WPE-792 Intel Q965 Mini-ITX - generic/reference bios

[axelmasok]

Hi All,
More of a query if there is any hope forward with this strange motherboard.
Maker is Taiwanese builder of digital signage/media PCs - Wincomm.  The model WPE-792 is no longer supported and they have no legacy files/BIOS and such on their website.  I have two of these so happy to brick them and throw them in the trash.

Problem: The PCIe 1.1 slot "seems" to only support graphics cards (it has onboard Intel GMA).  I'm wanting to run my 3ware 9650SE raid card in the slot.  With it plugged in = no post, no beeps, no video nothing but fan spin.  The 3ware card works in a Zotac NVIDIA chipset PCIe 2.0 slot here as well as a Gigabyte i7 based PCIe 2.0 board no worries.  I thought it was obvious that it doesn't support PCIe 1.1 - but the documentation says it does...
Tried disabling everything I possibly could in the BIOS, no diff.

Attempted solution:  The award 6.0 bios looks dodgy on this board.  Strange greyed out options, options that don't apply, lots of options I would expect to see for a core duo Q965 board.  I'm thinking they used a Chinese manufacturer to make the boards based on a reference design but who knows who/what/which?  Any ideas on working that out?  Maybe I can try the BIOS of a sister reference board?  I don't care if I brick them.  If they don't support my raid card then they are of no use to me or my server.

Thanks for any hints tips or suggestions.