Hi, there's a dedicated thread for recent "dumpster" or other "some corner" finds:
I recently found this hardware, AKA the Dumpster find thread.

Maybe make a good photo of the opened case and post it there, just to entertain, reach more users and maybe get some advice.
(feel free to link to this thread there)

If you need help getting it to run, well, where to start?

What makes you think it's supposed to run or beep at all? Normal state of random, discarded IT is otherwise. CPU, RAM and anything are generally consided useful addons.

My preliminary advice:
- if you don't know about ESD precaution, read up on that, follow at least the basics like touching the case before anything else.
- make good, detailed photos of all cables attached to the motherboard
- remove board from case and make a well lit, sharp photo of it, preferably not using a cellphone or other potato substitute
- post photo here as attachment
- do your homework by finding out the make and model, what chipset it is and where to find a manual. Google is your friend.
- if the owner of a multimeter, dry test the PSU for correct voltages
- use the trident vga since it's expandable and basic, as a test card
- sound and fancy graphics can wait for if an when the thing works. Whole different can of worms there.

For now I only have one photo, but I'll make more and post them here
https://imgur.com/a/FBnnDDT

EDIT: There was a capacitor near the place where I found the computer. Maybe it was from the motherboard? I don't know, I'll look for places where capacitors should be

Please upload photos directly to the Forum, there so many threads with lost images. 🙁

There is an error IMG****.jpg (6.2 MiB) exceeds the maximum allowed file size of 5 MiB.

Complete the machine before attempting to boot it.

Put a CPU, RAM, and graphics card in there at the very least.

Use your ES1688 and S3 Trio 64 for best DOS compatibility.

ksiumaxx wrote on 2022-04-12, 19:08:

There is an error IMG****.jpg (6.2 MiB) exceeds the maximum allowed file size of 5 MiB.

Yeah, well, there are rules for a reason.

First learn how to resize a jpg, then mess around with computers and a screwdriver 😉

(I broke that myself but there were no jpgs around back then.)

I wouldn't try to run a split voltage CPU like a PMMX in this board, looks like a single voltage setup. Should probably stick to non-MMX Pentiums from 90-200MHz (or Winchips) unless you have an MMX Overdrive handy.

Here's a little information on the motherboard:
http://www.dosdays.co.uk/topics/Manufacturers/msi.php

And here's a thread that links to BIOS updates: Building SOCKET 7 machine with MSI 5124

ksiumaxx wrote on 2022-04-12, 16:23:

......
Why computer isn't beeping while starting? (there is no CPU, RAM or anything in it)

Sorry, but 🤣.

ksiumaxx wrote on 2022-04-12, 18:48:

For now I only have one photo, but I'll make more and post them here
https://imgur.com/a/FBnnDDT

EDIT: There was a capacitor near the place where I found the computer. Maybe it was from the motherboard? I don't know, I'll look for places where capacitors should be

Note that your motherboard only supports single voltage plane cpus you have a header that you could solder a module like necroware made though.

But you are probably limited to a pentium mmx 200 overdrive or pentium 1 200 as your fastest, other options are 233 k6 and winchip.

Some reading on the subject:

Re: Thoughts on k6-233 on socket 5

vrm module project thread roundup, share ideas, make new designs

Re: Socket 5/7/SS7 Tweaker

Re: Socket 5/7/SS7 VOLTAGE Interposer.

Re: SoCat-57 a Socket-5-to-7 Interposer design

Let's not confuse the man with details.

I'd say if there really is none in the kitchen drawer, then get the next best P54CS from an ebay auction and see if that thing runs at all?

Then learn how to resize a jpeg 😉

Cuttoon wrote on 2022-04-20, 02:19:

Let's not confuse the man with details.

I'd say if there really is none in the kitchen drawer, then get the next best P54CS from an ebay auction and see if that thing runs at all?

Then learn how to resize a jpeg 😉

Indeed, the easiest option for sure is a non mmx 200.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304258804198

This appears to be a non mmx, though thr image quality on my phone is lacking.

Sphere478 wrote on 2022-04-20, 02:26:

Indeed, the easiest option for sure is a non mmx 200. […]
Show full quote

Cuttoon wrote on 2022-04-20, 02:19:

Let's not confuse the man with details.

I'd say if there really is none in the kitchen drawer, then get the next best P54CS from an ebay auction and see if that thing runs at all?

Then learn how to resize a jpeg 😉

Indeed, the easiest option for sure is a non mmx 200.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304258804198

This appears to be a non mmx, though thr image quality on my phone is lacking.

Indeed, the SY045 is single voltage.

But I thought more of something like this:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/Intel-Pentium-CPU-133 … r-/175231770337

Was a bit expensive, but came with a big-ass passive heatsink glued on. Makes for the perfect test CPU. Just used it this evening, in a FX, HX and VX board.

Apparently way back when, some people would just drop in something like a 166MMX and hope it would cope with the overvolt. Not that i would really recommend that ofc....maybe if you have a chonky cooler. Supposedly it worked though.

