF010 and Atmel AT49BV512." I only tried the V2.17 and because the README.TXT listed the same supported chips I didnt bother to try another version. Only V2.XX are for the V4 and V5.

My card has the EEPROM CHIP: SST 39VF512 / SST39VF512 / SST MPF 39VF512 90-3C-NH 0014159-D UU002



It seems that the EvilKing is all bark and no bite...aka KAPUT.

I tried to do a copy of the bad VGA BIOS with the dumpbios.exe/dumpbios64.zip program but I couldnt select the card PCI or AGP and the program made only a copy of the S3 VGA BIOS.
http://3dfxbios.stantoworld.co.uk/

I found two sites from 2007 in which a guy with a v5 5500 PCI with the same EEPROM BIOS chip had the same problem. Even back then it couldn't be solved, so my hopes of recovering my card have gone up in smoke...
http://www.modlabs.net/forum/topic/10947/
http://www.david-baum.de/board/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=13324

I might remove the BIOS chip and try to reprogram it using a BIOS programmer but I'm not going to do this anytime soon. I need a good soldering/hot air station and a BIOS programmer. At the moment I dont have any of these. Another solution would be to use a EEPROM chip with better support. Good luck finding that... After this experience I think it is obvious that a stock V4 VGA BIOS file wouldnt run on this card. I would need a PowerColor EvilKing IV VGA BIOS file which is hard to find. This card is a rarity from other points of view and not just for its looks. DAMN!!! Bye bye MONEY money MONEY I wish I had a regular V4

In all the 3dfx flash kits I searched I found files that had the same date, size, MD5 / CRC32. I dont think that I'll find a flash program to support my chip SST 39VF512 . All the README.TXT files list the supported EEPROM chips as: AMD 29010, ATMEL 29010, ATMEL 49F010, SST 29EE010, SST 39SF010 and Atmel AT49BV512.

Conclusion? Fugetaboutit! ... at least for a while.

I consider the V4 95% GONE...RIP

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1etgb450m/
**********************************************************************************************

I have finished all the steps needed to post the next TWO episodes

The protagonists are:

1. CPU Intel Pentium III Coppermine Slot 1 - 600E - 600MHz/256KB/100MHz bus - SL3H6
2. CPU Intel Pentium III Coppermine Slot 1 - 700 - 700MHz/256KB/100MHz bus - SL3XM
3. CPU Intel Pentium III Coppermine Slot 1 - 800 - 800MHz/256KB/100MHz bus - SL457
4. CD-ROM - Mitsumi Quad Speed (4x)- CRCM-FX400E

These two episodes are a premiere for me from two points of view: I have successfully removed the retaining clips from a PIII SECC cartridge without damaging them (first try) and I have restored my first ancient 4X CD-ROM unit which by the way doesnt have a rubber belt. The laser lens is HUGE in comparison to the newer models and the mecanism is simple and elegant All of these will be presented in full detail, as usual

A teaser for you



More later.

 

[Robert B]

THE PENTIUM III TrIuMvIrAtE

This trip down memory lane is filled with a heavy smell like that from corpses on the Facing Worlds aka CTF-Face map from UT99. Two competitors trading blows, one a GIANT the other being David Slot 1 VS Slot A. Back in the day Slot A systems were the stuff I read in magazines. Slot 1 systems were more common though. After I cleaned a number of Slot A and PII CPUs now was the time to clean a few PIII CPUs just to keep my skills on a high level

Lets get back to the matter at hand: THREE Slot 1 PIII 100MHz bus CPUs. I went all out and bought the group as soon as I saw the add. I knew the seller so it was a matter place the order receive the goods Just how I like it!

1. CPU Intel Pentium III Coppermine Slot 1 - 600E - 600MHz/256KB/100MHz bus - SL3H6
2. CPU Intel Pentium III Coppermine Slot 1 - 700 - 700MHz/256KB/100MHz bus - SL3XM
3. CPU Intel Pentium III Coppermine Slot 1 - 800 - 800MHz/256KB/100MHz bus - SL457

These puppies were just what I needed. 100MHz bus and no fiddling with slotkets and additional headaches. In fact the PIII 800MHz CPU has a higher frequency than my fastest slot A CPU which is a 700MHz. I'll have to restore the balance and find faster Slot A CPUs. Easier said than done. The PIII build received a healthy boost from 550MHz to 800MHz. NICE!

