The abit bp6 BIOS is AWARD modual BIOS v. 4.5. There is AWARD tool to change BIOS modules (CBROM32_182.zip). 'Original' BIOS looks like this (original BIOS dump, original BIOS)
I have added lastest HPT366 BIOS addon and all existing micro codes of the CPUs, that can fit into PGA370 socket, including 'coppermine' CPUs (mod BIOS dump, mod BIOS).
To learn more about AWARD modual BIOS 4.5 look here (there is some text in russian)
BIOS
work with modules (dup link)
To learn more about CPU microcode table look here (there is some text in russian) cpu-errata-new
Tere are lots of info about PPGA -> FC-PGA socket conversion in internet. By the way, the info shows, that it is not a good idea to make BP6 PPGA socket compatible with more powerful PIII 'tualatin' core CPUs in FC-PGA2 socket, the transformation requires special equipment and experience to work with smd chips and multy-level PCB; hardware requirements of FC-PGA2 socket (voltage levels, bus protocol) is more different from 'mendocino' one than 'coppermine'.
Some notes about my PPGA -> FC-PGA socket conversion.
- Do not touch pins of PPGA socket of BP6 mobo if you have no enough equipment to solder out the pins. Plastic of the PPGA socket of BP6 mobo is weak (cheap), for example, in comparison with PGA370 socket for socket370->slot1 GA-6R7 addapter, unexperienced attempt to heat pin and remove it can damage socket and pins around.
It is better to remove pins on FC-PGA CPU directly by steel tweezer (take pin near CPU pin base by tweezer and easyly swing it here-there sereral times), especially if you want to use the CPU with the mobo only. The removed pins of FC-PGA CPU must not be used anywhere, excepting the first (older) PPGA boards, that can not support FC-PGA voltage and 'reset' is passed to FC-PGA CPU over one of the pins all time while CPU power is on.
List of FC-PGA 'coppermine' CPU pins to remove:
AM2 - to support 'coppermine' CPU
GND for PPGA socket/CPU NC for FC-PGA socket reset# for FC-PGA CPU (it is possible to leave the pin as NC for FC-PGA CPU)AN15 - to support 'coppermine' CPU in dual mode
BR1# for PPGA socket/CPU Vtt for FC-PGA socket/CPU (it is possible to leave the pin as NC for FC-PGA CPU)All the pins are outer on CPU pin grid and it is easy to remove them (pic).
- Solder two wires for each PPGA socket on BP6 mobo (total 2*2=4 wires for mobo).
First wire is X4 & AH4 (pic, the pins are linked by green wire).
X4
reset# for PPGA socket/CPU reset2# for FC-PGA socket/CPU (it is possible to wire together reset# and reset2#)AH4
reserved for PPGA CPU NC for PPGA socket (must be and it is true for BP6) reset# for FC-PGA socket/CPUSecond wire is AN15 & N33 (pic, the pins are linked by long red wire).
AN15
BR1# for PPGA socket/CPU Vtt for FC-PGA socket/CPU (it is possible to leave the pin NC for FC-PGA CPU)N33
reserved for PPGA CPU NC for PPGA socket (must be and it is true for BP6) BR1# for FC-PGA socket/CPUNote: according Intel, BR1# pin depends on FC-PGA CPU stepping and some of 'coppermine' CPUs have X2 pin as BR1# instead of N33 pin, but i have not seen info, that X2 is working anywhere, but N33 do.
- About AB36 pin.
Unofficial list of pins:
AB36
Vcore (CPU output) 2.5V for PPGA socket/CPU (AB36&Z36 wired inside CPU) Vcore (CPU output) 1.5V for FC-PGA socket/CPU (AB36&AD36 wired inside CPU)
Z362.5V (CPU input) for PPGA/FC-PGA socket/CPU
AD361.5V (CPU input) for PPGA/FC-PGA socket/CPU
There is info, that it is bug of BP6 mobo with the AB36 pin (it is not bug for PPGA CPU only), because the mobo is not ready to receive from CPU over the AB36 pin any other voltage value, than 2.5V suitable for PPGA only.
According the info, I have tried to remove the pin from PPGA socket of CPU2 without any tests, that system is not work without the mod, that results in damaged socket of CPU2 and i have hardly rescued the socket. I did not continue and did not wire AB36&Z36 pins on CPU2 socket.
I do not modify socket of CPU1 in this way and I am not sure, what is exactly with the AB36 pin of damaged socket of CPU2 (maybe the pin is connected to placed CPU, maybe is not), but system is working itself in the current state without any my interventions.
So, my advice is: befor touching AB36 pin be sure, that all other parts of system is working perfectly, but mobo can not work.
All existed info suggests, that in dual SMP mode both CPU must be the same: equal bus frequency, multiplier, cache size, stepping etc, in other words, they must be exactly the same CPUs and the only differences is serial number.
But the mod shows, that two enough different PIII 'coppermine' CPUs with different: core voltage value, multipier and stepping can work together with BP6 in dual mode. They have equal bus frequency, opcode set and cache size only.
The BX440 chipset is intended to work with 66/100 MHz FSB. It is known, there are lots of motherboards with BX440 that can operate up to 150 MHz. But the BP6 motherboard has bugs with tracing of signal and power wires, that do work with freq more than 100MHz FSB not reliable.
The known way to win the bugs is change onboard power supply design, that lead to reliability with high frequences (for example).
If you have chinese solderin iron for 1$ from neares shop only, then it will be not easy even solder out anything from the board, so, the only way to change bad by mobo design (if it is not changed yet) or damaged by time capacitors and stay with 100 MHz FSB.
To remove damaged (blown up) capacitors you no need to solder out them from mobo. It is enough to break each of them by flat-nose pliers with intention to save pins of capacitors, the pins is already soldered to PCB. Clear the rest pins to dry state, use soldering flux for aluminium and solder new capacitors. And also, you can place new capacitors in horizontal plane above PCB.
Overclocking with BX440 is depended from your AGP video card, that must support 89 MHz with 133 MHz FSB instead of 66 MHz for 100 MHz FSB.
The low freq of FSB allow to set 2-2-2 SDRAM timing mode for SDRAM PC-133. The low memory latency is good thing and 110/2-2-2 often can be better than 124/3-3-3.
Overclocking up to 110 MHz is quite reliable with my concrete hardware set. All case fans of CPUs and power unit working with 5V power silently and perfectly.
Some add-on PCI cards have own BIOS extention, the BIOS extention included into mobo BIOS or placed on PCI card is not working reliable (always). The work depends on PCI card order and in most times presence of AGP video card. This is BIOS bug, there are many BIOSes of other mobos, that can not boot or can not run BIOS extention from PCI add-on cards.
Maximum multiplier is allowed by my BP6 BIOS is 8, so my 850 MHz celeron CPU looks like 800 MHz, but system can boot and is working perfectly.
Most cheap modern PCI cards (USB 2.0,1G ethernet,SATA1) require 3.3V from motherboard, but BP6 has no the power voltage connected to PCI slots, the PCI pins are NC.
It is interesting, that some of the cards can work even with 486 CPU mobo and oldest PCI versions only by 3.3V power connected.
I was too lazy to sloder all power pins of all PCI slots, so for each used PCI addon card i select appropriate PCI slot, place mark to card with the slot number and for the cards, that require 3.3V, i check used by card 3.3V pins and connect power to PCI slot only to the pins, in fact in my case it was only one wire for each PCI slot, very easy. Of course, i am sure, that one PCI power line is enough for each conrecte card.
To learn more about PCI 3.3V look here (there is some text in russian) tvtuner02