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General discussion

Help - BIOS upgrade and PCI slots

Oct 6, 2004 12:01AM PDT

Hello,
I installed a couple of PCI 2.2 compliant devices (ADSL modem and Ethernet adapter) on my old Win95 PC and I can't make them work. I'm sure drivers are right for my OS, so I think it's because my PCI slots are 2.1 compliant.
Now, I'm looking for a BIOS upgrade.

Here are informations about my mobo and BIOS
BIOS Type: Award
BIOS Date: 01/16/98
BIOS ID String: 01/16/98-I430TX-ALI5135-2A59ITJAC
OEM Signon: IT-586TX1 Ver:1.31N FIGHTER TX ITALIANA TECHNOLOGIE
Chipset: INTEL TRITON 430TX REV 1
Super I/O: ALI M5133 REV 0 FOUND AT PORT 3F0H

I know my mobo was produced by Totem but their website (http://www.totem.com.tw) is no more online.
So I asked a BIOS upgrade to eSupport.com (http://www.esupport.com) and they told me they have the right one for $24.95.

Could any of you please answer my questions:
- will the BIOS upgrade make my PCI 2.2 devices work with my mobo?
- have I any other way to get the right BIOS upgrade without paying money for it?

Thanks in advance
Andrea

Discussion is locked

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Re: Help - BIOS upgrade and PCI slots
Oct 6, 2004 12:50AM PDT

"
I think there is also may be some lack of understanding here. The changes between PCI 2.1 and PCI 2.2 are very minor:

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Re: Help - BIOS upgrade and PCI slots
Oct 6, 2004 12:51AM PDT

Using your:
BIOS ID String: 01/16/98-I430TX-ALI5135-2A59ITJAC

goto http://www.wimsbios.com and find the required match and then proceed to a support website. While you mention the "orginal" support is no longer online, some friendly website many have your bios update. Also, beware to properly follow update procedure and whenever, save you're old bios info as a possible safe bet.

IMHO, if all this is too much, etc. and since you're trying to update an old system, please understand in the long run you maybe too far gone as older mtrbds. just don't cut it. The PCI2.1 complaintancy should be a build-in feature and not really a bios issue, other than what is possible. In other words, if it doesn't work even after a bios update, there is no cure, just get a newer mtrbd..

good luck -----Willy Happy