rasz_pl wrote on 2026-09-04, 22:42:

so much reinventing teh wheel going on :) COMrade https://github.com/yyzkevin/COMrade here in use https://github.com/ahmadexp/Op […]
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jdredd wrote on 2026-09-04, 03:55:

Mixing AI slop and DOS development. To create a DOS bridge to dev and deploy from my Windows 11 machine using FPC in my case ( or TP7 directly on the dos box ) and/or using Claude Code to work and write code, test, and document.

so much reinventing teh wheel going on 😀 COMrade https://github.com/yyzkevin/COMrade
here in use https://github.com/ahmadexp/Open-Source-PC110 … overy/Live-Dump
and win95 version COMR95.EXE https://github.com/ahmadexp/Open-Source-PC110 … oftware/COMrade
Both used by https://github.com/Mike1978uk/win95-intel-inboard-386pc and https://github.com/ahmadexp/Open-Source-PC110 projects

Nice! I didn't even go looking for existing solutions...
I went the other route with networking since I have a PicoMem, so using the wifi. Plus I use serial port for my mouse and my old 8086 PS2 only has the UART 8250... I do have null modem cable that I used before with this.
But it was so stinking slow.
The PS2 is the only retro system I have to play with.
Next week when it shows up, I hope using an Extron RGB-HDMI 300 A Scaler to live feed Claude streaming VGA signals can help even further when it comes to more graphic mode stuff.

This was mostly a fun project for myself. I wanted to see if I could have it expose a way to do rapid dev... and it did and worked well.. and figured if people want it.. they can.. if not.. oh well. Won't keep me up at night 😀

I will checkout COMrade!

After giving it some thought, I've settled on a GeForce 2 MX400. S3 Savage 4 may have been a nice card, but drivers are supposedly not great, and it's hard to find a PCI version.

Just finished to repair a "Varta killed" 386SX-40 mainboard.. after 7 hrs of work :p
What a hassle debugging these highly integrated chip-based boards...
Now I'm waiting for the NPU, which should arrive in three weeks 😀

Just found one bad RAM chip on 286 board after leaving the system on overnight to charge bios battery.
It is good to have spares laying around.

Bought an Extron RGB-HDMI 300 A Scaler off eBay that showed up today... Took about 30 minutes to configure it right.
Coupled it with a powered VGA Splitter and USB HDMI Capture.

Then used it along wit m DOS Bridge crud so Claude could record to video file and take snap shots, ect to review.
To get texture mapping, floor and ceiling color and shading and fix a strange render issue and it was able to solve it using this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDxDB8BVwJw&feature=youtu.be

Decided to give Dark Forces II a go on my Vectra VE Series 3 w/4mb Virge DX and it actually worked really well at 320x240 resolution. There were only like 4 issues I've run into aside from some hitching when assets were loaded or temporary low FPS in complicated scenes/rooms.

1: A line of shifting pixels at the bottom of the viewport.
2: Crashes/texture corruption if looking down into a pit with a viewport big enough that the shifting line of pixels was off-screen (2 notches below max was fine)
3: Square boxes in explosions
4: Enemies randomly having body parts become transparent during death animations if enemies were stacked

I was expecting much worse but it seems that 320x240 makes the Virge capable of coping, kind of like Tomb Raider. Could I get better with software rendering with my Pentium 200? Maybe, but I like to use my Virge to it's limits and I'm really not a fan of how most software rendering looks. I'm a bit worried about level 4 being too much with all the water and such but I'll cross that bridge when I get there, worst case I have to lower the view port a bit 😜

For those with workstation computers: what's the best workstation-class video card?

Nvidia Quadro? (Or the ATI equivalent)
Matrox?
Other?

RetroLizard wrote on 2026-09-07, 02:29:

For those with workstation computers: what's the best workstation-class video card? […]
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For those with workstation computers: what's the best workstation-class video card?

Nvidia Quadro? (Or the ATI equivalent)
Matrox?
Other?

There is no single answer because workstations can be tuned for a ton of different jobs, each needing different graphics:

• Trading platform, mostly concerned with image clarity (numbers, candle-bars, trend lines) and multiple screens.
• Publishing soft proofing, mostly concerned signal quality (feeding a factory-calibrated screen).
• Audio workstation, needs passive cooling and silence with decent resolution for waveform analysis.
• Video workstation, may need video acceleration, capture I/O, and maybe DX8+ GPU depending on the era.
• Writer's workstation, probably concerned with 4+ screens (I've seen them with 8 screens for continuous cross-referencing)
• Medical workstation, needs signed compliance for reliability in all electromagnetic environments.
• CAD workstation, needs full OpenGL compliance (slower than gaming OpenGL).
• Military 3D simulations, although what it actually needs s probably secret.
• Personally, I'd add AI workstations to this list (mine runs on an RX GPU).

