kixs wrote on 2023-01-27, 02:43:

Done some testing with my PPRO with 1MB chip running at 233MHz, Windows 95 OSR2, 128MB […]
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Done some testing with my PPRO with 1MB chip running at 233MHz, Windows 95 OSR2, 128MB

Q3A demo, default settings, 800x600:

Voodoo2 12MB ... 28.9 - no sound
Voodoo2 12MB ... 27.3 - low quality sound
Voodoo2 12MB SLI ... 31.5 - no sound
Voodoo2 12MB ... 28.8 - low quality sound
Voodoo 5 5500 PCI... 27.9 - no sound

Sound definitely has an effect on performance!

The testing I did with this current build was with sound enabled!

Is it at all possible for you to carry out the test on your machine again with the Voodoo5 @ 800x600 with maximum settings and sound enabled, so that we can compare notes?

Sphere478 wrote on 2023-01-27, 02:58:

kixs wrote on 2023-01-27, 02:43:

Done some testing with my PPRO with 1MB chip running at 233MHz, Windows 95 OSR2, 128MB […]
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Done some testing with my PPRO with 1MB chip running at 233MHz, Windows 95 OSR2, 128MB

Q3A demo, default settings, 800x600:

Voodoo2 12MB ... 28.9 - no sound
Voodoo2 12MB ... 27.3 - low quality sound
Voodoo2 12MB SLI ... 31.5 - no sound
Voodoo2 12MB ... 28.8 - low quality sound
Voodoo 5 5500 PCI... 27.9 - no sound

Curious, could you do a test audigy 2zs vs isa sound card on this setup? Audigy 2zs is supposed to have a lot of hardware acceleration but idk if basic isa sound might still have the edge? (Performance wise)

It might come as a surprise, but I don't have Audigy 2ZS card 🤣 But I can test with first release of Audigy. I used AWE32 CT3980 in this built.

Irinikus wrote on 2023-01-27, 04:08:

Sound definitely has an effect on performance! […]
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kixs wrote on 2023-01-27, 02:43:

Done some testing with my PPRO with 1MB chip running at 233MHz, Windows 95 OSR2, 128MB […]
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Done some testing with my PPRO with 1MB chip running at 233MHz, Windows 95 OSR2, 128MB

Q3A demo, default settings, 800x600:

Voodoo2 12MB ... 28.9 - no sound
Voodoo2 12MB ... 27.3 - low quality sound
Voodoo2 12MB SLI ... 31.5 - no sound
Voodoo2 12MB SLI ... 28.8 - low quality sound
Voodoo 5 5500 PCI... 27.9 - no sound

Sound definitely has an effect on performance!

The testing I did with this current build was with sound enabled!

Is it at all possible for you to carry out the test on your machine again with the Voodoo5 @ 800x600 with maximum settings and sound enabled, so that we can compare notes?

Indeed. By guess around 2FPS.

I've removed the sound card as I had problems installing correct Win95 drivers for V5. Used different Win95 images on CF card and reinstalling AWE32 drivers every time was too much. When finally everything worked the time was 03:30 🙁

I've checked and it was done with max settings @800x600.

There is a major difference. I used q3ademo. While I think you used the full release with possible patches (release date 2000 on your photos). My guess is the demo release is faster (not quality optimized).

Can you check with the demo version? It might take me days to install the full release 🤣

I made use of demo four.

I always use DEMO001.

But do check with DEMO release of Q3A:
https://archive.org/download/QuakeIiiArenaDemo/Q3ADemo.exe

My result running Demo 001 @ 800x600 with Max settings and low quality sound:

Thanks to an input from @johnnym, a user on IRIX Network!!! 😀

I managed to get GLIDE working by copying 3dfxOgl.dll to the game folder and renaming it to 3dfxVgl.dll!!!

Here's the new Demo four performance @ 800x600 Max settings:

Here's the new Demo four performance @ 10240x768 Max settings:

So GLIDE does offer a small performance increase!!! 😀

Irinikus wrote on 2022-10-16, 06:44:

This is probably the way I'm going to go: […]
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This is probably the way I'm going to go:

Hi Irinikus,
Yery nice system you are building here!

I have one question:
Since it doesn't seem to be mentioned explicitly within this thread could you please clarify which board you are using for this (single-CPU) build?
Is it the Chaintech CT-6ITM and is this the manual for this exact board pictured in the quotation?