The 600MHz PIII had a Cooler Master cooler and the dismantling procedure was easy as PIE. The 700MHz PIII also had and aftermarket cooler and dismantling was also easy. The 800MHz PIII was another matter. It had a boxed cooler which is notorius for beeing hard to dismantle without damaging the retaining clips. Because I saw that the thermal paste was brittle and I also saw cracks in it I knew I will have to take it apart. See bellow my solution In general I preffer the Intel Boxed Coolers as the Nidec Fans are long lasting an relatively quiet.

Arrival state

Intel Pentium III Coppermine Slot 1 - 600E - 600MHz/256KB/100MHz bus - SL3H6



Intel Pentium III Coppermine Slot 1 - 700 - 700MHz/256KB/100MHz bus - SL3XM



Intel Pentium III Coppermine Slot 1 - 800 - 800MHz/256KB/100MHz bus - SL457



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/v2fwywdi/

Intel BOXED COOLER / SECC / SECC 2 cartridge dismantling / removal / teardown procedure

Before I came with my solution of dismantling an Intel SECC cartridge I searched the internet and found some methods but they were not to my liking as they involved a pair of pliers and lots of pulling. I didnt want to damage the plastic retaining clips of the boxed cooler as I wanted to reuse them.

My method needs two pair of hands aka two people.

1. Remove the fan shroud from the cooler.
2. Take a block of wood which must fit between the two pairs of retaining clips.
3. One man holds in place the upper part of the CPU - backplate and PCB by holding in place the middle part right where the CPU die is located. This is necessary because damage can be done to the exposed CPU die. All this time the heatsink touches the wood. This person just holds the plastic backplate and the PCB while the other person hammers out the retaining clips. Common sense is your friend here.Use it wisely.
4. The other man carefully uses a tool similar to the one in the pictures to hammer out the retaining clips. Some force is requiired. My tool was made from a long screw which had its tip grinded to the correct size.
5. After a few tense moments the retaining clips should pop out and the job is done. Try not to hammer out at once one side of the retaining clips. You hammer out a little one side then the other so that when the clips comes out there is less tension on the other side. Because I used a slightly thicker block of wood the only damage I did was to break the collar of one o the retaining clips. The damage is just cosmetic.

The retaining clips were reused and as they were in good shape. When I put them back I pressed them in an X pattern an in small steps. The final touch was to use a coin the press the clips all the way in. Artic MX-4 thermal paste was used.






gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/e25u9ena/

Cleaning

Cleaning of the CPUs was carried in two stages:

1. Initial cleaning with isopropyl alcohol 99% and brushes.
2. Isopropyl alcohol 99% bath and cotton sticks. Great attention to detail was the order of the day. The PCBs have some spots and some minor scratches, the result of being in contact with water and being thrown around.

All of the CPU dies have some marks: discoloration, chips and scratches. All the damage is not terminal as we will see they work very well.

The plastic bits took a bath in soapy water and they came out as new.

I recovered some isopropyl alcohol 99% as the parts were relatively clean after the initial cleaning.



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/20u4nqkbq/

Results:



galllery: https://postimg.org/gallery/10nslh0ti/

Cleaning of the fans was just another matter of dirt, grime and dust. In the case of the 800MHz PIII the fan had some rust on the metal part. Even if they look great, the fans of the 600MHz and 700Mhz PIIIs are past their glory days. I cleaned them just for the sake of originality.



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/2e9x0acti/

Final results

Bliss BLISS Bling BLING!!!



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1lqpnmaue/

Testing

A resounding SUCCESS!!!



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/2qgmymova/

Nothing more to add

More later.

 

[Robert B]

Repeat after me: mi mi MI MI(clears throat) mimimi (in fast succession)tsu tsu TSU TSU(slow succession) mimimimi -ahem, cough, cough- MITSUMI!!!

At one moment I thought I wont be able to say it: MITSUMI. Try to say it with a japanese accent . You see, the name Mitsumi makes me remember the Good Old Days, yep Good Ol' Mitsumi. The name might even be the name of a character in an ecchi anime yeah baby you dont know Mitsumi? Who the F..K is Mitsumi? Eeeeeehhhh M-i-T-s-U-m-I Chan!

