VOGONS


A-Trend ATC-5220 and K6-2+

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First post, by 386SX

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Hi,

I've found this mobo based on MVP3 and I'd like to build a config with the K6-2+ 550 I'd like to test. I've seen that there're some bios and on the usual k6-2+/3+ compatibility page it's written that I'd need the 5220201a bios. But the one on its page is dated november 2000 while I've found another with the same name that seems official and dated a year after that. Should I use its bios to flash or the official one?

Second question: on the manual it seems to support 2,2v and 2,8 and above. I don't find anything on 2,0v and 2,4v (for the K6-3 eventually), did anyone knows the right settings for these voltages?
Considering the great 768Mb of ram limit, I think I'll try a LXDE Ubuntu to see if it'll run (but the pae missing feature make me think not)
Thank

Reply 1 of 20, by jade_angel

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Missing PAE won't hurt anything: PAE (physical addressing extensions) is a feature that lets you use more than 4GB of RAM in 32-bit mode. Normally you'd need a 64-bit CPU and 64-bit OS to use more, but with PAE, you can do it with a 32-bit CPU and OS - but it only works in Windows NT, 2000, Server 2003+ and the various Unices.

If Ubuntu doesn't work, try Debian or Puppy.

Main Box: Macbook Pro M2 Max
Alas, I'm down to emulation.

Reply 2 of 20, by 386SX

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jade_angel wrote:

Missing PAE won't hurt anything: PAE (physical addressing extensions) is a feature that lets you use more than 4GB of RAM in 32-bit mode. Normally you'd need a 64-bit CPU and 64-bit OS to use more, but with PAE, you can do it with a 32-bit CPU and OS - but it only works in Windows NT, 2000, Server 2003+ and the various Unices.

If Ubuntu doesn't work, try Debian or Puppy.

Thank, I'll try it even if I think I remember being something that is checked since some version of linux. But I could be wrong. 😉

In the meantime I found a newer manual version with the 2,3 and 2,4v for the K6-3 but nothing about the 2,0v of the K6-2+ not to mention 1,6v.

Reply 3 of 20, by Tetrium

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386SX wrote:

Second question: on the manual it seems to support 2,2v and 2,8 and above. I don't find anything on 2,0v and 2,4v (for the K6-3 eventually), did anyone knows the right settings for these voltages?
Considering the great 768Mb of ram limit, I think I'll try a LXDE Ubuntu to see if it'll run (but the pae missing feature make me think not)
Thank

I read the manual and started searching for possible undocumented jumper settings by figuring out which jumper might do what and this is what I came up with:

SW2- 12345
2.0v 00000
2.1v 10000
2.2v 01000
2.3v 11000
2.4v 00100
2.5v 10100
2.6v 01100
2.7v 11100
2.8v 00010
2.9v 10010
3.0v 01010
3.1v 11010
3.2v 00110
3.3v 10110
3.4v 01110
3.5v 11110
SW2- 12345

The bold jumper settings are the ones in the manual and the others are the one I came up with.

SW2-
1 +0.1v
2 +0.2v
3 +0.4v
4 +0.8v
5 +?.?v?

Does your board show the CPU voltage somewhere, like in the BIOS or during POST? If so, you could underclock some expendable CPU and try out these jumper values to see if they make any sense.

I am in no way responsible for the burning down of your house and your dog getting lost 😊

SW2-5 may actually do something else though, but this depends on how the manufacturer implemented it. Could be anything from just setting a single CPU voltage to err...doing weird stuff...or it will set the voltage even lower or blow up everything.

Whats missing in your collections?
My retro rigs (old topic)
Interesting Vogons threads (links to Vogonswiki)
Report spammers here!

Reply 4 of 20, by meljor

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1,6v you'll probably not find on any motherboard (it is a mobile chip), 2.0v can be found on some. 2,1v or 2,2v is no problem for these cpu's, they usually get far better coolers anyway compared to the laptops.

Mine runs at 2,2v 600mhz, i believe i have it now at 2,1v 550mhz. It's a k6-3+ but the some goes for my k6-2+ that i used before.

You can also try Terium's findings if you live close to the fire department. The dog will come back, don't worry. 🤣

asus tx97-e, 233mmx, voodoo1, s3 virge ,sb16
asus p5a, k6-3+ @ 550mhz, voodoo2 12mb sli, gf2 gts, awe32
asus p3b-f, p3-700, voodoo3 3500TV agp, awe64
asus tusl2-c, p3-S 1,4ghz, voodoo5 5500, live!
asus a7n8x DL, barton cpu, 6800ultra, Voodoo3 pci, audigy1

Reply 5 of 20, by 386SX

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Tetrium wrote:
I read the manual and started searching for possible undocumented jumper settings by figuring out which jumper might do what and […]
Show full quote
386SX wrote:

Second question: on the manual it seems to support 2,2v and 2,8 and above. I don't find anything on 2,0v and 2,4v (for the K6-3 eventually), did anyone knows the right settings for these voltages?
Considering the great 768Mb of ram limit, I think I'll try a LXDE Ubuntu to see if it'll run (but the pae missing feature make me think not)
Thank

I read the manual and started searching for possible undocumented jumper settings by figuring out which jumper might do what and this is what I came up with:

SW2- 12345
2.0v 00000
2.1v 10000
2.2v 01000
2.3v 11000
2.4v 00100
2.5v 10100
2.6v 01100
2.7v 11100
2.8v 00010
2.9v 10010
3.0v 01010
3.1v 11010
3.2v 00110
3.3v 10110
3.4v 01110
3.5v 11110
SW2- 12345

The bold jumper settings are the ones in the manual and the others are the one I came up with.

