That seems like an odd coincidence. Sorry if this sounds condescending, but I gotta ask: did you orient the cards correctly? Rear towards the rear ?

If it's an isa card with one chip, a WCH.... . it won't work in ISA . It will never work in ISA because no ISA signal traces are connected to the chip .
I'll add some more info later.

If the cards you bought look like this , check out the last comment.
Re: Troubles between a PCI/ISA POST card and my Asus P55T2P4-C motherboard

https://imgur.com/IqLcmWo
&
check the pinned comment on this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EXpNvG7aMQ

douglar wrote on 2025-03-06, 19:51:

That seems like an odd coincidence. Sorry if this sounds condescending, but I gotta ask: did you orient the cards correctly? Rear towards the rear ?

A really valid point. On my card there is even a "REAR" written on Silk Screen. My card must be rotated when moving from PCI to ISA and in the end LED display is oriented in other direction

Edit: please refer to attached real photo of my POST card. It works both in PCI and in ISA

I have a Kingwin CMBA-4 card. Looks like the chips on these POST cards varies a lot. My card came with documentation and a photo of the card which has an Atmel chip in the center, whereas the actual card has a SyncMOS 0109 SM2965C40Q chip.

Photo of my card attached, the ISA traces are connected and it works fine with PCI and ISA. As a bonus my card also has a header for an external 8-segment display so I can watch the codes from outside the chassis.

douglar wrote on 2025-03-06, 19:51:

That seems like an odd coincidence. Sorry if this sounds condescending, but I gotta ask: did you orient the cards correctly? Rear towards the rear ?

Hehe, yes, it got markings - rear!!!

So the cards with more chips should be working in PCI and ISA?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/146388872039?_skw=Ki … ABk9SR4yBv6CuZQ - something like this one?

butjer1010 wrote on 2025-03-07, 19:14:

So the cards with more chips should be working in PCI and ISA?

yes, I also have the same one as the other two commenters have and indeed that one works on pci & isa.

Great , thanks a lot

Hi, i need to open this thread again. I just received another Analyzer card, and i'm having the same problem. It works normally on PCI slots, and it won't show anything on led screen on ISA slots! Only voltage leds are working when inserted in any ISA slot (tried on 4 different motherboards)!
Can anybody give me a link, or sell me analyzer card that actually work on ISA slot?
I have add the pictures of last two cards i have bought that shows nothing on diagnostic led ( - - ).

butjer1010 wrote on 2025-04-22, 09:25:

Hi, i need to open this thread again. I just received another Analyzer card, and i'm having the same problem. It works normally on PCI slots, and it won't show anything on led screen on ISA slots! Only voltage leds are working when inserted in any ISA slot (tried on 4 different motherboards)!
Can anybody give me a link, or sell me analyzer card that actually work on ISA slot?
I have add the pictures of last two cards i have bought that shows nothing on diagnostic led ( - - ).

I have a similar/identical one to the photo you posted and for me it works on ISA.

Sounds to me like the BIOS is not initializing at all. Either chipset or BIOS issue most likely. Could also be RAM.

Are you getting any PC Speaker beep codes?

Have you tried it on a working motherboard with ISA slots?

cyclone3d wrote on 2025-04-22, 16:45:

Sounds to me like the BIOS is not initializing at all. Either chipset or BIOS issue most likely. Could also be RAM.

Are you getting any PC Speaker beep codes?

Have you tried it on a working motherboard with ISA slots?

Yes, i was testing those cards on working motherboards (486, pentium), with ISA slots
When i insert them in PCI slots, everything is ok, i get codes on lcd display, but when i insert them on ISA slots, there are only voltage leds that are working, and there is nothing on lcd display

Do we know where these cards get their power from for their ISA part? Could it be the -5V pin? I can't think of anything else that makes sense after reading what OP has tried.

butjer1010 wrote on 2025-04-22, 18:08:

cyclone3d wrote on 2025-04-22, 16:45:

Sounds to me like the BIOS is not initializing at all. Either chipset or BIOS issue most likely. Could also be RAM.

Are you getting any PC Speaker beep codes?

