A4k Mediator + Voodoo3 + reset = No Voodoo!

[voyager_1701e]

Hi All,
I have an unusual problem with my Mediator/Voodoo3 2000 A4000 setup. From cold boot, the Voodoo is seen and functions, as does my Spider USB. If I reset with the 3 finger salute, the Voodoo card is not seen by the system, but other cards are, such as the Spider and a previously installed sound card.

This is a Mediator suitable for the Towered A4k D or T, previously I had a Mediator for the A4k D with the same model of Voodoo, and it had exactly the same problem! I have the most recent PCI and Vodoo libraries installed in OS3.9, with BB3 update.

I do use a PC power supply, which has the power button coming off the cable, and of course the power button on the rear of the power supply. Same as a soft reset, using the cabled power button, no Voodoo.

It is a minor thing of course, but Id rather simply use the cabled power switch (on the front of the unit), rather than having to use the rear power button.

Any ideas?

[bdb]

Have you tried cleaning the contacts (both the card's edge and the slot)? Slot order is irrelevant per ELBOX, but some minor electrical issues may mimic software issues. The PCI library is now Version 9.9 and it could not hurt to update it. You might also have a cracked resistor or a failing FPGA chip on the bridgeboard; or a flaky Voodo card. Anyway you could check by swapping them with another?

Some say the root of all evil is the PSU and capacitors; if only life were that simple.

[voyager_1701e]

Thanks for the suggestions bdb.

I am using the PCI 9.9. Unfortunately (I say that because it isn't that simple ) I have 2 Mediators here at the moment, and I have 2 Voodoo cards. It happens with both setups, and on different 4K mainboards too.

Interestingly, slot order with the spider card may be an issue! The Elbox instructions say to use the spider above the graphics card.....but it works always so that luckily not an issue!

In the way it happens for me, thsi will not happen on a standard 4k system with the original power supply, as when you push the power button it is physically disconnecting the AC from the power supply, whereas the ATX power supply has a constant supply, unless you flick the rear switch.

[bdb]

The ATX trickle power is not really used by the A4K MB, as it was developed without any circuits that would use it, although the ELBOX is more recent piece of electronics. Have you emailed them about your problem?

[Turran]

The 2 different amigas, do you move the CPU card between them, when testing, by chance?

[voyager_1701e]

No, none of the components have been shared between the systems. One is a Cyberstorm the other an A3640. All the components are standard (ie not performance enhanced or modified )

[voyager_1701e]

Originally Posted by bdb

The ATX trickle power is not really used by the A4K MB, as it was developed without any circuits that would use it, although the ELBOX is more recent piece of electronics. Have you emailed them about your problem?

I will give that a try. Ill post the response as appropriate

[jurassicman]

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I'm having a very similar issue with my A1200T.

The computer works pretty well when I do a "cold boot" but if I reset it the OS doesn't start. If I switch the computer off and then I turn it on the OS doesn't start.

If I wait for a few minutes (about 5 minutes or so) and I start the computer again everything works fine.

The case is a brand new BlackBox Elbox, the Mediator is an old Mediator PCI with P8/P9 sockets so I use the ATX-AT adapter made by Elbox in order to use the Power Switch on top of the case.

The card is a Voodoo 5 5500 that has been recently recapped.

Any hints? Should I try to change the order of the PCI cards?

[trixster]

I don’t think this will help you much... but the reboot issues I had with my A4000 and 4000Di V3 Mediator were fixed by changing to a modern ATX psu and by setting the Deneb to only install modules on first boot, not reinstall on each warm reboot.

The voodoo5 is a power hungry beast. Can you try with something like a voodoo 3?

[grelbfarlk]

I've had a similar issue that after much hair pulling turned out to be a problem with the IDE of all things on an A4000. Mediator/Voodoo would not show up intermittently, turned out to be a bad IDE cable, but having NO IDE cable was a problem as well. Ended up leaving a different IDE cable plugged in and coiled up with no devices plugged into it. Never figured that one out but it's been this way for over a year now.

[jurassicman]

@trixter and grelbfarlk

Thanks for sharing your experiences guys... I'll see what I can do (unfortunately I don't have an extra PSU at the moment and I thought that the one in the BlackBox 1200 was good enough...).

If I'll ever sort this out I'll upgrade this thread!

[trixster]

It’s funny you mention ide, grelbfarlk, as that reminds me of an ide / mediator issues I had with an ide-splitter board. With the splitter connected the Mediator would not show whatsoever, not even in the early boot menu; with the splitter removed and just the standard ide cable in place the Mediator started working again. I’m not sure how this resolved itself as when I tried the splitter again months later it worked perfectly with the Mediator, same cables involved. Go figure that one out!

But one thing is certain - mediators are finicky and whimsical devices. If you can get yours to work stably then count your blessings and don’t mess with further.