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Unknown Motherboard Manufacturer Name HELP Updating BIOS

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 5:07 am
by M325i
Hi,
I'm trying to update my BIOS, i have the BIOS ID, i copied it exactly as it was displayed when the computer boots up. The BIOS ID is as follow:

Award Software BIOS v4.51PG
07/28/2000-693-596-W977-2A6LGXJ9C-00
Energy Star Ally
VIA chipset VT82C693A


I cannot find any information about who made this motherboard, (name of manufacturer) I searched on this site (and many others) and came very close to finding the manufactuer's name but there is no motherboard company name that starts from "XJ". I don't know what else to do so i've come to the pro's, please help me because my BIOS desperately needs updating, it's almost 11 years old.

I also search on Google and found that some other people have experienced the same problem and cannot find the motherboard's name or manufacture even the people who have the manual for the board. (i do not have the manual) They say that all the other info is stated in the manual but no manufacture name. I'm starting to think that it's a fake, knockoff or cloned motherboard if there is such a thing, because i can't find the name anywhere and I've been trying for about a week now.

Re: Unknown Motherboard Manufacturer Name HELP Updating BIOS

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 9:14 am
by edwin
The board itself too is almost 11 years old and manufacturers in general will stop supporting old hardware when no new processors are released for a socket (socket 370 in your case). All I can find so far is the brand name might be "Amaze" -> generic, usually points to small chinese manufacturer - most likely dead by now - and the model is 693AW-370. Your board might be marked AB-693VS(A) can you please check for that? I'm not finding any info on that so far, but it might lead to another manufacturer or brand name, you never know who resold this stuff and kept bios updates. Don't expect too much though, this is an unknown manufacturer, most hits are about other people searching for info...

Re: Unknown Motherboard Manufacturer Name HELP Updating BIOS

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 9:56 pm
by M325i
I tried looking for "AB-693VS(A)" on the motherboard but found nothing, should i be looking somewhere specific? I also looked up Amaze but didn't find too much on that either. I do believe that it is a small Chinese manufacture that made the board and they're probably no longer in business as well. It's just weird to me that there's no software i can use to find the board name.

I'm going to keep digging around and see what i can find, thanks for the help edwin i appreciate.

Re: Unknown Motherboard Manufacturer Name HELP Updating BIOS

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 10:03 pm
by edwin
OK, is there any other markings with 693 in it? Anything might be useful in this case. Can you somehow publish a picture somewhere and post the link or send it to my elhvb@hotmail(dot)com email address?

Re: Unknown Motherboard Manufacturer Name HELP Updating BIOS

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 5:13 am
by M325i
I will take a picture and send it to you as soon as i can, as for any other marking i don't see much but i will examine the board when taking the picture. For now i see that it does have a lot of chips, a few of them with the marking CET, Winbond, AIC. It has two rams slots, (SD RAM) one AGP slot and four PCI slots. It is a brownish yellowish color other than that i can see much, it looks like very simple board.

Re: Unknown Motherboard Manufacturer Name HELP Updating BIOS

Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 11:15 pm
by Denniss
A google search came up with a more complete set of Bios strings:
BIOS ID : 2A6LGXJ9C-00
BIOS TYPE : AWARD SOFTWARE INC.
BIOS DATE : 07/28/2000
CHIPSET ID : 693-596-W977
OEM INFO : 693AW-370 VER:A.6 ROM - NOT FOR SALE

We also have another thread here about this board, the only suggestion was it might have been a rebranded Superpower board.
http://www.wimsbios.com/forum/topic2797.html

Re: Unknown Motherboard Manufacturer Name HELP Updating BIOS

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:50 am
by M325i
That is the thread i read before posting and i got quit close to finding my board name and manufacture info but came to dead end. So you think it is a re branded SuperPower? (Dennis) Well thank you for your suggestion i will look into it. Every thing leads back to the name SuperPower so it must be an important clue lol. I will look into SuperPower.

Re: Unknown Motherboard Manufacturer Name HELP Updating BIOS

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:12 am
by edwin
Actually SuperPower was rebranding less-known manufacturer boards. Can you provide us with a picture of this board and a copy of your current bios?

Re: Unknown Motherboard Manufacturer Name HELP Updating BIOS

Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 8:30 am
by admin
It's an Agama motherboard according to eSupport: http://www.wimsbios.com/biosupdates/agama.jsp
The BIOS Version eSupport is selling is the same as your version as far as I can see

Re: Unknown Motherboard Manufacturer Name HELP Updating BIOS

Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 4:30 pm
by edwin
The SuperPower alter ego is 7XZA ver. B3