G400 / Pent 4 issue

[Roy Batty]

Hey people, I just upgraded from a pent 3 450, to a pent 4 1800, new board, ps , n stuff, I had some wacky problems with the new machine and when I took it back to my computer guy he said my g400 may be incompatible, according to him the g400 runs on 3.5 v and the pent 4 processor on 1.5. Opinions please???
Thanks in advance
Roy
Australia

[ayoub_ibrahim]

hmm, there shoudn't be any problem with that card on that board!

[Roy Batty]

Thanks man, I found this on the Matrox web site tonight:

Topic: What graphic cards are supported on a motherboard that requires a 1.5v graphic card?

- Our G-400 and later graphics cards, be it AGP4x or AGP2x, are compatible with virtually all motherboards.

However, if the motherboard calls for a 1.5V card ONLY to be installed, the 2x versions of our G400 card may not work properly.

We've identified the G400 boards that support AGP 4x transfer rates with
an additional '4A' in the part number: G4+MDH4A32GB/40.

G400 boards without the '4A' in the part number will be the models that may not work with 1.5V only motherboards.

Please note that all models of the Marvel G400, G450, G450 eTV, and G550 series are not affected as an agp 2x version of these cards do not exist.


And mine is a G4+MDH4A32G

My computer guy changed the Asus P4S133-VM motherboard for me, perhaps it was faulty.

I will however upgrade my g400 bios when I reinstall it tomorrow.

Thanks for your imput

[The PIT]

Mmm maybe not. Try this article.

http://www.sharkyextreme.com/hardware/cpu/article.php/3261_941741__9.

I also saw a page on a abit website that said the i845 and i850 don't support 3.3v cards but can't load the page up. Can't remember what voltages the G400 supports.

[The PIT]

If it has a 4a in the serial number it will support the newer 1.5v agp only slots.

[MetalCartman]

All G400's (2x and 4x) work in a 4x-only Board without damaging it. Although _some_ asus Boards have a 1.5V detection circuitry on board, which prevents your system from powering up with a 3.3V card. The problem is, the protection crcuitry detects some G400's wrong and the system won't power up. But your card should be fine. However there's a workaround for this issue, there's one pin of the AGP-connector which should be grounded on the card. I did it by soldering a bridge between two certain points on the G400's pcb. Do a search on the forums, and your questions should be answered.

Cheers,
Cartman

[mungu]

I have an original G400, the 2x only model and it doesnt work in my 4x only motherboard. It is a supermicro board, not Asus. It really depends on which version of the G400 you have. it was sad, i was on a GF2 MX200 for a few weeks while i waited for my P.....

[Steve Snyder]

I've got a G400MAX running in a 1.35-volt slot (Supermicro P4DC6+ motherboard). No problems seen.

Sorry, I don't know the serial number of the board.

[mungu]

yeah, apparently there were two versions of the G400 MAX, one was 4x compatible, one wasnt. I bought one of the original ones.

[Roy Batty]

OK, I have another question?!!?
I have just reinstalled my G400 card into the new board, and all is well, I downloaded the latest bios upgrade from Matrox "setup256"
I made a back-up and went to install and a window popped up with "no binary file found" and thats as far as I can progress. I have downloaded the file again but still the same pop up???

Just not my week for fiddling with the puter

[lozza6]

me too

I have G400 as well... and i was looking to upgrade to a P4 as well.. i have been scared off a bit by this 1.5v adn 4x agp thingo....

So you say you ohave yours working? and that as long as it has a 4A in it it should be alright? Hmm i'm not sure what mine is.....

matrox G400 32MB.. is all i can say... bought it in 2000?

what do you think my luck is?

[Roy Batty]

It should be fine mine was manufactured late 99, and it's back in a nd running fine, just look for the '4a' in the serial no. on the back of the card, if it has that it shoud be fine. I spoke to my mb manufacturer in Aust. ASUS, they said 1. if it was the wrong voltage it would not fit in the board, 2. if you somehow got it in the motherboard would not boot.

[Wombat]

Even most of the boards without the A will work. Only the earliest revisions of the PCB had this pin wired differently.