Today I'll present to you the complete restoration of a Mitsumi optical 4x CD-ROM unit. Among many of my hardware obsessions, vintage CD-ROM units also have a top spot.

Mitsumi Quad Speed (4x) CD-ROM unit - CRMC-FX400E

Hey, nurse check out this patient! Look at his coated tongue, something is not right here. DOCTOR LETS OPERATE! Prep the OPERATION ROOM!!! - Is it time for another sponge bath DOC???

Arrival state

The unit came dirty but in good working condition. It is manufactured in November 1995. Yeah baby I was 16 back then. LOL!!!



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/39jbw1qhy/

Cleaning

At first, the dismantling of the unit was a straight forward job. Just some screws needed to be taken care of.

Ejecting the tray was another business who made me go, what the HELL is going on! First I took a good ol' paper clip and I tried to eject the tray as I always did with CD-ROM units. In the case of the Mitsumi unit you could feel that something was sliding inside but the tray would not come out no matter what I did. When I powerd the unit, the tray came out without problems. WHAT GIVES? hmmmm I said to myself with a raised eyebrow. HMMMMMMM!!!

So I left the unit with the tray out and then I detached the plastic front bezel and the screws from the metal cover.

The metal bottom cover came out first.

Removing the top metal cover was tricky. As stated above, first I left the unit with the tray out but when I tried to remove the top cover three black plastic hooks from the black plastic body of the CD-ROM mechanism wouldnt let me slide it out.

So I took off the removable plastic front plate of the tray. The one with the "Quad Speed" and CD-Compact Disc logos. It was a case of careful used force and a little bending. I also removed the front bezel.

Then I powered the unit and I closed the tray.

After this, the top metal cover was easily removed. Behold the inner workings of the CD-ROM unit. The CD centering mechanism is an integral part of the top metal cover.

I tried to slide out the tray by hand but I couldnt do it. Checking closely I saw that the manual ejection of the CD-ROM disc was something new to me. It had a head like a regular screw. I used a screwdriver and I saw that if you turn it clockwise the tray would stay in and the laser head assembly would rise. If you turn it counterclockwise the tray would start to move slowly. WOW!!! what sorcery is THIS?!?!?

After I released the lock that held the tray I managed to slide out the tray by hand. It required some force and I was sure that the rubber belt would be toast. To my surprise there was no rubber belt in sight. THIS IS AWESOME. The open/close mechanism of the tray relies on a big light blue sprocket with a system of grooves and an exposed contact. WOW!!! How mechanical of her

I slided the tray all the way and I tried to remove it completely but at first I wasnt able to do it. I looked for some hooks that held the tray like some newer CD-ROM units but I couldnt find any.

I tried to push pull and you name it, nothing worked.

I took a pause and looked closely at the problem. I slided again the tray all the way and I used force like this: with one hand I held the sides of the tray and with the other I raised the middle of the tray so that it would clear the teeth of the sprocket. PROBLEM SOLVED. Take pictures or notes so that when you put it back you will know over how many teeth you would need to place the tray.

After this I had a better look at the manual eject mechanism. Simple and efficient.





gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/2qjcddtye/

RUST MY ENEMY No 1! For this I had to use surgen gloves and thicker rubber gloves. HEALTH HAZARD DETECTED!!!

As soon as I removed the bottom metal cover and the plastic front bezel I saw a lot of rust. At one moment this unit had contact with water or was stored in a humid environment. What to expect from recycling centers....

I carefully used my slightly corrosive rust remover solution in small quantities and I cleaned all the metal surfaces. On the bottom metal cover the rust was mainly embedded in the clear plastic protection film. I had to use fine grit sandpaper 1000 and water to remove it. To remove the superficial rust I also wet sanded the metal cover and I tried to remove as little as possible from the remaining silver coating as I didnt want to paint it or clear coat it. The eject button came out very well. The rust from the plastic parts was cleaned with CIF cream and cotton sticks or a soft sponge.

Deep rust was removed and the surfaces were painted with a cotton stick soaked in spray paint.

All the plastic parts and metal parts were washed with soapy water. CIF cream was also used to remove some spots. The sponge strips were thoroughly cleaned. I also took the time to soften some damage done to one of the corners of the bezel.

The PCB was washed with isopropyl alcohol 99%. It came out as new.

