VA503+ VERSION 1.0!

[1Chris]

I have a va 503+ Motherboard, Version 1.0. I really like this board, and since a few minutes a go when I added USB I even love it even more!
I have Version 1.0 with a AMD K6 300MMX. I would like to upgrade to a K6-2, (100MHz Bus) but can't find anyware what's the fastest I can use.
FIC Web Site lists some can suport up to a K6-2 550MHz (1.2A), while others 475MHz (1.1A), 400MHZ (1.2A)
The flippin company site doesn't even list Version 1.0!!
How can I find specks for version 1.0?
Thanks, Chris.

[Bovon]

Hello, Chris. I have the 503+ and bought it just about the time the version changed from 1.1 in August/September `98. This board changed versions almost over night. I believe it saw the light of day in June/July `98. There was a review at Toms Hardware, or so I thought, but looking back thru the archives there, I don't actually see a review. You can go see what it there for you tho. Do you have a manual for your board?. I believe I remember the first one out had 100 mhz fsb, and finally wound up with about 124 mhz. I'm pretty sure the 1.0 will do 100 mhz fsb, and depending on the multiplier jumpers should tell you how much you can set it for. The amd K6s and K6-2s were not the best overclockers, and about 50 mhz seems to be about the limit...be sure to have a good HSF on it, because this sucker gets hot. I'm pretty sure it will work with pc100 Sdram, and maybe pc133 sdram as well. There was not any pc133 sdram on the market in `98...so, every body was using pc100...and, one stick of 64 mb pc100 in `98 costs as much as a full house today...about $200 bucks I think. Anyway, there isn't a heckove lot of difference in the board versions, other than bios and fsb upgrades.

Here is the 'unoffica'l fic va 503+ web site.
http://www.caprok.net/dave/

Here is Toms hardware...look thru the archives.
http://www6.tomshardware.com/archive/9808.html

[dmanlyr]

Heya Chris, my two cents is that the first versions of FIC motherboards are not that good. I spent quite a bit of time trying to get both a 503 and a 2013 first versions to work, as advertised, in a non overclocked mode, without "blue screens of death". Had no luck. FIC would not even respond to any emails. But that was then, and hopefully the company has improved its concern to the end user. I for one though learned my lesson and have not purchased another FIC motherboard since. Although I have though of trying a new version 503 as I have a spare K6-3 lying around.

I will say that I built up many computers with the earlier PA-2007 motherboards and have had very good results with them. (max 450 mhz, (75mhz x 6.0) so I am not down on the FIC motherboards, just the early versions of the super socket7's.

Just my experience, good luck! David!

[dmanlyr]

Chris, thought I would add something else. On my PA2007's, the bios would only register a max cpu speed of 400mhz. However by setting the fsb to 75 and using a 2.0x setting which K6-2 & 3's interpret as 6.0x I was able to achive the aformentioned 450 mhz speed, although the bios on post listed the cpu speed as 400, a quick check with WinTune confirmed that the cpu was indeed running at 450. I would imagine that your 503 would likely perform in the same manor. If you buy a faster cpu, remeber you can always underclock it to work at whatever speed your paticular motherboard max's out at.

I have also ran into the same thing when I was overclocking early PentPro cpus, the bios would only register to 233, anything above that would show as ???mhz. But the cpu was definatly running at whatever speed I had it jumpered to.

David!