I tried my best but it boots and goes to garbage, you can still see something that indicates activity, Win loading etc.

Results show some improvements. I can't sort it yet 😀

Probably I need some option in BIOS that isn't there.
If I select 0MB of shared memory just garbage on screen. If I select any size it plays along well.

Sdram chips are lukewarm.

I'm running 3D99 640x480, 800x660 + 1024x768.
I think there is some improvements in the results. I'll post the file as soon as it ends the batch test.

What about R193?
Are there any "Chip Enable" or "Chip Select" pins at the RAM chips?

Ok, I can affirm that soldering 2Mx32, for 16 mb, works.
Instead of shared memory, it shows as "local buffer".

I couldn't launch 3D99, it was complaining something.

Unfortunately I resoldered a few legs and saw that the uber quality made some pads lift while cheking contact.

For the future masochist: soldering a SDRAM chip works.
I would have tried 32mb of ram but I can't and mostly I won't do this again.

With shared ram AGP is disabled, with soldered ram it shows @2x

So any chance to make it work or no hope?

Nemo1985 wrote on 2022-10-16, 19:10:

So any chance to make it work or no hope?

To make it switch to local sdram you need to select "none" at shared memory menu.

I should resolder everything back, but I don't have the drive to do it.
I lack a camera for precise micro soldering. Without it looks all good but in fact I got into trouble.
I can't find the adequate drivers, detonator don't work, other newer versions crash at OS loading.
And it's full of artifacts.

Yes, it works. SOldering sdram chips works, making it dedicated ram.
But I failed with soldering and I can't go redo everything.

I'm calling it a day and end this project here.

While reinstalling drivers,

it works as a PCI device + shared memory;

it works as an AGP device + local memory.

A TNT2 + 16/32 MB of sdram @2x agp could be a good guess for results, if anyone wants to check thos of a dedicated graphics card.

Pics

You should redo the project, because it seems viable to have a 200 MHz SDRAM in that motherboard.
The core itself will OC to 180/185 MHz

I have still to try this mod in both of my PCChips M754MLR+.

Muzava wrote on 2023-01-25, 09:27:

You should redo the project, because it seems viable to have a 200 MHz SDRAM in that motherboard.
The core itself will OC to 180/185 MHz

I have still to try this mod in both of my PCChips M754MLR+.

I need a microscope to solder the ram chips and some pads are lifted: difficulty level is "high".
It's in a small, cramped area making it a slow and painful job. 😀

Overclocking features were non existent in BIOS IIRC. It bothers me I failed because it would have been a funny thing to benchmark.
Also, when I tried to resolder the chips on the VGA card it took them from, it would exhibit the same issues.
I killed a card and lifted pads... for a proof of concept not a great result.

But I smile anyway.

Muzava wrote on 2023-01-25, 09:27:

You should redo the project, because it seems viable to have a 200 MHz SDRAM in that motherboard.
The core itself will OC to 180/185 MHz

I have still to try this mod in both of my PCChips M754MLR+.

Tin the pads, make them very fat to avoid loose legs. Check legs being aligned and touching the pads perfectly.
Hot air makes it fast.

BE SURE TO HAVE A BENT TIP for your soldering iron for touch ups. It's a huge work and time hungry.

I think I may have fried the chips with a too high temp, I used 350°C. No pre heating....
I was too hasty 🙁

Nexxen wrote on 2023-01-25, 11:27:

I need a microscope to solder the ram chips and some pads are lifted: difficulty level is "high". It's in a small, cramped area […]
Show full quote

Muzava wrote on 2023-01-25, 09:27:

You should redo the project, because it seems viable to have a 200 MHz SDRAM in that motherboard.
The core itself will OC to 180/185 MHz

I have still to try this mod in both of my PCChips M754MLR+.

I need a microscope to solder the ram chips and some pads are lifted: difficulty level is "high".
It's in a small, cramped area making it a slow and painful job. 😀

Overclocking features were non existent in BIOS IIRC. It bothers me I failed because it would have been a funny thing to benchmark.
Also, when I tried to resolder the chips on the VGA card it took them from, it would exhibit the same issues.
I killed a card and lifted pads... for a proof of concept not a great result.

But I smile anyway.

Yes, this motherboards have a thin PCB and that area have alot of tiny componentes and I agree that a microspoce is needed for this type of soldering.

The motherboard bios don't have a overclock option for the CPU, RAM and IGPU, but you can overclock the GPU with Coolbits register mod ir with the TNTCLK.
I haven't seen much difference in the 3DMark00 (like 30 points between 125 to 180), because the most percentage of performance of the graphics cards comes from the memory bandwith (that you can observe with FSB 66 to 100 to 133).

