G200 and Via Mvp3 known problems?

[Trav]

Hi Guys,

A friend of mine has just bought a G200 AGP to go into a machine which has a VIA MVP3 chipset.
He wants me to install it for him.
I know there have been various problems with this combination and wondered if anyone could supply me with some of the pitfalls and solutions so I don't go into this blind.

Thanks in Advance.

Trav

[JidaiGeki]

Trav,

I have an Epox MVP3-based motherboard, and a Mystique G200 AGP card. I haven't experienced any problems with this combination as yet, although I haven't overclocked the CPU, nor the card. I simply loaded up the motherboard drivers first (AGP drivers, etc.), and then the Mystique drivers.

The information I have copied below does not outline the pitfalls of using the G200 with the MVP3, but it provides some guidelines for the installation of the card. Hope this helps.

(I obtained the information below from <A HREF="http://grafi.ii.pw.edu.pl/gbm/matrox/mvp3.html">here</A>)

<h2>Software installation</h2>
AGP VGA checklist


As AGP is a descendant of PCI, any AGP board may be safely used as a fast PCI board in AGP slot. This means that even old software (like old version of Windows95) will run on AGP board, but it will not use the new AGP capabilities.
To get the most of AGP, one needs:
AGP-aware operating system - Win95 OSR2 or Win98
Basic system support - built-in in Win98, installed in Win95 OSR2 as "USB supplement" package from Win95 setup CD.
GART driver (specific to motherboard's chipset). GART driver for Intel chipsets is included with Win98 and USB supplement for Win95. For VIA- and ALi- based boards the latest version of GART driver (also known as "AGP driver") should be downloaded from chipset manufacturer's website.
The newest versions of both motherboard and VGA card BIOSes may be needed for proper operation of AGP. It is highly recommended to upgrade both BIOSes, especially for Super7 motherboards.</p>

Running AGP VGA board on MVP3 motherboards


Things needed:
Matrox AGP board - any G200 or Productiva G100.
Via MVP3-based motherboard, like FIC VA503+, PA2013....
The BIOS – latest version strongly recommended - some Super7 related problems are still unsolved. The latest BIOS can be found at Matrox or MURC
The latest driver
G100: any version 4.1x or .ZIP (not .EXE - this works only with G200) version of 4.21
G200: 4.26 or 4.51 for G200 as of January'99
Windows 98 or Windows 95 OSR 2.x build >= 1111 with USB supplement installed.
VIA GART driver (viaagpxx.zip) - get the latest version from VIA (New versions are packaged as "four in one" utility.
VIA chipset recognition - viareg.zip - recommended for Win95 (also in four-in-one)
IRQ multiplexor (miniport driver) - virqxx.zip - required if you have >= 3 add-in cards in your PC, necessary for Win98 (again in four-in-one).</p>
The routine:


Set bus clock to 66MHz (increase to target frequency after you verify that everything works at 66).
Go to BIOS Setup/ Chipset setup and disable Cache Pipeline and Read Around Write options.
Get and unpack all the drivers. Install the MGA BIOS utilities.
Boot do DOS and update BIOS (use updbios.bat from \MGA\SETUP). Before doing this read the BIOS programming page.
Boot Windows. If Windows can't install its own driver, select Standard PCI VGA.
Win95 only: install USB supplement (comes on Windows CD).
Install VIA registry tool (viareg.zip), VIA IRQ MPD (virqxx.zip) and VIA GART (viaagpxx.zip).
Install Matrox driver by running its SETUP program.
If you get and install all of these, your Matrox card is supposed to run. If everything works, Final Reality should recognize AGP and run flawlessly. Note: "SHOULD" is the keyword here...

[Holerith]

I pulled an ATI card from my Via absed machine this summer and put in a G200 with no problems.

Set the video mode to VGA, make sure that the Via drivers are all installed (although if the system is currently running with another card they most likely already are), and that you remove the previous cards drivers thouroughly. THen install the card and turn on the machine.

The only other thing you are likely to encounter is that the card remains in AGP 1x mode. THis is not unusual on some Via based motherboards, but does not occur on all.


------------------
Dean
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PDP-11, Dec-writer & ZD-11 Terminal Unit, RSTS-OS

[Meek]

Quite many of us with VIA chipsets and G200 could not use the 5.30 drivers, they would crash immediately when entering 3d.

However, there seem to be success stories as well, and I think the conclusion was that a newer version of the MVP3 would work OK.

Anyway, if you have trouble after doing everything OK, you could try the previous version of the drivers.

I have not checked with the new drivers from today, yet.

M.