VOGONS


How about a MR-BIOS ROM file repository?

Topic actions

First post, by carlostex

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Hi there.

Extremely tired of AMI 386 BIOSes and their HDD size limitations i decided to try a MR-BIOS that would work with my 386 motherboard. While looking around i noticed that finding MR-BIOS images was not that easy. Luckily my 386 motherboard uses UMC 481/482 chipset and there's a MR-BIOS around for it. I use it now and can't think of going back to AMI BIOS again, system speed increased slightly, i can now use a 1GB CF card without any issues and without having to use any drive overlays. The BIOS is very configurable and i really like the keyboard shortcuts for Turbo and cache disable.

Unfortunately for other users, with different boards and different chipsets, finding a suitable MR-BIOS might not be that easy, in fact it might be impossible.
There seems to be a couple of other versions around, for ALI and OPTI 386 chipsets, but i would like to call out everyone to work together for a repository where we can gather all these MR-BIOS versions to be available whenever anyone wants to use them.

I want to encourage users with boards with MR-BIOS upgrade ROMS to dump their contents and make them available. All we need to do is to find a place to host them, maybe VogonsDrivers.

Reply 1 of 385, by keropi

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

According to the 04-OCT-2001 archived MR-BIOS Chipset Support page there are BIOSes for the following chipsets:

MR BIOS supports the following chipsets: […]
Show full quote

MR BIOS supports the following chipsets:

  • Acer M1209
  • Acer M1217 mirror1
  • Atmel AT40281
  • Atmel AT40391/392
  • Atmel AT40493/392
  • Atmel AT40495/392
  • Atmel AT40498
  • C&T 8230
  • C&T 8230
  • C&T NEAT + EMS
  • C&T SCAT-SX
  • C&T PEAK-DM
  • Contaq 82C591/2
  • Contaq 82C596
  • Efar 82EC495
  • Efar 82EC798
  • Efar 82EC800
  • Efar 82EC802G
  • Efar 82EC802GL
  • Elite Eagle (Rev A1)
  • Eteq Cougar
  • Eteq Bobcat
  • Eteq Bengal
  • Eteq Panda
  • Evertech + EMS
  • Forex 300/200/402
  • Forex 36C311
  • Forex 46C411/402
  • Forex 46C421/422
  • Forex 46C521
  • FDTI 82C3480-AP
  • FDTI 82C3480-XM
  • FDTI 82C3480-XMVL
  • Headland HT12 + EMS
  • Headland HT18
  • Headland HT22
  • Headland HT320
  • Headland HT340 + HT44
  • Intel Triton FX, HX, VX
  • Macronix 83C305/6
  • Micronics (Discrete)
  • Micronics 362/3
  • Micronics 461/2
  • Micronics 470
  • Mosel MS400
  • Opti 82C281
  • Opti 82C283
  • Opti 82C291 mirror1 thanks to pixelmischief !
  • Opti 82C295
  • Opti 82C381
  • Opti 82C391 mirror1
  • Opti 82C481
  • Opti 82C491
  • Opti 82C493 mirror1
  • Opti 82C495
  • Opti 82C495sx mirror1
  • Opti 82C495slc
  • Opti 82C495xlc mirror1
  • Opti 82C496
  • Opti 82C498
  • Opti 82C499
  • Opti 82C801
  • Opti 82C802
  • Opti 82C802G
  • Opti 82C895 mirror1
  • Opti 82C546
  • Opti 82C596
  • Percom
  • Pico-Power Redwood
  • Sarc RC2016 + EMS
  • SiS Rabbit
  • SiS 85C460
  • SiS 85C461V
  • SiS 85C471
  • Symphony Labs Hayden
  • Symphony Labs Wagner
  • Syslogic
  • TI TACT83000
  • UMC UM82C330
  • UMC 82C481 mirror1
  • UMC 82C491
  • VIA 82C496G
  • VLSI Topcat
Specific motherboard BIOS images: […]
Show full quote

Specific motherboard BIOS images:

Hippo VL+ MR-BIOS v1.52 uploaded by appiah - HT34407 chipset
Hippo VL+ MR-BIOS v3.21 with 2GB-HDD support uploaded by appiah - HT34407 chipset
Forex 36C300 MR-BIOS v1.40 uploaded by Auzner
Octek Jaguar V MR-BIOS v1.40 uploaded by Anonymous Coward - MXIC307 chipset
Alaris Tornado 2 MR-BIOS v3.02 uploaded by Anonymous Coward - EFAR42S chipset
Alaris Cougar MR-BIOS v1.65 uploaded by Anonymous Coward - OPTi 82C499 chipset

MR-BIOS Documentation : http://www.mediafire.com/file/zq847c44q870m74 … cumentation.rar […]
Show full quote

MR-BIOS Documentation : http://www.mediafire.com/file/zq847c44q870m74 … cumentation.rar

Archive containing manuals for:

  • bios versions 3.40-3.46
  • bios versions 1.66-1.73
  • X30-VLB motherboard
  • JX30G-VLB motherboard
  • JX30GC-VLB motherboard

I have added all I could find in my mediafire account as "mirror1" (sources for these files are stated inside txt or diz or whatever text file the archive came with).
Really hope we can get this list complete! 😊

Last edited by keropi on 2018-07-17, 20:34. Edited 11 times in total.

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 2 of 385, by jesolo

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Sounds like a great idea.
Some users might be discouraged to physically unplug the BIOS ROM but, there is no need for that.
You can use Navrátil System Information (NSSI 0.60) to dump your motherboard BIOS contents and save it to a file.

Reply 3 of 385, by keropi

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

^ oh that's great, the software is free and found here: http://www.navsoft.cz/products.htm , just go to Tools -> Save BIOS

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 4 of 385, by feipoa

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

I'd sure like to find the MR BIOS VLSI Topcat, SiS Rabbit, and C&T Peak-DM. Some time ago, I posted something here: https://www.wimsbios.com/forum/other-bios-upd … set-t14343.html

In the above link it was mentioned that esupport.com bought MR BIOS. My efforts to obtain anything from esupport.com failed miserably. Has anyone else been able to contact them? What was your experience?

Plan your life wisely, you'll be dead before you know it.

Reply 5 of 385, by Anonymous Coward

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I think completing the list of the MR BIOSes is about as likely as finding all of the classic Doctor Who episodes.

Realistically we have a high probability of finding OPTi 499 and 291/95, because I've seen them frequently fitted on the Alaris SLC/DLC boards. Also, I think we can get the Headland HT340, because it was previously dumped for the mobokive from the Octek Jaguar IV. There's also a guy on youtube who did a video of a 386SX system that had I think either an Intel or VLSI chipset and MR-BIOS, as well as somebody on this forum who has a MR BIOS for one of the ETEQ chipsets.

"Will the highways on the internets become more few?" -Gee Dubya
V'Ger XT|Upgraded AT|Ultimate 386|Super VL/EISA 486|SMP VL/EISA Pentium

Reply 6 of 385, by keropi

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

I have sent a message to that YT guy but it is my understanding he has sold the mobo.
So noone else has any other chipset BIOS? All we have are the ones on the list?

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 7 of 385, by carlostex

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I would like to find MR-BIOS for the Forex chipsets, specially the 421 and for the Headland HT12.

Feipoa i do remember reading something about the discussion you had with a supposed BIOS expert. Was it you or am i mistaken?

Reply 8 of 385, by kixs

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I'll check my boards for Mr. BIOS. Although only 3-4 might have it. Over the weekend I played a little with Alaris Cougar II 486BL that seems to have Opti 82C499.

Requests are also possible... /msg kixs

Reply 9 of 385, by dogchainx

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Definitely a comfort-list I'd love to have. Every single FTP site I've backed up I've looked to see if there was some golden-gem rare Mr BIOS directory, but none yet.