The insides were cleaned with cotton discs, cotton sticks and isopropyl alcohol 99% until they were spotless. I didnt want to take all the thing apart.

The motors and other mechanical components were pretty clean. The original grease was still soft and I reused the excess to grease the places that had little grease.

Such an elegant construction. I LIKE IT!!!

The laser lens was GENTLY cleaned with isopropyl alcohol 99% and a microfiber cloth. THE LENS IS HUGE. See a comparison with some newer units in the pictures bellow.



Assembly was a breeze. I used some silicone grease on the rails of the tray.



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/1lcvowi5i/

Final results

The results speak for themsleves.



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/2pc5s7lra/

Testing

Another success story. Ignore the 100% CPU usage for 4x and 8x it's just a quirk of the CD Speed 99 program.



gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/lxlq6die/

More later

 

[Robert B]

I have a few updates to make regarding some more or less important bits that I consider I must post.

The V4-L saga is still going but ATM I dont see a solution. http://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=55610

Last week when I did a CPU upgrade for the PIII build from 550MHz to 800MHz I had the pleasure to play with the Diamond Aureal Vortex 2 Monster Sound MX300 and I must say it was quite a treat.



A little bit of housekeeping. (again)

When I post something I try to be as correct and complete as possible. This is why when I revisit older problems and I find a solution, I always write my findings.

With the CPU upgrade I was again forced to find a solution to an irritating problem. In the middle part of this post I was telling you that the PIII build with the Lucky Star 6VABX2 lost its BIOS settings after it was disconnected from the mains. I tried changing the BIOS battery and I tried to bend the contacts of the battery socket but to no avail.

http://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?p=596016#p596016

I changed the PSU and even if I was amazed by this SF solution, the problem went away and the PC kept its BIOS settings the day after.

Fast forward to our present time. I did the CPU upgrade and again the PC lost the BIOS settings once it was disconnected from the mains.

I took my multimeter and I did a quick test. On the Gigabyte GA-6BXC the reading was OK with the battery in the socket. On the Lucky Star 6VABX2 the reading was very low.

I saw that if I pressed a little the battery in the socket the reading would be OK and once I left the battery alone the reading was low. I tried again to bend the contacts of the battery socket but this proved unsuccessful. For sure, the plastic part of the socket is too loose and any movement would make the battery to loose its contact. I also looked for broken solder joints but I saw none. There were no cracks in the metal contacts either.

So I took some electrical tape and started to experiment. The wining combination was a piece of silicone under the "-" lead and some thicker electrical rolled tape at its base. After this when I pressed or moved the battery in the socket, the voltage stayed stable or the drop was 0.01V.



With these updates I must tell you that ATM I dont have any other ongoing projects or components to receive.


The V4-L will still haunt me and the only wish I have now is to find a working or not working V5 5500 AGP for which I wont have to pay an arm and a leg. After the V4 experience I take greater care how I spend my retro HW funds

Over and out!

More later?

 

[Robert B]

Hellow everybody! I'm back in action! Missed me?

After the V4-L mess I was a little down on POWER, sort to speak, and I was reluctant to start getting more HW. During these 40+ days of not posting I still managed to find some pieces. Once you get bitten by the retro bug there is no going back. THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

Expect interesting stories:

1. PNY Geforce 4 4600Ti AGP 8872 Ver:200
2. Diamond S3 Savage4 Pro - Rev. A - AGP 8MB - Diamond STL III S520 ATX AGP 8MB
3. Diamond nVIDIA Riva 128 - Rev. D - VIPER V330 PCI 4MB
4. nVIDIA Riva TNT2 M64 - AGP 32MB
5. ASUS VL/I-486SV2GX4 REV. 2.0
6. VLB FDD/HDD/SERIAL/PARALLEL/GAME PORT Winbond W83787F, W83758F / Promise PDC20630- EIDE / Super-I/O VLB Controller
7. RAM 3x512MB DDR400 - KINGMAX, 30 PIN SIMMs, 72 PIN SIMMs.
8. Cache stick - 256KB COAST module Elpina HT-VX Ver. 3.1
9. Cache stick - 256KB SPB CACHE - COAST module - HP 0960-0944
10. Heatsinks - Cyrix-unfortunately without CPU's, Generic, Arctic Cooling Copper Silent 3
11. Protac Fastware AG240D Intel i740 AGP 8MB -VER 1.2 SL292
12. Intel Pentium II 450MHz SL2U7
13. AT PSU Minebea 145W - 73G4374
14. Intel Pentium IV CPU -S423- 1.7GHz - SL57W
15. Inno3D 6600GT AGP
16. Unknown socket 3 VLB/ISA/PCI motherboard.
17. Miscellaneous.

