You're going to need what model motherboard that is or a much better picture to help people identify it.

It looks like a DX2 chip is already installed. What voltage is that chip? If it's 3V you might be able to get a regular DX4 100 as overdrives expected 5V and then have voltage regulators to drop it down to 3V.

You also might want to get that barrel battery off the board ASAP. They are known to leak and destroy boards.

Hello, welcome to Vogons! 😀

I'd say save your money on the ET4000 card, and get a Cirrus 5428/5429 card. It's almost as fast in games provided the memory is fast enough (make sure it's 60ns or faster). Or if you find it on the cheap you can try a Chips F64300 VLB card, it's as fast or faster than the ET4000/W32 but requires that you use the latest driver for Windows 95 otherwise you'll run into mouse cursor glitches when switching between DOS and Windows sessions.

Most POD83's don't overclock well to 100Mhz in my experience. More important is whether or not the motherboard chipset allows the POD to run in write-back mode, as that has a profound impact on the chip's final performance even at stock clockspeed. I can't tell what chipset is on that board (looks like a UMC but I can't make out the model), so I won't be able to elaborate further.

I also don't see any regulators on the motherboard, so you may be stuck with 5v processors only (including the POD though fortunately). The Intel Overdrive DX4-100 (it has a thick black heatsink and a regulator), and most upgrade chips based on the Am5x86 should also work provided they have their own regulator (such as the Evergreen 586, PNY QuickChip 133, etc). If you want to stay with strictly 5V CPUs, your best bet is probably an Intel or AMD DX2-66, or maybe Cyrix's DX2-80 (you want the one without the 'v' in the model name, the 'v' variant is a 3.3v chip).

SScorpio wrote on 2020-12-12, 16:43:

You're going to need what model motherboard that is or a much better picture to help people identify it.

It looks like a DX2 chip is already installed. What voltage is that chip? If it's 3V you might be able to get a regular DX4 100 as overdrives expected 5V and then have voltage regulators to drop it down to 3V.

You also might want to get that barrel battery off the board ASAP. They are known to leak and destroy boards.

Yes I am going to remove the battery before I put it all together bud. Yeah the board is 5v

Eep386 wrote on 2020-12-12, 16:47:

Hello, welcome to Vogons! :) […]
Show full quote

Hello, welcome to Vogons! 😀

I'd say save your money on the ET4000 card, and get a Cirrus 5428/5429 card. It's almost as fast in games provided the memory is fast enough (make sure it's 60ns or faster). Or if you find it on the cheap you can try a Chips F64300 VLB card, it's as fast or faster than the ET4000/W32 but requires that you use the latest driver for Windows 95 otherwise you'll run into mouse cursor glitches when switching between DOS and Windows sessions.

Most POD83's don't overclock well to 100Mhz in my experience. More important is whether or not the motherboard chipset allows the POD to run in write-back mode, as that has a profound impact on the chip's final performance even at stock clockspeed. I can't tell what chipset is on that board (looks like a UMC but I can't make out the model), so I won't be able to elaborate further.

I also don't see any regulators on the motherboard, so you may be stuck with 5v processors only (including the POD though fortunately). The Intel Overdrive DX4-100 (it has a thick black heatsink and a regulator), and most upgrade chips based on the Am5x86 should also work provided they have their own regulator (such as the Evergreen 586, PNY QuickChip 133, etc). If you want to stay with strictly 5V CPUs, your best bet is probably an Intel or AMD DX2-66, or maybe Cyrix's DX2-80 (you want the one without the 'v' in the model name, the 'v' variant is a 3.3v chip).

Thanks for the welcome! There’s a lot of great content on here. Ive just purchased 2 additional cards for my build CL VGA VLB 1mb (for now) and a VLB IO card.

There are POD 100 stock speed too so no overclocking right?

Ive seen mentioned 5v to 3.3v voltage regulators CPU converters, any idea where I could find one? I could open up a few options with one of those.

