VOGONS


ga-500 super socket 7 motherboard

Topic actions

Reply 40 of 57, by Sphere478

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Okay, I seem to have worked out the bugs and got it working in a reasonable manner

The sata card seems to have to be in slot 1 otherwise all sorts of bugs ocur

So far overclocking on it has been a huge disappointment this is a k63+ 550 and so far stable seems to be 5.5x 104.91 577mhz (oddly this is the 100mhz setting on the jumpers

I have the cpu set to 2.0v

Cache doesn’t seem to be the limiting factor as disabling it doesn’t let me have much more.

I got this board because someone managed to get a k62+ to 800+ mhz using this board but it won’t even post above 115mhz

So my idea of which board to get may have been flawed.

What board out there maybe should I have gotten?

Sphere's PCB projects.
-
Sphere’s socket 5/7 cpu collection.
-
SUCCESSFUL K6-2+ to K6-3+ Full Cache Enable Mod
-
Tyan S1564S to S1564D single to dual processor conversion (also s1563 and s1562)

Reply 41 of 57, by Sphere478

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Now I need to order a video card

I want to order the fastest one that will work with it

Drivers must not require SSE
Must work with agp 1.0 slot
Must have win 9x drivers win 9x/me would be a nice perk also

I’m also wanting to get some ram for it.

It has been theorized that this board might accept 1gb sticks.

I found some 1gb ecc sticks..

Any reason not to get ecc?

Sphere's PCB projects.
-
Sphere’s socket 5/7 cpu collection.
-
SUCCESSFUL K6-2+ to K6-3+ Full Cache Enable Mod
-
Tyan S1564S to S1564D single to dual processor conversion (also s1563 and s1562)

Reply 42 of 57, by pshipkov

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

When got the two S7/SS7 boards i looked around and saw a thread called "aiming for the stars" or something like that. You probably know it, but if not - there is bunch of SS7 stuff there with 3D Mark 2000 numbers attached to many of them. It is a good source of information.

800+ MHz on K6+. Interesting.
I tried briefly but cannot go past 720-ish.
Things get super shaky after that point, including.

retro bits and bytes

Reply 43 of 57, by Sphere478

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
pshipkov wrote on 2021-11-04, 00:28:
When got the two S7/SS7 boards i looked around and saw a thread called "aiming for the stars" or something like that. You probab […]
Show full quote

When got the two S7/SS7 boards i looked around and saw a thread called "aiming for the stars" or something like that. You probably know it, but if not - there is bunch of SS7 stuff there with 3D Mark 2000 numbers attached to many of them. It is a good source of information.

800+ MHz on K6+. Interesting.
I tried briefly but cannot go past 720-ish.
Things get super shaky after that point, including.

they had phase change. i find it odd that I don't seem to be able to get much more than 600 and 600 might not even be stable

Sphere's PCB projects.
-
Sphere’s socket 5/7 cpu collection.
-
SUCCESSFUL K6-2+ to K6-3+ Full Cache Enable Mod
-
Tyan S1564S to S1564D single to dual processor conversion (also s1563 and s1562)

Reply 45 of 57, by The Serpent Rider

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Buffered RAM must be supported by chipset.

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.

Reply 46 of 57, by Sphere478

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
The Serpent Rider wrote on 2021-11-04, 05:12:

Buffered RAM must be supported by chipset.

Yeah, It was listed as non buffered but then I looked closer.

Was open to trying ecc but only ones I can find seem to be buffered.

Gonna try this:

Sphere's PCB projects.
-
Sphere’s socket 5/7 cpu collection.
-
SUCCESSFUL K6-2+ to K6-3+ Full Cache Enable Mod
-
Tyan S1564S to S1564D single to dual processor conversion (also s1563 and s1562)

Reply 47 of 57, by ChrisK

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Sphere478 wrote on 2021-11-03, 23:53:

So far overclocking on it has been a huge disappointment this is a k63+ 550 and so far stable seems to be 5.5x 104.91 577mhz (oddly this is the 100mhz setting on the jumpers

I have the cpu set to 2.0v

I wouldn't torture that K63+ that much out of two reasons.First, 550MHz was the end of the line back then and they probably won't make much more than 600 MHz at all.
And second, these days this model goes for 250-350 USD on ebay (sold, not just offered!). If money doesn't matter, ok. But for me as a collector this leaves some strange gut feeling 😳

On the other hand, if it is the ACR variant then 2.0V +-0.1V is the standard voltage so it isn't that strange that it only makes 577 MHz. Try 2.1 or max 2.2V, that should still be safe enough.
Also make sure your mobo makes a flat & clean VCORE. I had a similar board (can't remember if it was the Jetway J-542B or a Commate S7AX) which a standard K6-2 with 2.2V stock only could run at 2.4V reliably on. The reason were bad caps which made the Vcore look like a dinosaur's back rather than a flat line.

