[ILUG] Still at the BIOS

[Kenn Humborg]

On Tue, Oct 12, 1999 at 01:40:25PM +0100, Mel wrote:
> Right, I've managed to pin down enough information on the chip now I
> think. The manufacturer is SST (Silicon Storage Technology) and the full
> part number is
> 
> 39SF020 90-4C-PH 991391-A
> 
> >From their info catalog the information on that chip is as follows
> 
> Competitor part number: AT27C020-90-PC
> Vendor: Atmel
> Memory Org: 256K x 8
> VPP/VCC Range: 5V only
> Speed: 90ns
> Description: OTP
> Package: PDIP
> SST Part: SSt27SF020-904C-PH
> Comments: 100% drop-in replacement, Program/Erase required external
> 	programmer with support for SST
> 
> Does anyone know what an equivilant part would be? Sorry for all this but
> I now nothing about electronics and No Computer => No Linux

That seems odd...  Flash programmable EPROMs usually have an F in
the part number.  The 27C020 is probably not flash programmable.

However, if you are content with having a non-flashable BIOS, then
the 27C020 should be OK.  Farnell order code 671-137 is an AMD
2Mb (256K x 8), 90ns EPROM (non-OTP).  (OTP means one-time-programmable
which means that the package doesn't have a little window in the
top for erasing the chip with UV light.)  If you can find a good
BIOS chip identical to your dead one, any standard EPROM programming
kit should be any to copy it for you.  Talk to your EE dept.

If you can't find a good BIOS chip, you might be able to extract the
relevant info from the BIOS update files, but it could be tricky...

Have you tried going back to whoever you got the motherboard from in
the first place and asking them for a spare part?

Later,
Kenn