Does the system make ram error beeps with no ram present still?

If not, check for barrel battery leakage corrosion, or blown caps.

Check all RAM slots for broken/bent pins. If nothing changes, you can remove the BIOS and take it to someone that can flash it for you.

https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/soyo-sy-5bt5-2.x#bios

wierd_w wrote on 2024-01-19, 12:42:

Does the system make ram error beeps with no ram present still?

If not, check for barrel battery leakage corrosion, or blown caps.

Yes, I've just tried this, and it does make the ram error beeps.

CR2032 battery is new
I've checked the caps with a magnifying lamp, they all seem fine.

thanks for the suggestions.
I'll wait for the new cpus to do some more tests.

I don't think you fried the cpu - these old Intels are quite robust. I harm then several times like that without issues 😀 But it sure isn't bad having some spare CPUs. Do you have other ram sticks to try? These old boards can be very picky with the ram. One sd-ram srick will do fine but you need two modules populates when using 72pin edo ram. I can reccomend a POST diagnostic card, these really help to locate issues.

pc-sound-legacy wrote on 2024-01-19, 22:54:

I don't think you fried the cpu - these old Intels are quite robust. I harm then several times like that without issues 😀 But it sure isn't bad having some spare CPUs. Do you have other ram sticks to try? These old boards can be very picky with the ram. One sd-ram srick will do fine but you need two modules populates when using 72pin edo ram. I can reccomend a POST diagnostic card, these really help to locate issues.

I have 4 different Sdram sticks, tried them all, to no avail.
I have also tried several pairs of EDO, same thing...

Any recommendation on the Post diagnostic card?
There are loads to choose from on amazon, some are as cheap as 10€.

Hi everyone,

Coming back to you for more help, as I've finally managed getting the setup to boot.
In the end, it was a faulty contact in the Mini-Din to PS/2 adapter for the keyboard.
The good news is that all my memory sticks work, as well as all my graphics cards!

As the board has a USB header, I plugged in USB ports and used a USB keyboard.
The pc then booted up and I managed to get into the bios.
Everything is recognised properly, HDD, SD to IDE and DVD rom.

When I try to install Dos or Windows 95/98 from the CD drive, the keyboard works through the first steps, including the blue screen where you have to press "enter", until I get to the Windows installation screen where install time is displayed in the classic windows graphic style, and there the keyboard stops responding and I can't press "enter" to confirm installation.
I have no idea why it's doing this.

Also, I got another Din-PS/2 adapter for the keyboard and I get the same problem as before ,with several keyboards...
With the first adapter, I tried pushing in hard both connectors into each other and managed to get some response from the keyboard but I don't get why the new adapter isn't working at all with any of my keyboards.
Basically, when any Din keyboard is plugged in, I get no beep and a black screen.
Maybe I should check the Din header pins under the board to see whether the soldering need redoing?
I noticed a clock setting for the keyboard in the bios, set at 8mhz by default, should this be changed to a different value?
Thanks in advance.

A high-res photo of the area around DIN connector may help us troubleshoot your issue.

Zerthimon wrote on 2024-02-08, 19:38:

A high-res photo of the area around DIN connector may help us troubleshoot your issue.

I'm in the process of disassembling the whole thing to get a closer look. Will post photos when it's done.
Thanks!

Zerthimon wrote on 2024-02-08, 19:38:

A high-res photo of the area around DIN connector may help us troubleshoot your issue.

I've just had another go at cleaning the Din connector with isopropyl alcohol, and... it's alive!
Had cleaned it once, but apparently it needed more scrubbing...

Thank you for your help!

Raph33BDX wrote on 2024-02-08, 19:30:

Hi everyone, […]
Show full quote

Hi everyone,

Coming back to you for more help, as I've finally managed getting the setup to boot.
In the end, it was a faulty contact in the Mini-Din to PS/2 adapter for the keyboard.
The good news is that all my memory sticks work, as well as all my graphics cards!

As the board has a USB header, I plugged in USB ports and used a USB keyboard.
The pc then booted up and I managed to get into the bios.
Everything is recognised properly, HDD, SD to IDE and DVD rom.

When I try to install Dos or Windows 95/98 from the CD drive, the keyboard works through the first steps, including the blue screen where you have to press "enter", until I get to the Windows installation screen where install time is displayed in the classic windows graphic style, and there the keyboard stops responding and I can't press "enter" to confirm installation.
I have no idea why it's doing this.

