SFF S370 Motherboard + WORKING!! IR Keyboard $30 @ Package2You

[sativen]

Does anyone know of any other website name that package2you was going under?
I had an RMA due to me. I may have to dispute some credit card charges if I can't get a hold of anyone. Obviously email isn't an option anymore since it will go to this new site.

 

[mindless1]

Originally posted by: alm99
looks as if package2you.com is no more

I was wondering about that as well, so I thought it an ideal time to called them about my dead receiver module, was told that they're doing server upgrades.

 

[alm99]

Originally posted by: mindless1

Originally posted by: alm99
looks as if package2you.com is no more

I was wondering about that as well, so I thought it an ideal time to called them about my dead receiver module, was told that they're doing server upgrades.

last night their site said something to the effect of:

"Routine maintenance is currently being done, please check back later"

It had the Package2you logo and header, but not anymore.

 

[mindless1]

I had a chance to try that Compgeeks Tualatin adapter today...

It doesn't work for multiple reasons. FOr one, it won't physically fit into the socket, good ole ECS positioned those caps above the socket too close, I had to get out the soldering iron to get a little play in their leads, back them out of the board a bit so I could bend them backwards.

After getting the adapter into the socket, I found that the USB keyboard would cause the system to hang immediately upon entering the BIOS setup. That didn't make much sense to me, but sure enough, when I changed to using a PS/2 keyboard, I could then enter BIOS setup, navigate around without lockup. Then there were more oddities, like hanging on POST if the multiplier was set to "Auto" (or "default", whatever), but if multiplier was set to 11X it would progress a bit further, would load the windows boot splash screen then immediately lock up. Reducing FSB speed, changing around the slotket jumpers, and most every other adjustment I could think of either caused an earlier lockup or finally a lockup at windows boot splash screen (same as before). A bootlog didn't turn up anything revealing.

The last attempt was with the FSB set to 100MHz, multiplier to 11X (which was correct, it was a 1.1GHz Tualatin Celeron), and this resulted in the system failing to POST, only beeping. After resetting CMOS it STILL would only beep, would never again POST with the TUalatin installed even though it had ALWAYS POSTED at every setting prior to that. I had a sinking feeling that i had damaged something, but went ahead and reinstalled the original Celeron 700 and it POSTED finally, and apparently I had successfully cleared the CMOS since all defaults were then loaded. I just hope I didn't fry the Tualatin CPU, but I suspect not.

Both original/oldest and newest BIOS versions were tried. There seems to be an immovable problem with using a Tualatin, or at least with the particular adapter I have. I also tried the jumper next to the CPU socket, between it and the memory, and saw no difference.

 

[Kroffty]

That sound like the same situation I had trying to get a Tualatin working in a old BX board. I finaly fried the cpu being stupid.

I tried windvd and that fixed my sound problem but the picture is still a little choppy. The memory controller on this board must be crap.
I am going to run sandra and see what the bandwith is.

Does any one know if the make a pci adapter that will turn the card 90deg? kinda like the riser cards in the compaq and gateway macnines??

Thanks for all the help!

 

[DDad]

Ummm, if I go to the package2you website get one of those cheesy "search" pages now

Wonder whats up?
Edit Note: This AM Got a email saying they are going through some server changes and will be back up after Xmas. We'll see

 

[fxsts]

I spent a little more time today trying to get the Powerleap adapter to work. But again, it did not work. I had the system post here and there, but that was all I could achieve.

I tried the adapter with my old BX and VIA slot 1 boards (together with a slocket), and it worked on both of them.

Kroffty

I believe that there is a link to a PCI riser card somewhere in the early stage of this thread. Someone posted it when I was looking for one.

 

[Kroffty]

found it Thanks mindless1 posted it.

 

[mindless1]

Originally posted by: Kroffty
found it Thanks mindless1 posted it.

Just a reminder that the linked PCI riser will put the card facing the botton of the motherboard, possibly past the end of the motherboard. I think they also offer a reversed PCI card that "might" allow a short PCI card to just barely clear the DIMM slots, but it looks like it would be a tight fit.

 

[lungster]

mindless1 : When I unzipped the mod'ed BIOS, the zip file contained 2 files. Stuffit unzipped the fir file (STPN21d2.BIN) with no problems. But it then gave me an error on the second file (STPN21d.BIN) and left a 128 kbyte file (half the size of the first bin file). Is this a problem with StuffIt or are there really 2 files in the zip ?

TIA

 

[fxsts]

Today, I set up the rig to my 46in TV through S-Video.

Rig
this motherboard in a Netvista case with
- Celeron 633@902.5Mhz
- 384MB PC133
- 13GB 5400rpm WD Harddrive
- 32X CD-ROM
- Soundblaster Compact PCI card
- Intel Anypoint Phoneline USB network adapter

I had spent about 20 mins on it surfing on the net until my girl friend pointed out how useless the thing was while she was doing the same thing on her wirelessly networked laptop.

Hmmm.. Indeed, it was. I disconnected the thing and put PS2 back on to the TV.

I guess I am pretty much at the end of my project. It was fun and thank you for everyone, especially mindless1.

 

[mindless1]

Originally posted by: lungster
mindless1 : When I unzipped the mod'ed BIOS, the zip file contained 2 files. Stuffit unzipped the fir file (STPN21d2.BIN) with no problems. But it then gave me an error on the second file (STPN21d.BIN) and left a 128 kbyte file (half the size of the first bin file). Is this a problem with StuffIt or are there really 2 files in the zip ?

TIA

Only 1 file in the zip. Stuffit might be confused because a BIOS BIN file is still a compressed format, there are several smaller compressed files inside a *.BIN BIOS image, which should not be extracted before flashing, should be extracted ONLY by the computer using the BIOS, at POST.