SW2-
1 +0.1v
2 +0.2v
3 +0.4v
4 +0.8v
5 +?.?v?

Does your board show the CPU voltage somewhere, like in the BIOS or during POST? If so, you could underclock some expendable CPU and try out these jumper values to see if they make any sense.

I am in no way responsible for the burning down of your house and your dog getting lost 😊

SW2-5 may actually do something else though, but this depends on how the manufacturer implemented it. Could be anything from just setting a single CPU voltage to err...doing weird stuff...or it will set the voltage even lower or blow up everything.

Eheh, thank anyway, I'll carefully try it! Maybe I'll take a look to the bios with a K6-3 400 and then try to flash the bios. 😁

Last edited by 386SX on 2017-01-05, 16:10. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 6 of 20, by 386SX

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meljor wrote:

1,6v you'll probably not find on any motherboard (it is a mobile chip), 2.0v can be found on some. 2,1v or 2,2v is no problem for these cpu's, they usually get far better coolers anyway compared to the laptops.

Mine runs at 2,2v 600mhz, i believe i have it now at 2,1v 550mhz. It's a k6-3+ but the some goes for my k6-2+ that i used before.

You can also try Terium's findings if you live close to the fire department. The dog will come back, don't worry. 🤣

🤣

The motherboard itself is great, full atx with two isa, perfect conditions just like I hope to find. Surely before testing the k6-2+ I'll do some tests with a cheap k6-2 like 400, 300...😉

Reply 7 of 20, by Tetrium

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meljor wrote:

1,6v you'll probably not find on any motherboard (it is a mobile chip), 2.0v can be found on some. 2,1v or 2,2v is no problem for these cpu's, they usually get far better coolers anyway compared to the laptops.

Mine runs at 2,2v 600mhz, i believe i have it now at 2,1v 550mhz. It's a k6-3+ but the some goes for my k6-2+ that i used before.

You can also try Terium's findings if you live close to the fire department. The dog will come back, don't worry. 🤣

Well, it's actually a pretty good way to figure out undocumented jumper settings and similarly aged motherboards have their CPU voltage set up in a very similar way. Anyway, it might be worth a shot and chances are slim it will actually result in a big mushroom cloud or some similar disasterous outcome 😀

Whats missing in your collections?
My retro rigs (old topic)
Interesting Vogons threads (links to Vogonswiki)
Report spammers here!

Reply 8 of 20, by 386SX

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Update: I've updated the bios with the latest one and it sees the K6-2+ 550 after I tried the "all OFF" jumpers setting for the voltages. I think it's running ok even if I can't know the exact value but looking at the heatsink heat I think it's ok (thin heatsink and it's just warm).
One thing I am not sure about, after updated the bios it shows at post ATC-5220 VER 2.0 while before was 1. something. Is this the bios version or the motherboard version cause I've a v.1.1 one and I don't know if I've used the wrong bios. 🙁 Anyway the mobo is running ok even if I can't get USB to run even when enabled in the bios.

I've instaled debian latest and it's impressively running right now as I write with it. 😁

Reply 9 of 20, by Skalabala

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Welcome to K6 bud 😁 Correctly tuned they can run GTA 3 😁
If you run the cpu on 2.2V there will be no problems 😀 maybe do a slight overclock to like 105x5.5

I think you have installed the correct bios 😀

Some SS7 boards go as low as 1.3V

Reply 10 of 20, by SPBHM

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Skalabala wrote:
Welcome to K6 bud :D Correctly tuned they can run GTA 3 :D If you run the cpu on 2.2V there will be no problems :) maybe do a sl […]
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Welcome to K6 bud 😁 Correctly tuned they can run GTA 3 😁
If you run the cpu on 2.2V there will be no problems 😀 maybe do a slight overclock to like 105x5.5

I think you have installed the correct bios 😀

Some SS7 boards go as low as 1.3V

how well can it run GTA 3? I think the readme file on that game specifically tells you not to use PII and K6 CPUs, but P3s as minimum, even with my PII overclocked to 500MHz on the 440bx the framerate was pretty bad on all low, but I think I was using a Voodoo 4 4500 (which is OK on all low with faster CPUs), if the game takes advantage of a Geforce for TnL that might do the trick?

