VOGONS


First post, by SDumas

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

I will try to explain the problem as best as I can, as I don't speak/write English fluently, so I apologize for that.

After uploading some photos, manual and bios file in this thread:
Re: The Retro Web submissions thread: suggest edits and/or add new boards here
of this motherboard (Rectron RT-4S3), i took the opportunity to do some tests since I had the motherboard in my hands.

I run speedsys 4.78, and verified that it did not detect any second level cache.On the bios the external cache was enabled.
So i removed all 4 cache and TAG chips and tested on the TL866 and the Retro Chip Tester giving them as damaged.

file.php?mode=view&id=176826

Cut one chip in half and...no silicon chip !...

file.php?mode=view&id=176825

So like PCChips this motherboard had fake cache..., i thought only PCChips had fake cache on their motherboards...

But I also found another problem, see the photos of the TAG RAM socket, the VCC pin (+5V) is missing, so the (ghost) chip has never been powered...

file.php?mode=view&id=176824
file.php?mode=view&id=176823

Since the motherboard no longer had a true cache, they didn't even notice the problem.

Regarding the bios, without cache chips, the boot screen always reports 256k of cache, but with real cache the indication
is the correct, i tested with 128k and 512k of total cache.

So, i think this bios can be used without any problem with good cache...

Attachments

  • Fake.jpg
    Filename
    Fake.jpg
    File size
    1.27 MiB
    Views
    226 views
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • Empty chip.jpg
    Filename
    Empty chip.jpg
    File size
    818.32 KiB
    Views
    226 views
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • TAG chip socket.jpg
    Filename
    TAG chip socket.jpg
    File size
    1.22 MiB
    Views
    226 views
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • TAG chip socket solder side.jpg
    Filename
    TAG chip socket solder side.jpg
    File size
    457.19 KiB
    Views
    226 views
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

Reply 1 of 1, by dominusprog

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

I believe some boards like A-Trend ATC-1020 have these dummy chips so when the COAST module is installed it replaces them with the real chips.

Duke_2600.png
A-Trend ATC-1020 V1.1 ❇ Cyrix 6x86 150+ @ 120MHz ❇ 32MiB EDO RAM (8MiBx4) ❇ A-Trend S3 Trio64V2 2MiB
Aztech Pro16 II-3D PnP ❇ 8.4GiB Quantum Fireball ❇ Win95 OSR2 Plus!