1. Bios_M571020201S.zip Driver
2. README.TXT File Contents

README.TXT Driver File Contents (Bios_M571020201S.zip)

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                           Release Notes
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	CONTENTS:

	I.	Introduction
	II.	Version Numbers
	III.	Disclaimers
	IV.	Summary of Changes
	V.	Other Resources
	VI.	Boring, Useless, Extraneous Biographical Information

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If you don't read anything else, read this!

THIS BIOS IS FOR USE ONLY ON THE PCCHIPS M571 v3.2a MOTHERBOARD.

 - If you do not know which model/version of the board you have ...
 - If you are not thoroughly familiar with how to flash the BIOS ...

			STOP NOW.

Do not proceed until you have visited the "M571 Tech Support & Upgrade Page", located at:

	http://home.directlink.net/~timmy/M571/M571.htm

Read (and print, if necessary) the page(s) entitled, "How to flash your BIOS" and follow those instructions carefully. Make sure you thoroughly understand the process before you start.

If you are not comfortable with attempting the BIOS flash on your own, consult a computer expert in whom you trust. If the flash procedure is not performed properly, you may render your motherboard inoperable. Dead as a doornail. Recovering from a bad flash sometimes is possible and sometimes is not. If the flash procedure is performed improperly, it very well may be necessary to replace the BIOS chip on your motherboard in order to recover from it.

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I.	INTRODUCTION
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I started this BIOS upgrade project after months of frustration with PCChips lack of support for the M571 v3.2a motherboard. Although there have been many BIOS releases for this board, no release from the manufacturer contains the final release of the VGA ROM BIOS code (version 1.13).

Most versions of the BIOS contain v1.04a of the VGA ROM.  There was one release (September, 1999, I believe) that actually contained v1.10 of the VGA ROM code.  For reasons unknown, PCChips reverted back to v1.04 again with the subsequent releases. My guess is that whoever did the update simply never checked. But considering that no release of the BIOS has been done by PCChips in nearly two years, I believe it is safe to say that none will be forthcoming.

While a TSR program is available from SiS to provide enhanced ROM support, it does have serious limitations: 1) It is extremely slow to load, adding as much as 30 seconds to the boot process; 2) TSRs can not be used with the newer operating systems without some kind of patch or kludge.  This is particularly true for the Windows Millennium operating system, which does not support loading TSRs from the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

Given that I am running four of these motherboards in various machines (and using the on-board VGA for two of them) and given PCCHIPS NOTORIOUS LACK OF SUPPORT, I decided it would be necessary to perform my own update to get the on-board VGA working the way it was intended - hence this BIOS release.  Since I was already at it, I also added a few other minor tweaks, which are enumerated in the "Summary of Changes" section (below).

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II.	VERSION NUMBERS
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Targeted Board Version .... PCChips M571 v3.2a
Internal Version Stamp .... 02/01/2002S
BIOS Filename ............. 020201S.ROM
Embedded VGA ROM version .. 1.13

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III.	DISCLAIMER
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  A.	THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL RELEASE
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The 02/01/2002S BIOS for the M571 v3.2a motherboard (the "BIOS") was not created or released by the manufacturer of the motherboard or any of the manufacturer's affiliates or subsidiaries.  It is a MODIFIED version (a HACK, basically) that is based upon the 5/14/1999S BIOS code originally released by PCChips affiliate, "Minstaple", which now appears to be defunct.

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  B.	THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
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The author makes no warranty or guarantee, expressed or implied, regarding the merchantability, suitability, or fitness of this BIOS for any given purpose.  The author assumes no liability for any inadvertent, adverse, unintended, or other unintended consequences ("negative results") arising from the use of this BIOS, regardless of whether the author is at fault.  I have tested it on my own systems and it works fine for me.  Your mileage may vary.

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  C.	ASSUMPTION OF RISK BY END USER
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USE OF THIS BIOS IS ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK!  By using this BIOS, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions set forth in this document.  Furthermore, by using this BIOS you agree that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES shall the author be held liable or accountable in any way for any negative results that occur as a result of using this BIOS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE TERMS, THEN DO NOT USE THIS MODIFIED BIOS.

