VOGONS


First post, by Jed118

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Hello all,

I have been reunited with my 386 finally, and thought it was time for an upgrade: I bought a 386/486 motherboard (EXP4349 by DataExpert - VERY intricate BIOS) but for the life of me it would not take a 386 - I put in an old 486 SX25 I had lying around and it POSTed, but really slowly. No amount of jumper settings allowed the Am386DX40, Intel DX25, or the 486DLC to POST. So I tried another motherboard, (OPTI495SLC) configured it, but then noticed that there was heavy corrosion around the battery area - This board did not POST at all, not even a keyboard light or a beep - Garbage.

Both had VESA which is what I wanted in my 386, seeing how I have a Mach32 VLB card sitting around, as well as an VLB multi/IO

So, the original board went back in (an M321) but I put in the 486DLC chip and its co-processor. Works a little faster, but my configuration is a little wonky (my autoexec and config.sys are overrun with things - need to be trimmed) but most applications work.

The configuration is like this:

-Cx486DLC and FasMath co-processor @ 40 MHz
-32 Mb 70ns SIMM memory
-Quantum 540 Mb Hdd
-Seagate 1 Gb SCSI hard disk (mostly filled with games)
-Adaptec AHA 2940 SCSI controller
-1.44 and 1.2 Mb FDD
-3COM etherlink III LAN card
-Reveal sound card (I've got an SB16 somewhere too...)
-Ati MACH32 2Mb ISA video board (with NVRAM)
-2X Reveal CDROM (Panasonic)
-350Mb Colorado Tape backup (wonky - SW crashes Windows)
-100 Mb ZIP drive (worked at one point, something about the drivers failed now)
-Multi IO card

It runs Windows 3.11 with Calmira XP skin (to which I forgot the password...) and DR-DOS 7. TONS of games on this rig, which is why I built it over 15 years ago.

Here are the pictures: (Sorry it appears I have a dirty lens!)

http://imgur.com/a/npm24

Now, I have some questions for you guys - This motherboard has 128k Cache, with slots to add more, but the "jumpers" are permanently soldered - Nothing I can't handle, but I know NOTHING about cache chips, where to buy them, what to buy, something about a tag chip... How can I get 256K on there?

Another question - The EXP4349 has a wicked BIOS - can I swap out the BIOS chips just like that, or will that send current into places it shouldn't, damaging something?

How can I connect this beast to the internet through Windows 3.11 (purely for shits and giggles) -I have never done this, my first internet computer had Windows 95 on it.

Does anyone want the OPTI495SLC to rebuild? I don't want to throw it out, so if someone can use it somehow, PM me.

EDIT: I suspect there may be a virus on the computer - I inherited a box FULL of diskettes, and I used some of them already. While I am not keen on scanning 300+ diskettes, how can I scan my computer for viruses?

Youtube channel- The Kombinator
What's for sale? my eBay!

Reply 1 of 3, by luckybob

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Jed118 wrote:
Now, I have some questions for you guys - This motherboard has 128k Cache, with slots to add more, but the "jumpers" are permane […]
Show full quote

Now, I have some questions for you guys - This motherboard has 128k Cache, with slots to add more, but the "jumpers" are permanently soldered - Nothing I can't handle, but I know NOTHING about cache chips, where to buy them, what to buy, something about a tag chip... How can I get 256K on there?

Another question - The EXP4349 has a wicked BIOS - can I swap out the BIOS chips just like that, or will that send current into places it shouldn't, damaging something?

How can I connect this beast to the internet through Windows 3.11 (purely for shits and giggles) -I have never done this, my first internet computer had Windows 95 on it.

Does anyone want the OPTI495SLC to rebuild? I don't want to throw it out, so if someone can use it somehow, PM me.

EDIT: I suspect there may be a virus on the computer - I inherited a box FULL of diskettes, and I used some of them already. While I am not keen on scanning 300+ diskettes, how can I scan my computer for viruses?

IN ORDER:

1: Short answer, you will need 4 more chips like the ones soldered in as well as the tag ram chip. I'd have to research a bit to find out what tag ram you would need, but install the chips, remove the original jumpers and install new ones. Its not an easy task, but doable.
2: NO. There might be an update around the web somewhere if you are lucky. If not, grin and bear it.
3: i'm sure someone will. I currently have to many pans in the fire as it is.
4: unlikely its a virus. I've never seen one in in 25+ years of computing and i've been to many many shady places on the internet. That said, go here for antivirus: [SOLVED] Best DOS antivirus?

It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes.

Reply 2 of 3, by jesolo

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I'm looking around for a spare 386 or 386/486 combo motherboard but, one that is still operational. Unfortunately, some of the prices on eBay are ludicrous.
Has to have the PGA sockets for the CPU and math co-processor so that I can just drop in my CPU (as I have a spare AMD 386DX-40 CPU lying around).

I also have a Cyrix 486DLC-40 with it's math co-processor nicely tucked away in a old Chicony 386 motherboard and it's still going strong (Winbond 16-bit IDE controller, Sound Galaxy Basic 16, 360 kb & 1.44 MB floppy drives, 204 MB HDD and a Tseng Labs ET4000AX 16-bit graphics card to round it off).
Initially, I also had some trouble to get the motherboard to recognise the Cyrix CPU (worked fine with the AMD386) and later on realised that I had to select the factory default settings in the BIOS (the "non" optimal setting where everything is usually disabled), save it, and re-boot.
Then, go into the BIOS again and manually change the settings to the optimal settings (i.e., enable cache, System Bios cacheable, Video Bios cacheable, etc.)

Reply 3 of 3, by kixs

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Nice build. 😁

Do you plan on using some VLB graphic card?

Is it possible for you to make some benchmarks? It would be great if you used the Phils Benchmark suit - here are the instructions and download:
Phil's Ultimate VGA Benchmark Database Project

I also like to see Speedsys and Chkcache benches.

Requests are also possible... /msg kixs