Cyrix Computer

Friday, January 21, 2011

Last Updated: Friday, January 17, 2014



Quick Specs
Case Type: AT
Motherboard Brand, Make, Model, Revision, Type: Elpina PCChips M571 3.2a AT/ATX Motherboard
BIOS Type, Release/Version [Original, Upgrade/Today]: American Megatrends: 1998/05/06, 1999/05/14
CPU Brand, Make, Model, Speed: Cyrix M II PR-233, 200MHz (Original)
Cyrix 6x86 PR-200, 150MHz
Intel Pentium MMX, SL239, 166MHz
AMD K6 - 300/AFR, 300MHz, Non-CXT core
AMD K6-2 - 300/AFR, 300MHz, CXT core
AMD K6-2 - 500/AFR?, 500MHx, CXT core
AMD K6-III - 450/AHX, 450MHz, CXT core (Current)
RAM [Original, Upgrade Process, Today]: 16MB, 64MB/80MB/96MB, 64MB/80MB/128MB
Hard Drive Capacity [Original, Current]: 1GB (Original)
One 3GB and One 9.4GB
One 4GB and One 9.4GB (Current)
Optical Drive [Original, Current]: Lite-On CD-ROM Drive [16X read speed], Sony CDU5211 CD-ROM Drive [32X read speed]
Chipset: SiS 5598
Video Spec: Onboard Video via SiS 5598 Chipset [1-4MB Shared System RAM]
Sound Spec: Onboard Sound (C-Media CMI8330) via SoundPro Chipset
Operating System [Original, Upgrade, Current]: Windows 95B, Windows 98 FE, Multiboot W95C/W98FE
Monitor Spec, Support (Original, Replacement, Current): Mitsumi CRT Monitor, Gateway 2000 CRT Monitor, AOC Spectrum 9G 18" Monitor shared with 7th PC; Single Monitor Support
Date Obtained: January 3, 1999


An unstable computer from the get-go (1999), the Cyrix Computer still provided fun, provided it didn't bluescreen if not in use, or even during its use. However, a BIOS update and a replacement CPU may have possibly fixed this issue.


History

1999: January. Dad brought home what was going to be our first computer. That same day, the CD tray on the CD drive stuck. Got repaired the next day. We learned some things about computers... that: Hard drive space is actually limited, and monitors actually don't like water... especially soap water. That caused the monitor to have serious heating issues (to the point that it melted crayons!), and was actually stumped as to how it worked, even powered on... in the first place. Also, New Years Eve. We owned this computer for almost a year, and we bought into the Y2K BS, thinking this was the only time we ever got to play Rubik's Games on it. In other notes, we transferred games from Acer to Cyrix entirely via floppy disks, random BSODs, and DOS ran pretty well on this PC, of course.
2000: January. Well, we got to play Rubik's Games.
2001: August. Discovered video game emulation by accident. Running them through Genecyst and Gens were the norm in 2001. Same transfer method as the old Windows/DOS games... yes, through floppy disk.
2002: November. Cyrix MII (M2) PR-233 CPU dies. Two weeks later, we get another Cyrix CPU, but a slighty weaker one, a Cyrix 6x86 PR-200 (75). We also lost our stuff. Today, we would have long backed it all up. However, this was 2002. Hard drives or the backup service weren't exactly cheap.
2003: More unstable than the original Cyrix M2 CPU. And slower.
2004: April. Computer stops working. Doesn't power on. Thought to be dead, so it was taken apart and stored for parts and memories.
2005: Tried to power the computer again. Same result.
2006: Repeated what happened in 2005.
2007: Scrapped power supply, an AT model.
2008: 2005, but with an ATX power supply. But, without knowing the motherboard at all (which in turn mentions where the power jumper setting is), it's completely pointless. Meanwhile, removed jumpers from an ASUS motherboard.
2009: Took jumpers from the board, along with another board, a Diamond Flower P53VB+ Rev. C board.
2010: Nothing interesting happened this year regarding Cyrix.
2011: January. Tossed motherboard in the trash, still having the notion that it was dead. [But still had the chipset heatsink in hand... wut?] Then a random post (and a trip to the past) in Tech Talk by me made me think that it may still work after all. It did, after quite a few glitches, Internet searching, and much needed jumper settings. Still kept the case and needed connectors after all these years as well.
2012: June. Finally found a replacement BIOS flash chip to replace the original one. The original flash chip is the one used for experimental BIOS files. Also, December. Had two power supply replacements. The final pick was an Inwin PowerMan PSU.
2013: Replaced power supply because I wanted to save the Powerman PSU. Interestingly, it is now in Dad's PC build. Also replaced the AMD K6-2 500MHz CPU with the K6-III 450MHz CPU.
2014: January. Power supply was going bad, so was replaced with a well-built 300W power supply.


Documents?
Yes! Here:

Cyrix's Final Years (2004) - Shows how little I knew about computers.
Cyrix Information (Somewhat dated) - However, some corrections were made in this version after examining the board closer.
Cyrix Computer Revival. [Text Format] - Original Link is here.
[TL;DR M571 Mainboard Story to be Announced]



Photos?
Yes! Here:

Cyrix Computer: February 2003. Took place of Acer while it was getting repaired. Cyrix in our room. Year 2001 or 2002. Cyrix is back! January 14, 2011. Running with Cyrix 6x86 PR200 CPU. Also, if you look closely, you can see me! How the computer was set up... until a spark emitted from the bottom of the board, leaving a burn mark on the metal frame of the case. Running with Intel Pentium MMX 166MHz CPU. Running with AMD K6 300MHz CPU. It is a non-CXT core CPU. Painfully ironic. This also teaches you not to insert a socketed BIOS chip in reverse. It lived through its ordeal.



Downloads?
Yes! Here. PC Chips M571


Back to the Tech Page!
Back to CW Cyrix's Homepage!



Valid HTML 4.01 Transitional     Valid CSS!