CPU at 66Mhz - I think I'm hosed

[pc]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

I've a VA503+ 1.2a that I just got running on XP Pro clean install with
bios J4333.

It's been running just dandy in W2K for a couple of years with a
K6-3+450 overclocked quite nicely to 550MHz.

I wasn't happy with the DMA performance, so I elected to flash to J439,
the last official release.

When the system comes up it notes "CPU at 66MHz", finds all the memory,
finds the AWARD bios message "v1.0a", and just sits there.

I took the battery out for a few minutes. Now it says "CPU at 16 MHz".

Golly gee. Am I hosed here? Perhaps if I wait all night it will get
to the part where it will boot from a: and I can flash to J438...

pc

 

[pc]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

Robert Akins wrote:
> The reason you got that response after flashing to JE439 is because
the
> official BIOS versions don't support the K6-2+ and K6-III+ CPUs!
Only the
> JE4330-JE4333 BIOSs support the mobile CPUs. You're not going to be
happy
> with the DMA (as in UDMA- IDE?) performance as long as you're using
the
> onboard VIA IDE controller, because it just isn't very speedy.
Flashing the
> BIOS to a different version isn't going to change that, or anything
else
> that's a function of the chipset.
> Robert
> "pc" <pc_whocares@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1111565915.392333.265310@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...

<SNIP SNIP SNIP>

Well, at least that mystery is solved! I was trying to figure how I
ended up with that JE4333 bios!

So, what happens if I put my old K6-2 350 in? Think it'll boot? I
shall give it a try!

Thanks.

pc

 

[pc]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

Yep. That worked. I put a K6-2/350 in, and voila!

Sure glad YOUR lights were on. I didn't make notes about K6x+ bios
support because I figured I'd never be flashing the bios again. That
was several years ago.

Thanks again for the pointer. You've saved a nice, tidy little system.

pc

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

The reason you got that response after flashing to JE439 is because the
official BIOS versions don't support the K6-2+ and K6-III+ CPUs! Only the
JE4330-JE4333 BIOSs support the mobile CPUs. You're not going to be happy
with the DMA (as in UDMA- IDE?) performance as long as you're using the
onboard VIA IDE controller, because it just isn't very speedy. Flashing the
BIOS to a different version isn't going to change that, or anything else
that's a function of the chipset.
Robert
"pc" <pc_whocares@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1111565915.392333.265310@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I've a VA503+ 1.2a that I just got running on XP Pro clean install with
> bios J4333.
>
> It's been running just dandy in W2K for a couple of years with a
> K6-3+450 overclocked quite nicely to 550MHz.
>
> I wasn't happy with the DMA performance, so I elected to flash to J439,
> the last official release.
>
> When the system comes up it notes "CPU at 66MHz", finds all the memory,
> finds the AWARD bios message "v1.0a", and just sits there.
>
> I took the battery out for a few minutes. Now it says "CPU at 16 MHz".
>
> Golly gee. Am I hosed here? Perhaps if I wait all night it will get
> to the part where it will boot from a: and I can flash to J438...
>
> pc
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

Glad you had a spare CPU. No problem, happy to help.
Robert
"pc" <pc_whocares@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1111653908.385770.314980@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> Yep. That worked. I put a K6-2/350 in, and voila!
>
> Sure glad YOUR lights were on. I didn't make notes about K6x+ bios
> support because I figured I'd never be flashing the bios again. That
> was several years ago.
>
> Thanks again for the pointer. You've saved a nice, tidy little system.
>
> pc
>

 

[pc]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

Robert Akins wrote:
> Glad you had a spare CPU. No problem, happy to help.
> Robert

<SNIP>

BTW, as soon as I got it running with the K6-2/350, I flashed it back
to JE4333 and put the K6-3+/450 back in OCd to 550 MHz.

I ordered a Silicon Graphics based AT133 board for the HDD.

Tanks again.

pc

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

You're quite welcome.
Robert
"pc" <pc_whocares@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1111990104.353386.251720@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>
> Robert Akins wrote:
>> Glad you had a spare CPU. No problem, happy to help.
>> Robert
>
> <SNIP>
>
> BTW, as soon as I got it running with the K6-2/350, I flashed it back
> to JE4333 and put the K6-3+/450 back in OCd to 550 MHz.
>
> I ordered a Silicon Graphics based AT133 board for the HDD.
>
> Tanks again.
>
> pc
>

 

[pc]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

Man, I put a Syba Ultra ATA 133 IDE RAID Controller Card in, and the
disc performance increased by 50%. It has the Silicon Image 680 chip
and a non-flashable BIOS.

It cost less than $14 delivered. It's a raid, but will also support
stand HDD config plus CD and DVD.

What a deal!

The VA503+ 1.2 has a 1 MB cache. Add the two levels of cache from the
K6-3+ and it's difficult to believe this is a PII class machine when it
is clocked at 550 MHz.

I just love this old dog.


pc wrote:
> Robert Akins wrote:
> > Glad you had a spare CPU. No problem, happy to help.
> > Robert
>
> <SNIP>
>
> BTW, as soon as I got it running with the K6-2/350, I flashed it back
> to JE4333 and put the K6-3+/450 back in OCd to 550 MHz.
>
> I ordered a Silicon Graphics based AT133 board for the HDD.
>
> Tanks again.
>
> pc

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

Yeah, that Silicon Image 680 is a pretty sweet ATA133 chip, especially
for the price! We have one of them at work.

I know what you mean about the computer running better than PII class.
That extra layer of cache does make a difference. Glad things are going
well with your machine.

