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Review: OWC's Mercury ZIFs 350MHz and 400MHz Models Published: 10/17/99

Documentation and Installation Notes and Tips

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Documentation/Installation

NOTE: Although not a problem with G3 CPU Upgrades, If you're installing a G4 CPU Upgrade in a Beige G3 - check the Voltage Regulator Module in your system first . Newer Tech has reported that "Royal" Brand modules in some Beige G3s can damage G4 CPU upgrades. For more info on that issue see the Apple G3 section of the FAQ for a question titled "How can I identify which type of VRM I have in my Beige G3?" for details. (It links to this newer tech VRM model ID brochure.) Heatsink Clip Notes: Just a reminder to take note of the orientation of the heatsink retaining clip when you remove it so that you put it back on the same way. The clip has 2 slots in one end and only one in the other. Normally the 2-slotted end faces the close edge of the motherboard for a Beige G3, and faces the dimm slots on a B&W G3. It must be put back on with the correct orientation since there's an off-center "bend" (pressure point) that has to be over the CPU side of the ZIF/heatsink. (Since unlike PCs - the CPU chip is not centered on the ZIF module/ZIF socket.) The OWC Mercury ZIFs are OEM (original equipment manufacturer) models and therefore have no documentation from the ZIF manufacturer. However OWC included a printed guide to installation in a CarrierZIF and they also have a online Beige G3 installation guide. The following is a list of recommended articles at OWC and on this site related to installation of ZIFs in Apple Beige G3, B&W G3 and older Macs that are compatible with the CarrierZIF base card: Recommended Reading: For jumper settings and installation information see the following articles: OWC's Online Beige G3 install guide (includes link to a jumper settings page) OWC's online B&W G3 install guide (includes link to jumper settings page) My G3-ZONE's Beige G3 and B&W G3 Jumper settings pages. My Illustrated CarrierZIF Setup Guide (includes important tips and troubleshooting info) My FAQ's Troubleshooting G3 Upgrades topic area My CarrierZIF reviews and related articles on the CPU Upgrades page. System Compatibility: The OWC Mercury ZIFs are compatible with the following Mac models: Apple Beige G3 Apple Blue and White G3 Using the XLR8 CarrierZIF as a base card, you can use the Mercury ZIF with the following Mac models [based on CarrierZIF compatibility as of 9/99]: Apple: 7300, 7500, 7600, 8500, 8600, 9500, 9600 DayStar Genesis MP720 or later, Millennium UMAX S900 & J700. Power Computing PowerWave, PowerTower Pro*, PowerCenter, PowerCenter Pro, PowerTower Note: The early (first model) CarrierZIF cards were PowerBase compatible (based on a review at MacsOnly and owner reports in my Rate Your G3 Upgrade database) - however the latest CarrierZIF/MAChCarriers are NOT PowerBase compatible. Contact www.star-teck.com for PowerBase compatible CarrierZIF cards. * I recommend PowerTower Pro owners call XLR8 to check compatibility with their logic board. Although XLR8 has revised the CarrierZIF card design and this may be solved now, I still suggest verifying before you buy. About L2 Cache in Older Macs: Some Genesis systems contain a modified 9500 motherboard that has added cache termination for lower noise. The 512k soldered-in cache of the my Genesis motherboard was disabled during the tests as that is the default setting in the v1.4 (or later) XLR8 CarrierZIF cache control software. As a general rule, if possible remove any L2 cache dimm from your Mac before installing a G3 card which has much faster backside L2 cache on the upgrade. In some Macs like the 9500, 9600 (up to 9600/233) and Umax S900/J700, the cache is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be removed. Of course the Apple G3 systems do not have motherboard cache so those owners can ignore these notes. Software/Hardware Compatibility: I also verified that Retrospect 4.0 backups were error-free. On tests in older Macs, 'Speculative Processing' was disabled to allow reliable backups without errors due to the non 'G3 clean' ROMs present in most older Macs. Older Mac owners with Adaptec wide SCSI cards installed will want to read XLR8's Tech Note on how to use their software with these cards. Since Apple G3 systems (Beige