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Very unique 386 motherboard “Unknown Make/Model”

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First post, by SWZSSR

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Hi All

One of my friends has a very special 386 motherboard that I have never seen before. I have hunted all major motherboard websites for its layout/model but had no luck.

Bios doesn’t show anything regarding model/make.

Distinguishable Features
- 16x SIPP Sockets
- Onboard Com/LPT via SIS82C452
- 32KB Cache
- Standard AT Sizing
- 3x 16bit 3x 8bit ISA

I know the chipset is a C&T NEAT, but it has a lot more chips than any other board of that era. My friend believes he pulled it out of a low profile chassis back in the 90s for a 486 upgrade.

Sorry for bad photos, I will take it out the case some point and get decent photos.

Attachments

Last edited by SWZSSR on 2021-07-04, 08:13. Edited 3 times in total.

5TH / Dual 233MMX / Kyro-1-PCI / Maxi-Studio ISIS
EP-MVP3G5 / K6-3+@600 / Geforce3-Ti500 / EWS64XL
Thunder 2500 / Dual P3-S 1.4 / HD3850AGP / Audigy
M919-3.4bf / 5x86@180 / Banshee-PCI / Soundscape Elite
AX4GE-Tube / 3.2EE / FX5950Ultra / Tube Audio

Reply 1 of 7, by Deksor

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What bios is in there ? Phoenix ? AMI ? Mr BIOS ? Award ?

If it's AMI (or maybe even award), you should have a POST string which can be used to identify it. Can you please show it to us (and/or dump your BIOS using this http://cd.textfiles.com/microhaus/mhblackbox3 … MORY/GETROM.ZIP) ?

Trying to identify old hardware ? Visit The retro web - Project's thread The Retro Web project - a stason.org/TH99 alternative

Reply 2 of 7, by SWZSSR

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Deksor wrote on 2021-07-03, 12:08:

What bios is in there ? Phoenix ? AMI ? Mr BIOS ? Award ?

If it's AMI (or maybe even award), you should have a POST string which can be used to identify it. Can you please show it to us (and/or dump your BIOS using this http://cd.textfiles.com/microhaus/mhblackbox3 … MORY/GETROM.ZIP) ?

It is a AMI with Low&Hi bios. Here is some photos.

As for dumping the bios, can the tool detect low&hi?

Attachments

5TH / Dual 233MMX / Kyro-1-PCI / Maxi-Studio ISIS
EP-MVP3G5 / K6-3+@600 / Geforce3-Ti500 / EWS64XL
Thunder 2500 / Dual P3-S 1.4 / HD3850AGP / Audigy
M919-3.4bf / 5x86@180 / Banshee-PCI / Soundscape Elite
AX4GE-Tube / 3.2EE / FX5950Ultra / Tube Audio

Reply 3 of 7, by Deksor

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Unfortunately, no it cannot do that, (I don't think any software dumping tool can do that actually). If you have a TL866 you can dump it that way, otherwise it'd still be better than nothing because it's possible to split the eprom file (now I don't know exactly how the split is made on your board, but that'd be up to the person that might want to restore a missing bios on their motherboard)

Trying to identify old hardware ? Visit The retro web - Project's thread The Retro Web project - a stason.org/TH99 alternative

Reply 4 of 7, by Horun

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The BIOS string # is either 1230 or 1238 (cannot tell) if 1238 indicates a Win Technologies board (AKA: Wintech / Edom / WinTac) but their archives only list MA013/MA014 Opti based 386 board.

never mind, is 1230 and cannot find any info yet

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 5 of 7, by Deksor

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Yes, unfortunately that ID isn't documented anywhere. That doesn't mean it will never show up though. With UH19 we're planning to make an up to date manufacturer id for POST strings.

Trying to identify old hardware ? Visit The retro web - Project's thread The Retro Web project - a stason.org/TH99 alternative

Reply 6 of 7, by SWZSSR

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Here is a dump of the low and high bios. I used my TLS866, had issues finding S27C256-20N Chips. l found they might be Phillips, tried that and successfully read them. Data may be corrupt.

Also used getrom. Ran AT & XT. Attached.

Attachments

  • Filename
    SIPP386GETROM.zip
    File size
    59.88 KiB
    Downloads
    49 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • Filename
    SIPP386.zip
    File size
    39.92 KiB
    Downloads
    51 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

5TH / Dual 233MMX / Kyro-1-PCI / Maxi-Studio ISIS
EP-MVP3G5 / K6-3+@600 / Geforce3-Ti500 / EWS64XL
Thunder 2500 / Dual P3-S 1.4 / HD3850AGP / Audigy
M919-3.4bf / 5x86@180 / Banshee-PCI / Soundscape Elite
AX4GE-Tube / 3.2EE / FX5950Ultra / Tube Audio

Reply 7 of 7, by megatron-uk

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The 64k ATROM from GETROM looks legit. Loads of AMI BIOS strings, visible chipset config options etc.

Almost the first thing in the file is the following string:

SETUP PROGRAM FOR C&T 386 CHIPSET(C)1988, American Megatrends Inc.All rights reserved.1346 Oakbrook drive, Suite-120,Norcross, GA 30093, Phone-(404)-263-8181

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

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