Chicony MP-975
The Chicony MP-975 is a Pentium-based generic/ODM laptop that was released in late 1996. It was based on the design of the older Chicony NB7, which was a 486 laptop. There were two main revisions of the MP-975, known as the MP-975A and the MP-975D. I don't know for sure what the differences are, but I believe one is that the D laptops added a larger dock connector that was for use with a full dock, whereas the A laptops could only use a port replicator.
The MP-975 was extremely successful, maybe Chicony's most successful model. This is mainly because it was one of the very first laptops on the market with a 13.3-inch LCD.
This model was sold as/by:
- HyperData MediaGo 850
- AMS Tech
- EPS Technologies
- ChemBook 9750 Series
- Magitronic 631 Series
- Wedge Technology SuperBOOK
- Cypress
- Keith Systems
- Others
Specifications
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| CPU | CPU Type: Socket 7 - Intel Pentium @75, 90, 100, 120, 133, 150, 166, or 200MHz - Intel Pentium MMX @150, 166, or 200MHz |
| Chipset | OPTi Viper 557/558N |
| RAM | Type: FPM or EDO (some revisions), 2x 72-pin slots Standard: 16MB Soldered Maximum: 80MB |
| Storage | 2.5 or 3.0" IDE Requires Adapter: Yes Standard: N/A |
| Display Options | - 12.1" Passive Matrix LCD @800x600 - 12.1" Active Matrix LCD @800x600 - 13.3" Active Matrix LCD @1024x768 |
| Graphics Chipset | Chips & Technologies 65550 VRAM: 2MB |
| Audio | ESS AudioDrive 1788 - Stereo Speakers - Microphone |
| Main Battery | NiMH (Same battery as the ARa/MP968) |
| CMOS Battery | Soldered Lithium |
| Power Supply | Barrel Jack (19V, 2.2A) |
| Media Drives | Modular Bay supporting the following: - 3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive - CD-ROM Drive - 2nd Battery - FDD can be connected via external cable |
| PC Cards | 2x PCMCIA/CardBus Slots (2x Type II/1x Type III) - ZoomVideo Support |
| Networking | Modem (Optional) |
| Other I/O | - 1x Parallel - 1x Serial - 1x VGA Out - 1x PS/2 - 1x Dock Connector (two used, differs by revision) - 1x Composite In - 1x Mic In - 1x Line In - 1x Line Out - Infrared |
| BIOS | SystemSoft |
| Pointing Device | Trackpad |
Resources
 Drivers & BIOS Updates |
|---|
CPU Switch Settings, other info
CPU Support
All MP-975s support up to a 200MHz Pentium MMX CPU. However, if you have a revision F motherboard, a 233MHz chip will work. Your motherboard revision can be determined via the third digit in the serial number.
AMD K6-2 CPUs are not supported and will not fit into the MP-975's CPU socket due to having an extra pin present. That being said, it is apparantly possible to use one if you cut the extra pin off the CPU and modify the MP-975's motherboard to output the correct VCC voltage to the CPU. I do not have any details on how to do this, other than that the MP-975's VCC controller chip will apparantly output 2.0 or 2.2v with the correct modification done.
Switch Settings
CPU VCC
| Voltage | SW1-1 | SW1-2 | SW1-3 | SW1-4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5V | OFF | OFF | OFF | OFF |
| 2.8-2.9V | OFF | ON | OFF | OFF |
| 3.1V | OFF | OFF | ON | OFF |
| 3.3V | OFF | OFF | OFF | ON |
CPU Clock Speed
| Speed | SW1-5 | SW1-6 | SW1-7 | SW1-8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75MHz | OFF | OFF | OFF | OFF |
| 90MHz | OFF | OFF | ON | OFF |
| 100MHz | OFF | OFF | ON | ON |
| 120MHz | OFF | ON | ON | OFF |
| 133MHz | OFF | ON | ON | ON |
| 150MHz | ON | ON | ON | OFF |
| 166MHz | ON | ON | ON | ON |
| 200MHz | ON | OFF | ON | ON |
| MMX 166MHz | ON | ON | ON | ON |
| MMX 200MHz | ON | OFF | ON | ON |
| MMX 233MHz | OFF | OFF | ON | ON |
LCD Settings & CMOS Reset
| Setting | SW2-1 | SW2-2 | SW2-3 | SW2-4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.1" DSTN | ON | OFF | OFF | -- |
| 12.1" TFT | OFF | OFF | OFF | -- |
| 13.3" TFT | OFF | OFF | ON | -- |
| CMOS Reset | -- | -- | -- | ON |
Hard Drive Caddies
If your MP-975 is missing the hard drive caddy, the Compaq Armada 1500 Series caddy apparantly uses the same connector and will work.
Some early MP-975s used the short-lived 3.0-inch hard drive standard. If you run into one of these and the drive is dead or missing, you'll need to source a new caddy to fit a 2.5-inch drive.
RAM Support
Early MP-975s only support Fast Page (FPM) RAM, while later ones can take FPM or EDO. To determine what your unit supports, enter device manager and check the hard drive controller. If it is an Opti Dual PCI controller, then your MP-975 supports EDO memory.
Modems
Apparantly at least some MP-975s without modem cards still have the modem jack on the side of the laptop, so having a jack doesn't guarantee that the laptop has a modem card installed.
Hinge Failure
Hinge failure due to brittle plastic is likely an issue on these. I've seen one on eBay that was completely destroyed around the hinges - that one was likely abused to some extent, but I'd guess that it's a problem that will affect any unit eventually. If you notice cracks or separation near the hinges, you can fix them with epoxy.
Page last updated (MM/DD/YYYY): 01/31/2025
Update Reason: added switch settings, drivers
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