[RESOLVED] Ability Mainboard (MB-586 TXA) Bios update ?

[moekel]

Can anyone help me with my 'Ability El Pina' mainboard. It has a MB 586 TXA 1 chipset.
I wanted to install a RIVA TNT 2 M64 Cart on it, but when I do so, Windows doesn't start up any more. I thought that probably it was a problem of a old mainboard driver version.
So I need a driver update for this board, but the official site of Ability doesn't exist any more.
With the detection program from AMI I found out already:

An AMIBIOS ID String Was Detected:
51-0201-001437-00111111-071595-M1531/43
-- ---- ------ ------
| | | |
| | | Chipset/BIOS Info
| | Manufacturer ID
| Version Information
Processor & BIOS ROM Information

Manufacturer Code Detected: 1437 - PC CHIPS

If anyone knows how to handle this problem, please send me a mail!

Daniel.

[Ruslan]

Ability=ElPina=PCChips mainboard. So,You can get latest drivers and BIOS update from different PCsites.
One of them is www.pcwave.com . Check out that site. But ... once I tried to install similar videocard with no great success. it's may be interesting, but seemed to be similar videocards (with same videochip,but from different manufacturers,some - works,some-no). Probably all depends on compatibility with motherboard's BIOS...

[Silverman]

PCCHIPS 586MR or 586LMR. The MR version has modem riser LMR has LAN+modem riser, Be careful and know which version you have before flashing bios.

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DOS isn't dead it just smells funny

[moekel]

Thanks, but how do i know wich kind of chipset i have? MR or LMR ???

[dlagace]

<font face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Geneva" size="2">Originally posted by moekel:
Thanks, but how do i know wich kind of chipset i have? MR or LMR ???</font>

Should be written on the board somewhere.

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"What works for One person May not work for Another"
God Is My Judge dLagace=DANIMAL

[Silverman]

PCCHIPS likes to put REV. Numbers and I.D next to the keyboard connector. But I have also seen them near the 1st ISA slot.

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DOS isn't dead it just smells funny

[Ruslan]

Very good point,Silverman! I just wanted to say the same things...

To be sure on 100% - download hardware info utility from www.hwinfo.com (neverending "thanks" to Condor for that link )

[moekel]

There 's only one problem, i can't reach the site of hwinfo. Maybe their server is down ??
If anyone of you has the program, downloadable at hwinfo, please send it to me by email.

On pcchips's site, there are 4 different versions of a bios for 586 chips, a 586 only version, a 586 MR, a 586 LMR and a 586 LR version. I founded on the motherboard bios sticker from AMI with the text 'AMI BIOS, version xxxxx, <u>586</u> copyright 1995'

So i guess that i have the 'plain' 586 bios. Is that right ?

[This message has been edited by moekel (edited October 07, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by moekel (edited October 07, 2001).]

[orange]

The HWINFO site is running ok, i'm downloading the prog as i type this. If you still can't get it then email me and i'll mail it back to you.

You can tell if you have the LR,MR or LMR model of motherboard by looking for the modem and LAN connections on the board itself. The modem riser connection is normally 16 pins in a double row of 8 each and may well be marked DAA1 rather than modem. The LAN connection is 10 pins in a double row of 5 each and is usually marked LAN1. They are positioned towards the rear of the board, about halfway between the battery and keyboard connector. You may also see some jumpers that allow for disabling LAN/Audio. You may see markings on the board for DAA1 and LAN1 but no pins to connect too...this means you do not have a LR/MR/LMR board, its just that PC-Chips use the same board template for each model, they just equip each board as necessary depending on its model designation.

If you go to the www.pcwave.com site you can see a pic of your motherboard, check and see if its the same. Also, i notice that the 586LMR has built in AGP graphics - are you disabling the on-board AGP controller and switching to 'Init-PCI-first' in the BIOS settings...this could be your actual problem.

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orange
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[This message has been edited by orange (edited October 07, 2001).]

[moekel]

I carefully inspected my board, but I didn't found any 16 pins, or 10 pins connectors. What I saw, was a 17 pin (9 and 8 pins each row) connector wich is called J3 between PCI 2 and PCI 3 at the back of the board. Then there was also a 23 pin (12 and 11 pins each row) connector (J4) behind the PCI 4 slot.
In the motherboard manual, they say that J3 is a ATX Form Card Connector (for 2 USB, 1 PS/2 Mouse connector and 1 IR-Connector)
J4 is called 'Sound and Game' and is powered by the Sound Pro chip on the board.

Then I can tell you that I have a modem cart in a ISA slot, so maybe I won't have a modem riser. Then I also can tell you that I don't have a AGP slot, so I won't have a LMR board.

So far so good, let's finnish this job!

[Silverman]

Sounds like a plain M586. All 586 versions have onboard video=no AGP slot.

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DOS isn't dead it just smells funny

[This message has been edited by Silverman (edited October 08, 2001).]

[moekel]

sure ?
(Otherwise I will have big problems ???)

[Ruslan]

Did You try hwinfo utility?
CTBIOS utility?

[Silverman]

Without LAN or Modem RISER it would be a plain M586, But just to make double sure take Ruslan's advice and download HWINFO and CTBIOS, Which includes CTPCI which tells you all hardware on PCI, this would include sound, modem or LAN imbedded on board.

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DOS isn't dead it just smells funny

[Ruslan]

<font face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Geneva" size="2">Originally posted by Silverman:
PCCHIPS likes to put REV. Numbers and I.D next to the keyboard connector. But I have also seen them near the 1st ISA slot.

</font>

Did You check Silverman's suggestion?
Many of PCChips motherboards really have printed on PCB exact model number located near keyboard connector (in right top corner)... All You need is simply read that model number.