Re: Secret Weapons Over Normandy slow performance

Posted on 2024-03-11, 21:57

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ Software

in Marvin \ Software

I have an Athlon XP 3200+ with an ATI X800 AGP running XP SP3 and a couple other near-period correct cards, like the 9800 Pro and a Quadro 900XGL (GeForce 4600 Ti equivalent). I could try running this game too if it would help identify the hardware it has issues with. Never played it myself, could …

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Re: How can I measure FPS in Windows 98 on a virtual machine?

Posted on 2024-03-11, 19:47

by

by Cosmic

in Windows

in Windows

If you don't need the FPS number specifically and just want to know the overall performance of the VM, you could run some common benchmarks like 3DMark1999, 2000, 2001, Cinebench, AquaMark, Phil's DOS benchmark pack, etc. My first suggestion would have also been Fraps but I don't use it enough to …

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Re: my boring Pentium200, do I install Win95?

Posted on 2024-03-11, 19:40

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I think Windows 95 would be a good fit for the Pentium 200, especially if you already have several other Win98 systems. Windows 95 is lighter than 98 and has a simpler/faster Explorer depending on which OSR level you install. It's also fun to experiment with and collect some patches, tools, and …

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Re: Windows XP fails to install on Gigabyte GA 7DPXDW-P

Posted on 2024-03-11, 19:29

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Now, I have to ask, is there any particullar reason to install XP? I mean I suppose I could upgrade 2k to XP now, and I also plan on installing Windows 7 lite 32bit once the Athlon MPs arrive, but like I said, are there any reasons to go for XP SP3 over 2k SP4? I love Win2k, but I typically install …

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Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Posted on 2024-03-09, 20:37

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Not a super big task but I dusted off this AWE64 Gold with an anti-static brush today. This one has blue colored capacitors which I don't see often. I also rubbed the connector with an eraser to shine it up a bit, though the card already worked fine. This is the slightly larger and older CT4390, …

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Re: I/O errors while installing win XP

Posted on 2024-03-09, 18:18

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Does the BIOS have a legacy or IDE mode for the SATA ports? That would be the ideal setting for initial setup. Is it known good/checksummed XP install media? If they're burned and not official discs, did you verify the burn? Any other details from the critical errors, maybe a screenshot/photo? …

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Re: Board or Card

Posted on 2024-03-09, 18:11

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Beautiful problem indeed 😂 I think that is a VRAM issue. Is this a VLB card? Which card is it? If it has large discrete VRAM chips you may be able to replace them. Even easier if they're socketed, in which case you could try Deoxit or a contact cleaner. You could also try gently pressing on the …

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Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Posted on 2024-03-09, 17:54

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Not a super big task but I dusted off this AWE64 Gold with an anti-static brush today. This one has blue colored capacitors which I don't see often. I also rubbed the connector with an eraser to shine it up a bit, though the card already worked fine. This is the slightly larger and older CT4390, the …

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Re: eBay Voodoo 2's (Project BRICK) Retro build

Posted on 2024-03-09, 17:47

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

I'm not against modifying a custom cooler, and I really don't want to spend the money on a full-size ATX socket 7 mobo. So, maybe modifying some heat pipe cooler, with block and pipes on the cpu and the actual radiator angled away? I don't recall where I saved this image from, but your post …

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Re: USB HID Devices on PS/2 and Gameport.

Posted on 2024-03-08, 20:49

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

It's wild to me a wireless 360 controller could work through a Gameport. Very cool project!

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Re: Nostalgia for old Graphics Programs?

Posted on 2024-02-20, 18:22

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ Software

in Marvin \ Software

Could you be thinking of KidPix? That had some pretty wild patterns and fun colors and stamps etc. The oldest graphics programs I remember using are the classic PBRUSH.EXE on Windows 3. Just seeing the interface brings me back to all the silly drawings I made. We also had disks for The Print Shop …

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Re: SFF Ultimate Windows XP Machine (<10 liters, 4790k, 980 Ti, X-Fi Titanium)

Posted on 2023-12-17, 00:33

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

What resolution/refresh rate do you run the monitor at? I bet it's extremely snappy. I remember using those at school and they're really solid. I was running at either 1024x768@85hz or 1280x1024@75hz. The monitor could handle both, but the 980 Ti's analog output can have noticeable artifacts …

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Re: Removing slot covers from a pristine AT case

Posted on 2023-12-12, 05:09

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Ouch, sadly this is pretty common with old hardware, the force required to insert the ISA cards can crack solder joints and such, you may want to check continuity across the ISA slots. Since they are all wired up in parallel this shouldn't be a hard thing to check, you might also check to see if …

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Re: IDE to Compact Flash adaptor LED support

Posted on 2023-12-12, 04:20

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I think there are rare circumstances where perhaps an expansion card doesn't support the blinkenlights header. In those cases, a CF adapter with built-in LEDs can be handy. They can also just be fun to look at, even if redundant.

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Re: A100-10C 2 Port Internal SATA PCI Board

Posted on 2023-12-12, 04:09

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

If you're going to add SATA to a Windows 98 box, I would go based on availability of drivers, and not on availability of card. If you don't have drivers in hand there's no point.

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Re: WinXP on an Optiplex 745

Posted on 2023-12-12, 04:01

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Do you have any reservations to just nuking the drive? I'd DBAN it overnight and reinstall a fresh copy of XP SP3 and use Snappy to reinstall the drivers. You could even install unofficial SP4 which I personally advocate using, though on a Pentium D, the extra load may a bit be noticeable. I have a …

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Re: IDE to Compact Flash adaptor LED support

Posted on 2023-12-12, 03:50

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I have a pair of similar adapters, I can confirm the LEDs work fine and are useful for watching the IDE activity. My only complaint about boards like this is there are a bunch of exposed pins and solder joints. I wrapped mine in kapton tape to make them more inert. These days I use one of these Syba …

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Re: 486 motherboard troubleshooting log (DTK PKM-0037S)

Posted on 2023-12-12, 01:50

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

The first thing I did was pull the motherboard and put it on an anti-static bag, then test it with just a POST card installed. It powers up and the reset line works fine (lights up on reset switch, clears when I release it). I used my phone's slow motion mode to try and get a better view of the …

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486 motherboard troubleshooting log (DTK PKM-0037S)

Posted on 2023-12-12, 01:46

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I started a thread yesterday about installing a card in a never-before-used ISA slot in my first and only 486 system, thanks all who commented! https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=97744 It seemed to work at first, but after a power cycle, I couldn't get the system to POST anymore. I figured …

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Re: Removing slot covers from a pristine AT case

Posted on 2023-12-11, 04:51

by

by Cosmic

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Good news and bad news. I removed the knockout slot cover and installed the Intel EtherExpress 8/16 + SB 2290. It booted but I forgot to plug in my CF card so I powered off, installed the card, and booted again. Afterwards - nothing. No output... I restored the original config, nothing. Took the NIC …

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