Maybe a bit off-topic, but regarding the Jetway J-542:
Another difference between the A, B and C variants is that the B and C have another voltage regulator design which allows voltages down to 1.3V (with a little "tuning" aka a fifth jumper to select <2.0V).
But there seem to be differences between model revisions as well if I compare my picture with the already posted one for the 542B...
B and C also have the bespoken onboard sound option, which adds a "S" to the model number if mounted. In reality I have never seen one with the sound option mounted.

RetroPC: K6-III+/400ATZ @6x83@1.7V / CT-5SIM / 2x 64M SDR / 40G HDD / RIVA TNT / V2 SLI / CT4520
ModernPC: Phenom II 910e @ 3GHz / ALiveDual-eSATA2 / 4x 2GB DDR-II / 512G SSD / 750G HDD / RX470

Reply 48 of 57, by PARKE

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
ChrisK wrote on 2021-11-04, 07:43:

Maybe a bit off-topic, but regarding the Jetway J-542:
Another difference between the A, B and C variants is that the B and C have another voltage regulator design which allows voltages down to 1.3V (with a little "tuning" aka a fifth jumper to select <2.0V).
But there seem to be differences between model revisions as well if I compare my picture with the already posted one for the 542B...

Yes, alas off topic, but at least the B version comes in two 'editions':

The attachment VRM.jpg is no longer available

Reply 49 of 57, by snufkin

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Since it's come up, and Just in case it's relevant, at least some registered+buffered SDRAMs can be fairly easily modded to become unregistered+buffered. Probably. I've only actually tested it using one make of RAM and one motherboard, and it'll depend on the register chip used.

As I understand it the motherboard compatibility problem is really with it being registered as that holds up all the control/address signals for a clock cycle. Buffering adds a slight delay, which might bring the maximum stable speed down a bit. The said, I did get some 128MB PC133r/CL3 running stable as PC133/CL2. The 512MB stick I had is only stable as PC133/CL3. So the buffer delay doesn't seem to make all that much difference.

Converted registered SDRAM

Reply 50 of 57, by Sphere478

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Okay, I ordered three 1gb sticks for this mobo

Installed all three:
512mb detected.

256, 256, 1gb:
890something mb detected

1gb, blank, 1gb:
1024mb detected

Does this sound like a bios problem?
A ram row/column configuration incompatibility, or?

I’m running a k63+ and a ali aladdin v I thought these both support up to 4gb?

Sphere's PCB projects.
-
Sphere’s socket 5/7 cpu collection.
-
SUCCESSFUL K6-2+ to K6-3+ Full Cache Enable Mod
-
Tyan S1564S to S1564D single to dual processor conversion (also s1563 and s1562)

Reply 51 of 57, by Repo Man11

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Sphere478 wrote on 2021-11-06, 22:53:
Okay, I ordered three 1gb sticks for this mobo […]
Show full quote

Okay, I ordered three 1gb sticks for this mobo

Installed all three:
512mb detected.

256, 256, 1gb:
890something mb detected

1gb, blank, 1gb:
1024mb detected

Does this sound like a bios problem?
A ram row/column configuration incompatibility, or?

I’m running a k63+ and a ali aladdin v I thought these both support up to 4gb?

Possibly the POST cannot properly display the RAM amount because of a BIOS limitation? Can you boot into an OS and double check the RAM amount?

"We do these things not because they are easy, but because we thought they would be easy."

Reply 52 of 57, by Sphere478

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
Repo Man11 wrote on 2021-11-06, 23:14:
Sphere478 wrote on 2021-11-06, 22:53:
Okay, I ordered three 1gb sticks for this mobo […]
Show full quote

Okay, I ordered three 1gb sticks for this mobo

Installed all three:
512mb detected.

256, 256, 1gb:
890something mb detected

1gb, blank, 1gb:
1024mb detected

Does this sound like a bios problem?
A ram row/column configuration incompatibility, or?

I’m running a k63+ and a ali aladdin v I thought these both support up to 4gb?

Possibly the POST cannot properly display the RAM amount because of a BIOS limitation? Can you boot into an OS and double check the RAM amount?

