VOGONS

Gigabyte GA-586SVX and Pentrium 200MMX problem

Topic actions

First post, by bakcyl

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Hello,

I'm building an early 3dfx v1 machine and I got an interesting mainboard Gigabyte GA-586SVX, Mine is rev 1.51 this is a sweet ATX 430VX board with automatic voltage for the CPU and Sound Blaster 16 Vibra on board, I will put an S3 Virge/DX + Doamond 3dfx V1 + CF card

I updated to the newest bios I found and it's 1.06 from here https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/gigabyte-ga-586svx, I have tried all settings but I can't set up more than P166 Mhz MMX, the CPU is P200MMX.

Can anybody help with the CPU if this mainboard supports 200Mhz?

Reply 1 of 7, by ux-3

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Did you set the dip switches according to the linked sheet?

You might need a bios patch if you want to use Win98se with CF cards.

Retro PC warning: The things you own end up owning you.

Reply 2 of 7, by bakcyl

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Yes, no matter what I do I see in POST 133mmx or 166mmx, and CPU-Z (the vintage edition) shows same CPU speed and what POST in BIOS. I can do 3x50 and see Pentium 150 in POST.

Reply 4 of 7, by bakcyl

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

I tested all possible combinations you have just dip switches and they are very well explained on the PCB. I'm wondering if this is a BIOS issue or the same problem here. 233MMX in GA-586HX rev. 1.53

Reply 5 of 7, by ux-3

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Did you measure the speed?
What did you use as 200MHz setting S1-S4 on/off?
check my link and your bios date. Pentium 200 mmx is 1997 stuff. You may not have the latest bios.

Retro PC warning: The things you own end up owning you.

Reply 6 of 7, by bakcyl

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
ux-3 wrote on 2024-08-27, 20:07:

Did you measure the speed?
What did you use as 200MHz setting S1-S4 on/off?
check my link and your bios date. Pentium 200 mmx is 1997 stuff. You may not have the latest bios.

I have the newest BIOS I can find 1.06, I saw this link show bios 1.16 can't track it and it also says 166MMX is the max, but if it works on 166 it has to up to 233.
S1-S4 are set off|on|off|off I have attached

The attachment p166mmx.jpg is no longer available

speedsys check.

Reply 7 of 7, by ux-3

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
bakcyl wrote on 2024-08-28, 10:32:

but if it works on 166 it has to up to 233.

If you read through the other thread you linked, you will see that it doesn't have to. it leads here
https://vobarian.com/8500tvx.html

Personally, I would not have bought that board due to the clock chip/lack of exchangable battery. I do own two related gigabyte boards
GA-586STX2 and GA-586ATX3, which allow more flexibility with Pentium mmx chips. They do have some (fixable) bios issues, which may affect you too.

If your board behaves as the one in post #3 of that thread you linked, it may be even better suited for DOS gaming, as you can slow down the CPU further.

Retro PC warning: The things you own end up owning you.

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to System Specs
Close window
Close window