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First post, by retro games 100

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I am testing a super socket 7 DFI P5BV3+ mobo. It's the revision B mobo; B3 to be precise. It's got 1MB of on board cache. It accepts K6+ chips. It's a VIA board, and uses the MVP3 chipset. I used a PS/2 cable, and got an optical mouse working on the mobo's PS/2 header. I have OC'd a K6-III+ 400 MHz CPU to 600 MHz, and got this stable in Windows 98. ATM, there's a Pentium MMX 233 MHz in it.

1) Link to the revision B mobo manual
2) Link to VIA 4-in-1 driver, version 4.43
3) Link to undocumented settings for the P5BV3+ mobo series
4) Link to the latest BIOS
5) Link to Uniflash version 1.40
6) Link to an era appropriate version of AwdFlash.exe
7) Link to George Breese's software
8 ) Link to Sandra 2001 standard shareware edition

Notes

2) According to the VIA's "Retro OS VIA 4in1 drivers" release notes, version 4.43 is the correct version to use for this mobo.

4) I found this BIOS file on DriverGuide. The file on that site is called DFI20P5BV320rev.B.zip. This is for the revision B board. Apparently, there are 3 revisions of this board: A, B, and C. The old BIOS string was 01/03/2000-VP3-586B-CD-2A5LED4CC-00. The new BIOS string is 11/30/2000-VP3-586B-CD-2A5LED4CC-00.

5) I successfully used UniFlash to flash this mobo's BIOS. I have included a link to the AwdFlash.exe utility, if you want to use that instead.

7) I ran Sandra 2001 memory benchmark before and after applying George Breese's memory interleave enabler. Before scores = 72, 101. After scores = 83, 125. Success! Also on this website, and appropriate for this mobo, is the "PCI Latency" patch, and a patch for the Creative Labs SoundBlaster Live! card. The "PCI Latency" patch doesn't specify support for Windows 95, but I have tested it in Windows 98. I have not tested the patch for the Creative Labs SoundBlaster Live! card yet.

8 ) For Sandra 2001 to work in Windows 95, I needed to download two .DLL files called ws2_32.dll and ws2help.dll. I googled for them, and found them on the dll-files.com website. I put these two files in to the windows/system folder.

Questions

1) What other Sandra versions do people have? I only have 2001 standard and 2002 Pro. Both are free. Does anyone have the 2001 "pro" version, please?

PICT2203.JPG

Reply 1 of 17, by elfuego

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retro games 100 wrote:

7) I ran Sandra 2001 memory benchmark before and after applying George Breese's memory interleave enabler. Before scores = 72, 101. After scores = 83, 125. Success!

Glad it worked! Can you post a screenshot before and after in sandra? 😀 Also, did you find the DOS interleave driver I mentioned too?

Reply 2 of 17, by retro games 100

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Yes of course, here you go! 😀 My test machine was Windows 95, P-MMX-233, 3 sticks of 64MB SDRAM (192MB total), Sandra 2001 shareware. Also, TBH, I haven't looked for that "DOS memory patch" yet. Hopefully, someone can provide a link if it is still available...

Using memory interleave enabler
mem1.jpg

Not using memory interleave enabler
mem2.jpg

Reply 3 of 17, by retro games 100

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elfuego wrote:
retro games 100 wrote:

7) I ran Sandra 2001 memory benchmark before and after applying George Breese's memory interleave enabler. Before scores = 72, 101. After scores = 83, 125. Success!

Glad it worked! Can you post a screenshot before and after in sandra? 😀 Also, did you find the DOS interleave driver I mentioned too?

I think I have just discovered where it is - http://www.falconfly.de/download.htm

Then do a search for this: Enables 4way Interleave on VIA based Motherboards only. It goes on to say: Use under MS-DOS only,does not run in a Win DOS-Box. This is best placed in the Autoexec.bat.

Reply 4 of 17, by Old Thrashbarg

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According to the VIA's "Retro OS VIA 4in1 drivers" release notes, version 4.43 is the correct version to use for this mobo.

That's really not true, and the release notes don't even say so much. It's not that 4.43 is the 'correct' version for that chipset, but that that you shouldn't bother using anything newer under Win98 on any chipset unless you absolutely have to. In reality, such an old board probably isn't going to benefit from anything newer than about 4.25, and you may find that older versions perform significantly better.

