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First post, by geralt

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Hello, i was lookin for any information about MB. It have embeeded Amd386DX-40MHz CPU and socket for other 386(?!) and 387. Is it for multi CPU platform or what? What CPU can i install here? Can't find any manual. Number from MB getting no result in google.

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Reply 1 of 15, by dionb

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Can't 100% identify it, but this one is close enough to give you all the relevant jumper settings:
http://www.uncreativelabs.de/th99/m/A-B/30976.htm

Anix MST-310M.

Onboard CPU and CPU socket was actually quite common. Given that the onboard is already a DX-40, the only faster CPU you could use would be a 486DLC (or one of its variants), but no guarantee it will work. The complete lack of CPU type jumpers makes me doubt it - I have a board that does (Dataexpert OPTI-495SX-2VL, which is truly multi-platform as it supports both 386 and 486, and DLC as well) and it has one critical jumper to make the DLC work - I believe it's for cache coherency. If not the socket is completely useless - with a different crystal this DX-40 can run at any other 386 speed anyway. But if you have a 486DLC, by all means give it a try 😀

Reply 2 of 15, by Deunan

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You can't put anything into that 386 socket unless you disable the on-board 386DX first. A PQFP packaged 386 has a pin that will do that, it should be wired to a jumper - why even bother having a socket otherwise. But possibly the socket was just put in anyway and can't be used.
Anyway, I can only see two candidates for that jumper - MPU and maybe W6. Or, if your soldering skills are good enough, you can add a wire and a switch/jumper yourself.

Reply 3 of 15, by dionb

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Deunan wrote on 2020-03-17, 10:42:

You can't put anything into that 386 socket unless you disable the on-board 386DX first. A PQFP packaged 386 has a pin that will do that, it should be wired to a jumper - why even bother having a socket otherwise. But possibly the socket was just put in anyway and can't be used.
Anyway, I can only see two candidates for that jumper - MPU and maybe W6. Or, if your soldering skills are good enough, you can add a wire and a switch/jumper yourself.

See the link I gave. W6 and 7 are for NPU type (387 vs Weitek). None of the jumpers mention CPU type or socket. I agree that it's either the pin or nothing. That said, most boards do effectively use the pin.

Reply 4 of 15, by Deksor

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Hmm I wonder who made that board.

I can't find any infos about this manufacturer using the code "1374" seen in the POST string here www.geocities.ws/alacidehard/BIOS.html

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

Reply 5 of 15, by geralt

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Thanks a lot guys. Unfortunately i don't have 486DLC yet, so i can't check this. I got similar 368DX @40MHz from AMD, so I thought that I could use it 😉

I don't want to solder here now, MB is in very good condition, and don’t want to make any change here.

The only work that i've done is replacing NiCd battery to CR2025. I use old holder form laptop mainboard. Holder fit very well as you see 😀 (ok, about 1mm oversized, but it's nothing).

If asked – old NiCd battery was still in excellent condition (3,6V), with no signs of leaks or sth.

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Reply 6 of 15, by Deunan

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That's just asking for a short of battery + to the case, which is usually at GND level via PSU or mobo screws. Why even bother with battery holder if there is an external battery header?
EDIT: Plus, you put a non-rechargeable battery in place of rechargeable one. That thing will die and/or leak sooner than you think.

Reply 7 of 15, by geralt

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Deunan wrote on 2020-03-17, 23:10:

That's just asking for a short of battery + to the case, which is usually at GND level via PSU or mobo screws. Why even bother with battery holder if there is an external battery header?
EDIT: Plus, you put a non-rechargeable battery in place of rechargeable one. That thing will die and/or leak sooner than you think.

External battery header? Sorry, can't see any pinout for this 🙁

Yep, the batt is non-rechargeable, is the only i got now, new rechergable battery is comming. In photo batt looks to be very close, but there is some space between case,. Anyway thanks, i'll secure it more.

Reply 8 of 15, by Deunan

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geralt wrote on 2020-03-17, 23:39:

External battery header? Sorry, can't see any pinout for this 🙁

See that 4-pin header next to the holder? I'm 99% sure it's for external battery. Not sure what the 3-pin one is for, it'd be best to trace the connections and draw a partial schematic. In general though:
1) one of the side pins on that header should go directly to GND
2) the other end should go to a diode (anode)

Once you determine which is which, connect a non-rechargeable battery (well, rechargeable will work but won't be charged by the PSU) or better yet a pack/holder of 3 or 4 AA/AAA cells. Minus to the GND pin, plus to the other end. That pack will last you years and is easy to move and replace. Wires can be long if it's required to place it in the case.

Reply 9 of 15, by dionb

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W11 is CMOS normal/clear. It should have a jumper on 2-3 for normal.

Agreed that W10 looks a lot like an external battery header. To use the onboard battery pins 2-3 should be shorted - they're not which is probably why nothing bad has happened to the coin cell yet, 1 & 4 are for +3.3V/GND as Deunan says.

Reply 10 of 15, by maxtherabbit

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people and their damn coin cell holders I STG... use the external battery header!

grab a few energizer litihum primary AAs, put em in a battery box, velcro that bitch to the side of the PSU, be a champion

your RTC will run for the rest of eternity without further maintenance

Reply 11 of 15, by geralt

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Nice, but can you explain me why external battery will be better than coin cell? I can easyli remove it too when unused, looks ok (i think lots of people won't recognize is it original or not)? So where is the problem?

Reply 12 of 15, by aha2940

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geralt wrote on 2020-03-18, 19:55:

Nice, but can you explain me why external battery will be better than coin cell? I can easyli remove it too when unused, looks ok (i think lots of people won't recognize is it original or not)? So where is the problem?

I think a couple AA batteries are able to keep the chips running for a lot of years, so you never have to worry about changing batteries again.

Reply 13 of 15, by dionb

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geralt wrote on 2020-03-18, 19:55:

Nice, but can you explain me why external battery will be better than coin cell? I can easyli remove it too when unused, looks ok (i think lots of people won't recognize is it original or not)? So where is the problem?

Physically distancing the battery from the board is always a good idea. Coin cells don't leak as bad as NiCD monsters, but they do leak eventually. A 3x AAA holder somewhere it can't drip onto the motherboard is safer in the long run.

That said, remote batteries in a bad place are as bad as on the motherboard. I've seen old Tulip 286 systems with an AA battery holder - positioned directly above the motherboard's core logic. When the batteries leak, kiss your board goodbye in that case :'(

Main issue with coin cells though is actually voltage. The old batteries were 3.6V, CR-2032 only do 3V. That's frequently not enough to store CMOS settings securely, particularly as most boards expect 4.5V from external batteries. Even 3x 1.2V rechargeable AAA fails in many cases.

Reply 14 of 15, by MaTi

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Just wanted to say hi, as I was searching around for a board I got. Seems to be the exact same thing 😀

Still relatively new, but spending too much time on retro already.. 😀