and B&W) were designed for G3 CPUs, this is not an issue in those models. XLR8 also supplies a permanent (vs. the disposable one time use version) adjustable anti-static wrist strap which I recommend you use. Often you may not destroy an electronic component from static discharge, but you shorten its life which can lead to sudden failures down the road. If you're considering a CarrierZIF bare card and a non-XLR8 ZIF module, I suggest you read my Setup Guide to the CarrierZIF first. MAChCarrier cards come with ZIF CPU module already installed and ready to use so I won't repeat that guide here. If you have a non-Apple Mac model in most cases you will want to remove the black support bracket. This will allow the card to be used in low profile systems like the PowerComputing and other clone machines (the bracket is left on for support in most Apple brand Macs). The following is a summary of the CPU card installation routine in a pre-Apple G3 (CPU card slot) Mac: Install the XLR8 Software (do this first, especially if you own an Adaptec wide SCSI PCI Card as noted in the XLR8 2940UW Tech Note) Shut Down the Mac (disconnect the AC power cord to prevent accidental powerups should you inadvertently press the keyboard power-on key, etc.) Attach the wrist strap and connect it to the monitor out jack on the back of the Macintosh. Remove the case cover Remove the existing CPU card from its slot Double check that the CarrierZIF speed settings are correct per the manual table of settings. Insert the CarrierZIF card (making sure it's fully seated) Press the CUDA (CPU reset) button on the motherboard (hold for 30 seconds). This clears the PRAM settings which means you need to verify control panel settings like Date and Time, Disk Cache size (memory control panel), etc. after booting. (Note: Zapping the PRAM or resetting the CUDA switch in systems with a Thunder3D or IXMicro IX3D card can result in no video at boot. If this happens, remove the video card, power up the mac, shut down and then reinstall the video card.) Replace the Case Cover Boot up and run tests for reliable operation. If errors are seen, reduce bus speed by a few MHz and try again. I strongly recommend you run any G3 upgrade for several days before you think of increasing speeds. Overnight RAM tests or game demo loops are good ways to test for reliability. Mounting a large Apple .smi file (i.e. the OS 8.5.1 update) is another test of data integrity. Total installation time was under 5 minutes, but if you want to experiment with other than the default speed you will need to adjust settings and then verify that the new speeds are reliable (I'd suggest at least 12 hours of heavy apps use to verify reliability along with an overnight RAM test or Game continuos demo). Should your system not boot follow the steps in the troubleshooting section of the manual and the tips noted below. PowerComputing CarrierZIF Install Notes: Take care when installing any PowerComputing fan bracket as it can contact the CarrierZIF switch levers and change the settings of the switch. For PowerComputing PowerCenter/Pro owners with the plastic CPU Fan bracket, I suggest you trim the two topside protruding tips of the plastic bracket back about 1/8" with a pair of scissors so the bracket slides back in place easily. This does not affect support as the bracket U channel that holds the card edge remains intact. Take a look at this modified bracket photo. It took 10 seconds to trim the tips back. My PowerTower Pro 180 has a metal bracket and did not need trimming. Below is a picture of the card installed in the Genesis (NOTE: The picture shows an aftermarket Pentium Fan/Heatsink I added after the review tests - the standard heatsink supplied is a flat plate). About Speed Settings: Installing a Mercury ZIF in an XLR8 CarrierZIF base card allows them to be used in CPU Card slot (pre-G3) Macs. When a jumperless ZIF is installed in the CarrierZIF's, the red speed switch (below) on the CarrierZIF card controls the bus speed and the Bus/CPU ratio (multiplier) which determines the CPU speed (bus speed times ratio setting = CPU speed). The CarrierZIF manual has a table of settings for bus speeds and ratios. Rather than duplicate the information here, see my Illustrated CarrierZIF Setup Guide for more information on installation of ZIFs, compatible models and important tips. Other related articles that are