I really hope the board is decent. It’s tough finding a socket 3 board with onboard CPU cache and VLB. I had to compromise with socket 2. I spent £80 on the board, CPU and RAM. Which I think is a great deal. Just hope it lives up to my dreams.

Hate to tell you, but you could have got a socket 3 board for that price, with support for most 486 built in. You may have had to buy the CPU separately for that price though, but they are usually pretty cheap on the CPU-World forums.

debs3759 wrote on 2020-12-12, 17:30:

Hate to tell you, but you could have got a socket 3 board for that price, with support for most 486 built in. You may have had to buy the CPU separately for that price though, but they are usually pretty cheap on the CPU-World forums.

I’ve been looking for a week and I got impatient 🙁 I do have an affinity to older parts too. As long as it’s just as functional after the voltage regulator mod, I’ll be very happy.

I found one of these on a shady looking site for £15 so fingers crossed it works/arrives. Ignore the high price in the picture, I didn’t purchase the one in the picture obviously. Ha! Bloody chancers.

Are you able to get a DX4 overdrive ? It will be pretty close to the same performance as a 5x86 chip with an interposer, but with fewer headaches. I remember a lot of fights with those interposers back in the day.

douglar wrote on 2020-12-12, 18:01:

Are you able to get a DX4 overdrive ? It will be pretty close to the same performance as a 5x86 chip with an interposer, but with fewer headaches. I remember a lot of fights with those interposers back in the day.

Yeah I mentioned that in my first post 😀 is it weird that I’m against it as it’s Pentium class CPU rather that 486? I’d like to own a few boards and a few CPUs anyway so I can benchmark, and get a little nerdy. Perhaps I’ll try both at some point. The P75 looks like a great CPU.

Mvickers03 wrote on 2020-12-12, 18:18:

douglar wrote on 2020-12-12, 18:01:

Are you able to get a DX4 overdrive ? It will be pretty close to the same performance as a 5x86 chip with an interposer, but with fewer headaches. I remember a lot of fights with those interposers back in the day.

Yeah I mentioned that in my first post 😀 is it weird that I’m against it as it’s Pentium class CPU rather that 486? I’d like to own a few boards and a few CPUs anyway so I can benchmark, and get a little nerdy. Perhaps I’ll try both at some point. The P75 looks like a great CPU.

DX4 and 5x86 are not Pentium class, even if they run at Pentium speeds. They are just more modern 486 class CPUs. Socket 3 Pentium overdrive are PODP63 and PODP83

debs3759 wrote on 2020-12-12, 18:45:

Mvickers03 wrote on 2020-12-12, 18:18:

douglar wrote on 2020-12-12, 18:01:

Are you able to get a DX4 overdrive ? It will be pretty close to the same performance as a 5x86 chip with an interposer, but with fewer headaches. I remember a lot of fights with those interposers back in the day.

Yeah I mentioned that in my first post 😀 is it weird that I’m against it as it’s Pentium class CPU rather that 486? I’d like to own a few boards and a few CPUs anyway so I can benchmark, and get a little nerdy. Perhaps I’ll try both at some point. The P75 looks like a great CPU.

DX4 and 5x86 are not Pentium class, even if they run at Pentium speeds. They are just more modern 486 class CPUs. Socket 3 Pentium overdrive are PODP63 and PODP83

Douglar mentioned “Are you able to get a DX4 overdrive“ this is referring to the POD is it not? I understand with you that the 486 dx4 and 5x86 are not Pentium class. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I’m still learning.

All being said though I am leaning on the POD DX4 100. Even though is Pentium class. Sometimes I enjoy experimenting more than actually using the systems. I’ll likely get a few CPUs to play around with.

May I put emphasis on ‘sometimes’.... I can’t wait to get stuck into some games I have forgotten about.

Mvickers03 wrote on 2020-12-12, 19:07:

Douglar mentioned “Are you able to get a DX4 overdrive“ this is referring to the POD is it not? I understand with you that the 486 dx4 and 5x86 are not Pentium class. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I’m still learning.