I have checked the PLL (Winbond W83194BR-39B) and it should have FSB till 150 MHz with jumper and software till 200MHz. It just a case of trying to make a jumper mod.

Also I noticed that R195 is connected to the CS of the SDRAM pinout.

Muzava wrote on 2023-01-26, 00:04:

Nexxen wrote on 2023-01-25, 11:27:

I need a microscope to solder the ram chips and some pads are lifted: difficulty level is "high". It's in a small, cramped area […]
Show full quote

Muzava wrote on 2023-01-25, 09:27:

You should redo the project, because it seems viable to have a 200 MHz SDRAM in that motherboard.
The core itself will OC to 180/185 MHz

I have still to try this mod in both of my PCChips M754MLR+.

I need a microscope to solder the ram chips and some pads are lifted: difficulty level is "high".
It's in a small, cramped area making it a slow and painful job. 😀

Overclocking features were non existent in BIOS IIRC. It bothers me I failed because it would have been a funny thing to benchmark.
Also, when I tried to resolder the chips on the VGA card it took them from, it would exhibit the same issues.
I killed a card and lifted pads... for a proof of concept not a great result.

But I smile anyway.

Also I noticed that R195 is connected to the CS of the SDRAM pinout.

Don't know what this is. Can you explain?

Did this mod to my 754LR+ and I can confirm it works perfectly, local framebuffer 16mb on AGP 2x , ram I used is 166mhz.
This makes for a nice win98 system, with gfx and audio integrated, fast Pentium 3 and added bonus of an isa slot, at least on paper, don't know how stable this motherboard is.
Just need to test some games, also see if there's a more recent bios to this motherboard.

JLPedro wrote on 2024-02-13, 17:57:

Did this mod to my 754LR+ and I can confirm it works perfectly, local framebuffer 16mb on AGP 2x , ram I used is 166mhz.
This makes for a nice win98 system, with gfx and audio integrated, fast Pentium 3 and added bonus of an isa slot, at least on paper, don't know how stable this motherboard is.
Just need to test some games, also see if there's a more recent bios to this motherboard.

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

How did you solder the chips in the motherboard? Air or iron? I think I may have killed the ram chips with air.
I am happy you could prove it is 100% working. I can't wait for benchmarks.

Congrats!!!

With iron, but still one pad lifted, the pcb is really fragile.

JLPedro wrote on 2024-02-13, 19:14:

With iron, but still one pad lifted, the pcb is really fragile.

PCChips, PCCheaps it is 😉
Do you have pics of the lifted pad + repair?

On the pic with the soldered rams its visible the bodged pad, right chip on the middle pins.
I think i saw one pic of this board with the rams soldered and a fan on the chipset from factory.

edit:
http://www.drivers.ru/catalog/motherboards/mo … FX_SB_7391.html
not the same model but same board/chipset

JLPedro wrote on 2024-02-14, 13:27:

On the pic with the soldered rams its visible the bodged pad, right chip on the middle pins. I think i saw one pic of this board […]
Show full quote

On the pic with the soldered rams its visible the bodged pad, right chip on the middle pins.
I think i saw one pic of this board with the rams soldered and a fan on the chipset from factory.

edit:
http://www.drivers.ru/catalog/motherboards/mo … FX_SB_7391.html
not the same model but same board/chipset

I saw that, I meant the process of repair. Looks not that difficult though.
Anyway, great job! Basically the boards are all the same but some lack the ram chips, allowing onboard ram by just adding them. It's really unimportant but still fun to do and test 😀

I'm now pretty sure I damaged the ram chips using too much hot air while both desoldering and soldering to the mobo.
It was a long time ago and I've made my fair share of mistakes to learn from.

Good day all,
Longtime listener, first time caller.

Just checking my PCChips MB-M754AL-LMR-MATX for TNT2 sdram pads.
It's labelled "2Mx32@ SDRAM"
On very close inspection I noticed pin 21 on both sets of pads in "n/c".

The datasheet for ISSI IS42S32200L-6TL (as used by JLPedro above) shows pin 21=NC. This gives you 16MB total VRAM.
The datasheet for ISSI IS42S32400F-6TLI show pin 21=A11. This 'would' give you 32MB total VRAM, if the motherboard pads went anywhere useful.
Mouser carries huge inventory of these parts.

It could just be my motherboard, YMMV. Please check both pin21 to see if it goes to your ALI chipset or is NC. 👍
At worst, your 32MB SDRAM would only be used as 16MB.
(Now, has anyone dropped Tualatin onto these boards?)