And, do I need a .cfg file for ISA cards also? I'm planning on installing a sound card, of course, and maybe a 3Com NIC.

Draco72 wrote on 2025-06-23, 14:37:

Thanks! Problem is solved 😀 I have now a working WfW 3.11 on my AST 😀
Another question, those .cfg files, are they system dependable or is it standard for all EISA systems?

Glad you made it 😉

Some are OEM specific, as in this case with the AST .CFG file for the embedded Mach32, but other .CFG files that come with specific EISA expansion cards are standardised and should be compatible with all other EISA systems.

Draco72 wrote on 2025-06-23, 14:41:

And, do I need a .cfg file for ISA cards also? I'm planning on installing a sound card, of course, and maybe a 3Com NIC.

CFG files for ISA cards do exist, but they are more or less just graphical files, which tell how to set switches and jumpers or how to configure the autoexec.bat or config.sys files, so in essence, those ISA .CFG files do not modify resources and generally are not required.

Adding a few more benchmark results, now at 40MHz FSB. Memory bandwidth is pretty poor considering this motherboard is configured for a 64bit memory data bus with its two TACT84541 memory buffer chips (hence the need for two SIMMs to fill a bank).

For comparison - a regular 486 VLB system from the same time period (1992~), UMC480 chipset, WT L2 cache:

Draco72 wrote on 2025-06-23, 14:41:

...

Draco72, could you please post some Speedsys results of your system with and without L2 cache installed?

SSTV2 wrote on 2025-06-26, 17:49:

Adding a few more benchmark results, now at 40MHz FSB. Memory bandwidth is pretty poor considering this motherboard is configure […]
Show full quote

Adding a few more benchmark results, now at 40MHz FSB. Memory bandwidth is pretty poor considering this motherboard is configured for a 64bit memory data bus with its two TACT84541 memory buffer chips (hence the need for two SIMMs to fill a bank).

The attachment PREM80X.GIF is no longer available

The attachment PREM120X.GIF is no longer available

For comparison - a regular 486 VLB system from the same time period (1992~), UMC480 chipset, WT L2 cache:

The attachment GA66M.GIF is no longer available

Draco72 wrote on 2025-06-23, 14:41:

...

Draco72, could you please post some Speedsys results of your system with and without L2 cache installed?

I will, as soon as I can, but have a little going on at the moment 😀
I installed the memory expansionboard for the SCSI controller card. Went from 0,5mb to a wopping 4,5mb. Will be interessting to see how that could affect the speed also.
However, I have problems locating the drivers for the SCSI controller card. I need it to get the SCSI CD-Rom to work in Dos and Win 3x. Anyone here who could help?
When that is sorted, the PC is more or less complete, and the fun can really begin 😀
Oh, one more thing. It seems like the cache card also needs a .cfg file? Someone who can help with that also?

SSTV2 wrote on 2025-06-26, 17:49:

Adding a few more benchmark results, now at 40MHz FSB. Memory bandwidth is pretty poor considering this motherboard is configure […]
Show full quote

Adding a few more benchmark results, now at 40MHz FSB. Memory bandwidth is pretty poor considering this motherboard is configured for a 64bit memory data bus with its two TACT84541 memory buffer chips (hence the need for two SIMMs to fill a bank).

The attachment PREM80X.GIF is no longer available

The attachment PREM120X.GIF is no longer available

For comparison - a regular 486 VLB system from the same time period (1992~), UMC480 chipset, WT L2 cache:

The attachment GA66M.GIF is no longer available

Draco72 wrote on 2025-06-23, 14:41:

...

Draco72, could you please post some Speedsys results of your system with and without L2 cache installed?

I can see you use a Intel DX4 120mhz! I have a DX4 100mhz, but I havent been able to determin if my PC supports it... Would be nice if my AST Premmia 4/66D could take that CPU....

