VOGONS


First post, by Ricimer

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

I finally gave in and built a Pentium Pro system after spotting a CPU/RAM/Board/Heatsink bundle. I started working in IT with NT4 Pentium Workstations and Pentium Pro Servers. I missed out on ever owning one as once I had saved for a computer the Pentium II had arrived, making the Pro rather redundant.

Hardware:
Intel PR440FX Motherboard (Revision 657173-504)
2 x Pentium Pro 200MHz 512K
4 x 256MB 50ns EDO DIMMs
HP Nvidia NVS 100 Quardo4 64MB PCI VGA/DVI
HighPoint RocketRAID 1640 SATA controller
Onboard Intel EtherExpress Pro100/B LAN
Onboard Crystal CS4236B-KQ Audio
Onboard Adaptec 7880P SCSI
IBM Branded Plextor PX-40TSI (68-Pin SCSI)
GoTek Floppy Emulator
Corsair RM850 PSU
512GB Samsung 870 EVO SSD
Creative/Panasonic Audio Cable for CD Audio (Not in pictures as it took a while to track down)
2 x Noiseblocker ITR-PR-1 BlackSilent Pro Fans. Luckily the screws for these are just right to get them onto the existing Pentium Pro heatsinks I had. They are very low power so I could use the existing fan headers on the motherboard.

Case:
Phanteks Enthoo Pro (Tempered Glass Version)
2 x 140mm LTT Noctua PWM Fans. I've had these for many years, but they were too loud in use.
Noctua NA-FC1 4-Pin PWM Fan Controller. To make the fans quiet!
3d printed I/O blank. To make it look a little tidier. I see newsgroup posts from people looking for the I/O shield when the board came out, I assume the chance of finding one now is almost zero!

This was quite a challenge as the PR440FX is almost E-ATX, but not quite. A number of modern cases do not have the clearance at the right side of the board while still being E-ATX (Or SSI EEB these days)

Software:
As with my previous build I went with the quad boot
FreeDOS
Windows 98SE
Windows NT4
Windows 2000

Issues:
This build was more painful for software than my previous build. There were frustrating moments trying to get various OS happy at the same time, but apart from the USB issue mentioned below I did get there.

No ability to skip RAM test! Although it does go slightly faster with the 50ns RAM.
The BIOS is terrible, both when using PnP and somehow worse with PnP off. You can't disable the onboard devices and the Crystal audio is extremely fussy for IRQs etc.
NT4 would not detect the HighPoint controller unless I set MPS to 1.1 instead of 1.4. Once NT4 was up to Service Pack 6, I was able to set MPS back to 1.4.
Windows 2000 doesn't work with the USB. I could get it working if I set IRQ mapping to "ISA Legacy IRQ" but this disables APIC which I don't want to do. Everything else works in DOS/98/NT4 so I'm fine without USB in 2000.
You can boot into Slax Linux (I use it to run TRIM) if you boot with the custom command to turn APIC off to avoid a kernel panic.
The only updated audio driver I've got working is NT4 (and DOS of course). 98/2000 work perfectly with the built in drivers, but trying to use any other versions end in pain and no audio.
EMS only works in FreeDOS if I make sure not to have a bootable CD in the drive to avoid loading an extra SCSI bios ROM, if it loads there isn't enough free memory for the 64K EMS section.

The Quadro is rather too late for the machine, but the DVI output is great with my DataPath E2 to avoid the missing lines in VGA mode.

One nice part is the Logo section in the BIOS, so I put a picture in with the CPU specs and it sadly doesn't tell you it's dual processor during boot otherwise.

Pictures:
iNP2DbM.jpg
u7nOL3k.jpg
g6Y5Gq4.jpg
o9yBEWp.jpg
MNtks91.jpg
jtHD07e.jpg
XIIRqbv.jpg

Reply 2 of 8, by luckybob

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

file.php?mode=view&id=191923

Absolutely stunning darling!

I saw you list Quadro video card, and I was like YAAAAAS QUEEN! and I saw the pics and thought.... its so small...

NT4 / linux is really the right way to go with these machines. With an ssd, i bet this machine just flies through anything you toss at it. (year appropriate workloads, obviously)

As for the sound issues, I would ditch the onboard and find a nice big flashy ISA sound card. I'm thinking of the AWE32 here (or similar). lets make use of that nice big window!

I'm also sure you looked for a black 68-pin scsi cable. If you find one, let me know. But I know the OEM companies made some with black braid covering. like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/404603663504

but I'm just picking nits, it really looks awesome.

file.php?mode=view&id=191926

Attachments

It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes.

Reply 3 of 8, by chinny22

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Now that you have finished the pain of installing each OS can I suggest adding NT3.51 for yet another long dead OS that supports dual CPU?
Doesn't do anything NT4 or even 2k can't do but I found it the most fun as never came across it out in the wild so kind of felt brand new (and very old)

I doubt updated audio drivers offer anything over the ones included with the OS.

but man that window. If you know what looking at seeing those 2 old style CPU's you know your looking at something special.

Reply 5 of 8, by Ricimer

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
luckybob wrote on 2024-04-28, 16:59:

I'm also sure you looked for a black 68-pin scsi cable. If you find one, let me know. But I know the OEM companies made some with black braid covering. like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/404603663504

I have a nice HP one, but it turns out IBM customised their version of the Plextor CD drive and had the internal scsi terminator removed. The cable I got only has two connectors, so I can't use it with an external terminator!

Reply 8 of 8, by RushiMP

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

I envy your PS/2 ports so bad. I have a nagging retro corner KVM fever dream.

Got a DTK PRM-0031I-E0 on the bench, managed to overclock to 233 Mhz, was looking great.

I wanted to use a mouse, and this thing hates ALL its COM ports. Now it sits in the corner angry.

Why build one when you can have two at twice the price?
-S.R. Hadden