You could try modding the BIOS file using either AWDBEDIT or CBROM, then opening the modded file with MODBIOS, make some trivial change and see if MODBIOS can open + save the file.
Then try that BIOS file if it worked.

Just ftr, I have basically no experience using these programs (or it's been so long that I've forgotten) but this would be one of the first things that I would try.

I got a bit of general advice for Award bios modding. For AwardMedallion v6.0PG bios files (for ex. Asus A7N8X) i use ModBin v2.01.02 and cbrom v1.98 in CMD of a WinXP VM. That works well. AWDBEdit does also run on W10 x64, so i use it there.

1. If you use AWDBEdit, never save a bios file with it. Only use it to view and extract bios files and modules. I found that the save function is broken for Award 6.0 bios files.
2. Never use "save" in Modbin, always "save as" a new file and keep the filename short (8+3 chars max).
3. If you want to replace a module with cbrom, always extract+release all following modules first, swap the module you want/need and re-add all following modules in the same order. If you need to do this several times for a given bios, create yourself a batch file. Saves a lot of typing.
4. you can use Modbin to change for example the POST message as smallest change possible. If that works, you can work your way from there. Also extracting and re-adding the same modules with cbrom shouldn't break the bios, so that's another test that your workflow is correct.

rom.by usually adds a whole additional module to the bios (usually oem7 module) and sideloads it during POST. This is a bit different to swapping or modding the existing modules. Also not every bios got a microcode module (for ex. Athlon XP usually hasn't), so you'd have to check that first.

I haven't had a look at the bios in question yet, but feel free to ask further questions 😀 I mainly mod v6.0 files, but the workflow for v4.51 is quite similar.

Necroware made a video of successfully using the batcher.
So i used the same CBROM version - 2.07.

And now i have patched bios, too: Re: Ultimate Retro board submissions thread: suggest board edits and/or add new boards here

Unfortunately, the 66MHz/100MHz jumper is still making the machine dead when at 100MHz setting, and all slightly newer socket 370 CPUs i have, also still render the machine dead. (For example Celeron 667/128/66) Only my good old Celeron 433 boots with this machine... 🙁

Just in case someone has any ideas, i'm bumping this thread...

It's really nice board and by the manuals in retroweb, it could do even 133MHz FSB. (Though, AGP would then be at 44MHz)

So it works with the og mendoccino celery, and your 433 boots at an astonishing 650mhz - well above the usual 500ish they got.

But the newer models don't work at all.

Are you sure the socket works with those?
People had to do hardware mods on the first era celeron boards to rearrange a couple of pins.

The bios microcode is the next step after it stays on.

This was the bp6 mod
https://www.bp6.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1484

It's basically the same for yours except you don't need the dual processor pins.

@myne, almost.

The good old Celeron 433 does not boot @100MHz FSB. But when i boot it up at 66MHz FSB and then in windows use SetFSB, I'm able to go to 100MHz FSB successfully.
It seems like there is some issue initializing the board at 100MHz FSB.

For most other CPUs, the FSB is 100MHz or 133MHz, that don't run. But i do have 2 Coppermine-128 CPUs with 66MHz FSB and they also don't boot.

This board unfortunately does not support forcing 66MHz FSB. The JP3 allows to either force 100MHz FSB or set it to "auto", so it tries to detect the FSB by itself.

If the Celeron 433 would boot at 100MHz FSB, i would be more confident to try the socket modding...

The 433 isn't going to boot at 650mhz without ln2.
I'm skeptical that setfsb is actually working.

Jp3 has a 3rd option.
Leave it off.
That should mean it's open circuit, and therefore bsel0 will be low.

See Pg 26
https://download.intel.com/design/PentiumIII/ … ts/24526408.pdf

That should lock it at 66. It's still unlikely the coppermines will work without mods.

I think even the celerons were blocked from older boards but I didn't find that datasheet.

I did find this though.
Coppermine FCPGA on PPGA370 LX

myne wrote on 2024-12-31, 23:07:

The 433 isn't going to boot at 650mhz without ln2.
I'm skeptical that setfsb is actually working.

CPU-ID (and maybe i also checked Everest) did confirm the speed. But i did not do any stress-testing. I just wanted to see the FSB move and it did move.

I'll check out the modding. In the previous link, the pictures were unfortunately lost and even web archive couldn't revive them. Thanks!

Yeah run a benchmark.

Doesn't have to be big. Just something that shows a 25+% performance improvement.

I'm highly skeptical that your random celery 433 is beating the fastest that ever were recorded

https://hwbot.org/benchmark/pifast/rankings?p … ardwareType=cpu

There are other examples of the pin mods out there.
I just found that quickly.