Model Number

So I was wrong about the 1996 part.
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If you are trying to identify a MSI mboard, things I learned regarding the one I used the wrong bios update on, etc. …

Sometimes the picture of the mboard on the support page for a model is the WRONG ONE on the MSI site, if there are several models, or different versions / revisions of the same model, that look almost identical.

Sometimes the model markings on the mboard are the SAME for similar MSI models that require different bios updates. E.g. KT4V and MS-6712 Ver. 10A (1.0A) are the same for at least two very similar models. One has a KT400A southbridge chip; the other has a KT400 – they are under a heatsink – I used the bios update for the latter rather than the former. If there is another Rev or Ver number otherwise, or some other marking that is different, I could not and still can’t find it.
I later found the specs for the one mentioned KT400, the other KT400A – otherwise, the specs looked identical. I then removed the heatsink – aha!
(It has two plastic pins that retain it – difficult to remove unless the mboard is not mounted. If it isn’t mounted, use pliers or similar to manipulate the tabs on the backside slim enough so the pins can be easily pulled out.)

Sometimes what the model’s mboard looks like varies depending on what MSI region it was made in. The manual from the proper region should show the correct picture and/or mboard layout diagram.

If there is a picture in the manual for the MSI model, it’s the right one. If there is no picture in the manual , it may be hard to tell one model from another based on the mboard layout diagram.

For any mboard, if in doubt, if the mboard is in a working system, determine what it’s bios string is and search with that on the web – if it has a date, omit the date, and you’ll get more “hits” (each version for a model may have many possible dates depending on when it was made initially and whether the bios had been updated since.)
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Retail MSI mboard models I’ve seen always have an obvious model number and version printed between the slots on the mboard in large characters. OEM only MSI models made only for brand name system builders may or may not have that.

MSI no longer has support or manuals for their older mboards, but the manuals and sometimes bios updates for most of those can be found on the web on third party sites.
e.g.
http://www.elhvb.com/mobokive/Archi…

http:/www.motherboards.org
find Mobot – search for manuals.

I have SOME old manuals and info for old MSI models.
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For any mboard brand, usually, if the first number of a mboard version or revision of the same model is the same, e.g. 1.x, 2.x , the same bios updates can be used for the same series, but there are EXCEPTIONS. Find the bios updates for exact version or revision, if not just 1.x or similar is found, to make sure you use the right bios update.
The release notes for the bios updates may state that it can be used for any of the versions or revisions in the series, they may not.

MSI often has more that one version or revision of the exact same model number, they often cannot use the same bios updates, and the mboards often do not even look similar.
They often have two labels for a model – the MS-xxxx model, Ver xx, and a marketing name.
E.g. for my example, KT4V and MS-6712 Ver. 10A (1.0A; there is no 10A; probably a typo. ), KT4V ? – but that wasn’t enough info.
Sometimes the marketing name is NOT printed on the mboard, e.g. on OEM only models.
Sometimes you have to search using the marketing name rather than the model number to find the proper info. They used to have lists with both on them you could use as a cross reference, but they didn’t have that online the last time I looked ( or if they did, it didn’t list the model and ver I was looking up).
You MAY be able to find the marketing name by searching with the MS-xxxx model, Ver xx on the web.