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Dumping Compaq Portable III BIOS

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First post, by kuenzign

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According to Compaq's official Service Quick Reference Guide, the Compaq Portable III has 4 BIOS revisions:

Revision   Odd ROM Number   Even ROM Number   Size
K          106778-002       106779-002        16 KB
N.2        107824-001       107825-001        32 KB
P.2        109737-001       109738-001        32 KB
R.2        109737-002       109738-002        32 KB

I was able to find dumps of Revision K and Revision R.2, but I was unable to find dumps of Revision N.2 and Revision P.2. My Compaq Portable III has Revision P.2, which can be seen in the attached image below. I would like to archive this revision since I haven't found it anywhere, but my MiniPro TL866CS programmer is unable to dump the chips. I believe that this is because the chips are Microchip 27256 EPROMs, which use NMOS technology unlike their counterpart the Microchip 27C256, which uses CMOS technology and can be dumped by the MiniPro. Please correct me on this if I am wrong.

Does anyone know how I might be able to dump these chips? Additionally, does anyone have Revision N.2 so that all BIOS revisions can be archived and preserved?

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Reply 1 of 6, by Horun

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Gently pull one side of the label off and make sure what chip is under (if you have not already) and post what it is.
It is possible to read them using a PCI NIC with rom socket on a proper board and Uniflash or other ROM software since they are fairly small.
On another note see this: https://archive.org/details/COMPAQPORTABLEIIICOMPLETEBIOS
maybe you a newer programmer or updated software ? just a thought...

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. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 2 of 6, by kuenzign

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Horun wrote on 2021-01-15, 06:00:

Gently pull one side of the label off and make sure what chip is under (if you have not already) and post what it is.

I did peel up the label and as stated, the chips are Microchip 27256 EPROMs, which my programmer cannot dump.

Horun wrote on 2021-01-15, 06:00:

On another note see this: https://archive.org/details/COMPAQPORTABLEIIICOMPLETEBIOS

That link is the Revision K BIOS. Mine is Revision P.2, which I want to archive for others to have access to, since I cannot find it anywhere online.

Horun wrote on 2021-01-15, 06:00:

maybe you a newer programmer or updated software ? just a thought...

I have the latest version of the MiniPro software (for my programmer version), which is v6.85. The software does not support the Microchip 27256, but it does support the Microchip 27C256 (see the attached screenshot below). Attempting to dump when Microchip 27C256 is selected does not work as it is a different chip.

Horun wrote on 2021-01-15, 06:00:

It is possible to read them using a PCI NIC with rom socket on a proper board and Uniflash or other ROM software since they are fairly small.

I don't have experience doing something like that. Do you know of some resources that could explain how to do something like that?

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Reply 3 of 6, by Horun

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In your MiniPro software is there a box to "check ID" for the EPROM ? Uncheck it and try again !
Does the laptop boot up ?

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. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 4 of 6, by kuenzign

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Horun wrote on 2021-01-16, 02:10:

In your MiniPro software is there a box to "check ID" for the EPROM ? Uncheck it and try again !

Thanks so much! When I unchecked the "Check ID" box (see in screenshot attached below), I was able to read it as a Miocrochip 27C256.

I have uploaded my revision (P.2) as well as the other two revisions that I was able to find (K and R.2) to the Internet Archive here: https://archive.org/details/compaq-portable-iii-bios

If someone has the N.2 revision, it would be great to add it to the archive so that all four revisions can be together.

Horun wrote on 2021-01-16, 02:10:

Does the laptop boot up ?

My machine does indeed work perfectly. I just wanted to archive the BIOS so that others can benefit.

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Reply 5 of 6, by Deksor

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Well we can add it here as well 😀 http://www.win3x.org/uh19/motherboard/show/1294

Now this page would be better with a photo as well but disassembling such a thing isn't easy I can imagine

Trying to identify old hardware ? Visit The retro web - Project's thread The Retro Web project - a stason.org/TH99 alternative

Reply 6 of 6, by Horun

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Deksor wrote on 2021-01-16, 11:30:

Well we can add it here as well 😀 http://www.win3x.org/uh19/motherboard/show/1294

Now this page would be better with a photo as well but disassembling such a thing isn't easy I can imagine

I found a motherboard pictures on "old junk" website but they are in .RIFF format so converted to .JPG. Large image is 3654x2068, Small is 1400x792.
The jumpers are named exactly the same but the connectors are labeled different. Small image attached here
Took the bios files and added all the pictures and upped to the library: http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?file … 8&menustate=0,0

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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. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

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