MR BIOS: Difference between revisions

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!First seen on
!First seen on
!Notes
!Notes
!
|-
|-
|V1.0A
|V1.0A
Line 18: Line 19:
|{{Available}}
|{{Available}}
|Two OPTi 82C283 chipset motherboards ([https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/qdi-p386sx-25-pw QDI P386SX/25 PW] and [https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/shuttle-hot-306 Shuttle HOT-306]).
|Two OPTi 82C283 chipset motherboards ([https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/qdi-p386sx-25-pw QDI P386SX/25 PW] and [https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/shuttle-hot-306 Shuttle HOT-306]).
|Both motherboards use the exact same ROM (V007B314)
|Both motherboards support the same ROM upgrade (V007B314)
|
|-
|-
|V1.0B
|V1.0B
|late-1990(?)
|Late-1990(?)
|{{Assumed}}
|{{Assumed}}
|
|
|May possibly exist assuming by the naming scheme, currently no ROMs are known.
|May possibly exist assuming by the naming scheme, currently no ROMs are known.
|
|-
|-
|V1.0C
|V1.0C
|late-1990
|Late-1990
|{{Confirmed}}
|{{Confirmed}}
|[https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?p=1277917#p1277917 Unknown OPTi 82C481 chipset motherboard, labelled "KMC486-25"]
|[https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?p=1277917 Unknown OPTi 82C481 chipset motherboard, labelled "KMC486-25"]
|Only known instance of V1.0C so far. Currently no ROM dumps are available.
|Only known instance of V1.0C so far. Currently no ROM dumps are available.
|
|-
|-
|V1.0D
|V1.0D
|late-1990 or early-1991(?)
|Late-1990 or early-1991(?)
|{{Assumed}}
|{{Assumed}}
|
|
|May possibly exist assuming by the naming scheme, currently no ROMs are known.
|May possibly exist assuming by the naming scheme
|
|-
|-
|V1.0E
|V1.0E
Line 43: Line 48:
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/cache-computers-cache-bat-486-model-319 Cache Computers CACHE BAT 486 (Model 319) motherboard]
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/cache-computers-cache-bat-486-model-319 Cache Computers CACHE BAT 486 (Model 319) motherboard]
|Last known version using the V1.0x naming scheme. The ROM has no visible Microid Research or MR BIOS branding, so it was most likely licensed to the Cache Computers for use.
|Last known version using the V1.0x naming scheme. The ROM has no visible Microid Research or MR BIOS branding, so it was most likely licensed to the Cache Computers for use.
|
|-
|-
|V1.26
|V1.26
|October 27, 1991
|October 27, 1991
|{{Available}}
|{{Available}}
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/cache-computers-cache-bat-486-model-319 TAM33-P1/TAM40-P1 motherboard]
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/auva-computer-tam33-p1-tam40-p1 TAM33-P1/TAM40-P1 motherboard]
|Earliest known version with the new naming scheme.
|Earliest known version under the new naming scheme.
|
|-
|V1.27
| rowspan="2" |Late-1991 or early-1992(?)
| rowspan="2" |Assumed
|
| rowspan="2" |Likely exist assuming by the naming scheme
|
|-
|V1.28
|
|
|-
|V1.29
|January 28, 1992
|Available
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/orchid-technolog-superboard-486 ORCHID TECHNOLOGY SUPERBOARD 486]
|Earliest known version with the blue background setup utility.
|
|-
|V1.30
| rowspan="6" |Early or mid-1992
| rowspan="6" |Assumed
|
| rowspan="6" |Likely exist assuming by the naming scheme
|
|-
|V1.31
|
|
|-
|V1.32
|
|
|-
|V1.33
|
|
|-
|V1.34
|
|
|-
|V1.35
|
|
|-
|V1.36
|July 15, 1992
|Available
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/octek-panther-ii Octek PANTHER II]
|
|
|-
|V1.37
| rowspan="3" |Mid-1992
| rowspan="3" |Assumed
|
| rowspan="3" |Likely exist assuming by the naming scheme
|
|-
|V1.38
|
|
|-
|V1.39
|
|
|-
|V1.40
|September 9, 1992
|Available
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/ecs-8517-v3.3 ECS 8517 V3.3]
|
|
|-
|V1.41
|October 14, 1992
|Available
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/octek-jaguar-iv-c-r1-6 Octek Jaguar IV-C (Rev 1.6)]
|
|
|-
|V1.42
| rowspan="3" |Late-1992 or early-1993
| rowspan="3" |Assumed
|
| rowspan="3" |Likely exist assuming by the naming scheme
|
|-
|V1.43
|
|
|-
|V1.44
|
|
|-
|V1.45
|March 16, 1993
|Available
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/octek-hippo-vl-2 Octek HIPPO VL+]
|
|
|-
|V1.46
| rowspan="5" |Mid-1993
| rowspan="5" |Assumed
|
| rowspan="5" |Likely exist assuming by the naming scheme
|
|-
|V1.47
|
|
|-
|V1.48
|
|
|-
|V1.49
|
|
|-
|V1.50
|
|
|-
|V1.51
|August 6, 1993
|Available
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/octek-jaguar-v-386-rev-2.0 Octek JAGUAR V 386 (rev 2.0)]
|
|
|-
|V1.52
|August 20, 1993
|Available
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/a-trend-4gpv3 A-Trend 4GPV3], [https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/a-trend-4gpv3-1 4GPV3.1] and [https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/mecer-corporation-b860-rev-a MECER CORPORATION B860 (REV. A)]
|All three motherboards support the same ROM upgrade (V080B425)
|
|-
|V1.53
|November 20, 1993
|Available
|[https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/octek-hippo-op Octek HIPPO OP]
|
|
|}
|}

