I love box art from that era so much - possibly the most expensive gaming video card that money could buy in 2000 and it's got a poorly photoshopped picture of an excited kid 🤣

The Geforce 256 was the first Nvidia card with the Geforce name and had a short production run. It's not the most sought after, but very collectible.

The Abit BH6 is a terrible motherboard. One of the worst ever made.

I'll give ya $10 for it. Trust me. This is a good deal.

Seriously though, it's a really good motherboard for a P2 or P3 build. Your board is a 1st revision model with BIOS support for up to 600mhz P3. However, check the BIOS to see how high you can manually set the multiplier. You might be able to manually configure a P3 1ghz CPU.

My BH6 is a 2nd revision model that has support for 133mhz FSB. Technically, I could manually configure a P3 1ghz on a slocket at 133mhz FSB. I don't know if your rev1 board supports this too, so check before you buy any parts. Personally, I went for the slower but more exotic Slot 1 P3 1ghz and 100mhz ECC RAM.

BH6, nice board. The highest clocked CPU I ran in it was a 1.2GHz Celeron Tualatin (Tualeron 😀) in a modified slocket. Good times.

KT7AGuy wrote:

The Abit BH6 is a terrible motherboard. One of the worst ever made. […]
Show full quote

The Abit BH6 is a terrible motherboard. One of the worst ever made.

I'll give ya $10 for it. Trust me. This is a good deal.

Seriously though, it's a really good motherboard for a P2 or P3 build. Your board is a 1st revision model with BIOS support for up to 600mhz P3. However, check the BIOS to see how high you can manually set the multiplier. You might be able to manually configure a P3 1ghz CPU.

My BH6 is a 2nd revision model that has support for 133mhz FSB. Technically, I could manually configure a P3 1ghz on a slocket at 133mhz FSB. I don't know if your rev1 board supports this too, so check before you buy any parts. Personally, I went for the slower but more exotic Slot 1 P3 1ghz and 100mhz ECC RAM.

The CPU will ignore the multiplier setting from the board, any multiplier will work no matter what the maximum setting is 😀 The only exceptions are the earliest PII:s.

Running a Tualeron 1.4 GHz (14x multiplier) in a modded slotket in my BH6 board. I believe the settings caps out at 8.5x or something like that.

And yes, it's a great board, however, the original capacitors are crap. I'd definitely recap it before using it.

both are very desirable
specially with the boxes 😎

Thanks for your replies, apparently it was worth asking. 😊
Alas I can't test them right now to check FSB and capacitors, I don't have them with me at the moment. But I would before getting rid of them.

Besides those 2 and the MSI MS6199VA (any idea on that ? Is slot 1 in general sought after or just a few Abit board and whatnot ?), I found stuff a lil bit more recent, socket A specifically.

I've got 2 motherboards : a loose microATX Chaintech 7VIL4 (VIA KT400A) and ATX ASUS A7V880 (VIA KT880) complete in box. Tat's no nForce 400, but any "collectible" value in that ?

build wrote:

Thanks for your replies, apparently it was worth asking. :blush: Alas I can't test them right now to check FSB and capacitors, […]
Show full quote

Thanks for your replies, apparently it was worth asking. 😊
Alas I can't test them right now to check FSB and capacitors, I don't have them with me at the moment. But I would before getting rid of them.

Besides those 2 and the MSI MS6199VA (any idea on that ? Is slot 1 in general sought after or just a few Abit board and whatnot ?), I found stuff a lil bit more recent, socket A specifically.

I've got 2 motherboards : a loose microATX Chaintech 7VIL4 (VIA KT400A) and ATX ASUS A7V880 (VIA KT880) complete in box. Tat's no nForce 400, but any "collectible" value in that ?

Well, personally I just love Slot1 for DOS/W98 rigs for their flexibility and performance, but it seems the community otherwise generally prefers SS7 and AMD K6-2/3 for that era computers, which the prices reflects. I believe Phil's 3-in-1 build guide has a big part in that. Slot1 stuff can still be bought for very reasonable prices, if it's not one in that handful sought after boards like the BH6.

