READ EVERY THING IN BOLD!
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my e-mail address is ce.ceo at cyercoment dot com

Flashing a PC GeForce (2, 3 and NOT 4) or Radeon 8500 card with a Mac ROM Image.


***This project voids your warranty (DUH!) and might fuck your system up, I assume no responsibility**

IMPORTANT NOTES:

The following cards are known to work with this method(Get Retail Cards, OEM and bulk cards have slow RAM [>5.5 ns], and might not work, possibly causing artifacts. See utility in D/L section for a fix):

 
Reported to work using/with these versions: If blank, I don't know.
 
Card Firmware in PC Firmware in Mac Extension for OS 9 OS Version Flasher OpenFirmware Version Notes
ABit Suluro Geforece 2 MX 400 64MB AGP 1027 1045 2.1.1 9.2.1     Crashes in X
Aopen Geforce 2 MX 400 64MB             Use 3.15 Flasher and -m option
ASUS V7100 GeForce 2MX AGP 1045F            
ASUS V7100 Pure GeForce2 MX 32MB AGP              
ASUS V7100 (model?)     2.4 9.2.2   4.1.9  
ASUS V7100 Pro GeForce2 MX 64MB AGP*              
ASUS V7100 Pro SE GeForce2 MX 64MB AGP 1027F     9.2.2     Lines in X (pic 1)
ASUS V7100 Pure GeForce2 MX 32MB AGP*       9.2,10.2.3     Fits in Cube
ASUS V7100 Pro pure GeForce2 MX 32MB       9.2.2,10.2.4      
ASUS V7100 Pro pure GeForce2 MX 400 32MB 1027     9.2.2,10.2.2      
ASUS V7100 Magic GeForce2 MX 200 32MB AGP DOES NOT WORK!
ASUS V1=7100/2V1D TwinView              
ASUS V7200 GeForce2 MX AGP TwinView 1055     10.2.3 4.28    
Chaintech GeForce 2 MX400 64MB AGP* 1027F           Works well in X only (before flash). After Flash, startup rez is low. May need as command line: nvflash -f (rom) -d -p -u -r
Creative GeForce 2 MX 32 MB SDR AGP       10.1.5      
Creative GeForce 2 MX 32 MB SDR PCI       9.2.2      
Creative Labs 3D Blaster Annihilator 2 MX PCI *             Might have QuickTime conflicts if there is a card in the AGP slot, no sound, big hassle to get working
Dell OEM GeForce 2 MX AGP 1027F            
ELSA Gladiac 511 GeForce2 MX 400 TwinView              
ELSA Gladiac MX 32MB AGP 1024F     9.2.2,X   4.1.8 One user reported Overheats in 3 min, may be a bad card
ELSA Gladiac MX AGP              
Gainward DOES NOT WORK!
Hercules 3d Prophet 2 Geforce 2 MX 400 AGP 1027F     9.2.2,10.1.5      
Hercules GeForce 2 MX AGP (MY CARD!) 1057   2.1.1 9.2.2,10.3.3   4.1.8F5 Perfect after Flash, Quartz Extreme works
Hercules GeForce 2 MX DH AGP     3 9.2.2,10.1.4      
Hercules GeForce 2 MX PCI* 1075     9.2.2     Succuess with
Inno3D Tornado GeForce 2 MX 400 64MB AGP       9.2.2     No X, 1 user said it won't work
Inno Vision Tornado GeForce 2 MX AGP     2.1 9.2, X      
I/O Magic Magicvideo 3dMX 32MB AGP 1055     9.2.2,10.1.2     DVD wont work at 1152x870
Kaser GeForce400 64MB             Must use new flasher
Leadtek GeForce 2 MX 400 32 MB DOES NOT WORK! One user reported it to work, one said it didn't.
Leadtek Winfast GeForce 2 MX DH Pro 32MB AGP       10.1.3      
Leadtek Winfast GeForce 2 MX AGP       X      
MSI GeForce 2 MX 400 64MB DOES NOT WORK!
Pine Technologies Excalibur GeForce 2 MX 400 64MB w/TV out AGP *   1028F   9.2.2   4.1.8 Low Res in X
Pine Technologies XFX GeForce2 MX 400 64MB TV Out DOES NOT WORK!
Pine Technologies Excalibur GeForce 2 MX 32 MB AGP *     2.1.1 9.2.2   4.1.8  
PNY GeForce2 MX 200 32MB AGP             *had a report that it didn't work
PNY GeForce2 MX 400 64MB AGP*   1055 <2.1.1 9,10.1   4.1.9  
PNY Verto GeForce 2 MX 400 64 MB AGP*       9.x 10.1     Only 1024x768 in X, Flash to get full support
Prolink Pixelview GeForce 2 MX 400 AGP DOES NOT WORK!
SIIG Aurora GeForce 2 MX 32MBAGP   1027f 2.4-2.6 9.2.2,10.0.3      
VisionTek GeForce 3       10.2 4.13   Not Ti
VisionTek Xtasy GeForce 2 MX 200 32 MB PCI 1027 1045 2.1.1 9.2.1     Only works in 33mhz slot
VisionTek Xtasy GeForce 2 MX 400 32 MB PCI              
VisionTek Xtasy GeForce 2 MX 400 AGP DOES NOT WORK! One reader reports it DID work, but got lines as shown below.
VisionTek 5564 GeForce 2 MX 400 64MB SDRAM AGP DH*   1045
1075 (TwinView)
  9.2.1,10.0.4   4.2.8 Before Flashing: ok video in X, garbled in 9