S3's SonicBlue was absorbed into ATi; SGI were absorbed into nVIDIA; others to remember are Real3D (maybe military simulations) and 3DLabs (who mysteriously vanished). There may have been others.

I'd first define first what the workstation is trying to do, then pick the card, and design around that.

MattRocks wrote on 2026-09-07, 21:44:

There is no single answer because workstations can be tuned for a ton of different jobs, each needing different graphics: […]
Show full quote

RetroLizard wrote on 2026-09-07, 02:29:

For those with workstation computers: what's the best workstation-class video card? […]
Show full quote

For those with workstation computers: what's the best workstation-class video card?

Nvidia Quadro? (Or the ATI equivalent)
Matrox?
Other?

There is no single answer because workstations can be tuned for a ton of different jobs, each needing different graphics:

• Trading platform, mostly concerned with image clarity (numbers, candle-bars, trend lines) and multiple screens.
• Publishing soft proofing, mostly concerned signal quality (feeding a factory-calibrated screen).
• Audio workstation, needs passive cooling and silence with decent resolution for waveform analysis.
• Video workstation, may need video acceleration, capture I/O, and maybe DX8+ GPU depending on the era.
• Writer's workstation, probably concerned with 4+ screens (I've seen them with 8 screens for continuous cross-referencing)
• Medical workstation, needs signed compliance for reliability in all electromagnetic environments.
• CAD workstation, needs full OpenGL compliance (slower than gaming OpenGL).
• Military 3D simulations, needs something that is probably secret though.

S3's SonicBlue was absorbed into ATi; SGI were absorbed into nVIDIA; others to remember are Real3D (maybe military simulations) and 3DLabs (who mysteriously vanished). There may have been others.

My Mac Pro has audio and video workstation uses covered, more or less. Thinking about setting up a Pentium 3 workstation for CAD and software development purposes.

RetroLizard wrote on 2026-09-07, 22:01:

MattRocks wrote on 2026-09-07, 21:44:

There is no single answer because workstations can be tuned for a ton of different jobs, each needing different graphics: […]
Show full quote

RetroLizard wrote on 2026-09-07, 02:29:

For those with workstation computers: what's the best workstation-class video card? […]
Show full quote

For those with workstation computers: what's the best workstation-class video card?

Nvidia Quadro? (Or the ATI equivalent)
Matrox?
Other?

There is no single answer because workstations can be tuned for a ton of different jobs, each needing different graphics:

• Trading platform, mostly concerned with image clarity (numbers, candle-bars, trend lines) and multiple screens.
• Publishing soft proofing, mostly concerned signal quality (feeding a factory-calibrated screen).
• Audio workstation, needs passive cooling and silence with decent resolution for waveform analysis.
• Video workstation, may need video acceleration, capture I/O, and maybe DX8+ GPU depending on the era.
• Writer's workstation, probably concerned with 4+ screens (I've seen them with 8 screens for continuous cross-referencing)
• Medical workstation, needs signed compliance for reliability in all electromagnetic environments.
• CAD workstation, needs full OpenGL compliance (slower than gaming OpenGL).
• Military 3D simulations, needs something that is probably secret though.

S3's SonicBlue was absorbed into ATi; SGI were absorbed into nVIDIA; others to remember are Real3D (maybe military simulations) and 3DLabs (who mysteriously vanished). There may have been others.

My Mac Pro has audio and video workstation uses covered, more or less. Thinking about setting up a Pentium 3 workstation for CAD and software development purposes.

3DLabs Wildcat. I'd probably choose the basic VP560 because it just looks like the more familiar ATi/nVIDIA cards, but 3DLabs made bigger more exotic flavours for higher end workstations.

