First post, by creid2
Hi - I'm hoping someone has some good advice about COASt module compatibility on an old Shuttle HOT-553 socket 7 build.
Motherboard comes with 256k L2 cache on board, and has a "CLEP" socket (manual calls it this) for a 256k upgrade. Went to ebay to find one of these COASt modules, score, change appropriate jumpers, and the system hangs on boot. Absolutely nothing but black screen. This is the Samsung (SEC) one in the photo.
OK- I am totally aware of the risks one takes buying old stuff from ebay. Purchase a second, pop it in, and it POSTS! Things are looking good- but on the POST screen, it indicates only 256k of L2 cache! This is the ISSI one in the photo.
Being a dummy, I go for a third. This one I find actually says "FOR 430FX/HX" (the shuttle hot-553 is i430HX) AND it has jumpers on it, which I imagine change timing or something like that to make it compatible under variable circumstances. Pop it in, it POSTS! But the POST screen indicates "None" under Cache Memory. This is the Galvantech one in the photo.
Now, I've tried messing with the jumpers on the COASt module. I get all different kinds of weirdness under different jumper settings, from hanging on POST, to getting 256k back on POST, to black screens. I cannot find any manual for the jumper settings on the module.
I upgraded the BIOS to the latest version (that I can find anyway, 12/1997). I tried 256MB EDO ram and 64MB FPM ram. I've even tried not changing the jumpers on the motherboard (for the Cache addition). Nothing seems to work.
OK peeps, what are your thoughts? Am I so unlucky to have scored three bum COASTs? Are there VERY SENSITIVE compatibilities that I am missing? To note, the soldered cache chips are tmTech variety, and none of the COASt modules have chips of this brand.