VOGONS


First post, by Con 2 botones

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Hello again.

I recently came across a Compaq Deskpro EN (PD1050), purchased it for very little money.

I was happy with the Coppermine PIII 1000mhz it came with.
Nevertheless, a friend suggested this system may be Tualatin compatible.
After investigating with a couple of hardware info applications, it turned out this is a 815E B0 stepping chipset (all indicating this is in fact Tualatin compatible).

I didn´t own any Tualatin CPU, but I tried with a Tualaron 1400mhz of mine and received the following message, not being able to advance:
Tualaron1400-error.jpg
It won´t even let you enter the Bios setup...

Mentioned friend (thanks Andrés!) then lent me 4 processors for testing:
- Celeron 1000mhz (to see if the problem was related to 100mhz bus CPUs)
- Tualatin 1133mhz
- Tualatin 1266mhz
- Tualatin 1400mhz

Firts two (Celeron 1000 and Tualatin 1133) were recongnized by BIOS with no issues or notification messages, the system boots straight into O.S

Tualatin 1266mhz gives me a warning message:
tualatin-1266a.jpg

But it will let you enter BIOS setup nevertheless:
Tualatin-1266b.jpg

And to my surprise, it will even boot to O.S. without problems. The CPU is correctly identified by CPU-Z Vintage edition:
tualatin-1266c.jpg

I ran a 3Dmark 2000 benchmark to test stability and it finished without problems.
Not further testing was done. Not sure what hindrance could arise by running the cpu like this (not properly recognized by BIOS)

But when it came to Tualatin 1400, I was just faced with a blank screen, no beeping, no error message, no nothing.
Now, my friend isn´t sure this particular CPU is working properly (there is no missing/bent pins or any other sign that could lead to doubt though).

So, I was wondering, is anyone among you readers, who happens to have the latest latest BIOS file for this particular system? (I wasn´t lucky searching the Internet).
Current one installed seems to be 686P2 v3.11

Thanks in advance!

Last edited by Con 2 botones on 2021-12-20, 17:27. Edited 2 times in total.

Reply 1 of 8, by Zup

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I've found a BIOS with version 3.13A... but in a suspicious driver page.

If you want to make your search easier, you'll need your product number (i've used a Desktop EN P533 one, namely 103226-201). The try to google softpaq and your product number (or bios and your product number).

I have traveled across the universe and through the years to find Her.
Sometimes going all the way is just a start...

I'm selling some stuff!

Reply 2 of 8, by Con 2 botones

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Zup wrote on 2021-12-16, 16:24:

I've found a BIOS with version 3.13A... but in a suspicious driver page.

If you want to make your search easier, you'll need your product number (i've used a Desktop EN P533 one, namely 103226-201). The try to google softpaq and your product number (or bios and your product number).

Yes, I found one likely bios rom in "DriverCollection" site...(if that´s what you meant)
I´ll try what you suggest.
Thank you!

Reply 4 of 8, by shamino

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I have a similar system. It came with a 1.13GHz Tualatin and now runs a 1.4GHz without issue.
According to my old notes the chip I used was marked as follows:
PENTIUM III-S SL5XL
Q231A519-1214
1400/512/133/1.45

I don't know if these machines are picky about core steppings, or if you just need a BIOS update. This was the first chip I tried and it just worked.
I'm not even sure if my system/board are exactly the same as yours, I just know it's a "Deskpro EN" with an i815 chipset.

If you end up still needing it then I can dig mine out and see what version BIOS it has, and try to dump a file from it. I don't have a Compaq flashing utility for it though. Hopefully these systems work with Uniflash.

Reply 5 of 8, by Con 2 botones

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Oetker wrote on 2021-12-16, 21:36:

Very interesting, I have a 440BX based Deskpro EN and it runs a Tualatin 1400 without complaint. Of course at 100Mhz FSB.

Nice to know in case I see some around!
I suspect you are using a special slotket (the VRM in a 440BX board would not be ready for so low voltages the Tualatin requires).

