Ford Racing 2 ... been a while since I ran that, think I could run it just on my K6-2 @ 500 with everything turned down but low fps, then for 1024x768 it seemed to need about 1.2Ghz of Athlon to not be horrible, maybe fully smoothed out by about XP-2100 speeds of 1733. So translating to socket 423, I'd guess 1.5 minimum, 1.7 alright, 2.0 best. Depends how it likes each architecture though I guess.

I think it was 800x600 I ran it at. Might have to tone down on the eyecandy features and it'll probably run upwards of 60 fps.

Finally got some working memory for my 286-16. 1MB -> 5MB

It feels like Wolfenstein runs a little bit smoother, but I also think it's the plecebo effect. Not sure. 😁

IDK if I remember someone saying it only uses it for sound, or whether it's just late and I should be in bed.

PcBytes wrote on 2023-09-29, 00:43:

Had loads of fun with a 423/SDRAM mobo - a MSI 845 Pro.

Started from scratch with a 80GB Maxtor 6Y080P0, a Samsung SH-S162 DVD-RW, GF4 MX440 64MB Golden PCB and a RTL8169C 1000M LAN card.

Got 2K installed, nVidia 71.89 for the GPU and whatever I found that could run the PCI LAN card, and this is the final result. A few games still need some attention (NFS5 crashes by hanging at the splash screen, Ford Racing 2 runs slightly choppy) but so far I'm very happy how it turned out. Maybe up the RAM a lil' bit (256MB seems to be barely enough for it) but that's it besides those two things.

I ran a 1.4 Ghz Pentium 4 with 256 MB RDRAM with Windows 2000 when it was contemporary and it was fine for software at the time, although a bit tighter on the memory compared to Windows 98. I ran XP on it later, which was not enough memory to be comfortable. I had to tolerate this for years until I could save enough money for my next major upgrade. Because RDRAM was so expensive at the time and had to be installed in pairs, I decided to just skip the memory upgrade and put that money into a whole new system.

IMO, Windows 2000 runs best with at least 384MB, but 512MB is much more comfortable. 256MB is still okay, but expect for there to be swapping if you want to do a lot of multitasking.

PcBytes wrote on 2023-09-29, 00:43:

Got 2K installed

Quite evident with that wallpaper. 😄 Haven't seen her for some time.

Kahenraz wrote on 2023-09-29, 06:14:

PcBytes wrote on 2023-09-29, 00:43:

Had loads of fun with a 423/SDRAM mobo - a MSI 845 Pro.

Started from scratch with a 80GB Maxtor 6Y080P0, a Samsung SH-S162 DVD-RW, GF4 MX440 64MB Golden PCB and a RTL8169C 1000M LAN card.

Got 2K installed, nVidia 71.89 for the GPU and whatever I found that could run the PCI LAN card, and this is the final result. A few games still need some attention (NFS5 crashes by hanging at the splash screen, Ford Racing 2 runs slightly choppy) but so far I'm very happy how it turned out. Maybe up the RAM a lil' bit (256MB seems to be barely enough for it) but that's it besides those two things.

I ran a 1.4 Ghz Pentium 4 with 256 MB RDRAM with Windows 2000 when it was contemporary and it was fine for software at the time, although a bit tighter on the memory compared to Windows 98. I ran XP on it later, which was not enough memory to be comfortable. I had to tolerate this for years until I could save enough money for my next major upgrade. Because RDRAM was so expensive at the time and had to be installed in pairs, I decided to just skip the memory upgrade and put that money into a whole new system.

IMO, Windows 2000 runs best with at least 384MB, but 512MB is much more comfortable. 256MB is still okay, but expect for there to be swapping if you want to do a lot of multitasking.

Noted, I vaguely remember seeing a "Virtual Memory Too Low" or something like that, so definitely a memory upgrade has to be done. Thankfully mine is standard PC133 SDRAM so it won't be too hard to find sticks for it.

Up next I might also compare how it fares against a 478 in nearly the same SDRAM config, using an AOpen AX4BS.

dormcat wrote on 2023-09-29, 06:50:

Quite evident with that wallpaper. 😄 Haven't seen her for some time.

I'm more surprised there's still wallpapers of her on the internet. Most of them are older than I can think of. Nothing beats the iMac girl Toybox Arts did - the last time I found the wallpaper it had been dated just a few days ago in 1998 - 26/09/1998!

PcBytes wrote on 2023-09-29, 07:32:

I'm more surprised there's still wallpapers of her on the internet. Most of them are older than I can think of. Nothing beats the iMac girl Toybox Arts did - the last time I found the wallpaper it had been dated just a few days ago in 1998 - 26/09/1998!

Well she appeared six weeks after the original "Bondi Blue" iMac G3 hit the market. Recently the "nothing special, just happy time" animated commercial by McDonald's Japan had inspired many artists to create derivative arts in mere HOURS. 😉

So far I have been using cheap PSU-s to power my retro test bench. However with more expensive retro components managing to end up on my table I decided to start managing risks. Went for well priced modern Seasonic PSU. Didn't plan to take fanless but as it happened I came across good deal locally. Modular one is better suited for retro setups.

