VOGONS


First post, by 21603

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Or really I hope. I really hope it's not the motherboard.

The motherboard is an Elitegroup UC4914-G and appears to be working. When powered up without the video card plugged in I get one long beep followed by 8 short beeps. According to the AMIBIOS beep codes that means a display failure because the adaptor is either missing or defective. I'm hoping defective.

When the video card is plugged in and hooked up to a monitor I get no beeps and no display. The video card is a Cirrus Logic CL5429 VLB that I bought off eBay which arrived the other day in an envelope and nothing more. Didn't have a spare PSU for testing until today.

It sounds like a dead video card doesn't it? Going to grab a cheap ISA video card and test the motherboard with that before I look into finding another VLB video card in case there is something wrong with the motherboard also.

An envelope... and a homemade one at that. 😵

Reply 1 of 10, by kixs

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Clean the contacts on the VGA card with eraser.
Check the jumpers (if any) on the VGA card.
Try installing it in another VLB slot.

Usually if VGA card is dead, the motherboard would still make error beeps.

PS:
One time a seller used an big cereal box with no padding on the inside. I've no idea how the Post accepted it?!

Requests are also possible... /msg kixs

Reply 2 of 10, by 21603

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kixs wrote:

Usually if VGA card is dead, the motherboard would still make error beeps.

Yeah that's weird, no beeps and no further POST. Just does nothing when the video card is installed.

Just tried

Checking jumpers. No change.
Tried all three slots. No change.
Cleaned contacts and slots. No change.

Reply 3 of 10, by cyclone3d

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Make sure JP18 is jumpered 1-2.
2-3 is for Weitek Power 9000 only.

Also take a look at JP1 and JP2 foir the VLB speed and wait state settings.

Make sure the other jumpers are configured properly as well.

https://stason.org/TULARC/pc/motherboards/E/E … 6-UC4914-G.html

Troubleshooting stuff without known good spare parts is a huge pain.

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Reply 4 of 10, by 21603

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cyclone3d wrote:
Make sure JP18 is jumpered 1-2. 2-3 is for Weitek Power 9000 only. […]
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Make sure JP18 is jumpered 1-2.
2-3 is for Weitek Power 9000 only.

Also take a look at JP1 and JP2 foir the VLB speed and wait state settings.

Make sure the other jumpers are configured properly as well.

https://stason.org/TULARC/pc/motherboards/E/E … 6-UC4914-G.html

Troubleshooting stuff without known good spare parts is a huge pain.

Unfortunately all set correctly. I'll have to hunt around for an ISA card.

Would not having the turbo switch plugged in cause problems?

Reply 5 of 10, by 21603

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Small update:

I've tested the board again with the limited spare parts I have on hand.

Tested the board with no CPU and/or RAM - No beeps at all.
Tested with different 486DX33 CPU - No change.
Tested with other memory sticks I have - No change.

For some reason I only get beeps when the CPU and RAM are installed without a video card.

Still getting the 1 long, 8 short beeps, but if I leave it go for another 20 seconds or so I get another short beep. I'm assuming that was always there I just never left it long enough.

CPU was also getting hot, but I don't know how hot it should have been given the minute or so I had it on each time.

Reply 6 of 10, by Roman555

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21603 wrote:
Small update: .... For some reason I only get beeps when the CPU and RAM are installed without a video card. […]
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Small update:
....
For some reason I only get beeps when the CPU and RAM are installed without a video card.

Still getting the 1 long, 8 short beeps, but if I leave it go for another 20 seconds or so I get another short beep. I'm assuming that was always there I just never left it long enough.
....

It looks like the system goes further after the last beep. Have you tried to press a key after "1 long, 8 short beeps"?
There is a similar topic about troubleshooting not working graphics: Packard bell PB450 repair / mods / upgrade

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Reply 7 of 10, by 21603

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Just an update on this.

It would appear to be the video card for whatever reason that I can't figure out, but after trying the motherboard with a Trident TVGA9000i-3 ISA card the machine works perfectly even with a VLB I/O card installed.

Have put in a request for a return and refund, but now I'll have to find another VLB video card. Any suggestions for a good one?

Reply 8 of 10, by dondiego

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Ensure that the card is properly inserted, check the golden fingers, certain force is required. Besides i advice to insert the farther side from the vga connector first.

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Reply 9 of 10, by treeman

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I have one card that would never work, I never bothered to look closely because I thought nah that would be too easy, then one day I did and noticed one pin on Chipset was bent and touching the pin next to it, it was easy to bend it back with a sewing needle. Sometimes you do get lucky and have a easy win, if you haven't inspected it have a close look, you never know

Reply 10 of 10, by treeman

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also I have the same board with random parity errors, I tried alot of different things and gave up about 6 months ago, doing a bios reflash is on my list but I can't find the bios anywhere for it. Any chance you have the hardware And could grab a image?