Intel486dx33 wrote on 2020-01-05, 14:38:

Can it play MP3 okay with Winamp program ?
I know I had problems with the AMD 5x86-133@160mhz running win 95b

I can play a 128bit MP3 on POD by using Windows MediaPlayer without problem.

CoffeeOne wrote on 2020-01-05, 15:23:

Fine.
But can you try out what I suggested? I don't think it would take a lot of time.

I don't have another spare PSU at my hand... I need to mess up with the cable management of my working computer a few days later 😀

I have altered the memory setting and try to remove the L2 cache, but the PCI NIC still won’t work...

Hmm... I have checked the spec of my PSU... the highest current for 5V is 15A, is that enough?

Sorry, my bad, I have overlooked that.

I quickly checked some AT power supplies. The weakest I have (200W) is rated with 20A on 5V.
So 15A is really weak. That could explain, why you have problems with the POD and not with the AMD.

So you don't need to check, what I suggested, get a normal rated power supply.

CoffeeOne wrote on 2020-01-05, 15:38:

Hmm... I have checked the spec of my PSU... the highest current for 5V is 15A, is that enough? […]
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Hmm... I have checked the spec of my PSU... the highest current for 5V is 15A, is that enough?

Sorry, my bad, I have overlooked that.

I quickly checked some AT power supplies. The weakest I have (200W) is rated with 20A on 5V.
So 15A is really weak. That could explain, why you have problems with the POD and not with the AMD.

So you don't need to check, what I suggested, get a normal rated power supply.

Have tried a much more powerful PSU (Corsair AX860i with 25A on 5V) but still without luck...

By the way, can the version of BIOS matter? I am using the one from 10/10/1994 but I don't know and dare not update it by myself...

So you have a normal (strong) power supply, and the board works with the Pentium Overdrive but not with PCI network cards, right?

So then now try what I wrote, I am repeating it.
"
Try disabling the L2 cache (or removing the module) AND the slowest RAM settings. Yes, no kidding I mean really the slowest setting (most wait states).
Then try again with the PCI network card. If it works, then put again the cache module in, but keep memory setting at slowest and test again.
"

EDIT: I am writing this, because I had a similar problem with an ASUS PVI-SP3. It worked, but not with PCI cards (had crashes).
The board did not like the onboard cache, disabling L2 cache and slow memory setting helped. I then sold the board 😁

It doesn't make much sense to me. Why should he disable the L2 cache or change the timings if everything works perfectly fine with a different CPU?

@theplum:
Are you sure that you got all the jumpers right for the POD? The jumpers on that board are quite a mess and even the manual isn't clear. Took me a while too to figure out all jumpers.

Updating the BIOS is probably a good idea, too. That's one of the first things I did before even installing the OS.

You can also try to set the cache mode to WT instead of WB. There's a posibility that the older BIOS still has an issue with that. In that case, DMA will not work correctly, which could explain your trouble with the PCI networking card.

derSammler wrote on 2020-01-06, 14:26:

It doesn't make much sense to me. Why should he disable the L2 cache or change the timings if everything works perfectly fine wi […]
Show full quote

It doesn't make much sense to me. Why should he disable the L2 cache or change the timings if everything works perfectly fine with a different CPU?

@theplum:
Are you sure that you got all the jumpers right for the POD? The jumpers on that board are quite a mess and even the manual isn't clear. Took me a while too to figure out all jumpers.

Updating the BIOS is probably a good idea, too. That's one of the first things I did before even installing the OS.

You can also try to set the cache mode to WT instead of WB. There's a posibility that the older BIOS still has an issue with that. In that case, DMA will not work correctly, which could explain your trouble with the PCI networking card.

I have tried all of the methods mentioned (removing L2, slowing down the DRAM, setting L2 to write through...). Still, no luck...

For jumper setting I tried to use Intel DX2. Later on I found that even if I use the setting for my original X5-133 (changed to 5V of course) the POD will still work so I keep the setting. This will allow me to switch back to X5-133 easily.

