blog:286_shootout_vlsi_vl82c201

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blog:286_shootout_vlsi_vl82c201 [2021/02/17 20:32] – [Results] johnblog:286_shootout_vlsi_vl82c201 [2021/05/27 19:47] (current) – [Addendum - Shadow RAM / UMB Support] john
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 This board was offered to me by a member of the [[https://www.vogons.org|Vogons.org]] DOS gaming forum, in fact the same individual who benchmarked a similar board to the results seen in the [[https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=65395|second]] of those links above. This board was offered to me by a member of the [[https://www.vogons.org|Vogons.org]] DOS gaming forum, in fact the same individual who benchmarked a similar board to the results seen in the [[https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=65395|second]] of those links above.
  
-===== Differences between this Unknown VLSI VL82C2012 and others =====+===== Differences between this Unknown VLSI VL82C201 and others =====
  
 {{:blog:286_motherboard_vlsi.jpg?330|}} {{:blog:vlsi-82c201_r.jpg?280|}} {{:blog:motherboard_286_vlsi.jpg?320|}} {{:blog:286_motherboard_vlsi.jpg?330|}} {{:blog:vlsi-82c201_r.jpg?280|}} {{:blog:motherboard_286_vlsi.jpg?320|}}
  
-**From left to right:** //pshipkov's// VL82C2012, //Ekb's// VL82C2012, //my// VL82C2012+**From left to right:** //pshipkov's// VL82C201, //Ekb's// VL82C201, //my// VL82C201
  
 Compared to the boards in the benchmark results above, mine has only 6 ISA slots (4x 16bit + 2x 8bit) versus 7 in the others (although 3x 8bit slots is not massively useful for gaming purposes). Compared to the boards in the benchmark results above, mine has only 6 ISA slots (4x 16bit + 2x 8bit) versus 7 in the others (although 3x 8bit slots is not massively useful for gaming purposes).
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 +----
 +
 +===== Addendum - Shadow RAM / UMB Support =====
 +
 +//The Last Byte// supports the VL82C802 memory controller used in the VLSI chipset on this board. However, I had problems enabling it.
 +
 +Whichever way you set shadow RAM in the BIOS, it always ended up with an error message about 'Shadow RAM relocated':
 +
 +{{:blog:286:vl_amibios.png?400|}} {{:blog:286:lastbyte_sys.png?400|}}
 +
 +Unfortunately there's no labelled jumpers on this motherboard m(
 +
 +Through trial and error, and reading the {{:blog:286:chipset.doc|}} documentation included with //The Last Byte//, it seems that shadow RAM control is by pin #69 of the chip. Checking for continuity from that led me to a set of jumpers just above it - which were shorting to ground. Removing the jumper from J16, below:
 +
 +{{:blog:286:img20210527191631.jpg?600|}}
 +
 +//Note to self: it was in position 3-4, furthest away from the board edge//, this lead the board to start up with 3712KB of RAM, versus 4096KB. A good sign. On booting Dos and watching //The Last Byte// load, I was greeted with this more successful looking banner:
 +
 +{{:blog:286:lastbyte_vlsi_working.png?600|}}
 +
 +**However**.
 +
 +Once //The Last Byte// has loaded, the system is incredibly unstable - with the keyboard or screen locking up at frequent intervals.
  
 (Go back to the [[blog:286_pc|286 PC main page]]) (Go back to the [[blog:286_pc|286 PC main page]])
  • blog/286_shootout_vlsi_vl82c201.1613593936.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2021/02/17 20:32
  • by john