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What retro activity did you get up to today?

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Reply 30400 of 30404, by sunkindly

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PC@LIVE wrote on Yesterday, 18:19:
Looking at the images, I can tell you that the CPU is blocked, you can only use two multi, 2.5X and 3X, the 2.5X one definitely […]
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sunkindly wrote on Yesterday, 17:51:
Photos below, but in doing some more testing...it seems like the jumpers don't do anything at all to change it from 2.5x. […]
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PC@LIVE wrote on Yesterday, 09:51:

Hello, if I understand correctly you have an S.7, but the CPU goes to a maximum of 166 MHz, so first of all 😨 I would check what is written on the CPU, for example Pentium XXX MMX SXXXX (the X's indicate what you will find written, they are important), already from there it would be possible to better understand the problem.
Then if maybe 🤔 you can take some photos, and attach them here, possibly motherboard and CPU, or if you can jumper zone (multiX), it would be possible to compare your settings with those of the manual (if you have one), but in any case even in the absence of the manual, it is possible to do some tests, to see to set the jumpers on 3X, currently it should be on 2.5X, if instead it is on 3X and does not go to 200, speaking of Intel CPU, you could have a 166 MHz CPU with multiplier blocked to go up.
If so, the only way to increase the frequency is to raise the FSB, if that board allows it, you can switch to 75 MHz, you get 188 MHz that the BIOS could interpret as 180 or 200 MHz, maybe that's how they showed you the 200 MHz.

Photos below, but in doing some more testing...it seems like the jumpers don't do anything at all to change it from 2.5x.

The attachment r529multjp.png is no longer available

So JP16 and JP17 seem to set the fsb, but for JP19, JP20, and JP22 no matter what I set them to...it didn't change from 2.5x at 166MHz. Even setting it to something "normal" like 133MHz at 2x, nothing changed. The only thing that seemed to affect change was changing the FSB through JP16-17. But unfortunately, it doesn't support more than 66MHz.

The attachment IMG_7685.jpg is no longer available
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The attachment IMG_7683.jpg is no longer available
The attachment IMG_7684.JPG is no longer available

The silkscreen doesn't mention anything about P55C or a 3x multiplier, but it has the jumpers to set dual voltage (which I did) and since it's POSTing I'm assuming that's actually working. So I'm not sure...

Looking at the images, I can tell you that the CPU is blocked, you can only use two multi, 2.5X and 3X, the 2.5X one definitely works, while the 3X one doesn't seem to.
But it could be something else, first, you can use a software to see the actual frequency, it could for example be a dated BIOS that makes you see only 166 MHz, when in reality it is 200.
One that you can easily find is CHKCPU, it works with DOS, or if you have Windows 95-98 you can try CPU-Z, both can show the actual frequency.
For the rest it's a motherboard that's fine, if you don't need to update it, that is, you want to use it as it is, and according to what it says, the jumpers are set up in the right way.
Perhaps the BIOS version is the factory version, and it is not accurate in reading the frequency (?).

I was hoping that might be the case but sadly CHKCPU and Speedsys both report 166ish...maybe I have some kind of early revision or is it the CPU?

BIOS is updated to the latest I found.

Either way I have a QDI Titanium 1E on the way so we'll what happens with that one 😮‍💨

SUN85-87: NEC PC-8801mkIIMR
SUN88-92: Northgate Elegance | 386DX-25 | Orchid Fahrenheit 1280 | SB 1.0
SUN94-96: BEK-P407 | Cyrix 5x86 120MHz | Tseng Labs ET6000 | SB 16
SUN98-01: ABIT BF6 | Pentium III 1.1GHz | 3dfx Voodoo3 3000 | AU8830

Reply 30401 of 30404, by PC@LIVE

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sunkindly wrote on Yesterday, 18:27:
I was hoping that might be the case but sadly CHKCPU and Speedsys both report 166ish...maybe I have some kind of early revision […]
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PC@LIVE wrote on Yesterday, 18:19:
Looking at the images, I can tell you that the CPU is blocked, you can only use two multi, 2.5X and 3X, the 2.5X one definitely […]
Show full quote
sunkindly wrote on Yesterday, 17:51:
Photos below, but in doing some more testing...it seems like the jumpers don't do anything at all to change it from 2.5x. […]
Show full quote

Photos below, but in doing some more testing...it seems like the jumpers don't do anything at all to change it from 2.5x.

The attachment r529multjp.png is no longer available

So JP16 and JP17 seem to set the fsb, but for JP19, JP20, and JP22 no matter what I set them to...it didn't change from 2.5x at 166MHz. Even setting it to something "normal" like 133MHz at 2x, nothing changed. The only thing that seemed to affect change was changing the FSB through JP16-17. But unfortunately, it doesn't support more than 66MHz.

The attachment IMG_7685.jpg is no longer available
The attachment IMG_7682.jpg is no longer available
The attachment IMG_7683.jpg is no longer available
The attachment IMG_7684.JPG is no longer available

The silkscreen doesn't mention anything about P55C or a 3x multiplier, but it has the jumpers to set dual voltage (which I did) and since it's POSTing I'm assuming that's actually working. So I'm not sure...

