VOGONS


Cyrix Instead - Desktop Build

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Reply 20 of 29, by BSA Starfire

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Try changing the video card, I got a good jump when using the S3 ViRGE.

286 20MHz,1MB RAM,Trident 8900B 1MB, Conner CFA-170A.SB 1350B
386SX 33MHz,ULSI 387,4MB Ram,OAK OTI077 1MB. Seagate ST1144A, MS WSS audio
Amstrad PC 9486i, DX/2 66, 16 MB RAM, Cirrus SVGA,Win 95,SB 16
Cyrix MII 333,128MB,SiS 6326 H0 rev,ESS 1869,Win ME

Reply 21 of 29, by feipoa

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Perhaps use DOOM and QUAKE timedemos. Speedsys doesn't catch a lot of the Cyrix enhancements.

Plan your life wisely, you'll be dead before you know it.

Reply 22 of 29, by feipoa

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BSA Starfire wrote:

That is intersting, what program and settings would I need for Cyrix Media GX(Compaq presario 2232), it sure could do with a boost if one is available.

Your question inspired me to create a new thread which details all the programs and commands I use for various CPU registers. Register settings for various CPUs

Plan your life wisely, you'll be dead before you know it.

Reply 23 of 29, by BSA Starfire

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Thanks feiopa, very interesting 😀

286 20MHz,1MB RAM,Trident 8900B 1MB, Conner CFA-170A.SB 1350B
386SX 33MHz,ULSI 387,4MB Ram,OAK OTI077 1MB. Seagate ST1144A, MS WSS audio
Amstrad PC 9486i, DX/2 66, 16 MB RAM, Cirrus SVGA,Win 95,SB 16
Cyrix MII 333,128MB,SiS 6326 H0 rev,ESS 1869,Win ME

Reply 24 of 29, by feipoa

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You should be able to use the information contained in the MediaGX section to speed up your MediaGX

Plan your life wisely, you'll be dead before you know it.

Reply 25 of 29, by F2bnp

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This takes me back to the days I first joined in here. I had just found a complete socket 7 system with a Cyrix 6x86 PR166 and an S3 Virge and was trying to get the most out of it. It was a good experience, since it taught me how to work around autoexec.bat and config.sys setups. After a few months I found an MMX 200 and later on an MMX 233, so the Cyrix didn't last long, but I still look at those chips with admiration for the same reasons Anonymous Coward posted.

This is a really great build, replace the Rage 2 with a good ViRGE (one that doesn't have crappy IQ) and you're good to go!

Reply 26 of 29, by leileilol

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It also helps to know their price in the context of time relative to the Pentiums they were competing against to appreciate them better 😀

apsosig.png
long live PCem

Reply 27 of 29, by feipoa

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BSA Starfire wrote:

Thanks feiopa, very interesting 😀

The programs I mentioned for enabling the features of the Cyrix MediaGX can be located in this thread, www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=30607
Have you had any luck with this? I added a Banshee to my MediaGX build and GLQuake really flys.

Plan your life wisely, you'll be dead before you know it.

Reply 28 of 29, by foey

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A couple of more recent updates/upgrades...

First of all, my proposed S3 Virge for this build does not work - I've not tested in anything else but refuses to boot on this setup.

Adaptec AHA-1520B ISA SCSI Card
This was installed to use a Sony SCSI 12x CD-ROM drive I have. It works perfectly in Windows - however when I try to use the EZ DOSINSTALL.EXE it just stops on "SCSI scanning EZ6X60.EZ" I can control + alt + delete and the system reboots so its not a hard lock. Any ideas?

RAID_zpsk39dtctg.jpg

Not the best color match! But works perfectly. I also put in a floppy drive which I got off ebay - It refuses to work, upon closer inspection I can see on of the pins is pushed right back.

Outside_CD-ROM_zpsiwlglmyk.jpg

Lastly, a controller card which I had laying around since I have no COM or LPT headers.

IO_zpswa1bztpk.jpg

The latest gubbins!

Inside_20_zpsuynltlkm.jpg

I've been using a fair bit, setting up and testing out some out Windows Programs which I used to own. I've also managed to find and install Dr Solomon's 7.5 Antivirus which I used to have on my Pentium 75! protecting me against 1996 virus's 🤣

Cyrix Instead Build, 6x86 166+ | 32mb SD | 4mb S3 Virge DX | Creative AWE64 | Win95
ATC-S PIII Tualatin Win9x Build :- ATC-S PIII Coppermine Win9x Build Log [WIP] **Photo Heavy**

Reply 29 of 29, by foey

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So this evening I've spent a little more time with the machine.

S3 Virge DX
Managed to get this working, gave it a clean and ensured it was seated correctly. It's a Virge DX with 4mb on board. The image quality is great, very sharp.

S3Virge_zpsvca6pnbs.jpg

Seagate 4.3Gb Hard Drive
For that authentic sound/speed! 😵 Not an update but didn't post any photos of it previously.

HDD_zpsl9hc2hx5.jpg

Optical Drives
I had problems getting the SCSI dos installation program to fully install. In the end I took out the AWE64 and the installer worked without any issues! The trouble is I had around 545k free conventional memory after the SCSI drivers were installed - despite "Load High"

So I've decided to put both drives in, I use the 12x SCSI Sony drive in Windows which is very quiet and use the IDE (48x) in dos - but using QCD @ 4x (600) - something I could not make work/or reduce the speed in Windows. Also the newer drive is compatible with different brands of CD-R/RWs.

drives_zpsgrpmygac.jpg

Bios_zpsvx09kxn5.jpg

Clean up!
Whilst having a reshuffle I did some cable management

Case_zpskufkkerc.jpg

Benchmarks

Speedsys_zpskcvcw279.jpg

Doom 1.9 - 2134/1096 realtics (68.1fps)
Quake - 21.7
PCPBench - 40.8

@ PR200+ (150mhz) Just to test

Doom 1.9 - 2134/1022 realtics (73.0fps)
Quake - 23.6
PCPBench - 44.3

Cyrix Instead Build, 6x86 166+ | 32mb SD | 4mb S3 Virge DX | Creative AWE64 | Win95
ATC-S PIII Tualatin Win9x Build :- ATC-S PIII Coppermine Win9x Build Log [WIP] **Photo Heavy**