What makes Slot1 so great in my opinion is that you can run S370 processors in a slotket, which adds another layer of configuration possibilities. Even if you can't manipulate the core voltage from the mainboard itself, a slotket with voltage clamp jumpers adds that possibility.
There's really only one crucial question; if the VRM complies to VRM 8.4 guidelines and can deliver voltages below 1.8V or not. If it can, a lot of interesting processors becomes available, like Tualatin PIIIs, Tualerons, Via C3, etc. A Slot 1 board with a C3 Ezra processor in a slotket makes for a hell of a flexible computer, it can range from 286 to early PIII performance in fine grains, configured by software on the fly. No need to reboot or power off to change performance level.

If you need raw power, just swap in a 1.4GHz Tualeron, or even a 1.4 GHz Tualatin PIII if you don't mind overclocking the AGP bus. Replacing the processor is not much harder than swapping cartridges in a NES 😀

At some point the community might realize this though, and then I guess prices on most Slot1 boards - at least the stuff complying to the VRM 8.4 guidelines - skyrockets too.

Personally I love Socket A, as long as the board has an ISA slot, which means the KT133A chipset and older, and up to Athlon XP 2600+ on 133MHz FSB. That combination is probably as fast as it becomes if you want to keep obscure and extremely rare industrial boards out of the equation, and still have ISA with bus mastering support. If you're gonna ditch DOS and ISA anyways, there are better alternatives that are both cheaper and easier to work with. Later Athlon CPUs are extremely 5V intensive, might be hard to find suitable PSUs for them. The 20-25 amps on the 5V rail in modern PSUs in the 300-500W range are barely enough. I'd rather go for a socket 478 or 775 P4 system, which primarily uses 12V, in that case.

KT880 was the last chipset made for socket A I think, and it was a good performer, still pretty uncommon to find it I think, so also an interesting board.

Tat's no nForce 400, but any "collectible" value in that \

KT880 > nForce 2. VIA is much better choice when DOS/Windows 98 is considered.

Can anybody recommend a good slocket for my BH6? I've already got it perfected with P3 1ghz SL4BR, P3 450mhz SL35D, and P2 400mhz SL357. But I'd like to have a slocket on hand just in case I decide to experiment. I've already got socket 370 Tualatin 1400mhz and a Coppermine 1000mhz that I could play with.

Edit: Holy crap! I just checked prices on eBay for SL4BR and SL4KL and they're insane! I paid less than $30 for mine. I guess I got a really good deal. 😖

KT7AGuy wrote:

Can anybody recommend a good slocket for my BH6? I've already got it perfected with P3 1ghz SL4BR, P3 450mhz SL35D, and P2 400mhz SL357. But I'd like to have a slocket on hand just in case I decide to experiment. I've already got socket 370 Tualatin 1400mhz and a Coppermine 1000mhz that I could play with.

Edit: Holy crap! I just checked prices on eBay for SL4BR and SL4KL and they're insane! I paid less than $30 for mine. I guess I got a really good deal. 😖

Well, since you can set the core voltage from the BIOS setup on the BH6, anything goes really, even basic slotkets without voltage clamp jumpers.

Been using the MSI MS-6905 Master and a noname slotket called SPC370 with my BH6, both of them unmodded with a 1.1GHz Coppermine, and pinmodded with a 1.4GHz Tualeron. Both have worked perfectly in both scenarios 😀

Seems like the German ebay dealer I bought a bunch of those 6905s at a very reasonable price from a couple of years ago, still got loads of them left btw. The ones I bought were NIB, he must have found a few pallets of them somewhere 😀

build wrote:

Thanks for your replies, apparently it was worth asking. 😊
Alas I can't test them right now to check FSB and capacitors, I don't have them with me at the moment. But I would before getting rid of them.

Besides those 2 and the MSI MS6199VA (any idea on that ? Is slot 1 in general sought after or just a few Abit board and whatnot ?)

MSI MS-6199VA is a generally 'meh' Via ApolloPro133 (non-A) chipset board. It was used OEM for high-end Packard Bell systems in 1999 for their first 133MHz FSB systems (it replaced the MS-6119 with i440BX and was itself replaced by the MS-6309 with ApolloPro133A and So370 FC-PGA after a relatively short period).

