Any pics? 😜

And what are you gonna be using these rigs for?
Interesting to see a maxed Mendocino build.
Btw, is your P2 400MHz one of those unlocked ones?

PcBytes wrote on 2021-09-15, 19:23:

Soundcard: integrated C-Media CMI8738 PCI (quite buggy under 98SE, dunno why tho, as it runs fine under ME or 2k)

I had M725 based on the same chipset (older revision) and exactly the same built-in audio card.
There were some compatibility issues under Win98 (eg computer was rebooting automatically after few minutes when I played Interstate 76). I solved that by switching card mode to SoundBlaster PRO.

Does DMA mode work for your HDD? I remember that early drivers had issues with that too.

Tetrium - the P2 400 isn't unlocked, I'm afraid - not that I do much OC-ing on those anyways, especially since one annoying issue with the P2B I have is that despite upgrading to the latest BIOS (1014.003 I think), I can't use anything larger than 32GB. It simply refuses to boot from it, despite it being detected in BIOS. 32GB and lower drives work just fine.

As for the Mendocino build, I wanted something AT and compact, and since I was given that machine for free (albeit with a Rage IIc AGP) I figured why not give PCChips a run, especially given their bad rep - mine turned out to be really stable.

luk1999 - I solved my issues with both the ALi IDE controller and the sound card by using newer drivers than what PCChips, C-Media and ALi offer - for CMedia I used the version 5.12.1.47 WDM driver from the VOGONS repository and for ALi, I remember using a slight mix of the older 1.091 drivers with the Integrated 2.20 drivers.

As for DMA mode, ALi's IDE utility successfully reports DMA on my HDD.

EDIT: IIRC, doesn't the M725 have the HT1869V+ sound chip? If so, don't be fooled by the "PCI" marking on yours, it isn't a 8738 like mine (in fact, mine is the real 8738 chip, not PCChips' rebadged Soundpro). Yours is an CMI8330 on the ISA bus. The true PCI variants (aka actual 8738 chips) of that chip usually should have an "HRTF 3D Audio"printed right under the model number.

PcBytes wrote on 2021-10-01, 17:07:

Tetrium - the P2 400 isn't unlocked, I'm afraid - not that I do much OC-ing on those anyways, especially since one annoying issu […]
Show full quote

Tetrium - the P2 400 isn't unlocked, I'm afraid - not that I do much OC-ing on those anyways, especially since one annoying issue with the P2B I have is that despite upgrading to the latest BIOS (1014.003 I think), I can't use anything larger than 32GB. It simply refuses to boot from it, despite it being detected in BIOS. 32GB and lower drives work just fine.

As for the Mendocino build, I wanted something AT and compact, and since I was given that machine for free (albeit with a Rage IIc AGP) I figured why not give PCChips a run, especially given their bad rep - mine turned out to be really stable.

luk1999 - I solved my issues with both the ALi IDE controller and the sound card by using newer drivers than what PCChips, C-Media and ALi offer - for CMedia I used the version 5.12.1.47 WDM driver from the VOGONS repository and for ALi, I remember using a slight mix of the older 1.091 drivers with the Integrated 2.20 drivers.

As for DMA mode, ALi's IDE utility successfully reports DMA on my HDD.

EDIT: IIRC, doesn't the M725 have the HT1869V+ sound chip? If so, don't be fooled by the "PCI" marking on yours, it isn't a 8738 like mine (in fact, mine is the real 8738 chip, not PCChips' rebadged Soundpro). Yours is an CMI8330 on the ISA bus. The true PCI variants (aka actual 8738 chips) of that chip usually should have an "HRTF 3D Audio"printed right under the model number.

Perhaps I should have specified better what I meant. It's not for overclocking but for underclocking 😜
Could run some P2 400MHz CPUs on a 66MHz FSB at 366MHz 😜

PcBytes wrote on 2021-10-01, 17:07:

EDIT: IIRC, doesn't the M725 have the HT1869V+ sound chip? If so, don't be fooled by the "PCI" marking on yours, it isn't a 8738 like mine (in fact, mine is the real 8738 chip, not PCChips' rebadged Soundpro). Yours is an CMI8330 on the ISA bus. The true PCI variants (aka actual 8738 chips) of that chip usually should have an "HRTF 3D Audio"printed right under the model number.

I got rid of M725 20 years ago (and never ever bought another PC Chips product), but I've just checked archived PC Chips Lottery page and it looks like that only M726MRT used 8738 (unlike M725, "standard" M726 and M729).

Sorry for the confusion, just wanted to help with sound issue. 😀