recommended reading: My FAQ's Troubleshooting G3 Upgrades topic area My CarrierZIF reviews and related articles on the CPU Upgrades page. Beige G3/B&W G3 Speed Settings: Owners of Beige G3 and B&W G3 Macs don't need a CarrierZIF card of course, as those models have a ZIF CPU module socket on the motherboard. The models reviewed here require motherboard jumper settings be changed to run the CPU at the rated speed. Since these OEM jumperless ZIFs get their Bus/CPU ratio setting from contacts in the ZIF socket on the motherboard, you have to change the Bus/CPU ratio motherboard jumper block setting to the correct value for the higher CPU speed. B&W G3 Motherboard Jumpers (speed control settings) To determine the correct Bus/CPU ratio setting needed, divide your CPU speed by the bus speed (66 for beige g3, 100 for B&W G3) - the result will be the ratio needed. Round any result to the nearest .5 ratio setting if needed as ratios are in .5x steps from 3x to 8x (3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, ...) If you just install these ZIFs in your G3 without changing the jumpers, then the new CPU will run at the same speed as the original one since the Bus/CPU multiplier (ratio) has not been changed. See the links below for a guide to jumper settings and speeds. As mentioned earlier in this review, simply lifting the tape over the motherboard jumper block voids the Apple warranty. If you'd rather not do that - ask OWC about fixed speed ZIF models or consider ZIFs that have a speed adjustment switch on the ZIF module which eliminates the need to change the motherboard jumpers. Switch adjustable ZIFs from Bottom Line, Mactell, Powerlogix and XLR8 have been reviewed here previously (see the G3-ZONE sidebar and the CPU Cards page for review links). Apple G3 owners should read the following articles for more information on ZIF CPU module installation and motherboard jumper block speed settings. OWC's online Beige G3 installation guide. OWC's page on motherboard jumper settings My G3-ZONE's Beige G3 and B&W G3 Jumper settings pages. Important Note: Along with the benefits of a wide range of adjustments comes some responsibility. You can set speeds beyond the rating of the CPU and possibly your system's capability. You need to consider the installed ZIF module's rating and the limits of your particular Mac (don't start out with high settings that have not been proven reliable in your system/CPU module combination). Overclocking may void the warranty and may not be reliable. Check with OWC on their current warranty policy if you plan on overclocking the card and are worried about warranty support. No company normally guarantees specific overclocked speeds or what bus speed will be possible in your system. OWC has sold some ZIF models that they guarantee to run at a certain speed above the CPU's rating however (check with them for current availability). As mentioned earlier, the CarrierZIF card has adjustments for 40 to 60MHz Bus speeds (as well as some undocumented 60+MHz bus speeds) and up to 10X Bus to CPU ratios (10X ratio requires a 10X G3 CPU of course). See my Setup Guide to the CarrierZIF for more details on switch settings. Troubleshooting: Along with the benefits of a wide range of adjustments comes some responsibility. The CarrierZIF card (and Apple motherboard jumpers) allow setting bus and/or CPU speeds to rates beyond the rating of the CPU and possibly your system's capability. You need to consider the installed ZIF module's rating and the limits of your particular Mac (don't start out with high settings that have not been proven reliable in your system/CPU module combination). Here is a basic guide I follow when experimenting with speed settings in my pre-Apple G3 Macs: Before any major upgrade, especially when experimenting, back up your data just in case. If possible, remove any L2 cache dimm before installing a G3 card. Some systems have soldered-in cache (like the 9500, 9600 up to 233Mhz models, Umax S900/J700). Apple G3 systems do not have motherboard cache, nor do 8600/250, 8600/300, 9600/300 or 9600/350 models. As a starting point, I set the card to a low bus speed (45MHz or less if I don't know the machine history). If it has a 400MHz ZIF module I set the bus speed to 50MHz and ratio to 8 since that is a must to run 400MHz CPU speeds [50 x 8 = 400]) I double check that the ratio setting is correct (set to so