Cyrix Computer Revival.
Posted 2011/01/15, 06:38 GMT +5

Gaia Online Journal Link:
http://www.gaiaonline.com/j/?mode=view&post_id=32705455

One day, when Dad and I were partially cleaning up the basement, and he called
me regarding the old tech stuff I had in a box. In it were old Toshiba laptop
parts I couldn't repair or reuse, two old portable MP3/CD players for which
their lasers were failing, my favored MSI NX6600GT-VTD128 which died within
four months due to user error, and two Socket 7 motherboards: an old Diamond
Flower P5BV3+ Rev. C AT motherboard [for that reason alone, it had to go], and
an old motherboard, for which model is yet to be known... until today. It was
Cyrix's motherboard, assumed to be dead back in 2004. I sorted the parts I
wanted to keep and which ones to throw away. Cyrix's motherboard was one of
them.

At one point, I was reading a thread about old computers, and that reminded me
of Cyrix. I had typed up some info back in 2003 which had some minor
corrections today. I posted that I could bring it back, but it would not have
the same hardware. I then thought of retrieving the motherboard. From the
trash.

I long since removed the BIOS chip from it a few months earlier, so I put it
back the correct way. I also removed a tacky heatsink from the SiS 5598 chipset
on the board, but I can't find it. icon_gonk.gif I also took every jumper out
of the board. Great move. I insert a Cyrix 6x86 Socket 7 CPU, some RAM, and
attempted to hook up the 7th PC's power supply and its power connectors from
the computer case. It didn't even power up. Searching for the motherboard's
manual was a lot more difficult compared to the A-trend one. Finally, I have
found the model number of Cyrix's motherboard: the M571. I have yet to archive
the site's downloads like I did the A-trend's, though. All I needed to know
was: How do you actually set up an ATX power supply with this old board? The
manual never said how.

Thanks, Internet. After finding out where to put the POWER SW connector [which
is NOT near the other ones], I attempt to power it up again. Okay, nothing. I
get another power supply from the basement and hooked that one up. It
responded, but I had to unplug it. Okay. I actually have to set every jumper
setting and experiment from there. Ran out of jumpers in the process. After
that, the motherboard POSTed! It actually worked! But, I have no VIDEO. Grabbed
a PCI video card. Nothing. Unplugged the onboard video connector. Got video.
Since the keyboard port on the motherboard is very dated (before PS/2 ports
were common), I needed my old gray PS/2 to AT adapter. Forget about finding it
in this house for a while. Experiment with the CPU jumper settings (Old school
overclocking). Nothing.

Became bored and flipped the BIOS chip the other way. Stupid mistake, as a few
seconds after powering it on, I smelled something burning. The BIOS chip heated
up and warped the center of the sticker. Quickly unplugged the computer and let
it cool for a few minutes. I put it back the correct way and experimented some
more. Some point later, a MOSFET started to overheat. Unplugged the computer
again. If caught too late, it will have to be replaced. Then, the board
sparked! Lifted the board to find a burn spot on the case frame! Stupid me,
remove the board from the metal case frame of the 7th PC! I moved the case to
the side of the desk and set the motherboard on the wooden desk. Used another
CPU, an Intel one. That one worked better. Used an AMD CPU. Didn't work. I know
the motherboard supported it, just why?

Also needed a few more jumpers, so I looked in my room. Found two jumpers. Look
at the other motherboard... in the trash. Found one jumper still attached. I
have enough now! Used one to enable the onboard video and removed the PCI video
card. Used another one to expand my CPU overclock capabilities. After a few
hours of experimenting with the motherboard jumper settings, I finally found
what settings work with what CPU. Unfortunately, I didn't take notes, and I
usually use the Inspiron 8100 to take notes. After that, I was bored and
smelled the power supply. Burning smell. Odd that it didn't happen again,
though.

I was done. Now I get to test if it recognizes a floppy drive. It does right
away. This is going to be my Windows 95 computer. It's also perfect for Windows
3.1. For kicks, I retrieve Cyrix's old computer case. It was very dusty and is
starting to corrode. I also retrieve the case's motherboard plate... from the
trash. I look at the case. The PC speaker is removable, just like the 7th PC's
speaker. I had a great idea! Reuse the Cyrix's computer case and buy a POWER SW
adapter, since the case was originally not an ATX case, but an AT case.

Other things on the list: one good floppy drive, one old hard drive, and one
CD-ROM drive. No workarounds, just good old hardware.