Reply 11 of 20, by 386SX

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Skalabala wrote:
Welcome to K6 bud :D Correctly tuned they can run GTA 3 :D If you run the cpu on 2.2V there will be no problems :) maybe do a sl […]
Show full quote

Welcome to K6 bud 😁 Correctly tuned they can run GTA 3 😁
If you run the cpu on 2.2V there will be no problems 😀 maybe do a slight overclock to like 105x5.5

I think you have installed the correct bios 😀

Some SS7 boards go as low as 1.3V

😀

I also tried the V 1.08 version of the bios that it's not clear if refer to the rev. of the board or of the bios, but with that it can't recognize the K6-2+. I also have tried the patched version based on an older release but also it called 2.0 and so I think I have the only choice to upload the latest 2.0 again. The not runnin USB it's not clear if a os fault not recognizing it or a bios problem.

Reply 12 of 20, by Skalabala

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SPBHM wrote:
Skalabala wrote:
Welcome to K6 bud :D Correctly tuned they can run GTA 3 :D If you run the cpu on 2.2V there will be no problems :) maybe do a sl […]
Show full quote

Welcome to K6 bud 😁 Correctly tuned they can run GTA 3 😁
If you run the cpu on 2.2V there will be no problems 😀 maybe do a slight overclock to like 105x5.5

I think you have installed the correct bios 😀

Some SS7 boards go as low as 1.3V

how well can it run GTA 3? I think the readme file on that game specifically tells you not to use PII and K6 CPUs, but P3s as minimum, even with my PII overclocked to 500MHz on the 440bx the framerate was pretty bad on all low, but I think I was using a Voodoo 4 4500 (which is OK on all low with faster CPUs), if the game takes advantage of a Geforce for TnL that might do the trick?

Not great in heavy action scenes. But with my gf2mx I get 120fps when I look at the ground 🤣. It will drop to 20s. I can play it like this 😊
However there is allot of tweaking involved, driver versions should be correct.
Allot of people miss understand K6. They go and put DX9 etc on it and 512mb of ram... Complete miss match and looses valuable performance.

I use GTA3 as my benchmark. Because if it can run that fair then all older games will work.
Serious Sam 1 tops out at 150fps but will also drop to 20s

Reply 13 of 20, by kanecvr

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meljor wrote:

1,6v you'll probably not find on any motherboard (it is a mobile chip), 2.0v can be found on some. 2,1v or 2,2v is no problem for these cpu's, they usually get far better coolers anyway compared to the laptops.

Mine runs at 2,2v 600mhz, i believe i have it now at 2,1v 550mhz. It's a k6-3+ but the some goes for my k6-2+ that i used before.

You can also try Terium's findings if you live close to the fire department. The dog will come back, don't worry. 🤣

My Aopen AX59-PRO can do 1.6v. In fact I thing (not sure) 1.3 is the lowest voltage it can do (unofficially).

Reply 14 of 20, by 386SX

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Sad update...

After unmounting for some days the mainboard carefully, I tried again the same system and now the mainboard doesn't boot, just the fan running but no vga signal. I tried different ram, cpu, vga and whatever. Is it possible that having let the mainboard without the battery has ruined the last bios updated? I tried with an ISA vga but no signal too.

Reply 15 of 20, by Skalabala

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My GA5AX stopped working. And after a few years it just worked again 😒
Maybe replace all the caps 😀

Reply 16 of 20, by 386SX

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Skalabala wrote:

My GA5AX stopped working. And after a few years it just worked again 😒
Maybe replace all the caps 😀

In my case it was my error to set fsb jumpers and now it booted again with my K6-2+ 550Mhz power! 😁
Impressive how good it can still run with linux and some good vga card. 😉

Reply 17 of 20, by Skalabala

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386SX wrote:
Skalabala wrote:

My GA5AX stopped working. And after a few years it just worked again 😒
Maybe replace all the caps 😀

In my case it was my error to set fsb jumpers and now it booted again with my K6-2+ 550Mhz power! 😁
Impressive how good it can still run with linux and some good vga card. 😉

Awesome bud 😁
I am curious why people use linux on a K6?
Why not Win98?

Reply 18 of 20, by 386SX

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Skalabala wrote:
Awesome bud :D I am curious why people use linux on a K6? Why not Win98? […]
Show full quote
386SX wrote:
Skalabala wrote:

My GA5AX stopped working. And after a few years it just worked again 😒
Maybe replace all the caps 😀

In my case it was my error to set fsb jumpers and now it booted again with my K6-2+ 550Mhz power! 😁
Impressive how good it can still run with linux and some good vga card. 😉

Awesome bud 😁
I am curious why people use linux on a K6?
Why not Win98?

There're i586 kernel based distro I wanted to see how they run on the K6 but I'd prefer 98 for time correct games. 😉

Reply 19 of 20, by Glitter

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386SX wrote:

Sad update...

After unmounting for some days the mainboard carefully, I tried again the same system and now the mainboard doesn't boot, just the fan running but no vga signal. I tried different ram, cpu, vga and whatever. Is it possible that having let the mainboard without the battery has ruined the last bios updated? I tried with an ISA vga but no signal too.

386SX wrote:

In my case it was my error to set fsb jumpers and now it booted again with my K6-2+ 550Mhz power! 😁
Impressive how good it can still run with linux and some good vga card. 😉

I bought on ebay the same motherboard, and just like you no VGA signal, and while putting it back in its box, I noticed I did a mistake with FSB. I will try again tomorrow, fingers crossed.