| ID | | Article Title | Post Date |
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69 | 
| What are the known incompatibilities with the Crescendo/7200 v1.1? | May-12-09 |
| As far as memory DIMMs, some 128MB DIMMs that employ an 8K refresh are known to pose potential problems. 128MB DIMMs are typically composed of 16 chips, each a 16Mx4 part. There are two types that are used, the "4K Refresh" and the "8K Refresh". The Crescendo/7200 is not compatible with some DIMMs made with "8K Refresh" parts because the timing margins are so thin that the electrical "noise" generated by the card causes errors. The "8K" versus "4K" parts can be identified by the part numbers of the chips on the DIMM, or by checking with the manufacturer of the chips.
At this time, the only PCI expansion card known to be incompatible is the VillageTronic MPDD+ video adapter.
Due to the nature of the issues listed above, Sonnet does not expect them to be resolved. Users are advised to utilize alternative solutions. |
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71 |
| What type of RAM can I add to my Crescendo/7200 card? | May-12-09 |
| Sonnet has designed the Crescendo/7200 to utilize the same memory DIMMs that are used to upgrade the motherboard RAM in these popular Power Macintosh models. Sonnet recommends Fast Page Mode (FPM); 60 ns; 5 volt; 4K refresh; 168-pin DIMMs.
Compatible DIMMs are also available through most of Sonnet's wide channel of knowledgeable resellers.
Some 128MB DIMMs that employ an 8K refresh are known to pose potential problems. 128MB DIMMs are typically composed of 16 chips, each a 16Mx4 part. There are two types that are used, the "4K Refresh" and the "8K Refresh". The Crescendo/7200 is not compatible with some DIMMs made with "8K Refresh" parts because the timing margins are so thin that the electrical "noise" generated by the card causes errors. The "8K" versus "4K" parts can be identified by the part numbers of the chips on the DIMM, or by checking with the manufacturer of the chips. |
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|
85 | 
| System will not boot, or consistently crashes early in start-up. | Jan-28-10 |
|
171 |
| The speed indicated on the G3 or G4 chip on my Sonnet processor upgrade doesn't seem to match the speed of the upgrade I purchased. What's the story? | May-07-09 |
|
177 |
| System will not boot, or consistently crashes early in start-up with a Crescendo/7200 upgrade card installed in computer. | May-07-09 |
|
218 |
| The computer's standard startup process takes noticeably longer after upgrading to any Mac OS 9.x system from Mac OS 8.6 or earlier. | May-12-09 |
| This is not a malfunction and is not related in any way to Sonnet upgrade products; this is the result of an additional Mac OS 9.x startup process that did not occur during startup in earlier Mac OS versions. There is a new "hidden" Mac OS 9.x feature called Startup Memory Tests in the Memory Control Panel, which defaults to the "On" setting. This adds time during a startup or restart, as all of the RAM installed in the computer is checked.
This issue affects any machine running OS 9.x (OS X status is unknown as of this writing), with or without upgrades installed. The more RAM installed, the longer the test. (Note that a Mac upgraded with a Sonnet G3 or G4 processor card gets through this process much faster than a "stock" machine.)
Since this is not a malfunction, no solution is required. However, since RAM seldom fails after the first few days of regular use, you may turn this test off if a faster startup cycle is desired. To access this feature you must hold down the Command key and the Option key WHILE opening the Memory Control Panel. When the control panel opens, you will see a setting at the bottom of the control panel. Click the Startup Memory Tests' Off button, then close the Memory Control Panel. Be aware that from now on, when you start up or restart your computer, the Mac OS will NOT check your RAM. If in the future you suspect a memory problem and want to check your RAM, you will need to repeat this procedure and turn the Startup Memory Tests back on. |
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221 |
| After installing the Sonnet Crescendo/7200 into a machine with two other PCI cards, or adding an additional PCI card to a machine already running the 7200 upgrade, the computer does not boot past the "Happy Mac" icon. If I remove either one of the PCI cards or the upgrade, the computer will boot without a problem. The same is true if I boot up holding down the SHIFT key to boot with extensions off. | May-07-09 |
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222 |
| After installing the Sonnet Crescendo/7200 into my machine, making sure I followed the instructions on RAM distribution, the computer does not boot past the "Happy Mac" icon. If I remove the 7200 upgrade, the computer will boot without a problem. The same is true if I boot up holding down the SHIFT key to boot with extensions off. | Aug-06-09 |
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223 |
| After installing the Sonnet Crescendo/7200 into a machine with 128MB RAM DIMMs, or adding 128MB RAM DIMMs to the machine that already was running the 7200 upgrade, the computer does not boot past the "Happy Mac" icon. The DIMMs work when installed alone on the logic board without the 7200 upgrade installed. If I remove either the 128MB RAM DIMMs or the processor upgrade, the computer will boot without a problem. The same is true if I boot up holding down the SHIFT key to boot with extensions off. | May-07-09 |
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