I'm almost done with all of them.



The illusive i like I in the Intel kind of i (Protac Fastware AG240D Intel i740 AGP 8MB -VER 1.2 SL292)

This is a story with a happy end.

Several months ago, somewhere around the begining of summer, I dont remember exactly, I went to the flea market to see what new parts I can find. That day, the offer was slim and I didnt find anything worthwhile even if my spidey senses were tingling when I left home.

During that time I was set to find an Intel i740 video card, an illusive creature, of which I only read in magazines. When i740 had its heyday I used to see it in the HW stores offers but I wasnt planing to buy one. Back then, I dreamed of TNTs and VooDoo was something out of reach. I dont remember any of my friends having one but I remember talking about it.

I found an i740 on the national OLX site but I didnt contact the seller and after a time it was sold to someone else.

But lets not get sidetracked here. I was in the flea market, there was nothing interesting and the weather was rainy and gloomy. Yeah BABY! Super OK for HW hunting...As I walked slowly, having an absent look on my face, I saw a glimpse of a golden card. I dug into a pile of cables, PCBs and various parts and took in my hand the GOLDEN ARTIFACT. I checked it out. 8MB ON BOARD. Hmmm.It had no bracket and it looked banged up. I stared at it and it didnt speak to me at all. I didnt even took out my phone to check out the model number. During all this time my mind was telling me that it might be my i740. What IF? Even so, I gently placed the card back on top of the pile and I walked away.

Over the following months I still remembered the GOLDEN CARD and I wondered what made me not to check the model number. Mysterious ways of the human mind. I still felt it WAS AN i740!

Fast forward to September. I'm at the flea market again.Believe it or not I am back at the nondescript pile of whatever you wanna call it. Inside I see again the GOLDEN CARD. During this time the card got a few more scratches and the heatsink is loose.

This time I took out my phone and I checked the model number AG240D VER 1.2. Sure enough it said i740. You see, back when I first saw it, my spidey senses werent wrong, I was just BLIND.

How much is it? less than 1 EURO. No comment. Here you go!

I checked the card closely and I saw that all the capacitors will have to be replaced. Besides that it might be alive.

As soon as I got back to my car I removed the heatsink which even if it was moving freely it was a pain to remove as the push pins had their ends deformed after the card was tossed all over the place. Yep i740 in all its glory! I saw that the heatsink was attached with thermal glue and I knew it will be a PITA to remove. The graphic chip was "stained" with a semi-transparent film which was extremely hard.



The thermal glue was hard to remove I already knew that. In phase ONE I tried to use isopropyl alcohol 99% and a credit card but this didnt yield the expected results. In phase TWO I soaked a cotton disk with isopropy alcohol 99% and I placed it over the graphic chip. I closed the card in a plastic bag to reduce the evaporation of the alcohol. The card was kept in the bag for about 30 minutes and I added more alcohol from time to time. I used again the credit card and a pointed bamboo stick. This time the graphic chip looked better but I wanted more. In phase THREE I resorted to the BIG GUNS and I used a little bit of acetone. This stuff is potent so use it wisely. I used cotton sticks dipped in low amounts of acetone and I took great care to avoid spills over the black top of the graphic chip. Even so I wasnt able to remove all of the glue and I decided to leave it as it was aka as good as it gets scenario. I also did a TIM test. I used too much Arctic MX-4 and the heatsink was held down hard and I had to remove it sideways. I was satisfied with the results and I decided not to put additional stress on the graphic chip. Phase FOUR would've required a blade and/or fine grit sandpaper, methods which arent my cup of tea.



I had in stock new capacitors. They had regular specs and changing them was a breeze.



Next came a process that involved, isopropyl alcohol 99% washes, rust removal from the VGA connector, straightening of bent pins, removal of glue from missing labels, etc you know the drill.

Satisfied with the results I used less Arctic MX-4 and the card was GOOD TO GO! NOTE: After I use thermal paste I always gently press and twist the heatsink until I see that the paste comes out, sign that I got an optimum coverage. I try to have minimal bleed and a little as possible excess paste. This way I get better contact as the push pins arent so strong.

