Does the SP3G have any undocumented jumper settings for the FSB? What are all the possible FSB speeds? And is there an option to halve your PCI bus speed, either via a jumper, or in the BIOS?

feipoa wrote:

Does the SP3G have any undocumented jumper settings for the FSB? What are all the possible FSB speeds? And is there an option to halve your PCI bus speed, either via a jumper, or in the BIOS?

I don't believe this board has a 40Mhz setting.. But I'll grab the manual when I get home to verify - but that would seem to indicate the Cyrix 120 (40Mhz x 3) won't work. I don't see any divider info either.

http://stason.org/TULARC/pc/motherboards/A/AS … -I-486SP3G.html

Update: I don't believe the board supports the Cyrix "M1sc" 5x86 processor:
http://gboeger.de/Computer/Asus_PVI486SP3/pvisp3-003.html

Here are my cache readings on the Asus VL/I-486SV2GX4 Rev 2.0 with POD 83@100mhz for comparison. I have slower readings,but twice the memory throughput.

I btw have L2 cache set to AUTO, since auto probably sets the correct dirty bit (7+1), which you otherwise do not have manual control over.

EDIT: Supposed to be L2 cache, not L1

vetz wrote:

Here are my cache readings on the Asus VL/I-486SV2GX4 Rev 2.0 with POD 83@100mhz for comparison. I have slower readings,but twic […]
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Here are my cache readings on the Asus VL/I-486SV2GX4 Rev 2.0 with POD 83@100mhz for comparison. I have slower readings,but twice the memory throughput.

I btw have L1 cache set to AUTO, since auto probably sets the correct dirty bit (7+1), which you otherwise do not have manual control over.

Can you post your BIOS settings?

Artex wrote:

Can you post your BIOS settings?

With the BIOS settings below I managed (all following Phil's VGA Benchmark settings):
PLease note that these benches are run with the Pentium Overdrive, and same BIOS settings not give the best performance for Cyrix and AMD.

3DBench2: 96,6
PCPBench: 27,8 FPS
Doom: 1325 realticks, 56.37 FPS
Quake: 23,6 FPS

My SB16 does not work if L1 is set to AUTO or WB (CPU is in WB mode anyway and this does not affect performance)

This is the setting for the biggest IDE harddrive I've been able to use:

New cachechk screen:
cachechk -d -t6

cachechk -d -w -t6

Speedsys:

Just because the board doens't officially support the Cyrix 5x86 doesn't mean it won't work. I run the Cyrix 5x86 in old ISA dn VLB boards without socket3 and it works just fine. At least try at 3x33 and see what happens. There may be way to get 40MHz out of the board

Vetz, if your board is the same as Artex's, it might be helpful to show your cachechk read/write performance with the AMD X5-133 installed using optimal memory and cache timings. His throughput seems abnormally slow.

feipoa wrote:

Vetz, if your board is the same as Artex's, it might be helpful to show your cachechk read/write performance with the AMD X5-133 installed using optimal memory and cache timings. His throughput seems abnormally slow.

I was hoping to avoid that since it will require pulling out loads of hardware:

The jumpers are placed behind the harddrive..

I know I've done a lot of hardware swaps lately with all of this testing and perhaps I've got my wires crossed here, but I don't think I've actually tried the AMD X5-133ADZ in the SV2GX4 yet - only the Am486 DX4-100 (A80486DX4-100SV88) and the Intel i80486DX4-100 &EW. The AMD X5-133ADZ has only been tested in the Biostar (UMC) board and the Asus (Intel Saturn) 486SP3G.

Build 1: 1 x BIOSTAR MB-8433UUD-A Rev. 3.1 with AMD-X5-133ADZ (Am5x86-P75) in Write-Back Mode [Build Completed - need to test cache/memory yet]

Build 2: 1 x Asus VL-i486SV2GX4 Rev. 2.0 with Intel i486DX4-100 &EW in Write-Back Mode [Need to retest everything since 0402.001 BIOS update that allows WB mode]

Build 3: 1 x Asus VL-i486SV2GX4 Rev. 2.1 with Cyrix 5x86 120 in Write-Back Mode [slow memory/cache performance??]

Build 4: 1 x Asus PCI I-486SP3G Rev. 1.8 with in AMD X5-133ADZ Write-Back Mode [slow memory/cache performance??]

Build 4 is the one I'm currently playing with.. It's got the AMD X5-133ADZ processor in it with 2 x 8MB sticks of 60ns FPM memory and 2 x 8MB sticks of 70ns FPM memory. I'm wondering if perhaps this might be the reason for the slow performance - the manual explicitly states that the memory must all be the same speed.

BTW, I plan on scanning both the SV2GX4 and 486SP3G manuals later this week to replace the craptastic ones available online.

Artex wrote:

BTW, I plan on scanning both the SV2GX4 and 486SP3G manuals later this week to replace the craptastic ones available online.

Do you want a hug? 😘

ASUS VL/I-486SV2GX4 *FULL* scanned manual!

Artex wrote:

ASUS VL/I-486SV2GX4 *FULL* scanned manual!

Thank you!

Interesting to see that the manual claims 8.4GB harddrive support, but I cannot get it to work....

Edit: I also has keyboard commands for Turbo modes and internal/external cache. Damn that is useful and completely unknown to me!

