VOGONS


Reply 40 of 57, by DeadMan274

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Hello,
I will stick to the topic. I bought this motherboard because I had one in my childhood.
For starters, please enter the correct model so I can update the bios. Is my model M537DMA v5.2A?
What's the last bios, maybe a modified one?

I read a bit and when looking for a bios I found something like this, it describes how to mount an AMD 266+ processor on this board.
There is also some bios file here, but won't it break my motherboard? rar file

Reply 41 of 57, by biessea

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DeadMan274 wrote on 2022-11-03, 09:50:
Hello, I will stick to the topic. I bought this motherboard because I had one in my childhood. For starters, please enter the co […]
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Hello,
I will stick to the topic. I bought this motherboard because I had one in my childhood.
For starters, please enter the correct model so I can update the bios. Is my model M537DMA v5.2A?
What's the last bios, maybe a modified one?

I read a bit and when looking for a bios I found something like this, it describes how to mount an AMD 266+ processor on this board.
There is also some bios file here, but won't it break my motherboard? rar file

Hi there!

I made various trying to flash that damned bios but I never did it cause the awdflash programs always said me that it can't erase bios.

So I gave up, ended that my bios isn't writable. A big shame.

Let me know if you could do something, I am very interested.

Computer lover since 1992.
Love retro-computing, retro-gaming, high-end systems and all about computer-tech.
Love beer, too.

Reply 42 of 57, by DeadMan274

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I don't even say anything. I have the same problem. I am looking for info...
What's wrong with this motherboard?! 🥴

Reply 43 of 57, by Repo Man11

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It appears that chip isn't programmable, so to update the BIOS you'll need to replace it. See this post: Re: Pc Chips bios upgrade M537DMA v5.2 AWARD BIOS

"We do these things not because they are easy, but because we thought they would be easy."

Reply 44 of 57, by biessea

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DeadMan274 wrote on 2022-11-14, 21:39:

I don't even say anything. I have the same problem. I am looking for info...
What's wrong with this motherboard?! 🥴

Yes, it's absolutely strange for me, never found a motherboard with the bios that isn't programmable, you have simply to REPLACE it with another one programmable EEPROM.

I didn't did it, I will simply sell this motherboard for who want an older system with 486 or the first Pentium with no MMX instruction (it appear that when I put processors with MMX it didn't boot).

Unfortunately this is the sad situation. Damn PC Chips.

Computer lover since 1992.
Love retro-computing, retro-gaming, high-end systems and all about computer-tech.
Love beer, too.

Reply 45 of 57, by DeadMan274

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I have a pentium MMX 166 and 233 and they both work on this motherboard with 1997s bios. I have two shops / services that deal with programming bios. I will order a chip with a new bios, hope it works. And the old one will be a backup copy.

Reply 46 of 57, by biessea

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DeadMan274 wrote on 2022-11-17, 16:16:

I have a pentium MMX 166 and 233 and they both work on this motherboard with 1997s bios. I have two shops / services that deal with programming bios. I will order a chip with a new bios, hope it works. And the old one will be a backup copy.

Hey, let us know how your story finishes.

I just bought two old systems yesterday, and when I was going to look inside I found a nice surprise! I have another one PC Chips M537DMA v.5.2A motherboard!!!

Exactly the same one of this thread! The same version, the same bios! I take a photo about the boot page and I can assure you that I have the exact bios!

Anyway I'm quite surprised, cause in this newer system that I have just bought, a Pentium 200MMX was running fine, overclocked to 225MHZ. Mine one can't boot with MMX processors, neither the AMD K6 200.

So first try I did is to swap the famous bios chip, to see if my "old" board was able to boot with the Pentium 200MMX. No. No boot.

I am thinking that my motherboard isn't fully ok, and as one user said here, probably it could have voltage problems. It's strange infact that to run a P133 I have to set the jumper to p55C processors, instead of setting it to P54C processors.

I can try to flash the bios that wasn't able to flash it through the new motherboard that I caught yesterday? Or the chip wasn't simply flashable?

We'll see.

I attach you the photo of the two boot screens.

Give me more ideas, thanks. And deadmen, let me know how's going with your card. I'm interested.

Computer lover since 1992.
Love retro-computing, retro-gaming, high-end systems and all about computer-tech.
Love beer, too.

Reply 47 of 57, by smoke86

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I fit can't boot with MMX then you probably have voltage regulation issues.
Before you try flashing BIOS in other motherboard, maybe try swapping BIOS chips and check if your previous board works with it, and then if it can boot with MMX.

Reply 48 of 57, by biessea

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smoke86 wrote on 2022-11-28, 08:05:

I fit can't boot with MMX then you probably have voltage regulation issues.
Before you try flashing BIOS in other motherboard, maybe try swapping BIOS chips and check if your previous board works with it, and then if it can boot with MMX.

I did it immediately, but the result is the same. No boot.

