VOGONS


First post, by GigAHerZ

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I've recently aquired and cleaned up a 386 machine, that has a very unknown motherboard in it. Yet it has lot's of jumpers, cache, etc, that could be modified.

I've tried to google it through multiple keywords, but unfortunately my skills have not been enough. Maybe one of you, guys, can help me identify that board with jumper settings and everything?

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Last edited by GigAHerZ on 2021-11-08, 21:25. Edited 2 times in total.

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!

Reply 1 of 35, by Deksor

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Does it POST ?
If so, or if you have a programmer (I think you have one, am I right ? 😁), let us know so we can see the POST string.

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

Reply 2 of 35, by GigAHerZ

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Got the BIOS out of the chip.

If I'm reading that correctly, it's: 30-0201-ZZ1132-00101111-050591-OPWB

Unfortunately, it does not post 🙁
All keyboard leds stay lit, while ISA debug card does show activity over long time, showing different codes on display.

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  • Filename
    Multipro VII-386DXV.zip
    File size
    37.19 KiB
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    43 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!

Reply 3 of 35, by evasive

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"Dkine Enterprise Co" for 1132 bios ID.
Infinity 386DXV as a model name. There's even a user guide in existance:
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru& … c.php?t%3D13209

My Russian is non-existant.

I have not a thing on this board yet.

Reply 4 of 35, by GigAHerZ

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So continuing my investigation, i've noticed that those 2 chips are getting somewhat hot.
I've not let it run long enough to go burning (if they would), so i can not confirm if it goes hotter than one could touch. But they are very measurably hotter than any other chip on the board.

If i'm correct, the bigger one is super io controller chip on board: UMC UM82C862F.
The smaller chip is: Motorola MC1489P

Maybe this thing is preventing the board to properly boot up? All the bios codes that debug card shows (43, 0c, 0d) are not really talking about any problems. Also the board is not completely dead as debug card shows activity in the form of those codes running through until eventually halting on 43.

Any suggestions i very much welcomed.
I'm considering desoldering the super io chip and see, if the board itself would boot then...

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"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!

Reply 5 of 35, by rmay635703

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Just the basics

How much memory is installed?

If the memory sticks didn’t come with the board (or even if they did) it’s possible they are the wrong refresh, speed or parity.

I also would try resetting replacing the cmos battery

Reply 6 of 35, by GigAHerZ

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CMOS battery is replaced - it's a brand new one.

I've tried it with original 4x1MB parity ram and i also currently have it equipped with known working 4x1MB parity ram.

The board has a lot of jumpers/switches - if i would know, what every one of those would do...

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!

Reply 8 of 35, by rmay635703

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GigAHerZ wrote on 2020-12-07, 15:03:

CMOS battery is replaced - it's a brand new one.

I've tried it with original 4x1MB parity ram and i also currently have it equipped with known working 4x1MB parity ram.

The board has a lot of jumpers/switches - if i would know, what every one of those would do...

Those jumpers and switches won’t be much help

Puzzling them out (can’t see traces very well)

Jp5 is the cmos reset

The rest control exactly what they are by
Jumpers by the cache provide cache config
Switch blocks setup serial I/o
The rear switches appear to be video/monitor settings.
There is one group of 4 by the edge that looks like a Pc speaker header.

You will need to troubleshoot the psu and the board and caps first, I didn’t notice a proper 33mhz signal source either but that doesn’t mean much

Also your cache banking is all jacked up, you are either missing chips or they are in the wrong sockets, if you can figure out how to disable cache and remove it that might help

Reply 9 of 35, by GigAHerZ

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PSU: 5V and 12V were good. Though, still might make sense to try another, known good PSU.

Will play around with the cache jumpers and will remove the cache chips. Let's see, maybe that is making the board locking up.

There is some black 4 legged thing near the CMOS battery, that has 66MHz marking. Maybe it's a different kind of crystal?

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!

