Hello,
First time poster here. I am hoping that a Bios patch is available. I have a problem getting this motherboard with Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG, BIOS-Version #401A0-0302-8 to boot up in either Windows 95B or 98SE whenever the CPU Internal Cache (L1) is ENABLED in the Bios Features setup. It halts with a Windows Protection Error even in Safe Mode. I've tried Bios Default settings and innumerable tweaks. It will boot, however, to a Command prompt (real-mode) with L1 enabled. It does boot up in both O/Ses ONLY if L1 is DISABLED but its performance is severely diminished.
The important thing I need to point out is that the cpu is an IDT Winchip 2-3D 233 MHz. It was a Spectra upgrade module from Evergreen Tech that was originally installed about 7yrs ago. At that time I believe I upgraded the bios to #401A0-0202 and had installed a new hdd using a DDO install s/w that came with the Quantum hdd. The installation was successful(Win95B) and I used the pc for quite a while. At some point (my memory of the details and the chronology are sketchy at best) I believe I upgraded to Win98SE(fresh install). I don't remember how it happened but the pc crashed and I was unable to repair or recover the O/S. I think I then did a low-level format (to remove the DDO stuff) and attached the drives to a Promise UDMA controller. From that point I was never again able to boot up with L1 enabled.
I don't suspect any h/w problem with either the onboard ide channels or the add-in promise adapter. I have run numerous tests on the system ram, L1 and L2 cache rams using Cachechk, CTCM, Memmtest, Windows mem diags. etc. -all passed. I've tried enabling L1 by using cachctl, L1_on.exe, and Enable_L1.vxd (which Evergreen Tech sent me along with a warranty replacement of the CPU) in separate attempts- all failed. I also updated the Bios several times.
As of now, the pc is basically used as a lan file server and occasionally for listening to streaming audio music programs. Thanks in advance for any assistance, advice or guidance. If more info is needed about this system I will post everything I have.
-Mike
Program: eSupport.com BIOS Agent Version 3.41
BIOS Date: 12/30/97
BIOS Type: Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG
BIOS ID: 12/30/97-82430FX-PI-5XTP4C
OEM Sign-On: #401A0-0302-8
Chipset: Intel Triton 430FX rev 2
Superio: SMC 665GT rev 2 found at port 3F0h
OS: Win95
CPU: IDT WinChip 2-3D 232 MHz
BIOS ROM In Socket: Unknown
BIOS ROM Size: Unknown
Memory Installed: 64 MB
Memory Maximum: Unknown
Results from cacheck running in MS-Dos mode:
CACHECHK V7 11/23/98 Copyright (c) 1995-98 by Ray Van Tassle. (-h for help)
CMOS reports: conv_mem= 640K, ext_mem= 64,512K, Total RAM= 65,152K
BIOS reports: ext_mem= 64,512K Total mem: 64 MB
"CentaurHauls" Pentium Clocked at 216.3 MHz
Reading from memory.
MegaByte#: --------- Memory Access Block sizes (KB)-----
1 2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256 512 1024 2048 4096 <-- KB
0: 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 4 9 -- -- -- us/KB
1: 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 4 9 9 9 9 us/KB
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 <--- same as above.
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 <--- same as above.
36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 <--- same as above.
53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 <--- same as above.
Extra tests----
Wrt 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12<-Writing
This machine seems to have both L1 and L2 cache. [reading]
L1 cache is 32KB-- 973.1 MB/s 1.1 ns/byte (749%) (393%) 0.9 clks
L2 cache is 256KB-- 247.2 MB/s 4.2 ns/byte (190%) (100%) 3.5 clks
Main memory speed -- 129.9 MB/s 8.1 ns/byte (100%) [reading] 6.7 clks
Effective RAM access time (read ) is 64ns (a RAM bank is 8 bytes wide).
Effective RAM access time (write) is 92ns (a RAM bank is 8 bytes wide).
"CentaurHauls" Pentium Clocked at 216.3 MHz. Cache ENABLED.
Options: -t0 -q
12/30/97-82430FX-PI-5XTP4C, Asus P/I-P55TP4XEG mobo
-
- BIOS Guru
- Posts: 3153
- Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2002 8:16 pm
- Location: Near Hannover (CEBIT) Germany
- Contact:
There's no such thing like L1 timing in Bios, probably a CPU compatibility issue with this Bios.
Mabe try to use Apple rom patcher - www.rom.by - to modify your Bios. Then you need to reflash your bios with this modified file.
Or try to get a Pentium Classic 200 MHz.
Mabe try to use Apple rom patcher - www.rom.by - to modify your Bios. Then you need to reflash your bios with this modified file.
Or try to get a Pentium Classic 200 MHz.
-
- The New Guy
- Posts: 1451
- Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 10:32 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Just out of curiosity, do you have an old Intel CPU you can try in the board to see what happens?
CPU - DFI 586IPVG, K6-2/+ 450 (Cyrix MII 433), i430VX, 128MB EDO.
BIOS patched by BiosMan (Jan Steunebrink).
BIOS patched by BiosMan (Jan Steunebrink).
Thanks for all your responses. I don't have the original P1 100Mhz cpu. Regretably, I sold it several months after the upgrade was installed and running. As far as reseating cards and memory testing, I have had this system disassembled and reassembled a few times. I even touched up the soldering on most of the chipset (on an smd rework station) and have tried different ram configs: 64MB EDO, 128MB FPM, even the original 16MB edo simms. I've run several different ram tests in burn-in mode for days without ever detecting an error.
At this point I don't think I will expend much more time trying to resolve this problem unless I run into a P1 200mhz in a scrap pc somewhere. I've had this system for almost 11 yrs and have gotten more than my moneys' worth using it as a testbed for h/w, programs, various linux distros and lately as a file server. I was just curious to understand how/why a bios setting that disables L1 would be useful for other than troubleshooting purposes. Is there a cpu/mobo chipset combo that actually operates optimally with the cpu's L1 cache disabled? Microsoft doesn't seem to have a thorough way to address a Windows Protection Error other than generally to suggest ram problems or mobo defect.
Thanks again.
At this point I don't think I will expend much more time trying to resolve this problem unless I run into a P1 200mhz in a scrap pc somewhere. I've had this system for almost 11 yrs and have gotten more than my moneys' worth using it as a testbed for h/w, programs, various linux distros and lately as a file server. I was just curious to understand how/why a bios setting that disables L1 would be useful for other than troubleshooting purposes. Is there a cpu/mobo chipset combo that actually operates optimally with the cpu's L1 cache disabled? Microsoft doesn't seem to have a thorough way to address a Windows Protection Error other than generally to suggest ram problems or mobo defect.
Thanks again.