After all this work the card still remained with scratches, spots and other marks, signs of a hard life but even so it smiled at me in the light of the sun while I was taking photos



BAM! In you go! PIII 800 MHz FTW! Clear image and a 3D Mark 99 test revealed a healthy card.



This is the way I found my illusive i740 card. Yep, true story!

More later.

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/29whqj1jw/

 

[Robert B]

THE TNT that actually BLEW UP in MY FACE (not literally)

I should've cut the blue wire or the red wire? It seems though that someone already took this decision for me and I'm just a mere spectator

The story of the TNT that actually blew up in my face is in fact about an nVIDIA TNT 2 M64 32MB AGP graphic card. I havent been able to identify the model and I'm still wondering what made me buy it.

This TNT 2 M64 was the result of one of a few visits I took at the local flea market this year.

Initially I was attracted by the green heatsink but when I looked on the label and I saw TNT2 M64 32MB I said to myself : YUCK!!! and I put it back. If it would've been a regular TNT 2 it would've been better. I'm sure that I wont see a TNT 2 PRO or an ULTRA in the garbage heap anytime soon. The chances of finding a Canopus TNT 2 are even lower...rara avis...

I went on to see what else I can find in the flea market but I still couldnt take the M64 off my mind so I bought it for less than 2 EUROs and I took it home. I said to myself that these old cards are bullet proof and most likely the card is working.



In a way it makes me remember my first 3D accelerator: ACorp nVIDIA Vanta AGP 8MB By the way, I still have this card and boy Carmageddon was a blast with it, coming from an ATI RAGE IIC 4 MB. The difference was night and day.

First I took care of the bracket, onto which a monkey with the intelligence of an M&M button shaped candy, carved in an impecable calligraphy: "B LU E" ahem "BLUE".

Damn, the blue wire was already cut and the clock is still ticking?

The metal of the bracket is soft. I used a vice to hold the bracket and a couple of cardboard strips to prevent further scratching. I used my hands and I managed to return it to its original shape.

After I used a metal polish paste and a rag I removed almost all of the offending writing and in the end even I was amazed by the results.



Next I took care of the card itself. It is small and it was a piece of cake to clean. I "sweated" more when I polished the bracket.

After an isopropyl alcohol 99% wash it came out clean as a whistle.



I was very pleased with the results and I wanted to put a small 40 mm fan on the card as it already had a fan connector. I postponed this until I tested the card.

With a confident look on my face I put it in the PIII 800 build and I pressed the POWER button.

BOOM!!!

Check out those NICE ARTIFACTS on the screen bro'! C H E C K IT O U T!!! After I saw the nice colours on the Win 98 SE boot screen I turned off the PC and took out the M64.

I found components in far worse shape than this one that are still working. No luck today - NO SOUP FOR YOU. Just a a waste of my time.



To make matters worse now I cant dump the M64 in the trash bin so it will join the small group of dead cards that are in my stash.

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/26f57rla4/

NEXT WEEK: My 4600Ti ordeals continue with the PNY Geforce 4 4600Ti AGP 8872 Ver:200



More later.

 

[Robert B]

KICKED in THE TEETH AGAIN!!! - My GF4 4600Ti ordeals continue...

Kicked in the teeth again
Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win
Kicked in the teeth again
Ain't this misery ever gonna end?
And I've been kicked in the teeth
Kicked in the teeth again (AC/DC - Kicked in the Teeth)

Kicked in the teeth again uhhhhh YEAH!!!. This story is about my second GF4 4600Ti which like the one before it, presented in the episode: "A not so lucky Asus Geforce 4 4600 Ti" will prove to not be in good working condition. I got burned again.

In one of the visits I took at the local flea market, this September, I found this gem: a PNY Geforce 4 4600Ti AGP 8872 Ver:200 128MB AGP . (A round of applause please). The sheer size of the card attracted my attention and I grabbed it in an instant. MINE ALL MINE! JUST MINE!!!!

The heatsink was loose and it was held just in one push-pin the other was MIA. The label on the back said it was a good ol' GF4 4600Ti. The HOLY GRAIL ahem in this instance the HOLY unexploded GRENADE.