--Alex



pc wrote:
> Man, I put a Syba Ultra ATA 133 IDE RAID Controller Card in, and the
> disc performance increased by 50%. It has the Silicon Image 680 chip
> and a non-flashable BIOS.
>
> It cost less than $14 delivered. It's a raid, but will also support
> stand HDD config plus CD and DVD.
>
> What a deal!
>
> The VA503+ 1.2 has a 1 MB cache. Add the two levels of cache from the
> K6-3+ and it's difficult to believe this is a PII class machine when it
> is clocked at 550 MHz.
>
> I just love this old dog.
>
>
> pc wrote:
>
>>Robert Akins wrote:
>>
>>>Glad you had a spare CPU. No problem, happy to help.
>>>Robert
>>
>><SNIP>
>>
>>BTW, as soon as I got it running with the K6-2/350, I flashed it back
>>to JE4333 and put the K6-3+/450 back in OCd to 550 MHz.
>>
>>I ordered a Silicon Graphics based AT133 board for the HDD.
>>
>>Tanks again.
>>
>>pc
>
>

 

[student]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

pc wrote:
> Man, I put a Syba Ultra ATA 133 IDE RAID Controller Card in, and the
> disc performance increased by 50%. It has the Silicon Image 680 chip
> and a non-flashable BIOS.
>
> It cost less than $14 delivered. It's a raid, but will also support
> stand HDD config plus CD and DVD.
>
> What a deal!
>
> The VA503+ 1.2 has a 1 MB cache. Add the two levels of cache from the
> K6-3+ and it's difficult to believe this is a PII class machine when it
> is clocked at 550 MHz.
>
> I just love this old dog.
>
>

Do you happen to know if there is a linux driver
for the Ultra ATA 133 IDE RAID Controller Card?

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

Yes, there is Linux support for the Sil0680/0680a chipset. I have
booted to a Knoppix 3.6 CD, and the the controller was recognized
immediately, with no problems. The hard drive attached to it was
recognized as /dev/hde .

From what I have read, support has been built in since the 2.4.18
kernel, so any fairly new distribution of Linux should work right out of
the box. This applies when it is used as a plain IDE controller,
anyway. I do not know its status as a RAID controller. Software RAID
should work, but I do not know about hardware.

Hope this helps.

--Alex



> Do you happen to know if there is a linux driver
> for the Ultra ATA 133 IDE RAID Controller Card?
>
> Thanks.

 

[student]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

Alex Zorrilla wrote:
> Yes, there is Linux support for the Sil0680/0680a chipset. I have
> booted to a Knoppix 3.6 CD, and the the controller was recognized
> immediately, with no problems. The hard drive attached to it was
> recognized as /dev/hde .
>
> From what I have read, support has been built in since the 2.4.18
> kernel, so any fairly new distribution of Linux should work right out of
> the box. This applies when it is used as a plain IDE controller,
> anyway. I do not know its status as a RAID controller. Software RAID
> should work, but I do not know about hardware.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> --Alex

For sure.

I had never heard of the Syba Ultra ATA 133 IDE RAID Controller Card and
it sounds like a really good deal to me.

Thanks for posting the info!

Bill

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

Actually, the Sil680 controller card that I got was made by Koutech and
cost me about $23. The card was fairly simple, though, so the Syba is
probably just as capable. It probably comes down to who happens to be
selling it for a good price. $14 sounds like a steal!

--Alex




student wrote:
> Alex Zorrilla wrote:
>
>> Yes, there is Linux support for the Sil0680/0680a chipset. I have
>> booted to a Knoppix 3.6 CD, and the the controller was recognized
>> immediately, with no problems. The hard drive attached to it was
>> recognized as /dev/hde .
>>
>> From what I have read, support has been built in since the 2.4.18
>> kernel, so any fairly new distribution of Linux should work right out
>> of the box. This applies when it is used as a plain IDE controller,
>> anyway. I do not know its status as a RAID controller. Software RAID
>> should work, but I do not know about hardware.
>>
>> Hope this helps.
>>
>> --Alex
>
>
> For sure.
>
> I had never heard of the Syba Ultra ATA 133 IDE RAID Controller Card and
> it sounds like a really good deal to me.
>
> Thanks for posting the info!
>
> Bill

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.fic (More info?)

Just wanna say how few years ago tried to put some better K6 II+ or
something,
and board sayed CPU at 66 MHz. Now, thats o.k.
I gott'a BIOS from FIC, and guess what? The flash tool couldn't flash my
boards bios. The message from tool is so discouraging, an leads to a
conclusion that this VA 503+ as it is a latest bios
JE(blabla-somethig-latest) , has problems with the official beta bios that
provides suport for K6 + processors. So had to stay at K6 at 500. (Oh boy
stop there, this part could become to wide. There is a long story with
OC-ing of that cpu. Not this time.)

Stay whell!

"pc" <pc_whocares@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1112765132.806673.68470@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Man, I put a Syba Ultra ATA 133 IDE RAID Controller Card in, and the
> disc performance increased by 50%. It has the Silicon Image 680 chip
> and a non-flashable BIOS.
>
> It cost less than $14 delivered. It's a raid, but will also support
> stand HDD config plus CD and DVD.
>
> What a deal!
>
> The VA503+ 1.2 has a 1 MB cache. Add the two levels of cache from the
> K6-3+ and it's difficult to believe this is a PII class machine when it
> is clocked at 550 MHz.
>
> I just love this old dog.
>
>
> pc wrote:
>> Robert Akins wrote:
>> > Glad you had a spare CPU. No problem, happy to help.
>> > Robert
>>
>> <SNIP>
>>
>> BTW, as soon as I got it running with the K6-2/350, I flashed it back
>> to JE4333 and put the K6-3+/450 back in OCd to 550 MHz.
>>
>> I ordered a Silicon Graphics based AT133 board for the HDD.
>>
>> Tanks again.
>>
>> pc
>