VOGONS


First post, by TheMobRules

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Hi guys

recently I got a ZEOS Python/Pantera 486 PCI motherboard with Intel chipset. I ran some basic tests and it appears to be working fine, I just need to hack the Dallas RTC in order to get the BIOS to store settings and keep time.

However, the board came without cache so I was thinking about upgrading that. According to the manual, it supports 3 different cache configurations: 0KB, 128KB and 512KB (there's a jumper for that). Since it has four 32-pin sockets, I assume I'd have to source four 128K x 8 SRAM chips right?

What has me a bit puzzled is that there are two 28-pin sockets for the tag, as opposed to just one as I usually see in 486 motherboards of this era (which in most cases is populated with a 32K x 8 SRAM chip). I read the entire manual, but unfortunately it's not very helpful as to how to fill them, it only mentions stuff like "Your system mainboard will hold either 128K or 512K of Level 2 cache in a set of six small chips."

So, what do you guys think I should use to fill those tag sockets?

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Reply 1 of 3, by BeginnerGuy

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I wish I could give something concrete but searches for Zeos Pantera 486 are bringing me to either a VLB/ISA board or a similar board that doesn't take DIP SRAM.

Going by the intel chipset (sb2425ex), I dug this up for an Asus PVI-486AP4.. I would hope your manual tells you which jumpers you need to close though. Looks like 2 32kx8s in the tags will work for any config you throw at the board. Just ignore any 8 chip configurations.

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I also flipped through a few ebay boards with the same chipset and found one and grabbed a shot of it's config, this looks like 256k using 8 32kx8 chips with two more of the same for the tag.

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if nobody else can chime in. I'm not even 100% sure you need both tag chips for it to work.

Sup. I like computers. Are you a computer?

Reply 2 of 3, by TheMobRules

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Very useful info, thanks!

It looks like 2 32K x 8 is the way to go for the tag sockets then! I may take a while to source the chips but I will definitely report back once I have them installed.

Thanks again.