If so would you mind scanning it completely and uploading it to theretroweb<dot>com as it is missing there.
Also if you have another BIOS revision as is already listed there it would be great if you could also upload a copy.

I'm indeed using the Chaintech CT-6ITM for the single CPU build and I do have the physical user manual for it.

I'll get it scanned for you, though it may take a while.

That would be great! No hurry!
I was especially interested in if this board will support an PII Overdrive but couldn't find any official statement.
Your manual, however, clearly states this and your build also confirms it.
So this can be a future project for me since it happens that I own both components, the board and the Overdrive, but never had the time to test if they can work together.
I also have to find an alternative cooling option since my Overdrive lost its original cooler somewhere in time 😟.

It’s an awesome board!!!

I gave up on Overdrive P-II as it only offers minimal increase in performance. By my tests around 10-20% in best case over PPRO 1MB @233Mhz. And I kinda don't like P-II that much.

Might also do a test on a Dual PPRO board.

kixs wrote on 2023-01-27, 12:49:

I gave up on Overdrive P-II as it only offers minimal increase in performance. By my tests around 10-20% in best case over PPRO 1MB @233Mhz. And I kinda don't like P-II that much.

That is surprisingly low. Graphics or memory limitation? It was the only P2 with 512 kB full speed cache right?

Surely memory-related. 66MHz FSB + EDO-RAM = no burner.
At least it should take less power than a 1M PPro@233.

kixs wrote on 2023-01-27, 12:49:

I gave up on Overdrive P-II as it only offers minimal increase in performance. By my tests around 10-20% in best case over PPRO 1MB @233Mhz. And I kinda don't like P-II that much.

Might also do a test on a Dual PPRO board.

110% For years now, the ePay prices for over drives has been firmly in the realm of pants-on-head retarded, batshit crazy. Doing a "pentium pro" build should just be that.

Are they "better" than the standard ppro in every way? Yes. But so is a Pentium 3 chip.

In my case I’ll end up with a single Pentium II Overdrive and a Dual Pentium Pro, so all bases covered! It’s nice to have both, for comparative reasons!

According to a Blender benchmark that I ran, the Overdrive is 47.2% faster than the original Pentium Pro 256k chip that I was originally running in this board , and it also offers the benefit of MMX, for better or worse.

The purpose of this build is simply to see exactly how much performance I can get out of a single Socket 8 board. And have some fun along the way. To this effect, it’s keeping me busy and happy!!!

As a matter of interest, here are the Blender Test Results from a number of my machines covering a range of CPU's:

luckybob wrote on 2023-01-27, 13:56:

kixs wrote on 2023-01-27, 12:49:

I gave up on Overdrive P-II as it only offers minimal increase in performance. By my tests around 10-20% in best case over PPRO 1MB @233Mhz. And I kinda don't like P-II that much.

Might also do a test on a Dual PPRO board.

110% For years now, the ePay prices for over drives has been firmly in the realm of pants-on-head retarded, batshit crazy. Doing a "pentium pro" build should just be that.

Are they "better" than the standard ppro in every way? Yes. But so is a Pentium 3 chip.

Wouldn't pay the current prices for overdrives, too. Even the regular PPro prices have gone up noticeable in the last time in my perception.
Bought my overdrive some years ago now over a local ad site for a reasonable price, approx that what a normal PPRo with 256k or even 512k costs now. Seller had another one I should have bought price-wise back then, but I'm fine with the one I have.
Sure, a P3 is always better than a PPro, but a P3 everyone can have. And there isn't something like a Pentium 3 Pro, is it?
In the end it's just something a little more uncommon to have some fun with and when you are done you put it back in it's boxes for the next years to come.

ChrisK wrote on 2023-01-27, 15:07:

In the end it's just something a little more uncommon to have some fun with and when you are done you put it back in it's boxes for the next years to come.

I agree with you 100%!

Okay, test with audigy :p probably will still tell us something!

I spent the whole day today reinstalling Windows and installing games, as the Voodoo5 and my SCSI RAID controller had an IRQ conflict (Were sharing the same IRQ) which was causing the drive to become corrupted!!!

I solved this problem by going into the BIOS and disabling the two COM ports as well as the Parallel port to free up some IRQ addresses.

I don't need to use these ports at the moment, but I can at least juggle things in the future if I need to enable one of them!