Performance is clock-for-clock worse than BX, but it clocks to 133MHz without OCing AGP or PCI. That's about it in terms of advantages. This was the first MSI board used by Packard Bell that had awful caps. I got one a few months back, it needed 17 caps replacing. Still dead afterwards too 🙁

There is moderate interest in Slot1, but generally only in a limited number of high-end boards. I've managed to sell a few BX boards in the recent past, but not quickly and not for very much - and that was the kind of high-end board this 6199VA isn't (AOpen AX6B Plus, with SCSI and lots of OC options, for example). So in terms of value - if it works and the caps are OK, you might be able to sell it, if not you'd need to want to fix it out of love, because the time and expense (in terms of caps and solder) are more than you could sell it for.

dionb wrote:

MSI MS-6199VA is a generally 'meh' Via ApolloPro133 (non-A) chipset board. It was used OEM for high-end Packard Bell systems in […]
Show full quote

build wrote:

Thanks for your replies, apparently it was worth asking. 😊
Alas I can't test them right now to check FSB and capacitors, I don't have them with me at the moment. But I would before getting rid of them.

Besides those 2 and the MSI MS6199VA (any idea on that ? Is slot 1 in general sought after or just a few Abit board and whatnot ?)

MSI MS-6199VA is a generally 'meh' Via ApolloPro133 (non-A) chipset board. It was used OEM for high-end Packard Bell systems in 1999 for their first 133MHz FSB systems (it replaced the MS-6119 with i440BX and was itself replaced by the MS-6309 with ApolloPro133A and So370 FC-PGA after a relatively short period).

Performance is clock-for-clock worse than BX, but it clocks to 133MHz without OCing AGP or PCI. That's about it in terms of advantages. This was the first MSI board used by Packard Bell that had awful caps. I got one a few months back, it needed 17 caps replacing. Still dead afterwards too 🙁

There is moderate interest in Slot1, but generally only in a limited number of high-end boards. I've managed to sell a few BX boards in the recent past, but not quickly and not for very much - and that was the kind of high-end board this 6199VA isn't (AOpen AX6B Plus, with SCSI and lots of OC options, for example). So in terms of value - if it works and the caps are OK, you might be able to sell it, if not you'd need to want to fix it out of love, because the time and expense (in terms of caps and solder) are more than you could sell it for.

Yes I vaguely remember it being not so great (it was so long ago) but had all the features of a high-end BX440 and 4x AGP. And it worked quite well with my PIII 800EB. Anyhow, I doubt the highest performance possible is the main motivational driver behind a 19 years old PC build (or is it ?). The one I got is a retail version and hasn't been in use much.
I've never recapped a board, what would be an average charge for a full recapping (I guess there are something between 35 and 50 caps on those boards) ?

Does anyone have an idea of the collectability of a GeForce FX 5700 Ultra ? I can't find any copy of that on eBay. A late addition to the FX range if I remember. Late03/early 04. I've got a PNY one with a nice little copper heatsink.
Also, is the GeForce 4 MX460 complete junk, like the other 4 MXes ? Again, can't find much offers for those.
Cheers vintage hardware lovers.

build wrote:

[...]

Yes I vaguely remember it being not so great (it was so long ago) but had all the features of a high-end BX440 and 4x AGP. And it worked quite well with my PIII 800EB.

The ApolloPro133 (non-A) and so also the MS-6199VA don't support AGP 2.0 / 4x, you need the ApolloPro133A for that. Not that anything remotely period-correct would have saturated the AGP 1.0 bus - you start to be able to measure a difference with GeForce cards, but for it to be noticeable you're in Gf4/Radeon9700 territory, which no one would sensibly pair with an old P3 anyway.

Anyhow, I doubt the highest performance possible is the main motivational driver behind a 19 years old PC build (or is it ?).

"Whatever floats your goat" is the main driver. Some people try to faithfully recreate PCs from their youth, others try to put together the dream PC they could never afford in the day. I approach things aesthetically - what would seem appropriate or elegant in a system... you name it, somebody tries to do it. Even so, I can't see too many people being nostalgic about either the ApolloPro133 or the MS-6199VA.

The one I got is a retail version and hasn't been in use much.
I've never recapped a board, what would be an average charge for a full recapping (I guess there are something between 35 and 50 caps on those boards) ?

No idea, I always do it myself. But given I'd not expect you to get more than EUR 10-15 for that board, if you have to pay someone to do it for you, it will cost (a lot) more.

Does anyone have an idea of the collectability of a GeForce FX 5700 Ultra ? I can't find any copy of that on eBay. A late addition to the FX range if I remember. Late03/early 04. I've got a PNY one with a nice little copper heatsink.

