PcBytes wrote on 2025-08-30, 13:05:

Repo Man11 wrote on 2025-08-30, 04:28:

PcBytes wrote on 2025-05-25, 18:25:

@Repo Man11 Hope your KA7 works post recap. I couldn't get mine (KA7-100) to work.

Heavy sigh. I replaced all of the blown out caps, but I didn't go to the trouble of replacing all of the caps since I didn't know if this board would even POST. With that done I set it up... and it POSTed right away! Okay, that's with the CPU it came with, an Athlon 650. Now's my chance to finally see if the 800 Thunderbird I've had for years works; but it isn't a sure thing since it seems it isn't officially supported on this board, but some were able to make them work. So I put it in, but it wouldn't POST. That's too bad, but maybe with a BIOS update? I put the 650 back in - it doesn't POST. I remove and reinsert it, then it POSTs again. I pull the BIOS chip, grab the latest BIOS from the Retroweb, flash it with my TL866II with no issues, and put in back in and now the board won't POST with either CPU, and a POST card just has two dashes. I tried flashing back to older BIOS, different video cards, different memory, different power supply but no dice.

Yes, it could very well be an issue with the remaining Jpcon capacitors even though they look fine, but it's hard to work up any enthusiasm for buying more caps and installing them at this stage. I was sure enjoying it when it did POST, but my joy was short lived.

Mine didn't POST at all, no matter the CPU. Tried a 800 Pluto, a 700 one as well a 700 T-Bird. Nope, nada.

I kinda wish this one hadn't POSTed, then I would have sighed and given up. Now the sunk cost fallacy will drive me to continue trying.

It's weird that it would POST twice, then never again after I flashed the BIOS with my programmer. I've used the programmer before for other motherboards and there has been no issue. There was no indication of any issue with the flash or reading the chip with the programmer, but I still have this doubt because of the correlation.

this was a very lucky one...

PowerColor EvilKing 3Dfx Voodoo 2 SLI

Poor Asus... rusty battery area, did not take it. I sent a pm to BuB but he is too busy.

Asus P3C-D OEM HP version.
Sadly i moved all RDRAM to another location, unable to test it. It run's, but post codes stopped at some point. at least it is alive.
will be converted to "normal" Asus.

P2B-D rev 1.06. Latest and most compatible revision. Will be upgraded to 133mhz compatibility.

and other stuff...

dm- wrote on 2025-09-01, 03:46:

this was a very lucky one... […]
Show full quote

this was a very lucky one...

The attachment photo_2025-09-01_06-36-44.jpg is no longer available

PowerColor EvilKing 3Dfx Voodoo 2 SLI

The attachment photo_2025-09-01_06-36-50.jpg is no longer available

Poor Asus... rusty battery area, did not take it. I sent a pm to BuB but he is too busy.

The attachment photo_2025-09-01_06-36-54.jpg is no longer available

Asus P3C-D OEM HP version.
Sadly i moved all RDRAM to another location, unable to test it. It run's, but post codes stopped at some point. at least it is alive.
will be converted to "normal" Asus.

The attachment photo_2025-09-01_06-37-00.jpg is no longer available

P2B-D rev 1.06. Latest and most compatible revision. Will be upgraded to 133mhz compatibility.

and other stuff...

The attachment WhatsApp Image 2025-08-30 at 11.06.37.jpeg is no longer available

Very nice indeed. It really is remarkable how one man's trash is another's treasure.

2 voodoo 2's lucky bastard;)

Today, for the very first time, I found a mini-tower computer lying wide open on the sidewalk. After a quick inspection, I decided to salvage the socket 7 motherboard, RAM, and soundcard. Someone had clearly been there before me, as the CPU and graphics card were missing.

There's some minor corrosion on the motherboard around the coin cell battery slot. I always thought those batteries never leaked, but it seems that's not always true. The motherboard is an Aristo AM-439VX and came with 32 MB of EDO RAM and a Soundblaster 32 PnP sound card (CT3670).

The baby AT case might have been nice when it was new, but it had a large stain of spray paint or varnish on it, so I decided not to take it. I hope I don't regret it later when I finally start working on a 386 or 486 build, something I've been contemplating for a while.

The funny thing is that I've been looking for months for an AWE32, and now I've just found something very close to an AWE32 for free only five minutes away from my home. It's crazy! The sound card will go into my Pentium MMX system to replace the currently installed SB Live 5.1. It will be a bit more period-correct and, most importantly, closer to the original SB16 value that was in that system when I built it in the 90's.

I'll probably put the motherboard on an auction site with no reserve price so another enthusiast can take care of it. I have no use for it right now.

I found an AGP TNT2 & SB Live card in a P3 Dell Dimension 4100--- My wife asked me if I'm trying to build a fort with the old cases when she saw me bring it in

douglar wrote on 2025-09-06, 22:55:

I found an AGP TNT2 & SB Live card in a P3 Dell Dimension 4100--- My wife asked me if I'm trying to build a fort with the old cases when she saw me bring it in

You obviously replied "yes, and you are keeping the books", ain't it so? 🤣
Great reaction.

mtest001 wrote on 2025-09-06, 19:47:

There's some minor corrosion on the motherboard around the coin cell battery slot. I always thought those batteries never leaked, but it seems that's not always true.

They do just lucky its not so distructive or common as barrel battries, It's what kicked off this post.
Have you opened your SC-55 to check the battery inside?

mtest001 wrote on 2025-09-06, 19:47:

The baby AT case might have been nice when it was new, but it had a large stain of spray paint or varnish on it, so I decided not to take it. I hope I don't regret it later when I finally start working on a 386 or 486 build, something I've been contemplating for a while.

AT cases are so rare I'd of kept it. but what's done is done. Still a SB32 is a good find any day of the week, at's always good to have RAM, even if its just for testing, and you will have pleased the retro gods with putting the motherboard on and letting fate decide. thats what I tend to do as well.

You scared me for a second with your SC55 leaking battery story, but then I remembered that my SC55-ST does not have a battery... 😀

PS: I'll go check today if the case is still there and if so I'll bring it back home.

Can someone tell me if my card has an OPL3 or CQM ? I did not spot the CT-1978 chip:

download/file.php?id=226304&mode=view

mtest001 wrote on 2025-09-08, 12:18:

Can someone tell me if my card has an OPL3 or CQM ? I did not spot the CT-1978 chip:

download/file.php?id=226304&mode=view

That will have CQM built into the CT8903. You can treat the CT3670 as an AWE64 with a memory slot. It's a really solid card if you want AWE support (mainly for Windows) and have any interest in connecting an external MIDI device since it doesn't have hanging note bugs (though I guess certain games have slowdown issues on all SB16\32\AWE models?). The lack of real OPL3 is definitely a thing, but how significant of a problem it is will depend on what you want to do with the machine. CQM isn't as horrible as some say, and still provides an interesting alternative to the AWE and MPU-401 options the card provides.

Ok thanks for the clarification. I am definitely interested in the MIDI-passthrough since I have an SC55-ST to connect to it.

mtest001 wrote on 2025-09-08, 15:07:

Ok thanks for the clarification. I am definitely interested in the MIDI-passthrough since I have an SC55-ST to connect to it.

Then I would say that you stumbled upon a good card for your needs. 😁

If you can play your DOS games under Windows you will have the option of using your SC55-ST or AWE synth in games that have MPU-401 music (which is most of them). It's been a while since I've done this but I believe you have to select the MIDI device in the multimedia properties in Windows to switch them. Outside of Windows the AWE cannot be used as an MPU-401 device. Some later DOS games have built in AWE support though, which will provide a bit of a different sound and will work in pure DOS.