Re: Most stable and compatible win9x configuration

Posted on 2021-07-10, 00:35

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I've been testing multiple configurations for windows 98 and here are my thoughts: - P3 on Bx440 is very nice and DOS compatible, but the cpu and AGP 2x limits the performance heavily - P3 on S370 or tualatin - nice and stable, but since you have no isa in 99% cases why not to go higher - P4 always …

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Decent dot matrix printers

Posted on 2021-02-16, 13:19

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I've recently developed a strong need to own dot matrix printer as next piece of my nostalgic hardware. Checking auctions there are still tons of them - even brand new - even extremely expensive like 2000$ or more. Mostly OKI (with 3320 model), Epson - and mostly newer models with USB. I'd like to …

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Re: Intel desktop board d915gav - Windows 98 not loading

Posted on 2021-02-14, 00:53

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Ok - if anyone got similar problem on systems with SATA - I fixed it by setting legacy mode for drives - so two SATA + two PATA. BTW. its pretty nice board for windows 98 - running PCI-express card gets ridiculous results in Futuremark 2001.

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Intel desktop board d915gav - Windows 98 not loading

Posted on 2021-02-13, 23:27

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

So I've had the first attempt to install windows 98 on this machine. It has Intel 915G chipset and from what I've found out and there are drivers that should be working. Anyway - during installation if Windows, there is a step when it restarts - and after that it didn't want to continue installation …

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Re: Asus P5PE-VM and P4P800 SE died during transport

Posted on 2021-01-27, 14:14

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Hah, I was able to run MSI 865pe neo2 - seems it has only dirty/faulty RAM slot - after cleanup and putting into different one it boots up. But both ASUSes - still nothing - tried also DEL key and PSU specifically marked as for P4 (and confirmed working with MSI board).

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Re: Asus P5PE-VM and P4P800 SE died during transport

Posted on 2021-01-25, 23:13

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I think I've got a pattern here. Today I've acquired MSI 865pe neo2 (was inside a case I bought) and it has the same issue. I've read more about it - in most cases the same pattern - computer works fine, until something is changed/replaced/moved/touched. It's like something stops connecting inside …

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Re: Asus P5PE-VM and P4P800 SE died during transport

Posted on 2021-01-24, 20:34

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

They came with CPUs - with P4P800 I also tried an older P4. With P5PE - seller put P4 so it should work on all BIOS versions - also checked Celeron D. I began to wonder if this may be an issue with BIOS - both mobos had their batteries removed for a while - and I've read some information about …

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Asus P5PE-VM and P4P800 SE died during transport

Posted on 2021-01-24, 19:57

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I know it has been lots of discussions around Asus dying unexpectedly - but what happened to me its just weird. I've bough Asus P5PE-VM and P4P800 SE from different sellers - both reported as working and turning on. When I've tried them - no beep, no post - just CPU fan is spinning. Tried 3 …

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Re: LGA 775 Motherboards with AGP Slots

Posted on 2021-01-17, 15:01

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Would be good to add info, which of them are reliable 😀 or would be reliable after recapping. Like opposed to my recent Asus P4P800 which seems to be moody no matter what 😒

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Re: ASUS P2B 1.04 BIOS update always fails on verification

Posted on 2021-01-02, 13:29

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Yeah - it does not make sense to show the difference between 1.04 and 1.10 - maybe at the time when there should have been only 1.10 left for sales - otherwise it may seem that genuine 1.04 is also fake... Indeed. Even more so because I have not succeeded finding good photos of a 1.04 with the …

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Re: ASUS P2B 1.04 BIOS update always fails on verification

Posted on 2021-01-01, 15:42

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Yeah - it does not make sense to show the difference between 1.04 and 1.10 - maybe at the time when there should have been only 1.10 left for sales - otherwise it may seem that genuine 1.04 is also fake... Back in the days I often heard of producing fakes on the same lines as genuine (mostly cell …

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Re: ASUS P2B 1.04 BIOS update always fails on verification

Posted on 2020-12-31, 21:00

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Wow, it seems I had a fake P2B - I had no idea they can be counterfeit. I no longer have it - sold in favour of P3B (and I suspect one of my P3Bs is counterfeit too) - but got some photos. Amazing - it was so well made - really nice quality - mine was like brand new and worked flawlessly (besides …

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Re: Your favorite retro socket/platform

Posted on 2020-07-13, 22:07

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Slot 1 because: - this was the first platform I build a pc from single parts I've bought - CPU from PII 233MHz up. to P3 1GHz and even Tualatins 1,4GHz are possible - AGP slot - up to 3 ISA slots - jumperless Its the most versatile platform possible - allowing to play old DOS games with compatible …

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Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Posted on 2020-06-18, 09:23

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Some cards I saved from the crusher today. Pulled from complete PCs... Beside some cards missing the bracket (not a problem I have some spares) they are in very good visual condition... Amazing - well done - really such stuff can be found in Poland? Maybe you need help in saving some more retro …

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Re: Sound Blaster Audigy 2 for in windows98 dos prompt

Posted on 2020-05-17, 17:12

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I was playing with it a little bit - reinstalling drivers, using WDM but I gained nothing but bluescreens and yellow triangle next to audigy device :/ First, check if you have a Dell version of the card or a standard one from Creative. If there are three white stickers on the back side of the card, …

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Re: Sound Blaster Audigy 2 for in windows98 dos prompt

Posted on 2020-05-16, 21:28

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I have a problem setting up A2 ZS in windows 98 and using for DOS prompt. I've not used any driver installer - just provided VXD drivers when windows asked for and it was installed fine. Sound in windows works normally, but I cannot set this sound card in any DOS games using prompt (card in device …

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Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Posted on 2020-04-29, 18:08

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Managed to snag an Elsa Geforce 2 Ultra card for about $50. I had exactly this Elsa model like 20 years ago - with Thermaltake Crystal Orb - overclocked nicely :) But this was the only graphic card I had replaced under warranty ;) I had it with 3d Glasses that worked only with CRT screens and high …

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Fixing Damaged AOpen AX59-pro

Posted on 2020-04-14, 13:00

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I started to check my damaged AX59 - bought it that way for parts, but after some verification I thought that it may be possible to repair it actually (seller wrote that he did not try to run it after damage was done). I found two damages that need fixing - 3 legs ripped off from Southbridge and the …

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Re: Yamaha YMF7x4 Guide

Posted on 2020-04-12, 15:36

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Check the 5-th picture: https://www.ebay.com/itm/254017434013 -> https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LWEAAOSwzZNcC72E/s-l1600.jpg - one of those cards have pretty much the same markings.

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Re: Yamaha YMF7x4 Guide

Posted on 2020-04-12, 08:51

by

by varrol

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Looks real to me. The package size of the chip is correct. A quick search of the model number brings up that it was made / sold by Sound Vision. See here for a youtube video: https://youtu.be/KGIfaVyU6Kc The remarked / fake cards usually / always have some model of CMI chip and the drivers that …

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