Very nice and I'm sure very rare.
Like the fact your installing NT4.
I had NT4 and Backoffice 4.5 installed on Precision 650, but then the caps finally died just as I was doing a big clear out for a move. So good timing in 1 way but now missing NT4 in my server lineup.
This seems perfect for the role

chinny22 wrote on 2024-07-10, 06:46:

Very nice and I'm sure very rare. Like the fact your installing NT4. I had NT4 and Backoffice 4.5 installed on Precision 650, b […]
Show full quote

Very nice and I'm sure very rare.
Like the fact your installing NT4.
I had NT4 and Backoffice 4.5 installed on Precision 650, but then the caps finally died just as I was doing a big clear out for a move. So good timing in 1 way but now missing NT4 in my server lineup.
This seems perfect for the role

I'm surprised that your 650 lasted as long as it did, considering it was made during the cap plague. Personally, I prefer period correct operating systems, so I would've put XP Pro onto the 650. My Dell workstation is from '97, so NT 4.0 is basically what it was designed to run, with Win95 as an afterthought (since it's not a workstation operating system).

I go the other the way. I want the OS to think it's constantly about to have a heart attack with how fast the hardware runs it 😉
But yeh, even when I took it home from work it had swollen caps so it was always on borrowed time.
anyway enough about me, post lots of pics once you get this thing up and running please!

chinny22 wrote on 2024-07-10, 23:57:

I go the other the way. I want the OS to think it's constantly about to have a heart attack with how fast the hardware runs it 😉
But yeh, even when I took it home from work it had swollen caps so it was always on borrowed time.
anyway enough about me, post lots of pics once you get this thing up and running please!

I did try using DOS 6.22 on a Pentium III, and it was mildly entertaining, so I suppose I get it to a point.

There are recapping services if you don't do any solder work yourself, if you still have the Precision 650.

I'll be sure to post when the upgrades are complete. The second CPU is coming from Croatia, so it'll be a bit. I'm also considering uploading a YouTube video of the system.

reodraca wrote on 2024-07-10, 01:31:

This is my Dell WorkStation 400. This series is Dell's first true workstation, and preceded the Precision workstation line by one year. It's kind of an oddball, since it basically uses an OptiPlex case and riser card, but has dual CPU capabilities. I assume this was done to save money while performing a trial run for the workstation market.

This may as well be the spiritual successor to the OptiPlex GXPro, since that was also a dual-socket business system designed with peak performance in mind (although Dell was clearly not yet ready to separate it into its own category and call it a workstation).

Single Pentium II 266 (just ordered a second one, will show when upgraded. Yes, I actually found the right stepping with the right OEM heatsink)

HP Kayak Workstations grew out of business line of Vectra machines as well.

Before HP Kayak XA/XU/XW there was HP Vectra XU, VT (with a new case) and HP Vectra XA MT (which reused the case originally from Vectra MT).

This going into PC workstations for HP started with Pentium Pro, so a generation earlier.

Your Dell is indeed nicely ugly 😀

Uses a flow guide to cool the CPUs using the negative pressure just like HP machines up to Pentium ||| do. PSU above the motherboard still.

The image is cropped, but there appears to be quite some empty space below the PCI/ISA riser board. What is it used for? Is it place to mount hard disks or an intake fan?

Oh, right!

You are the owner of Vectra XU as well!

Got to think of; win plugging in the extra CPU be enough, or will you need a VRM for it as well? And how about APIC, I seem to remember some LX boards with dual capability, that needed a module plugged in with the APIC 🤔

H3nrik V! wrote on 2024-07-11, 20:46:

Got to think of; win plugging in the extra CPU be enough, or will you need a VRM for it as well? And how about APIC, I seem to remember some LX boards with dual capability, that needed a module plugged in with the APIC 🤔

This board doesn't need a VRM nor an APIC. Everything's already on the board to support a second CPU. Same went for the Precision 210/410/610 series that succeeded this machine. It wasn't until the Precision 220/420/620 series that they stopped integrating the 2nd CPU VRM onto the board.