Have you tried it on a working motherboard with ISA slots?

Yes, i was testing those cards on working motherboards (486, pentium), with ISA slots
When i insert them in PCI slots, everything is ok, i get codes on lcd display, but when i insert them on ISA slots, there are only voltage leds that are working, and there is nothing on lcd display

Are you sure that you are inserting the card in the correct orientation?

With the card in the PCI slot, the display faces down towards the other slots or to the bottom of the board.

With the card in the ISA slot the display faces the opposite direction, towards the top of the board.
The “Rear” marking on the card faces towards the expansion bracket mounting holes of your case.

konc wrote on 2025-04-23, 09:56:

Do we know where these cards get their power from for their ISA part? Could it be the -5V pin? I can't think of anything else that makes sense after reading what OP has tried.

I have that card as well. I guess half of the retro system builders on VOGONs have a copy of that card. The card is a 5V only design, both for PCI and for ISA, so missing -5V is not supposed to hamper ISA operation. As the OP clearly stated that the LEDs are lit, I guess we can safely ditch the theory of the card being plugged in the wrong orientation. When using the card on the ISA bus, you should be aware that the LED labels are not accurate. The -5V supply lights the 3.3V LED (as there is no 3.3V supply on the ISA bus, it makes sense to re-purpose that LED), and the FRAME and IRDY lines are some ISA activity lines. IIRC someone posted on VOGONs which ones, i think one is /MEMR to indicate access to (ISA) memory, with the intention to show access to the BIOS ROM, and the other one might have been /IOW.

Thus, on an ISA system with this card, you expect all 4 voltage LEDs to be lit (no 3.3V if -5V is missing), the CLK LED to be permanently lit, the RESET LED to be lit for a fraction of a second after power up, and also during press of the reset button, and FRAME/IRDY happily flashing during POST. Also, you expect some POST codes to appear.

I can't come up with a reason why the cards are not working on multiple ISA mainboards. It's not impossible that these cards are now produced with a different firmware than the earlier look-alike cards, and the new firmware doesn't work on ISA. On the other hand, having cards both with the Atmel and the SyncMOS microcontroller with both not working makes the "new firmware" theory unlikely.

byte_76 wrote on 2025-04-23, 12:18:

Are you sure that you are inserting the card in the correct orientation? […]
Show full quote

butjer1010 wrote on 2025-04-22, 18:08:

cyclone3d wrote on 2025-04-22, 16:45:

Sounds to me like the BIOS is not initializing at all. Either chipset or BIOS issue most likely. Could also be RAM.

Are you getting any PC Speaker beep codes?

Have you tried it on a working motherboard with ISA slots?

Yes, i was testing those cards on working motherboards (486, pentium), with ISA slots
When i insert them in PCI slots, everything is ok, i get codes on lcd display, but when i insert them on ISA slots, there are only voltage leds that are working, and there is nothing on lcd display

Are you sure that you are inserting the card in the correct orientation?

With the card in the PCI slot, the display faces down towards the other slots or to the bottom of the board.

With the card in the ISA slot the display faces the opposite direction, towards the top of the board.
The “Rear” marking on the card faces towards the expansion bracket mounting holes of your case.

As You stated, there are markings on both cards that shows how it needs to be orientated, so this shouldn't be a problem. Besides i'm almost 50 YO, i can still see the "rear" markings 😀 😀 😀 joke of course...

mkarcher wrote on 2025-04-23, 12:55:

I have that card as well. I guess half of the retro system builders on VOGONs have a copy of that card. The card is a 5V only de […]
Show full quote

konc wrote on 2025-04-23, 09:56:

Do we know where these cards get their power from for their ISA part? Could it be the -5V pin? I can't think of anything else that makes sense after reading what OP has tried.

