Member Avatar for KF4SQB

Hi, all. I am new to this board, and am an amatuer computer tech/screwdriver wizard (read "witchdoctor"!:rolleyes: ). I am largely self-taught, and probably don't know nearly as much as most others here. Anyway, on to my problem. I am trying to revive an old 286/12, and need some info on the motherboard. I found a website a few day ago with tons of info on various different computer components, but, being the idiot that I am, I didn't bookmark it, and now I can't find it again. Can anyone point me in the right direction to find any such? The specific computer I am working on is a Samsung S550. Any ideas? Thanks!

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A compact, practical addendum that builds on ’s situation and the suggestions from , and . The goal here is twofold: (1) concrete, low‑risk ways to identify a vintage motherboard so useful datasheets/service manuals can be found; (2) realistic repair and alternative options when the board shows burnt components.

Start with identification: with the machine powered off and unplugged, note every printed string on the PCB (assembly/board numbers, REV codes, date codes). Record full markings from the largest ICs — the BIOS ROM chip, the CPU, and the most prominent controllers — and the crystal/oscillator marking (its frequency is a direct clue to bus/CPU speed). Jumper and DIP labels, connector pin counts (edge card, power connector) and whether chips are DIP or PLCC all narrow the search. High‑resolution photos of the PCB and each IC label are the standard record used by collectors and techs to match boards to manuals.

Basic diagnostics and high‑value fixes: visually inspect for bulged or leaky electrolytic capacitors and replace them (recap) — this often restores otherwise-dead behaviour on boards from that era. With a multimeter check +5V/+12V at the main connector; use a scope or frequency counter on the oscillator to confirm the clock. Burnt areas, lifted pads and cracked solder joints are common failure modes; repairs require careful soldering to avoid further damage. Socketed ROMs can sometimes be read or swapped to identify BIOS vendors and versions.

When repair isn’t practical, two realistic alternatives: acquire a donor board from local surplus or specialist retro sources, or run the software under a period-accurate emulator. Lightweight emulation (DOSBox) can work for many programs, but cycle‑accurate tools (PCem, 86Box) better reproduce 286/AT timing and hardware quirks. These steps extend the earlier replies and provide a clear path to either identify the Samsung S550 board or decide whether to repair, replace, or emulate.

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Member Avatar for Killer_Typo

have you tried looking in your internets history for the site?? also if you need info on anything, look for the FCCID Number, with that number you can put it into an FCCID reader and you can find out all the info you will ever need to know about the motherboard.

Member Avatar for KF4SQB

Yes, I thought about looking in my history for the site, but I was on it a few days ago, and my browser is set to delete all history as soon as the browser is closed. I didn't, however, think about looking up the FCCID #. I don't think it has an FCC #, but I will look and see. Where are you going for an "ID reader"?

Member Avatar for caperjack

Hi, all. I am new to this board, and am an amatuer computer tech/screwdriver wizard (read "witchdoctor"!:rolleyes: ). I am largely self-taught, and probably don't know nearly as much as most others here. Anyway, on to my problem. I am trying to revive an old 286/12, and need some info on the motherboard. I found a website a few day ago with tons of info on various different computer components, but, being the idiot that I am, I didn't bookmark it, and now I can't find it again. Can anyone point me in the right direction to find any such? The specific computer I am working on is a Samsung S550. Any ideas? Thanks!

one would ask Why try and revive such an old comp!,one would ask what info you need ,please open the case and get a name or number off the board and post it here .

Edit ,a search reveals noting but cmos batteries ,for the Samsung S550,mus be another model name on it somewhere .is it a laptop by chance

Member Avatar for KF4SQB

one would ask Why try and revive such an old comp!

One might indeed ask such a question. The answer is simple; I need to run software that is very speed sensitive. It was originally written back in the day of the 'original' PC AT, running at 4.22 (or whatever the speed of those beasts was) MHz, and the programmers that made it didn't take the possibility of faster processors in the future into account. In some instances, it won't even run on a (much) faster processor; in others, it runs, but is very flakey. Either way, I've pretty much written off the old Samsung system. There are a couple of components on the board that are burnt pretty badly, so it's probably not worth fixing.

Member Avatar for caperjack

One might indeed ask such a question. The answer is simple; I need to run software that is very speed sensitive. It was originally written back in the day of the 'original' PC AT, running at 4.22 (or whatever the speed of those beasts was) MHz, and the programmers that made it didn't take the possibility of faster processors in the future into account. In some instances, it won't even run on a (much) faster processor; in others, it runs, but is very flakey. Either way, I've pretty much written off the old Samsung system. There are a couple of components on the board that are burnt pretty badly, so it's probably not worth fixing.

Good answer ,maybe find a working one on ebay or at yard sales .good luck .

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