VOGONS

Search

Common searches

ASUS P2B-B Voltage regulator swap - Adding support for coppermine processors

Topic actions

First post, by RockstarRunner

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

I recently acquired a PC with an ASUS P2B-B Rev 1.01 running a P2 350.
The board revision is 1.01 which officially supports processors requiring a minimum of 1.8V, so basically no Coppermine CPUs.

ASUS made a Rev. 1.02 of this board that does support 100mhz fsb Coppermine processors, so I was interested in what were the differences, and would it be possible to somehow mod the older revision board in a similar manner.

After some digging around the net, I found this link, where it mentions you can potentially swap the voltage regulator chip, and along with the latest bios, you should be good to go:
https://web.archive.org/web/20150322010811/ht … pgrade_faq.html
I also found another post of someone actually trying this:
https://diarywind-com.translate.goog/blog/e/a … B&_x_tr_pto=nui

The Rev. 1.01 board has an Intersil HIP6019CB PWM controller, and the Rev. 1.02 has an Intersil HIP6019BCB PWM Controller.
I looked around on eBay and managed to find a Chinese seller that claimed to have the chip, it was cheap, so I took a chance and ordered it

The chip eventually turned up, and I took it to my friend who is good with electronics, and he said it's difficult to check the functions of the chip out-of-circuit, so he did couple of basic tests, then we just had to give it a shot and hope nothing smoked.

IMG_20211220_183647__01.jpg
Filename
IMG_20211220_183647__01.jpg
File size
70.17 KiB
Views
869 views
File comment
HIP6019BCB
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Installation:

IMG_20211220_185227.jpg
Filename
IMG_20211220_185227.jpg
File size
285.7 KiB
Views
869 views
File comment
ASUS P2B-B Rev 1.01
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception
IMG_20211220_190008.jpg
Filename
IMG_20211220_190008.jpg
File size
299.98 KiB
Views
869 views
File comment
Removing HIP6019CB
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception
IMG_20211220_190306.jpg
Filename
IMG_20211220_190306.jpg
File size
397.97 KiB
Views
869 views
File comment
Chip removed
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception
IMG_20211220_191228.jpg
Filename
IMG_20211220_191228.jpg
File size
417.64 KiB
Views
869 views
File comment
HIP6019BCB installed
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Reply 1 of 7, by RockstarRunner

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

First test done with no cpu, ram or anything else connected, no pops or smoke, so far so good.
Next we added the P2 back to the system, along with some ram, the machine posted as normal, and the bios reported a VCore of 2.0V (this is correct for the P2 350).
Then came the big test, swapping out the P2 for a P3 850 Coppermine SL43F https://www.cpu-world.com/sspec/SL/SL43F.html

IMG_20211220_193223.jpg
Filename
IMG_20211220_193223.jpg
File size
170.06 KiB
Views
868 views
File comment
POST
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception
IMG_20211220_193155.jpg
Filename
IMG_20211220_193155.jpg
File size
299.55 KiB
Views
868 views
File comment
BIOS P3
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

The machine posted, reported the CPU correctly, and the BIOS showed a VCore of 1.6V

I put the system through a series of tests in windows, and it performed perfectly. Result!

Reply 5 of 7, by RockstarRunner

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Update!
After doing the above mod allowed me to run Coppermine processors, I then started looking into Tualatin adapters.
I picked up a Slotket adapter off eBay, one which supports Coppermine CPU's (important, most just support the old Celerons)

slotket.jpg
Filename
slotket.jpg
File size
353.99 KiB
Views
744 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Then I purchased a 1.4Ghz Tualatin Celeron (100mhz fsb) with built-in coppermine adapter from a eBay seller in South Korea (well known to these forums I believe)

tualeron.png
Filename
tualeron.png
File size
218.88 KiB
Views
744 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception
IMG_20220216_113627.jpg
Filename
IMG_20220216_113627.jpg
File size
339.3 KiB
Views
744 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

The Tualeron runs with a 1.5V V-Core, which the new voltage regulator will happily supply.
The bios recognizes the CPU, but does issue a warning that the CPU is pulling only 1.5V, but this can be ignored, as I think it's just the BIOS not expecting such low voltage CPU.
Everything is working fine, and I'm happy this board is now even more flexible.

Reply 6 of 7, by rasz_pl

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

>Then I purchased a 1.4Ghz Tualatin Celeron (100mhz fsb) with built-in coppermine adapter from a eBay seller in South Korea (well known to these forums I believe)

So I looked it up and Im confused. Original Tualatin mod required joining 2 pins together and isolating 3 pins from the board. Did you have to cut CPU pins/did it come with pins pre-cut?

Open Source AT&T Globalyst/NCR/FIC 486-GAC-2 proprietary Cache Module reproduction

Reply 7 of 7, by RockstarRunner

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Adapter (like a thin PCB that fits under the CPU) came pre fitted, so I didn't have to do anything than put the CPU in the slotket. I believe he cuts those pins when he installs the adapter.

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to General Old Hardware
Close window
Close window