that bus speed times ratio does not exceed the CPU speed). Don't rush, take the time to verify that the settings are correct per the manual. It is important to not overclock the CPU or cache during the process of finding a reliable bus speed - you want to isolate one factor for reliability, not confuse the issue by running the CPU or cache beyond its rated speed. If the system does not boot at the current bus speed setting and I've made sure the card is fully seated, then lowering bus speed may be the only option (after verifying your CPU/Bus ratio setting is within CPU's rated speed limits). Deinterleaving RAM is another option, but this hurts performance more than lower bus speeds in my previous tests. Once the system boots, I verify reliability by running applications that stress the CPU for hours to make sure the card is reliable. Simply booting and running MacBench is not proof. If you own Unreal or Quake, letting the auto-play demos run for hours is a great way to test for problems. As a test for hard driver data errors - try mounting an Apple .SMI file image which will do a checksum test. (Apple often supplies software updates in this format.) Warning/Disclaimer: Overclocking may void the warranty and may not be reliable at all speeds. I do not recommend overclocking to others and you assume all risk from doing so. Although owners reports in my 2400+ entry Rate Your G3 Upgrade database indicates overclocking is very common, often the reported speeds may not prove reliable after extended use. Check with your upgrade vendor on their current warranty policy if you plan on overclocking the card and are worried about warranty support. No company can guarantee overclocked speeds or what bus speed will be possible in your system. Buy a CPU upgrade by its rated speed, not an assumption that you can overclock it reliably or will be able to repeat other owner's speeds. Beige G3 and B&W G3 owners as mentioned previously void their Apple warranty by changing the motherboard jumpers For Apple G3 owners that don't want to mess with motherboard jumpers, ZIFs with speed adjustment switches are sold by Bottom Line, Mactell, PowerLogix and XLR8 (many reviewed here previously). OWC also sells fixed speed ZIFs that do not require motherboard jumper changes. Bus Speeds: The CarrierZIF design in my experience has allow the fastest bus speeds across Mac models of any G3 card I've tested (and I've tested most every brand of Mac CPU upgrade since 1997). [Owners of Apple G3 systems can ignore this bus speed section entirely.] This list below is only for reference, based on my experience with several CarrierZIF cards and systems - not a guarantee you can repeat these results. Each Card/System combo is somewhat unique (CPU lot/batch, motherboard revision, your installed RAM quality/mix, L2 cache, software and addon components all can affected speeds and reliability). Based on tests of two different revision CarrierZIF cards, I have found the following bus speeds reliable on my Macs which contain good quality RAM in matched pairs and are free from any other existing hardware or software problems. Genesis: (9500 motherboard): up to 55Mhz bus speeds with interleaved RAM. 9600/350: Up to 55 MHz bus speed with interleaved RAM, 60MHz bus speed with RAM deinterleaved. PowerCenter Pro: Up to 60MHz bus speed with no L2 cache dimm installed. PowerTower Pro: 50MHz bus speed (L2 cache dimm had to be removed). There have been past reports that some PowerTower Pro 250 (and 225) systems that may have problems with the CarrierZIF but XLR8 has revised the design to improve this. Although the problem may be resolved in the current CarrierZIF design, I still recommend PTP owners contact XLR8 or their dealer to ensure their models are 100% compatible. My system is a PTP180 with rev 4 (5000-0121-04) motherboard. Most PTP250s have a rev 5.

Installation went smoothly as I was familiar with the process. As with any adjustable CPU card - things can be complicated if you want to experiment, as only trial and error can determine what advanced settings are reliable in any particular Mac. My CarrierZIF Setup Guide lists the rules I follow when searching for maximum reliable speeds.

The next page describes the hardware features and specifications of the card. Or you may use the links below to jump to a specific page.

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