Reply 6 of 8, by Con 2 botones

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shamino wrote on 2021-12-17, 00:00:
I have a similar system. It came with a 1.13GHz Tualatin and now runs a 1.4GHz without issue. According to my old notes the chi […]
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I have a similar system. It came with a 1.13GHz Tualatin and now runs a 1.4GHz without issue.
According to my old notes the chip I used was marked as follows:
PENTIUM III-S SL5XL
Q231A519-1214
1400/512/133/1.45

I don't know if these machines are picky about core steppings, or if you just need a BIOS update. This was the first chip I tried and it just worked.
I'm not even sure if my system/board are exactly the same as yours, I just know it's a "Deskpro EN" with an i815 chipset.

If you end up still needing it then I can dig mine out and see what version BIOS it has, and try to dump a file from it. I don't have a Compaq flashing utility for it though. Hopefully these systems work with Uniflash.

Thank you very much!
I believe I managed to get the right bios update file and flash utility, "sp22203.exe" and rom ("sp22200", 3.14A rom version).
When I excecuted this (inside windows) flashing utility, it correctly identified my bios version, no warnings about mismatching with the newer rom or anything.

But...can you believe...while I was preparing (formatting) some floppy disks to backup my current Bios rom...the system shutdown... and never turned on again. Give me a break...elusive Tualatin...
The board has got 2 leds that are always on when the current reaches the power supply...both are off now.
Didn´t have much time (work and family) to check properly, but I connected another known working power supply and the leds wouldn´t turn on (neither the system itself, of course).
I´m going to do some more thorough testing during weekend (I hope)...

Reply 7 of 8, by Oetker

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Con 2 botones wrote on 2021-12-17, 12:29:
Oetker wrote on 2021-12-16, 21:36:

Very interesting, I have a 440BX based Deskpro EN and it runs a Tualatin 1400 without complaint. Of course at 100Mhz FSB.

Nice to know in case I see some around!
I suspect you are using a special slotket (the VRM in a 440BX board would not be ready for so low voltages the Tualatin requires).

Luckily the VRM on this board supports Coppermine voltages, which is fine for Tualatin as well. And the MOSFETs have heatsinks on them and can withstand the extra current. Of course I am using a slotket and then a Tualatin chip with a pin adapter attached.

Reply 8 of 8, by Con 2 botones

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Well, the story has happy ending!

The reason the system was not starting...(yes you can call me an idiot)...was that the power outlet extension became too loose from the wall...
The easiest of things to troubleshoot...When I arrived home on Friday I checked and the power outlet extension had no leds on.
After securing it to the wall, pushed power button on the Compaq and happiness retuned to my face!

I was therefore able to proceed with the BIOS flashing.
The floppy method didn´t work (after booting from floppy a message stated a rom could not be found) maybe I didn´t prepare it properly.

The setup from within Windows, on the other hand, worked flawlessly. Just a few "next, next":

compaq-Bios-C.jpg

compaq-Bios-C.jpg

compaqbios-A.jpg

... and finally I was rebooting to see the new bios (3.14A) flashed properly:
compaqbios.jpg

Now Tualatin 1266Mhz just boots into OS, without the "microde patch-error" notification at Post.
With the Tualatin 1400Mhz inserted, I still get no video signal at all...but I suspect this particular one might be dead.
It makes no sense the 1266 would work with this system and the 1400 not.

I leave a link to the BIOS flash utility (that´s all needed), in case someone would need it in the future.
This is supposed to be compatible with 686P2 family of BIOS. In my particular case (Compaq En PD1050) it worked without issues.
"sp22203.exe": https://mega.nz/file/gI5kRLKI#vzXdJmoTgETgPDd … a8G4LB8uxAmUqGI

So, if you come across a system like this and you are looking for a Tualatin compatible one, then consider taking it home:

Compaq-Presario-EN-pd1050.jpg