I am getting a P55A-UD4 and an i870, as a backup board. As per Anandtech benchmarks, the performance of i7 870 is slightly better / comparable to similar 4 core i7 9xx cpus.
Looking at other build logs here on Vogons, I see no reason why P55 would be less compatible than x58 for windows 98.
I do agree that x58 is a nicer platform: 6 cores, triple channel ddr3, more pcie lanes and better boards /better OC.
You can install some modified drivers on ICH family, because they are backward compatible to some degree.
I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.
Errius wrote on 2023-06-02, 12:56:I lost my EX58 because the HSF came loose from the CPU, and I didn't notice. This situation persisted I don't know how long, with the CPU running continuously at very high temperature, and it eventually killed the board.
These boards use crappy plastic pushpins to hold the HSF in place, leaving you vulnerable to things like this. I much prefer the metal screw attachment system you find on workstation/server boards.
And that is precisely the reason why you should use good aftermarket cooling. You get a backplate and the cooler screws into the backplate.
The same goes for the newer consumer boards. They still used the super crap plastic push pin crap for the stock coolers.
Roman555 wrote on 2023-06-02, 13:27:mihai wrote on 2023-06-02, 12:28:X58 boards are indeed quite rare and stupidly expensive. I mostly care for Gigabyte boards and I managed to grab two mobos (x58a-ud3r and x58-ud3), for 40EUR each. I am concerned as well about the high temps on the mobo, I am seeing 60C on the northbridge in idle.
There is the option of P55 boards + i7 8xx. I argue that are just as compatible as x58 for retro purposes. The P55 boards I have seen support SLI, have IDE / floppy connectors and maybe more PCI slots.
In terms of performance - not much is lost vs X58.
Then why not to go further and choose inexpensive LGA 1155 platform? It has official winxp drivers. Asus produced mainboards with ide option on-board (though I don't remember about floppy)
Because you get a lousy number of PCIe lanes, lower max core count and only dual channel RAM.
mihai wrote on 2023-06-02, 12:28:X58 boards are indeed quite rare and stupidly expensive. I mostly care for Gigabyte boards and I managed to grab two mobos (x58a-ud3r and x58-ud3), for 40EUR each. I am concerned as well about the high temps on the mobo, I am seeing 60C on the northbridge in idle.
There is the option of P55 boards + i7 8xx. I argue that are just as compatible as x58 for retro purposes. The P55 boards I have seen support SLI, have IDE / floppy connectors and maybe more PCI slots.
In terms of performance - not much is lost vs X58.
The chipset should not be running that hot. Might want to remove the cooler, clean and re-paste it.
BitWrangler wrote on 2023-06-02, 01:41:These things turn up cheap but are only sold weird places, might be crappy... (Store not known to be good, for details only)
https://shopee.ph/Machinist-X58-Motherboard-L … 8404.6196892479
You might need to pardon my lack of knowledge, but what exactly is this? Is this a new motherboard with LGA1366 support?
In any case I would like to support 24GB of ram in 6 sticks.
The Serpent Rider wrote on 2023-06-02, 05:40:I would probably pick HP board for stock.
Mind to share an example or a model? I have found this thing https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394251116032?hash= … %3ABFBMpoH03I9i
I imagine that I could potentially buy another xeon cpu, because I dont think it will work with a 920 (my previous CPU) and the xeon in parallel.
Sphere0161 wrote on 2023-06-02, 20:29:BitWrangler wrote on 2023-06-02, 01:41:These things turn up cheap but are only sold weird places, might be crappy... (Store not known to be good, for details only)
https://shopee.ph/Machinist-X58-Motherboard-L … 8404.6196892479You might need to pardon my lack of knowledge, but what exactly is this? Is this a new motherboard with LGA1366 support?
In any case I would like to support 24GB of ram in 6 sticks.
I don't know about exactly, seems like a trailing edge brand that releases motherboards to capitalize on mass availability of ex-server xeons 2 or 3 years after they were new. So original run of this board was probably a few years ago and this is older stock.
Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.
If you want to go this route, you may look at a complete HP workstation, as you may find some interesting bargains- as an example:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394639040777
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256038211757 (!! no video card listed)
You will need to check whether your GPU fits the power budget / is compatible with the PSU.
