Slot 1 systems are not suitable for Time-machine projects because they lack the motherboard L2 cache. The cache is all on the CPU. So if you turn it on the CPU is very slow, on the level of a slow 386SX. You can't go any faster because there is no motherboard cache.

The older Pentium platform (up to Super Socket 7) is the one to go for if you are interested in largest possible range of gaming years.

Mau1wurf1977 wrote:

Slot 1 systems are not suitable for Time-machine projects because they lack the motherboard L2 cache. The cache is all on the CPU. So if you turn it on the CPU is very slow, on the level of a slow 386SX. You can't go any faster because there is no motherboard cache.

The older Pentium platform (up to Super Socket 7) is the one to go for if you are interested in largest possible range of gaming years.

You can disable L1 and/or L2 cache through the bios with the P2B-DS though, why do you need the cache to be on the motherboard?

L1, as referred in the BIOS, is CPU or on-die cache. L2 is external, depending on the CPU sometimes L3 cache.

If you disable L1 cache, ALL the CPU or on-die cache is disabled and that's it. There is no external cache to speed it up a little like on the Pentium platform.

On a PIII 500 MHz you get a 386SX 16MHz I would say when you disable cache.

I've done all the testing and Slot 1 is not suitable for this type of project. My recommendation are ATX bases Super Socket 7 motherboards.

Mau1wurf1977 wrote:

L1, as referred in the BIOS, is CPU or on-die cache. L2 is external, depending on the CPU sometimes L3 cache. […]
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L1, as referred in the BIOS, is CPU or on-die cache. L2 is external, depending on the CPU sometimes L3 cache.

If you disable L1 cache, ALL the CPU or on-die cache is disabled and that's it. There is no external cache to speed it up a little like on the Pentium platform.

On a PIII 500 MHz you get a 386SX 16MHz I would say when you disable cache.

I've done all the testing and Slot 1 is not suitable for this type of project. My recommendation are ATX bases Super Socket 7 motherboards.

You can go up to 1 Ghz though. With some additional work you could also get Tualatin-S's at 1.4ghz running. I wonder what speed they would be similar to if you disabled their cache.

If I remember correctly the best CPU for Super Socket 7 is the unlocked PII variants like 333 mhz and 400 mhz right? I'm actually trying to build a retro machine that can play DOS games as well as Windows games of about up to Warcraft 3 and interestingly enough, WC3 minimum requirements is a 400mhz. I already have the Voodoo 3 for it too! 😀 If I got the SL2S7 PII-400 on a Super Socket 7 board would the underclocking be sufficient for old cpu sensitive DOS games? Someone in another thread pointed out that it can be underclocked to 133mhz but what bugs me is that I could have done the same with the P2B-DS, the only difference seems to be the motherboard cache.

Super Socket 7 doesn't take a Pentium 2 😀

It takes CPUs such as the Pentium 166, Pentium MMX 233, AMD K6-2 or AMD K6-3+.

You are invited to do your own tests and arrive at the same conclusions I did 🤣

Mau1wurf1977 wrote:

Super Socket 7 doesn't take a Pentium 2 😀

It takes CPUs such as the Pentium 166, Pentium MMX 233, AMD K6-2 or AMD K6-3+.

You are invited to do your own tests and arrive at the same conclusions I did 🤣

I must be confusing things, 🤣. I been reading up tons the last week or so and watching your vids trying to find the best "gaming range" of system. I remember reading there was an unlocked CPU that could do 2 x 66 (133) at the low end while also hitting atleast 400mhz, coulda swore it was for Super Socket 7 too.... hmm

Yes that was the AMD K6-2+ and 3+ 😀

You can change the multiplier through software and therefore on a 66MHz FSB hit frequencies between 133 and 400 MHz.

fyy wrote:

I haven't really read much into the P2B-D and P2B-D2 but they seem interesting also.

The D2 has two PCI buses but no AGP slot. It's one of the old motherboards with I2O.