*=No flashing required to get video on the Mac
DH=DualHead

Sample Pics:

Pic 1

How To Flash:

(you may need different ROMs or Flashers, see Download section. All instructions are for GeForce 2 MX, adjust for Radeon or GF 3.)


Requirements: (You don't NEED a second card, but they are very helpful for solving problems/issues)

AND

OR

PC:

Read EVERY THING before you try!

Directions for a PC have (PC) in front of them, and Mac has (Mac).

1. (PC) Download this Compressed Floppy image. Use whatever to put it onto a floppy, I used Winimage.
(You may extract the contents of the NVFLASH Utilities OVER the files in the disk image, if so desired. If you find that one of these new versions are required for this process to work, please e-mail me. If you use 3.16, you will need to remove the "-m" in the command line of the batch files)
2. (Mac) Download nVidia 2.1.1 Drivers and extract them to the system DIR (MacOS 9, X drivers are built in)
3. (Mac) Shutdown, and pull out all the video card in that puppy.
4. (PC) Put a PCI video card in the PC and the GeForce Card in AGP slot.
5. (PC) Restart, Use the BIOS to set the primary video card to PCI and boot off the floppy.
6. (PC) The rest should be self explanatory. (Its just a bunch of batch files)
7. (PC) When the screen flashes and you get to a "Selection" prompt, now's the time to: (next step)
8. (PC) Turn off the computer, and take out the GeForce.
9. (Mac) Put the GeForce card in the AGP slot and restart
*

If it does not work try:


*If you get an error about an EPROM miscompare, you probably used the wrong ROM file, make sure you use one appropriate to your card. Mac ROMS are larger than PC ROMS so the EPROM needs to be larger than it would need to be on a PC, so if your EPROM is too small, you may get an error. You may also wish to try . Some cards have Flash-Once so once they were flashed at the factory, it's permanent*

 

Mac:

1. Download Mac Flash Kit Stuffit file and extract
2. Do it in OS 9. (self-explanitory) (To do it blind, put the AppleScript in the startup folder and wait a while after it starts up and then restart)

There is a MacOS X Flasher available in the misc download section.


That's it! It should work with out a problem.
If you have any problems, I'm sorry, but I can't help you. Try a forum.
PLEASE do not e-mail me with problems. GO TO A FORUM!!! If it's not on this page, I don't know the answer, don't even bother trying.

If you can not download the files (errors), use an FTP client to get them. You may need to specify Binary Download.

Misc. Downloads:

All downloads are for Mac except where stated.


(http://www.cybercoment.com/ftp/pub/macgeforce/)

Apple Stuff

Flashers

ROMS

Programs

READ:
Every thing I know is on this page, so if you can't find it here, I don't know it, so don't e-mail me with questions! Also, make sure you read every thing in bold!

