Blackie - probably my first Windows 98 build \ VOGONS

Blackie - probably my first Windows 98 build

Topic actions

Post a reply

First post, by CrazyCatman

Posted on 2023-10-25, 21:41

CrazyCatman Offline

Rank Newbie

Rank: Newbie
Posts: 52
Joined: 2023-10-23, 09:18
Location: Denmark

Here is a little description and some pictures of a retro build I made. It all started at the great clean up I did some years ago where I was taking my old hardware and built them all into cases (when it was possible). One of the first I completed was "Blackie", a sort of scruffed, old, black case I had and found an ATX board to install: A red PCChips M848ALU which could host a 1.8 GHz AMD Athlon XP 2500+ under a Thermal Take Socket A cooler with a cool grill fitted on - I previously used the cooler and grill on my old computer named "Beast" due to it's ugly, yellow colour (the new Beast will be featured in a later post).
Two of the three RAM slots were fitted with 256 MB DDR RAM each but I could throw in an extra GB if wanted to, but I would rather use this with only 512 MB for Windows 98 instead of 1,5 GB for XP which I find a bit limited.
The AGP-slot got a Soltek SL-5200-XD which is a 128 MB GeForce FX5200.
Windows 98 SE was installed on a 40 GB Seagate ST340810A via the Sony MPF920 floppy drive and the Compaq SD-612 DVD-ROM and everything was powered by a 400W NorthQ NQ-4001EX.
Most parts were from around 2003 and ran Windows 98 SE pretty well at 1080p

I wonder what Blackie is doing now... If anyone recognize her I would love to hear her story!

So many computers, so little time...

Reply 1 of 4, by kiacadp

Posted on 2023-10-28, 02:36

kiacadp Offline

Rank Newbie

Rank: Newbie
Posts: 37
Joined: 2020-06-23, 09:30
Location: Australia

In what context should people recognise her? Was it sold off on a popular platform like Ebay sometime ago?

Reply 2 of 4, by CrazyCatman

Posted on 2023-10-28, 10:32

CrazyCatman Offline

Rank Newbie

Rank: Newbie
Posts: 52
Joined: 2023-10-23, 09:18
Location: Denmark

kiacadp wrote on 2023-10-28, 02:36:

In what context should people recognise her? Was it sold off on a popular platform like Ebay sometime ago?

It was sold off on a subsidy to eBay, but I forgot to ask about what it was going to be used for; it's always interesting to hear what people do with the old computers that they have. Also, during my cleaning up I found the original video drivers CD-ROM from Soltek, and I do like when matching things are together (the cover of the cardboard sleve of driver CD is really nice looking - much better than my "Gigi GeForce FX series" from Albatron (128 MB FX5200EP) being in a classic paper sleve with a hole cut out, protected with some folio - still got the manual for that one, though.

So many computers, so little time...

Reply 3 of 4, by Bruno128

Posted on 2023-11-09, 12:20

Bruno128 Offline

Rank Member

Rank: Member
Posts: 267
Joined: 2021-08-02, 13:13

Hi could you post pics of that NQ-4001EX? Incl. inside.
It is reported to have 30+ amps rail but without the inspection (and in combination with Barton 2500+) it frankly sounds like a 5V VRM bomb.

Now playing: Red Faction on 2003 Acrylic build

SBEMU compatibility reports

Reply 4 of 4, by CrazyCatman

Posted on 2023-11-09, 13:37

CrazyCatman Offline

Rank Newbie

Rank: Newbie
Posts: 52
Joined: 2023-10-23, 09:18
Location: Denmark

Bruno128 wrote on 2023-11-09, 12:20:

Hi could you post pics of that NQ-4001EX? Incl. inside.
It is reported to have 30+ amps rail but without the inspection (and in combination with Barton 2500+) it frankly sounds like a 5V VRM bomb.

I have sadly already parted with the computers - I have too many computers and too little time to enjoy them (and a wife who thinks that there are way too many computers at home).

I tried to find some photos on my server, but I did not have any detailed photos - except this open case one where the PSU name is covered:

And I could then see that my notes were completely wrong: According to the photo the PSU is not my NQ-4001EX, but instead a 300W Codegen 300XX. Sometimes I change around and don't always remember to update my spreadsheets and website as I tend to do this work at night, so either I have changed from the NQ to the 300XX and forgot to update or I have changed it to the NQ after the photo was taken years ago which could be the case as I recently threw out a 300XX as it suddently popped during a startup in another computer - and looking at the photo, of it, it does seem to have a stain the same place as the one in Blackie:

So many computers, so little time...

Go to top of page Go to top of page

Back to System Specs

Main menu

Common searches