Trimond Motherboards Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Windows 9x system behave unpreditably since I installed ESS Solo audio drivers?
The standard installation of ESS Solo audio drivers available from the web uses ESSOLO.SYS in CONFIG.SYS to allocate IRQ5 for Soundblaster emulation.

In an attempt to prevent possible resource allocation conflicts, an "Audio Legacy Configuration" option was introduced into the motherboard BIOS to allow this IRQ to be user-configurable.   Consequently, ESS released a new set of drivers to us without ESSOLO.SYS.

If you have upgraded from one version to another, it is possible that you may have an invalid combination of BIOS setting and CONFIG.SYS entry, which may cause your system to behave unpredictably.

To resolve this, please observe the following:

ESS drivers downloaded from THIS web site? Audio Legacy Configuration (BIOS setting) ESSOLO.SYS Comments
Yes Auto ESSOLO.SYS is NOT required.  Make sure there is no entry in CONFIG.SYS If ESSOLO.SYS is loaded, this may clash with the BIOS setting by attempting to force the IRQ to 5, resulting in potentially unpredictable system behaviour.
Yes Enabled (requires an IRQ to be specified) ESSOLO.SYS is NOT required.  Make sure there is no entry in CONFIG.SYS If ESSOLO.SYS is loaded, this may clash with the BIOS setting by attempting to force the IRQ to 5, resulting in potentially unpredictable system behaviour.
No Disabled (no IRQ will be reserved) ESSOLO.SYS is required to reserve IRQ5.  Make sure DEVICE=ESSOLO.SYS is included in CONFIG.SYS We do not recommend use of ESS audio drivers which have not been qualified for use on our motherboards.

Why can't I boot from my Windows 98 CD?
The Windows 98 Release Candidate CD was bootable, the final release CD is not.

Why does my motherboard appear to be completely dead?
The board may not function if:
  • The CPU is overclocked
  • The PSU is supplying insufficient 5V standby current (see PSU issues below)
  • The wrong type of memory is fitted (or memory which is incompatible with the CPU - see memory issues below)

Why doesn't my PSU work?
Mitsubishi motherboards are designed to be connected to a soft-switch PSU, with 5V standby.  If the 5V standby current is insufficient, the PSU may deregulate and possibly damage the motherboard.  Ensure that at least 30mA is available to the 5V standby output.

If you wish to use a hard-switch PSU, it is necessary to change a flag in the manufacturer settings of the BIOS and provide current to the motherboard 5V standby connector.  Please contact the Motherboard Division for full instructions.

Why do I get memory related beep sequences during POST?
Please ensure that you are using the correct memory type for your CPU and motherboard.   If you are using a 100MHz Front Side Bus CPU, you must use PC-100 DIMMs.

DIMMs are 64 or 72 bits wide and require SPD (Serial Presence Detect).

The motherboard used to work, so why does it now hang with a D2h "unkown interrupt" error during POST?
There is a brief "window" during POST where the ESCD area of BIOS may corrupt if power is removed.  Please allow POST to complete before removing AC mains. 

If the motherboard will no longer boot, you will need to recover the BIOS using the combined BIOS UPDATE/RECOVERY disk.

To use the disk in recovery mode, please complete the following:

  • Remove the power lead
  • Press the on/off switch (to drain any residual 5V standby current)
  • Insert the BIOS UPDATE/RECOVERY floppy disk
  • Re-connect the power lead
  • Boot the system.  Video will not be enabled during the recovery process.  The system will beep upon successful completion.

necessary, boot from the BIOS recovery disk to restore defaults.