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PCChips M918

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First post, by tony359

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Hi all,

I've got a faulty M918 (486) which I am trying to revive. Well, in fact I did, but only with an ISA card. My PCI video card refuses to work - 8 beeps, a weird noise plus 2 beeps.

https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/pcchips-m918-486

The PCI card is a basic VGA, it works on a Socket 7 board. Unfortunately I don't have a different one to test.

Just wondering if - besides bad luck - there could be any reason for a PCI video card to not work on a 486 board?
I re-flowed the chipset which had many more-or-less-attached legs. But that did not improve.

(Besides that PCChips are awful boards, I know! 🤣)

Thank you!

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@tony359

Reply 2 of 8, by tony359

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S3 Trio 64V+. Yes it works on another system.

I'm trying to test a Sound Blaster Live! I found on DOS to confirm whether the slot works.

Little update: I've managed to install the SBLive on my other Socket 7 motherboard and it works fine under MSDOS.
However it is not detected on the PCChips motherboard so I'd say the PCI communication has an issue.

Kind of weird as the mobo works otherwise. I've tested it with an ISA video card and it works. The Chipset looking after the PCI bus also looks after HDD and RAM and I see no issues. I guess it's time to turn on the oscilloscope and check those lines!

If anybody has any ideas, it's an ALli M1489.

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@tony359

Reply 4 of 8, by Nexxen

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tony359 wrote on 2023-01-30, 22:26:

false alarm! I had 16.7Mhz PCI clock, I looked into that and realised a jumper was in the wrong position 🤣!

I could see 4-6hrs going by with the oscilloscope 😀
Good it was that!

PC#1 Pentium 233 MMX - 98SE
PC#2 PIII-1Ghz - 98SE/W2K

Reply 6 of 8, by cocoe68

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Hello team, I have a Pcchips M918 v3.0 motherboard purchased to repair but discovered some somponents are missing.
Do anyone of you have similar board?

Components missing are Q6, Q7 and U8

I see some pictures but no high definition, I need you to identify missing components and search it to install.

Thanks in advance

Reply 8 of 8, by cocoe68

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Everything was OK, added 2 compatible at Q6/Q7 transistors and check U8, I was afraid about my C3420 at U8 location but all was OK. I have my 486 with PCI back to life and ready to insert into an AT box to complete a powerful 486Dx machine.

Many thanks!!!

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