ssokolow wrote on 2024-05-30, 23:12:

DoutorHouse wrote on 2024-05-30, 22:57:

Thank you again so much for taking time to test it! I went and tried a different smaller mp3 and had the same crash.
Then, having ran out of ideas, I decided to apply the same bios version you have (1.01). Mine was 1.03 but it applied without any issues. I checked on BIOS settings and the MAC address is now all zeros (not sure if it's normal) but entered windows, and tried those mp3s again. Surprise: no errors whatsoever!!! I guess this later 1.03 Bios has some kind of error (i checked and it says it adds support for a new microprocessor.... I'm gonna run a few more tests...

Here are both bios, in case you wanna test that wonky 1.03 😜

*facepalm* If newer audio drivers are not necessarily less buggy, I should have considered that maybe the BIOS could be the same.

I'll save copies of those files in case I wind up with another t5530 that needs to be downgraded.

Ahah, was thinking about that! Maybe the newer audio drivers will break media player again! Need to try that! 😀

Good news is that, apparently, the t5530 doesn't even need any of those VIA 4in1 drivers or the 5.24a hyperion one, let alone that 245682US8.exe fix for the IDE channels controller. I'll keep it for the t5710 where it seems it really is needed.

Thanks again for your help! If i hadn't noticed you had a different BIOS version, i probably would never think of downgrading it (with 1.03 windows said it had 94% of free resources, with 1.01 always says 84 or 86%... weird!!!!). 😜

DoutorHouse wrote on 2024-05-30, 23:21:

Thanks again for your help! If i hadn't noticed you had a different BIOS version, i probably would never think of downgrading it (with 1.03 windows said it had 94% of free resources, with 1.01 always says 84 or 86%... weird!!!!). 😜

The difference between 94% of 128MiB and 84-86% is roughly the amount that the GPU reserves to use as VRAM (16MiB). It's probable that 1.03 changes how it reports that reservation to Windows.

ssokolow wrote on 2024-05-30, 23:28:

DoutorHouse wrote on 2024-05-30, 23:21:

Thanks again for your help! If i hadn't noticed you had a different BIOS version, i probably would never think of downgrading it (with 1.03 windows said it had 94% of free resources, with 1.01 always says 84 or 86%... weird!!!!). 😜

The difference between 94% of 128MiB and 84-86% is roughly the amount that the GPU reserves to use as VRAM (16MiB). It's probable that 1.03 changes how it reports that reservation to Windows.

Yeah, the system actually seems way more stable with this older bios. The 1.03 made windows kinda "stutter" sometimes. I just hope that SBEMU works the way it did with this older version (the person programming SBEMU also has a t5530 for testing, i think.)

DoutorHouse wrote on 2024-05-30, 23:47:

ssokolow wrote on 2024-05-30, 23:28:

DoutorHouse wrote on 2024-05-30, 23:21:

Thanks again for your help! If i hadn't noticed you had a different BIOS version, i probably would never think of downgrading it (with 1.03 windows said it had 94% of free resources, with 1.01 always says 84 or 86%... weird!!!!). 😜

The difference between 94% of 128MiB and 84-86% is roughly the amount that the GPU reserves to use as VRAM (16MiB). It's probable that 1.03 changes how it reports that reservation to Windows.

Yeah, the system actually seems way more stable with this older bios. The 1.03 made windows kinda "stutter" sometimes. I just hope that SBEMU works the way it did with this older version (the person programming SBEMU also has a t5530 for testing, i think.)

Let me know how it goes. I haven't gotten around to trying it on my end yet with any BIOS version and having some comparative information on record would be nice.

ssokolow wrote on 2024-05-30, 23:58:

DoutorHouse wrote on 2024-05-30, 23:47:

ssokolow wrote on 2024-05-30, 23:28:

The difference between 94% of 128MiB and 84-86% is roughly the amount that the GPU reserves to use as VRAM (16MiB). It's probable that 1.03 changes how it reports that reservation to Windows.

Yeah, the system actually seems way more stable with this older bios. The 1.03 made windows kinda "stutter" sometimes. I just hope that SBEMU works the way it did with this older version (the person programming SBEMU also has a t5530 for testing, i think.)

Let me know how it goes. I haven't gotten around to trying it on my end yet with any BIOS version and having some comparative information on record would be nice.