About chinese X58 / x79 / x99 boards - forget about those. Buggy, no support, no features, you need to be handy with a bios reflasher 😁. Their only quality was the low price, these days not so much. There are many reviews online (myiconst, tech yes city, etc - on youtube)
Mind to share an example or a model? I have found this thing
Just regular board from Z400 - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195498360314
But yeah, complete Z400/Z600/Z800 system should be also cheap. Looks fancy and robust enough. Also keep in mind, that Z400/Z600/Z800 are not using standard ATX connector, so you'll need an adapter outside of original system.
I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.
The Serpent Rider wrote on 2023-06-03, 02:20:Mind to share an example or a model? I have found this thing
Just regular board from Z400 - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195498360314
But yeah, complete Z400/Z600/Z800 system should be also cheap. Looks fancy and robust enough. Also keep in mind, that Z400/Z600/Z800 are not using standard ATX connector, so you'll need an adapter outside of original system.
The Z400 looks very interesting, although being how cheap are the xeon I might as well get a z800 and have two of them.
Focusing on the Z400, I can see it has pci and pcie. Not much USBs (and they are 2?), so I would need to get a pci board for that I think. It does have a floppy port (yay!), PS2 port for keyboard (yay!, I dont use the mouse one).
What will I be losing in comparison with the x85a-ud5 (other than perhaps, better overclocking support, and special adaptor for power)?
mihai wrote on 2023-06-02, 20:46:If you want to go this route, you may look at a complete HP workstation, as you may find some interesting bargains- as an exampl […]
If you want to go this route, you may look at a complete HP workstation, as you may find some interesting bargains- as an example:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394639040777
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256038211757 (!! no video card listed)You will need to check whether your GPU fits the power budget / is compatible with the PSU.
About chinese X58 / x79 / x99 boards - forget about those. Buggy, no support, no features, you need to be handy with a bios reflasher 😁. Their only quality was the low price, these days not so much. There are many reviews online (myiconst, tech yes city, etc - on youtube)
Getting a whole server is very tempting, but as I said, I only wanted to have a secondary motherboard in case my x58a-ud5 breaks, I don't even really need it now. So I will be getting myself into a larger problem with that.
Have you experienced any chinese motherboard? I would be curious to have a personal experience rather than a review. I probably dont trust enough to consider anything else than the last alternative. I will see if I can check some review videos anyway.
I bought an x99 machinist from aliexpress. It was so bad I threw it in the trash after 1 hr of use. Coming from a high tier Gigabyte board, it would be unbearable to use.
mihai wrote on 2023-06-03, 13:16:I bought an x99 machinist from aliexpress. It was so bad I threw it in the trash after 1 hr of use. Coming from a high tier Gigabyte board, it would be unbearable to use.
I have check a review and it looks that they have 2 really big issues:
Specially the second one, it is a big deal to me. The first one, well I could just hibernate instead.
I still use the S1366 platform as my Main machine. I have bought this system in 2009. The Gigabyte EX58-UD5 (250€ was the price in Oct. 2009) still runs fine, only the original CMOS battery are died the last year and I have upgraded the CPU from a i7 920 D0 to a Xeon X5670 Westmere.
The latest Intel platform with a legacy bios before UEFI comes out in 2011 with the Sandybridge CPUs from Intel and the best for a very high BCLK overclocking (also on non "Extreme" CPUs and Xeons), before Intel limit this in the later X79/X99 chipsets...
The only disadvantage: the platform has a relatively high power consumption, otherwise top, also in 2023 if you use a overclocked 6 Core Westmere.
although being how cheap are the xeon I might as well get a z800 and have two of them.
Z800 won't fit in any case.
I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.
The Serpent Rider wrote on 2023-06-03, 16:13:although being how cheap are the xeon I might as well get a z800 and have two of them.
Z800 won't fit in any case.
Not even in this one? https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/legacy-p … /cases/haf-922/
No.
I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.
If you don't mind proprietary systems, then also look out for the Dell Poweredge T610/T710
ETA: The 610 lacks 16x PCIe though.
Is this too much voodoo?
Dell also lacks PCI, floppy and PS/2 ports, so it's completely pointless.
I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.