Then I have to think the motherboard is voltage faulty?

Computer lover since 1992.
Love retro-computing, retro-gaming, high-end systems and all about computer-tech.
Love beer, too.

Reply 49 of 57, by smoke86

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Probably, but you can't be sure unless some measurements are done.

Reply 50 of 57, by 80386SX

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Check with a multimeter, if you have a +5v on pin 32 on the BIOS socket.
And maybe you need also to buy a Logic probe to check if there is a signal on other pin.

Reply 51 of 57, by DeadMan274

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Jaki jest ostatni bios do tej płyty, ja mam: TW_V103 (do 128GB HDD). Będę programował nową kość i chcę użyć najlepszego/najnowszego.
Mam też bios: 5370430s?

Reply 53 of 57, by DeadMan274

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Ok. Chip biosu wymieniony. Bios nowy 30/04/1998s. Komputer wykrywa w chwili obecnej 392 mb ram. Poprzednio 32mb. Reszta testów później. Niestety mam problem albo z gniazdem albo z samą kością bios. Trzeba docisnąć kość palcem żeby komputer wyświetlił obraz. Ale nie nic nie widać żeby było ułamane czy coś 😅 Muszę wyjąć płytę i dokładnie pooglądać.

Reply 54 of 57, by smoke86

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Zapewne zabrudzone są styki w koszyku, na kości lub masz problem z kontaktem gdzieś na płycie, prawdopodobnie luty koszyka na kość bios. Wyczyść nóżki kości, wtyki w koszyku, a jeśli to nie pomoże, popraw luty koszyka, względnie wymień koszyk na nowy.
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Probably contacts inside the socket and/or eeprom legs got dirty or the socket got cold solder joints. Clean eeprom's legs, contact points inside the socket. If that won't help, reflow socket's solder joints or replace it altogether.

Reply 55 of 57, by Mamba

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biessea wrote on 2022-09-25, 16:16:
Repo Man11 wrote on 2022-09-25, 13:25:

I would try Uniflash; if nothing else it should report the chip's information. You can also find out more by peeling the sticker back and Googling the part number you'll find underneath.

I do know that the PCChips M507 comes with an EPROM rather than an EEPROM so, on that motherboard, you cannot update the BIOS without replacing the BIOS chip. But my PCChips M520 did come with an EEPROM.

AWDFLASH sees the chip, is a 28F010 /12V

let's see to the image.

Do not know if you were successful in flashing this chip but I have the same one and experiencing exactly the same behaviour but with another motherboard (hot flashing it actually).
If you were able to flash, which program did you used?

Reply 56 of 57, by biessea

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Mamba wrote on 2023-10-21, 17:04:
biessea wrote on 2022-09-25, 16:16:
Repo Man11 wrote on 2022-09-25, 13:25:

I would try Uniflash; if nothing else it should report the chip's information. You can also find out more by peeling the sticker back and Googling the part number you'll find underneath.

I do know that the PCChips M507 comes with an EPROM rather than an EEPROM so, on that motherboard, you cannot update the BIOS without replacing the BIOS chip. But my PCChips M520 did come with an EEPROM.

AWDFLASH sees the chip, is a 28F010 /12V

let's see to the image.

Do not know if you were successful in flashing this chip but I have the same one and experiencing exactly the same behaviour but with another motherboard (hot flashing it actually).
If you were able to flash, which program did you used?

Sorry, never succeded in that operation. I simply put a processor and sold the motherboard.

Computer lover since 1992.
Love retro-computing, retro-gaming, high-end systems and all about computer-tech.
Love beer, too.

Reply 57 of 57, by DeadMan274

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smoke86 wrote on 2023-09-18, 10:05:

Zapewne zabrudzone są styki w koszyku, na kości lub masz problem z kontaktem gdzieś na płycie, prawdopodobnie luty koszyka na kość bios. Wyczyść nóżki kości, wtyki w koszyku, a jeśli to nie pomoże, popraw luty koszyka, względnie wymień koszyk na nowy.
-------------------
Probably contacts inside the socket and/or eeprom legs got dirty or the socket got cold solder joints. Clean eeprom's legs, contact points inside the socket. If that won't help, reflow socket's solder joints or replace it altogether.

Hmm... miałem trochę wolnego czasu dzisiaj. Myślę odpalę, zobaczę co tam w moich retro gratach 😉 O dziwo sprzęt odpalił 3x bez zająknięcia. Ale poczyszczę styki jak mówiłeś.

Wszystko wydawało się idealnie. Komputer prawie skończony. Bios najnowszy. A wychodzi na to że na płycie nie działa IDE2. Bo na IDE2 dysk lub cd podpiete i nie pokazuje nic. Ehh...Tylko czy to fizyczne uszkodzenie jakiegoś układu czy programowo coś nie gra, np. bios?!
Przełożę stary bios, zobaczę...jak nie zadziała to szukam drugiej sztuki.