VOGONS


How about a MR-BIOS ROM file repository?

Topic actions

Reply 121 of 385, by Predator99

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Just tried the image
V000B200 STD_286 Generic (non-Chipset) 286 / 386 /486 Generic 28 6
in a standard 12 MHz 80286 with VLSI Chipset:

It looks fantastic..! Never seen this in the real world. Hard disk support is great. My 256MB CF boots without using the XT-IDE Rom now...it is autodetected by the BIOS 😀

I attach the HI/LO files.

Many thanks again for uploading, DoutorHouse!!!

Filename
V000B200 HI LO.rar
File size
44.68 KiB
Downloads
224 downloads
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception
IMG_8253r.jpg
Filename
IMG_8253r.jpg
File size
1.44 MiB
Views
2287 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception
IMG_8252r.jpg
Filename
IMG_8252r.jpg
File size
1.49 MiB
Views
2287 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception
IMG_8251r.jpg
Filename
IMG_8251r.jpg
File size
1.34 MiB
Views
2287 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Reply 123 of 385, by Cyrix200+

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
appiah4 wrote on 2020-03-06, 14:07:

This thread is going to make me invest in an EEPROM flasher..

I love my TL866 and have used it many times. It also tests chips (logic chips, some types of RAM, etc). http://www.autoelectric.cn/en/tl866_main.html

Can be had on eBay for a reasonable price.

1982 to 2001

Reply 124 of 385, by Anonymous Coward

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I've been trying to get BIOSes going on my VLSI Topcat, C&T Peak/DM and SiS Rabbit boards. So far no luck with any of them 🙁

The generic 286 BIOS looks cool. I can't wait to try it on a real IBM AT system board.

"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 125 of 385, by ajacocks

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Has anyone collected all of these for upload to Vogons Drivers? It'd be good to post them there, so that we don't have to deal with expired MediaFire links.

Thanks!
- Alex

Reply 126 of 385, by DoutorHouse

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Predator99 wrote on 2020-03-06, 12:01:
Just tried the image V000B200 STD_286 Generic (non-Chipset) 286 / 386 /486 Generic 28 6 in a standard 12 MHz 80286 with VLSI Chi […]
Show full quote

Just tried the image
V000B200 STD_286 Generic (non-Chipset) 286 / 386 /486 Generic 28 6
in a standard 12 MHz 80286 with VLSI Chipset:

It looks fantastic..! Never seen this in the real world. Hard disk support is great. My 256MB CF boots without using the XT-IDE Rom now...it is autodetected by the BIOS 😀

I attach the HI/LO files.

Many thanks again for uploading, DoutorHouse!!!

V000B200 HI LO.rar
IMG_8253r.jpg
IMG_8252r.jpg
IMG_8251r.jpg

I'm glad it worked!!!
I'm thinking of flashing my ICLs bios with the regular 486 one but i have no clue whatsoever how to do it...
My computer is an ICL ErgoPro C4/33B, 486SX-33MHz, XVGA VLB 1MB (512KB + 512KB) (Cirrus Logic 5424). I managed to grab the latest official BIOS but it still doesn't support HDDs bigger than 504MB...
Any suggestions? Should I try to flash it? I managed to backup the 3 bios modules with NSSI so maybe you guys could take a look and give me some very needed advice!

Attachments

  • 20200301_153802.jpg
    Filename
    20200301_153802.jpg
    File size
    1.66 MiB
    Views
    2241 views
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • Filename
    ICL_BIOS_NEW.ZIP
    File size
    184.94 KiB
    Downloads
    96 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • Filename
    C4D4.EXE
    File size
    260.7 KiB
    Downloads
    73 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
Last edited by DoutorHouse on 2022-05-01, 18:56. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 127 of 385, by Predator99

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Sorry didnt see your reply.

For flashing the BIOS in pre-Pentium PCs you need an external EPROM writer such as the TL866. The board on the picture has a PLCC-ROM therefore make sure you get one with an adapter included...

