Looking for drivers for Prisma EGAMAX 860 \ VOGONS

Looking for drivers for Prisma EGAMAX 860

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First post, by Deksor

Posted on 2017-11-15, 21:29

Deksor Offline

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Hi folks !

My 286 came with a Prisma EGAMAX video card and I discovered that it had several interesting features. I also have its manual explaining how to use that card. But unfortunately, I don't have the most important thing : the floppy disk.

Does anybody knows where I could find it ? the specific program I'm looking for is called "860EGA.EXE" by the way.

I know that this guy on ebay https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Prisma-EGAMAX-860-256 … XcAAOSw9ZNZjI2k has this disk, but I asked him if he could dump it for me but he doesn't want to open the factory sealed paper retaining the floppy disk. That's fair, but I won't pay the same amount I paid to get the whole computer + monitor and manuals just to get the exact same card I've got to finally have the drivers I want ...

Can anybody help me ?

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Reply 1 of 8, by Jo22

Posted on 2017-11-16, 04:07

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Hi, that's what I found so far -

The card seems to be based around the "GN006001 B" chip by Genoa.
http://www.vgamuseum.info/index.php/news/item … enoa-gn006001-b

And that's how the utility disk supposed to look like:
http://bbelmix.is-best.net/kod/SW-EGAMAX-UTIL?i=1

Some Genoa drivers are available there, though they are for VGA probably:
ftp://ftp.mpoli.fi/hardware/DISPLAY/GENOA/

Also, Genoa Systems had a website at http://genoasys.com :

https://web.archive.org/web/19961015000000*/h … //genoasys.com/

I'm afraid that's all I can find so far, sorry. 🙁

EGA really had it's prime in the 80s, before the usual FTP servers appeared.

Maybe some old shareware disks include a copy of Genoa's BBS archive.
Some of them are archived at archive.org.

Edit: User jheronimus had got a Prisma EGAMAX 860, too..
286 EGA build mk2

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 2 of 8, by Deksor

Posted on 2017-11-16, 13:12

Deksor Offline

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Thanks !

By looking at the website hosting the photo of the floppy disk, they seem to sell it for 1€ ! If I manage to buy it (I don't speak slovak unfortunately, understanding how that site works is hard 🤣) I'll dump it right away.

If there are slovak people here, would you like to help me ? 😀

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

Reply 3 of 8, by keropi

Posted on 2018-01-20, 15:45

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I am attaching in this post the full set of driver disks for the card - 4x360kb floppies in both IMG and plain files format 😊

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Reply 4 of 8, by Deksor

Posted on 2018-01-20, 17:04

Deksor Offline

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Oh, thank you very much !! I'll try them very soon.

If I had a scanner, I could also scan the manual of the card, but at the moment I don't 🙁

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

Reply 5 of 8, by keropi

Posted on 2018-01-20, 17:36

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I guess the only real info in it is the jumper settings...

Reply 6 of 8, by Deksor

Posted on 2018-01-20, 18:30

Deksor Offline

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Just tested : the 860EGA.exe program works like a charm, just look at this !

The attachment IMG_20180120_191608.jpg is no longer available

The attachment IMG_20180120_190840.jpg is no longer available

HD EGA x) (sorry for the blurry pictures, it's night and the CRT has some issues at the moment)

Edit : according to my manual, the card can even emulate some VGA modes ! 😮

It's not documented in the program, but you can still use the modes' codes and that seems to work properly.

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

Reply 7 of 8, by Deksor

Posted on 2019-01-03, 00:55

Deksor Offline

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So I managed to order the disks @Jo22 has found, they match what my manual refers to, and it brings some other stuff in it. If you want them, you can download it from here : http://www.win3x.org/win3board/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=25830

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

Reply 8 of 8, by Tothg86

Posted on 2026-02-12, 19:13

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Hello gentlemen

Might be hopeless, since this topic is so old.

I have an EGAMAX 860, with a dead BIOS. Can someone who might have this card, dump the BIOS for me?

Regards
Gabor

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