mx440

It is a later Pentium-3 motherboard with AGP4x and three 512 MB memory module support (in total 1.5 GB). It should be equipped with an top video card. Even GeForce FX will be adequate here. GeForce 4 MX440 also will be a good choice here. HDD also should be big, as the games and software that can run on this hardware were some huge. 40 GB will be a good size. 20 GB might be small if you are planning to work on the PC, not simply play games. Also, if you are planning to use 2 OS (e.g. WinXP and Win98 or Win+*nix) 40 GB is a minimum for comfort work, and a 80 GB HDD will be a better choice.

ATauenis wrote:

It is a later Pentium-3 motherboard with AGP4x and three 512 MB memory module support (in total 1.5 GB). It should be equipped with an top video card. Even GeForce FX will be adequate here. GeForce 4 MX440 also will be a good choice here. HDD also should be big, as the games and software that can run on this hardware were some huge. 40 GB will be a good size. 20 GB might be small if you are planning to work on the PC, not simply play games. Also, if you are planning to use 2 OS (e.g. WinXP and Win98 or Win+*nix) 40 GB is a minimum for comfort work, and a 80 GB HDD will be a better choice.

Well, guess 40 GB will suffice.

Thinking of a 2k/98 dualboot. Went with the MX440 (AGP8x variant tho, w/ nice gold PCB and fan) and a 40GB WD400BB and 256MB RAM.

Any other suggestions? Didn't want to go with a FX5200 (I have one, 128MB/128bit) because that one gets fiery hot.
Got a SB16 Value CT2770 and a Analog Devices SoundPort ISA Sound Card that has a Opti 82C925, and for networking I have several RTL8139C NICs.

PcBytes wrote:

Any other suggestions?

384 MB will be better for Win2k. 256 may be entirely consumed in Win2k at time of internet browsing of extracting some large archives. But for old games, MS Office, and some simple apps 256 should be enough. Win98 software uses <256MB too.

PcBytes wrote:

Didn't want to go with a FX5200 (I have one, 128MB/128bit) because that one gets fiery hot.

FX are really hot. But with a fan and a good thermal interface (last is very important!) they are heating up to 40 C, not more. I have got in my collection one FX5200, and it was very, very hot. After removal of the heatsink I had found that...there was almost no thermal grease. The manufacturer slightly spat, and it was the all thermal interface. I had added some thermal grease, and the FX became more cool, and now it can work even without fan.

GeForce 2 GTS/Pro/Ti/Ultra is the obvious choice here.

If your duel booting and just got HDD's doing nothing, Install Win98 and games on the 40GB and 2k on the 10Gb (Win2k only takes about 4GB)
Same with an isa soundcard, if you got Win98 installed then may as well get some dos compatibility. I'd want something nicer for Windows games though
Your NIC's are fine, nothing amazing but it'll do the job.

Just built it.

Went with a slightly modified version of chinny22's suggestion - added TWO 40GB drives instead of one, and a 10GB Seagate drive left from a upgraded Xbox. Also replaced the MX440 with the 5200 I mentioned, and added a fan.

Now I only have to unlock the 10GB drive ( which is easier than you'd ever think) and then install 98SE. 2000 is already installed on the WDC (I forgot to mention - the drives are a Maxtor, a WD and the Seagate, all in this order) and it's just a matter of installing the drivers.

I like to max out my HDD's as well, too much storage is never enough 😀