The replacement PSU is pretty terrible. Anemic input filtering, four individual diodes where you should have a full bridge rectifier IC. The Enhanced PSU is likely better (as Enhanced is a proper middle tier manufacturer) and worth recapping.

I know, I even said in the post that this PSU would not be kept here! I don't trust "light" power supply's. The fact that the PCB is around 3 cm shorter than the PSU chassis, to me, makes it crap in my book, but the arguments you used are techically correct! 😀

The Enhaced will be recaped and will get a NoiseBlocker (or equivalent) fan, I just didn't had the time to do it!

Today I've intalled Windows XP Home Edition on it, installed the drivers and some basic software on it just to check for basic stability, and it didn't let me down! The GeForce FX5600XT is screwed
[

So it got kicked out... I have a choice of cards for this, will have to decide witch one this will get... For now, I got OnBoard GeForce 2MX Integrated Graphics.

I've found a Athlon XP 2400+ To get this board near the max it could handle... No klll like overkill I like to say... If I could manage to find a 2600+ with 266FSB I would get it, but they of the Unicorn family these days... So, the 2400+ Is the one it ended up getting!

Also had to update the BIOS so it could correctly identify the CPU's ! It had the 1002 BIOS, it got upgraded to 1007 (There is a BETA 1008.001 but I don't like beta BIOS). This update also fixed the CPU FAN SPEED Sensor, as it was not reading correctly (It would jump between 12500RPM and N/A)

I intended to install 2GB of DDR400 on this, but the board only works with 1GB MAX, be it 1 stick of 1GB or two of 512MB... I've tried it with 2x1GB, but it fails POSTing, so 2x512MB Kingston ValueRAM DDR400 it got.

Got a CPU-Z Validator link to go with it 😉
http://valid.x86.fr/hnhn5d

Weirdly enough, the SPD tab on CPU-Z does not report anything. Tried it with diferent memory, but i guess it just does not detects it.

When I can, will get some games on it, and check some graphics cards on it. Have a bunch of cards and boards, so a few of POST's will be made with these (And others) parts!

Have a nice day and have fun! 😁 Hope you enjoy these post, will post updates on it as it progresses!

For the blue part of the Bezel if you don't like it its an easy fix even if its glued in place. Just get some painters tape and newspaper. Mask off the rest of the bezel and paint the blue part a different color. Also not a bad idea to do to the yellowed pastic, the retrobright may restore the original color but from what I've read around here it seems more temporary and it makes the plastic's brittle, so instead consider just a nice coat of paint over the plastic, doesn't need to be thick.

I like the blue part, its just not well glued together... It was used super glue and contact glue and they let it run all over the chassis bezel and it as became a mess... Also, some of the tabs that hold it in place are broken so a replacement would bd the best solution... I don't like painted plastic very much... It usually looks like crap... Its hard to match the white of the chassis....

Nice rig!

I agree about the PSU part, personally I wouldn't even take the risk using it, not worth frying the rest of the system for, but that's just me (I don't like fireworks 🤣).

And very nice storytelling! 😁

I also like the case somehow. Too bad it's yellowed, but it still looks good.

And I've seen the way that case's panels dismantle in a case I used in one of my s370 rigs I think?
I think it is a bit cumbersome, but at least with that case I don't forget to put the side panel screws back in and have the side panels fall out when carrying the case around 🤣!

The PSU is shitty but it wont kill anything for the time I will be using it... The computer is stable and working like a champ...

I've said, and will say again, the PSU is temporary and will be replaced by the repaired original when I have time, probably this weekend!

Meanwhile, just to check for stability:

Passed 2 rounds with flying colors! Cannot leave the machine running over night because the noise it makes ... I got my dad living with me and he sleeps in the living room, where I have my stuff so can't do it!

