VOGONS


Clock generators on Socket 7 and older motherboards

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First post, by lazibayer

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I like collecting information on clock generators since they tell you if there are hidden jumper settings, but I couldn't find such pool of data so I will start my own. I will start with a few and update whenever I spot a clock generator on the web. I like Socket 1~7 boards since I know little about older boards and I don't like the jumper-less newer boards. Everyone is welcome to post the model of clock generator on your motherboards.

So I will start with the famous ASUS P5A-B (Rev. 1.04)
Clock generator: ICS9148BF-53
Everyone knows that it has hidden jumper settings for 125 and 133MHz, but actually it can do more than that 😎

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FIC 486-GAC-2
Clock generator: VT8225N
The board only prints 25 and 33MHz, but the chip is able to range from 2 to 50MHz 🤣
And it actually boots at 2MHz!

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Boards with VIA VT82C496G / VT82C406MV chipset
The clock generator is built inside the chipset and the control logic is a little complicated. It takes 7 bits to decide the CPU clock and another 4 bits to decide ISA clock. A board may not have that many jumpers but you can enumerate all the possibilities if you know how to manipulate the chip's registers!

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Last edited by lazibayer on 2014-12-25, 02:41. Edited 2 times in total.

Reply 1 of 86, by lazibayer

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ASUS T2P4 Rev. 3.10
Clock generator: PLL52C61-01HSC
Highlight: it reaches as low as TCLK/2, i.e. 7MHz with 14MHz crystal, great for low record lovers!
--UPDATE 12.23.14-- It won't boot if set to TCLK/2 😢

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Compaq Prolinea 197023-001
Clock generator: AV9155-03CW20
The chip can generate 16 different clocks but the board only gives you one jumper for clock! Time to heat your iron, man.

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HP Compaq PWA-PWA CAMARO
Clock generator: ICS9248AF-127
MVP4 chipset. Ranges from 60 to 124MHz, quite typical for SS7 platform.

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Last edited by lazibayer on 2014-12-24, 03:45. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 2 of 86, by lazibayer

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Abit AB-AX5 Rev. 2.21
Clock generator: PLL52C62-02XC
I can't find the IC's datasheet. The board has the "jumper-less" feature that I don't like. For example, once it detects 6x86/6x86L processor it locks the multiplier at x2. Although the other multipliers of 6x86, x1 and x3, are not that useful, but I prefer more choices.

Gigabyte GA-5SMM Rev. 1.2
Clock generator: W153BH
I can only find the datasheet for W153B, which shows even less options than the board's manual. I have cross-referenced the manual and the datasheet, and filled out the blanks with experiments. The values with "~" are estimated by Sandra RAM bandwidth test, "*" are reported by Sandra, and "?" means no way to find out (I tried Sandra, AIDA32 and Everest). The board supports PCI 1/4 divider and works stably at 133MHz FSB (L2 and onboard VGA disabled).

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ASUS P5S-VM (Rev. 1.01 & 2.02)
Clock generator: ICS9248AF-81
Pretty standard for SiS530 boards. Supports PCI 1/4 divider and works stably at 133MHz FSB (L2 and onboard VGA disabled).

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Last edited by lazibayer on 2014-12-10, 21:29. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 3 of 86, by lazibayer

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ASUS TXP4-X Rev. 3.01
Clock generator: ICS9169CJ-27
It supports 7MHz FSB! 🤣

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ASUS TX97-X Rev. 2.03 & 2.05
Clock generator: ICS9147F-03
Also 7MHz certified! Do I have an obsession with 7MHz FSB? 😕
--UPDATE 12.23.14-- It actually boots with 7MHz FSB! 😁

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ASUS TX97-XV Rev. 1.13
Clock generator: ICS9147F-03
Same as above!

ASUS TX97 Rev. 1.21
Clock generator: ICS9147F-09

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ASUS TX97-XE Rev. 3.01
Clock generator: ICS9169CJ-272

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Last edited by lazibayer on 2014-12-24, 03:46. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 4 of 86, by gerwin

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Thanks for sharing this information!
I always check the type of PLL clock generator when selecting a retro motherboard. Unfortunatey it is usually impossible to determine from all but the sharpest photos.

Super Socket 7 and Slot-1 boards with SMBus enabled PLL chips are usually listed in FSB selecting programs. Meaning that if you open the database of SoftFSB, CPU-FSB or SiSoft Sandra one can find the PLL type for all supported motherboards.

lazibayer wrote:

and I don't like the jumper-less newer boards.

Me neither, Good to agree with someone on this. 😀

--> ISA Soundcard Overview // Doom MBF 2.04 // SetMul

Reply 5 of 86, by lazibayer

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gerwin wrote:

Thanks for sharing this information!
I always check the type of PLL clock generator when selecting a retro motherboard. Unfortunatey it is usually impossible to determine from all but the sharpest photos.

