Put together a VIA 694X based P3. Then found that out of my 3 512MB PC133 modules, only one of them passes memtest. 😒

I'm not blazing a trail here by any means, but last night I modified and installed this CT1920 "Goldfinch" in my 486:

This version was designed to be used with an internal connector to a Vibra 16. I'm using a CT2230 which doesn't have the relevant header, so I needed to add a 3.5 headphone jack for line out to the CT1920, which I then used to send its output into the CT2230's line in. Solder pads are provided so it's a 20 min job - the hardest part is drilling a neat hole into the backing plate.

Drivers for the Goldfinch can be found here:

http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=12

All you need to get the card working in DOS is CTCM (PnP manager). I also installed the AWE32 upgrade stuff but that seems to be more Windows relevant - the reference to AWEDIAG that the installer puts in your Autoexec.bat displays an error during boot, but this line can be removed.

A worthwhile investment in time I think, and it cost me all of $11 (offer accepted):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Creative-CT1922-SBAWE … =item4d22dde06c

Alongside a CT2230 you get:

- real OPL3
- wavetable header (no hanging notes)
- SB16
- SB Pro 2
- AWE32 (memory upgrade with 30 pin sims)

Beats any real AWE32 - or AWE64 for that matter. IMHO of course!

Removed my Voodoo2.

It started showing black vertical lines and the picture looked dark 🙁

On the fence about tearing this monitor open to fix the cables or to get the dell monitor my friend wyatt has.
My father is certified to fix CRT's so yeah..

Also, getting a FDD for this IBM PS/2. More later.

armankordi wrote:

My father is certified to fix CRT's so yeah..

I'm not, but going to give it a shot anyway!

I already love how this thing folds open. Like it's just begging to be fixed 🤣

Not sure if this fits your retro scenario but i decided to play Left4Dead 2 online on a Pentium 4 1.7Ghz (socket 423!!) with 768 mb RAMBUS memory and a Asus Geforce 6800 V9999GE.
Everyone in that server seemed quite caring for me always giving me health and defending me. I guess i looked way too slow and lagged from their point-of-view 😀

I've tried a Powercolor ATI 3850 AGP but the computer wouldn't even boot with it 🙁

badmojo wrote:

Alongside a CT2230 you get: […]
Show full quote

Alongside a CT2230 you get:

- real OPL3
- wavetable header (no hanging notes)
- SB16
- SB Pro 2
- AWE32 (memory upgrade with 30 pin sims)

Beats any real AWE32 - or AWE64 for that matter. IMHO of course!

I agree its better than an AWE 64, but do you get Sound Blaster Pro 2 on the CT2230? I thought none of the SB16's could.

Any way on my retro system i have an AWE64 Gold because i wanted EMU8000, but this is much better and takes less resources.

Recieved my CT-2760 AWE32 today, and tested it through. Working like a charm.
Besides from all the dust, the previous owner have been taken good care of it.
And now I have one of those cards wich have jumpers on it. More easy to configure.

Then I have mistaken 72 pin for 30 pin ram. Ups...

Now I am low level formatting an SCSI harddrive.

carlostex wrote:

I agree its better than an AWE 64, but do you get Sound Blaster Pro 2 on the CT2230? I thought none of the SB16's could.

Hmm, not sure why I stated that now, it's a bit provocative. But yes, you can use the 'Sound Blaster Pro' option in game setup programs, and a SB16 will obviously be compatible. There's that whole stereo bug issue but that's a non-event really.

That's what I meant... I think.

rick6 wrote:

Not sure if this fits your retro scenario but i decided to play Left4Dead 2 online on a Pentium 4 1.7Ghz (socket 423!!) with 768 mb RAMBUS memory and a Asus Geforce 6800 V9999GE.
Everyone in that server seemed quite caring for me always giving me health and defending me. I guess i looked way too slow and lagged from their point-of-view 😀

I've tried a Powercolor ATI 3850 AGP but the computer wouldn't even boot with it 🙁

Awesome! I played some UT 99 online last night on my Pentium 3/Voodoo 3 box 😀

Got a deal on a Radeon HD4870 X2 ($60) and a Thermaltake Shark case ($70) for my main PC (Core Quad Q6700 on ASUS P5B that is). Currently I'm waiting for the guy with the Shark to rescue his PC from it and for the Radeon to arrive. It's fun how your current system is slowly getting retro and you start buying upgrades once beyond your dreams for less and less.

Also got a Logitech MX310 from Korea, the mouse I liked more than any other I ever used.