Try this self-extracting version. It's integrity has also been verified.

 

[lungster]

Originally posted by: mindless1

Try this self-extracting version. It's integrity has also been verified.

Thanks ! The .exe did the trick. The resulting file was identical to the first BIN file from the zip. Looks like StuffIt got confused after all.

 

[lungster]

Since a lot of you are using the NetVista case, I thought I'd mention what I'm using. I was given an Suntek Alpha 2000 case some time ago, so this is my attempt at making use of it with whatever spare parts I have. Here is the case. The main issue right now is deciding whether I should mod the case by ditching the base (where the PSU sits), then laying the main housing on its side and building end pieces to complete the "look". This would convert the unit into a desktop/console PC. The small 100 watt PSU would have to sit on one end as well. I also want to work out a relatively quiet cooling setup but that shouldn't be a problem since the rear of the case will be open (since the ATX faceplate I have doesn't match well anyway).

I've currently got an old C366 in it running XP to test the setup. I'm undecided on audio. It'd be nice to use the built-in audio by adding connectors, but if I use the PC as an HTPC, I'd want 6-channel out. Has anyone gotten 6-channel analog out from the Cmedia 8738 (it's supposed to be able to do this according to the Cmedia web page; although the SX variant of the chip is not listed there; only the modem capable variants) chip ? Or maybe I should use this as a simple server - low power consumption, wake-on lan; could work well.

 

[alm99]

Originally posted by: lungster
Since a lot of you are using the NetVista case, I thought I'd mention what I'm using. I was given an Suntek Alpha 2000 case some time ago, so this is my attempt at making use of it with whatever spare parts I have. Here is the case. The main issue right now is deciding whether I should mod the case by ditching the base (where the PSU sits), then laying the main housing on its side and building end pieces to complete the "look". This would convert the unit into a desktop/console PC. The small 100 watt PSU would have to sit on one end as well. I also want to work out a relatively quiet cooling setup but that shouldn't be a problem since the rear of the case will be open (since the ATX faceplate I have doesn't match well anyway).

I've currently got an old C366 in it running XP to test the setup. I'm undecided on audio. It'd be nice to use the built-in audio by adding connectors, but if I use the PC as an HTPC, I'd want 6-channel out. Has anyone gotten 6-channel analog out from the Cmedia 8738 (it's supposed to be able to do this according to the Cmedia web page; although the SX variant of the chip is not listed there; only the modem capable variants) chip ? Or maybe I should use this as a simple server - low power consumption, wake-on lan; could work well.

The SX variant chip is there, and its only 4 channels

here, last one on the bottom

 

[kami333]

Kroffty:
Did you ever run Sandra?

When I ran it on mine (Celeron 850, 512MB PC133, 6GB hd, etc), they were as low as they could possibly get.

 

[mazdaPC]

Originally posted by: kami333
Kroffty:
Did you ever run Sandra?

When I ran it on mine (Celeron 850, 512MB PC133, 6GB hd, etc), they were as low as they could possibly get.

Did you have S video work on XP??? My will not, what I do wrong?????

 

[lungster]

Originally posted by: alm99
The SX variant chip is there, and its only 4 channels

here, last one on the bottom

Are you sure ? It makes sense that the last model listed there is the SX....
...but doesn't this motherboard have modem capabilities (with optional module) ?

 

[mazdaPC]

Do you have TV out working?RCA nor S Video? Help me ????

 

[mindless1]

Originally posted by: mazdaPC
Do you have TV out working?RCA nor S Video? Help me ????

First be sure the TV jumper (near bottom right of memory slots) is correct, ON for PAL or OFF for NTSC.

Now plug the TV in while the system is off, make sure TV is set to use appropriate input.

Next turn the system on, the video should appear on the TV from the moment the system POSTS. If you don't have the TV hooked up at post, you might not see video later? Not sure about this, but I think this might be the situation.

You should continue to see video on the TV, same as on monitor, until the windows video driver loads. At THAT point, if you're using the generic Windows or basic driver, the TV out may shut off. Try using the SIS "full package" driver linked a few times throughout this thread, and set the Display Properties to use the TV-Out.

 

[Kroffty]

After you install the fullpackage drivers Make sure you have the setting set to Mirror to tv . Both my s-vid and and rca out work.

 

[rramjet]

Memory benchmarks on my system do show the DRAM access speed sucks. Any suggestion which BIOS settings should be adjusted to improve this? The manual does not help much.

 

[mindless1]

P2Y back online?

Oddly, they now offer the same Tualatin Adapter, with the same writeup, as I bought from Compgeeks. To clarify, that Tualatin Adapter will NOT work with this motherboard.

 

[mindless1]

Originally posted by: rramjet
Memory benchmarks on my system do show the DRAM access speed sucks. Any suggestion which BIOS settings should be adjusted to improve this? The manual does not help much.

It's a bit hard to say what will be stable for your particular memory bus speed and memory modules used... You might set the memory to +33 async mode, set CAS=2. The further timings that read "delay 1T" (or whatever, i forget the exact terminology used), do work stablily for me at "normal" instead of the 1 'tick' delay. When I adjusted the settings futher down that BIOS page it introduced instability, but admittedly I'm not running premium memory in this board, just PNY spec'd as PC133 CAS3, which seemed stable in another platform at CAS2 up to 148MHz.

We might have a better reference point if you post Sandra memory scores including the speed/timings used.

 

[rramjet]

mindless1, I'm not following on your memory tuning suggestions. Are you on the "Advanced Chipset Features" page in the BIOS setup? Do you turn off "Auto Configuration" which enables a large number of additional settings? Where do you "set the memory to +33 async mode?" I am using your v1.2d modded bios.

SANDRA says I'm getting 189 MB/s memory bandwidth.

Thanks.