demoydk@iitmax.IIT.EDU (Tommy) (12/11/90)
Here's the story: I am planning on making a 386 system. I know what to get as far as hard disk, hard disk controller, graphics, and other things are concerned, but I am finding it difficult to choose a mother- board. I know that AMI and Phoenix are good companies for BIOS. But I need to know which is good quality, good for compatibility, and for reliability. Problem is that I have seen both with negat- ive things. Like the Phoenix version requires a disk program for setup, or like the AMI version has problems with motherboards. Please everyone, give me your opinions and tell me the REAL truth about Phoenix, AMI, or both. Thank you for your support! Yung D. Kim. *************************************************************************** Yung D. Kim "I like traffic lights" Illinois Institue of Technology "13:3 male to female ratio" Computer Science and Technologies "Where's my disk for my project?" WhateverNET (I forgot): demoydk@iitmax.iit.edu "The Encore/MADMAX/IITMAX" Another source <======> kimyung@harpo.iit.edu "The VAX Marx brothers" "This product has been prime coated and MUST be painted after installation. Avoid the use of latex base paint." ***************************************************************************
saify@cbnewsl.att.com (saify.lanewala) (12/12/90)
In article <4622@iitmax.IIT.EDU>, demoydk@iitmax.IIT.EDU (Tommy) writes: > Here's the story: > > I am planning on making a 386 system. I know what to get as far > as . . . [stuff deleted] > are concerned, but I am finding it difficult to choose a mother- > board. I know that AMI and Phoenix are good companies for BIOS. > But I need to know which is good quality, good for compatibility, > and for reliability. Problem is that I have seen both with negat- > ive things. > > Yung D. Kim. > I purchased a clone 25MHz 386 (Micronics Motherboard) with the Phoenix BIOS (the so-called latest PHOENIX 80386 ROM BIOS PLUS V1.10 M8, dated August 29, 1990). I wanted to run UNIX(r) so I had the motherboard+daughterboard combo give me 16 MBs RAM. Whenever I booted the machine, the POST would eventually produce the following message: Moving 256K from reserved memory to extended memory. Well, UNIX doesn't like that very much, so I called the clone manufacturer, who in turn called Phoenix. What I was told was: "Oh, this happens because you have 16 MBs. If you drop down to 12, you'll be OK!!!!!!" Naturally, I did a double-take. The last thing I care about when I have 16 MB is to have the BIOS remap 256K of reserved memory! If I had 4MB, I could see that!! With 16, I don't care two hoots. I did drop down to 12MB just to get around this stupidity, but ... Anyway, Phoenix is supposed to fix the BIOS so that users have an option to remap that memory. On the other hand, I also have a machine with the AMI BIOS, similar in nature to the other machine, but with a different motherboard. This machine has performed perfectly all the time. My machines are left on 24 hours a day seven days a week, with no down time except when I need to add a new board some such thing! Hope this helps your choice. Saify Lanewala .. att!attunix!stl
fzsitvay@techbook.com (Frank Zsitvay) (12/12/90)
In article <4622@iitmax.IIT.EDU> demoydk@iitmax.IIT.EDU (Tommy) writes: > > Please everyone, give me your opinions and tell me the REAL > truth about Phoenix, AMI, or both. I've had good luck with JDR Microdevices and their MCT/ATI mother boards. the setup is in rom (rather extensive) and the boards are very good in terms of quality. you'll want one with the chips and technology chipset or better (if there is a better set...) JDR has, more importantly, an 800 tech support line, and 800 sales line, and an 800 customer support line. they ship promptly, and although some of their stuff is a little on the high side, the support and return policy is worth it. (one board they sent me which was a 12 mhz G2 286, was dead on arrival. they didn't have any more in stock, so they sent me (without waiting for the dead board to return to them) the 16 MHZ C&T 286 board i'm using now. they sold it to me for the same price as the 12 mhz board. they also paid for shipping on the new board, UPS 2nd day air.) If you want to save a little money, check out their specials on refurbished motherboards. they carry the same 1 year guarentee as their new merchandise. both boards that were sent to me were refurbs. (this was some months ago, but the 12 mhz board was $152, including shipping. they sent me the 16 mhz board at the same price, so i didn't have to pay anymore than what i had already sent.) -- fzsitvay@techbook.COM - but don't quote me on that.... American Oil Company motto - Bend over, We'll pump!!!
6600m00n@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Steelworker) (12/12/90)
In article <4622@iitmax.IIT.EDU> demoydk@iitmax.IIT.EDU (Tommy) writes: | Here's the story: | | I am planning on making a 386 system. I know what to get as far | as hard disk, hard disk controller, graphics, and other things | are concerned, but I am finding it difficult to choose a mother- | board. I know that AMI and Phoenix are good companies for BIOS. | But I need to know which is good quality, good for compatibility, | and for reliability. Problem is that I have seen both with negat- | ive things. Like the Phoenix version requires a disk program for | setup, or like the AMI version has problems with motherboards. | | Please everyone, give me your opinions and tell me the REAL | truth about Phoenix, AMI, or both. | | Thank you for your support! | | Yung D. Kim. | | WhateverNET (I forgot): demoydk@iitmax.iit.edu "The Encore/MADMAX/IITMAX" | Another source <======> kimyung@harpo.iit.edu "The VAX Marx brothers" | I have had no problems with AMI bios. A few points to make about AMI bios: 1) Get the most recent AMI bios, ( at least 6-89 or later) because it has fetures such as shadowing, and many low level configurable params. 2) In addition to supporting the normal AT HD's, it supports manual parameters well. ( Works for my RLL drives just fine). I remember the last time I saw phoenix bios, it did not have that capability. 3) Bios Reliability is not the main problem. It's motherboards that go bad more often than bios. Also, AMI bios does not need a configure disk, or setup disk. Just your standard partitioning and formating programs. ( I don't know much about phoenix bios) Robert Blair 6600m00n@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu. .bitnet
gettys@regent.enet.dec.com (Bob Gettys N1BRM) (12/13/90)
In article <7793@hub.ucsb.edu>, 6600m00n@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Steelworker) writes... > 2) In addition to supporting the normal AT HD's, it supports >manual parameters well. ( Works for my RLL drives just fine). >I remember the last time I saw phoenix bios, it did not have that >capability. > >Also, AMI bios does not need a configure disk, or setup disk. Just >your standard partitioning and formating programs. > >( I don't know much about phoenix bios) >Robert Blair >6600m00n@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu. > .bitnet I have two different motherboards with the Pheonix BIOS and they both support manual paramaters. In fact, they support two sets of manual parameters which can be useful if you have two different disks which are "non-standard". The configuration stuff is also in the rom and can be accessed at any time you are at the dos prompt by typing CTRL-ALT-S. There is a slightly smaller amount of setup stuff that you can do, though. /s/ Bob