MS-6399 mobo (Medion MD 3000 Ti) redo for Win2K / WinXP solved

Hi All:

You may have run across a Micro-Star Int'l MS-6399 motherboard in the
corner, on eBay and close-out sellers, and want to redeploy it as a
low-end video/sound editing or game machine. This machine can become a
P4-478 2GHz intel 845 chipset computer with multi-media capability.
Included are links for BIOS updates and drivers for Win2K and WinXP.

I have Win2K SP4 running on it with acceptable 3D game performance (Pac
Man 2 World) and LogiTech Rumblepad 2 USB controller using an nVidia
GeForce 4 Ti AGP card.

Configured as a media workstation, I have used FireWire and a Sony
mini-DV camcorder with easy acquisition performance and smooth playback
using Nero 7 Ultra v7.0.8.2

I hope that this post is useful for others; shows MS-6399 value,
limitations, and issues to overcome.

-----

This MSI mobo is used in an OEM computer for the German market, a
popular Medion AG MD 3000 Titanium computer (distributed by Aldi, a
German-based big-box retailer, which has economy supermarkets in the
US).

There is Tech Support which I used to get the latest drivers:
http://www.medionusa.com only the BIOS and Intel Busmaster drivers is
available on this website.

Other drivers: (links used to work for Medion's German website. Have to
get T/S to help dig them out now.)
Sound
Win2k: http://download.medion.de/downloads/...8738wmew2k.exe
Sound Win
XP: http://download.medion.de/downloads/...m8738winxp.exe
BIOS: http://download.medion.de/downloads/...biomd3kbro.exe
Intel Chipset:
http://download.medion.de/downloads/...ntel_inf6x.exe

------

Detailed discription of my implementation:

Motherboard: custom Micro-Star Int'l MS-6399 MicroATX

(This MS-6399 is similar to MS-6532 mobo (2001) but BIOS doesn't
include PC Health Status (CPU Temp) and Frequency/Voltage Control
(overclockability) in CMOS Setup)

Award BIOS, v1.14 last (biomd3Kbro.exe)
BIOS supports 4 boot devices

BIOS listings:
W6399 M7 v1.14 012903 10:30:00 MedionPC
01/29/2003-i845-W627HF-6A69VM4BC-00

P4 478-pin 1.7GHz L2=256KB cache 0.18 micron technology (from German
eBay listings, guess that 2.0GHz CPU is fastest supported)
Frontside bus 400MHz, 1.75v CPU
2X slots PC-133 SDRAM, 2GB max, 512MB, filled with 2X 256MB 184-pin
DIMMs
slots: 1ea AGP 4X (no 3.3v 2X cards) and 3ea PCI v2.2 slots

chipset:
intel NB i845 AGP (Brookdale), SB 801BA UltraATA100
(chpintel_inf6x.exe)

integrated Realtek RTL8139 10BT NIC (ndis5x-pcilan(639).zip)
integrated C-Media CMI8738 6-channel sound chip (fr Medion T/S
skcm8738wmew2k.exe which was missing Mixer.exe, but was included in
skcm8738winxp.exe)
integrated USB1 2X ports
integrated composite video/audio input 2X RCA phono (OEM special for
Medion)
integrated sound SPDIF in BIOS, no header (limited to headphones 2spkr
only)
integrated game 15-pin port

Additions:

nVidia GeForce4 Ti 4400 128MB AGP 4X board with VGA, DVI, and S-video
ports, driver 4.5.3.2 8/29/03

NEC USB2 PCI board

Firewire PCI using TI OHCI 3X large 6-wire ports

Western Digital Caviar WD800JB 80GB 7200 rpm, 2MB cache

NEC DVD+RW DL ND-4570A 8.5GB burner

MS Win2K SP4 installed 4/17/06

motherboard has non-standard wire-type for a German style P4-478
heatsink/fan assembly; had to get an intel compatible heatsink
retaining bracket that has 4 plastic clips that plugs into the
motherboard. Hard-to-find but available from a eBay Seller for $5 or
remove from a blown P4-478 board.

Case equipped with Antec TruePower 480 and with CPU and powersupply
fans keeps innards cool with lower noise. No mobo temperature control
of fans.

Phil wrote:
> Hi All:
>
> 2X slots PC-133 SDRAM, 2GB max, 512MB, filled with 2X 256MB 184-pin DIMMs

Whoops, 512MB PC-133 SDRAM is on 168-pin DIMMs

Phil wrote:
> Hi All:
>
> integrated composite video/audio input 2X RCA phono (OEM special for Medion)
> integrated sound SPDIF in BIOS, no header (limited to headphones 2spkr only)
>

rear panel connectivity:

audio minijacks 4X ports; line in; line out, front, rear, center /
subwoofer
integrated sound SPDIF input and output, 2X RCA jacks (non optical)
(special for Medion)
integrated sound SPDIF in BIOS, no header (limited to headphones 2spkr
only), may be able to upgrade with C-Media drivers.

there are additional pinouts on the mobo for USB1, Firewire, and AV in;
composite, S-Video, audio, mic for front panel, if implemented.

Don't have pinout diagrams. Anybody?

See Wikipedia for S/PDIF cabling requirements and differences between
wire, coax, and optical cabling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spdif