Reply 10 of 35, by Cbb

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this board came from ”KOMPAN PLUS 386RC” PC.
In the early 90s there was a US-GDR-SU joint company that imported US built PCs into Soviet Union through GDR for the Academy of Science. You can find exact information on WIKI. I've got a fully working PC with a such board, but I cannot find any documentation about it. absolutely nothing. You had better luck searching by the mainboard model, but that guy on Russian forum is a real jerk 'cause he took several advances for the items he was selling at that time and just disappeared later (sometimes it happens ugh....). that was happen in 2013.
so we stuck again....

ps the pc is built very poor in the mean of maintenance. to see the whole pcb all the cables including ribbon are needed to be detached. without docs I'd prefer not to disassemble it 'cos I'm not sure it will be working after reassembly.

Reply 11 of 35, by Robin4

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Measure the powerline on the motherboard, to see if there isnt any short. Mostly the tantalum capacitors become bad or dried out.

~ At least it can do black and white~

Reply 12 of 35, by GigAHerZ

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Cbb wrote on 2020-12-08, 16:31:
this board came from ”KOMPAN PLUS 386RC” PC. In the early 90s there was a US-GDR-SU joint company that imported US built PCs in […]
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this board came from ”KOMPAN PLUS 386RC” PC.
In the early 90s there was a US-GDR-SU joint company that imported US built PCs into Soviet Union through GDR for the Academy of Science. You can find exact information on WIKI. I've got a fully working PC with a such board, but I cannot find any documentation about it. absolutely nothing. You had better luck searching by the mainboard model, but that guy on Russian forum is a real jerk 'cause he took several advances for the items he was selling at that time and just disappeared later (sometimes it happens ugh....). that was happen in 2013.
so we stuck again....

ps the pc is built very poor in the mean of maintenance. to see the whole pcb all the cables including ribbon are needed to be detached. without docs I'd prefer not to disassemble it 'cos I'm not sure it will be working after reassembly.

Would it be possible for you to document your known running configuration for all switches/jumpers/etc? That would help somewhat i believe.

Robin4 wrote on 2020-12-08, 17:05:

Measure the powerline on the motherboard, to see if there isnt any short. Mostly the tantalum capacitors become bad or dried out.

Did that, didn't measure any shorts. Though, there is one thing - when powered off, the GND and +5V has only 21ohm resistance, making the beeper of my multimeter to beep... Is that a problem?

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!

Reply 13 of 35, by Cbb

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the design of this computer case is not regular
when you open the chassis you can see solder side of mainboard only. the component side is faced inward to the mounting plate and you can see most of the ics, jumpers etc through a small side gap and several holes only.
extraction of the motherboard is not so trivial. the case designers didn't thought on the repairs complexity at all. i will try to detach the board and make several pictures for you tomorrow. wish me luck not to kill the working system.

Reply 14 of 35, by Cbb

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Here we go

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Reply 15 of 35, by GigAHerZ

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Thank you so much, Cbb!

Unfortunately, it seems to be a slightly different board, as it's layout is different.
Yet, still, thank you for taking this time for me!

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!

Reply 16 of 35, by Cbb

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and 3 more pics

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Reply 17 of 35, by Cbb

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GigAHerZ, you're always welcome!
yep, the KB connector on your keyboard is definely in the other end of the PCB.
What's the print in the corner on the solder side of your PCB?

Reply 18 of 35, by GigAHerZ

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Cbb wrote on 2020-12-09, 08:39:

GigAHerZ, you're always welcome!
yep, the KB connector on your keyboard is definely in the other end of the PCB.
What's the print in the corner on the solder side of your PCB?

The print is "MULTIPRO VII-386DXV".

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - And i intend to get every last bit out of it even after loading every damn driver!

Reply 19 of 35, by evasive

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I have added both boards to Ultimate Retro, maybe someone recognizes them and will add info.
https://www.ultimateretro.net/motherboards/6889
https://www.ultimateretro.net/motherboards/6890

Last edited by evasive on 2021-10-26, 07:45. Edited 1 time in total.