About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 20, 2003 3:53 PM |
gchron |
Hello to all. I installed 10.2.4 and I had a lot of probpems (Like craches etc) during boot. During the boot The system was hanging and I could not start except the safe boot. So I tried to figure out and I uninstalled the powerlogix L2 cache enabler. The system was stable but slow. And So I used Ryan's. Now the system looks faster and more stable. The only problem is that starts very slow, until the extension is loaded (That was and the reason I did not used it). I will also try to see if all the reboot kernal panics are gone or not. But the system is now working very well. I am just waiting for the new version that will load duting the early boot process. Ryan keep up the good work. |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
March, 12, 2003 2:10 PM |
grokking |
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Thanks Mark for the info on RAM. I haven't tried anything yet on my computer, but will hopefully have time soon. |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
March, 10, 2003 8:22 AM |
tpmco |
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grokking-- Sorry, I've been away for a few days. If the 18 gb scsi drive is internal, then connect it to the Bus 0 connector internally. Make sure your SCSI ID number for this drive is different from any other device on the internal chain. Be sure termination is enabled if it is the last physical device on the chain. "Shaking out" memory is the process of identifying memory modules which give you undesireable symptoms (such as Restart problems or cold start problems) if any such symptoms exist. If you do find a memory module which produces an undesireable symptom, then it is not advisable to try to use that module. So, yes, leave it out of the machine. Hopefully you can return it for refund or exchange. I have found some memory out there which is only partially defective--probably in its design--which exhibits the symptom of not allowing the machine to Restart from the "Special" menu in OS 9 or the Apple menu in OS X. Those memory modules seemed to perform okay while running, but were not satisfactory to me because of the Restart problem. To make sure it was a particular memory module, I would try to reproduce the symptom with different memory configurations installed, and if the symptom showed up with the suspect module installed, but not with the module out, then I could conclude that I have got the suspect module identified. It's a laborious process, but no RAM tester that I've found yet can do this job. Mark |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
March, 08, 2003 2:58 PM |
tomquinlan |
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If you have a Sonnet card I would highly recommend using the Sonnet X Tune-up. I tried after I read in a different thread that this tuneup is free as long as you already have X running. I was using Ryan's Cache enabler for about a week and it was MUCH better than nothing, but SLOWWWW to boot and moderate X performance. After I downloaded X tune-up I disabled Ryan's cache enabler then ran Sonnets. Wow. Now it's smokin! Tom |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 28, 2003 3:55 PM |
midd33 |
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If anyone has a Crescendo G4 800Mhz and uses L2CacheConfig, can you send me the hexnumber I need to set it up? I'm using 9.2.2 and can't use the grabcache application. |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 26, 2003 5:16 PM |
grokking |
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Hey Mark, to clarify, the 18GB drive is NOT external. Does that matter re: your instructions? When you say shaking out the "bad" RAM, does that mean I won't be able to use it if OSX boots after I uninstall a certain RAM chip? Most if it is from OWC by the way. Does that mean it's defective in some way? Thanks, you've been a big help. |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 26, 2003 1:30 PM |
tpmco |
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grokking-- Okay, hook that 18 gb external scsi back up. Boot into OS 9 by holding the option key down right away, start up XPostFacto, tell it to start OS X from the 18 gb scsi, and check reinstall extensions from the advanced menu. Make sure your internal scsi drive is hooked to scsi bus 0, not 1, and your old L2 cache module is removed. Also, remember, that anytime you have started the machine from OS 9, you must use XPostFacto to restart into OS X--don't ask me why, this is just the way it works! From then on you should be able to boot directly into OS X from a restart or from a cold start. Try the cold start first. If okay, then try the restart. If the restart is okay, I think you are home free except for enabling the cache. However, if the restart does not work, then you are probably into "bad memory" country, and will have to sort that situation out. I have found that OS X 10.2 will start and run in any machine with at least 160 mb of memory if I don't get too carried away with the number of applications I have open at any one time. So you can pull out quite a bit of memory before you hit bottom, and then start adding back in memory modules one at a time until you hit a snag. I reset the logic board (cuda switch at least 10 seconds) each time I add a memory module, which is a pain, but it gives a consistent procedure for shaking out RAM. (With the XLR8 carrier, if you have one, you may need to pull the carrier to gain access to the cuda switch.) Also, I have learned that if I use 64 mb and lower modules to begin with, the "bad" 128 mb modules will show up instantly. By the way, I finally bit the bullet and purchased my 128 mb memory from OWC, and have had no problems whatsoever since. I know this is trial and error, and very painstaking, but I wasted a lot of time on some 128 mb modules that were "bad" in the sense that they would not allow the restart function to operate properly, and the procedure I developed was the best for shaking out "bad" memory. Another point is that with 8 memory slots to work with in the 7300, a mix of 32, 64 and 128 mb modules is a sound strategy, and you can beat the interleaving woes easily with this approach while still having more than adequate total memory. The fastest memory I have found for the 7300-9600 machines is 60 ns, and bear in mind that this is a whole lot slower than the 10 ns memory found in the beige g3 where I use the PC100 CL2-2-2 memory (not the PC66 which the beige g3 is supposed to take). Performance of the beige g3 in OS X will knock your socks off after having fusssed with the older machines, and all Apple would need to do is give us a ROM DIMM (for that empty slot on the board) which will allow the use of OS X, and begin the supply of 5V 10 ns RAM modules for these older machines. Enough, already--Mark |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 26, 2003 11:17 AM |
grokking |