BSA Starfire wrote:

rick6 wrote:

Not sure if this fits your retro scenario but i decided to play Left4Dead 2 online on a Pentium 4 1.7Ghz (socket 423!!) with 768 mb RAMBUS memory and a Asus Geforce 6800 V9999GE.
Everyone in that server seemed quite caring for me always giving me health and defending me. I guess i looked way too slow and lagged from their point-of-view 😀

I've tried a Powercolor ATI 3850 AGP but the computer wouldn't even boot with it 🙁

Awesome! I played some UT 99 online last night on my Pentium 3/Voodoo 3 box 😀

Oh, we should play UT or even Unreal1 someday online with our retro rigs 😜
I bet that there are others here that would enjoy playing with us too.

Also RacoonRider, isn't that a logitec MX310 mouse? I still use mine on a secondary rig and after 12 years it still works flawlessly. Shame it's completly worn and the pads are long gone. I still have the original box somewhere...

edit: Nevermind, you mentioned it was the MX310 😀

Finished cleaned the following stuff from dust and other "yucki" dirt:

AWE32 CT-2760
Epox EP-MVP3 C (included K6-2 500Mhz and 3x128 mb Ram)
SB16 CT-2910
ATI Rage-128 AGP
Innovision Voodoo1

Bought it all for the combined and low sum of 400 Danish Kroner (70 US Dollars).

rick6 wrote:

Oh, we should play UT or even Unreal1 someday online with our retro rigs :P I bet that there are others here that would enjoy pl […]
Show full quote

Oh, we should play UT or even Unreal1 someday online with our retro rigs 😜
I bet that there are others here that would enjoy playing with us too.

Also RacoonRider, isn't that a logitec MX310 mouse? I still use mine on a secondary rig and after 12 years it still works flawlessly. Shame it's completly worn and the pads are long gone. I still have the original box somewhere...

edit: Nevermind, you mentioned it was the MX310 😀

It is! My old MX310 worked for years and then the mouse wheel started to leak grease 🙁 I rememeber giving it to a friend who had his MX500 broken and he used it for a year after that. When I got it back, not only the pads were worn, the rear part of the bottom was polished flat!

P.S. We probably should play some UT on our retro rigs! I'm with you guys once I complete my Athlon!

badmojo wrote:

carlostex wrote:

I agree its better than an AWE 64, but do you get Sound Blaster Pro 2 on the CT2230? I thought none of the SB16's could.

Hmm, not sure why I stated that now, it's a bit provocative. But yes, you can use the 'Sound Blaster Pro' option in game setup programs, and a SB16 will obviously be compatible. There's that whole stereo bug issue but that's a non-event really.

That's what I meant... I think.

I was of the impression that SB16's didn't work that way. You get SoundBlaster compatibility, but not SB Pro.

Meaning that in games with SB Pro support, but not explicit SB16 support, you couldn't get stereo sound at all (not just swapped channels).

SquallStrife wrote:

Meaning that in games with SB Pro support, but not explicit SB16 support, you couldn't get stereo sound at all (not just swapped channels).

And I think you can count them on one hand 😀

I also like to stress that this doesn't apply to FM music. Here you get full Stereo. The issue applied to stereo digital sound effects only and there are really no significant games that support stereo digital sound effects (remember these were computational very demanding) in a title old enough to not support the SB 16.

Presario 4504
(replaced bigfoot hdd with normal one)
(upped RAM to 64MB)
(got a 512kb COAST)
(upgraded integrated S3 gpu to from 1 to 2MB)
(P200 upgraded to P233 w/MMX)

I started playing with this machine again. Since it only has one PCI slot (shared with ISA) and 2 ISA slots I've been playing around with it to see what I can do. So far It refuses to boot every now and then, so I've been swapping out hard disks hoping it isn't something else. I have a PCI card that is one of those NIC + USB 2.0 cards, so you can imagine how nice that would be if it worked....if. Still couldn't get a stable Win98SE install. I've also been pondering getting a PCI gpu, maybe a rage or something and using an ISA NIC. SB16 is also an anomaly. I'll be tinkering around with Win98, Win95, and if all else fails I suppose I'll just put on tinycore linux and call it a day.

Ordered a new battery for my HP TC1100
Ordered a dual USB pmcia adapter for HP TC1100
Ordered a 2.5 ide to msata adapter again for the HP
Flashed HP TC1100 with custom bios for white list removal and other updated features
Replaced the stock wireless with a slightly more modern and much more compatible wireless card
Need to swap out the 256mb stick on non user serviceable side, and strip out any junk and traps heat as well some fresh compound for the cpu. Also need to get a msata SSD and a ide to usb external, going to clone.

Played some Quake III on my Pentium III rig this evening, many many servers in use, I was shocked to see how many people were playing!

There were a few bots in this game, however people kept on joining.

This reminds me that I have to go to the shop tomorrow and install Windows 98 on a customer PC, as he swears his Polaroid SCSI scanner won't work on XP i.e no drivers.
Should be fun and I'm quite looking forward to it since it's such a rarity to install Win98 for anyone other than myself.