the answer seems to be both! A generation spanning PC that can do DOS and WinXP on a duel boot and a couple of more fine tuned PC's too. Space, time, practicality and interest in building PCs are the factors here probably more than running software

domdec314 wrote on 2020-10-27, 21:02:

Unrealcpu wrote on 2020-10-24, 16:51:

Socket3 wrote on 2020-10-23, 19:03:

It's up to you really. If you have the space, $$$ and time, go for it. Nothing is quite the same as running a game on period correct hardware. Personally I use several machines for retro gaming - a 12MHz 286, a super socket 7 PC with a AMD K6-III, a 1.7GHz pentium PC and a QX6700 build for XP games.

what are you using for a display? CRTs are becoming rare and expensive. No filters for high res monitors running on old hardware

I highly recommend checking electronics recycling places. Last year I bought a nice 19" Dell CRT monitor for $15.

Will do,

Unrealcpu wrote on 2020-10-24, 16:51:

Socket3 wrote on 2020-10-23, 19:03:

It's up to you really. If you have the space, $$$ and time, go for it. Nothing is quite the same as running a game on period correct hardware. Personally I use several machines for retro gaming - a 12MHz 286, a super socket 7 PC with a AMD K6-III, a 1.7GHz pentium PC and a QX6700 build for XP games.

what are you using for a display? CRTs are becoming rare and expensive. No filters for high res monitors running on old hardware

5:4 or 4:3 LCDs. A Samsung 214t, a 213t and a couple of Dell UltraSharp 2007FPs. I have several CRTs, but because of their bulk and limited space I keep them in storage. Once in a while I pull out a CRT to play with, but it doesn't stay on my desk for long.

Physical space available, is big deciding factor in general. I have separate old PC's for a few different eras.

But having them all set up in a limited space, was just too cramped and complex (with KVM's and audio switches, etc) after awhile. Plus, almost a 'paralysis of choice' when deciding what to play.

So now, I prefer to have just 1 or 2 set up at a time, using the available room to it's best advantage. Surrounded by era peripherals, and lots of space to spread out.

Can swap in other setups after a few months, or whatever.

However, for lucky ones with some huge 10 metre x 10 metre Dedicated Computing Room or similar, then quite a different approach would be warranted.

It's the same question I'm thinking about right now, but from the other end. I have problems with physical space and also in the middle of moving to a new apartment and considering downsizing my collection. I have at least one full PC from every generation from 386 up to Core2 Quad and some laptops and spare parts and it's just too much. It's over a dozen without the laptops.

Unrealcpu wrote on 2020-10-19, 20:51:

So i have a 486DX 100 K6-2 /K6-3 450mhz processors […]
Show full quote

So i have a 486DX 100
K6-2 /K6-3 450mhz processors

P233mhz

but not sure if I should build them all or just build one pc for each era? It would seem I need a 386DX 40 to play some games that are speed sensitive without having to mess with setmul or finding a mobo to disable cache.

I heard t here is a program out there that disables caches but sometimes locks out of the os.

Also should i be using win98se or the latest DOS? Basically boot in pure dos mode?

Hello, I give my opinion.
Unless you are not hardware/computer maniac, build only one retro computer. The best one is the one, that covers very wide range of speeds.
For me, number one is Slot 1 Pentium II/III system.
Here are advantages:
-Can be very fast, and very fast as win98 gaming machine (Maximum speed is overclocked Tualatin Pentium III, up to 1.5 - 1.7 Ghz, that holds up all games up to 2003)
-Can be very slow (Switch for Pentium II with downwards unlocked multiplier, and you can downclock it to 66 x 2 = 133 Mhz, and even disable Cache L2. So you can make basicaly Celeron Covington 133 Mhz speed, which should equal about Pentium MMX at 133 Mhz.)
-It's fast enough to use Dosbox for speed sensitive games, because they need up to 486 performance, and Dosbox on Tualatin 1.4 Ghz can handle that speeds.
-It still has usually at least one ISA slot, so you can use ISA. It also has very often SBLINK connector for PCI sound card.
-Best is BX chipset, but you can go with VIA Apollo 133A, they have usually built in integrated sound, with soundblaster emulation. So you have 4 possible sound setups for DOS, if one fail (ISA soundblaster card, DOSBOX emulator, PCI soundcard with SBLink and integrated soundcard with soundblaster emulation)
-You have Universal AGP slot

Another versatile platform, that is number two, is supersocket7 AMD k6-2/3. The only advantage is basicaly, you can set multiplier on the fly, with AMD k6-2/3 + processors. All others are disadvantages from PII/PIII system. (not good AGP slot, AGP 1x, usually less PCI slots, only 1/4 maximum obtainable speed, not so good chipsets (early VIA chipsets were problematic... I remember, my supersocket 7 AMD k6-2 with VIA chipset was worst chipset we had, lots of stability issues, compatibility problems... then we had VIA KT333, (on same powersupply), at it was basicaly without problems.... all weird kind of problems disapeared. I remember , win98 on AMD k6-2 500 was most problematic platform i ever had, so many random freezes, bsod and exits from games, etc... it all disappeared moving to Socket A platform and KT333 chipset)

So for me, pick only one (best is slot1 Pentium III), only if you are complete maniac, hardware, or enthusiats that want to have real nostalgic feel, and play it on period correct hardware, pick more platforms. They also take space, and are expensive...
And windowsxp era computer is not needed. For early windows xp games, you are still good with Pentium III tualatin. And for later one, you can always use windows 7/windows 10 combo on primary system, and make the games run somehow. They usually got patches&tweaks, how to run them... all from Doom3, Half-Life 2, FarCry is runable on primary machine. They don't need retro computer.

So that's answer. To have more builds for retro computer, is nice playing around, it's more nerdy, and it can bring better joy, and nostalgia feeling, but it's for a price. Both $$$ and eating up the space. It's good only if you like to play with hardware like with lego, rebuild systems, and have mini-test lab at home.

The oldest hardware has a really distinct feel, sound, maybe even a certain smell. An XT keyboard layout, CGA color monitor, 80s CH Mach joystick, MFM drives and dual floppies .etc are a pretty unique experience though not to most people's taste. Even the later AT clones, 386s and 486s, have clicky keyboard, loud hard drive bearings, quirky beeps and floppy seeks when started up, .etc... plus the experience of waiting on loading, watching the GUI draw in Windows .etc.

I'd say differences get pretty minimal into the pentium era, but such machines are still pretty distinct; e.g, Microsoft Natural keyboard, Windows 95, Jaz drives, Voodoo graphics, big deskhugger CRTs, wavetable synthesis .etc

Basically buy multiple computers if you have an attachment to those eras of machines, certain hardware configurations .etc. Otherwise, there's DOSBOX, or if you want to do what people used to do, moslo and other AT slowdown tools. Which are the authentic old games experience of the 80 and 90s, before emulation was feasible and people just wanted to run the games they bought for their previous, slower computer at a playable speed.

Nothing beats original sound blaster pro 2.0 or CT1740 for dos gaming and a mt32 /sc55

Dos box is utter crapola