MattRocks wrote on 2026-09-07, 22:21:

RetroLizard wrote on 2026-09-07, 22:01:

MattRocks wrote on 2026-09-07, 21:44:

There is no single answer because workstations can be tuned for a ton of different jobs, each needing different graphics: […]
Show full quote

There is no single answer because workstations can be tuned for a ton of different jobs, each needing different graphics:

• Trading platform, mostly concerned with image clarity (numbers, candle-bars, trend lines) and multiple screens.
• Publishing soft proofing, mostly concerned signal quality (feeding a factory-calibrated screen).
• Audio workstation, needs passive cooling and silence with decent resolution for waveform analysis.
• Video workstation, may need video acceleration, capture I/O, and maybe DX8+ GPU depending on the era.
• Writer's workstation, probably concerned with 4+ screens (I've seen them with 8 screens for continuous cross-referencing)
• Medical workstation, needs signed compliance for reliability in all electromagnetic environments.
• CAD workstation, needs full OpenGL compliance (slower than gaming OpenGL).
• Military 3D simulations, needs something that is probably secret though.

S3's SonicBlue was absorbed into ATi; SGI were absorbed into nVIDIA; others to remember are Real3D (maybe military simulations) and 3DLabs (who mysteriously vanished). There may have been others.

My Mac Pro has audio and video workstation uses covered, more or less. Thinking about setting up a Pentium 3 workstation for CAD and software development purposes.

3DLabs Wildcat.

Prices seem pretty reasonable. Thanks for the suggestion.

Kahenraz wrote on 2026-08-23, 14:07:

Minutemanqvs wrote on 2026-08-22, 17:55:

Last week I actually built a working and small linux distribution (an image that can be copied to a n SD card) which works on my K6-3, using one of the latest long term kernel (6.6 if I remember correctly). It's derived from the buildroot project, has GRUB as a boot loader, the kernel with drivers for the voodoo 3, Aladdin 5 chipset, SB Live and 3C905, some user space utilities (bash, network tools etc...) mostly from busybox and a working network. The challenge is to find the right combination of kernel and tools still wanting to compile without CMOV instruction. I'm surprised the CLI version only uses 21MB of RAM. I'm currently in the process of building a version with the fluxbox GUI.

Would you be willing to share this on a public repo when it's finished?

Ok, I have the first running version (GUI with Fluxbox) of K6Core! It has mouse support, works with 3dfx, Radeon and Geforce cards, SB Live and some AC97 chips from the era, a media player, an SSH server etc...all using 20Mb RAM. The biggest challenge was avoiding the CMOV instruction and battling with Xorg. It's probably the most modern linux stack a K6 has seen in a long time 😀 Enough for this evening..I'll post build instructions and images later this week on Retro OSes for retro computers

The boot sequence and some tests can be viewed in a not-wel-lit and shaky video, it's 2000 all over again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvj17iolnH0

Minutemanqvs wrote on 2026-09-08, 19:34:

Kahenraz wrote on 2026-08-23, 14:07:

Minutemanqvs wrote on 2026-08-22, 17:55:

Last week I actually built a working and small linux distribution (an image that can be copied to a n SD card) which works on my K6-3, using one of the latest long term kernel (6.6 if I remember correctly). It's derived from the buildroot project, has GRUB as a boot loader, the kernel with drivers for the voodoo 3, Aladdin 5 chipset, SB Live and 3C905, some user space utilities (bash, network tools etc...) mostly from busybox and a working network. The challenge is to find the right combination of kernel and tools still wanting to compile without CMOV instruction. I'm surprised the CLI version only uses 21MB of RAM. I'm currently in the process of building a version with the fluxbox GUI.

Would you be willing to share this on a public repo when it's finished?

Ok, I have the first running version (GUI with Fluxbox) of K6Core! It has mouse support, works with 3dfx, Radeon and Geforce cards, SB Live and some AC97 chips from the era, a media player, an SSH server etc...all using 20Mb RAM. The biggest challenge was avoiding the CMOV instruction and battling with Xorg. It's probably the most modern linux stack a K6 has seen in a long time 😀 Enough for this evening..I'll post build instructions and images later this week on Retro OSes for retro computers

The boot sequence and some tests can be viewed in a not-wel-lit and shaky video, it's 2000 all over again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvj17iolnH0

I'll have to try it on my own K6. See how well it does.

MattRocks wrote on 2026-08-29, 16:11:

I'd hope so too - that would be a very good late upgrade on the i430TX. […]
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RetroLizard wrote on 2026-08-29, 13:23:

MattRocks wrote on 2026-08-29, 06:06:

Voodoo2 was designed for Socket 7, but I'd hesitate on assuming 2xV2 > V3.

Either is an aftermarket upgrade but what feels slightly off is the cost proportions. Users who could afford 2xV2 tended to have Slot 1 systems.

