I occasionally receive email from people who have trouble finding the information that they are looking for in the Total Hardware 1999 collection. I can't always be of assistance to them, especially when they've searched the web over and are making a last ditch effort by mailing me. Unfortunately, for these people, I've put anything that I have online and any searching I would do, they could do equally well.
So, here I hope to put descriptions sent to me of hardware about which someone is looking for information. If you have information that may be helpful to these people (maybe a manual or somesuch), email me and I'll put what information you have up here for the original asker - and all others - to see. I will not attach personally identifying information to anything I post here, though. So, if you're afraid of mailing me, thinking I'll post your email address or your name or somesuch, be assured that I won't.
So, as the policeman says in the best movie of all time, here we go...
Help: 11/29/03 I recently received mail from someone looking for help about a motherboard. Here's the mail:
Subject: seeking information on AUVA mobo
Message:
I'm looking for information about an very old mainboard that is not described in the TH99 collection. I hope to get a hint by writing this mail ;-)
The board is equipped with an SiS 85C460ATQ, has 7 16bit ISA slots, two of them useable as VESA local bus slots. Further there are two banks for 30pin SIMM memory, I also found an AMI BIOS chip. Currently there is a intel 486DX33 CPU on it (no ZIF socket). The only identification is CAM/33/50-SI1. I didn't try to boot it yet. I extensively searched the net, but no success. May be you can help - that would be really great. Thank you meanwhile.
I've replied asking for a scan of the board and suggesting that he try booting the board to get the motherboard ID number. If I can get a scan, I'll post it here in case someone can help this guy out. Maybe he'll read this and be able to send me the ID number if he can get that, too.
Help: 01/14/04 I've since received mail from one person with a suggestion about the above issue:
Subject: seeking information on AUVA mobo - Found some!
Message:
First of all, I'd recommend the site http://www.megasat.ch/totalhardware using this advanced google search: auva site:megasat.ch (Go to www.google.com and type "auva site:megasat.ch" in the search box.
Here's what you'll eventually come up with:
AUVA COMPUTER INC. CAM 25-P9, CAM 33-P9, CAM 33-F
AUVA COMPUTER INC. CAM 25-P9, CAM 33-P9, CAM 33-F
AUVA COMPUTER INC. CAM 25-P9, CAM 33-P9, CAM 33-F
AUVA COMPUTER, INC. 803(4)86 TAM33/40, CPM25/33, CAM33/50
AUVA COMPUTER, INC. CAM 33-U0/CAM 50-U0
AUVA COMPUTER, INC. CAM33-P2/CPM20-P0/CPM25-P0
AUVA COMPUTER, INC. TAM33-P8/TAM40-P8/CPM25-P8/CPM33-P8
Most of the systems seem to be OPTI chipset based.
From the descriptions and diagrams, he should be able to figure out what he's got.
Other things to try: He could might also try the SIS site - they have a listing of which manufacturers produce systems based on "X" chipset. Most common (today) are PCCHIPS, ASUS, & TYAN I also found a picture of the chip at: http://www.plasma-online.de/bilder/identify/chips/sis/sis_85c460.jpg and http://www.plasma-online.de/index.html?content=http%3A//www.plasma-online.com/english/identify/picture/sis.html
I'd also suggest the Eyo Tech Forum If they can't figure it out - no one can. They're especially good at SIS stuff.
I've copy-pasted the email above as I received it. The only link that might confuse you is the Eyo Tech Forum link. I think he meant this forum in particular.
Hopefully the original mailer will find this to be helpful. Many thanks to the helper for the well-written email, too!
I also received another well-written email, this one asking for help. It was from an unusual source, too -- an aol.com address! I kid you not. A well-written email from an aol.com address. Thanks to the person who wrote me the following mail for shattering many of my preconceptions about mail from aol.com.
Subject: seeking information on AUVA mobo - Found some!
Message:
Thank you very much for the wonderful website that you are hosting. I was looking for a motherboard manual for DTK PKM-3363Y motherboard. Infact this is a Commodore 486 dx 33 computer which is my first ever computer. It was working without any problem until recently when the CMOS battery started running low. Now everytime the computer boots up, I have to manually enter the CMOS settings (it is still working !!!).
