http://www.memoryx.com/as48mome.html
this page shows the max mem for the board to be 64mb.

https://www.oempcworld.com/configurator/confi … ainboard+Series
this page also shows 64mb as the max.

i do have the same motherboard (rev 2.1) and mine only has 16mb installed.
I had the simple question, is the cache really that important to performance? if i only have 128k cache, + a DX2 80mhz cpu, is it really worth getting cache chips + upgrading to a dx4 100mhz or higher? how does the vlb stability cope with going higher then 33mhz fsb?

RAM size/configuration support is mostly [if not exclusively?] determined by chipset and BIOS. You can, for example, take 2 motherboards of different brand, but with the same or very similar component base, and use the BIOS from one board to another. For example, Board A has a newer, say, 1998 BIOS which supports 128 MB of RAM, it also supports 64 MB memory sticks. Board B only supports 32 MB sticks and 64 MB. It is possible to use the BIOS from Board A and insert it into Board B to get Board B to work with 64 MB sticks and 128 MB RAM. While this is not always the case, I can think of some examples from my own experience. Sometimes some minor changes were required to the BIOS's PCI routing table.

download/file.php?id=14937 (complete manual scan from artex)

someone really needs to pull this attachment
-->http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=555 (incomplete!!!! very much incomplete scan)
in favor of the artex manual (which is complete)

looks like this board has some particularly funky memory configurations

Yes, I noticed immediately that the two 32 MB RAM modules needed to be installed with a space between them (Banks 0 and 2). The board won't even show signs of life if you place the two modules in slots 0 and 1. I was really hoping to get 128 MB working on a VLB-only socket 3, 486 motherboard. 1024K of L2 cache seems kind of a waste with only 64 MB installed.

I setup my board with an Adaptec AHA-2842A SCSI controller with integrated floppy drive port. This way, I don't really need to install an I/O expansion card because I do not need IDE, serial, or parallel ports. The ps/2 port on the motherboard takes care of the mouse requirement. FYI: graphics card is a Diamond Multimedia Stealth 64 VRAM VLB (S3 Vision968 chipset) w/4MB RAM.

looks like it requires the banks alternated/staggered
for any config that involves double sided chips

Chris,
I will re-upload my package with the complete manual but Squallstrife should delete the current one first

feipoa, you coult try the latest bios of the EFA 4DMS board (dated 01/12/96) - supports 5x86, 1024k L2 and 128 MB by 4x32 MB SIMMS, EDO memory also seems to work, there's also a L2 WB/WT switch option implemented.
Have you tried to unlock hidden features in the original Asus bios using MODBIN ?

Jolaes76 wrote:

Chris,
I will re-upload my package with the complete manual but Squallstrife should delete the current one first

Okay, I flagged it for deletion.

BastlerMike wrote:

feipoa, you coult try the latest bios of the EFA 4DMS board (dated 01/12/96) - supports 5x86, 1024k L2 and 128 MB by 4x32 MB SIMMS, EDO memory also seems to work, there's also a L2 WB/WT switch option implemented.
Have you tried to unlock hidden features in the original Asus bios using MODBIN ?

I used modbin to check versions 0402 and 0402-1 of the AWARD BIOSes for the VL/I-486SV2GX4, but they do not have an L2 Write-through option, nor the ability to correctly set the alter bit. The 0305 version has the WT/WB option, however it does not support the Am5x86, nor WB L1 cache. Actually, even with the old 0305 BIOS, I'm not sure if WT/WB L2 is implemented correctly.

Do you have a source for the EFA 4DMS BIOS?

Edit: This one?
http://downloads.netmediaeurope.de/30228/efa- … ms-hl3g-103911/

I think I downloaded it here: http://downloads.netmediaeurope.de/30228/efa- … ms-hl3g-103911/ but it should be available elsewhere (version 1.05 is the latest)

This website mentions, http://motherboards.mbarron.net/models/486vlb3/4dms.htm

SIS-85C471B/E/G //SIS471E/G chipset

How do determine what chipset is on my board? It says SiS 471 ST. Is ST the B, E, or G revision?

Never thought about this. I doubt that this is of any importance

Alright. I have altered the 4DMS BIOS to allow for PS/2 mouse support. The main physical difference I see between the two boards is that the Asus product has 2 VLB slots, whereas the 4DMS-HL3G board has 3. This may or may not cause a problem.
http://www.amoretro.de/wp-content/uploads/201 … motherboard.jpg
http://image-share.de/images/dd276799ae5b2b89 … 9e39e4c8f4b.jpg

Unfortunately, that BIOS did not work. Upon system power on, there was nothing displayed on the monitor. The problem could also be due to the lack of a clear CMOS jumper on the Asus board. Even when removing the battery, the system holds its CMOS settings for some period of time, which I haven't established. I had the battery out for 2 minutes. On my Mark V Baby Screamer, the settings are saved for at least 1 day, but less than a week.

Any other BIOS ideas?

Today I made a short test with the 4DMS bios and the Asus board and it worked. You should retry this with your components.

You were able to set your L2 into WT mode? Could you read back your cachechk results for when L2 is placed in WT mode and for when L2 is placed in WB mode when using the 4DMS BIOS?

Just as a matter of interest.
Are all the BIOSes of the VL/I-486SV2GX4 motherboards "flashable"?
I have one with BIOS revision 0305 (I have to check my motherboard revision), but apparently not all these BIOSes can be flashed. I have tried on mine, but didn't want to try too hard and render my motherboard unusable.

So far, I haven't seen any of these motherboards come with a flashable EEPROM. They have a UV light eraseable EPROM, so I just replace it with an EEPROM.

feipoa wrote:

So far, I haven't seen any of these motherboards come with a flashable EEPROM. They have a UV light eraseable EPROM, so I just replace it with an EEPROM.

So, in theory, I can take any EEPROM (BIOS) chip from a "broken" motherboard, flash it with the latest BIOS of this motherboard with something like uniflash, and it should work?