Sure! So far I tested a few games but it seems it's behaving exactly like it did with the v1.03... Every game sounds great, except Warcraft II... the sound volume appears to go up and down all the time. It will be probably fixed on a later SBEMU release... I'll also probably buy a new Flash Disk for this t5530... The 2GB I got it's not very big and I'm planning on installing some windows games on it too!

DoutorHouse wrote on 2024-05-31, 00:04:

Sure! So far I tested a few games but it seems it's behaving exactly like it did with the v1.03... Every game sounds great, except Warcraft II... the sound volume appears to go up and down all the time. It will be probably fixed on a later SBEMU release.

Good to hear. I look forward to experimenting with it once I've finished getting the Windows 98SE side of things set up.

(Mostly installing a few more games, taking one more "home-made system restore point" backup, installing the rest of my programming tools, and adding Tiny Core Linux and Micro Core Linux to my home-made "Apple Internet Recovery, but LAN-based and for retro PCs" net-boot menu as additional options.)

what happened to the list of thin clients that have soundblaster support?

MechWarriorZero wrote on 2024-09-06, 03:31:

what happened to the list of thin clients that have soundblaster support?

HERE IS THE LIST:
https://web.archive.org/web/20210723231300/ht … PDu-p01Ac/edit#

IMHO not bad options:
These (other than VX0) use SBEMU and have "issues" in Win 98SE (need added GPU/Sound > RX0, or can run in "universal VGA" drivers > CX0)

- Econo: But I believe Wyse CX0 (VIA C3 1GHz) is the "best bang for buck" for DOS, has SBEMU, but it lacks gameport & 98SE gpu driver (xp/7/10 is fine, making for an easy working OS out of DOS)
* I have seen these as little as $5 on ebay with power adaptor. Flaw = lacks 9x igpu driver (with no expansion option) & gameport

- Cheapo/EASY + Gameport ability : Abit better, Wyse VX0 (with VIA C3 1GHz & PCMIA for gameport) should handle DOS to early/mid 9x stuff well (and run xp/7/10)
* if you dont care about gameport, "VX0LE" is a VIA C7 Eden @ 1.2Ghz in same package (minus PCMIA slot)

- Still under a $100 "kit": Potent, Wyse Rx0 more "work/add-on's" than above (PCI-E 4x to 16x adaptor, a X300-x700 PCI-E & USB sound card), but a beast in DOS/9x (& not bad for XP/7/10)
* 1.5Ghz "Athlon" (Sempron 210u, DC/64BIT, still has 3DNOW, "huge" L1+L2 cache for a thin client) that has IDE + "IDE mode SATA" and can take 4GB PC6300U (wifi/bt/serial/parallel), flaw = lacks gameport

Wyse's are "The North American Thin Client" (hyper common, in vast numbers), so they are "dime a dozen" used, and "cheap" new in box
I'm in Canada, but it appears after Wyse (also branded as Dell), HP takes the cake for "number of units on market" for thin clients

I have not tested but these are roughly $35 USD (for a 1Ghz HP T5545), on ebay
HP's t5145(< 500mhz) / t5540 / t5545 / t5630 / t5630W (all 1Ghz)units "should" work with both SBEMU & Win 9x igpu drivers for VIA Chrome9 HC IGP Family
VIA Chrome9 HC IGP "universal"
https://download.cnet.com/via-chrome9-hc-igp- … 8_4-208864.html
&/OR
VIA S3 Chrome 9 Video Driver ( IGP, 9x)
https://theretroweb.com/drivers/33

VIA Chrome9 HC IGP video with details & some era games gameplay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS7ZZRSiWyk

edit: tried to tidy ramblings

aazard wrote on 2024-09-20, 04:26:

(xp/7/10 is fine, making for an easy working OS out of DOS)

*nod* As someone who's probably most nostalgic for Win 98SE, I can vouch for it being very possible to configure Windows XP on a Cx0 to fake Windows 9x so convincingly that my intuition relaxes into not caring that it's XP using its built-in customization options, X-Setup Pro, a little determination to dig through X-Setup to find all the relevant built-into-Windows tweaks (eg. hiding the places sidebar in the Open/Save dialog), Inexperience Patcher for things like the Start button icon, and a few little touches like renaming "My Network Places" to "Network Neighborhood".

It's quite the satisfying little budget beast.

EDIT: ...and their size, solidity, and heft make them very satisfying to hold in your hand.