Btw Artex, upgrading to 1024kb cache should give a 3-5% performance increase and give you the possibility for installing more memory. It will cost you about 2 dollars pr. piece + shipping

You bet! SP3G manual will be up later today as well.

Yeah, I have the same issue with the hard drive size..

I'd like to get the speed issues sorted out first before I spend more $$ on extra cache/memory.

ASUS PCI/I-486SP3G *FULL* scanned manual!

vetz wrote:

Btw Artex, upgrading to 1024kb cache should give a 3-5% performance increase and give you the possibility for installing more memory. It will cost you about 2 dollars pr. piece + shipping

According to the manual for the SV2GX4, for 1MB I would need:

Eight 128K x 8bit, 20ns chips
One additional 128K x 8bit, 20ns or One additional 64K x 8bit, 20ns chip for the TAG ram

Why is there an option of using two types/capacities of chips for the TAG RAM?
Can I use faster than 20ns SRAM?
Is this SRAM 28 or 30 pin?
Where does one get these chips?

For the SP3G it looks like I can only do up to 512KB.

Artex wrote:

According to the manual for the SV2GX4, for 1MB I would need: […]
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vetz wrote:

Btw Artex, upgrading to 1024kb cache should give a 3-5% performance increase and give you the possibility for installing more memory. It will cost you about 2 dollars pr. piece + shipping

According to the manual for the SV2GX4, for 1MB I would need:

Eight 128K x 8bit, 20ns chips
One additional 128K x 8bit, 20ns or One additional 64K x 8bit, 20ns chip for the TAG ram

Why is there an option of using two types/capacities of chips for the TAG RAM?
Can I use faster than 20ns SRAM?
Is this SRAM 28 or 30 pin?
Where does one get these chips?

For the SP3G it looks like I can only do up to 512KB.

Because you need a certain amount for index'ing the cache in the TAG. This amount is normally less than what is required for the cache chips themselves.

Yes, you can use faster. I recommend getting 10,12 or 15ns
You need SRAM 32 pin
I bought them from aliexpress.com. It was cheaper than Ebay. I bought from this seller: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/IS61C1024-10N- … 1832174608.html. They were working chips, but they are advertised as 10NS, I received 15NS. Makes little difference in practice, but try another seller (or get partial refund).

vetz wrote:

I bought them from aliexpress.com. It was cheaper than Ebay. I bought from this seller: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/IS61C1024-10N- … 1832174608.html. They were working chips, but they are advertised as 10NS, I received 15NS. Makes little difference in practice, but try another seller (or get partial refund).

How about this?

SRAM Chip
Async
Single 3.3V
1M-Bit
128K x 8
12ns
32-Pin SOJ
0°C ~ 70°C, operating temperature

Could get 18 of these for both SV2GX4 boards (8 + 1 x TAG each), and then 4 of these for the SP3G? Then I'd just need to track down 1 32K x 8bit for the SP3G TAG?

Artex wrote:

How about this? […]
Show full quote

How about this?

SRAM Chip
Async
Single 3.3V
1M-Bit
128K x 8
12ns
32-Pin SOJ
0°C ~ 70°C, operating temperature

Could get 18 of these for both SV2GX4 boards (8 + 1 x TAG each), and then 4 of these for the SP3G? Then I'd just need to track down 1 32K x 8bit for the SP3G TAG?

I'm no expert, but it looks to be too wide to fit in the cache sockets. Also it does not look like it have the legs to be inserted into the sockets on motherboards.

Regarding the SP3G you need to look in your manual if it supports 128K chips. Like many Socket 5 and 7 boards it might only support a maximum of 64k, meaning you will need 8 of those to get 512kb. You probably have a 32kx8bit TAG in your SP3G already (if it reads 256 or 257 you do). If not it is the same size/type you're replacing in your 256kb cache boards, so no need to buy new ones.

Also I would buy 1 or 2 extra, just incase one is DOA as feipoa experienced.

EDIT: Yes, the SP3G does support 4x128k for 512kb cache 😀 I would also recommend buying a chip remover from China to safely remove the cache chips. It costs 2 dollars including shipping:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281148386986?ssPageNa … 984.m1497.l2649

vetz wrote:

I'm no expert, but it looks to be too wide to fit in the cache sockets. Also it does not look like it have the legs to be inserted into the sockets on motherboards.

You're right - different package type I guess - SOJ vs DIP-32... fatter with no legs.

SOJ/SDIP
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SOJ_pa … ide&topview.PNG

Looking at the manual for the SP3G, there are 4 possible positions for the FSB jumpers, however the manual only specifies two positions for 25 and 33 MHz. I wonder if the two other possibilities (JP18 2-3, JP20 1-2) and (JP18 1-2, JP20 2-3) will result in a 40 or 50 MHz FSB option?

This board only supports single-banked cache when 512 KB is used. As noted by vertz, you need four pieces of 128kx8. You would be able to cache all 128 MB of RAM with this much cache.

I'm not sure what those extra DIP holes are for next to the DIP-32 sockets. Board photo, http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/1420/oxqi.jpg

This board also has a ps/2 mouse port. If it has a 40 MHz FSB setting and works with a Cyrix 5x86-120, it might make for a decent setup.