Reply 128 of 385, by DoutorHouse

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Predator99 wrote on 2020-03-11, 21:39:

Sorry didnt see your reply.

For flashing the BIOS in pre-Pentium PCs you need an external EPROM writer such as the TL866. The board on the picture has a PLCC-ROM therefore make sure you get one with an adapter included...

No worries!

Sounds a bit complicated, maybe over my skills... I was thinking of replacing the "official" bios file with the generic 486 one from mr.bios and reflash using the "official" program but maybe that would brick the motherboard or something... I examined both files but i'm not sure if this is even a possibility. The official bios file is 131072 bytes and the mr.bios one is half that. My plan was to edit the official file and replace the second half with the mr.bios one and flash it again with the included flash.exe file... Probably not the right way of doing this, right?
Thanks for replying!!!

Reply 129 of 385, by Predator99

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

There is a flash.exe for this PC? OK, then it would be possible to program without an external programmer. But if the new image doesnt work your PC will not start anymore until you fix the ROM. And for thsi you need an external programmer...

With an external programmer there is no risk. You remove the ROM-Chip and replace it with another one on which you can put on what you like. If it doesnt work, you can go back to the orginal one. No risk of damaging something...

Not complicated at all...

Reply 130 of 385, by Anonymous Coward

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Predator99 wrote on 2020-03-06, 12:01:
Just tried the image V000B200 STD_286 Generic (non-Chipset) 286 / 386 /486 Generic 28 6 in a standard 12 MHz 80286 with VLSI Chi […]
Show full quote

Just tried the image
V000B200 STD_286 Generic (non-Chipset) 286 / 386 /486 Generic 28 6
in a standard 12 MHz 80286 with VLSI Chipset:

It looks fantastic..! Never seen this in the real world. Hard disk support is great. My 256MB CF boots without using the XT-IDE Rom now...it is autodetected by the BIOS 😀

I attach the HI/LO files.

Many thanks again for uploading, DoutorHouse!!!

V000B200 HI LO.rar
IMG_8253r.jpg
IMG_8252r.jpg
IMG_8251r.jpg

I just tested these in an IBM 5170 and 5162 motherboard. I haven't been able to get either to work. Not sure why, because it seems odd it wouldn't work with the blueprint for all other 286s.

"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 131 of 385, by Predator99

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Anonymous Coward wrote on 2020-04-09, 09:21:

[I just tested these in an IBM 5170 and 5162 motherboard. I haven't been able to get either to work. Not sure why, because it seems odd it wouldn't work with the blueprint for all other 286s.

I also expected that its working on the IBM.

Did you try to exchange the Hi/Lo-ROMs?

Any display on the POST-card?

Reply 132 of 385, by Anonymous Coward

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I was able to get MR BIOS working on the 5162. It turns out the CPU in that board was somehow fried, even though it was used recently. This is the second or third time I've had those IBM made 286 chips with XC marking go bad on me. I'll have to check the 5170 again (it had a known good CPU). It worked with IBM, AMI and Award BIOS ROMs, but I couldn't get MR BIOS going. Yes, I swapped the EVEN/ODD ROMs, but the POST card was showing no BIOS activity. Maybe it's something else. I'll have another go at it later.

This is indeed a very nice BIOS upgrade for old 286 computers. I use SCSI so the built in HD support isn't that useful to me, but it appears this BIOS is also Y2K compliant, and there are other nice features like power savings and fast boot and the ability to enter the BIOS setup at any time by pressing CTRL-ALT-ESC.

"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 133 of 385, by DoutorHouse

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Predator99 wrote on 2020-03-12, 18:30:

There is a flash.exe for this PC? OK, then it would be possible to program without an external programmer. But if the new image doesnt work your PC will not start anymore until you fix the ROM. And for thsi you need an external programmer...

With an external programmer there is no risk. You remove the ROM-Chip and replace it with another one on which you can put on what you like. If it doesnt work, you can go back to the orginal one. No risk of damaging something...