Looking at the images, I can tell you that the CPU is blocked, you can only use two multi, 2.5X and 3X, the 2.5X one definitely works, while the 3X one doesn't seem to.
But it could be something else, first, you can use a software to see the actual frequency, it could for example be a dated BIOS that makes you see only 166 MHz, when in reality it is 200.
One that you can easily find is CHKCPU, it works with DOS, or if you have Windows 95-98 you can try CPU-Z, both can show the actual frequency.
For the rest it's a motherboard that's fine, if you don't need to update it, that is, you want to use it as it is, and according to what it says, the jumpers are set up in the right way.
Perhaps the BIOS version is the factory version, and it is not accurate in reading the frequency (?).

I was hoping that might be the case but sadly CHKCPU and Speedsys both report 166ish...maybe I have some kind of early revision or is it the CPU?

BIOS is updated to the latest I found.

Either way I have a QDI Titanium 1E on the way so we'll what happens with that one 😮‍💨

Well you can always make some attempts, try selecting the other multi, if you haven't done it before, that is, the 1.5X/3.5X and 2.0X, I don't think the CPU doesn't work with the 3X multi, but by trying it in the QDI you should have confirmation, whether it works at 200 MHz (or not).
The only thing that could be there, is a hw failure, I noticed some SMDs near the jumper of the multi, maybe if it is broken, it could deceive the board, making you believe that the jumper is open, instead of closed.

AMD 286-16 287-10 4MB HD 45MB VGA 256KB
AMD 386DX-40 Intel 387 8MB HD 81MB VGA 256KB
Cyrix 486DLC-40 IIT387-40 8MB VGA 512KB
AMD 5X86-133 16MB VGA VLB CL5428 2MB and many others
AMD K62+ 550 SOYO 5EMA+ and many others
AST Pentium Pro 200 MHz L2 256KB

Reply 30402 of 30404, by tehsiggi

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So I got back to that Hercules 9600 Pro. Had a bit of time the last days.

I now swapped / reballed all memory ICs on memory channel A, both ranks - the error does not really disappear nor change, even when mixing the memory chips.

The attachment h96mempcb.jpg is no longer available
The attachment h96reball.jpg is no longer available

The card sometimes posts, sometimes doesn't. When it posts, we get a pretty picture:

The attachment h96err.jpg is no longer available

R3MEMID isn't happy either:

Failing bits in test [1] Fill
errcount: 17616237
MDA0: 5 7 11 12 14
MDB0: 11
MDA1: 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63
Failing bits in test [2] Data line toggle (GUI)
errcount: 5772202
MDA0: 5 7 11 12 14
MDB0: 11
MDA1: 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63
Failing bits in test [3] RW page (GUI)
errcount: 8663668
MDA0: 5 7 11 12 14 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63
MDB0: 11
MDA1: 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63
Failing bits in test [4] RW channel (GUI)
errcount: 5672858
MDA0: 5 7 11 12 14
MDB0: 11
MDA1: 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63

So I checked the data lines to check the bits with the scope.. I just wanted to see if there's activity or not.

The attachment h96data.png is no longer available

So here we have it.. some data lines are just plain "dead" - for everything from bits 32-63 I assume it has to do with a clock signal missing or strobe signal missing. Hard to check, since these traces go directly to the memory ICs. The upper picture is a good data line, the lower is a bad one just floating at VTT.

Hmm.. I put pressure on the GPU where the data lines are - no change. Yikes...

Then I cleaned up the GPU to check it and whoops.. someone crumbled the cookie corners? I checked an older picture I had from the card: Same.. And I didn't notice since I just repasted it quickly before testing. Ouch..

The attachment h96dead.jpg is no longer available

I've ordered some RV350s now.. let's see how it goes when they arrive.

If I get this card to run again, I've got stories to tell I guess..

AGP Card Real Power Consumption
AGP Power monitor - diagnostic hardware tool
Graphics card repair collection

Reply 30403 of 30404, by PurpleOzone

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Restored an AT&T Globalist 200 Laptop to near factory.

Mostly yellowed keyboard melted floppy belt and missing battery latch. Got lucky with a 30 EUR ebay well rusted 200S donor and upgraded RAM from 4MB to 8MB plus took its keycaps, and the 486 DX4 100MHZ in it also worked but out of concern for thermals I left it out of this build.

Only thing that remained is the battery which I gutted, and I am wondering if I should rebuild?

Reply 30404 of 30404, by PC@LIVE

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Today I worked on a couple of 486 motherboards, first on a 4FLUD-1.0, then on an ATC-1411B, both have problems due to corrosion, due to the loss of acid from the battery.
On the first one the damage is quite limited, but today investigating, I found three interrupted tracks, I'll see if tomorrow I can reconnect them, currently the card does not start, and the post card marks — —, probably it will be one of the broken tracks 😑, a track brings to quartz, so I imagine it can be back in operation, after reconnecting them, I will do a boot test, and I hope to see both the post codes and the BIOS screen.
The other one, on the other hand, has several oxidized points, tonight I scraped the green oxide from the copper, tomorrow I'll try, if I have enough time, to see if I find any interrupted, one is surely broken 😑, and in the back there are two or four, which I suspect are interrupted.

AMD 286-16 287-10 4MB HD 45MB VGA 256KB
AMD 386DX-40 Intel 387 8MB HD 81MB VGA 256KB
Cyrix 486DLC-40 IIT387-40 8MB VGA 512KB
AMD 5X86-133 16MB VGA VLB CL5428 2MB and many others
AMD K62+ 550 SOYO 5EMA+ and many others
AST Pentium Pro 200 MHz L2 256KB