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Sidewalk eMachines compie, could use advice.

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First post, by sonicblaze

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Saved an eMachines from the sidewalk yesterday. Here's the specs:

  • eMachines 500ix2
  • Windows XP
  • Intel Celeron 500MHz processor
  • 384 MB Ram
  • 15GB HDD
  • 2 CD-ROM drives, 1 RW, and 1 3.5" FDD

It smells like my childhood and I'd like to fix it up, see what I can do with it. I started collecting big box PC games years ago but mostly used DOSBox to play them, would be fun to play them on original hardware. Thinking about putting a video card, sound card, and replacing a CD drive with a 5.25" floppy. I'd like to play pre-2000 Windows games (Starfleet Command, Falcon 4.0, Jane's Fighters Anthology, Rainbow Six, etc.) while retaining DOS compatibility as much, if at all possible (Might & Magic, Eye of the Beholder, Sim City/Earth/Ant, Comanche Gold, TIE-Fighter, Midwinter). I could use some advice on fixing it up:

I have a Geforce4 MX420 PCI card lying around. Would this have decent DOS compatibility?

Not sure what sound card to get. Maybe a Sound Blaster 16 or Live?

Would like to make a Win98SE partition, a DOS or maybe FreeDOS partition?

Any other tips or advice?

Reply 1 of 5, by oohms

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See if you can take a photo of the motherboard inside and we can give you some better advice

DOS/w3.11/w98 | K6-III+ 400ATZ @ 550 | FIC PA2013 | 128mb SDram | Voodoo 3 3000 | Avancelogic ALS100 | Roland SC-55ST
DOS/w98/XP | Core 2 Duo E4600 | Asus P5PE-VM | 512mb DDR400 | Ti4800SE | ForteMedia FM801

Reply 2 of 5, by canthearu

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If your eMachines has a bestec power supply, throw it out and replace it with a good quality replacement unit.

The Bestec PSUs of this era had a nasty habit of frying motherboards via their poor design 5VSB regulation.

In terms of graphics card, you will see decent DOS compatibility with the Geforce 4 MX420.

In terms of sound card, is there one that you grew up with? As long as it's compatibility is reasonable, go with that. Otherwise, if you want great DOS compatibility, and SB16 or ESS1868/1869 are the way to go. If you want more features for windows, get an SB Live or a Vortex 2 card.

In terms of operating systems, I say just make a Windows 98SE partition, and configure it so you can choose on bootup whether to boot into DOS or Windows.

Unless 5.25inch floppy drives really tickle your fancy, I'd skip that. Very little content exists on those disk that cannot be found on a 3.5inch disk.

Reply 3 of 5, by sonicblaze

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oohms wrote:

See if you can take a photo of the motherboard inside and we can give you some better advice

Couldn't find a motherboard model number, but I took some pics.

dO5GqPxl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dO5GqPx.jpg

JklTq4Ul.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/JklTq4U.jpg

canthearu wrote:
If your eMachines has a bestec power supply, throw it out and replace it with a good quality replacement unit. […]
Show full quote

If your eMachines has a bestec power supply, throw it out and replace it with a good quality replacement unit.

The Bestec PSUs of this era had a nasty habit of frying motherboards via their poor design 5VSB regulation.

In terms of graphics card, you will see decent DOS compatibility with the Geforce 4 MX420.

In terms of sound card, is there one that you grew up with? As long as it's compatibility is reasonable, go with that. Otherwise, if you want great DOS compatibility, and SB16 or ESS1868/1869 are the way to go. If you want more features for windows, get an SB Live or a Vortex 2 card.

In terms of operating systems, I say just make a Windows 98SE partition, and configure it so you can choose on bootup whether to boot into DOS or Windows.

Unless 5.25inch floppy drives really tickle your fancy, I'd skip that. Very little content exists on those disk that cannot be found on a 3.5inch disk.

Power supply isn't Bestec, it's Ilssan

3yZLa9jl.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/3yZLa9j.jpg?1

I'll just use that video card then. I'm not sure which sound card to get though. Would a PCI or ISA card be better for compatibility? What additional features would a SB Live give me?

Reply 4 of 5, by oohms

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sonicblaze wrote:

Would a PCI or ISA card be better for compatibility? What additional features would a SB Live give me?

I would stick with ISA. The only thing those pci cards give you is 3d sound in some newer windows 98 games

DOS/w3.11/w98 | K6-III+ 400ATZ @ 550 | FIC PA2013 | 128mb SDram | Voodoo 3 3000 | Avancelogic ALS100 | Roland SC-55ST
DOS/w98/XP | Core 2 Duo E4600 | Asus P5PE-VM | 512mb DDR400 | Ti4800SE | ForteMedia FM801

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