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Mark, I don't have the OSX version of XLR8 software installed. This is what has happened. I used XPOST FACTO to install Jaguar. It seemed to install the software fine on my hard drive, but won't boot when I restart. It just keeps telling me to restart over and over. I had to disconnect the drive with OSX installed in order to boot OS 9 from a different hard drive. Thanks for any more suggestions you might have. BTW, I'm running an XLR8 G4 Mach Carrier MPe/450Mhz in a 7300 machine. I have about 700mb RAM, and the drive I'm trying to install OSX to is a partitioned SCSI 18GB Seagate Barracuda. 2 equal partitions on the drive. Thanks again for all your help. |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 25, 2003 12:15 AM |
tpmco |
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grokking-- I am using xlr8 hardware--mach carrier + g4/350, g3/360, g3/466 in three different machines all with OS X 10.2.3. Just don't install the OS X version of the xlr8 software into your OS X files. Only install the OS 8 or 9 version xlr8 software into OS 8 or 9. Use the L2CacheConfig for enabling and configuring in OS X. Hope that helps. Mark |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 24, 2003 11:54 AM |
grokking |
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Thanks Mark for the useful info. I did read the L2 Config documentation but was still confused, hence my initial inquiry. Looks like I won't be able to run 10.2 with my XLR8 card then? I should try to intall an earlier version of OSX? Thanks again for the replies. |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 23, 2003 2:38 PM |
tpmco |
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A few observations-- ? The xlr8 cache control software does not appear to work with OS X 10.2.x. It does seem to work okay with 10.1.x up through 10.1.5. ? The GrabL2CacheSetting application furnished with L2 Cache Config is meant to be run while you are booted in OS 8 or 9, up through 9.1. It will not work in OS 9.2 yet. Best method for me was to boot into OS 9.1, run the GrabL2CacheSetting application, and save that file on the desktop WITH the filename suggested by the GrabL2CacheSetting app. ? After saving that tiny file, reboot into OS X (any version you have) using XPostFacto. Then run the L2CacaheConfig utility from OS X. The utility will find that tiny file to use, and ask you if you want to import it--say "import". Then you must click enable L2 Cache, make a coice on "write through", and choose your L2 ratio, in most cases being 2:1. Then quit L2CacheConfig, and you are in business. There is now a startup item in the startup items folder which will automatically enable the L2 cache every time you reboot into OS X. ? For OS 9.2, the procedure is a little more complicated, but still doable. You do the file creation while running in OS 9.2. You need to copy from your cache control program the string used with OS 9 to the clipboard ( it's a weird looking string with some 000's, an X and some other digits depending upon your processor). Then open up Simple Text, and paste that string into Simple Text. Save that tiny file as L2Cache.config (exactly) on the desktop. Then reboot using XPostFacto into OS X and run the L2CacheConfig utility as in the preceeding paragraph. It took me awhile to figure this out, but it works. Please also read the L2CacheConfig.html documentation that comes with the download of L2Cache. I am sure the next version of L2CacheConfig will be more automated, and will also load earlier in the boot process to speed up the OS X booting. But until then, this WORKS. Mark |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 23, 2003 1:32 PM |
gchron |
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I personally created the output of the GrabL2CacheSetting program on my own as the programe had problems to run in OS9 (error of type x (I do not remember the number)). I used the powerlogix cache enabler and show the number needed to enable cache. But After that I trached the powerlogix enabler as It did some craches to my computer. Now it is rock solid. |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 23, 2003 10:16 AM |
powderhaus |
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with Ryan's cache enabler you do have to use his grabcache (i thing that is the name) in os9 to get the cache settings.(at least in the version i have...) |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 23, 2003 1:07 AM |
grokking |
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Thanks marcush for the reply. So, I don't need to do the L2 Configure thing until after I get OSX to boot? I thoughht you had to use Ryans's L2 software to get OSX to boot. I'm actually confused on how to even do the L2 Configuring. I haven't overclocked the upgrade card, but what would deinterleaving the RAM have anything to do with it, and why would I have to put in my original L2 cache? |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 21, 2003 4:13 PM |
marcush |
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Your confusing the L2 cache with the backside cache on the processor itself. As in OS 9.x you need a cache enabler. L2Cache Config will do this for you or you can download Powerlogix's Cache Control X. However, your immediate problem is getting OSX to boot. If you have overclocked the card set the switches back to factory default. I had to do this when I had an XLR8 G4 450 installed in my PTP. You might also find it initially necessary to deinterleave your RAM if it presently is. A workaround for this that I picked up at xlr8yourmac.com is to reinstall your L2 Cache and disable it with whatever cache enabler software you are going to use. This took care of a crashing problem I had and also allowed me to reinterleave my RAM. You have to do this after you've got OSX booted and have installed your cache enabler in OSX. Then you can shutdown, reinterleave your RAM and reinstall your L2. Also, as powerderhaus mentions you could also reinstall bootx and the xpostfacto extensions. This has worked for me in the past a number of times. |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 21, 2003 2:17 PM |
grokking |
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I can't get OSX to boot. I have a G4 450MHz XLR8 upgrade card installed in a 7300/180 and I remember I had to take out the L2 cache of the computer before I put in the upgrade card. How do I configure the L2 cache if it's not there? I think I'm missing something big here. Does the XLR8 card have something I need to configure? Please help, I'm very confused. Thanks. |
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RE: About L2 Cache enablers |
February, 20, 2003 4:59 PM |
powderhaus |
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if you have a Sonnet you can run their updater thingy then reinstall XPF extentions and it works great, it kicks in right after the Video card is enabled, but when OWCacheenable comes out, i will get rid of the sonnet stuff. |