I closely inspected the card and after I saw that it had all its bits and pieces I haggled a bit and got it for a good price. The bracket was bent and some damage was visible on the DVI connector. Some cosmetic damage was present but nothing too scary.

Said and done - I paid less than 3 EUROs for it and it WAS MINE!



One solid capacitor near the VGA connector was clinging for dear life and it fell in my hand as soon as I touched it. No biggie though.I put it inside the fan so that I wont lose it. Initially the markings on the capacitor werent too useful to me - 29 330 6A. After a few unsuccessful searches on the internet I took out my other 4600Ti: a V8460-600 Asustek Geforce4 Ti 4600 128 MB and with the help of some clear pictures of other cards, I found out it was a 330uf - 6V capacitor.

At this moment I knew what I had to do and the restoration of the card begun.



The heatsink was the first to receive a SPA treatment. At one moment it had a prolonged contact with water and the interior, besides being dirty, it was also blackend and corroded. I tried different methods to clean it, isopropyl alcohol 99%, pointed bamboo sticks, metal polish cream and a rag but to no avail so I resorted to immersion in a corrosive rust remover solution even if I knew it might remove some of the copper plating. After 30 minutes I took a tooth brush and I scrubbed the heatsink vigorously and it came out almost as new. Yellow spots were left on my white latex gloves and I knew the solution did its job. Afterwards I washed the heatsink with hot water and detergent. I was very pleased with the results.

I also cleaned the transparent plastic cover and the fan. To remove the four screws that held the transparent plastic cover, I had to buy a pair of new Wiha screwdrivers. They were so seized that they busted the cross on my NO NAME screwdrivers .In all that's bad there is also something GOOD in the sense that now I have two nice screwdrivers and a full bits set for other projects $$$ well spent!

The fan construction was a little surprising in the sense that the end of the propeller rests on a round magnet. I havent seen something like this before. Without the magnet the fan wouldnt work as the propeller would sit too low.I couldnt remove the propeller as it was held tight and there was no retaining washer in sight. I put a little oil inside an it spinned freely. The PNY logo got its shine back. The fan was good as new and it was very silent. Go figure



Next came the real deal. The video card itself. I inspected again the PCB and this time I found a ceramic capacitor that was out of its place and I soldered it back.



I removed the bracket and I was confronted with a disaster. I knew the DVI connector was cracked but I wasnt expecting what was to come. I pulled a little from the tip of the DVI connector and it came out into my hand. This made it easier to return the metal part into a usable shape and after some work and a DVI cable test I decided to solder it back to the metal bits that were left in the PCB. I polished the metal parts with metal polish paste and a rag until they were shining. Some filing was required to reduce the size of one of the solder joints. Again I obtained satisfactory results.



Looking at the two 4600Ti cards - PNY & ASUS something else caught my eye. The PNY was missing a SANYO OS CON 510Uf 4V capacitor. Good LUCK finding one locally! In the end I removed one from the ASUS and I put it on the PNY.

The solid 330uf 6V capacitor was replaced by a regular 330uf 16V electrolytic capacitor just to see if the card was OK.

The cleaning of the PCB was nothing too challenging. Isopropyl alcohol 99% aplenty.



After all this work I started to think that maybe the card is dead. There were so many problems with it. Even so, I still felt that it might be a survivor...if only I knew...

After I assembled the card using my trusty Arctic MX-4 grease and I saw all the parts shining like a diamond in the goats ASS I was very pleased. YEAH I DID IT!!!



SHE'S READY TO ROCK!!! (the kicked in the teeth again was getting ready to be played in my mind but I didnt know it yet)

I put the PNY 4600Ti in the PIII 800 MHz build and as a precaution I used two thick cardboard pieces for protection just in case one of the capacitors might go BOOM!

I pressed the POWER buton and in a few moments I knew the card was busted and that the DVI connector is also toast as it wouldnt put out any signal.



This made me play in my mind the AC/DC -Kicked in the teeth melody.

A similar situation happened when I was searching for a GF 4 4200Ti but in that instance I found a good one on my second try. It seems though, that for a good 4600Ti I will have to wait a little more.

Even after this ordeal I have no regrets and I would do it again!

More later.

gallery: https://postimg.org/gallery/3bw3d2g70/

NEXT WEEK: THE TWO ROUGH CUT DIAMONDS which needed a polishing. YEP true story