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Socket 3 Mobo problems

G

generic486

Experienced Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2012
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290
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Australia
Hello, I know it's been a while. Been very busy the past couple years but I'm back to it.

I recently got a Socket 3 System with a 5x86 installed and it ran win 95 quite well.
However, I also wanted to use the system for testing some 486 chips.
So I took out the Pentium 5x86 and put in the 486 DX-4. It worked. So I put in a DX-2.
Turned it on and no action at all. No ram test sound. nothing on the screen. So I assumed the chip was dead.
Put in a 486 DX, same thing. So I put in the 486DX-4 and to my surprise it also did not work. I then recalled that there was no keying on some of the 486 mobos and I checked the pinout and put the cut edge along the pin that sticks out on the socket. Still nothing. I also remember some 486's ran at lower voltages. I checked the jumpers but they were set to 3.3. That would explain the Dx-2 and DX's not working but not the DX4. Tried another DX-4 making sure the processor was in the right way. Still nothing. I put back the 5x86, hoping it would work but still nothing.

Have I destroyed the board (and processors)? It seems like such an easy mistake to make.
 
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You didn't say what mobo. How about a name and a part number. There's more to swapping out CPU's than just the voltage. For instance, clock multipliers, etc. Make sure that you have the correct pin orientation for the 5x86 and then re-install into the ZIF socket. Make sure your RAM is properly in place and that something isn't amiss with the PS and its mobo connection. Find the mobo BIOS reset jumper and short the pins out for a few seconds. I'm almost willing to bet that after a good visual it'll work. Good Luck!
 
Silly me! Yes I should have. It's a PCI 5400 (1996) . Some of chips are made by ALD. AMI BIOS 486DX BIOS on board (1993) and 64MB ram installed.
 
If you put it in wrong, you could have destroyed the board. It is stupid that there is no hard key but it is an easy mistake to make.

Have you tried the orignal CPU?
 
I did but no luck there. I had Socket 1 system I could test the DX-2 in. It works fine so I assume that the mobo would be the problem. I'll give it another try today. see how I go.
Oddly enough, I didn't smell any burning. Perhaps the current is not strong enough to cause any identicators.
 
Hmm, no luck again. It's silly that Intel would design a socket with no keying. Anyway, Looks like I'll be getting another board.
 
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