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PVI-486SP3 fried BIOS?

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First post, by Kris_I

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Hi everyone,
Just got a 486 dx2 66 Mhz, but when I connected everything I received the following screen
download/file.php?mode=view&id=222565
Which was very strange, checked all the jumpers 32 and 33 was set to 1 and 2 which is 12V which is wrong for the chip I have, I made the correction to 5v.
So I tried to flash the bios with version 306 from the "theretroweb" using Unifalsh, but it seams that something is wrong with the chip, please check following picture download/file.php?mode=view&id=222566
I tried over 10 times and as i see it the ic is fried, every time it freezes with a horrible noise at the point of the picture.
Also just noticed that there is a keyboard error every time before the BIOS check sum error, doesn't matter how many keyboard I tried I always receive the keyboard error, and I think that together with the BIOS this ic has also gone bad, but I am amateur and very new in the hobby.
For the moment I have ordered 3 psc of SST29EE010-150-3C-PH, but I don`t, but I don`t know when I will receive them from Canada and also would I be able to flash them using floppy disk and Uniflash.

So dear community, may I please kindly ask you for you help, knowledge and opinions, i would be very thankful 😀

Reply 1 of 13, by majestyk

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SST29EE010-150-3C-PH
150 or 15?

You can download the latest and greatest BIOS files here:
https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/asus-pvi-486sp3

Your current chip isn´t necessarily broken, the data might just be corrupted. In this case reflashing would do the trick.

Reply 2 of 13, by Kris_I

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Hi majestyk,

The attachment 20250630_005959.jpg is no longer available

Here is a picture of the chip i have downloaded the last version of the bios file which is not beta version, and have this result.
Just noticed that this version has the following note: Last version compatible with Intel 27C010 EEPROM.
I will try and i will give you feedback, one more thing do you have any suggestion about keyboard error.
Thank you very much for the suggestion.

Reply 3 of 13, by Disruptor

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Kris_I wrote on 2025-06-30, 16:57:

So dear community, may I please kindly ask you for you help, knowledge and opinions, i would be very thankful 😀

Do you use EDO or FPM DRAM?

Reply 4 of 13, by Kris_I

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Here is a picture of the ram sticks

The attachment 20250701_002409.jpg is no longer available
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Reply 5 of 13, by Disruptor

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Can you try a different memory module first please?
Since this board does show the boot block BIOS when using EDO DRAM, please try a FPM module.

Reply 6 of 13, by Kris_I

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Hey disruptor, thank you very much, Unfortunately I don't have any other ram sticks for this machine. I have just tried a couple of version and the result is the same. I tried taking out one of the sticks and then changed them and it is the same.

Reply 7 of 13, by Kris_I

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Updated - changed AMIKEY-2 with Holtek HT6542B, but still I am receiving the keyboard error, so it seams that the issue is in the BIOS it self.

Reply 8 of 13, by megatron-uk

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Does the keyboard actually not work, or is it just the POST error about it?

I've got the same board and many (many!) years ago had the same keyboard error after pulling it out of storage - I traced it to a blown fuse next to the keyboard connector.

On mine it was a rather large green part. Check for continuity on the keyboard connector - they can (and do) fail. Also worth checking resistance; I've had weird behaviour on similar boards where one or more lines were (really) high resistance, but not completely broken.

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 9 of 13, by megatron-uk

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The attachment asus_pvi_kb_error.jpg is no longer available
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The attachment img20201203094706.jpg is no longer available

According to my notes (https://www.target-earth.net/wiki/doku.php?id … log:486_pvi_sp3), I also had a failed AMIKEY-2 around the same time which I ended up replacing (co-incidence?), that was in addition to the fuse issue.

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 10 of 13, by megatron-uk

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Oh, and I was never able to get EDO to work properly on my board, only FPM.

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 11 of 13, by Kris_I

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Hi megatron-uk, the ram is working ok, as it seams. Just checked, on my board this element is a fuse, it is black, I have measured it and there is continuity, unfortunately the keyboard is not responding in any way, only in the begging when I turn on the computer the scroll and the num lock light then a fraction of a second the caps lock light and they all go away in the same time. I will try what you suggested and measure the resistance.

Reply 12 of 13, by Kris_I

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Juste measured the connection, thay are all fine, resoldered the sys chips and still the same issue keyboard and bioscheksum, tried different bios chips the same, I got fucked by the seller of this machine. I dont know what to do people. Why there aren't any normal people anymore 😕

Reply 13 of 13, by Kris_I

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Any chance someone is selling the following boards: PVI‑486SP3, PVI‑486AP4, PCI/I‑486SP3G or SV2G in working condition with no hidden faults?