Server 2003 is basically XP for Workgroups 3.11 😉 ... if there's something CPU intensive (for XP era), but doesn't need too hefty graphics, and is multithreaded, then the powerwedgie might run that okay. (Sorry, I have this irresistible urge to screw up the name of Dell products, much be since I first got the Dementia.)

as an addendum, will the PowerEdge add anything to my life and longevity? It's big and heavy. I wish he would have given it to me 2 years ago, because I really wanted a capable 32 bit system. I have the dual PIII, another homemade box with a Foxconn mobo/AMD XP 2600+, which seems to run well enough, and a handful of diminutive systems, a Wyse thin client, and an Asus eeePC 900a. What reason should I hold onto that big bastard?

Funny BW posted his reply just before I did 😀

BitWrangler wrote on 2021-09-21, 02:17:

Server 2003 is basically XP for Workgroups 3.11 😉 ... if there's something CPU intensive (for XP era), but doesn't need too hefty graphics, and is multithreaded, then the powerwedgie might run that okay. (Sorry, I have this irresistible urge to screw up the name of Dell products, much be since I first got the Dementia.)

ok well XP is pretty popular amongst gamers. Can Server 2003 fill it's shoes? I realize it probably requires more resources, but as you can see I tend to gravitate towards servers and associated os'.

I see the Powerwedgie 2600 has only PCI slots, no PCIe. That's a big limitation. If it had at least a PCIe x8 slot then you could get some newish games running on it. But with PCI, forget it.

it's not a modern computer. I could see if you were put off by it not having an agp slot. But no way could it br made to compete w/modern machines, even with pci-e slots. I have an old p4 with pci-e x16 iinm. doesn't matter.

I do most my Win9x gaming on a Dual P3 running Win2k Pro,
In theory the 2nd CPU can take care of some of the background services, I doubt it makes much difference in reality.
But Win2k is so much nicer then Win98, I've only 3 games that refuse to work and knowing I'm playing games on a "serious" dual CPU system makes me happy.

The Powerege 2600 is basically a dual s478 rig. Only having PCI will hurt it's gaming ability. It does have an ATI Rage onboard but thats not going to help it much
OS wise it officially supports Win2k and up, You don't have to install Server OS's so XP, Vista or 7 will also work.

But really something like this I'd I setup and run as an old server if it interests you. I've a similar aged Dell as a fast Win2k Server just for messing around with.

Game wise Quake 3 supports multiple CPU's, thats about it

I really like my HP dual 604 rig because it's like the steroidal big brother of the S478 P4 I was using 20 years ago. Mine however has PCIe slots which gives it lots of options that the OP's machine lacks.

I'd be interested to know if a pci-e card could run games suited for a machine with an AGP card. IOW these servers seem to never have AGP slots, but some have pci-e, albeit rev. 1.

chinny22 wrote on 2021-09-21, 11:40:

But Win2k is so much nicer then Win98, I've only 3 games that refuse to work and knowing I'm playing games on a "serious" dual CPU system makes me happy.

why won't those games run on that? Is it the lack of agp, or do they not like w2k?

No, I don't think anything named "Poweredge" was ever released with an AGP port. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) Dell used another name (Precision?) for its workstation-class machines.

chris2021 wrote on 2021-09-21, 23:04:

chinny22 wrote on 2021-09-21, 11:40:

But Win2k is so much nicer then Win98, I've only 3 games that refuse to work and knowing I'm playing games on a "serious" dual CPU system makes me happy.

why won't those games run on that? Is it the lack of agp, or do they not like w2k?

Win2k
2 are early Win95 games, Road Rash and Return Fire which also doesn't like windows been anything higher the 256 colours so it really didn't stand a chance
the 3rd is really a series, Need for Speed 3,4,Porsche which other people have got going but I've never had luck and rebooting into Win9x is no big deal.

Errius wrote on 2021-09-21, 23:39:

No, I don't think anything named "Poweredge" was ever released with an AGP port. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) Dell used another name (Precision?) for its workstation-class machines.

Yeh PowerEdge is the server class where video isn't a bit deal. You do get PCI-X and companies like Matrox did release some cards but the cost of these don't justify what is still a sub par card for gaming.

Precision is indeed workstation class, here is my S604 based machine where I'm not even taking full advantage of it's AGP! Sadly it's caps finally went last year and now waiting for it's turn for a recap
Precision 650 Dual Xeon System

If you can disable that video card or run dual video
Meh your system will run 80% of the games a normal 2.8 p4 would run, just might have to run lower res/detail. So it isn’t TTHHHAAAT bad and likely much better than the thing I ran in the day, just gotta temper expectations

See video

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TAcMvJSMWIs

Your options to get a useable video card are trying to get a bridge card to work or finding a rare expensive late issue PCI card.

PCI 3D video isn’t that bad on a system of your vintage but you need the correct card to get similar performance as compared to agp.

Good luck and just roll with it as a game testing rig