486 VLB system won't function with Cache, VLB, and DX2. \ VOGONS

486 VLB system won't function with Cache, VLB, and DX2.

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First post, by SRQ

Posted on 2016-11-20, 01:33

SRQ Offline

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Man this thing is weird.
The cache seems fine- it works with an SX. The VLB card seems fine, it also works with an SX. The DX2 seems fine, it works with an ISA video card. All of this on the same board.
But if I try to combine all three- 128KB cache, DX2-66, and VLB, it doesn't work. In fact DX2 + Cache + ISA card is unusble too. The problem is the same- sporadic crashes, often with DOS4GW mentioning a memory error or himem halting.

If I set the DX2 to 25 FSB it works though, but is slow. I simply don't understand. I have all the elements, they seem to work seperate, why don't they work together? The board is a "winpro 486e" but I can't find much info online. Those I find point to a different board. There are settings printed on the board that seem working.
Double odd: 64KB cache will not work, 128KB will. I have tried known working cache modules from a working board.

Semi-relatedly. Holy shit fuck these modules I've broken 3 so far.

Reply 1 of 3, by clueless1

Posted on 2016-11-20, 02:20

clueless1 Offline

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Are there any BIOS settings that control cache or RAM speed? If so, maybe try lowering them for stability.
Example, here is my 486 BIOS:

The attachment bios3.jpg is no longer available

When Auto Config Function is enabled, it runs RAM at BIOS defaults. Disabled then the timings below it come into play. The two Cache options (Write Cycle and Burst Read) control L2 timings.

The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.
OPL3 FM vs. Roland MT-32 vs. General MIDI DOS Game Comparison
Let's benchmark our systems with cache disabled
DOS PCI Graphics Card Benchmarks

Reply 2 of 3, by SRQ

Posted on 2016-11-20, 02:27

SRQ Offline

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This board does not have those, but the other one with similar problems does. From what I recall it did not have those options however.
The second board /appears/ to be a PCchips 601 but it has a different jumper config. Visually it looks the same but some jumpers are missing and some are moved.

VLB card is a Trident 9200, which is really odd to search for. Optima 9200CXR or TVGA9200CXR.
I'll take a pic of the bios options pages from both boards and you can try and help me, but I think this isn't going to work for whatever reason. So weird and frustrating- I have all the parts for what I want, but I can't make a whole.

Reply 3 of 3, by yawetaG

Posted on 2016-11-20, 09:03

yawetaG Offline

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SRQ wrote:
This board does not have those, but the other one with similar problems does. From what I recall it did not have those options however.
The second board /appears/ to be a PCchips 601 but it has a different jumper config. Visually it looks the same but some jumpers are missing and some are moved.

VLB card is a Trident 9200, which is really odd to search for. Optima 9200CXR or TVGA9200CXR.

I've used such a video card in the past together with a Cyrix DX2/80 MHz, worked fine, but it's likely the motherboard was different.

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