For now, and to free up the 32MB of ram that were assign to the onboard GeForce 2 MX Integrated Graphics, I've added this to the build!
ASUS AGP-V8200 Deluxe - A nVidia GeForce 3 with 64MB of graphics memory! I have the 3D glasses for it, too 😉

Instead of the Audigy 2 I've showned in the first post, I have added an Sound Blaster Audigy to the system, because I've got the front panel to go with it!
And it is as yellow as the rest of the chassis... I forgot I had this around... someday will have to catalog all I have @ home, so I can plan these builds better 😀

The illumination here at home isn't the best, so the photos look a bit crap. And my Lumia 640 DS is not the best camera, but it is the one I got.

The front chassis bezel looks like this, and it vibrates a bit... have to glue it properly!

The case is awesome, the computer is turning very good, I just wish to have more time for it!!! Between work, wife and kid...Is hard to do this 😀 Hope you enjoy my old crap 😀

You can remove some of the yellowing and the black stuff off the front of the case using a chlorine based cleaning product (like domestos if you have it in your country) or chlorine salt based anti-mold solutions. Alternatively you could use detergents that release oxygen, like vanish. Mix the chlorine based detergent with a slightly abrasive dish-washing soap (like cif) and scrub toughly with the rough part of a dish sponge. In my experience this treatment removes 20-30% of the yellowing and removes all black stains and dark scratches w/o damaging the case. You can also soak it in a 1:1 chlorine based detergent / water solution and expose to UV for a couple of hours or 14-20% hydrogen peroxide hair cream before scrubbing for better results.

Muito bom, muito bom 😀 I like it, a retrobright would be nice to complete it 😀

That looks like a nice machine! I'm glad you took the time to clean it up - it turned out well. Too bad the blue part of the front bezel is broken-ish, I like the way it looks. The beige and blue color scheme has 2002 written all over it. Any chance of repairing the blue part? Epoxy might do the trick, or even hot glue. I'd second the retrobright suggestions as well, though I've never had occasion to use it myself. The beige plastic looks like it could really benefit.

I think the Athlon XP 2000+ and the GeForce3 are a good match. That system should be great for early Windows XP games and the vast bulk of Windows 98 games. You should be good to go with the Sound Blaster Audigy as well.

WTF was up with the screw holding down the chipset cooler? Did somebody lose the original push pin and use a case fan screw instead? I'm surprised the MB didn't break 😳

Thanks for sharing your build process. Although it did make me envious of your workspace and equipment! I should stop procrastinating and finish my Barton build one of these days.

The screw idea isn't uncommon I've run into it alot, as long as no traces are immeditly next to the hole no harm really happens, just don't use an oversized screw for the hole

I was surprised it didn't screw anything too! 😀

I've been away, but do check regularly on the forum, but have not been able to progress much with this build... Have got a couple of things done on this PC, both troubleshooting... The Audigy is unstable and randomly freezes the PC, and the motherboard is picky with RAM like a bit*h... More than this, in the last 5 months I could not do anything more. Had a fight with the wife about the living room being cluttered all the time and in a act of madness I've gathered everything and moved my stuff to my late grandmothers house... that is 100KM away, so I only mess with this stuff once a month.
One day, I will have my own room and them, THEN... 😀

Best regard from Portugal everyone!

I love the treatment for this old bugger !

I'm just finishing a machine that has the main competitor of that Asus GF3 of yours: the MSI Ti500 PRO-VTG and I have the galsses too 😜 😁

I'm eager to try them out

Liking this coming back from the dead.
If the Audigy 2 works better in the system, I'm pretty sure the front I/O connectors are the same so you can use the card but still use the I/O if you wish.

Really love your thoroughness with this project. Wish I had access to an ultrasonic cleaner not contaminated with oil, carbon residues and detergents too 😁

You could always paint the front instead of using Retr0bright. That would take care of the blue part problem too.

Thank you all for your input on this. I also have a couple of Audigy 2 cards around, didn't know the front I/O kit of the Audigy was compatible with them. Gotta check that out...
I really don't like the painted plastic route... This is a solid chassis, it would make it look cheap... That or I can't paint for s**t...
I removed the shitty PSU from it and actually I'm in the process of recapping the original one. Will post pics when it happens!
Best regards from Portugal