VOGONS

GA-5SMM - question about BIOS, PSU and brand

Topic actions

First post, by Paul_V

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Hi,

I got my hands on a motherboard, which was meant to be scrapped for parts and presumed to be dead.
After replacing faulty caps, busted regulator and transistors, I've been able to get it running.

This is a model GA-5SMM, which seems to be a Gigabyte brand motherboard, which was also used in Compaq Presario PCs
I could use some help in gathering some additional info:

1) Currently, this motherboard is flashed with Compaq BIOS v1.2, which has boot logo and a very limited setup.
Does it hold any collectors value? I'm about to flash it with Gigabyte's BIOS
2) Are there any resources, which have info on which Compaq models used this motherboard?
Could not even find any photos or sources on Presario 5410, 5420, 5423, 524
3) This particular motherboard seems to have issues powering up with some PSUs.
At least two out of five PSUs I have refused to power up. Others work perfectly fine, no voltage dropout or shorts.
Should I investigate further, or is it normal perhaps? (high 5v stb demand or low PGD delay, idk)

Last edited by Paul_V on 2023-04-13, 19:26. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 1 of 5, by greasemonkey90s

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

In because im interested to see if this can be safely flashed to retail gigabyte bios. I have the same board with compaq bios.

In a nutshell its not a favorable chipset but its highlights its one of the few that can be overclocked to 133fsb. The asus version of this chipset is the most sought after followed by the retail version of this one. With wpcredit tweaks it can be made to be pretty good.

Reply 2 of 5, by Paul_V

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
greasemonkey90s wrote on 2023-04-13, 15:01:

In because im interested to see if this can be safely flashed to retail gigabyte bios. I have the same board with compaq bios.

Don't see a reason why it wouldn't work.
Just checked with gigabyte's flash848 utiity - the BIOS flashed and works fine (F5 revision).
But I cannot recommend doing that unless you own a programmer.

UPD:
I'm uploading original Compaq BIOS dump v1.2, just in case somebody needs it.

Reply 3 of 5, by Horun

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Good work ! Yes some older ATX boards have issues with newer ATX psu. Have a few old ATX boards that refuse to start with any newer ATX spec PSU after 2005. Something to do with the ATX12v spec board is expecting being 2.01 or earlier afaik...though a few listed as 2.03 do work on those same boards (about 2004 era IIRC). Anything newer and a no go !

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 5, by jakethompson1

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

The onboard ESS Solo-1 is one of the more DOS-compatible PCI sound cards too.

Reply 5 of 5, by Paul_V

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Horun wrote on 2023-04-14, 00:13:

Good work ! Yes some older ATX boards have issues with newer ATX psu. Have a few old ATX boards that refuse to start with any newer ATX spec PSU after 2005. Something to do with the ATX12v spec board is expecting being 2.01 or earlier afaik...though a few listed as 2.03 do work on those same boards (about 2004 era IIRC). Anything newer and a no go !

I see, thanks.
Well, I may consider myself lucky twice. )
First time when I chose a compatible PSU, saving A LOT of troubleshooting time.
Second time, when a faulty regulator just shorted itself, causing a voltage drop on output and saving other components on it's path from being blown up.

jakethompson1 wrote on 2023-04-14, 02:59:

The onboard ESS Solo-1 is one of the more DOS-compatible PCI sound cards too.

This and onboard video is actually the reason it caught my eye in the first place.

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