3dfx Archive - Mercury starting problems

fish

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Mercury starting problems
14.08.04 at 20:09:42

I tried to get the Mercury system running, but it seems that I don't get any video signals. The graphic is onboard. Strange is, that my display doesn't switch back from D-SUB (mercury) to BNC (my pc) so there must be some kind of signal, else it would switch back to BNC.
I tried an other video card, but there I get absolutely no signal, switching back from D-SUB to BNC.
Has anyone an idea?

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fish

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Re: Mercury starting problems
Reply #1 - 14.08.04 at 20:23:29

The problem is that I don't know much about it.
I don't knwow if any OS is installed. But it seems that booting doesn't take to long. You can hear the system booting up, that's all.
It's a dual cpu system (Xeon or P2) with CD-Rom, disk drive, 9,1 GB SCSI HD and onboard video and scsi controller.

I know that NT4 is required, but without any video signal I have a problem.

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osckhar God Member Offline www.3Dfx.es Posts: 812 SPAIN Gender:	Re: Mercury starting problems Reply #2 - 14.08.04 at 21:18:45 Hi Fish According to LogicalMadness, You need Driver Q3D and NT4 system. The Mercury is only compatible with Intel L440GX (Motherboard). For more information, contact with him! Regards, Oscar
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fish Full Member Offline Posts: 183 Germany Gender:	Re: Mercury starting problems Reply #3 - 14.08.04 at 21:48:56 Hi osckhar, it's the original Mercury System, so the board should be fine. But without any video signal, there is no chance to install any OS or drivers.
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fish Full Member Offline Posts: 183 Germany Gender:	Re: Mercury starting problems Reply #4 - 14.08.04 at 23:57:25 Only if I remove the mercury from the system. But I guess that's not the problem. I can't see a direct connection between the mercury and the video onboard. It's not like a connection of a V2 with the 2D card through a loop cable.
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fish Full Member Offline Posts: 183 Germany Gender:	Re: Mercury starting problems Reply #5 - 15.08.04 at 11:42:39 Quote: This is an old trick in the books. I know that, but it's a bit complicated to remove the Mercury. I have to remove structure from the case and I hoped that there would be an easier way. The Mercury is the only card in the system. The seller had the same problem, but he didn't test the system properly.
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fish Full Member Offline Posts: 183 Germany Gender:	Re: Mercury starting problems Reply #6 - 15.08.04 at 12:08:44 Yes, but the problem is still the video signal. If I get no signal, there is not much to test.
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fish Full Member Offline Posts: 183 Germany Gender:	Re: Mercury starting problems Reply #7 - 15.08.04 at 12:59:49 Seems to be a cirrus logic onboard chip. I try to get more information of the board.
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paulpsomiadis

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Re: Mercury starting problems
Reply #8 - 15.08.04 at 16:46:07

Hello @Fish! Cheesy

If the mainboard turns out to be faulty, you might be interested in one of these auctions... Wink

Intel 440GX with 2x PIII 500MHz 512MB RAM

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1244&item=6701561973&rd...

Intel 440GX with 2x PIII 450MHz 512MB RAM

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1244&item=6701562231&rd...

Intel 440GX with 2x PIII 450MHz 512MB RAM

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1244&item=6701562378&rd...

Hope that helps! Grin

(Sorry that they are server boards, but they were the ONLY 440GX boards I could locate! Besides, it's worth it to get a mercury rig going!) Wink

GOOD LUCK! 8)

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-=To MOD or not to MOD, that is a DUMB question - just MOD it!=-&&&&+May God stand between you and harm in all the empty places you must walk.+

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fish Full Member Offline Posts: 183 Germany Gender:	Re: Mercury starting problems Reply #9 - 15.08.04 at 20:17:05 Hi paulpsomiadis, great work! That looks exactly like my board. I'm pretty sure it is exact the board I have. Perhaps I should try to get one of these boards. Thanks fish
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fish Full Member Offline Posts: 183 Germany Gender:	Re: Mercury starting problems Reply #10 - 15.08.04 at 20:52:09 Ok, removed the Mercury.... still the same problem. It's possible that the onboard video is damaged.
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fish

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Re: Mercury starting problems
Reply #11 - 15.08.04 at 23:12:00

Now I have found a specification for the board. I tried to clear CMOS. After you set the right jumpers you have to reboot with clear CMOS jumper active. Then there should appear the message that CMOS has been cleared and then you have to rejumper.
But if I try this, I get absolutely no video signal (display switches from D-SUB to BNC). That's seems strange to me.
Finally I guess I need a new motherboard. Cry

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fish Full Member Offline Posts: 183 Germany Gender:	Re: Mercury starting problems Reply #12 - 16.08.04 at 14:05:54 Is it possible, that the internal video device is adjusted on CGA or Hercules and a VGA display can't show these modes? I never worked with server boards, so I have no idea.
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paulpsomiadis God Member Offline -=3Dfx still rox!=- Posts: 2011 Newcastle U.K. Gender:	Re: Mercury starting problems Reply #13 - 16.08.04 at 23:48:16 I seriously doubt it mate! If you think about it logically, the internal display chip would HAVE to be in VGA mode if it worked - as the Mercury system only works on a VGA display! Someone hit me if I'm wrong...heheheh!
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fish Full Member Offline Posts: 183 Germany Gender:	Re: Mercury starting problems Reply #14 - 17.08.04 at 09:53:32 That was my last hope. So, is anyone from the US? The guy with the 440GX mainboards won't ship to germany.
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