# Motherboard Identification... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 26, 2000, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motherboard-identification/47236 "2000-12-26T14:35:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doubleclick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Doubleclick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doubleclick)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motherboard-identification/47236/1 "2000-12-26T14:35:11Z")
Hey all… I got a second-hand PC from the in-laws for my son. How can I identify who makes the motherboard in the PC? I want to stick a P233 chip in it, but I don’t have a manual so I don’t know the jumper settings. I can’t seem to see any ‘logo’ on the board. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motherboard-identification/47236/2 "2000-12-26T14:42:34Z")
Take a look at it. Some companies have their name (FIC, for one I think) stamped on it. Maybe there is a motherboard id program out there, maybe the BIOS will tell you something. Another thing to watch out for: **can** it support a P233? Older MB’s might be socket 5. ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motherboard-identification/47236/3 "2000-12-26T15:48:52Z")
what chip is in there currently? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motherboard-identification/47236/4 "2000-12-26T16:22:18Z")
With the price of 233 boards these days I don’t see why you don’t just buy a new board. ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motherboard-identification/47236/5 "2000-12-26T16:26:32Z")
I can understand why you would not want to change MBD’s. I changed motherboards in a system and windows 2000 took a dump. I had to format and reload the entire computer (I even tried to make it work. I removed everything from the device manager and deleted the enum folder before the change) – a simple change of chip shouldnt cause that error. ---
**Author:** ![Doubleclick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Doubleclick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doubleclick)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motherboard-identification/47236/6 "2000-12-26T17:33:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kinoons \* > \*\*what chip is in there currently? \*\* There’s an Intel 430vx. I got a BIOS program that game me the URL of [http://www.tryan.com](http://www.tryan.com). It was no help…I looked at the manuals on their site and none of them fit the description. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > **With the price of 233 boards these days I don’t see why you don’t just buy a new board.** I would by a new one, but it’s just for my 8 year old and I’m not that picky, but I have spare parts here I wanted to put in it. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Saint Zero_ > \*\*Take a look at it. Some companies have their name (FIC, for one I think) stamped on it. Maybe there is a motherboard id program out there, maybe the BIOS will tell you something. > > Another thing to watch out for: can it support a P233? Older MB’s might be socket 5.\*\* I’ve done that (I haven’t removed the board…I don’t want to go through all that trouble when my sone won’t really notice any different…) and nothing stands out. It is will take the 233 chip…even if I can only get it to 200, it’s better than 133…(and I’ve even got had pumped to 180MHz, but then the drive cacked…I replaced the old chip and reset the jumpers and all was well again.) After some further research, it turns out that is is a ‘cheaper’ board with an ‘illigal’ BIOS OS on it…not a big feal…but its a good bet finding the specs will be harder…(Never mind the brand of board.) Ah well…at leats my sone can play Diablo =) ---
**Author:** ![DocDaneeka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c68b51/32.png) [@DocDaneeka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocDaneeka)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motherboard-identification/47236/7 "2000-12-26T23:56:46Z")
If there are no other identifying marks, look for an FCC ID. If you can find one of those, go here: [http://www.driverguide.com](http://www.driverguide.com) Or here: > **[FCC ID Search](https://www.fcc.gov/oet/ea/fccid)** > > Grantee Code: (First three or five characters of FCCID) Product Code: (Remaining characters of FCCID) Advanced Search To perform an advanced search go to: https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm. The advanced search permits search on... This tool will give you the registered manufacturer. Driverguide is good for pointing you in the right direction for the manufacturer’s homepage. Good luck.