VOGONS


XTIDE on 3C509B card

Topic actions

Reply 20 of 32, by orcish75

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Excellent info, thanks Canthearu. I haven't tried any newer versions than the one I've linked to, it's installed in all my PC's that require the XTIDE bios. Perhaps they've patched all newer versions since, to fix the poor Win 9X driver.

Reply 21 of 32, by Viserion

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Sorry for lack of response, I just needed to take a break as I have been trying to get this to work, only for running in to different set of trouble, when finally solved the first one.

I have flashed it with the latest bios, so that is in order.
Not tried with a bigger HDD after flashing I think.
Can't completely remember what I have done when, as I did a lot of testing in a short period of time.

I've tried every ram module I have, but none of them work, including the original, and some 32mb ones I used when it suddenly wouldn't boot any more.
I've taken all cards out, and also removed battery while disconnecting power cable. It makes no difference.

There are 2 types of beeps how ever, depending on ram module either 1-3-1, or 1-3-2 that is according to online sources identified it as a memory module problem.

Won't have much time to work on this for the next few days, but will try to figure what the problem is, now and then when I have a bit of time.

Reply 22 of 32, by Viserion

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Managed to get it going again.
The fault was something stupid as the vga connector having falled out and me not noticing.

I decided that for now, I keep it a SCSI system, as I have tinkered with this too long already, and it do work in its current state.

Reply 23 of 32, by andromeda

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

boot rom does not work on my AT28C256 EEPROMs but works fine with AM27C256 EEPROM in my case.
Why?
I tested several AT28C256.
What is the difference with a 27C256 and a 28C256
apart from the EPROM you have to erase it with UV?
My network card is ISA 3C509B-TP.

Reply 24 of 32, by weedeewee

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
andromeda wrote on 2021-04-19, 19:23:
boot rom does not work on my AT28C256 EEPROMs but works fine with AM27C256 EEPROM in my case. Why? I tested several AT28C256. W […]
Show full quote

boot rom does not work on my AT28C256 EEPROMs but works fine with AM27C256 EEPROM in my case.
Why?
I tested several AT28C256.
What is the difference with a 27C256 and a 28C256
apart from the EPROM you have to erase it with UV?
My network card is ISA 3C509B-TP.

Are the 27 and 28 the same speed ?
What speed are the chips you're using?

edit: looking at the datasheets... those two aren't pin compatible.
edit2: you could bend pin 1 and 27 out of the way on the 28, add a wire to pin 1 and plug it into the socketpin27

Right to repair is fundamental. You own it, you're allowed to fix it.
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
Do not ask Why !
https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Serial_port

Reply 25 of 32, by andromeda

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

I misspoke:
for the boot rom: (3c509b 3com)
eprom 28c256-15pu does not work but works with eprom AM27C256B

For the XT-IDE bios:
The 28c256-15 eprom does not work and for the AM27C256 eprom it does not work either.

My question is, what are the EEPROMs (not EPROMs) that are pin compatible with the 3C509B card and that work?

Thank you.

Reply 26 of 32, by megatron-uk

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
andromeda wrote on 2021-05-03, 14:27:
For the XT-IDE bios: The 28c256-15 eprom does not work and for the AM27C256 eprom it does not work either. […]
Show full quote

For the XT-IDE bios:
The 28c256-15 eprom does not work and for the AM27C256 eprom it does not work either.

My question is, what are the EEPROMs (not EPROMs) that are pin compatible with the 3C509B card and that work?

Thank you.

Are you sure about that? I have an AM27C128 fitted to my 3C509B with XT-IDE r604 and it's working perfectly. That's with the ~10KB AT_L BIOS, although that doesn't really matter as none of the images are bigger than 16KB so you don't need anything bigger than a 128kbit chip. Though if you are using one of the sub 8KB images you can get away with a 27C64 - the advantage of using a smaller chip is that you end up wasting less of the 640-1024KB region for the mapped-in ROM.

Do be aware that you must run the XT-IDE configure utility on (whatever) BIOS image you have chosen first, before you then write it to your (E)EPROM. The BIOS file is in an 'unconfigured' state in it's form that it is available to download from http://www.xtideuniversalbios.org/binaries/r604/ ... it will not work without being configured first.

The XT-IDE BIOS on a 3C509 is a well tested solution - I wrote about it on these very forums getting on for almost 10 years ago: Large IDE drives on 286/AT/ISA class machines

Last edited by megatron-uk on 2021-05-03, 16:33. Edited 2 times in total.

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 27 of 32, by megatron-uk

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

AT28C256 and AM27C256 appear to have different pinouts; that probably explains why the former chip doesn't work in your card:

AT28C256-15PU.gif
Filename
AT28C256-15PU.gif
File size
9.05 KiB
Views
935 views
File license
CC-BY-4.0
AM27C256.gif
Filename
AM27C256.gif
File size
8.41 KiB
Views
935 views
File license
CC-BY-4.0

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 28 of 32, by megatron-uk

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

BTW, if you want an EEPROM equivalent to a standard 128 or 256kbit 27C128/27C256 then you could do a lot worse than the Winbond W27C128/W27C256. It's pin-for-pin compatible and is still available quite cheaply from most suppliers.

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 29 of 32, by snufkin

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

There's a bit here about the changes to make a 28 EEPROM to work in a 27 EPROM socket: https://theansweris27.com/bmw-e30-318i-engine … t-optimization/

Scroll down to the EPROM to EEPROM section for the details.

Reply 30 of 32, by Horun

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
megatron-uk wrote on 2021-05-03, 16:36:

BTW, if you want an EEPROM equivalent to a standard 128 or 256kbit 27C128/27C256 then you could do a lot worse than the Winbond W27C128/W27C256. It's pin-for-pin compatible and is still available quite cheaply from most suppliers.

Thanks ! It looks like the W27E257 is also same pinout as AM27C256. Do you know if those work OK in a TL866 Pro ?

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. https://archive.org/details/@horun