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ID motherboard for 03/15/1999-i440ZX-W977EF-2A69KPWBC

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:58 am
by kali
I have not been able to ID my motherboard for a BIOS update. Reason for wanting an update as my Kingston 256 MB RAM is only recognized for half of it.. hoping an upgrade to the BIOS will fix the issue

BIOS Date: 03/15/99
BIOS Type: Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG
BIOS ID: 03/15/1999-i440ZX-W977EF-2A69KPWBC
OEM Sign-On: None
Chipset: Intel 440BX/ZX rev 3
Superio: Unknown
OS: WinXP SP1
CPU: Pentium III 450 Mhz MAX: 400 Mhz
BIOS ROM In Socket: Yes
BIOS ROM Size: 256K

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 4:37 am
by Toby B
Protac MX320/322:

patched bios for upto 128GB hard drives:
http://wims.rainbow-software.org/rainbo ... 20_322.zip

Don't know about the RAM limitation though.

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 5:27 pm
by th
Hi

How many chips per side are on your memory modules?

IIRC 256 MByte modules do need 16chips (16x8 organized).

Bye
Thomas

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:51 pm
by AlwaysIcey
Just out of curiousity, what brand of computer is it?

I have a Gateway Essentials 433c that uses a "Freeman Motherboard" with the same or similar bios (440BX/ZX).

What Gateway told me is that you need double sided 16 x 64 memory sticks (256MB) the max is 512 MB. They have to be either PC66 or PC100 that can downgrade to 66. Also, if you check sites that have 'memory configurators', it will only report that your board can accept 256MB Max.

However, I was going to post a question about the "VX" FAQ question/answer. I wondered if that works for the BX or ZX chipsets also. Because I've found some 32 x 8 that are double sided (16 chips). So, I would assume that they will work, even though the manufacturer doesn't agree.

Hope this helps, and hopefully someone can confirm/deny what I posted also.
Patrick

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:10 pm
by Denniss

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 12:24 am
by AlwaysIcey
Ok not to argue, but two things..
First of all, in one spot on that site, it says that the 440zx will take 512mb RAM.. However, further down, it says 256MB RAM Max.

Also, Gateway gave me a link to the datasheet information that they have on their support site, which says 512MB RAM.. It requires 16x4 Double sided 256MB sticks. However, no one that I've found (except Gateway for $180.00 and a local shop for $120.00) carry them.

I was hoping that either the rule posted in the FAQ would work (the 32 x 8 being divisible into 16) so I could purchase that memory, or that someone would have a link to some 16 x 4 memory that is fairly cheap. (Or some PC-133 or PC-100 that will downclock to PC-66).

Right now, I have a PC-133 128MB stick and a PC-100 or 133 64MB stick in my computer, and it runs fine.. I just want to max it out, since it's a test computer, and currently it's running XP Pro.

Thanks for your information though.. I can refer to it next time someone says "There's no way that the Gateway will take more than 256MB".
Patrick.

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 11:08 am
by Denniss
256MB max per DIMM Slot - 512MB Max overall

Re: ID motherboard for 03/15/1999-i440ZX-W977EF-2A69KPWBC

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2022 3:58 pm
by edwin
This is the 440ZX chipset version of the PCChips M761 V3.x

Of that I am pretty sure.