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First post, by Thomas Olivaux

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Hello guys,

One of my computers is built around a DTK PKM-0038S. Do you know this motherboard or the chipset SiS 471? Is it a good one or is there some known problems? I'm asking because I have "plenty" of problems with it and I'm starting to think about getting another board... but I don't surrender to hardware just like this! I don't know DTK at all, I don't remember thoses computers sold in Europe back in the days. I bought the motherboard from eBay USA maybe two or three years ago juste because I wanted a "modern" 486 (DX4 compatible) VLB mobo and I just happened to get this one. While it looks just fine, the original soldiered battery even works, I have compatibility problems with it. Here are a few of the pb encountered :

- Sound Blaster AWE 32 PnP (CT3990) not 100% well initialized, it's impossible to set a working Hi DMA (AWE32 detection issues) ; this Sound Blaster works 100% fine in another 486 gear I have.
- Adaptec 1540 non PnP do not initialize (and do not detect my HDD) ; this Adaptec works 100% fine too in the other 486
- Adtaptec 1542 PnP do no ititialize too ; works 100% in the other 486
- The 2 different VLB multi I/O cards I have works only partially : impossible to detect any IDE HDD with them, but it works with older ISA multi I/O cards (so it's my only boot option at the time) ; I can't test thoses controllers elsewhere, the DTK is my unique VLB board.
- Can't find if there is any way to use my DX4 100 EW with WB activated (the CPU boots and works fine, but L1 is configured WT).

I was about to introduce you my complete gear since I'm new to this forum, but before I do, I prefere decide with your help if I should stick to this motherboard or get another one. Any idea/comment about this PKM-0038S ?

A picture of my motherboard : https://gd7jjg.by3301.livefilestore.com/y2pUu … mere.png?psid=1

Regards,

Thomas

Reply 1 of 4, by Thomas Olivaux

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Hmmm. I continue my tests without any success. I must restart from the begining. My researchs told me that this DTK PKM-0038S is in fact an OEM version of the GMB-486SG board built by various manufacturers. I found a manual who looks correct for my card, I'm going to study it right now. http://www.elhvb.com/mobokive/archive/Gemligh … sg/486sg603.pdf

++

Thomas

Reply 2 of 4, by darksheer

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Have you tried to put some delay or WS for the vlb and check if it help with controllers (verify if its jumpers settings for IRQ, DMA and IO don't conflict with other hardware) ? Maybe with a different BIOS or editing the existing one you will be able to enable WB, but it's only speculative and don't woth the effort for me...

Don't know if this MB is a good performer or not (you could always compare your speedsys cpu and ram score with those here to get an idea and try to tweak bios settings and jumpers settings to get matching hardware scores if not).

Personnaly, I would desolder the battery (that has already started to leak and damaging the motherboard) and clean all that (jumpers pins, rom sockets, isa & vlb slots, etc...) with white vinegar and a toothbrush (for neutralising/removing battery acid and oxidation).
Don't forget to pull out amovible parts like MB and KBRD BIOS and even the SRAMS before if you're doing it (that would be easier to remove oxidation and clean contacts and will avoid to see them die prematurely, also don't forget to clean KBRD and MB BIOS pins).
Then, when all the acid damages are gone, you can rinse the motherboard under water or use a good amount of isopropyl alcohol with the toothbrush again.
After that dry the motherboard by blowing some air on it to make sure water is completely gone from all the slots/sockets and finish with hot air like some of an hairdyer.
Finally you can check the motherboard for bad traces or contacts that could lead to instabilities and try to repair it if it is the case.
Let the motherboard rest for a day or two if it's not completely dry (if it feel humid to the touch) and put back the amovible parts and hardware.
Now you're good for using an external battery, but for testing purpose you don't really need one.

If after that and playing with bios settings and MB jumpers you can't get it working right...

Reply 3 of 4, by Thomas Olivaux

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About the WB L1 cache, in the Gemlight manual I just posted, it's present in the BIOS (but not in my DTK version)! If BIOS versions are comparable from one brand to another, I've got the 3.04 and it seems the last one is 3.06 but I can't find any download link.

But, why do you give me a method like my batterie have leaked? Is it something you generally do on all motherboard maybe? Because my batterie is not bad, no acid leak, BIOS saved, etc.

Reply 4 of 4, by darksheer

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For now it is not that bad, but it has already started to leak and it will damage your motherboard if you let it like that (it's a matter of time).
It's a chance to do it before it get worse, all 386 and 486 motherboard (with soldered battery) that I bougth had leaked acid already eating the traces or not far from doing it... It's really a pain to repair 😵
The choice is up to you, but for me as soon as I see some soldered battery I say it goodbye 😁

Edit :

Thomas Olivaux wrote:

About the WB L1 cache, in the Gemlight manual I just posted, it's present in the BIOS (but not in my DTK version)

Or maybe because WT is already forced with jumper settings ? Elseway the bios has been limited for some obscure reasons by the manufacturer.