It seems that the only option left is to update the BIOS. However, I can find the BIOS file easily but not the flash program...

theplum wrote on 2020-01-06, 15:34:

I have tried all of the methods mentioned (removing L2, slowing down the DRAM, setting L2 to write through...). Still, no luck.. […]
Show full quote

derSammler wrote on 2020-01-06, 14:26:

It doesn't make much sense to me. Why should he disable the L2 cache or change the timings if everything works perfectly fine wi […]
Show full quote

It doesn't make much sense to me. Why should he disable the L2 cache or change the timings if everything works perfectly fine with a different CPU?

@theplum:
Are you sure that you got all the jumpers right for the POD? The jumpers on that board are quite a mess and even the manual isn't clear. Took me a while too to figure out all jumpers.

Updating the BIOS is probably a good idea, too. That's one of the first things I did before even installing the OS.

You can also try to set the cache mode to WT instead of WB. There's a posibility that the older BIOS still has an issue with that. In that case, DMA will not work correctly, which could explain your trouble with the PCI networking card.

I have tried all of the methods mentioned (removing L2, slowing down the DRAM, setting L2 to write through...). Still, no luck...

For jumper setting I tried to use Intel DX2. Later on I found that even if I use the setting for my original X5-133 (changed to 5V of course) the POD will still work so I keep the setting. This will allow me to switch back to X5-133 easily.

It seems that the only option left is to update the BIOS. However, I can find the BIOS file easily but not the flash program...

So you have the problem with POD when you use Intel DX2 setting, too (?)
In this mode L1 should be in WT mode, so it's no L1 WB problem neither, very weird indeed.

CoffeeOne wrote on 2020-01-07, 20:18:

theplum wrote on 2020-01-06, 15:34:

I have tried all of the methods mentioned (removing L2, slowing down the DRAM, setting L2 to write through...). Still, no luck.. […]
Show full quote

derSammler wrote on 2020-01-06, 14:26:

It doesn't make much sense to me. Why should he disable the L2 cache or change the timings if everything works perfectly fine wi […]
Show full quote

It doesn't make much sense to me. Why should he disable the L2 cache or change the timings if everything works perfectly fine with a different CPU?

@theplum:
Are you sure that you got all the jumpers right for the POD? The jumpers on that board are quite a mess and even the manual isn't clear. Took me a while too to figure out all jumpers.

Updating the BIOS is probably a good idea, too. That's one of the first things I did before even installing the OS.

You can also try to set the cache mode to WT instead of WB. There's a posibility that the older BIOS still has an issue with that. In that case, DMA will not work correctly, which could explain your trouble with the PCI networking card.

I have tried all of the methods mentioned (removing L2, slowing down the DRAM, setting L2 to write through...). Still, no luck...

For jumper setting I tried to use Intel DX2. Later on I found that even if I use the setting for my original X5-133 (changed to 5V of course) the POD will still work so I keep the setting. This will allow me to switch back to X5-133 easily.

It seems that the only option left is to update the BIOS. However, I can find the BIOS file easily but not the flash program...

So you have the problem with POD when you use Intel DX2 setting, too (?)
In this mode L1 should be in WT mode, so it's no L1 WB problem neither, very weird indeed.

When checked with Cachechk it says that the POD L1 cache is in write back mode... seems that there is no L1 write mode selection for M919...

I personally was not able to get the POD working properly with L1 in write-back mode on the m919 v3.4 motherboard.

feipoa wrote on 2020-01-08, 00:43:

I personally was not able to get the POD working properly with L1 in write-back mode on the m919 v3.4 motherboard.

Hmm... but how to set the L1 to write through mode? There is no such option in the BIOS...

As far as I recall, the POD on the m919 is always in write-through mode regardless of what software reports. I don't recall about what L1 options are present on the m919 when using the POD; its been many years since I used that board for anything.

Hmm... I have given up using the PCI NIC. As long as the ISA NIC works well, I'll just wait and see...

Maybe I will buy another 486 motherboard later...