Where did you even manage to get a cache module for that unknown EISA SCSI card in the first place? 😳

Regarding drivers - try booting from the Win98SE boot disk with "start computer with CD-ROM support", this boot disk contains several SCSI CD-ROM drivers, mostly for Adaptec controllers, but they may work with your card.

This M/B supports DX4 processors via the latest BIOS versions, but the FSB is officially limited to 33MHz max. I had to mod the clock generator to enable 40MHz FSB option, but video card does not like this clock bump. Under DOS, sometimes random characters appear or are replaced with different characters, but games and Windows environment is unaffected. I used a DX4ODPR100 with an integrated 3.3V voltage regulator.

SSTV2 wrote on 2025-06-27, 14:20:

Where did you even manage to get a cache module for that unknown EISA SCSI card in the first place? :O […]
Show full quote

Where did you even manage to get a cache module for that unknown EISA SCSI card in the first place? 😳

Regarding drivers - try booting from the Win98SE boot disk with "start computer with CD-ROM support", this boot disk contains several SCSI CD-ROM drivers, mostly for Adaptec controllers, but they may work with your card.

This M/B supports DX4 processors via the latest BIOS versions, but the FSB is officially limited to 33MHz max. I had to mod the clock generator to enable 40MHz FSB option, but video card does not like this clock bump. Under DOS, sometimes random characters appear or are replaced with different characters, but games and Windows environment is unaffected. I used a DX4ODPR100 with an integrated 3.3V voltage regulator.

The attachment DIR.jpg is no longer available

It came with the machine. Sealed and all. I tried a Win 98 boot floppy, but no go... So I have to check more.
Do you know if the cache board for the PC, thats mounted in the CPU/Cache slot, need to be configurated to work? When I'm in the config tool, it states that a slot is empty, and i suspect it to be the CPU/Cache slot. The SL1 slot:
https://stason.org/TULARC//pc/motherboards/A/ … REMMIA-486.html

Draco72 wrote on 2025-06-27, 18:45:

Do you know if the cache board for the PC, thats mounted in the CPU/Cache slot, need to be configurated to work? When I'm in the config tool, it states that a slot is empty, and i suspect it to be the CPU/Cache slot. The SL1 slot:
https://stason.org/TULARC//pc/motherboards/A/ … REMMIA-486.html

Doubt it, I think "MODULE" in the EISA util refers to the C shaped IDC40 slot group (J15,16,46), which is meant to be used with some kind of proprietary AST Ethernet module.

Try these CD-ROM drivers for DPT Smartcache controllers.

SSTV2 wrote on 2025-06-27, 20:36:

Try these CD-ROM drivers for DPT Smartcache controllers.

Thanks, I'll try them. But if I understand correctly, it's a driver for the SCSI controller I need... But, I see a driver here for Plextor CD-Rom, and it is a Plextor I have 😀

So, I'm back again 😀 I still haven't managed to get scsi cd-rom to work. I need the DPT ASPI drivers it seems, and I can't locate them.... On this site: https://www.minuszerodegrees.net/manuals.htm#DPT I find some extra files on a ftp-server, but the server won't let me connect. I have only tried anonymous as I don't have any login info. Apparently the file should be named something like dptaspi.sys. Anyone able to help me here?
This is the final piece in my AST puzzle, so I hope to get it resolved soon 😀

BTW, the SCSI card is a DPT PM2012B/90

Draco72 wrote on 2026-04-04, 13:34:

BTW, the SCSI card is a DPT PM2012B/90

I just had a look around and can only guess that you've already seen this
http://web.archive.org/web/20020720210317/htt … S-OTHER/DPT.ZIP
Thought i'd mention it anyway.

weedeewee wrote on 2026-04-04, 14:04:

I just had a look around and can only guess that you've already seen this http://web.archive.org/web/20020720210317/htt … S-OTH […]
Show full quote

Draco72 wrote on 2026-04-04, 13:34:

BTW, the SCSI card is a DPT PM2012B/90

I just had a look around and can only guess that you've already seen this
http://web.archive.org/web/20020720210317/htt … S-OTHER/DPT.ZIP
Thought i'd mention it anyway.