(if you still fit the criteria which is you have a card that does not or does work, e-mail me with the info on the card, not what you have tried, just version numbers and model numbers. To e-mail me, scroll up to the top of the page and select the whole table for my e-mail address, NOT IF YOU NEED HELP! (notice a trend?))

Links:


http://www.eden.net.nz/7/20011005geforce2mx.html - TwinView info
http://www.x86-secret.com/articles/nvbios.htm -French site with many PC ROMs
http://whitebunny.demon.nl/hardware/chipset_nvidia.html -LOTS of ROMS
http://strangedogs.proboards40.com/index.cgi?board=experiments - New flashing forum
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com - General Mac enthusiast site

-cosmotic
Charlie Hayes
www.cybercoment.com

Revisions:
(1/21/2005 2:10 AM) Removed a link, added a link, removed an email link, removed Anon FTP info, after some trouble, Anon FTP is working normally, Added OS9 clarifications to files. Fixed a WHOLE BUNCH of spelling errors, I don't know how those lasted so long.
(5/10/2004 2:00 AM) Added new NVFlash, fixed a broken link, added new ROM and notes about it.
(4/22/2003 8:50 PM) More common problems added and converted to list, fixed V7100 ROM link. More updates to the table. Would you FOOLS stop e-mailing me with questions that are answered on this page! I will sell your e-mail address to spammers, I swear to god! (countermeasures for that are now in place). Added link to TwinView info.
(2/1/2003 5:00 PM) More common problems added, fixed NVFLASH 4.13 link, and one of the ROM links. More updates to the table. Added MacOSX flasher and NVFLASH 4.28
(10/7/2002 10:55 PM) Added note about GF4s needing a hardware modification. Rearranged requirements. Some other minor revisions.
(9/27/2002 6:20 PM) Added note about slow RAM and utility to fix, removed "first" it implied you COULD e-mail me with problems, not so. Added Note about small EPROMs. Added Radeon 8500 Files. Added Mac Flashers as separate download. Lots more cards, Lots more ROMs. I may update with the Flash stuff some time in the future, who knows.
(7/29/2002 10:23 PM) More warnings, and added note that OS X didn't need drivers. Big update to come shortly (a few days months)
(7/25/2002 9:25 PM) More cards, deleted GF4 MX ROMS, they were corrupted. Added GF3 ROM and Mac Flash Kit stuff
(7/8/2002 7:28 PM) Lot's more cards, notes, and stuff.
(5/7/2002 7:30 PM) Added more cards to table
(3/14/2002 6:08 PM) Added more cards to the table, added 2 GF4 ROMs and NVFLASH 4.13
(2/15/2002 9:19 PM) Added more cards to the table.
(1/20/2002 4:30 PM) BIG update. Added table, notes about bre-B&W G3, "1.bat" issue and other misc. things.
(4/09/2001 9:45 PM) I have been getting a lot of comments that the drivers weren't working, so I re-uploaded them, home that helps. I also uploaded the creative rom into ftp.cybercoment.com/ instead of ftp.cybercoment.com/pub. oops. It's fixed now. =) Oh, I also added a note that the image is for PCs on the file list. (some one didn't know and said I should)
(4/09/2001 9:45 PM) Added 5.5 ns RAM note, Creative ROM and 4.1.8 Firmware note.
(4/08/2001 2:22 PM) Added note about OEM cards, New Step 8, Hercules PCI card, and Prophet Dual ROM
(4/04/2001 8:10 PM) Removed eVGA card, I got a report that it did not work.
(3/31/2001 2:40 PM) Added ASUS card and a note about the AGP with PCI issue.
(3/27/2001 10:05 PM) Added Apple DVD Player 2.5 and Dell card note.
(3/26/2001 9:16 PM) Added the Leadtek card to the list of cards that work. Also added the NVFLASH 3.15 and 3.16
(3/26/2001 4:11 PM) Updated Floppy image so its smaller, and added all the extra downloads.
(3/26/2001 4:00 PM) Added the Creative and eVGA cards. Added new computers to the requirements.
(3/25/2001 10:48 PM) Added the elsa card, fixed spelling error, and added a the ibuyer.net and forum link.
(3/25/2001 3:35 PM) First release