Could allways track down one of those Pentium Overdrive chips with the voltage regulator and fan built in. I know they had one for a 200mmx. Those theoretically should work in anything. Probably rare and pricey though so maybe not. This is all assuming you want a MMX or one of the later Pentiums. If your fine with single voltage stuff. a 133 or 166 would suffice!

ksiumaxx wrote on 2022-04-12, 16:23:

Hi 2 days ago I found old incomplete Socket 7 computer in my old house. It didin't have any RAM modules, CPU, GPU, ISA or PCI ca […]
Show full quote

Hi
2 days ago I found old incomplete Socket 7 computer in my old house. It didin't have any RAM modules, CPU, GPU, ISA or PCI cards, hard drives, floppy drives or CD/DVD drives. I want to make this computer my main DOS gaming machine. When I turn it on it boot, but It doesn't display anythink or do *beeps* on the PC Speaker. When I turn Turbo on, turbo LED turns on, and when I turn turbo off, LED turn stop flashing. Games that I want to run on this computer are: DOOM, DOOM II, Duke 3D, Descent, Descent II, Quake, Screamer 2 and other games from the 90s. I will put Pentium 166 MMX there and 32mb of RAM (16mb + 16mb). Motherboard is OEM version of MSI P54C SI7 (It's the same motherboard, but RAM slots and IDE connectors are in diffrent places than normally). Here are my questions:

I got 3 PCI graphics cards. S3 Trio 64V+, S3 ViRGE/DX and Trident TGU 9440-3. Which will give me the best performance, and wich will be most compatibile with dos games?

I got 2 ISA sound cards. ESS AudioDrive ES1688F (with Wavetable connector and place to put YMF262) and Crystal CX4235-XQ3 (with place to put Wavetable connector but no way to put OPL in it). I don't need Adlib compatibility, but I'd like to have way to connect wavetable or external Midi devices (I don't have any, but maybe in the future ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°))

Why computer isn't beeping while starting? (there is no CPU, RAM or anything in it)

If you want to test this board, first you're gonna need parts to test it with.
Your PCI VGA cards should suffice, the sound cards won't be needed for this.
I would wait with any planning with this board until you can establish the board is actually working.

You're also gonna need a CPU and RAM if you ever want to work with it or test any future finds you may come across. So get a cheap CPU and some cheap PM RAM and get your RAM in pairs (get something like a Pentium 133MHz and 2x8MB FPM 72p SIMMs).

I don't know why this PC isn't beeping. I always test with some spare (and preferably expendable) CPU at the very least. I'm not sure if it will give beep codes if the CPU is missing, but I understood that it actually should in some cases at least. But again, I always test with a CPU and some RAM and a spare graphics card and I'll go from there.

Sphere478 wrote on 2022-04-20, 02:07:

Note that your motherboard only supports single voltage plane cpus you have a header that you could solder a module like necrowa […]
Show full quote

ksiumaxx wrote on 2022-04-12, 18:48:

For now I only have one photo, but I'll make more and post them here
https://imgur.com/a/FBnnDDT

EDIT: There was a capacitor near the place where I found the computer. Maybe it was from the motherboard? I don't know, I'll look for places where capacitors should be

Note that your motherboard only supports single voltage plane cpus you have a header that you could solder a module like necroware made though.

But you are probably limited to a pentium mmx 200 overdrive or pentium 1 200 as your fastest, other options are 233 k6 and winchip.

Some reading on the subject:

Re: Thoughts on k6-233 on socket 5

vrm module project thread roundup, share ideas, make new designs

Re: Socket 5/7/SS7 Tweaker

Re: Socket 5/7/SS7 VOLTAGE Interposer.

Re: SoCat-57 a Socket-5-to-7 Interposer design

I would totally not recommend running a K6-233 with a board like this. K6-233 runs very VERY hot and chances are good the board simply can't handle it.
It may have a max of 166MHz Pentium for a reason other than the manual being out of date. I wouldn't want to overvolt a CPU which is already factory overvolted by a large margin.
I'd only recommend it if the owner knows exactly what he's doing.

CoffeeOne wrote on 2022-04-19, 20:46:

ksiumaxx wrote on 2022-04-12, 16:23:

......
Why computer isn't beeping while starting? (there is no CPU, RAM or anything in it)

Sorry, but 🤣.

spam postcount +1! lololol

Tetrium wrote on 2022-04-26, 12:43:

CoffeeOne wrote on 2022-04-19, 20:46:

ksiumaxx wrote on 2022-04-12, 16:23:

......
Why computer isn't beeping while starting? (there is no CPU, RAM or anything in it)

Sorry, but 🤣.

spam postcount +1! lololol

More ideas: I would REALLY appreciate mainboard features like:
1 long beep - CPU missing
2 long beeps - CPU and RAM missing
3 long beeps - CPU, RAM and speaker missing

CoffeeOne wrote on 2022-04-26, 23:20:

More ideas: I would REALLY appreciate mainboard features like: 1 long beep - CPU missing 2 long beeps - CPU and RAM missing 3 l […]
Show full quote

Tetrium wrote on 2022-04-26, 12:43:

CoffeeOne wrote on 2022-04-19, 20:46:

Sorry, but 🤣.

spam postcount +1! lololol

More ideas: I would REALLY appreciate mainboard features like:
1 long beep - CPU missing
2 long beeps - CPU and RAM missing
3 long beeps - CPU, RAM and speaker missing

3rd point….just how do you expect it to beep with no speaker 😁