Good side effect - compared to old XILENCE one which cost me 25EUR some 5 years ago Seasonic is clearly more efficient.
On my VLB 486DX2 rig running PC Players VGA Benchmark revealed this: power off the wall dropped 27.4W -> 20.8W.
Funnily enough Sesonic does not advertise efficiency figure on their promo graphs below 20% ...

Edit: I only just realised looking at label that XILENCE is actually German company. How it manages to be cheap brand...

My rule with PSUs - assume that regardless whether they're German, Czech, Russian....they're all made in Taiwan!

ALL!

Were, now most are made in China, including this one. Germany is just a location of a front company providing local marketing/logistics.

vutt wrote on 2023-09-29, 15:04:

Funnily enough Sesonic does not advertise efficiency figure on their promo graphs below 20% ...

This is even not rmentioned in 80PLUS... until Titanium, which needs a specific efficientcy at 10 % load.

Just what the heck was the designer of "Genuine Intel" Socket 370 heatsink thinking? Using a PLASTIC spring clip that is very fragile even brand new, and more so after 22 years.

It snapped when I tried to unclip the heatsink in order to replace the failed fan. I don't have any spare S370 heatsink and nice ones are expensive and far, far away; incidentally, I realized that earlier Socket 7 heatsinks were compatible with Socket 370 so I gave it a try. Unfortunately though, even with a new fan the CPU temperature jumped to 69°C even idling in BIOS so it wouldn't be practical to use it under any operating system.

I wonder if downgrading the CPU from P3 1000EB (TDP: 29W) to 600EB (TDP: 15.8W; much closer to Socket 7 Pentium-MMX). I've also fixed the broken spring clip with Scotch Super Glue Gel but I'm not sure if the mechanical strength of the glued joint is strong enough. 🙄

dormcat wrote on 2023-09-29, 19:05:

Just what the heck was the designer of "Genuine Intel" Socket 370 heatsink thinking?

"If i save the company 0.1 cent per piece i´ll get a raise."

Its not cost cutting, stamped clip would be order of magnitude cheaper compared to two piece injection molded one. The difference is metal ones require stabbing with a screwdriver and that often ends with broken traces on the motherboard, while plastic one has user friendly lever.

vutt wrote on 2023-09-29, 15:04:

So far I have been using cheap PSU-s to power my retro test bench. However with more expensive retro components managing to end […]
Show full quote

So far I have been using cheap PSU-s to power my retro test bench. However with more expensive retro components managing to end up on my table I decided to start managing risks. Went for well priced modern Seasonic PSU. Didn't plan to take fanless but as it happened I came across good deal locally. Modular one is better suited for retro setups.

Good side effect - compared to old XILENCE one which cost me 25EUR some 5 years ago Seasonic is clearly more efficient.
On my VLB 486DX2 rig running PC Players VGA Benchmark revealed this: power off the wall dropped 27.4W -> 20.8W.
Funnily enough Sesonic does not advertise efficiency figure on their promo graphs below 20% ...

Edit: I only just realised looking at label that XILENCE is actually German company. How it manages to be cheap brand...

My 440bx was acting flaky initially. Got my 300w seasonic back which has 30A on 5v rail I had foolishly put into a build for a family member. Now it runs solid with case fans etc no sweat. I have been looking to get hx1200i for the 30A on the 5v rail but it's above my cost threshold

dormcat wrote on 2023-09-29, 19:05:

Just what the heck was the designer of "Genuine Intel" Socket 370 heatsink thinking? Using a PLASTIC spring clip that is very fragile even brand new, and more so after 22 years.

This is the clip used in the late and larger s370 heatsinks, right? My experience differs from yours, funnily enough it's probably the only Intel mechanism I like. Back then I was working at a local computer store (so I operated many of those while new) and found them comfortably flexible and less dangerous to scratch the motherboard with. They had given me the impression of a softer, friendlier for non-professionals solution and not that they saved a cent with each one (amateurs scratching motherboards from trying to fit the previous metal clip was a thing). I haven't got much experience with them 20+ years later though, if they have become too fragile I hear you.

IIRC the same mechanism is used on the CPU cooler for the OGXBox.

I wanted to know if a "clone" OPL2 sounds different from a real OPL2.

So i socketed the "clone" OPL2 on my clone AdLib card and swapped over the real OPL2 and DAC from my OPL2LPT.

And ... Drumroll ...
They sound exactly the same...

At least now my clone AdLib has a real OPL and im probably the only one with a OPL2LPT with an official (not rebranded to yamaha) clone OPL2 😏

DerBaum wrote on 2023-09-29, 22:41:

I wanted to know if a "clone" OPL2 sounds different from a real OPL2. 2023-09-29 22.42.03.jpg So i socketed the "clone" OPL2 on […]
Show full quote

I wanted to know if a "clone" OPL2 sounds different from a real OPL2.
2023-09-29 22.42.03.jpg
So i socketed the "clone" OPL2 on my clone AdLib card and swapped over the real OPL2 and DAC from my OPL2LPT.
2023-09-30 00.34.58.jpg
And ... Drumroll ...
They sound exactly the same...

At least now my clone AdLib has a real OPL and im probably the only one with a OPL2LPT with an official (not rebranded to yamaha) clone OPL2 😏

I love stuff like this. Your entire signal path can affect the sound you get in the end, so it was really smart to swap out the chip itself.

Did you record it and compare the waveforms as well? I'd be curious if you could eyeball differences that you couldn't hear.