Re: Performance of IDE DOM partly worse than spin HDD

Posted on 2024-03-05, 23:38

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Marco wrote on 2024-03-05, 20:39: Thanks a lot for your detailed input. Two points here: 1. from major experiences back in the days I would only recommend smartdrv over all alternatives. Mem isn’t a problem currently This is correct. Also, smartdrv can be loaded high.

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Re: Reading a Transcend 44-Pin IDE Flash Module

Posted on 2024-03-04, 18:43

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

dominusprog wrote on 2024-03-04, 14:39: Unlike mechanical hard drives, SSDs have a lifespan. I'm pretty sure mechanical drives also have a lifespan.

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Re: Are CF cards my problem or...?

Posted on 2024-03-04, 18:27

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

If your SSD needs to be powered on every week to not lose data then you have a bad SSD. That's not "the state of things" as you say. That is 100% abnormal. not weekly, but at least once a year after few thousand cycles, the closer you are to end of life the shorter it gets https://www.vencoel.com/ …

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Re: How well do old PCs keep time?

Posted on 2024-03-04, 18:15

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

The crystals have external load capacitors in a typical RTC oscillator and they have to be tuned exactly right for the time to pass at a correct speed, of course at a given temperature. When I built a clock, using crystal from a PC mobo, it took some effort to tune it just right so that over the …

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Re: How well do old PCs keep time?

Posted on 2024-03-04, 12:04

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

In general computer clocks have never ever been particularly good, not in the 80s (when they were competing with people bothering, or maybe not, to input it correctly on boot) and certainly not today (the internet + NTP age) :) Quartzes (?) also change in frequency with temperature, some more some …

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Re: Are CF cards my problem or...?

Posted on 2024-03-04, 10:11

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

If your SSD needs to be powered on every week to not lose data then you have a bad SSD. That's not "the state of things" as you say. That is 100% abnormal. Mechanical drives also fail if left unpowered for a few years. The ball bearings in the spindle motor will sink into the nylon races due to …

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Re: Is this OK temperatures for graphics card?

Posted on 2024-03-04, 10:08

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Did you get paste on the components around the die? There's usually a thermal sense diode. If you get thermal paste that is conductive or even capacitive on it, you will get crazy temp readings. I've had to fix this many times on repaste jobs people did. One reason I like MX-4, you can smear that …

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Re: ISA Expansion Board With ESS Audio Drive

Posted on 2024-03-04, 05:35

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

ESS is also my favorite, I like it as much as SB, but it has its own unique great sound. The quality of the cards can be hit or miss, but ESS itself is great. If anyone doesn't already have an ESS, I think they're a great addition to any collection. Hmm, I should design an ESS ISA card made with …

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Re: ASUS VL/I-486SV2G(X4) Upgrade - I really need help on electronic components.

Posted on 2024-03-04, 05:22

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

1. Read the datasheet. Analog Devices has some of the best written datasheets in the biz. If there's something you need to know, it will be in there. 2. There are many part numbers because the LT1085 comes in multiple packages and temp/use grades. Do you know which package you need? 3. Older design …

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Re: Is this OK temperatures for graphics card?

Posted on 2024-03-04, 04:27

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

rasz_pl wrote on 2024-03-04, 04:09: but the slowdown threshold is not reported by the card, its something driver decided on. In early 2000 nothing ran above 90C. READ. It's in my post. It's not thermal. The paste gets on the thermal diodes around the die and causes capacitive coupling which causes …

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Re: Is this OK temperatures for graphics card?

Posted on 2024-03-04, 03:13

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

rasz_pl wrote on 2024-03-04, 03:11: >134 C slowdown threshold yeah that doesnt look right, makes no sense even in fahrenheit . I think driver is broken/glitching I can almost guarantee it's a sloppy repaste job. I've seen this on many nvidia cards over the years. Some will even report negative …

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Re: How well do old PCs keep time?

Posted on 2024-03-04, 03:09

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

On your board there's going to be a 32.768KHz crystal for the real time clock. It's definitely possible for the frequency to drift as they get old. Or if they get mechanically damaged by something like a shock or ultrasonic cleaner. The tuning fork kind of crystal (the cylindrical type) are …

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

Posted on 2024-03-04, 02:12

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

In case anyone was under the impression that I just have to turn around and lay my hand on an awesome piece of hardware, today as part of the investigation into "The Soundcard Situation" I turned around and laid my hand on this... Opti 82C931.. maybe the worst SB clone ever produced according to …

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Re: Is this OK temperatures for graphics card?

Posted on 2024-03-04, 01:26

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Did you get paste on the components around the die? There's usually a thermal sense diode. If you get thermal paste that is conductive or even capacitive on it, you will get crazy temp readings. I've had to fix this many times on repaste jobs people did. One reason I like MX-4, you can smear that …

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

Posted on 2024-03-04, 01:23

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

In case anyone was under the impression that I just have to turn around and lay my hand on an awesome piece of hardware, today as part of the investigation into "The Soundcard Situation" I turned around and laid my hand on this... Opti 82C931.. maybe the worst SB clone ever produced according to …

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Re: ISA Expansion Board With ESS Audio Drive

Posted on 2024-03-04, 01:21

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Interesting. he did say it apparently contains a sound card aswell. Are there any other soundcards that used the ESS audioDrive chip? Yes, loads. It's one of the best soundblaster alternatives This. Extremely common family of chips. My favorite SB alternative. The OPL quality is great and it …

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

Posted on 2024-03-03, 10:31

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

A GTX285 can be had for $30, has XP drivers, and blows away the 8800gts.

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Re: Intel AN430TX Voltage regulator

Posted on 2024-03-03, 10:26

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

EZ1585CT I cannot confirm. Mine has a LT1584 VRM. The 1584 and 1585 are just two models in the same family of LDO regulators. They are one component of the VRM. Lots of reasons they would switch between these two. Different revisions might need to up the amp rating for newer power hungry processors …

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Re: Via Epia 5000 ITX Build

Posted on 2024-03-03, 10:03

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by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Dont know that... According to its manual, find attached the info about USB front ports... I am not going to use them anyway.... Any suggestion for the pico PSU? Yes, it clearly says those are the non-standard ports... Hit me up if you ever decide to use them. You'll need a USB-CV1 board or my …

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Re: Are CF cards my problem or...?

Posted on 2024-03-03, 10:00

by

by kingcake

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

No issues with CF cards so far.. I'm using quality CF-IDE adapters with voltage regulators and cheap ones (with diodes added manually). Diodes are not the solution. The forward voltage drop of a diode changes with forward current. The Vf in the datasheet is only valid at the one testing current. If …

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