Reply 5 of 17, by retro games 100

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Ok, I will experiment with 4.25 and also 4.35. But the release notes do say that "This driver package [4.43] is recommended for use with the following chipsets: MVP# ..."

Reply 6 of 17, by Old Thrashbarg

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That doesn't mean it's the best version, though, just that it's the latest version they think they can get away with recommending without causing hassles for the support staff. It's standard procedure for companies to tell you to use newer drivers, whether you actually need 'em or not.

Notice that they recommend them for everything from the MVP to the KT333... which pretty much means that they were designed with the KT333 in mind, and just happen to have kept support for the older chipsets.

Reply 7 of 17, by Seaside

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Sorry for digging out such an old thread but i have a problem with this board and i could use your help.

I have 2 boards. Both Revision B. One is Revision B3 the other is revision B5.

My BIOS is a bit old 26/11/98

I installed some BIOSes i've found probably like the one you have installed to your system but when my system posts shows correct the new CPU's i've acquired but the floppy controller does not work.

Any case to send me your BIOS to try it ?

Thanks in advance.

Reply 8 of 17, by keropi

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try this: http://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-DFI-P5BV3-Rev-B-128gb
I use the rev.C version hacked BIOS from the same guy on my C mobo and it works perfect. Currently running with a K6-II/350mhz

Last edited by keropi on 2012-04-18, 22:47. Edited 1 time in total.

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Reply 9 of 17, by Seaside

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keropi wrote:

try this: http://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-DFI-P5BV3-Rev-B-128gb
I use the rev.C version hacked BIOS from the same guy on my C mobo and it works perfect.

I tried this BIOS but no luck. And i tried also from the WIMS page.

Reply 10 of 17, by Seaside

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keropi wrote:

try this: http://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-DFI-P5BV3-Rev-B-128gb
I use the rev.C version hacked BIOS from the same guy on my C mobo and it works perfect. Currently running with a K6-II/350mhz

Problem solved. Found the latest official and everything works OK.

Previous post with old bios was

"-MMX 66 Cpu found"

Now with 1/3/2000 bios is

"K6-2+/550"

Meanwhile even with the old bios ALL the K6 III cpu's i have here recognized correctly.

Reply 11 of 17, by stbunny

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I've got the mobo and have one question about CEB6030L heating. Is it normal to heat up to ~65-70 degrees Celsius? Not so chilled, right?
Can anybody who has this mobo check the MOSFET temperature?
SXgl62M.jpg

P55T2P4, Intel Pentium 133MHz, 32Mb EDO, S3 Virge 325, YMF-719s + SC-55, AHA-2940U2W, ST39175LW, UltraPlex40Max, Opti USB PCI, Sony CPD-G400P 19"

Reply 13 of 17, by stbunny

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Five minutes or so.
Thanks!

P55T2P4, Intel Pentium 133MHz, 32Mb EDO, S3 Virge 325, YMF-719s + SC-55, AHA-2940U2W, ST39175LW, UltraPlex40Max, Opti USB PCI, Sony CPD-G400P 19"

Reply 14 of 17, by TELVM

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Yes it is normal, VRM mosfets can easily get that hot, and more, when they are not heatsunk. Solution: Heatsink them.

t906207_RawTekramP6BXAn004s.JPG t906209_VRMDIYHeatsink001.JPG

Improving case ventilation wouldn't harm also.

If you like the heat from mosfets, you'll love inductors:

i906210_ThermalImages001.png

i906211_ThermalImages002.png

Let the air flow!

Reply 15 of 17, by stbunny

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That's an option I guess, though it's strange a bit for SS7 mobo. What the heck, I'll set one up when I get how to stick it on 10x10mm square.

P55T2P4, Intel Pentium 133MHz, 32Mb EDO, S3 Virge 325, YMF-719s + SC-55, AHA-2940U2W, ST39175LW, UltraPlex40Max, Opti USB PCI, Sony CPD-G400P 19"

Reply 17 of 17, by TELVM

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05.jpg

06.jpg

^ 75C measured on the back of the board right below unsunk CPU voltage regulators 😵 (Athlon XP on Abit NF7-S).

Let the air flow!