Yup, most of the models are from eyeballing sharp online pictures. It would be great helpful if everyone can participate and post their PLL's info 😊

gerwin wrote:

Super Socket 7 and Slot-1 boards with SMBus enabled PLL chips are usually listed in FSB selecting programs. Meaning that if you open the database of SoftFSB, CPU-FSB or SiSoft Sandra one can find the PLL type for all supported motherboards.

I am trying to focus on the older boards that do not support soft FSB adjustment.

Reply 6 of 86, by lazibayer

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Elitr UX584VIO-A Rev. 1.2
Clock generator: ICW43C94-146
Can't find data sheet for this one 🙁

Shuttle HOT-433
Clock generator: MX8315PC

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Shuttle HOT-541
Clock generator: AV9154A-42
Range: 16-66MHz

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Last edited by lazibayer on 2015-01-02, 21:56. Edited 2 times in total.

Reply 7 of 86, by lazibayer

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MSI MS-5148
Clock generator: ICS9147F-12

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Reply 8 of 86, by lazibayer

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ASUS SP97-V Rev. 1.02
Clock generator: ICS9169CM-23
7MHz supported, but won't boot if you set so.

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Last edited by lazibayer on 2014-12-23, 02:14. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 9 of 86, by lazibayer

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ASUS PVI-486SP3
Clock generator: VT8228N
Datasheet not found 🙁

FIC 486-GIO-VP
Clock generator: VT8225N
Same as 486-GAC-2

Reply 10 of 86, by lazibayer

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GA-586T2 Rev. 1.2
Clock generator: ICS9148F-25
The board only provides 2 jumpers. Might need hard mod to get 83MHz.

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Reply 11 of 86, by lazibayer

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Iwill P55XB2 Ver. 1.2
Clock generator: PLL52C62-02XC
Same as AB-AX5.

Reply 12 of 86, by lazibayer

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ATC-1000+
Clock generator: ICS9159M-14
Bo~~~ring~~~

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Reply 13 of 86, by 5u3

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lazibayer wrote:

ASUS PVI-486SP3
Clock generator: VT8228N
Datasheet not found 🙁

I tried the combinations for this one a few years ago: Link

Reply 14 of 86, by Stiletto

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lazibayer wrote:

ASUS PVI-486SP3
Clock generator: VT8228N
Datasheet not found 🙁

Agreed, cannot find this one anywhere. I wonder how VIA would react if you asked them for it, or who exactly owns this obsolete intellectual property now (they've been bought and sold a bunch of times IIRC.)

The best you can do for this board is refer to the jumper settings:
http://stason.org/TULARC/pc/motherboards/A/AS … tml#.VJbzW1AAcA
http://gboeger.de/Computer/Asus_PVI486SP3/pvisp3-cpu.html
dlsvr01.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/sock5/486sp3/pvi_486sp3.zip (page 9 of the PDF)

and 5u3's experimentation: Re: Test:486 undocumented jumper settings

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Reply 15 of 86, by lazibayer

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5u3 wrote:
lazibayer wrote:

ASUS PVI-486SP3
Clock generator: VT8228N
Datasheet not found 🙁

I tried the combinations for this one a few years ago: Link

Thanks for the input!

Reply 16 of 86, by lazibayer

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Some hard-to-identify OEM boards on ebay:
The first one looks like Packard Bell 680/682/685 series but has NEC BIOS
http://www.ebay.com/itm/430VX-Socket-7-mother … =item43d4eaca4c
Clock generator: CY2260SC-2
Nothing more than 50/55/60/66

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The second one is a DEC 486SX board
http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-intel-i486sx- … =item1c470ca576
Clock generator: CH9001CC-SC

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The third one is a Gateway 486DX2/66 board
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gateway-09-00144-01-4 … =item4874664008
Clock generator: AV9155-01CW20

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Ebay has been an important source for me to identify motherboard models and their PLL chips. I listed the ebay links for the above boards since I don't know how to accurately describe these boards. It would be great if some one can help me identify them so I can replace the links with models and revisions, otherwise the links will expire some time.

Reply 17 of 86, by Stiletto

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lazibayer wrote:
5u3 wrote:
lazibayer wrote:

ASUS PVI-486SP3
Clock generator: VT8228N
Datasheet not found 🙁

I tried the combinations for this one a few years ago: Link

Thanks for the input!

Whoops, 5u3 must have posted while I was writing mine. 😀

"I see a little silhouette-o of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you
do the Fandango!" - Queen

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Reply 18 of 86, by lazibayer

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Shuttle HOT-419 R2 & R3
Clock generator: AV9107C-03
The table is misaligned by one return.

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FIC 486-GVT-2
Clock generator: VT8225N
Same as 486-GAC-2

Reply 19 of 86, by Stiletto

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lazibayer wrote:

The table is misaligned by one return

So re-do it? There was also an error in the "truth table" in column 1 row 4 it seems. 😉

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"I see a little silhouette-o of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you
do the Fandango!" - Queen

Stiletto