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the R40 can't run a Dothan even with the appropriate microcodes

R30/R40, A30/A31, G40/G50 and Z60/Z61 Series. NOT for AMD-Ryzen.
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Mac Workin
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the R40 can't run a Dothan even with the appropriate microcodes

#1 Post by Mac Workin » Wed Nov 08, 2017 7:12 am

i can't believe this did not work, i'm suspecting that the chipset must have been intentionally modified to not run with a Dothan installed. since the R40 was produced alongside with the T40 in the same time period (correct me if i'm wrong), it should, in theory run with a Dothan if the missing microcodes were placed in.

i might be wrong, though. this test was done on a late production R40 (2897-83U, April 2004), so i have a feeling that the even later produced R40s might have a chance to get a Dothan running in them with this microcode update i have done. if anyone still owns a Pentium M R40, please do give it a try! the modded BIOS is provided in the link here: https://leopard.hosting/dl/isusn/FLOP288M.IMG

you will have to do it the MS-DOS way of flashing though, since the checksum is considered invalid (modified). the file has phoenix's phlash16.exe and the R40's modded BIOS, so you can get to flashing as fast as possible once you have burned the image to a CD. don't forget to enable 2.88MB floppy emulation!!

if you can, please also post your results here so other people can get a hold of this knowledge!
Last edited by Mac Workin on Wed Nov 08, 2017 1:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

axur-delmeria
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Re: the R40 can't run a Dothan even with the appropriate microcodes

#2 Post by axur-delmeria » Wed Nov 08, 2017 9:23 am

Just one question:

What's the FSB of the Dothan processor you installed?
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Mac Workin
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Re: the R40 can't run a Dothan even with the appropriate microcodes

#3 Post by Mac Workin » Wed Nov 08, 2017 9:45 am

axur-delmeria wrote:
Wed Nov 08, 2017 9:23 am
Just one question:

What's the FSB of the Dothan processor you installed?
if i remember correctly, it was definitely a Pentium M 725 so it would be 100MHz/400MT/s. i forgot about that tidbit of info, apologies.

RealBlackStuff
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Re: the R40 can't run a Dothan even with the appropriate microcodes

#4 Post by RealBlackStuff » Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:09 am

Don't forget that the R40 was made by one of the worst: Acer.
I wouldn't even LOOK at such a machine, let alone spend time or money on it... YMMV.

Mac Workin
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Re: the R40 can't run a Dothan even with the appropriate microcodes

#5 Post by Mac Workin » Wed Nov 08, 2017 1:54 pm

RealBlackStuff wrote:
Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:09 am
Don't forget that the R40 was made by one of the worst: Acer.
I wouldn't even LOOK at such a machine, let alone spend time or money on it... YMMV.
wait, what? i thought the R40 was made by LG and not Acer?

according to a certain motherboard schematic, it was produced by LG's PC division and not Wistron which used to be part of Acer (http://notebookschematic.org/published/ ... ON_enl.jpg). the R32 had a schematic that did show it was made by Wistron, and a sticker on a certain chip found on the R32's motherboard that says 'D-Note' (http://notebookschematic.org/published/ ... te_enl.jpg). then somehow the R40 has a sticker found on the bottom housing case that reads 'Made in Korea', which points to LG and not Acer/Wistron?

i'm honestly confused if the R40 was indeed made by Acer and not LG, or is it just me not thinking right?

ajkula66
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Re: the R40 can't run a Dothan even with the appropriate microcodes

#6 Post by ajkula66 » Wed Nov 08, 2017 2:02 pm

Mac Workin wrote:
Wed Nov 08, 2017 1:54 pm
i'm honestly confused if the R40 was indeed made by Acer and not LG, or is it just me not thinking right?
All R-series units prior to R50 were made by Acer. Period, end of story. The DC plug on the "wrong" side of the chassis is a dead giveaway.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

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