PCI cards seem to be hard to find when it comes to ATI or Nvidia.

I'm hoping I can use the 366mhz K6-2 I have.

I'd hope so too - that would be a very good late upgrade on the i430TX.

Personally, I'd look for a S3 Savage3D or Savage4 to pair with 3Dfx Voodoo because then you have Glide, MeTaL, S3TC, OpenGL and D3D. Or, Riva128/Permedia2 if you want to execute the oldest Direct3D runtime library. Or, if you want to push the i430TX as far forward as possible then consider the many PCI cards that continued being developed as low powered server and mobile devices - sold cheap and slow in this century but their D3D support is very advanced by 1998 standards:

• Matrox G450 requires Win95+
• nVIDIA FX 5-series requires Win95+
• SiS Xabre requires Win98+
• ATi Radeon mobile chip descended from 9-series ...
• S3 Savage IX mobile chip descended from Savage4 ...
• Matrox P6-something descended from Parhelia ...

Most of those require DirectX 5 or newer. Right now I can see very conventional Radeons and GeForces available on eBay in 32bit PCI form factor, maybe untested - do you like gambling?

Good news: the K6-2 366 does work just fine.

Bad news: It's set to 300Mhz.

How would I get it to the full 366Mhz? A Bios update?

I have a Google sheet I created to keep track of my inventory of PCs, the components in them, and the myriad of parts I have acquired waiting for a purpose. I spent some tonight and the past few days going through my boxes of video and sound cards to add them to the list. Still have a lot to go.

Brawndo wrote on Today, 04:18:

I have a Google sheet I created to keep track of my inventory of PCs, the components in them, and the myriad of parts I have acquired waiting for a purpose. I spent some tonight and the past few days going through my boxes of video and sound cards to add them to the list. Still have a lot to go.

Have you got a list of your fully built machines with specs available for viewing? 😀

Tested a KVM, HDMI + mouse/keyboard.
It's fantastic to do stuff on 2 PCs at a time without going for a second screen and m/k.
Saves a lot of space and time. Also for a 2nd PC I don't need to have m/k always on my desk.
This was a nice idea I got from ppl here!

RetroLizard wrote on Yesterday, 22:00:

Good news: the K6-2 366 does work just fine. […]
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MattRocks wrote on 2026-08-29, 16:11:

I'd hope so too - that would be a very good late upgrade on the i430TX. […]
Show full quote

RetroLizard wrote on 2026-08-29, 13:23:

PCI cards seem to be hard to find when it comes to ATI or Nvidia.

I'm hoping I can use the 366mhz K6-2 I have.

I'd hope so too - that would be a very good late upgrade on the i430TX.

Personally, I'd look for a S3 Savage3D or Savage4 to pair with 3Dfx Voodoo because then you have Glide, MeTaL, S3TC, OpenGL and D3D. Or, Riva128/Permedia2 if you want to execute the oldest Direct3D runtime library. Or, if you want to push the i430TX as far forward as possible then consider the many PCI cards that continued being developed as low powered server and mobile devices - sold cheap and slow in this century but their D3D support is very advanced by 1998 standards:

• Matrox G450 requires Win95+
• nVIDIA FX 5-series requires Win95+
• SiS Xabre requires Win98+
• ATi Radeon mobile chip descended from 9-series ...
• S3 Savage IX mobile chip descended from Savage4 ...
• Matrox P6-something descended from Parhelia ...

Most of those require DirectX 5 or newer. Right now I can see very conventional Radeons and GeForces available on eBay in 32bit PCI form factor, maybe untested - do you like gambling?

Good news: the K6-2 366 does work just fine.

Bad news: It's set to 300Mhz.

How would I get it to the full 366Mhz? A Bios update?

An updated BIOS will not unlock frequencies, but it might edit the CPU description.

What you need to look for are your board jumper setting options, which will be printed as tables in the silkscreen. The tables will look like the attached image, but they could be anywhere on the board.

The options are unique to your board's implementation, but they typically offer FSB 60/66/75/83MHz and multipliers of at least x3.5 and sometimes x5.5

If you don't have x5.5, try setting 66MHz x2.0 because I believe K6-2 CPUs interpret x2.0 as x6.0; 66MHz x 6.0 = 400MHz. Beware an old Pentium-era BIOS might cluelessly guess 133MHz when it's not. Also, Windows 95 needed a K6-2 patch. Which OS are you running?