I recently got a motherboard, its a socket 7 with intel 430vx chipset, in the back it says "Elpina"
How can i know the motherboard model and possibly get the manual and bios updates?
Usually on the bottom (side) of the last ISA slot there is a sticker with the model number.
It is PC Chips. Likely a revision of M535 or M549.
BIOS string would confirm that.
Probably a board from PC Chips. "Elpina" and "V5.0" in the corner are at least indicators for that.
//edit:
What mpe says.
PC Chips M549
http://www.elhvb.com/webhq/models/pcchips/m549.htm
thanks everyone, i found the manual: http://ranamaldita.tripod.com/m549_eng.pdf,
why do people say that pcchips is bad? this seems to be a good board.
It was a low-cost manufacturer always competing at the bottom end.
They had a bad reputation for using false marketing, counterfeit components or cheapest parts possible, thin PCBs, etc. That resulted in high defect rates of many products lines. If they could save $0.01 on anything they've done it.
Not all products were bad though and if it survived until today, it is probably fine.
Were the "Houston" real-time clock chips a knock-off of Dallas? haha