Also, I got another Din-PS/2 adapter for the keyboard and I get the same problem as before ,with several keyboards...
With the first adapter, I tried pushing in hard both connectors into each other and managed to get some response from the keyboard but I don't get why the new adapter isn't working at all with any of my keyboards.
Basically, when any Din keyboard is plugged in, I get no beep and a black screen.
Maybe I should check the Din header pins under the board to see whether the soldering need redoing?
I noticed a clock setting for the keyboard in the bios, set at 8mhz by default, should this be changed to a different value?
Thanks in advance.

Hi, your fault with USB keyboard is that you have to enable an option in Bios, normally under Integrated Peripherals or Advanced Settings that may be called USB legacy support or simply USB keyboard support.

This means that if the option is disabled, keyboard will work in bios, but under an OS not supporting USB it will simply not work.
USB keyboard support is pretty good in 430TX given the age of the chip, the southbridge is indeed the 'same' as in 440BX found in much later Pentium IIIs.

Double post, sorry.

mmx_91 wrote on 2024-02-08, 21:58:

Hi, your fault with USB keyboard is that you have to enable an option in Bios, normally under Integrated Peripherals or Advanced […]
Show full quote

Raph33BDX wrote on 2024-02-08, 19:30:

Hi everyone, […]
Show full quote

Hi everyone,

Coming back to you for more help, as I've finally managed getting the setup to boot.
In the end, it was a faulty contact in the Mini-Din to PS/2 adapter for the keyboard.
The good news is that all my memory sticks work, as well as all my graphics cards!

As the board has a USB header, I plugged in USB ports and used a USB keyboard.
The pc then booted up and I managed to get into the bios.
Everything is recognised properly, HDD, SD to IDE and DVD rom.

When I try to install Dos or Windows 95/98 from the CD drive, the keyboard works through the first steps, including the blue screen where you have to press "enter", until I get to the Windows installation screen where install time is displayed in the classic windows graphic style, and there the keyboard stops responding and I can't press "enter" to confirm installation.
I have no idea why it's doing this.

Also, I got another Din-PS/2 adapter for the keyboard and I get the same problem as before ,with several keyboards...
With the first adapter, I tried pushing in hard both connectors into each other and managed to get some response from the keyboard but I don't get why the new adapter isn't working at all with any of my keyboards.
Basically, when any Din keyboard is plugged in, I get no beep and a black screen.
Maybe I should check the Din header pins under the board to see whether the soldering need redoing?
I noticed a clock setting for the keyboard in the bios, set at 8mhz by default, should this be changed to a different value?
Thanks in advance.

Hi, your fault with USB keyboard is that you have to enable an option in Bios, normally under Integrated Peripherals or Advanced Settings that may be called USB legacy support or simply USB keyboard support.

This means that if the option is disabled, keyboard will work in bios, but under an OS not supporting USB it will simply not work.
USB keyboard support is pretty good in 430TX given the age of the chip, the southbridge is indeed the 'same' as in 440BX found in much later Pentium IIIs.

Hi, yes I did enable the option in the bios.
There was also an option about "Assign IRQ to USB". When enabled the USB Kb does not work at all, when disabled it works in the bios and the first steps of the Win98 install process but then stops responding after the blue screen prior to the actual windows install screen.

In any case, I can't use my USB Kb past that step.
I've managed to install Win98 with the old Din Kb, but loading freezes on the Windows 98 loading screen.
When I boot in safe mode, I have nothing at all on the screen except blue background and "Safe Mode" in all corners, and the USB mouse does not respond either with no pointer displayed.

how many pci slots are on this board, and if there are more than 4, what cards are present?

The pci architecture only has 4 'PCI IRQs', A, B, C, and D, which the chipset maps to real IRQs the CPU sees.

The baked on peripherals are essentially a 'PCI combo card', occupying 'slot 4', usually. (Pci irq D)

If you have something greedy for an irq, like a pci soundcard, or a pci nic in physical slot 4, you get sharing problems like this.

Double check, and if this is the case, vacate the physical slot, or move something less demanding there, then try again.

wierd_w wrote on 2024-02-11, 00:44:

how many pci slots are on this board, and if there are more than 4, what cards are present? […]
Show full quote

how many pci slots are on this board, and if there are more than 4, what cards are present?

The pci architecture only has 4 'PCI IRQs', A, B, C, and D, which the chipset maps to real IRQs the CPU sees.

The baked on peripherals are essentially a 'PCI combo card', occupying 'slot 4', usually. (Pci irq D)

If you have something greedy for an irq, like a pci soundcard, or a pci nic in physical slot 4, you get sharing problems like this.

Double check, and if this is the case, vacate the physical slot, or move something less demanding there, then try again.

Thanks.

I have only two cards installed, one ISA sound card and one PCI graphics card.
The MB has 4 PCI slors and 3 ISA slots.

I'll try moving them around.