Closest things I've come to were these, and I bet you all probably have all of them on these FTP sites:

ftp://ftp.mpoli.fi/unpacked/hardware/rom/mrbios/

ftp://blackf.synchro.net/owl.ware.cdrom/016A/00index.html

ftp://ftp.dyu.edu.tw/pub/Hardware/stuff/bios/mb/MR_BIOS/

386DX-40MHz-8MB-540MB+428MB+Speedstar64@2MB+SoundBlaster Pro+MT-32/MKII
486DX2-66Mhz-16MB-4.3GB+SpeedStar64 VLB DRAM 2MB+AWE32/SB16+SCB-55
MY BLOG RETRO PC BLOG: https://bitbyted.wordpress.com/

Reply 10 of 385, by keropi

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

these FTPs have some BIOSes for newer socket7/8 systems - we need the good-old stuff 😀

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 11 of 385, by bjwil1991

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I wonder if there's a MR-BIOS for an Intel i430TX (Anchorage) motherboard? I have an Abit AB-TX5 motherboard that has the Award BIOS (crappy in my opinion due to HDD limitations), and I need to look and see if my Packard Bell Pack-Mate 28 Plus (PB450M) supports it by comparing the chipset that is listed on here.

Discord: https://discord.gg/U5dJw7x
Systems from the Compaq Portable 1 to Ryzen 9 5950X
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/retropcuser

Reply 12 of 385, by keropi

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
bjwil1991 wrote:

I wonder if there's a MR-BIOS for an Intel i430TX (Anchorage) motherboard? I have an Abit AB-TX5 motherboard that has the Award BIOS (crappy in my opinion due to HDD limitations), and I need to look and see if my Packard Bell Pack-Mate 28 Plus (PB450M) supports it by comparing the chipset that is listed on here.

have a look here, maybe there is something you can use: http://www.mediafire.com/file/srn25jyr571b255 … MRBIOS_FTPs.zip

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 13 of 385, by appiah4

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

I am going to build a system with this board sometime in the near future, I will try to dump the bios with uniflash..

Octek_Hippo_VL_DCA.jpg

For now, please see attached the copies I found of the latest and large HDD patched Mr BIOS bioses.

Attachments

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 14 of 385, by dogchainx

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Exactly. Every FTP site I found, nothing except either these or a text file about a BIOS for a 386/486 board, but no actual BIOS files. Looks like the repository will definitely have to come from the community pulling their BIOS files. I don't have any, that I know of, on my boards.

386DX-40MHz-8MB-540MB+428MB+Speedstar64@2MB+SoundBlaster Pro+MT-32/MKII
486DX2-66Mhz-16MB-4.3GB+SpeedStar64 VLB DRAM 2MB+AWE32/SB16+SCB-55
MY BLOG RETRO PC BLOG: https://bitbyted.wordpress.com/

Reply 15 of 385, by Anonymous Coward

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

http://www.elhvb.com/mobokive/Archive/Octek/3 … guar/index.html

Maybe someone can contact whoever is responsible for mobokive to see what happened to the Jaguar IV and V files. One is the MX chipset, and the other is for HT.

"Will the highways on the internets become more few?" -Gee Dubya
V'Ger XT|Upgraded AT|Ultimate 386|Super VL/EISA 486|SMP VL/EISA Pentium

Reply 16 of 385, by Auzner

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

I dumped a MR BIOS rom a few months ago here: Forgot how much old hardware I had I don't think it got put anywhere else yet.
Last week I got a VGA card from ebay and confirmed the board POSTs.

Reply 17 of 385, by Anonymous Coward

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Nice, I didn't see that. Now we finally have a MR BIOS for the original 386 Forex boards, which are quite common.

"Will the highways on the internets become more few?" -Gee Dubya
V'Ger XT|Upgraded AT|Ultimate 386|Super VL/EISA 486|SMP VL/EISA Pentium

Reply 18 of 385, by SquallStrife

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

There is a section on VogonsDrivers for BIOS images, if someone wants to mirror them there, go nuts!

(Well don't "go nuts", upload the files and give them meaningful names and descriptions! 😜)

VogonsDrivers.com | Link | News Thread

Reply 19 of 385, by carlostex

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Nice! Would love to get images for both Forex 421 and Headland HT12. Headland HT12 286 boards are quite common but i have never seen one with a MR-BIOS upgrade.