Thanks, but it seems llike there's no ASPI drivers there either...

Draco72 wrote on 2026-04-04, 16:11:

weedeewee wrote on 2026-04-04, 14:04:

I just had a look around and can only guess that you've already seen this http://web.archive.org/web/20020720210317/htt … S-OTH […]
Show full quote

Draco72 wrote on 2026-04-04, 13:34:

BTW, the SCSI card is a DPT PM2012B/90

I just had a look around and can only guess that you've already seen this
http://web.archive.org/web/20020720210317/htt … S-OTHER/DPT.ZIP
Thought i'd mention it anyway.

Thanks, but it seems llike there's no ASPI drivers there either...

from the README in DPT.zip \ DPT-DOS.ZIP

1DPTDDL.SYS     This file is a DOS Device Driver that works in conjunction with
2               the SmartROM.  It loads through an entry in the CONFIG.SYS file,
3               DEVICE=DPTDDL.SYS.  It loads the ROM into RAM for faster
4               execution and provides a Device Driver Layer for other drivers
5               to hook into. DPTDDL also provides ASPI compatability for ASPI
6               compatable DOS tape subsystem software.

I'd guess that in combination with a driver in the CDROM directory and MSCDEX should provide for cdrom availability in dos.
If a suitable cdrom driver is present in the CDROM directy.
While I have no idea if those cdrom drivers adhere to the ASPI specification. It would seem a bit silly to add ASPI tape support but not any cdrom or disk support.
I'd try it.
If it doesn't work it's a bit of time spent on it.
If it does, a whole lot more time can be spent using it.

edit: I think you mentioned having a plextor cdrom and since that driver isn't present in the DPT zip I mentioned, but is present in the zip file that SSTV2 mentioned and it seems that at least one file in the same in both zip files, I'd suggest trying the plextor.zip from the zip file SSTV2 linked to.

CorelSCSI lists two distinct DPT ASPI drivers in the attached...

DPT ASPI for SCSI BIOS 001.K DPTDDL.SYS
ROM\SMARTROM V.001.K

DPT ASPI for SCSI BIOS 002.B DPTDDL.SYS
ROM\SMARTROM V.002.B

NOTE: To help distinguish between the revisions of the DPT
ASPI managers, which both use the name DPTDDL.SYS, two
different file names are used. However, the installation
renames the selected ASPI manager to DPTDDL.SYS.

The DPT ASPI for SCSI BIOS ROM\SMARTROM Version:

* V.001.K is in the file DPTDDL1K.SYS
* V.002.B is in the file DPTDDL2B.SYS

I got it working with the DPTDDL.SYS file loaded into config.sys 😀 Thanks a lot guys!
Theres an msg though, stating that SCSI BIOS ROM version is later than this driver version. I think it might be the BIOS ROM in the Plextor CD-Rom? I've tried with 2 different drivers, same msg.
Now I have to find a ps/2 mouse driver that will work. If i load a mouse driver now, it works in Dos, but not in Win 3.11. If i don't load a mouse driver, it doesen't work in Dos, of course, but it works in Win 3.11. As I'm aware of, this is a know problem for ps/2 mouses? I have also put an Creative PhoneBlaster in the PC that i hope work 😀 I'm gonna download drivers for it now. A fun card, with modem and sound card in one, but probably not the best sound card out there. I do have some options though 😀

Mouse sorted out now 😀 Sound Blaster next. The Phone Blaster, the installation couldn't detect any settings, so I suspect it is faulty... Tried a Sound Blaster 32, CT3600, that I haven't tried before, then the PC started to act strange. So, now I've installed a CT3600 I know work, and now the PC behaves. So, install drivers, and then I should be good to go 😀
I will try to get back with som benchmarks. 486 DX2-66 and 64mb of ram and SCSI should be pretty fast i guess.