Revision as of 11:18, 19 July 2024

MR BIOS (short for Microid Research BIOS), unofficially and commonly nicknamed Mr. BIOS, is a personal computer BIOS developed by Microid Research Inc. (MRI) from 1989 to 1999. It was mostly offered as a third-party BIOS upgrade for existing motherboards of various brands. However, it was occasionally also used as the default BIOS on some motherboards.

Microid Research Inc. (MRI)

Microid Research Inc., abbreviated MRI, was a software development company founded in 1989 and incorporated in 1992 in Santa Clara, California. It was acquired by Unicore Software in the mid-1990s (most likely in 1995 or 1996) and relocated to North Andover, Massachusetts (where Unicore was located). Unicore was then acquired by Award Software in 1997, which then merged with Phoenix Technologies the following year.

Versions

The below is a list of known and possible versions of MR BIOS. Known versions with available ROMs are marked as "Available", while ones without are marked "Confirmed". Assumed possible versions are marked "Assumed".

Version Earliest release date Status First seen on Notes
V1.0A November 18, 1990 Available Two OPTi 82C283 chipset motherboards (QDI P386SX/25 PW and Shuttle HOT-306). Both motherboards support the same ROM upgrade (V007B314)
V1.0B Late-1990(?) Assumed May possibly exist assuming by the naming scheme, currently no ROMs are known.
V1.0C Late-1990 Confirmed Unknown OPTi 82C481 chipset motherboard, labelled "KMC486-25" Only known instance of V1.0C so far. Currently no ROM dumps are available.
V1.0D Late-1990 or early-1991(?) Assumed May possibly exist assuming by the naming scheme
V1.0E April 2, 1991 Available Cache Computers CACHE BAT 486 (Model 319) motherboard Last known version using the V1.0x naming scheme. The ROM has no visible Microid Research or MR BIOS branding, so it was most likely licensed to the Cache Computers for use.
V1.26 October 27, 1991 Available TAM33-P1/TAM40-P1 motherboard Earliest known version under the new naming scheme.
V1.27 Late-1991 or early-1992(?) Assumed Likely exist assuming by the naming scheme
V1.28
V1.29 January 28, 1992 Available ORCHID TECHNOLOGY SUPERBOARD 486 Earliest known version with the blue background setup utility.
V1.30 Early or mid-1992 Assumed Likely exist assuming by the naming scheme
V1.31
V1.32
V1.33
V1.34
V1.35
V1.36 July 15, 1992 Available Octek PANTHER II
V1.37 Mid-1992 Assumed Likely exist assuming by the naming scheme
V1.38
V1.39
V1.40 September 9, 1992 Available ECS 8517 V3.3
V1.41 October 14, 1992 Available Octek Jaguar IV-C (Rev 1.6)
V1.42 Late-1992 or early-1993 Assumed Likely exist assuming by the naming scheme
V1.43
V1.44
V1.45 March 16, 1993 Available Octek HIPPO VL+
V1.46 Mid-1993 Assumed Likely exist assuming by the naming scheme
V1.47
V1.48
V1.49
V1.50
V1.51 August 6, 1993 Available Octek JAGUAR V 386 (rev 2.0)
V1.52 August 20, 1993 Available A-Trend 4GPV3, 4GPV3.1 and MECER CORPORATION B860 (REV. A) All three motherboards support the same ROM upgrade (V080B425)
V1.53 November 20, 1993 Available Octek HIPPO OP