Dwaco wrote on 2024-07-11, 19:34:

HP Kayak Workstations grew out of business line of Vectra machines as well. […]
Show full quote

reodraca wrote on 2024-07-10, 01:31:

This is my Dell WorkStation 400. This series is Dell's first true workstation, and preceded the Precision workstation line by one year. It's kind of an oddball, since it basically uses an OptiPlex case and riser card, but has dual CPU capabilities. I assume this was done to save money while performing a trial run for the workstation market.

This may as well be the spiritual successor to the OptiPlex GXPro, since that was also a dual-socket business system designed with peak performance in mind (although Dell was clearly not yet ready to separate it into its own category and call it a workstation).

Single Pentium II 266 (just ordered a second one, will show when upgraded. Yes, I actually found the right stepping with the right OEM heatsink)

HP Kayak Workstations grew out of business line of Vectra machines as well.

Before HP Kayak XA/XU/XW there was HP Vectra XU, VT (with a new case) and HP Vectra XA MT (which reused the case originally from Vectra MT).

This going into PC workstations for HP started with Pentium Pro, so a generation earlier.

Your Dell is indeed nicely ugly 😀

Uses a flow guide to cool the CPUs using the negative pressure just like HP machines up to Pentium ||| do. PSU above the motherboard still.

The image is cropped, but there appears to be quite some empty space below the PCI/ISA riser board. What is it used for? Is it place to mount hard disks or an intake fan?

That empty space is to fit extra long expansion cards. Unless you're talking about between the riser and the bottom of the case, which is just an intake vent, and there are no fan mounting holes there.

chinny22 wrote on 2024-07-10, 23:57:

I go the other the way. I want the OS to think it's constantly about to have a heart attack with how fast the hardware runs it 😉
But yeh, even when I took it home from work it had swollen caps so it was always on borrowed time.
anyway enough about me, post lots of pics once you get this thing up and running please!

Here we are with the second CPU installed. Color's a bit off, but it's the same Dell OEM heatsink. The fan shroud hides it anyway.

Windows NT Workstation 4.0 installed with some other classic work programs.

Thinking of hunting for a matching 64 MB EDO stick (or 3) to bring this up to 128-256 MB of RAM. Might have good luck. After all, I found the second CPU easily enough. Though, this thing is already a beast as far as 1997 goes.

I thought blue heatsinks was an IBM thing, always liked them but only seen pictures of them. Different shade of blue just indicates primary and secondary CPU 😉

For the Ram I did a saved search on ebay and waiting for some to show up at ok price, it took a few years but it's not like the system really needed the extra ram and I could still play with it while waiting.

Which programs did you install? This is my main problem with Pre Win2k NT systems, what to do with them? Which is why I install server bit more to play with but still way under utilized for how cool the system is.

chinny22 wrote on 2024-07-22, 06:54:

I thought blue heatsinks was an IBM thing, always liked them but only seen pictures of them. Different shade of blue just indicates primary and secondary CPU 😉

For the Ram I did a saved search on ebay and waiting for some to show up at ok price, it took a few years but it's not like the system really needed the extra ram and I could still play with it while waiting.

Which programs did you install? This is my main problem with Pre Win2k NT systems, what to do with them? Which is why I install server bit more to play with but still way under utilized for how cool the system is.

I installed Office Pro '97, Acrobat 4, Photoshop 5.5, RetroZilla 2.2 browser, and a few games compatible with DX3 and earlier. A Gameboy emulator and Age of Empires Gold Edition, for starters. I was playing Pokemon Red for a few hours.

I found some 128MB unbuffered ECC EDO sticks on eBay that I'll probably buy to bump this system up, since browsing the web used a LOT of virtual memory (over twice as much as the system has). Gaming works fine with the 64 MB, though.

I've never had an IBM with a blue heatsink, although it makes sense that Big Blue would use such.