The more high-end FX-series cards are getting idiotically collectible. No idea about the FC5700 Ultra specifically, but probably worth more than the rest of the stuff you mention here together.

Also, is the GeForce 4 MX460 complete junk, like the other 4 MXes ? Again, can't find much offers for those.
Cheers

Not junk, just not sexy. It depends on brand and condition, but if it's just another OEM-ish card you might have trouble giving it away...

dionb wrote:

The ApolloPro133 (non-A) and so also the MS-6199VA don't support AGP 2.0 / 4x, you need the ApolloPro133A for that. Not that any […]
Show full quote

build wrote:

[...]

Yes I vaguely remember it being not so great (it was so long ago) but had all the features of a high-end BX440 and 4x AGP. And it worked quite well with my PIII 800EB.

The ApolloPro133 (non-A) and so also the MS-6199VA don't support AGP 2.0 / 4x, you need the ApolloPro133A for that. Not that anything remotely period-correct would have saturated the AGP 1.0 bus - you start to be able to measure a difference with GeForce cards, but for it to be noticeable you're in Gf4/Radeon9700 territory, which no one would sensibly pair with an old P3 anyway.

Anyhow, I doubt the highest performance possible is the main motivational driver behind a 19 years old PC build (or is it ?).

"Whatever floats your goat" is the main driver. Some people try to faithfully recreate PCs from their youth, others try to put together the dream PC they could never afford in the day. I approach things aesthetically - what would seem appropriate or elegant in a system... you name it, somebody tries to do it. Even so, I can't see too many people being nostalgic about either the ApolloPro133 or the MS-6199VA.

The one I got is a retail version and hasn't been in use much.
I've never recapped a board, what would be an average charge for a full recapping (I guess there are something between 35 and 50 caps on those boards) ?

No idea, I always do it myself. But given I'd not expect you to get more than EUR 10-15 for that board, if you have to pay someone to do it for you, it will cost (a lot) more.

Does anyone have an idea of the collectability of a GeForce FX 5700 Ultra ? I can't find any copy of that on eBay. A late addition to the FX range if I remember. Late03/early 04. I've got a PNY one with a nice little copper heatsink.

The more high-end FX-series cards are getting idiotically collectible. No idea about the FC5700 Ultra specifically, but probably worth more than the rest of the stuff you mention here together.

Also, is the GeForce 4 MX460 complete junk, like the other 4 MXes ? Again, can't find much offers for those.
Cheers

Not junk, just not sexy. It depends on brand and condition, but if it's just another OEM-ish card you might have trouble giving it away...

You're right about the AGP speed, my bad. As for the drivers behind desirability, you're probably right too. Maybe someone could take an interest in it when all the decent 440BX boards get unavailable. 🤣
Although I've been quite surprised with the craze going on with hardware that is barely 20 years old. That's not something I was aware of 1 year ago, but nearly all mainboards I see listed on eBay are at least a few dozens dollar, for something that otherwise I would have considered putting in the bin.

As for the GPUs, they're all retail versions with boxes. Hope there will be some interesting surprises ...

5700 Ultra kinda resembles the fate of 5800 Ultra. Short production run with quick replacement by 5900XT. Ultra cards are "sexy" looking though.

build wrote:

[...]

You're right about the AGP speed, my bad. As for the drivers behind desirability, you're probably right too. Maybe someone could take an interest in it when all the decent 440BX boards get unavailable. 🤣
Although I've been quite surprised with the craze going on with hardware that is barely 20 years old. That's not something I was aware of 1 year ago, but nearly all mainboards I see listed on eBay are at least a few dozens dollar, for something that otherwise I would have considered putting in the bin.

Do take eBay prices with a grain of salt - people with more storage space than money tend to put huge numbers of overpriced items online, waiting for someone to want something so desperately they're prepared to pay that sort of price. If there's a lot of demand for something, eBay can be a lucrative place to sell, but for something like this, you need to have a lot, an awful lot of patience if you want that sort of price. Frequently, sellers will be responsive to offers significantly under the advertised price.

As for the GPUs, they're all retail versions with boxes. Hope there will be some interesting surprises ...

Then that FX5700 Ultra could be quite interesting - and you might even sell the MX460 😜