Re: Where do you find your retro gear?

Posted on 2015-03-14, 23:25

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

For joysticks and keyboards, I've had extremely good luck with Goodwill stores. You just have to be patient, check frequently, and know how to disassemble and clean input peripherals. Especially keyboards. There are some really dirty bastards out there. My personal method involves a few days of …

---

Re: Show us your retro computer cases

Posted on 2015-03-14, 22:48

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

:exclamation: Everything is so clean and perfect. I am envious! http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g330/rjheard/IMG_4862_zps7a36c8e6.jpg I used to have a case similar to that one back when I ran an AMD 486 DX4 120. I was foolish and gave it away to a friend. It's probably the only case and system …

---

Re: ATI Rage II+DVD vs. S3 Virge 4mb

Posted on 2015-03-11, 02:56

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Originally I had a P1 233 MMX chip in there, but have since downgraded to a P1 200 non-MMX for compatibility reasons. What was wrong with the MMX? I'm curious, because I currently run a P200 MMX but also have a P200 Non-MMX. If there's an advantage to using the non-MMX instead, I'll swap out my CPU …

---

Re: Old hard drives - value

Posted on 2015-03-10, 16:47

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

brostenen wrote: I never ever sell my drives. I don't like the fact that deleted data is in fact not deleted. When drives are defunct, I just destroy the platters and keep the magnets. Eraser DBAN Also, DiskCryptor (You really should use DiskCryptor or some other form of WDE.)

---

Re: [Build Log] ABIT KT7A-RAID Based System

Posted on 2015-03-09, 15:54

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Scali: I was referring to your Silverado. I remember reading very negative reviews about the orb with the two fans, so I avoided it. I remember reading about the Silverado and also the Swiftech coolers too. Cost is what always kept me away from them, but I wish I could have tried them. One good and …

---

Re: [Build Log] ABIT KT7A-RAID Based System

Posted on 2015-03-09, 14:40

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Fun to see an Abit KT7A still working with a Thunderbird 1400. I had a Tbird 1400 system myself, and the KT7A (non-raid edition) was my first board. It was never 100% stable (could be bad caps... if you turned it on, it just didn't do anything... leave it powered on for a few minutes, then reset, …

---

Re: [Build Log] ABIT KT7A-RAID Based System

Posted on 2015-03-09, 13:55

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Evert: I was looking at your picture of your KT7A. The Athlon 1400 is a very hot chip. So-called "orb" coolers like yours were generally found to be less effective than traditional HSF's. I don't want to criticize your build, but if it were mine, I would replace that orb HSF with a better unit. I …

---

Re: Tyan P200 MMX Voodoo 1

Posted on 2015-03-07, 19:42

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

If anybody was wondering how my HDD cooling setup looks from the front, I removed the 5.25" bay covers and snapped a photo: Filename Tyan S1563S HDD Cooling Front View_zpspqvdnmna.jpg File size 70.54 KiB Views 711 views File comment This is my own photo, that I took myself, of my own computer. I …

---

Re: [Build Log] ABIT KT7A-RAID Based System

Posted on 2015-03-07, 04:32

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

I don't trust ABIT's capacitors at all. I had Chris at BadCaps.net replace them all on all of my boards. He's expensive, but good. I don't have to worry about them now or ever again. The revision of your board should be indicated on the sticker with the barcode in front of PCI slots #4 and #5. …

---

Re: [Build Log] ABIT KT7A-RAID Based System

Posted on 2015-03-06, 00:17

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

I've got four KT7A boards. I like them alot. Which revision is yours? I don't understand why folks are having problems with the KT7A and ISA sound cards. With the KT7A, it's actually the PCI cards you should avoid. These boards were notorious for having issues with SB Live, etc. It's a well-known …

---

Re: Logitech Cyberman II

Posted on 2015-03-01, 21:12

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

bushwack: Thanks for posting that scanned review! I look forward to your hands-on review of the controller. If you like 6DOF controllers, there's also SpaceOrb360. Neat little thing! I almost bought one on eBay a few weeks ago. However, I decided not to after reading about it online. It sounds like …

---

Re: Next on the agenda... PSU upgrade, any advice?

Posted on 2015-02-20, 03:02

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I tried to find more info about that brand of PSU. It looks like ToPower and EPower are both the same. Neither of them get terribly bad reviews, but they also don't get glowing reviews either. For the price, it looks like it will be a perfectly acceptable power supply. Where did you order yours from …

---

Re: Next on the agenda... PSU upgrade, any advice?

Posted on 2015-02-20, 00:41

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

FeedingDragon: I found two more options for you: Just Cooler TT-900 5.25" Front Bay Exhaust Just Cooler ST-900 3.5" Front Bay Exhaust They're both available in beige/white. I couldn't find black versions. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the fans can be flipped over so the air flow is reversed.

---

Re: Next on the agenda... PSU upgrade, any advice?

Posted on 2015-02-19, 17:55

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

That ePOWER PSU looks really interesting. Sadly, it's big feature of only engaging the fan above 250W is actually a bad idea for some of my older systems. Some of them, like my P200 MMX, have such poor airflow that the PSU fan is a critical component. Yes, I know you can press the button on the PSU …

---

Re: Pentium 200 "Multi-Speed" Game & Midi System

Posted on 2015-02-19, 17:50

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

How can I tell if my P200 MMX is one of the unlocked models? If it is, then I assume it would just be a matter of installing a bunch of switches to control open or closed states of the jumpers that control CPU speed. Is that correct?

---

Re: Next on the agenda... PSU upgrade, any advice?

Posted on 2015-02-19, 06:59

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I found a new PSU that has 30A on the +5V rail: StarTech ATXPOWER300 I use an AT StarTech PSU for my P200 and I have no complaints. I have no idea if this ATX PSU is any good, but it would probably meet your needs. There is also a 400W version with 30A on the +5V rail.

---

Re: Pentium 200 "Multi-Speed" Game & Midi System

Posted on 2015-02-18, 18:37

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

How did you wire up the panel with the switches for changing CPU speeds? Something like that would be very nice to have. I wasn't aware that you could underclock Pentiums like that. Are they multiplier unlocked?

---

Re: Next on the agenda... PSU upgrade, any advice?

Posted on 2015-02-18, 17:55

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Yah, this PC sounds like a jet taking off too. Most of it comes from the 80mm Evercool fan in the front. I'd love to replace it, but I think that about 95% of this PC's airflow is coming from that guy. A Vantec Stealth fan would be nice, but at the cost of substantially reduced airflow. Back in the …

---

Re: Tyan P200 MMX Voodoo 1

Posted on 2015-02-18, 17:14

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

bjt: I wish I had a way to mount at least one more exhaust fan. The 10,000 RPM hard drive generates some serious heat. I have considered punching a hole in the top of the case and mounting an 80mm fan to exhaust hot air out the top. I'm hesitant to do this because there are no do-overs if I screw it …

---

Re: Next on the agenda... PSU upgrade, any advice?

Posted on 2015-02-18, 04:31

by

by KT7AGuy

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Here are some photos of the video card cooler that I made out of a slot cover: http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag475/julacacu/Permanent/Tyan%20S1563S/TyanS1563SGhettoCooler2_zps2812c4a5.jpg http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag475/julacacu/Permanent/Tyan%20S1563S/TyanS1563SGhettoCooler1_ …

---