Compatible emulators

Description

Motherboard:

FIC ELI6-II (c) 199? First International Computer

The ELI6-II is a mid-90s VESA Local Bus (VLB) motherboard that occupies the "functional but proprietary" niche of the market. Because it was designed specifically for Unisys as an OEM solution, it often features non-standard silkscreening and integrated BIOS routines that differ from FIC’s retail-channel products. It is built around a VIA VT82C486A chipset, providing a reliable, if unadventurous, 486 platform.

- TECHNICAL -

Chipset: VIA VT82C486A (a very common and stable 486-to-VLB/ISA bridge).
CPU Support: Socket 3, designed primarily for 486SX/DX/DX2 processors, though it often supports DX4 variants with correct jumper configuration.
Expansion: Features a mix of VLB and ISA slots. It is notable for its compact "Baby AT" footprint, which was standard for corporate desktop form factors in the 1994–1995 period.
BIOS: Award BIOS, which often contains "hidden" integrated VGA routines for Cirrus Logic chipsets—a quirk that has frustrated many a retro-collector trying to diagnose onboard video issues that don't actually exist on the motherboard itself.

- TRIVIA -

The "Unisys" Connection: If you find one of these, it likely came out of a "Unisys ELI 46665" system. These machines were often used in banking or office environments, which is why they are frequently found in such well-preserved physical condition compared to "consumer-grade" boards from the same era.

The VGA BIOS Mystery: A well-documented "gotcha" with the ELI6-II is that the system BIOS sometimes includes a VGA BIOS for the Cirrus Logic GD542x series in its ROM space, even though the motherboard has no onboard video. This leads many users to believe they have a faulty onboard graphics chip when, in reality, the motherboard is simply "holding" the BIOS for a VLB graphics card that the OEM (Unisys) intended to pair with the system.

- CONTRIBUTE -

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