Ah, you and I always seem to find ourselves on this particular topic 😂

I had that thought also, the bios is reporting the same amount of ram as the os is.

I tricked it into saying 1gb by installing 2gb by skipping slot 1 (0,2 occupied)

It seems like this is very familiar to getting a 256mb stick to work on 430tx

I’m thinking there is a specific ram chip I need to look for to make this work?

Sphere's PCB projects.
-
Sphere’s socket 5/7 cpu collection.
-
SUCCESSFUL K6-2+ to K6-3+ Full Cache Enable Mod
-
Tyan S1564S to S1564D single to dual processor conversion (also s1563 and s1562)

Reply 53 of 57, by elcrys

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

As I wrote I had success with KVR133X64C2/512, these are 16 chip (64M X 64):
https://manualsbrain.com/es/manuals/3882/

Maybe you can't go over 8M/bank or something like that. This means for 1GB/module you would probably need some server type module with 32 chips.

EDIT: There is also 1GB variant:
https://manualsbrain.com/en/manuals/10558/

But this is probably the same configuration as you have now.

Reply 54 of 57, by Sphere478

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
elcrys wrote on 2021-11-07, 18:44:
As I wrote I had success with KVR133X64C2/512, these are 16 chip (64M X 64): https://manualsbrain.com/es/manuals/3882/ […]
Show full quote

As I wrote I had success with KVR133X64C2/512, these are 16 chip (64M X 64):
https://manualsbrain.com/es/manuals/3882/

Maybe you can't go over 8M/bank or something like that. This means for 1GB/module you would probably need some server type module with 32 chips.

EDIT: There is also 1GB variant:
https://manualsbrain.com/en/manuals/10558/

But this is probably the same configuration as you have now.

So you got those 1g sticks to work?

Sphere's PCB projects.
-
Sphere’s socket 5/7 cpu collection.
-
SUCCESSFUL K6-2+ to K6-3+ Full Cache Enable Mod
-
Tyan S1564S to S1564D single to dual processor conversion (also s1563 and s1562)

Reply 55 of 57, by elcrys

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

No, mine are only 512 MB variant. But it would be interesting to compare internal configuration of it with 1 GB modules you bought and with 1GB modules from Kingston (second link).

Reply 56 of 57, by ChrisK

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

The ALi M1541 datasheet says it supports max 256 MBit DRAMs.
That would translate into 32 MByte max. per DRAM-chip, wouldn't it?
That in turn would mean that 32 chips would be required the get 1 GByte per RAM module, like elcrys said before. And also explain why the KVR133X64C2/512 work (have 256 MBit chips) but the KVR133X64C3/1G (probably) not (have 512 MBit chips).

Still thinking about all that address / bank select lines thing... there must be a rule how to derive the maximum supported chip size / RAM module layout.
It may also depend on the particular hardware-sided implementation on the motherboard...

RetroPC: K6-III+/400ATZ @6x83@1.7V / CT-5SIM / 2x 64M SDR / 40G HDD / RIVA TNT / V2 SLI / CT4520
ModernPC: Phenom II 910e @ 3GHz / ALiveDual-eSATA2 / 4x 2GB DDR-II / 512G SSD / 750G HDD / RX470

Reply 57 of 57, by Sphere478

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
ChrisK wrote on 2021-11-08, 09:43:
The ALi M1541 datasheet says it supports max 256 MBit DRAMs. That would translate into 32 MByte max. per DRAM-chip, wouldn't it? […]
Show full quote

The ALi M1541 datasheet says it supports max 256 MBit DRAMs.
That would translate into 32 MByte max. per DRAM-chip, wouldn't it?
That in turn would mean that 32 chips would be required the get 1 GByte per RAM module, like elcrys said before. And also explain why the KVR133X64C2/512 work (have 256 MBit chips) but the KVR133X64C3/1G (probably) not (have 512 MBit chips).

Still thinking about all that address / bank select lines thing... there must be a rule how to derive the maximum supported chip size / RAM module layout.
It may also depend on the particular hardware-sided implementation on the motherboard...

Okay I ordered a 32 chip stick

And with help from the guys at this thread will try to mod it
Converted registered SDRAM

Sphere's PCB projects.
-
Sphere’s socket 5/7 cpu collection.
-
SUCCESSFUL K6-2+ to K6-3+ Full Cache Enable Mod
-
Tyan S1564S to S1564D single to dual processor conversion (also s1563 and s1562)