UDMA drivers for VP2 chipset?

[bpan]

I know... I know this is an old chipset.

Bought in '98, a FIC PA-2007 mobo (v1.2) running K6/266 (NOT OC'd) with 2x32MB PC100 SDRAM, and UDMA/66 capable HD (samsung). OS is Win98SE.

The VP2 chipset is supposedly capable of UDMA/33, but I've never been able to get the drivers to work.

Anyone else ever able to get UDMA working on a VP2 mobo?

This would be an adequate #2 machine for me, but default PIO mode makes my jaw ache <YAWN> when editing 200+MB audio files...

I'm trying to make this PC viable for audio editing, and without UDMA enabled, it's just ho-hum...

[Rocketmech]

Have you tried here (http://www.fic.com.tw/techsupport/faq/faqsudma.htm) ? The VP2 has special instructions for enabling UDMA33. Hope this helps ya... :p

[bpan]

Yup.
Tried the 4in1, which did absolutely nothing.

Tried the BusMaster driver (580_3012.zip) and now the PC will only boot to safe mode. When trying to boot normal, it gets partway through and then the HD light comes on solid, and there it sits.

This is the exact same result I got when I tried several years ago.

The instructions on FIC's web site suck horribly, and has links that don't contain the correct drivers anyway.

I downloaded the most current stuff directly from VIA's web site this time, but even they don't have any useful documentation.

This has always pissed me off about this mobo, even though it was (at the time) one of the highest rated, most stable, etc.etc.etc....

Why is it so **** hard to get a mobo supported option to work?

Any other suggestions?

[bpan]

Okay, just for grins (and since the registry was completely hosed anyway) I reinstalled Win98se, and then (once again) tried to follow the FIC instructions to install the Bus Master Drivers and then enable UDMA.

It appears to install correctly, but then will not reboot. Period.

But here's the part that has me wondering:

The instructions state (direct quote):
======================
- To enable the UDMA feature on VIA-based board, download ind install the bus master driver. After installing it, run the Bus Master driver AGAIN and choose ENABLE/DISABLE (ULTRA) DMA on the option:
* INSTALL
* UNINSTALL
* ENABLE/DISABLE (ULTRA) DMA

After selecting that option, you will see below menu on the next page;

SETUP HARD DRIVE DMA MODE
* (HDD Model) ( DMA Mode)
* (CD_ROM Model if any) (DMA Mode)

Make sure that there is a check mark on the box to enable that feature then click NEXT. After that, the system will restart.
========================

At the end of the driver installation, it wants to reboot immediately, so the first time, I let it.

This time (clean Win98se install) I didn't let it, and tried to run the install again, but the prompts that they describe in the instructions just aren't there. Period.

Once again, I'm stuck with a PC that will not boot (except safe mode) and will probably have to install Win98se AGAIN...

The configuration:
FIC PA-2007 (v1.2) w/ BIOS 1.13CD13 flashed. (586B/590VP2)
AMD K6-2/266 (never OC'd)
2x32MB PC66 SDRAM
20GB Samsung HD (SV2042H) (BIOS reports UDMA-5 capable)
32X Liteon LTN301 CDROM (BIOS reports UDMA-2 capable)
S3 Virge DX video adapter
Realtek RTL8029 10bT adapter

That's it, nothing else in the case. I even pulled the AWE64 out just to be sure. There are no hardware conflicts, all hardware works fine. It's been perfectly stable without the VIA UDMA drivers. I can't see any reason for this configuration not to work!!!

So does anyone have actual ANY experience with these VIA busmaster drivers? I'm beggin', please don't post any more links to FIC or VIA sites. Been there, done that, many MANY times.

The only other thing that comes to mind is the Samsung HD, but this particular HD works fine in UDMA mode on two other mobos I've tried it in (both 440LX chipsets)

ARGH!!!!!!