MechWarriorZero wrote on 2024-09-06, 03:31:

what happened to the list of thin clients that have soundblaster support?

Hi all !
sorry, i made some mistakes with my Drive files.
The file is back : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uPLNE … of=true&sd=true

i updated the first page on this forum.

Enjoy DOS sound ! 😁

Best,
Philippe

Hi,

You might add some information about the VXL TC3200 think Client.
It ist actually based on the Board CV860A from Bona/Lex.
The used board was available from Bona in different variants.
CPUs: 400, 533, 800, 1 GHz and 1.4 GHz
Network ports: 1 or 3
Network Chips: Realtek or Intel
The rest of the board stayed the same.

You can find a summary of the board on Retroweb (https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/bona-lex-cv860a

I recently aquired such a machine (533 MHz, 3 Realtek network ports) and installed Windows 98 SE.
I now flashed the BIOS without PXE Support, because the upper memory area was almost completely blocked by two BIOS segments with 42 kB each. Now I have enough upper memory to even have EMS available If needed.
But i haven't done any furthers DOS tests so far.

aazard wrote on 2024-09-20, 04:26:

HERE IS THE LIST: https://web.archive.org/web/20210723231300/ht … PDu-p01Ac/edit# […]
Show full quote

MechWarriorZero wrote on 2024-09-06, 03:31:

what happened to the list of thin clients that have soundblaster support?

HERE IS THE LIST:
https://web.archive.org/web/20210723231300/ht … PDu-p01Ac/edit#

IMHO not bad options:
These (other than VX0) use SBEMU and have "issues" in Win 98SE (need added GPU/Sound > RX0, or can run in "universal VGA" drivers > CX0)

- Econo: But I believe Wyse CX0 (VIA C3 1GHz) is the "best bang for buck" for DOS, has SBEMU, but it lacks gameport & 98SE gpu driver (xp/7/10 is fine, making for an easy working OS out of DOS)
* I have seen these as little as $5 on ebay with power adaptor. Flaw = lacks 9x igpu driver (with no expansion option) & gameport

- Cheapo/EASY + Gameport ability : Abit better, Wyse VX0 (with VIA C3 1GHz & PCMIA for gameport) should handle DOS to early/mid 9x stuff well (and run xp/7/10)
* if you dont care about gameport, "VX0LE" is a VIA C7 Eden @ 1.2Ghz in same package (minus PCMIA slot)

- Still under a $100 "kit": Potent, Wyse Rx0 more "work/add-on's" than above (PCI-E 4x to 16x adaptor, a X300-x700 PCI-E & USB sound card), but a beast in DOS/9x (& not bad for XP/7/10)
* 1.5Ghz "Athlon" (Sempron 210u, DC/64BIT, still has 3DNOW, "huge" L1+L2 cache for a thin client) that has IDE + "IDE mode SATA" and can take 4GB PC6300U (wifi/bt/serial/parallel), flaw = lacks gameport

Wyse's are "The North American Thin Client" (hyper common, in vast numbers), so they are "dime a dozen" used, and "cheap" new in box
I'm in Canada, but it appears after Wyse (also branded as Dell), HP takes the cake for "number of units on market" for thin clients

I have not tested but these are roughly $35 USD (for a 1Ghz HP T5545), on ebay
HP's t5145(< 500mhz) / t5540 / t5545 / t5630 / t5630W (all 1Ghz)units "should" work with both SBEMU & Win 9x igpu drivers for VIA Chrome9 HC IGP Family
VIA Chrome9 HC IGP "universal"
https://download.cnet.com/via-chrome9-hc-igp- … 8_4-208864.html
&/OR
VIA S3 Chrome 9 Video Driver ( IGP, 9x)
https://theretroweb.com/drivers/33

VIA Chrome9 HC IGP video with details & some era games gameplay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS7ZZRSiWyk

edit: tried to tidy ramblings

Thanks for this list!
I was wondering if someone actually owns a HP t5145/t5540/t5545/t5630? I'm thinking of getting a t5145 for installing DOS/WIN98SE in it but I'm having a hard time finding the correct graphics card drivers for it. Most sources say there are only drivers for 2000 and XP, not Win98/ME, as this particular model has a Via Chrome9 HC3 IGP (not HC...).

https://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/hp/t5540/

Any help would be really appreciated!!