Not complicated at all...

Well, after examining the backup of the bios (it produced 3 different files) i'm having second thoughts about actually doing this, especially because i never worked with an external programmer before and i don't even know what rom-chip i should remove (or even how to remove it properly!). I was thinking i could just flash the rom using the flash.exe program but you're right... if, by any chance the new image doesn't work i won't be able to reflash it, i guess.
I wish there was some way to test this on some emulator or something, without flashing the physical rom...
My computer skills are so low i imagined i could just flash this bios, and reflash it in case it didn't work, by booting from a diskette... i guess not! Thanks!
BTW, I didn't find more Mr. Bios files at my friend's ftp, unfortunately...

Reply 134 of 385, by Anonymous Coward

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Is there anyone with an Abit/Silicon Star FU340 motherboard that can test MR-BIOS for C&T PEAK/DM chipset? I have had no luck whatsoever getting the external cache going with any of the PEAK/DM BIOS files in the archive. It seems these BIOSes actually do support external cache, they are just not able to detect it on my board. I'm not sure why exactly, as FU340 is one of the most common PEAK/DM boards out there.

My configuration is 386DX/40, 8MB DRAM and 256kb cache. The chipset is a B1 revision.

"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 135 of 385, by DoutorHouse

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Anonymous Coward wrote on 2020-04-19, 15:32:

Is there anyone with an Abit/Silicon Star FU340 motherboard that can test MR-BIOS for C&T PEAK/DM chipset? I have had no luck whatsoever getting the external cache going with any of the PEAK/DM BIOS files in the archive. It seems these BIOSes actually do support external cache, they are just not able to detect it on my board. I'm not sure why exactly, as FU340 is one of the most common PEAK/DM boards out there.

My configuration is 386DX/40, 8MB DRAM and 256kb cache. The chipset is a B1 revision.

Just saw your PM. Sorry for the late reply but, for some reason, i can't answer using messages (now says i have to contribute more or something like that...). Anyway, I was aware of what you mentioned and I searched everything inside the FTP and that was all that was available. You are right about some files missing, but they are actually duplicated on some other collection and they are exactly like that, unfortunately...

Reply 136 of 385, by Anonymous Coward

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

That's really unfortunate. I guess we're probably about 20 years too late to find the original source of the upload too.

"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 137 of 385, by DoutorHouse

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Anonymous Coward wrote on 2020-04-28, 01:49:

That's really unfortunate. I guess we're probably about 20 years too late to find the original source of the upload too.

Yeah, I searched the entire FTP and didn't find those missing bios, maybe they were packed wrong, as most of that stuff was from those old software pirates groups from the 80s and 90s.
I'm also having bad luck trying to fix my "new" IBM Aptiva... Think the PSU is damaged...
Re: I recently bought an IBM APTIVA, and i need some tips...

Reply 138 of 385, by Deksor

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Anonymous Coward wrote on 2020-04-19, 15:32:

Is there anyone with an Abit/Silicon Star FU340 motherboard that can test MR-BIOS for C&T PEAK/DM chipset? I have had no luck whatsoever getting the external cache going with any of the PEAK/DM BIOS files in the archive. It seems these BIOSes actually do support external cache, they are just not able to detect it on my board. I'm not sure why exactly, as FU340 is one of the most common PEAK/DM boards out there.

My configuration is 386DX/40, 8MB DRAM and 256kb cache. The chipset is a B1 revision.

I have a Abit FU3 (not FU340) but it's the 386DX version and I think it uses the same chipset, so I can try that.

Trying to identify old hardware ? Visit The retro web - Project's thread The Retro Web project - a stason.org/TH99 alternative

Reply 139 of 385, by Anonymous Coward

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Aren't the FU3 and the FU340 the same board? I think when FU3 had a 25MHz chip installed, it was called FU325, and with a 33MHz chip FU333 etc.

Last edited by Stiletto on 2021-11-02, 18:28. Edited 1 time in total.

"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