VIA chipsets ... used on many different boards ...
I assume that you have no way to boot this board online for scanning?

Any idea what the make & model of the computer is?

Also just to clarify:
PowerMax failed both of your hard drives?
Have you tried a second time?
Are the drives now seen by the BIOS?

I tried both hard drives several times in all test options, weird though, they both never showed up as Mastor primary on the black screen or in the Max' /test , until i put the hard drive jumpers to slave positition, then they showed up as Primary mastors ????.

Anyway i think i have found what is needed to indentify the motherboard:

Award 1998
PCI PNP 686
249251732
.................................................. ..............
I don't know if this is of any importance but i will print it out anyway.
there is a sticker with NI68 and a tick was marked on it.

In very small writting in the very corner was this- 35-C931-00-21
and finaly there was a heading of JP7 with a variety of ratios underneath.
thanks
bluey

I am curious about the drives

Using one at a time at the end of the ribbon cable with jumpers set to Master they are not detected as Master?

You have the blue end in the motherboard & the black end in the Master drive?

Another option is to set all jumpers to Cable Select.

____________________

The Award info is the BIOS. Unfortunately it could be numerous boards.

It is old tho. Did you ever check this system for XP compatability?

Do you know the make & model of the computer or was it custom built?

I checked the ribbon connections, the blue was in the M/B & the GREY was in the hard drive, thats probebly why, i just corrected it then.

I haven't a clue who made it or if it was custom built, maybe custom built because i have really screened it all over and can't see anything but the info i have already mentioned.
I brought it second hand, and never realized it was that ol either, from a tech' that worked out of his garage become shop, and i forgot to get a reciept of him the day i brought it, but i still never got one after several times i requested it, that might have had what is needed for the spec's.

I never did check to see if XP was compatable or not, sure looks like it isn't.

I just went to the Award official BIOS site, and they say you can indentify it manualy, by rebooting and hit the pause key at the first page and it should have it printed at the bottom of the page [a string]of numbers/letters

If all else fails i will put Win ME or anything back from that, whatever i can get my hands onto, they should work ok, well win ME worked fine before i decided to go up to XP, i only really want it for a back up purposes.
bluey

The BIOS you have is searchable:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...NP+686&spell=1

The problem is in finding an update one needs to know the motherboard's make & model.
Or take the risk ...

Let us know how it goes & if we can help further.

If you get it going back under ME (or whatever) you can ID things with this:

http://www.lavalys.com/products/over...ng=en&pageid=1

Ok i will do that,
Thanks very much for all your help, its greatfully recieved.
Regards
bluey

Hi - back again with the proper spec's:
Manufactorer - VIA Technologies
Model-- VT82C692BX
Mainboard- Vtech
system BIOS-04/14/2000 -693-596B-8671-2A6LGV3DC-00
CHIP SET-VIA VT822C693 Apollo pro Plus

I have been to the VIA support site, but i can not find anything to download.
thanks
bluey

Have you got the computer running under ME?

VIA has chipset drivers; their 4in1 driver which is updated often:

http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx...D=1&CatID=1070

Vtech appears to now be PCPartner & there are BIOS upgrades here:

http://www.pcpartner.com/support/bios/viabios.htm

Apollo Pro +

http://www.pcpartner.com/support/bios/VIA694.HTM#prop

From here I am again finding exact ID a problem.

Hi,
My god, so many of them, i had no idead that it was that difficult.
I think its best to find a version of win 98 or me and reload with that, i thank you very much for all the effort you went to. in trying to find the correct BIOS.
Thanks once again,
bluey

I think that would be a good test of the hard drive just to see if you can get 98 or ME to load.

If you can then you can update the VIA 4in1 drivers & perhaps nail down this BIOS ID.