All being said though I am leaning on the POD DX4 100. Even though is Pentium class. Sometimes I enjoy experimenting more than actually using the systems. I’ll likely get a few CPUs to play around with.

May I put emphasis on ‘sometimes’.... I can’t wait to get stuck into some games I have forgotten about.

DX4 overdrive have part number starting DX4ODP. There is no such thing as POD DX4.

The only Pentium overdrive for 486 sockets are the two I listed above. Some 5x86 have a P75 rating which just indicates the they run compatible code at speeds equivalent to a P75. They don't have Pentium new instructions, as far as I recall. Even the PODP for socket 3 don't support the full range of Pentium features.

Chicony CH-486-33/50P:
http://www.win3x.org/uh19/motherboard/show/1263

debs3759 wrote on 2020-12-12, 19:16:

Mvickers03 wrote on 2020-12-12, 19:07:

Douglar mentioned “Are you able to get a DX4 overdrive“ this is referring to the POD is it not? I understand with you that the 486 dx4 and 5x86 are not Pentium class. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I’m still learning.

All being said though I am leaning on the POD DX4 100. Even though is Pentium class. Sometimes I enjoy experimenting more than actually using the systems. I’ll likely get a few CPUs to play around with.

May I put emphasis on ‘sometimes’.... I can’t wait to get stuck into some games I have forgotten about.

DX4 overdrive have part number starting DX4ODP. There is no such thing as POD DX4.

The only Pentium overdrive for 486 sockets are the two I listed above. Some 5x86 have a P75 rating which just indicates the they run compatible code at speeds equivalent to a P75. They don't have Pentium new instructions, as far as I recall. Even the PODP for socket 3 don't support the full range of Pentium features.

Okay, thank you for that. Although I think we are talking about the same thing I’m just not explaining it very well. Seems I was wrong then, I read they had Pentium instruction sets. I am glad I was wrong. I may well purchase a DX4ODPR100

evasive wrote on 2020-12-12, 19:29:

Chicony CH-486-33/50P:
http://www.win3x.org/uh19/motherboard/show/1263

Legend! Thank you very much. Seems like a pretty decent board.

Mvickers03 wrote on 2020-12-12, 19:37:

debs3759 wrote on 2020-12-12, 19:16:

Mvickers03 wrote on 2020-12-12, 19:07:

Douglar mentioned “Are you able to get a DX4 overdrive“ this is referring to the POD is it not? I understand with you that the 486 dx4 and 5x86 are not Pentium class. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I’m still learning.

All being said though I am leaning on the POD DX4 100. Even though is Pentium class. Sometimes I enjoy experimenting more than actually using the systems. I’ll likely get a few CPUs to play around with.

May I put emphasis on ‘sometimes’.... I can’t wait to get stuck into some games I have forgotten about.

DX4 overdrive have part number starting DX4ODP. There is no such thing as POD DX4.

The only Pentium overdrive for 486 sockets are the two I listed above. Some 5x86 have a P75 rating which just indicates the they run compatible code at speeds equivalent to a P75. They don't have Pentium new instructions, as far as I recall. Even the PODP for socket 3 don't support the full range of Pentium features.

Okay, thank you for that. Although I think we are talking about the same thing I’m just not explaining it very well. Seems I was wrong then, I read they had Pentium instruction sets. I am glad I was wrong. I may well purchase a DX4ODPR100

That should work just fine, and will give you a reasonable performance boost.

I was suggesting the DX4 overdrive, pictured on the right. It has a built in voltage adapter and heatsink. Much less fussy than the interposer solutions.

Thank you very much all.

If you can think of anything else I can do to get a performance boost please advise. Although it’s probably at a pretty good standard.

I don’t see anyone online talking about overclocking the DX4ODPR100. I’ll try and clock it with 40FSB and see what results I get.

Intel DX4-100 Overclocks?

Never mind 😀

Still if any other suggestions.. I’m keen.