VOGONS


My Windows 95 486 build

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First post, by ST251

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Biostar 8433UUD motherboard
AM5x86 @ 133MHz
16MB RAM
Trident Daytona 64T
Pine Tech PT-230X (ES1868F based) sound card
WD1003-WAH MFM controller paired with an ST-251 drive

I figured I'd make an actual thread for this computer so I can post updates without cluttering up the retro PC photo thread. Getting Windows 95 to play nice on this machine is a battle (which is why I decided to attempt this in the first place - challenges are fun)

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Reply 1 of 9, by BitWrangler

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I think you need a bigger drive for '95, 40MB is a real squeeze, plus I'm not sure if it even likes MFM controllers.

Edit: you do have a heatsink for the DX5 right? DX-2 up need them, DX4 up need a fan.

Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.

Reply 2 of 9, by ST251

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BitWrangler wrote on 2021-07-04, 14:18:

I think you need a bigger drive for '95, 40MB is a real squeeze, plus I'm not sure if it even likes MFM controllers.

Edit: you do have a heatsink for the DX5 right? DX-2 up need them, DX4 up need a fan.

Oh, Windows is already installed on that drive :p
It's very slow but it was done, I'm at the point where I'm just trying to achieve peak performance. It also does NOT like my sound card because of the integrated IDE controller on it.

In regard to the heatsink, no I don't. The system didn't come with one and I ran it without opening it for a while so I didn't even know there wasn't one in there but it seems to be fine.

Reply 3 of 9, by Hezus

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Never seen someone run Win95 on am MFM drive before. Nice challenge. I would do it just to see if it works, but I doubt it would be fun to work with in the long run.

That processor works without a heatsink but it's advised to use one anyhow. There are still chances it would overheat and you'll decrease its lifespan. Would be a sin to break a CPU this way, but ultimately it's your stuff.. just some friendly advice.

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Reply 4 of 9, by Windows9566

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that cpu will overheat and die without a heatsink, you need a heatsink since it's a 5x86. it clearly says "Heatsink & Fan Req'd" on some of those CPUs. get one of these https://www.ebay.com/itm/324631500115?hash=it … 1gAAOSwISdgpDJU, to better be save than sorry.

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P3 600, 256 MB RAM, nVidia Riva TNT2 M64, SB Vibra 16S, Win98
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486DX2 66, 32 MB RAM, Trident TGUI9440, ESS ES688F, DOS

Reply 5 of 9, by treeman

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I ran one without a heatsink and after a few minutes I would get artifacts and high pitch squeel, the cpu will die. I would trust what is printed on it

Reply 6 of 9, by Jo22

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Hezus wrote on 2021-07-05, 06:39:

Never seen someone run Win95 on am MFM drive before. Nice challenge. I would do it just to see if it works, but I doubt it would be fun to work with in the long run.

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Reply 7 of 9, by ST251

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Windows9566 wrote on 2021-07-11, 03:18:

that cpu will overheat and die without a heatsink, you need a heatsink since it's a 5x86. it clearly says "Heatsink & Fan Req'd" on some of those CPUs. get one of these https://www.ebay.com/itm/324631500115?hash=it … 1gAAOSwISdgpDJU, to better be save than sorry.

I didn't put this computer together, I bought it mostly as it currently is.

I've noticed that some of those 5x86s have that marking, but mine doesn't. I'm not trying to be stubborn or anything, it's just by judging by that CTI sticker on the processor and on various other components (e.g. RAM), and also the fact that this processor looks like it never had thermal compound applied to it, this computer came like this from whoever the system builder was. I'd like to have put one on but I've lost the oodles of hardware I used to have 🙁

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Reply 8 of 9, by BitWrangler

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Everyone is really saying "stick a heatsink on it and see if your problems go away." because nobody really wants to put in troubleshooting time on something where there seems to be a glaringly obvious problem unaddressed.

The use of a heatsink compound, thermal paste, wasn't actually terribly common until late in the 90s. System builders would slap them on dry, even over paper labels like that one. Then by late MMX, with hot K6 and Cyrix around, there was maybe some heatsinks coming with a token thermal pad on. It was the overclockers who were early adopters of it. I "borrowed" an almost done tube from an electronics lab in '95 and that managed to last me 3 years or so, until Computer stores didn't look at you weird when you asked for thermal paste.

Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.

Reply 9 of 9, by ST251

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BitWrangler wrote on 2021-07-12, 02:00:

Everyone is really saying "stick a heatsink on it and see if your problems go away." because nobody really wants to put in troubleshooting time on something where there seems to be a glaringly obvious problem unaddressed.

The use of a heatsink compound, thermal paste, wasn't actually terribly common until late in the 90s. System builders would slap them on dry, even over paper labels like that one. Then by late MMX, with hot K6 and Cyrix around, there was maybe some heatsinks coming with a token thermal pad on. It was the overclockers who were early adopters of it. I "borrowed" an almost done tube from an electronics lab in '95 and that managed to last me 3 years or so, until Computer stores didn't look at you weird when you asked for thermal paste.

I had a Pentium 90 machine in the late 90's, and when I opened it there was no heatsink on it :p

I'm assuming the problems I'm having are all related to the fact that this motherboard not only has a built in IDE controller, but the sound card has one as well and here I am sticking an MFM controller/drive in it. When I got this machine, it was rock stable (with the IDE drives in it).