I have that card as well. I guess half of the retro system builders on VOGONs have a copy of that card. The card is a 5V only design, both for PCI and for ISA, so missing -5V is not supposed to hamper ISA operation. As the OP clearly stated that the LEDs are lit, I guess we can safely ditch the theory of the card being plugged in the wrong orientation. When using the card on the ISA bus, you should be aware that the LED labels are not accurate. The -5V supply lights the 3.3V LED (as there is no 3.3V supply on the ISA bus, it makes sense to re-purpose that LED), and the FRAME and IRDY lines are some ISA activity lines. IIRC someone posted on VOGONs which ones, i think one is /MEMR to indicate access to (ISA) memory, with the intention to show access to the BIOS ROM, and the other one might have been /IOW.

Thus, on an ISA system with this card, you expect all 4 voltage LEDs to be lit (no 3.3V if -5V is missing), the CLK LED to be permanently lit, the RESET LED to be lit for a fraction of a second after power up, and also during press of the reset button, and FRAME/IRDY happily flashing during POST. Also, you expect some POST codes to appear.

I can't come up with a reason why the cards are not working on multiple ISA mainboards. It's not impossible that these cards are now produced with a different firmware than the earlier look-alike cards, and the new firmware doesn't work on ISA. On the other hand, having cards both with the Atmel and the SyncMOS microcontroller with both not working makes the "new firmware" theory unlikely.

I need to check what led is conducting like You wrote here, and i will let You know.

butjer1010 wrote on 2025-04-22, 18:08:

cyclone3d wrote on 2025-04-22, 16:45:

Sounds to me like the BIOS is not initializing at all. Either chipset or BIOS issue most likely. Could also be RAM.

Are you getting any PC Speaker beep codes?

Have you tried it on a working motherboard with ISA slots?

Yes, i was testing those cards on working motherboards (486, pentium), with ISA slots
When i insert them in PCI slots, everything is ok, i get codes on lcd display, but when i insert them on ISA slots, there are only voltage leds that are working, and there is nothing on lcd display

Many times these will not always work in the ISA slots if there are PCI slots. Found that out with a Pentium and P Pro board with PCI and ISA. The will work proper in a 486 ISA only or VLB board in ISA slot or a typical 386 board.

mkarcher wrote on 2025-04-23, 12:55:

I have that card as well. I guess half of the retro system builders on VOGONs have a copy of that card. The card is a 5V only de […]
Show full quote

konc wrote on 2025-04-23, 09:56:

Do we know where these cards get their power from for their ISA part? Could it be the -5V pin? I can't think of anything else that makes sense after reading what OP has tried.

I have that card as well. I guess half of the retro system builders on VOGONs have a copy of that card. The card is a 5V only design, both for PCI and for ISA, so missing -5V is not supposed to hamper ISA operation. As the OP clearly stated that the LEDs are lit, I guess we can safely ditch the theory of the card being plugged in the wrong orientation. When using the card on the ISA bus, you should be aware that the LED labels are not accurate. The -5V supply lights the 3.3V LED (as there is no 3.3V supply on the ISA bus, it makes sense to re-purpose that LED), and the FRAME and IRDY lines are some ISA activity lines. IIRC someone posted on VOGONs which ones, i think one is /MEMR to indicate access to (ISA) memory, with the intention to show access to the BIOS ROM, and the other one might have been /IOW.

Thus, on an ISA system with this card, you expect all 4 voltage LEDs to be lit (no 3.3V if -5V is missing), the CLK LED to be permanently lit, the RESET LED to be lit for a fraction of a second after power up, and also during press of the reset button, and FRAME/IRDY happily flashing during POST. Also, you expect some POST codes to appear.

I can't come up with a reason why the cards are not working on multiple ISA mainboards. It's not impossible that these cards are now produced with a different firmware than the earlier look-alike cards, and the new firmware doesn't work on ISA. On the other hand, having cards both with the Atmel and the SyncMOS microcontroller with both not working makes the "new firmware" theory unlikely.

I have an MS-4109 which uses a Contaq chipset. The POST card registers no POST codes on it, but the motherboard works perfectly fine. I chalk that up to a random chipset incompatibility. These cards also do not work on XT motherboards. I've seen it explained before but don't remember why. But with it not working across multiple motherboards, unless the ISA slot boards are all XT boards and the OP isn't mentioning that somehow, I agree it seems a firmware issue or other peculiarity to the card.