The problem is I can't locate the CMOS battery to replace it. I found the same motherboard manual in your website. However the diagram differs a bit from mine and it does not show where the CMOS battery is. I think the battery is a non-replaceble one which is Twinhead branded ( this is the nearest thing to the CMOS chip on the motherboard).
I know that this type of motherboards have an external battery terminal somewhere in the motherboard. But your manual does not show anything like that.
Are you able to help me? I infact wrote to DTK itself. They say that they do not have the motherboard manual for this board.
So, I've mailed the guy asking for a scan of the board. If I can get that, maybe I (or others) can be of more assistance. However, if someone else out there has a PC like this and can help this guy find the place to put the battery, let me know and I'll get your info out.
And lastly, I received an email about making a cable for a TV card. The English isn't as good, but I'll forgive him as he's not a native speaker (and there are natives that could do worse). I'm not sure that I can be of any assistance, though. Here's the relevant part of the mail:
Subject: help-meI need a cable squematic for pca20tv, philips (In your site is number 51765-1.png) I need make one for my use, but I don't know connections for contruct it
I'm not sure for which connector he needs the schematic, but I'm posting this anyway. I've replied asking for clarification about which one it is he's looking for.
If there are any updates, I'll post them here...eventually :-|.
Help: 06/27/04 A while ago, I received an email about what seems to be a "Eurone EM-5800V+ V5.2a" motherboard. The person has found some jumper settings. I'm not 100% sure what this person is looking for, but MAYBE someone else with this board will run across this page. The email follows:
Subject:Jumper settings (not in your list)
Message:
Y have the Eurone EM-5800V+ V5.2a (y have find that with de Bios number on google) but y haven't the jumpers settings for there Mainboard and y can't find that on internet :-( .
They mainboard does not in your list and y want to know the jumpers settings because the PC have a problem with the acess to the SDRAM and y haven't EDO memory (I thing that is the problem: the error message delivery by windows is: "Unstable storage area XSM" or Bad registery :-D lol)...
Y have check the board and y have find these jumpers:
JP1 (1-2) 1-2-3
JP6 (D) A-B-C-D
P54C JP9 P55C (1-2 and 1-2) 1-2-3;1-2-3
JP4 (12v) 12v-5v
JP5 A (1-2) 1-2-3
JP5 B (2-3) 1-2-3
PS1 (for a connector PS/2??? (7 conductor)
IR (for IR transmition?? (4 conductor)
JP3 A (1-2) 1-2-3
JP3 B (2-3) 1-2-3
JP3 C (1-2) 1-2-3
JP3 D (2-3) 1-2-3
JP2 A (2-3) 1-2-3
JP2 B (2-3) 1-2-3
I have repaired this inscription on the board:
JP3 A B C
50M 2-3 2-3 2-3
55M 1-2 2-3 2-3
60M 2-3 2-3 1-2
66M 2-3 1-2 2-3
75M 1-2 2-3 1-2
83M 1-2 1-2 2-3
JP3 D PCICLK
1-2 CPU CL4/2
2-3 33M
The CPU on board is a pentium 200MMX and ther is sucessfuly recognized by the Bios :-), the SDRam133Mhz is recognized with a 64Mb in stead of 256Mb (it's beacause the mainboard can't use the 133 in the maximum? The max is 33 or 66..) , and my Graphic Card is a trident 8900CL-C on an ISA port.
Can you help-me to recongnize the good jumper settings?
I also received email looking for help on a board from Alloy Computer products. The mail follows.
Subject:Alloy Computer Products
Message:
I have a board that I pulled from an old IBM AT that still worked. I was wondering if you could hep' me id this thing. It is a Alloy Computer Products ISA bd, PC-Slave s/n-54741, 101612-21 REV.E1. The bd was made in 1984 101612-04 REV.d . THatis all the info off the bd. If you can help me id the bd I would be very thankful.
If he wasn't able to find the information on my site or one if its mirrors, I know I'm not going to be of much more help. Maybe you can be, though.
If you think you can help either of the two above who mailed me, send me an email and I'll post your help here for them and everyone else to see.
Thanks!
