BIOS Updates forum

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

Your L1 timings may be too aggressive... Try using more conservative settings in BIOS.

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.

Reseat cards and RAM, try running MEMTEST to check for memory errors and try another video card and RAM if you can.

If all this fails, sounds like the board is failing to me, which to be honest is what I suspect anyway.

Just out of curiosity, do you have an old Intel CPU you can try in the board to see what happens?

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.