Mystery ECS Motherboard?

[Scenic]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

seems they all use the same design.
e.g. here:
http://sh.beareyes.com.cn/2/lib/2002...0020731230.htm

ECS uses different PCB colors and slightly changed layout in different versions, and sometimes the VRM section isn't fully populated.

maybe PCChips and ECS working together? what an unholy alliance.

edit: too slow.

well.. those boards don't get better with a fancy PCB color

polish a turd.. its still a turd..

edit: @ kikkoman: its ok... just nothing special and a little bit unstable..(even recapped)..
i used to flash the cheepo-BIOS after i recapped them to get a little bit fine-tuning in there

BTW: noch oder schon wach? hehe

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

PcChips boards are actually built by Hsing Tech.
Hsing Tech = Manufacturer.
PcChips = Distributer.
[Same Company]

So I understand ECS has outsourced to PcChips to have boards built but that's recent and I think after Socket A was out of production.
Asus does the same thing. That's what Asrock boards are. Asus+PcChips=Asrock

PcChips =
Topgun, Amptron, Eurone, Matsonic(some), Pine, PcPartner(older), and maybe a dozen others.
Many of them ordered the boards without BIOS chips and used their own BIOS.
I used to cross-flash PcChips OEM boards that were unstable with the BIOS from another OEM for the same board. Fixed a lot of problems with them that way.
.

[i4004]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

i don't get this thread; why do you need to know what mobo is it?
fix those caps and run it, and then you'll know.
probably...

what's the advantage of knowing first?
i don't think you can buy capacitor kit from topcat for such..huhm...god, how do you call a pcchips clone?
(or a pcchips ripoff of ecs...OMG!
edit/
or whatever pcbonez just said...)

oh yeah, photobucket is a good image hosting service.
ads sponsored, but still good.
you can create album and put many jpegs at once...

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

Advantage of knowing first... Ummmmm.
To know which CPU's and memory are actually correct for it. DUH!

[i4004]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

ah yeah, because it's so hard to see it now it's out of the case...hehe...

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

I actually managed to get the CEO of Hsing Tech's email address a few years ago. (Back in the 1990's) I didn't know it was the CEO's email, I thought I was writing tech support or an engineer at the factory or something. - I ask him if there was a way to build a motherboard that supported an older CPU and a newer feature. (Don't recall exactly what it was. Maybe like UDMA66 on a socket 7 or something like that.)
- He said "sure", He could do that if I ordered 20,000 motherboards minimum.
.

[genosmm]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

PCBONEZ,

Thanks for all your detective work!!!

Here are all the closeup ID stickers and numbers I could find on both sides of the mobo.

ECS Sticker URL: http://www.img-share.com/view/2412 The ECS sticker has 7 and 01 crossed out so am guessing it is July 2001.

PCI area ID sticker URL: http://www.img-share.com/view/2413 Googled M017A6021002091 but got nothing for both images and std search.

only ID on back URL: http://www.img-share.com/view/2414


Gene

[genosmm]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

PCBONEZ,

Thank you for your help!

The PC Chips link was especially helpful. http://www.pcchips.com.tw/PCCWebSite...2&LanID=0&ln=1

Checked a number of M810 ver manuals and v3.0 matches all the jumpers and components Except for the BIOS chip. Mine is much smaller URL: http://www.img-share.com/view/2457

Closer inspection of the bottom left of the motherboard has Rev 3.0 URL: http://www.img-share.com/view/2460

I rechecked the PCI motherboard area where these motherboards generally have a model marking but again found nothing. URL: http://www.img-share.com/view/2463

Am wondering of the ID and Serial # found on the parallel port is of any help? URL: http://www.img-share.com/view/2464

You mentioned "PcChips boards are actually built by Hsing Tech.
Hsing Tech = Manufacturer.
PcChips = Distributer.
[Same Company]

Question: Is ECS a distributor like PC Chips?

Thanks again for all your help!

Gene

[genosmm]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

PCBONEZ,

Should rephrase my question since after posting discovered my mistake.

You mentioned "So I understand ECS has outsourced to PcChips to have boards built but that's recent and I think after Socket A was out of production."

Question: Would not ECS outsource to "Hsing Tech = Manufacturer"? Since "PcChips = Distributer" or is it the marketing division? Does not really matter much because I tried to search using "Hsing Tech motherboards" but got nowhere so am guessing the only info available may be from the PCChips link you provided.

Must say this is a mystery. I checked the ECS website http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Pro...D=52&LanID=0#4 and none of their 462 motherboards http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Pro...D=52&LanID=0#4 comes as close to matching this mobo as the PC Chips M810 v3.00!

I would think if they sold this motherboard there would be some listing on their website? Never thought it would be this difficult to track down a "nonworking motherboard"!

Thanks again for your help!

Gene

[Scenic]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

Must say this is a mystery. I checked the ECS website http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Pro...D=52&LanID=0#4 and none of their 462 motherboards comes as close to matching this mobo as the PC Chips M810 v3.00!

the K7SEM Rev. 1.0 does... but its listing (on the ECS page) is dead (no pic, no description)

http://www.motherboard.cz/mb/ecs/K7SEM.htm

[genosmm]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

Scenic,

First I only checked the ECS motherboards with pics.

Thanks for the "K7SEM Rev. 1.0 does... but its listing (on the ECS page) is dead (no pic, no description)" tip! Will try to find some pics for it.

Gene

[genosmm]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

Scenic,

Did a quick search for K7SEM Rev. 1.0 images and found
http://images.quebarato.com.br/photo.../6/490D6_2.jpg
http://img.mercadolivre.com.br/jm/im...6_9638.jpg&v=P
http://images.quebarato.com.br/photo.../6/490D6_1.jpg
http://img.mercadolivre.com.br/jm/im...8_8597.jpg&v=P

The K7SEM Rev. 1.0 motherboard is different from my mystery motherboard in the battery placement and order of Floppy and IDE sockets plus there are 4 inductors (mine has 3).

The PC Chips M810 v3.0 matches all the mainboard components Except for the BIOS chip and you can see on the mobo solder holes for the other BIOS chip.

So should change the topic from Mystery to Unknown ECS Motherboard.

Thanks again for your help.

Gene

[genosmm]

Re: Mystery ECS Motherboard?

i4004,

Should have addressed this subject in my first post.

To answer your question "i don't get this thread; why do you need to know what mobo is it? fix those caps and run it, and then you'll know."

I would like to determine if this ECS mobo is worth repairing by checking if it has in addition to the bad caps any other "weak components" or problems.

Gene