Really late model 386 motherboard \ VOGONS

Really late model 386 motherboard

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First post, by Anonymous Coward

Posted on 2009-09-22, 06:12

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Has anyone ever used a board like this one before?

I pulled this one out of a scrap bin about 10 years ago, but I never really used it because I was never able to disable the onboard CPU. I've since sliced the CPU off, and it is now properly detecting the TI CPU shown in the photo.

This board is pretty crazy. The AMI BIOS date is 04/04/93. That's later than the majority of VL 486 boards I have. It's really compact, and uses a 486 ALi chipset, the A1429/A1431. The BIOS natively supports writeback cache! If memory serves me right, this board supports up to 128mb in 30pin SIMM too.

I currently use a 386 board with opti 495SX chipset. Would it be worth my time to switch to a board with ALi?[/url]

Last edited by Anonymous Coward on 2009-09-22, 16:44. Edited 1 time in total.

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Reply 1 of 25, by keropi

Posted on 2009-09-22, 06:39

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wow, what a nice 386 board! 😀
I would bet it is faster than what you are using currently 😀
Congrats on thinking to remove the onboard cpu , 😁 and what is the deal with this SXL-40 cpu? 😈

Reply 2 of 25, by Amigaz

Posted on 2009-09-22, 06:53

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hmm..picture link is dead here

My retro computer stuff: https://lychee.jjserver.net/#16136303902327

Reply 3 of 25, by keropi

Posted on 2009-09-22, 07:19

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amigo, just copy this into a new window/tab , it will work 😀

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CzHY0sEvu6A/Roc5Q7DOabI … 3U/IMG_0447.JPG

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Reply 4 of 25, by Amigaz

Posted on 2009-09-22, 07:23

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keropi wrote:
amigo, just copy this into a new window/tab , it will work 😀

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CzHY0sEvu6A/Roc5Q7DOabI … 3U/IMG_0447.JPG

that link is dead too....hmmmm

My retro computer stuff: https://lychee.jjserver.net/#16136303902327

Reply 5 of 25, by retro games 100

Posted on 2009-09-22, 07:25

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Amigaz wrote:
keropi wrote:
amigo, just copy this into a new window/tab , it will work 😀

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CzHY0sEvu6A/Roc5Q7DOabI … 3U/IMG_0447.JPG

that link is dead too....hmmmm

Keep trying - it seems to work...eventually!

Reply 6 of 25, by keropi

Posted on 2009-09-22, 07:25

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OK, I uploaded it 😁

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Reply 7 of 25, by Amigaz

Posted on 2009-09-22, 07:49

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keropi wrote:
OK, I uploaded it :D […]
Show full quote
OK, I uploaded it 😁

Looks like it's a winner.

Reminds me of my 128k cache 386DX 40 mobo but this one shrunk in the laundry 😁

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Reply 8 of 25, by GL1zdA

Posted on 2009-09-22, 08:25

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I have one of this AMD 386/40 + 486 boards, but never tried to boot it. Mine has even VLB slots. Here's the old topic: Hybrid 386/486 motherboard? with some benchmark scores.

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Reply 9 of 25, by Anonymous Coward

Posted on 2009-09-22, 16:29

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ASI%20Ultimate%20386%20Motherboard.jpg

You mean this one? This is the board I am currently using in my 386. The performance between the ALi and OPTi boards seems to be about the same as far as I can tell.

TI486SXL is a good chip. It's essentially a 486DLC with 8kb cache rather than 1kb. It makes a big difference too.

"Will the highways on the internets become more few?" -Gee Dubya
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Reply 10 of 25, by keropi

Posted on 2009-09-22, 22:26

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oooohhh sweet cpu u have there 😀

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Reply 11 of 25, by Davros

Posted on 2009-09-22, 22:35

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what do you mean disable the onboard cpu ?
so you can use an external one ?????

ps: the other socket would be for a 387 iirc

Reply 12 of 25, by Anonymous Coward

Posted on 2009-09-22, 22:54

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The board came with a surface mounted am386DXL-40. You can see it there in the photo if you look for it.

Picture%20050.jpg

"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 13 of 25, by Davros

Posted on 2009-09-23, 18:38

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you mean remove, theres never been a bios with a disable cpu option

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Reply 14 of 25, by Anonymous Coward

Posted on 2009-09-23, 19:18

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No, but sometimes motherboards have jumpers that allow you to disable the onboard CPU. This one unfortunately did not.

"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 15 of 25, by Anonymous Coward

Posted on 2009-09-24, 01:48

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For anyone interested, for now I'm sticking with the hybrid board and blue lightning module. I've heard that the FOREX boards are pretty good and I'm considering going that route. Any input on that one?

Picture%20056.jpg

"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 25, by Anonymous Coward

Posted on 2009-09-24, 04:22

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I just bought this board:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem … em=120469018153

It appears to be this one:

http://artofhacking.com/th99/m/S-T/30089.htm

The features look nice. Supports up to 64mb. Don't know much about ETEQ chipset though. Soyo boards were generally decent...

I don't know a whole lot about ETEQ, but I have read from a couple of sources that they are pretty fast and compatible. I think at least they shouldn't be much slower than FOREX, which is reportedly just a clone of an OPTi chipset.

"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 17 of 25, by fry35

Posted on 2019-11-30, 11:00

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I have just bought the first board on this post. I need the bios image to program a new eprom as the one provided is not the good one.

Anonymous Coward, can you dump the BIOS and share the image?

Thanks!

Reply 18 of 25, by PCBONEZ

Posted on 2019-11-30, 11:19

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To my understanding ETEQ is just a relabeled VIA.
I suspect (as in wild guess) it was an marketing thing and OEMs (at least some) got the ETEQ labeled chips.

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Reply 19 of 25, by Anonymous Coward

Posted on 2019-11-30, 12:50

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Sorry, I sold this board off shortly after making the first post. I don't think I dumped the ROM before I sold it.

Is ETEQ really VIA? Do you have any information you can show me to prove that? I Sold the ETEQ board shortly after I sold the ALi 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

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