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IV.	SUMMARY OF CHANGES
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The following list summarizes the changes incorporated into this
release of the BIOS:

1)  Embedded VGA BIOS v1.09 was removed and v1.13 has been added. No VGA BIOS information will show when the system boots. This is normal. The BIOS version string that previously appeared during POST appears to have been a customization performed either by the board manufacturer or the chipset manufacturer. Not wanting to change the virgin ROM code, no attempt has been made to re-insert this string.  The lack of the string display in no way affects the functionality of the BIOS.

2)  Under the "Advanced Chipset Setup" menu:

  	a)	SDRAM Access Time has been changed to 10ns for the
		"Setup Defaults" [F6] option.  (Note: The "Setup
		Defaults" configuration also is loaded by the "Load
		Best Performance Settings" item on the main menu.)
		"Load BIOS Defaults" [F7] and the corresponding
		"Load Optimal Settings"	(on the main menu) remain
		unchanged at 12ns.

	b)	CAS Latency configuration is now accessable and the
		possible values are 2T and 3T (default value).

	c)	CPU to PCI Burst Write option is now accessable and
		the possible values are "Disabled" (default value)
		and "Enabled".

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V.	OTHER RESOURCES
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The following are some additional resources that may be useful for
owners of PCChips M571 motherboards.  This is in no way intended to
be a comprehensive list.  You will find links to many other relevant
sites through the sites listed below:

	"M571 Tech Support & Upgrade Page"
	http://home.directlink.net/~timmy/M571/M571.htm

	"The PCChips Lottery BBS"
	http://www.stud.fernuni-hagen.de/q3998142/pcchips/index.html

	"The EYO Tech Forum"
	http://forums.eyo.com.au/

	"Wim's BIOS Page"
	http://www.wimsbios.com/

	PCChips, Ltd. (Motherboard manufacturer)
	http://www.pcchips.com.tw/

	C-Media (CMI8330 sound chip)
	http://www.cmedia.com.tw

	Silicon Integrated Systems (5597/5598 chipset manufacturer)
	http://www.sis.com.tw

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VI.	BORING, USELESS, EXTRANEOUS BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
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By day I'm a Computer Engineer in a Research and Development environment, specializing in hardware and software integration. I moonlight as a PC systems builder. I am extremely busy and work almost non-stop. When I am not working with computers, I am playing with them. At any given time I have about nine computers running in my house plus spare parts enough to build several more. My coworkers say I am sick. They're probably right. But I'm the first one they turn to when they want a computer built, too.

Prior to my current job, I was an IBM Mainframe programmer in a very large-scale computing environment, coding in ALC, COBOL, C, DB/2, SQL, JCL, CLIST/REXX, etc. for 10+ years. Exciting at first, it became boring after about the fifth year.  The mainframe world seems stodgy and conservative in comparison to the position I have now. The Windows world is very fast-paced and much more free-wheeling than the world of TSO and ISPF.

I also have worked previously as a metrologist (*not* meteorologist!) in another Research and Development environment for a company that made industrial temperature sensing devices.  That was a cool job.  I got to play with lots of fun things - computers, data data loggers, liquid nitrogen, freon, hot sand baths, molten metals, ceramics, things like that.  I wrote a lot of programs to solve calculus equations.  But the company was a relatively small upstart and they couldn't afford to pay me what I needed to buy groceries, much less what I felt I was worth.  So I moved on.

I first learned DOS and MASM in college, when DOS 1.0 and MASM 1.0 were "state of the art". It was the Golden Age of computing. My very first exposure to programming was in 1978, as a high-school student, when I was dialing into a university time-sharing system with a TI-99/4A, B&W 19" TV and a 300-baud modem.  Twenty-four years and twelve zillion keystrokes later, here I am.

A special thanks to Brad, BenG, AJZ and Timmy for the most excellent advice and input.  I also want thanks to those who make EYO and PCChips Lottery possible.  Without those most excellent sites, PCChips owners and customers everywhere truly would be S.O.L.