The ITE IT8671F-A looks like the I/O chip, and the ITE IT8687R is the buffer chip.

The VIA VT82C596B (Apollo Pro133A) is the main chipset/northbridge and the VIA VT82C993A is the southbridge.

Drivers can be found on PhilsComputerLab's website: https://www.philscomputerlab.com/via-chipset-drivers.html (first driver at the top). I've never heard of that brand before either, it looks like it supports Windows 98SE up to Windows XP, and I believe that board supports up to a 933MHz Pentium III at 1.75V and 256KB L2 cache. If you want to use an ISA card that uses -5VDC, I suggest an ATX to ATX with the -5VDC for better support. I also have a board that's close to that as well (Shuttle AV18V31), but with an AMR slot (audio modem riser).

Many thanks for the info ..
Looks like I'm going to be building ..yet another dual boot system ..
XP and win98se ..
or maybe a triple boot ..so I can have pure DOS7.1 as well .
I recently snagged a AWE64 CT4380 which doesn't have a home yet ..
🤣
any recommendations for a suitable AGP2x graphics card ??
rgds
VS

bjwil1991 wrote:

The ITE IT8671F-A looks like the I/O chip, and the ITE IT8687R is the buffer chip.

The VIA VT82C596B (Apollo Pro133A) is the main chipset/northbridge and the VIA VT82C993A is the southbridge.

Nope. That "VT82C993A" is almost certainly a typo, it should be "VT82C693A". Which is the ApolloPro133 (non-A) northbridge. The 596B is an early 1999 southbridge, offering ATA-66, and was the last one without integrated Super-IO, hence the ITE chip.

The AGP 2x is another indicator that this is an ApolloPro133 and not a 133A (as that has AGP4x) - and of course the "documentation" in the OP. Altogether this looks like a very early and/or low-end ApolloPro133 board.

Drivers can be found on PhilsComputerLab's website: https://www.philscomputerlab.com/via-chipset-drivers.html (first driver at the top).

Yep, this is standard Via 4-in-1 territory. If for some reason Phil's version gives you problems, there are several more on Vogonsdrivers.com you could try, or indeed just download them from Via themselves - they still have old Win98 and XP drivers.

I've never heard of that brand before either, it looks like it supports Windows 98SE up to Windows XP, and I believe that board supports up to a 933MHz Pentium III at 1.75V and 256KB L2 cache. If you want to use an ISA card that uses -5VDC, I suggest an ATX to ATX with the -5VDC for better support. I also have a board that's close to that as well (Shuttle AV18V31), but with an AMR slot (audio modem riser).

The socket is an So370 FC-PGA socket, so electrically it will take any FC-PGA P3 or Celeron, any PPGA Celeron, and any Via C3. As for what the BIOS will support... that's another matter entirely. The thing to watch is the CPU stepping, which is more relevant than its clock speed.

As for AGP... if you're doing DOS, you'll want something that plays nice there. Probably an early nVidia card would be best; you can get TNT2-M64 and Gf2MX cards pretty much for free and they would suit this just fine. Remember that AGP 4x cards are backwards compatible with AGP 2x (but AGP 8x cards are NOT). If you really want to limit yourself to an AGP 2x card, you're castrating your more modern OSs, but you could try a Riva128 or even an S3 Virge.

Thanks Dion ..
you are quite right ..I did indeed post wrong chip number ..
Examined with a magnifying glass ..and a better light ..
..and you are spot on.
damn my ageing eyes..🤣
cheers mate.

According to the web Archive from 2001

https://web.archive.org/web/20010306145938fw_ … /dm-12390-1.htm

this may be the generic manual for the board

http://support.pcpartner.com/support/man/intel/c93100bv.pdf

and this may be a compatible bios (based on searching this page for the part layout / model code from the manual 35-c931)

http://support.pcpartner.com/support/bios/VIA694.HTM#pro133

Thanks for the help/links HP ..
Certainly it looks very very similar .
Guess I'll get a reasonable gamer out of this motherboard afterall..
cheers.

I've hit a roadblock already ..as far as graphics goes ..
I literally have only one card which will physically fit in the AGP 2x
a Sparkle S3 Trio 3D
Doesnt look much and I'm doubting it's ability to get the job done.
I guess it's back to flea bay for something a bit more Hi end ..
suggestions welcomed.
VS

just put in an offer on a GeCube R9250LP-C3H Radeon 9250 128MB AGP Graphics Card.
which appears to have 'the notch' ..
fingers crossed this is suitable.
???

So ..downloaded what I think should be a suitable bios as pointed to by PC Hoarder.
The zip contains 4 bin files so this is possibly confusing ..
As it requires some identification to flash the correct one.
using the wrong one could indeed 'brick' the motherboard.
>>>>>>>
VIA-ApolloPro133 (ATX/MicroATX) Motherboard - Award BIOS
(VT82C693A+VT82C596B)

V1023IAG.BIN For ITE Super IO chip
Winbond (39A) Clock Gen IC
(Oct/2000)

V1219IAG.BIN For ITE Super IO chip
Winbond (39B) Clock Gen IC
(Dec/2000)

V1215IAG.BIN For ITE Super IO chip
ICW-W144 Clock Gen IC
(Dec/2000)

P908NAG.BIN For NS Super IO chip
Winbond (39B) Clock Gen IC
(March/2001)

.2MBit (256KByte) Flash IC
.Different BIOS files for different Super IO / Clock Gen IC support

Remark :
======
Please identify the super IO chip and clock generator IC on your motherboard before updating the BIOS. Upgrading with a wrong BIOS file may result in failure to power up after the upgrade !
>>>>>>

My solution is a bit crude but should work.
I managed to buy 5 flash chips on AliExpress for around 8 dollars including delivery.
having checked my TL866 programmer could accomodate these devices first.
I can therefore preserve the contents of the original Digimate chip (Winbond W49F002U-12B)
in case it goes 'tits up'
I guess I could have just bought 1 chip ..but they are sold in packs of 5 ..so I'll flash all options ..and test them by insertion one at a time..
fingers crossed I get a result ..but the original is always my preserved fall back.

The only problem is of course the shipping time which wont be fast ..
So I guess this experiment/project is on hold temporarily.
cest la vie
VS